When it ca to Konoha, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, Agakure had never been in a position to negotiate as equals. It didn't have that standing in the past, and it certainly didn't now.
Small villages remained small villages, even if they had a "Demi-God" like Hanzō of the Salamander. His reputation might have been formidable, but it didn't translate into real influence.
Unless Hanzō could dominate the entire ninja world like Hashirama Senju once did, he was just another ninja.
Watching Takuya's smiling profile, Hanzō sighed.
"I never imagined the child I t back then would grow so much. But I am curious—how does soone like you, who has a strained relationship with Konoha's leadership, manage to coexist with them so well?"
"..."
Do you have to be so blunt, old man?
The Rain ninja accompanying Hanzō broke into a cold sweat.
Talking about such a sensitive topic in Konoha, as their guests no less—was that really appropriate?
But Hanzō didn't seem to care if his words offended Konoha or if Takuya reported them.
"That's my own business," Takuya replied with a calm smile, his gaze steady. "You don't need to concern yourself with it."
This old fox is still playing gas even at his age. Too bad he picked the wrong person.
For others, such a remark might provoke a strong reaction. But for Takuya?
Why would I waste energy on sothing so trivial?
Anyone who interacted with Konoha's leadership already knew about Takuya's poor relations with the Third Hokage and his allies. It was no secret.
Still, just because it was common knowledge didn't an he'd entertain the topic with outsiders like Hanzō.
"That said, it seems your Agakure has been limited in its developnt since the war," Takuya remarked, changing the subject.
Hanzō looked up at the overcast sky and sighed. "The scars left by war take a long ti to heal."
"Perhaps," Takuya replied, uninterested in prolonging the conversation, and continued leading the way.
The problem with Agakure was simple: poverty. The wars had devastated the Land of Rain, and Hanzō had taken too much from the daimyo's coffers to fund his military efforts.
After the war, the daimyo's estate was too drained to offer further support. Without external aid and given the harsh environnt of the Land of Rain, Agakure had few sources of inco.
The fact that the village had managed to survive this long was impressive, mainly thanks to Hanzō's reputation. Without him, Agakure's situation would have been much worse.
Even though the village didn't have much to offer, the reality was that even scraps were valuable to soone. If not for Hanzō's presence, other forces would have swooped in to carve up what little remained of Agakure.
Still, part of Agakure's stagnation stemd from internal issues. The war had shaken Hanzō's resolve, leaving him far less focused on the village's developnt. On top of that, the Akatsuki's growing influence had fragnted Agakure's resources.
As long as Hanzō was alive, the village could maintain its fragile foothold in the ninja world. But once he was gone, its future looked bleak.
Takuya stopped in front of a two-story building with a courtyard, designated as Agakure's lodging.
"This is where you'll be staying. To minimize friction and for easier managent, all visiting groups are housed separately. It's not intended to target Agakure specifically."
"Food and supplies will be delivered at regular intervals. If you have any requests, you can inform our staff," Takuya explained as he led the group inside.
After settling the Rain ninja, Takuya prepared to leave. Monitoring the situation from a distance was sufficient as long as Agakure didn't cause trouble.
The Rain ninja weren't given any special treatnt. Their accommodations were the sa as those for other smaller villages, grouped together with other minor nations.
Konoha wasn't about to elevate Hanzō's status unnecessarily. If it had, they wouldn't have assigned Takuya to greet him in the first place.
"Lord Hanzō, Konoha isn't taking us seriously at all!" one of the Rain ninja complained as soon as the doors were closed. "They've put us in such poor accommodations!"
In the Rain ninja's view, Agakure might not be on par with the Five Great Nations, but it was still leagues ahead of most minor villages. Their lodgings should have been placed after those of Suna or Kumo, not lumped in with smaller villages.
Hanzō cast a cold glance at his subordinate. "Do you want to stay sowhere better?"
"N-No, Lord Hanzō. I wouldn't dare."
Sensing his leader's displeasure, the ninja quickly bowed his head, sweat dripping down his back.
"Hmph," Hanzō snorted, closing his eyes and falling silent.
He didn't need anyone to remind him that Konoha didn't regard Agakure as equals. That much was already clear to him.
The fact that Takuya had been assigned to receive them was proof enough. It was a warning:Stay in line. If you cause trouble, Agakure will face consequences.
Hanzō hadn't co to Konoha out of genuine goodwill to congratulate Tsunade on becoming the Fourth Hokage. He was here only because the daimyo's persistent requests left him no choice.
Now that he was here, what did it matter if Konoha looked down on them? Agakure and Konoha weren't even in the sa league. Making a scene would only bring further humiliation.
Takuya didn't care what Hanzō thought. This was Konoha's arrangent, not his personal decision. If Hanzō had grievances, he could take them up with the Third Hokage and the Elder Council.
Honestly, given Hanzō's reputation, Agakure deserved better treatnt. But his history with Danzo was likely the reason for this slight.
Even though Danzo was now a missing-nin, he had once been a high-ranking Konoha official and the Hokage's advisor. Hanzō's past actions, which almost led to Danzo's death, had been a slap to Konoha's face.
If you don't respect , why should I respect you?
Did Hanzō think Konoha had forgotten just because ti had passed?
So grudges don't fade—they simply wait for the right mont to be addressed.
As Takuya strolled through the rainy streets, umbrella in hand, he noticed the streets were nearly empty. Winter rain had a way of keeping most people indoors.
Unbeknownst to him—or so they thought—three small figures followed stealthily at a distance.
When Takuya entered a small restaurant, the trio didn't hesitate to follow him inside.
They were none other than the Akatsuki leaders: Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
What they believed was a covert tailing operation was easily detected by Takuya's sensory abilities.
Just because his eyes were covered didn't an he was unaware of his surroundings. His powerful sensory skills were as sharp as a second pair of eyes.
"Should we go in?" Yahiko asked, scratching his head and glancing at his two companions.
"Yes!" Konan answered imdiately, unwilling to miss the opportunity to et Takuya.
After all, while they were in Konoha now, who knew if they'd get another chance to see him?
Nagato, ever the quiet one, nodded slightly in agreent. His long hair draped over his face, hiding most of it, leaving only the lower half visible.
"Alright, let's go in. You think Sensei won't scold us, right?" Yahiko asked nervously.
"Stop wasting ti!" Konan snapped, shoving Yahiko forward.
Compared to the fear of being scolded, Konan was more worried about Takuya's eyes.
Seeing him at the village gates had filled her with joy and excitent.
But when she noticed the cloth covering his eyes, her heart sank.
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to 50 Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.
DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING
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