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Chapter 386: Maitreya: A Golden Opportunity!
Chapter 386: Maitreya: A Golden Opportunity!
In the temporary meeting room...
"Alright, we understand Ghost Nation's request, but the route has been decided and cannot be changed!"
Uchiha Hachida took on the role of the stern negotiator.
The 'New Trade Route' plan, also known as the 'Great Trade Route', involved establishing a 'U-shaped' trade path, traversing the vast desert of Wind Country, and connecting remote and barren nations like Ghost Nation, Bear Country, and Snow Country.
The entire route spanned over ten thousand kilometers at the very least.
In the past, such a venture would have been impossible.
The sheer distance alone, without considering the various dangers along the way, would have been enough to discourage any ordinary caravan.
Even if a horse-drawn carriage could travel a hundred kilometers in a day (disregarding real-world speeds), it would still take over a hundred days, making the cost prohibitively high.
Not to mention the potential encounters with bandits, natural disasters, and other unforeseen obstacles.
However, what was once impossible might now be feasible.
Thanks to the Sunfire Ship!
Indeed, these steel warships, utilizing the ground effect principle, could perfectly address this issue.
Not only could they transport tens of thousands of tons of goods in one go, but they could also maintain a speed of several hundred kilometers per hour without stopping.
It was mind-blowing!
The sheer transportation capacity and efficiency directly made this trade route a viable option.
The nations along this route were bound to reap tremendous benefits.
Aside from other considerations, whether buying goods or selling specialties, they could all gain significant advantages.
Ghost Nation aimed to be the terminus.
After all, the Sunfire Ship and other transport vessels would dock at 'stations' to load and unload cargo, which was why they had come to negotiate.
Geographically, Snow Country, being located at the end of the route and having a coastline, seemed like the ideal choice.
However, sometimes, the best option might not be chosen due to external factors.
The Ghost Nation's embassy's visit was one such external factor.
Although Dong Ping had already leaked information about the New Trade Route, the surrounding small nations of Ghost Nation were still unaware of the plan's significance because they didn't know about the Sunfire Ship.
Speaking of which, Maitreya was also unaware of the Sunfire Ship.
Although Kusakaki Seifu knew about it, being a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Fortress, he naturally wouldn't disclose this information.
If he did, his position would become unstable. Instead, he merely hinted that the plan was real and would be implemented soon.
Upon receiving this hint, Maitreya, as the ruler of Ghost Nation, wasted no time in visiting.
"Compared to Snow Country, Ghost Nation is an ally of the Heavenly Fortress, and..."
Maitreya presented Ghost Nation's advantages.
Indeed, while Snow Country had a geographical edge, Ghost Nation had a relationship and internal environment advantage that Snow Country couldn't match.
Their connection with the Heavenly Fortress was as solid as it could be, short of an actual merger.
Even the Shrine Maidens, who served as managers, were cultivated by Ghost Nation.
The relationship between the higher-ups was even more profound.
Kusakaki Seifu held dual positions, and the existence of Violette further solidified their unbreakable alliance.
It was indeed a wise decision for Maitreya to have made a move on Dong Ping when she was still a child, possibly guided by a prophetic vision.
"Even as allies, there's no reason to sacrifice our interests, is there?"
Uchiha Yae suddenly spoke up.
For some reason, she felt a sense of unease.
Usually, her character was composed, and she wouldn't be bothered by trivial matters, but at that moment, she couldn't help but speak up.
Uchiha Hachida, on the other hand, trembled in fear.
Although he was also a high-ranking official, facing Uchiha Yae, who outranked him both within the clan and in terms of position, he could only remain silent.
"..."
Maitreya understood that her counterpart had a valid point, so she didn't argue. Instead, she silently stroked Violette's hair as if 'pondering' a solution.
Indeed, her strategy was impressive, as Dong Ping took the initiative to speak.
"Yae, isn't Ghost Nation the only choice we have right now?"
Although he had revealed the plan in advance, Ghost Nation was the only nation actively seeking cooperation, making his statement reasonable.
In reality, once the other small nations witnessed the effectiveness, they would all vie for the opportunity, which was why Uchiha Hachida had initially made such a statement.
However, after Dong Ping spoke up, no one brought up this point again.
"Alright!"
Uchiha Yae remained silent.
