(Akio Pov)
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After a few days, we finally reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers.
Looking across the border, I caught a glimpse of the land.
'I wonder why the Land of Fire doesn't reflect its name,' I mused, observing the terrain with its multiple rivers, which almost reminded me of a country in my old world bearing the name as their moniker. This abundance of fertile soil made it an ideal land for agriculture.
While the Land of Fire boasted the most fertile land overall, making it largely self-sufficient and independent from other nations, the Land of Rivers had the highest percentage of fertile land.
BlameKage explained that during the Warring States period, this region was once the most prosperous part of the Land of Fire. It was granted autonomy and was the food basket of the Land of Fire and the entire continent. However, the Fire Nation eventually ceded 20% of this land to Sunagakure (the Land of Wind), fulfilling a promise made by the generosity of the wishful guy during the Five Kage Summit in a bid for peace.
Although the Daimyo of Fire was displeased with this decision, he felt compelled to agree, fearing the immense power of the God of Shinobi.
As anticipated, the generosity of the wishful guy was taken for granted. After his death, Sunagakure immediately broke the peace treaty and declared war on Konoha, where the first thing they did was to seize the remaining fertile lands.
Fortunately, Sunagakure was the weakest of the military villages and just like other 3 military villages, they underestimated the combined strength of Konoha. They also failed to account for the cunning strategies of Mr.Racist, particularly when they tried to use the tailed beast. Following their defeat, the fertile land given to them was reclaimed through a treaty.
Mr.Racist understood that reincorporating this land into the Land of Fire would bring in future conflicts in the land due to the shared border. Instead, he chose to establish a buffer region where disputes could be contained, aligning with the Daimyo of Fire's interests in maintaining peace within his own borders, even at the cost of relinquishing his dynasty's most valuable land.
To ensure stability, the current leader of this region is essentially a puppet government installed by the Mr.Racist as well. This government provides crucial intelligence and ensures safe passage to travel in the Land of Rivers during the war, in exchange of keeping their authority.
In the end, Sunagakure and the Land of Wind lost a sustainable source of food due to their greed, while the inhabitants of the Land of Rivers lost their prosperity and no longer enjoyed the same quality of life as their ancestors.
A moment of silence for their misfortune.
...
Anyway, after I finished sightseeing the semi-tranquil land, we patiently waited for a representative of the current leader. This representative would guide us to the Land of Wind without alerting the Konoha and Suna troops stationed in the area.
Sandaime-sama had already provided me with detailed information about the positions of the Konoha troops. With this knowledge, we skillfully avoided detection, knowing that the Byakugan's range is limited to just one kilometer.
According to the description, the representative would appear as a blind man who resembled a beggar. He would be walking with a wooden cane, carrying a tattered cloth bag, and loudly pleading, "God save our Land!" in a desperate tone.
'Couldn't they have chosen a more discreet method?' I wonder.
Suddenly, we heard a distant scream across the river, "God save our Land!" The sound was accompanied by the rhythmic tapping of his cane on the ground.
'Too dramatic,' I sighed, facepalming as I made my way towards him.
"He will only save those who haven't sinned," I recited the code phrase coldly. The man stared at me intently for five long minutes.
'Yes, I am black. Do you have any problem?' I wanted to say out of amusement but held back.
After coughing weakly, he began to lead us towards a nearby hill. I followed him, along with my team. Upon reaching the hill, he touched the wall and pulled aside a cloth, revealing a hidden passage.
He coughed again and looked at me expectantly. I handed him a scroll containing the Ryo and resources Sandaime-sama had agreed upon. The amount was substantial, three times what Tsunade typically spent on the damages she caused when drunk (Seriously, she should stop drinking). The risk of being discovered by Sunagakure was great, and the punishment for being caught would be severe, yet they were willing to take that chance for this exchange.
Of course, the people would bear the brunt of any backlash.
'As they say, you suffer by the hands of god for your sins and being weak is the original sin they have committed.'
The man quickly stuffed the scroll into his tattered cloth bag and began chanting his plea once more.
We slowly entered the passage, with our sensors ensuring that no one was nearby. After everyone was inside, he covered the entrance with the cloth again and resumed his act, wandering away while continuing to chant.
The passage was hastily constructed and quite flimsy, likely to collapse within a few days. This was an ideal strategy to obscure their actions while maintaining the facade of a beleaguered buffer region, pleading for justice from the world for the offenses committed by the five nations' military villages.
To navigate the dark passage, we acted swiftly. Each of us employed 'Fire Style: Embers,' a D-rank fire jutsu, using the tip of one finger to create small torches, allowing us to see in the otherwise pitch-black corridor.
As diligent as ever, our pair of sensors worked tirelessly to detect any threats. The combatants among us were already armed and prepared to neutralize any unexpected obstacles.
Although I doubted anyone could hinder our progress, I couldn't shake off a sense of unease.
Given that the Sandaime Kazekage had discovered the principle of electromagnetism merely by observing the tailed beast (at least this what anime/manga said), he might have placed something like his iron sand near the location where he held the One-Tail Jinchuriki. This would serve as an alert system in case someone targeted it or if the tailed beast attempted to break free from its seal.
'The world isn't full of NPCs after all,' I reminded myself, ensuring that my previous successes and knowledge didn't lead to overconfidence, as pride comes before the downfall.