Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 189 Logistics Support

"The lobbying team from the Land of Wind is ready. As expected of a 'poor nation,' they're willing to sell out their national interests for a little money and jewels." Izuna was the last to arrive, and he announced the great news as soon as he came in.

Hui certainly wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket; someone had to be on the front lines, and support couldn't be neglected either.

Tobirama said expressionlessly, "This doesn't count as completely betraying the country. A neutral country with a firm stance is much less troublesome than a small country that tries to please both sides. At least it can save us a lot of money on long-distance dog-raising expenses."

A series of "pffts" echoed from the table, with Izuna laughing the loudest, almost rolling under the table. Naruto, on the other hand, was the quickest to become serious, and in a very weak and unconvincing way, emphasized that it was best not to use "dog" to describe people, because some people weren't even as loyal as dogs.

Tobirama was a man with a good sense of humor. His aloof face might seem intimidating at first glance, but underneath he was just an ordinary middle-aged man who loved to make impromptu remarks and laugh heartily. He possessed the passion of the Senju and the meticulousness of the Uchiha; it's a pity that such a person was left until the end. Fortunately, they were given a chance to start over.

The Land of Wind is, after all, one of the Five Great Nations. Even though it has consistently ranked at the bottom, it still possesses overwhelming resources compared to smaller nations. While Hui certainly has the strength to sweep through the ninja world, what happens after that? A world forcibly assembled is ultimately a disorganized mess. Once the overwhelming fighting power disappears, they will scatter.

This is an experience that the previous generation learned at the cost of their lives, and they will never make the same mistake again! Therefore, if they want to stop a major power using non-military means, the political and interest-based maneuvering becomes very complicated.

Hui not only orchestrated the timely arrival of the Konoha ninja and the lobbying group, but they also prepared a negotiating deal that was hard to refuse.

Smaller countries sandwiched between larger nations mostly make their living as middlemen, while trade between different regions is concentrated in the Bird Country, as its roads are easier to traverse and its smaller desert area reduces the risk of death. However, Fushu City, a Silk Road transit point that should have been lucrative, pulled off a remarkable feat, wiping out a third of the passing merchant caravans. The daimyo, who had just funded the repair of the Silk Road, was furious and recalled his brothers from the border. There's an unspoken understanding among nobles not to kill each other, especially since they were essentially family. What ordinary people considered catastrophic was nothing more than a minor incident in the daimyo's eyes. The old lord, of course, didn't die and was even able to enjoy his remaining years in the capital.

Of course, this doesn't mean he's truly safe. Hui remembers him and occasionally appeals the child trafficking case, keeping him constantly in the public eye and unable to find peace. They can't deploy the same manpower as the first time, but a small team has been continuously investigating. Saving as many as possible is one thing; they can't simply ignore it. If human trafficking is allowed to disappear into the shadows again, not only will public vigilance decrease, but they'll also struggle to time the next lead, and how many more will meet with misfortune during the lull?

no one knows.

While others searched for new supply points along the Silk Road, the Land of Owls was building a new one. Learning from their previous experience, this time, the uninhabited areas were filled with Edo Tensei ninjas, while the residential areas were a mix of civilians and ninjas. They made the most of the routes taken by their predecessors, modifying some rugged sections. For example, in areas requiring mountain crossings, lower sections were leveled, higher and narrower sections were tunneled, and taller and wider sections were fitted with simple tracks, saving the convoys some effort.

In short, there are always more solutions than problems, and they are working much harder than their neighbors on this Silk Road, which belongs to them.

Although the new Silk Road is not yet fully completed, it is almost finished, and they can use this to negotiate with the Kingdom of Wind. The annual trade volume between the lands of wind and earth is considerable, and if they are willing to relinquish some of the profits belonging to the middlemen, it can generate substantial revenue for the Kingdom of Wind. Their only demand is that the Kingdom of Wind cease interfering in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Owls in any way.

"For peace talks to truly be successful, Konoha is essential as a mediator. Convincing the advisory group won't be easy," Hashirama sighed. If it were Konoha under his command, anything that the Hokage agreed to would be accomplished no matter what; the timing of completion simply reflected their attitude.

"Lady Tsunade should agree. Given her personality, she'll issue the order even if it offends the advisors," said Fugaku, who was a close friend of the Fourth Hokage and had dealt with Tsunade before.

“I’ve already taken care of it,” Naruto said calmly. “The advisory board will agree; we don’t need to sacrifice Tsunade’s reputation.”

He did indeed take care of it. When the team decided to meet with Sunagakure, Kakashi immediately drafted a letter and a report. Naruto's clones not only had to deliver the letter, but also return to Konoha to debate with the scholars.

Tsunade wasn't surprised at all that Naruto, who was on a mission, had suddenly returned and knocked on the door. She casually waved him in and asked without looking up, "I guessed you guys should have arrived in the Land of Owls by now. Did something unexpected happen?"

Naruto blinked, intending to hand over the report, but Tsunade glared at him and said, "Do you think I have eyes to see? Aren't you usually quite eloquent? Just say it."

"The Land of Wind is plotting to overthrow the current government of the Land of Owls, and the Sand Village ninjas have already infiltrated the capital of the Land of Owls." Naruto's report was quite concise. "The head of state of the Land of Owls has requested that Konoha act as a third party to facilitate negotiations between them and the Land of Wind... Granny Tsunade, what do you think?"

"Tsk, I knew that an S-rank escort mission must be extraordinary. You think you can send us to do the hardest work for such a small task?" Tsunade put down the official documents and looked at Naruto with some displeasure. "You must have agreed, kid."

"...did not explicitly agree."

"Hmph, so you've already agreed in your heart? Don't I know you?"

Naruto simply smiled and took out another rather thick report, saying, "Take a look. This is my investigation report from the beginning."

Yes, Naruto's mission isn't just the stated one. Leveraging his sensory advantage, he also has the task of understanding the social conditions and border defenses of various countries, and even distributing Flying Thunder God marks around the world. The sheer power of the Flying Thunder God technique was already proven during the Third Shinobi World War; Minato Namikaze used it to instill fear in the enemy, making them see enemies everywhere. If not for chakra limitations, this technique could be the ultimate weapon for strategic relocation. And now, the one who has mastered it is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who theoretically has no chakra limitations. How could they not utilize it?

Tsunade didn't want to give Naruto these tasks, but the advisory group was obsessed with them. They were both afraid of Naruto and coveted his power. Even if Tsunade didn't say anything, Naruto would always complete the tasks, which was like a signal of compromise, giving the advisory group new illusions.

They maintained a delicate balance in this way.