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Chapter 319: The Mine and the Hidden Hands
Chapter 319: The Mine and the Hidden Hands
"We, the Sand Ninja, are abandoning this commissioned mission!" Chiyoda declared loudly.
Yes, they were merely abandoning the commission, not admitting defeat.
Although they had failed, it sounded better to say they failed the commission rather than being defeated, which would be less damaging to the Sand Ninja's reputation.
Losing to the Leaf Village in the Great Ninja War was expected; no one anticipated the Sand Ninja defeating the Leaf.
But as one of the Five Great Hidden Villages, if they couldn't even defeat a small force like the Skyguard Tower, how could they maintain their reputation in the future?
Therefore, even before the local war began, the Sand Ninja had prepared and used the 'commission' as an excuse.
If the mission failed, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Even the Five Great Hidden Villages often failed missions; it was not uncommon.
Individuals might maintain a 100% mission success rate, but villages couldn't.
As for the truth of the local war, as long as both sides remained silent, others could speak of it without consequence.
After announcing the mission's failure, Chiyoda turned and left with her people.
She, not Lo Sha, had commanded this local war, a decision that protected the Fourth Kazekage from the blow to his prestige that such a significant defeat would have caused.
Chiyoda, the elder, genuinely had the best interests of the Hidden Sand Village at heart.
Perhaps this was why she held such high esteem within the village.
Any necessary exchanges between the two sides would be left for another day, not today.
As the Sand Ninja departed, Uchiha Meika led her team to the mine, unafraid of their potential betrayal.
Aside from the presence of Hyuga Cangyue among them, which deterred any potential ambushes, the Sand Ninja's retaliation alone was enough to make them hesitate.
When Uchiha Meika's forces arrived at the mine, they found it deserted.
Aside from the rudimentary machinery and the Yellow Sand Fortress, the most striking sight was the flag of a noble family from the Land of Wind.
Risui!
The noble family, also acting as a shield during the local war, had now presented a problem for the Skyguard Tower.
Offending a noble family from the Land of Wind would make mining here difficult in the future.
While the Sand Village wouldn't interfere, they also wouldn't stop the nobles from taking action unless they shared the profits.
However, these were matters for later; currently, Uchiha Meika was more concerned with the mine before her.
Although she didn't understand why Dong Ping valued this mine so much, she trusted his judgment implicitly.
"What do you think?"
Standing above the spiral pit, she turned to Hyuga Cangyue, the only one by her side, whose eyes shone with a blue radiance.
"It's astonishing. This is just the tip of the iceberg; the entire region below is filled with mineral veins!"
Hyuga Cangyue was also surprised by what she saw.
In her vision, the yellow sand concealed a vast network of mineral veins.
The Land of Wind was known for its mineral wealth, but this was beyond exaggeration, especially for an open-pit mine so close to the sea, offering numerous advantages.
"That's excellent!"
Uchiha Meika nodded in satisfaction.
After learning of Dong Ping's high regard for this mine, she, too, began to value it.
In this war, she had witnessed the power of those metal warships firsthand.
Had it not been for the pre-emptive long-range bombardment that depleted the puppet forces, the battle would have been far more challenging, with casualties exceeding a hundred.
If just a few ships were this formidable, what about a dozen or more?
Moreover, these warships weren't just platforms for firepower; they were also invaluable for trade and transportation.
Impervious to storms and common sea beasts, these metal ships offered safety and speed far surpassing ordinary vessels.
In the past, voyages to the Land of Water incurred significant ship losses and were painfully slow.
Even with ninja escorts capable of handling sea beasts, they couldn't control the weather or natural disasters.
Now, with the Blazing Sun Fleet, speed had doubled, cargo capacity increased several times over, and the metal ships suffered only from wear and tear.
With more metal warships, trade volume would skyrocket, bringing in substantial profits.
The more benefits they gained, the more ninjas the Skyguard Fleet could cultivate, creating a positive cycle that would rapidly boost their power.
