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"Money well spent," In the meeting room of Iwagakure, all the high-ranking officials sighed in satisfaction, nodding in agreement upon receiving the news from the frontline.
A few years ago, when the Grass Shinobi Village seemed to "ignore" them, the officials in Iwagakure felt a sense of resentment. As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they expected to be treated with respect and consideration. However, being overlooked by a smaller village that had once been destroyed left them feeling indignant.
The incident where the Grass Shinobi Village leader seemingly disregarded Iwagakure's shinobi seeking an alliance and merely suggested they tour the village added fuel to the fire. It felt like an insult to their prestige. Finally, the Kitsuchi team, acting on the intelligence they gathered, discovered internal conflicts within the Grass Shinobi Village during their investigation.
They proceeded to directly approach the advisor of the Grass Shinobi Village. However, they were taken aback when faced with a mere advisor from a smaller village making demands for money. Such audacity was not something the stubborn and tough Iwa shinobi could tolerate.
Nonetheless, at that time, the war had not yet begun, and they recognized the importance of the Grass Shinobi Village's assistance in infiltrating the borders of the Land of Fire to catch Konoha off guard. After thorough discussions among the high-ranking officials, they reluctantly agreed to spend money on what seemed like a business transaction, purchasing ten harvesters from the Grass Shinobi Village.
Although the Grass Shinobi Village had not yet delivered the purchased items, the officials deemed it insignificant at this moment. The investment had paid off handsomely, as the intelligence they acquired turned out to be invaluable for the war.
"Credit goes to Kitsuchi!" A high-ranking Iwa shinobi admired the Kitsuchi member standing beside him, nodding appreciatively before speaking with a serious tone, "So, what shall be our next move?"
The others followed suit, their expressions turning serious as they rested their hands on the table, deep in thought. Shifting the war into the interior of the Land of Fire after a sudden entry into its borders was a significant advantage for Iwagakure.
Currently, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure had all declared war on Konoha. This presented a prime opportunity for Iwagakure to press their advantage.
After a thoughtful pause, an experienced Iwa shinobi spoke up, "We must continue to expand our advantage and push the front line deeper into the Land of Fire."
"Exactly, We cannot afford to lose this opportunity. In all these years of fighting with Konoha, we have never been able to penetrate far into the Land of Fire. We've always been halted at the borders. Now is our chance to break through!" Another seasoned Iwa shinobi added with determination.
"And we must strategically draw the battle lines. The Kannabi Bridge in the Grass Country holds immense importance for this war. It must be safeguarded at all costs," Another Iwa shinobi emphasized the significance of the bridge.
As they continued to discuss, a sense of appreciation lingered in the room, directed towards Kitsuchi, who had proven himself honest and sincere. Even the usually stern Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride when looking at his son.
Truly, it was thanks to Kitsuchi that Iwagakure had gained the upper hand. His detailed information about the Kannabi Bridge and the recorded hidden secret tunnels had caught Konoha completely off guard.
However, amidst their sense of achievement, caution prevailed when the Grass Shinobi Village was mentioned. Their past reputation as a group of crooks left a lingering doubt in the minds of the Iwa shinobi. One of them hesitated, "We must remain cautious of the Grass Shinobi Village. They have a history of turning around and betraying allies."
It was natural to be wary, considering the Grass Shinobi Village's past actions.
"Should we consider declaring war on the Grass Shinobi Village at the opportune moment?" one of the Iwa shinobi suggested, but the others immediately rejected the idea, looking serious. "No, we can't."
"While the Grass Shinobi Village may be a weaker village, we can't underestimate their survival instincts. If we rush into action, they might seek refuge with Konoha and eventually betray us," another Iwa shinobi explained, sighing. "Those guys are like weeds—persistent and resilient."
The others nodded in agreement. The Grass Shinobi Village had a history of betrayal and deceit. During the First Great Ninja War, they had committed despicable acts by promising exclusive intelligence to one village and then selling the same information to others. The worst part was that the intelligence turned out to be fake. If they had offered reliable service like they did this time, perhaps they wouldn't have faced near destruction.
At this moment, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, furrowed his brows and said, "Considering the changes in the Grass Shinobi Village and the new leadership, it might be prudent to seek Kitsuchi's opinion. He's familiar with the village."
The other Iwa shinobi exchanged glances and appeared to be in deep discussion. Finally, they turned their attention to Mubuki and spoke earnestly, "Based on the information you gathered, it appears that the Grass Shinobi Village's advisor, Mubuki, is a traditional old Grass shinobi!"
The phrase "traditional old Grass shinobi" seemed to carry a negative connotation, and everyone was aware of the Grass Shinobi Village's past.
However, Kitsuchi shook his head seriously and addressed the others, "Although Advisor Mubuki is an old Grass shinobi..."
As he spoke, he seemed to be reflecting on the past, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, as if recalling something from years gone by. He spoke with emotion, "But I must admit, his services are indeed reliable!" He paused for a moment, "Once he takes your money, he delivers what he promised!"
The Iwa shinobi listened attentively, and once again, the meeting room fell into silence. All the high-ranking officials of Iwagakure furrowed their brows, deeply contemplating the situation.
After some whispered discussions and nods, they turned to look at the Third Tsuchikage sitting in the main seat. The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, seemed to understand their collective thoughts and nodded in agreement.
He placed his hands together on the table, pondered for a moment, and looked up at Kitsuchi. With a serious expression, he spoke, "Let's give it a try."
…
In a few days, when Mubuki, the advisor of the Grass Shinobi Village, received the letter from Iwagakure, he was slightly taken aback. He looked curiously at the leader and the others, scratching his head. "Why would Iwagakure send a letter to me? I don't recall having any connections with them! They even seem to be so secretive about it."
"Just take a look, it might be related to Konoha's condemnation. Let's see what they want," Akihiko replied, also puzzled by the unexpected letter. "It could be anything, so let's not jump to conclusions."
"What could Iwagakure possibly want from a mere advisor like me? Besides, the leader barely pays any attention to me these days,"Mubuki looked at Akihiko with a hint of resentment, recalling the last meeting and expressing his bitterness. "I doubt they want to buy intelligence from me."
As he finished speaking, he opened the letter and allowed everyone to read its contents. However, as they read the words written on the top of the letter, the entire meeting room fell silent. Mubuki's forehead started sweating, and his hand holding the letter trembled, feeling a chill in the air.
The words in the letter read as follows: "Mubuki, my friend, I heard that you aspire to become the leader of the Grass Shinobi Village?"
The room was filled with tension as the members of the Grass Shinobi Village stared at Mubuki, who was now pale and visibly shaken. The others exchanged glances, trying to comprehend the situation. The revelation in the letter hinted at some connection between Mubuki and Iwagakure, something unexpected and possibly deeply personal.
"I have no grievances or enmities with you. Why would Iwagakure want to harm me?" Seeing others' reactions, Mubuki couldn't help but curse and feel inwardly distressed at Iwa for causing this misunderstanding.
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