Chapter 711: Captain Experience Card
Chapter 711: Captain Experience Card
"Captain Kaito, why do they look at us so strangely? Do they want to fight?" Akane noticed the peculiar gazes of the Rain Country residents and the ninjas, whispering her question to Kaito.
Kaito scratched his head, unsure how to explain the situation. "Well, I don't think that's the case."
The events leading up to this moment were complex and lengthy.
"It's probably because they haven't seen Konoha ninjas in a long time. I thought we were about to go to war with Shinshu," Shiniguki Kumo analyzed.
Indeed, there had been numerous conflicts between Konoha and Shinshu. The leader of Shinshu, Son Ryouka, had killed the former Hokage's assistant, Uchiha Danzo, and defeated the Third Hokage, Enma.
Many Konoha ninjas had predicted an imminent war between the two sides.
However, judging by the current situation, it was clear that those predictions were wrong. Not only had Konoha not gone to war with Shinshu, but they had also come to Six Paths City seeking cooperation.
"You could say that," Kaito nodded slightly.
Shiniguki Kumo's statement was not entirely off the mark. The conflict between Konoha and Shinshu had been intense, and even if they hadn't gone to war, it was unlikely that ordinary Konoha ninjas would visit Rain Country.
It had probably been a long time since Rain Country had openly hosted Konoha ninjas wearing their distinctive headbands.
"Then, after I enter Six Paths City, I'll find some local specialties and bring them back to Konoha. We can make a killing by selling them there," Koushi Tetsu felt he had stumbled upon a business opportunity.
Since Konoha ninjas rarely visited Six Paths City, they surely missed out on the local delicacies.
"No matter how rare it is, if it tastes bad, no customer will buy it," Akane rebuked, as an experienced connoisseur of various snacks, she disliked Koushi Tetsu's opportunistic approach.
"It's a good idea, but Tetsu, you should drop it. What if the police force suspects you of being a spy again?" Shiniguki Kumo chuckled.
The last time Koushi Tetsu was caught as a spy, he had been using binoculars to watch a play and was almost laughing hysterically.
Koushi Tetsu's face darkened; the previous incident had been a mere accident. Given the chance, he was determined to redeem himself and prove his capabilities.
"Jonin Kaito, please be extra vigilant. In the current Rain Country, there's a mix of good and bad elements, so we must be cautious," Kkyuu said, addressing Kaito.
Kaito was not the captain of this negotiation team; Kkyuu was the captain, and Kaito was part of the escort squad assigned to protect them.
Kkyuu didn't believe that Shinshu would take any hostile action, but he felt that other ninja villages might seize the opportunity to make a move, exacerbating the conflict between Konoha and Shinshu.
After all, these villages had a history of such actions; otherwise, how could the news of Uchiha Danzo's death and Enma's defeat have spread so quickly?
"Captain Kkyuu, I understand," Kaito replied with a slight nod.
Out of caution, he didn't make any bold statements.
After all, whenever Kakashi assured them that there wouldn't be any surprises, surprises often followed.
Under Kaito's vigilant escort, the team soon arrived safely in Six Paths City.
Once inside the city, things became a little simpler, as Shinshu ninjas joined the escort, ensuring their safety.
And so, Kkyuu quickly reached the Shinshu headquarters and went to Kakudo's office, where he began negotiations with the legendary second-in-command of Shinshu.
"Shinshu will not reject anyone who comes with sincerity. What price is Konoha willing to pay to obtain the puppet limbs?" Kakudo asked directly.
He personally had some grudge against Konoha, but he wouldn't let his personal feelings interfere with his work. If Konoha showed sincerity, he would treat them fairly.
"Does Shinshu only sell finished puppet limbs and provide surgery, or can all technologies be purchased?" Kkyuu didn't answer Kakudo's question but instead asked his own.
He didn't want to fall into Kakudo's rhythm and wanted to take control of the negotiation.
"All technologies? That's a beautiful thought, but indeed, some technologies can be sold, but only in exchange for other technologies," Kakudo smiled.
As the sole possessor of the current puppet limb technology in the ninja world, Shinshu wouldn't easily give it away.
Shinshu would release different puppet limb technologies over time, using them to exchange for technologies they lacked or couldn't develop, thus accelerating Shinshu's progress.
This was mainly due to Scorpion's advice that if the Sand Hidden Village focused its efforts, they could crack the puppet limb technology within three years, making hoarding it pointless.
Kakudo then proceeded to list the initial technologies they could release and the technologies Shinshu desired.
"Scroll crafting techniques..." Kkyuu fell into deep thought.
Scrolls were commonly used by ninjas to record confidential information or as carriers for various jutsu.
For various reasons, the scroll crafting techniques of the five great ninja villages were more advanced than those of other ninja forces, resulting in higher-quality scrolls.
"But it's just scroll crafting; we won't be at a loss," Kkyuu thought to himself.
There were many types of scrolls, and besides crafting, there were other processing technologies that were the real essence.
"If it's just these technologies, in terms of value, Konoha is at a disadvantage," Kkyuu said after some consideration.
