However, Qingshui's performance was even better than theirs.
"While our sphere of influence hasn't expanded significantly with this negotiation plan, only gaining the Land of Gold, the Land of Gold has a booming commercial and gambling industry, which can bring in considerable profits and mission shares.
Rain Hidden will also get half of the mission shares from the Land of Cedar. Hanzo will definitely agree, but Rain Hidden currently lacks manpower. They're struggling just to maintain missions within the Land of Rain. If they don't want to give up, they can only continue to cooperate with us.
Then there's Sealing Jutsu. Although they're mostly basic Sealing Jutsu, there are some relatively advanced ones like the Evil Sealing Method and the Three-Way Seal, which are enough to complete our village's Sealing Jutsu system. Elder Chiyo, I'd like you to lead the Sealing Squad in thoroughly understanding these Sealing Jutsu and try to develop a Sealing Jutsu that can truly and stably suppress a Tailed Beast."
The Third Kazekage sat behind his desk, processing the gains from the negotiations.
"I understand," Chiyo nodded slightly in agreement.
Being able to obtain these Sealing Jutsu was already close to the limit of what they could negotiate.
More advanced seals like the Four Symbols Seal and Five Elements Seal are powerful seals capable of sealing Tailed Beasts.
Even in Konoha Village, only core personnel have access to such techniques.
Unless they could conquer Konoha, then as long as Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't a fool, he wouldn't hand over such things. That would mean the Sand Village could soon cultivate a Jinchuriki capable of stably controlling a Tailed Beast's power.
Qingshui was also very satisfied with this outcome.
He had personally orchestrated this result.
These Sealing Jutsu were the culmination of the Uzumaki Clan's thousand years of research. Even just the more basic parts formed a very complete system, enough to greatly advance his Sealing Jutsu skills.
These could fully support him and Sasori in developing more complex and stable processors and sealed logical control units, and even go further.
"As for that 2 billion ryo ore order with Konoha... Tsk, Qingshui, you really get it. Those Konoha guys are just too proud. If we rephrased the war reparations, they'd agree. With this money and these mission orders, plus the continuous revenue from the canal, we can now loosen our policies and train more ninja, and also have more resources to cultivate elites.
Over the next ten years, it would be best if we could increase the total number of ninja and Jonin by half. That way, in the next Ninja World War, we'll have the ability to replace Konoha and become the new dominant power in the Ninja World!"
The Third Kazekage clenched his fists, a little excited.
From the moment he assumed the title of Kazekage, he had abandoned his former name, making the title of Third Kazekage his entire identity. This meant he would devote all his remaining life's energy to strengthening the Sand Village.
If one day, the Sand Village could, under his leadership, rise to become the dominant power in the Ninja World, it would undoubtedly be an affirmation of his life's achievements.
At that time, he would be more than just the strongest Kazekage in history.
As long as the Sand Village existed, there would certainly be future Kazekage stronger than him, but he would undoubtedly be celebrated as one of the greatest Kazekage in history.
"It's quite unexpected that Konoha agreed so readily this time. To be honest, I was very skeptical of this intelligence at first, even treated it as a joke, but now it seems it might be true. Because that would mean if Konoha were to start a war at this stage, they would almost certainly lose."
Ebizo re-read the terms on the negotiation document, speaking in a deep voice.
"What intelligence?" Chiyo asked her brother.
Ebizo looked at Chiyo meaningfully:
"According to intelligence sent by our mole in Konoha, after the war ended, Konoha launched a major public opinion campaign against White Fang, accusing him of abandoning his mission during last year's major battle to rescue his comrades, which caused Konoha to suffer huge losses and ultimately led to an unfavorable outcome in the war."
Chiyo beamed.
If Hatake Sakumo was having a bad time, she was happy.
"Abandoning his mission? Are you referring to the mission Konoha planned for White Fang to assassinate me and other high-ranking officials of the village? Last year, Hatake Sakumo only had this one mission failure recorded."
The Third Kazekage asked curiously.
"Most likely," Ebizo replied, his expression strange.
"Then this is probably a political struggle by Konoha's higher-ups against White Fang. We all know that was a trap. If Hatake Sakumo had walked into it, it would have meant total annihilation, so he chose to save his teammates and preserve their strength. That was the correct decision."
Chiyo mused.
"Political struggles don't need logic, just an excuse. For Konoha's higher-ups, White Fang is a sharp blade, but too rigid and difficult to control, so they chose this method to suppress Hatake Sakumo.
After this incident, Hatake Sakumo must have realized that unless Hiruzen Sarutobi and the current batch of Konoha higher-ups and the Senju Faction, composed of Konoha's Sannin, suffer a major blow, he will never have the chance to become the Fourth Hokage in his lifetime.
In such a situation, if a war breaks out, Konoha's higher-ups would certainly not dare to use him."
The Third Kazekage calmly sipped his tea and said.
"It's no longer a question of whether Konoha dares to use White Fang, but that they no longer have him to use."
Ebizo shook his head.
"According to the spy's report, Hatake Sakumo hasn't appeared for a long time. Even his son, Hatake Kakashi, has applied for early graduation from the Ninja Academy, and he still hasn't shown up."
"Did Konoha's higher-ups imprison White Fang? They couldn't have killed him, could they?" Chiyo asked, surprised.
"It's more bizarre than that, because whether Hatake Sakumo was killed or imprisoned, his former subordinates would have been suppressed. But the fact is, Hiruzen Sarutobi has been very appeasing towards his former subordinates, even approving White Fang's son, Hatake Kakashi's, early graduation application."
"Combined with the sudden calming of public opinion and various clues, that spy analyzed that Hatake Sakumo most likely chose suicide as a silent form of resistance."
Ebizo also picked up a cup of tea, saying faintly.
"Ebizo, are you sure?" Chiyo asked in disbelief.
"I've gathered and analyzed intelligence from various sources, and there's over a 70% chance this is true. Given Hatake Sakumo's unyielding character, even harder than his blade, he truly might have done something like that."
Chiyo was silent for a moment.
She had always intended to take revenge herself, to cut off Hatake Sakumo's head and avenge her son and daughter-in-law.
If she couldn't do it, she would train Sasori and have him do it instead.
But she never expected that life was unpredictable, and she might not even get the chance for revenge.
Qingshui also took a sip of his tea.
He knew that according to the original timeline, this matter was indeed true.
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