To expand this cycle, an abundance of iron ore was the prerequisite.
Now that this condition was met, the Uchiha Meika naturally felt more relaxed.
"Let's go!"
After confirming the situation at the mine, Uchiha Meika began the subsequent arrangements.
First, they had to clear the traps set by the Sand Ninjas, then set up sentry posts, assign garrison personnel, and manage the workforce.
As for mining iron ore, it wasn't something she needed to worry about.
The Skyguard Fleet had a well-established internal management system, and ninjas didn't need to spend too much effort on anything other than combat.
As she finished assigning these tasks, she suddenly turned to the last remaining Uchiha Seika.
"By the way, that noble named Risui, I think there's a chance we might encounter bandits. What do you think?"
Uchiha Meika's words were no longer a hint but a direct suggestion.
In the past, although nobles were not to be offended in her heart, they were still figures of reverence.
However, due to Dong Ping's frequent complaints and comments, her mindset had changed, and now she had such 'blasphemous' thoughts.
"Are you sure?"
Uchiha Seika first looked around to confirm that no one else could hear them before whispering her question.
In her heart, nobles were absolutely untouchable, noble figures.
But if Uchiha Meika gave the order, she wouldn't refuse to take action.
"I'm sure. Just don't leave any evidence!"
Uchiha Meika nodded.
Since the opponent dared to steal from the Skyguard Fleet, they should be prepared to pay the price.
As long as there was no evidence, even if it was known that they were involved, there would be no consequences.
The Skyguard Fleet wasn't an ordinary force; with several Shadow-level ninjas stationed there, they didn't fear nobles like weaker factions did.
Even if the nobles pressured the Hidden Sand Village to intervene, they would need solid evidence to force the village to act.
Otherwise, the village would have plenty of excuses to refuse.
In normal circumstances, they might let it go, but to make the nobles trouble several Shadow-level ninjas would be like treating them as fools.
After getting confirmation, Uchiha Seika turned and left.
Since Uchiha Meika had made up her mind, she wouldn't hesitate.
As for why she was chosen for the task, the reason was clear to her.
"Don't leave any evidence!"
If it were weapons or ninjutsu, the nobles could use it as an excuse to have the Sand Ninjas pursue them relentlessly.
But with illusions, as long as the bodies were properly disposed of, there was no need to worry about leaving traces.
Without evidence, the Sand Ninjas wouldn't put in the effort to investigate.
When the opponent used 'Risui' as a shield, they had essentially abandoned them.
With that, this local conflict could be considered concluded.
The real test was yet to come.
Future Cooperation!
The localized conflict was a prelude to future cooperation, ensuring a more significant share of benefits.
Only by confirming each other's strength could they clarify their positions in the collaboration.
So, Uchiha Meika prepared to return to the Skyguard Fleet for the upcoming negotiations.
As for the mine, it was temporarily left in the hands of Uchiha Ine.
It wasn't a matter of Uchiha Meika showing favoritism to her clan; Ine's performance was genuinely exceptional.
Most importantly, within the Skyguard Fleet, the Uchiha wouldn't be marginalized, making this position assignment entirely fair and just.
After settling these matters, Uchiha Meika finally left with most of the ninjas and the injured.
Some of the more severely injured ninjas couldn't be healed quickly, even with healing potions, and needed to return to the Skyguard Fleet for a long recovery.
The importance of the Blazing Sun Fleet had been proven, and Uchiha Meika didn't mind spending extra time escorting them.
Just as she was returning with the fleet, news of the battle's outcome spread rapidly across the major ninja villages.
Even with both sides trying to keep a low profile, the Sand Village, being one of the Five Great Hidden Villages, naturally attracted the attention of the others.
Although the detailed battle process was unavailable, everyone could tell who emerged victorious in this local war.
The Mist Village, engulfed in the 'Blood Mist Within' state, paid no heed to the outside world. The Stone and Cloud Villages' reactions were relatively subdued.
However, one force responded with intense fervor.
(End of Chapter)
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