Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki Chapter 262: Bad Seed!

The Land of Earth's terrain is almost entirely mountains and plains, covered in hard rock.

Iwagakure is built in a mountainous region, naturally fortified and difficult for enemies to penetrate. However, this also makes communication with the outside world more challenging.

Looking at the topographical map, the country's interior consists mostly of towering mountains, while plains stretch outward along its borders. Many cities are nestled within these mountains, much like in the Land of Lightning. The key difference? The Land of Lightning has lakes. The Land of Earth doesn't.

After pondering for a while, Kazuyama picked up a pen and began marking the map. Before long, he had pinpointed more than a dozen locations.

Each of these points was a crucial passage between the Land of Earth and the outside world—key routes, so through mountain passes, others winding through deep valleys.

"Kazuyama, what are you up to?"

"Why so many red marks?"

"Don't tell you're setting traps?"

Chōi was racking his brain trying to guess, but every one of his assumptions missed the mark.

Kazuyama simply shook his head and wagged a finger, looking every bit the scheming strategist.

"You're thinking too small. Traps might take out a few people, but they won't cripple the entire Land of Earth."

"Ever heard of 'winning by diversion'?"

"Right now, the Land of Earth is winning on the front lines. If we want to disrupt their advance, we need to create chaos within their own borders."

"For example, shutting down their entire transportation network."

Shutting down transportation? Chōi's brain practically short-circuited.

He had no idea what Kazuyama was planning.

"Let ask you sothing. As the leader of the insects, do you have a way to make a swarm relocate?"

"Relocate? What do you an?"

Kazuyama grinned, a sly and knowing smile.

...

The next day, he left the town and headed straight into the mountains.

After a full day's trek, he arrived at one of the marked locations. Standing at the foot of a towering mountain, he surveyed the area before giving a satisfied nod.

A dense forest stretched across the mountain base—lush and thriving.

Seeing this, Kazuyama retrieved a scroll and bit his finger.

"Summoning Technique!"

With a loud bang, a cloud of white smoke erupted.

"Hmm? Kazuyama, calling for ?"

"I didn't expect you to summon like this. Have your Senjutsu skills improved?"

A green figure erged from the smoke, smiling sweetly.

"Tagorihi, it's been a while. I owe this to Tagitsuhi—she modified my summoning formula to help send snakeberries to Ryūchi Cave."

"Now, I can summon according to my intent."

"But today, I need your help, Tagorihi."

Kazuyama smiled at one of the three great Snake Princesses—a smile laced with calculation and deceit.

It looked downright eerie.

"Little one, I don't even need to guess to know you're up to no good. That grin is pure mischief."

"Go on, what do you need from ?"

Kazuyama felt a little self-conscious at that. He instinctively touched his face—was his grin really that villainous?

Chōi chid in at just the right mont, sealing Kazuyama's guilt with a single remark.

"Stop that. Even if the Nine-Tails saw your grin, he'd call you treacherous and evil. Tsk tsk."

"If you smiled at a kid, they'd probably cry on the spot."

Kazuyama: I'm speechless. Chōi, when did you beco like this...

Taking a deep breath, he pushed down his exasperation and got to the point.

"Tagorihi, I think the snakes living outside Ryūchi Cave have it pretty rough."

"I've found so mountains that would be perfect for them, and I want to give the descendants of Ryūchi Cave a better living environnt."

"Not all snakes can absorb natural energy. For them, wouldn't a better habitat be ideal?"

It was a well-argued point, and even Tagorihi seed to consider it for a mont.

But she had lived for centuries, maybe longer. A second later, her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Kazuyama, don't try to make this sound so noble."

"Is that really what you're thinking?"

"Because I have a feeling you have sothing else in mind."

She gave him a look, half amusent, half suspicion. Kazuyama grinned.

"Of course, that's exactly what I think."

"It's just... this happens to be the Land of Earth. And this happens to be a key route."

"Placing a snake den here is really just for the benefit of the Land of Earth's citizens."

Tagorihi and Chōi imdiately caught on.

This wasn't so act of kindness—this was pure malice.

By setting up a massive snake habitat along a crucial road, he was ensuring that anyone who passed through would be attacked.

Once the locals started getting hurt, Iwagakure—the country's main military force—would have no choice but to intervene.

That would force them into a dilemma, splitting their forces between handling the snake crisis and fighting on the front lines.

With fewer troops at the front, Iwagakure would inevitably lose ground.

"Heh... You really are rotten."

"You were born to be a nace."

"And to think you actually ca up with this plan."

Tagorihi chuckled, but there was no disapproval in her voice. Snakes were cold-blooded, and that included the ancient Snake Princesses.

Harming others for personal gain? That was just common sense.

"Hehe, bad or not, at least I don't ss with my own people. Iwagakure loves war, right?"

"Then I'll set their ho on fire."

"A snake infestation and an insect infestation—let's see how they handle both at once."

The snakes were only half the plan. Kazuyama also intended to use Chōi's insects to drive venomous bugs into the area.

A two-pronged attack would ensure chaos in Iwagakure's heartland.

And the best part? He wouldn't have to lift a finger.

By the ti Iwagakure even realized what was happening, they'd be too busy dealing with the crisis to think about finding the culprit.

No wonder Tagorihi called him a nace. Who else could co up with a plan that devastating without even getting their hands dirty?

And this wasn't just targeting enemy ninja—it was dragging the entire Land of Earth into the ss.

So, was he wicked or not?

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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