Hashirama furrowed his brows as he listened to Ruri. Although his dream of a peaceful ninja world was sincere and devoid of personal ambition, Ruri's words introduced new complexities to their fragile peace.
Tobirama, however, didn't seem bothered. The peace agreement was already signed, ensuring at least a few years of stability. Even if the other nations grew resentful toward the Land of Fire, that would be a problem for the future—exactly what Tobirama preferred. His philosophy was simple: true peace could only be achieved through overwhelming strength. If they couldn't intimidate others, how could they hope to maintain peace?
But Ruri's confidence was palpable. "If we establish trade with the Land of Taki, it will help equalize the playing field. Even after years or decades of peaceful development, the nations' economic strength will remain balanced."
The Kage exchanged glances. They were no strangers to battles and warfare, but Ruri spoke a language they were unfamiliar with—the language of economic strategy. Ruri's self-assured demeanor left little room for doubt.
Who among us can build a nation better than a modern man with knowledge from another world? Ruri thought smugly. After all, wasn't nation-building just a matter of planning and execution? With the system backing him, the sky was the limit.
The Kazekage, Retto, was the first to respond. "Let's hear your ideas. If your policies are feasible, the Land of Wind will agree to trade with the Land of Taki."
Retto was already inclined to maintain friendly relations with Taki, especially since Ruri had kept the Hero Water off the negotiation table. Retto figured there would be future opportunities to secure it.
Ruri smiled, ready to present his ideas.
"For example, the Land of Wind suffers from a water shortage due to its desert landscape. But right next door, the Land of Rain experiences near-constant rainfall. If the Tsuchikage, Ishikawa-dono, were to send earth-style ninjas to excavate a river route from the Land of Rain to the Land of Wind, wouldn't that alleviate the water shortage?"
Ishikawa stroked his beard, pondering the feasibility of the idea.
"And take the Land of Water," Ruri continued. "It's isolated by the ocean, making transportation difficult. But why not build a bridge? Not just any bridge—one created with Hokage-dono's Wood Release. A bridge connecting the Land of Water to the Lands of Fire and Lightning would open up trade routes and increase commerce."
The Mizukage, Byakuren, folded his arms. Though skeptical, he silently acknowledged the practicality of Ruri's suggestion.
"The Land of Lightning sits atop a plateau, surrounded by mountains. And the Land of Earth is filled with barren cliffs. Both nations are difficult to invade but suffer from poor connectivity. However, the Land of Snow is currently researching railroads. Once they develop them, the tracks could traverse cliffs and highlands, making transportation easier."
The Raikage and Tsuchikage both nodded, visibly intrigued. They had heard rumors of the Land of Snow's research into trains, and the prospect of improved infrastructure intrigued them.
These ideas weren't just daydreams to Ruri—they were strategies rooted in practical knowledge. The Kage were no fools. They could tell that these policies had the potential to revolutionize the way their nations operated.
The Kazekage, however, was thinking even further. If they could connect the Land of Taki's abundant waterfalls and rivers with the Land of Wind through a new river route, the water crisis in his nation would be solved permanently.
Byakuren, though begrudgingly impressed, couldn't resist a final jab. "These policies involve other nations. What's in it for the Land of Taki?"
Ruri grinned. "Of course they involve us. If not for me, would any of you have thought of these solutions? These are just the basics. Have you ever heard of something called the Belt and Road Initiative? Economic strategies? Reinforced concrete?"
The Kage looked at each other, puzzled by the strange new terms.
"I'm telling you," Ruri continued with confidence, "without me, it'll take you decades to figure this stuff out. When it comes to economic development, I'm in a league of my own!"
Ruri's boldness left the Kage speechless. Though the words were foreign to them, their instincts told them that these concepts could dramatically benefit their nations.
Hashirama was deeply impressed. Even without proposing a policy for the Land of Fire, he saw the potential of Ruri's ideas. Yet Tobirama's pragmatic mind wasn't as easily swayed.
The younger Senju narrowed his eyes. "And what of the Land of Fire? Surely you have policies that would benefit us, no?"
Ruri chuckled knowingly. "The Land of Fire has the most fertile land and the strongest economy. Does it really need anything else?"
The Kage, though silently agreeing, knew better than to let the Land of Fire gain an even greater advantage. If Ruri gave them ideas, it would only increase the already significant disparity between their nations and the Land of Fire.
Ruri smirked inwardly. I have ideas for the Land of Fire, of course. But if I give those away, what's left for Taki Village?
He knew that with the Land of Fire's resources and the innovative minds of Konoha's clans—especially Tobirama's inventions—they could easily outpace every other nation if given the right strategies. That would leave the Land of Taki in the dust.
Hashirama, ever the optimist, clapped his hands. "No matter! As long as all nations grow and prosper, the Land of Fire will benefit too. The goal is to build a world where everyone thrives together!"
Tobirama shot his brother a warning glare. This was precisely where their philosophies diverged. Tobirama believed that peace required a dominant force to maintain order, and if Konoha and the Land of Fire lost their supremacy, the world would descend into chaos.
"We can't guarantee peace without strength," Tobirama muttered. "If Konoha falls behind, how can we maintain order?"
To him, Hashirama's idealism was naive. The only reason the Five Kage had agreed to peace was because Hashirama's strength had forced them to the negotiating table. Without that strength, peace was impossible.
The other Kage silently agreed with Tobirama's unspoken concerns. None of them wanted the Land of Fire to gain even more power. Ruri's policies were an opportunity to level the playing field, and they were all eager to take it.
Hashirama, however, remained unfazed. "Tobirama, if the other nations grow stronger, we'll all benefit. A prosperous, united world is the only path to true peace."
Tobirama clenched his fists. That's exactly the problem...
In his eyes, peace was only possible under a single, dominant leader—Konoha. Without that dominance, the delicate balance would collapse, and war would return.
Ruri watched the exchange between the two brothers with amusement. So this is the dynamic between the Senju siblings...
He knew that their differing ideologies would continue to shape Konoha's future. But for now, he had accomplished what he came to do.
The other Kage were on board with his development policies. The Land of Taki would establish trade and diplomatic relations with the major nations. And most importantly, Ruri had secured the Seven-Tails for his village.
The first steps toward Taki's rise had been taken. Now, all that remained was to see how far he could push the ninja world toward his vision of peace and progress.