Privately, she could disregard Uchiha Choho, but in public, she always gave him face, never overstepping her boundaries.
This was to avoid sending the wrong signal to the Uchiha Choho branch.
The message was clear: The Skyguard Fortress belonged to Uchiha Dohei, not the Uchiha clan, or else internal strife could easily arise.
"The Demon Nation can serve as the 'terminus' of the new trade route!"
Uchiha Hachida responded affirmatively.
The Demon Nation could become the terminus of the new trade route.
In the future, this alone would bring immense benefits to the Demon Nation.
Just like the surrounding small nations, if they wanted to sell their specialties, they would first have to transport them to the Demon Nation and then ship them from there.
At the same time, imported goods would also be unloaded in the Demon Nation and then distributed to the various small nations.
The 'new trade route' plan formulated by Dohei could also bring terrifying profits to the Skyguard Fortress.
Although those small nations were all barren and backward, it didn't mean they held no value.
Various specialties, minerals, and even the population were all precious resources.
In the past, even with these resources, they held no significance because they were far from the center of the Shinobi World, making development impossible.
But now, with the Sunfire Ship utilizing ground effect principles, they had immense strategic value.
It wasn't that the Skyguard Fortress didn't want to develop the closer small nations.
However, the Tea Country alone had already raised significant alerts and responses. If they continued to target those small nations, the Five Great Ninja Villages might directly intervene.
After all, those small nations were within their sphere of influence.
Therefore, in the central region of the Shinobi World, the Skyguard Fortress's expansion space had reached its limit.
Consequently, Dohei naturally had to adjust his strategy and shift his expansion goals elsewhere.
Thus, the area located in the northwestern edge of the Shinobi World caught his attention.
Barren and backward!
These small nations on the fringes of the Shinobi World left such an impression that the major ninja villages all looked down upon them.
But the Skyguard Fortress had a way to develop them, directly turning them into their material sources and markets.
After confirming that the Demon Nation would become the central point of the new trade route, the meeting was about to conclude, but Maitreya suddenly spoke up.
"Wait!"
She called out to the group and gently looked at the young Violette by her side, saying:
"Violette has reached the age to attend school. I want her to enroll here at the Skyguard Fortress. Please take care of her!"
This was also the reason she had brought Violette along.
Enrolling Violette at the Skyguard Fortress! There were many reasons for this.
The Demon Nation, while capable of teaching her to become a Shrine Maiden, fell short in other aspects.
Additionally, by keeping her here, she could have more opportunities to meet with Dohei, and as the future Shrine Maiden of the Demon Nation, it was natural for her to maintain a good relationship with her powerful backer.
Furthermore, she could also serve as a 'hostage' to reassure the Skyguard Fortress.
Of course, this was because they didn't know Violette's true identity, which was why they treated her as a hostage.
But with Dohei present, there was no need to worry about anything happening to the hostage, so Maitreya was at ease leaving her behind.
What a windfall!
By keeping Violette here, not only would it reassure the Skyguard Fortress, but it would also give her the opportunity to stay by Dohei's side.
This choice was excellent for both the Skyguard Fortress and the Demon Nation.
There was no need to worry about her well-being either.
Kusakaki Seifu would act as her guardian, and the Shrine Maidens trained by the Demon Nation would ensure that young Violette lived like a little princess at the Skyguard Fortress, no longer needing to endure hardships in the Demon Nation.
Although the Demon Nation's environment was much better than before, that barren land lacked even electricity, so one couldn't expect much in terms of enjoyment.
So, letting Violette live at the Skyguard Fortress wasn't a bad thing.
"Rest assured, we will definitely take good care of Violette-sama!"
Uchiha Hachida and Uchiha Yae exchanged glances and readily agreed.
With such a hostage in hand, there was no need to worry about the Demon Nation having any ulterior motives. It could be considered as their own sub-base.
Only Dohei's expression was complex.
He didn't know how to treat young Violette.
At this point, the Demon Nation Embassy's mission was accomplished, and Maitreya set off immediately, eager to return to her work.
Young Violette wasn't overly sentimental either; instead, she was extremely excited.
After all, in the Demon Nation, she had been strictly disciplined, with no leisure time, and now she was free.
However, as soon as this negotiation ended, another one was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)
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