Although he felt it was acceptable, Kkyuu couldn't agree directly; he had to try to negotiate for more benefits.
(End of Chapter)Action: Kakudo slowly spoke, "I've heard that the Hidden Stone Village also has impressive scroll-making craftsmanship."
No matter how Nara Kkyuu tried to negotiate, the Leaf Village needed the Shinshu's puppet limbs more than the Shinshu needed the Leaf's scroll-making skills.
In the end, Nara Kkyuu sternly rejected Kakudo's conditions and agreed to discuss the matter further the next day.
After leaving the Shinshu Headquarters, Nara Kkyuu couldn't help but smile.
His mission was to secure a deal for the puppet limbs, and now there was a chance to acquire some of their technology as well, exceeding his initial task.
"This is unexpectedly smooth," Nara Kkyuu thought to himself.
The ease of this mission surprised him.
When the Leaf Village initially negotiated with the Shinshu, they had made no concessions, not giving the Shinshu any face.
So, before arriving, Nara Kkyuu had prepared himself for potential difficulties and challenges from the Shinshu ninjas.
To his surprise, the Shinshu ninjas were unexpectedly generous, not overly enthusiastic but also not deliberately rejecting cooperation.
The following day, after some further negotiations, both sides reached a basic agreement on the specifics of the collaboration.
The Shinshu would provide the puppet limbs and share some of their technology, while the Leaf Village would pay and also provide the technology they needed.
As they were about to leave Six Paths City, Nara Kkyuu and his team were escorted by Shinshu ninjas for a tour of the city.
"The expansion is so fast. I remember the last time I came here, it was just a small town, and now it's so big," Kaito exclaimed, impressed by the city's development speed.
Kaito was one of the few ninjas in the Leaf team who had visited Six Paths City before, and the city he saw now was vastly different from when he had participated in the Youth Ninja Tournament.
"To build a prosperous town from scratch so quickly, there must be talented individuals in the Shinshu," Nara Kkyuu thought to himself, maintaining his composure.
A strong individual could indeed drive the development of a ninja force, but to construct a thriving town from nothing in just a few years required more than just one powerful ninja.
"This place is nice," Akane said, giving a thumbs-up after enjoying some delicious snacks on the street.
"Are there any local specialties in Six Paths City...?" Koushi Tetsu was still determined to prove his sales genius.
After the tour, most of the team members were satisfied with their visit to Six Paths City.
"Next time we come to the Rain Country, we can make a detour and have some fun here. It feels pretty good," Kaito suggested.
"Yeah, those dumplings were really good," Akane agreed, nodding.
Suddenly, Kaito remembered something, "We might be coming back soon. I remember the Rain Village isn't too far from Six Paths City, right?"
Located in the eastern part of the Rain Country, the Rain Village was in the central region, a distance that wasn't too far for Kaito with his current abilities.
"I want to challenge Hanzo. We can stop by Six Paths City on the way," Kaito said.
Kaito had wanted to challenge Hanzo for a long time, as Jiraiya often boasted about their Sannin title.
He thought, if Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade together couldn't defeat Hanzo and still earned the Sannin title, then he, alone, defeating Hanzo would surely earn him a title even cooler than a demigod.
"Hanzo is dead," Nara Kkyuu said with a slight expression.
Hanzo and Uchiha Danzo had died on the same day, but unlike Danzo, whose death was widely known throughout the ninja world, Hanzo's death was not widely publicized.
"What, he's dead?" Kaito was stunned.
He had hoped to earn a cool title and show off to Jiraiya, but now Hanzo was suddenly gone.
"This is the ninja world. Compared to most ordinary ninjas, Hanzo lived a long life," Nara Kkyuu sighed.
In the frequently war-torn ninja world, many ninjas didn't live to see retirement.
Kaito was speechless for a moment.
Although he and Hanzo were strangers who had never interacted, the sudden realization that his long-held goal was now permanently unattainable left him feeling a bit melancholy.
"It's okay, Captain Kaito. You can challenge Son Ryouka, who's even stronger than Hanzo!" Akane comforted and encouraged him.
Kaito twitched his lips. He didn't need that; with his Rasengan and Divine Might, he might have been able to defeat Hanzo. Challenging Son Ryouka would be like asking for a beating.
...
Back in the Leaf Village, Nara Kkyuu and Kaito went to the Hokage's office to report on their mission.
Nara Kkyuu went first, mainly discussing the cooperation on the puppet limbs. After his report, he left the Hokage's office.
Kaito then reported on his escort mission.
"Akane's original team leader has fully recovered. What are your plans now? Do you want to continue leading the team or do something else?" Yu Sheng Mu Yue asked.
Kaito was taken aback. Hearing Mu Yue's words, he realized that his position as captain was temporary.
"What to do..." Kaito fell into deep thought.
The question of whether to continue leading the team weighed on his mind.
PS:
I thought a bottle of Red Bull would keep me going, but at 3 am, I passed out as soon as I hit the bed. I only woke up at 11 am.
(End)
Chapter end
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