Night.
Uchiha Makoto invited Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama to his home for dinner.
Uzumaki Shinji, who had been working hard in the laboratory on a large-scale sealing technique every day, specially came to accompany them.
"Lord Hashirama, you've arrived."
"Lord Madara, long time no see."
"Tsubaki Shizuku..."
"....."
After a round of pleasantries.
The few of them were dressed in casual home clothes, with smiles on their faces.
Due to the hasty return and Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku's pregnancy, she was unable to prepare a sumptuous dinner, so everyone gathered around a hot pot.
That troublesome fellow, Senju Tobirama, was not present.
With no one to spoil the mood, the atmosphere naturally became lively very quickly.
Senju Hashirama picked up a meatball and put it into the boiling pot, his mind preoccupied with the scenes he had seen today.
"Makoto, I plan to stay in Akatsuki Village for a few more days to conduct a thorough investigation... then I'll return to Konoha... you don't mind, do you?"
"Of course not. We should learn from each other and make progress together."
Hearing Senju Hashirama say this, Uchiha Makoto's face naturally lit up.
Investigation?
Investigation is good!
Learn more of the little stories from the "Forest of Meaning" and take them back!
It would be best if he squandered all the money Senju Tobirama had painstakingly borrowed.
Uchiha Makoto couldn't help but think this to himself. He agreed in one go, then scooped up a piece of fish fillet from the pot. Before he could even put it in his mouth, the Two-Tails kitty on his shoulder snatched it away in one bite.
There was no other way.
Uchiha Makoto could only pat this greedy and mischievous little cat.
"Makoto, is that... the Two-Tails on your shoulder?"
"That's right."
Uzumaki Shinji couldn't help but speak up.
Even though the Two-Tails had been sealed in a jar, it was still a Tailed Beast. Only Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama would truly treat it like a house cat. So, from the moment Uchiha Makoto entered the door, Uzumaki Shinji had noticed the blue-black Two-Tails with a faint layer of flame-like chakra wrapped around its body.
"Makoto, the sealing technique you need still requires some time to develop... for now, it can't meet your requirements."
"It's fine, just complete it as quickly as possible. Besides, the Two-Tails has just arrived in Akatsuki Village. It would be too inhumane to put it to work right away."
Uzumaki Shinji brought up the topic of adults at a very inappropriate time, talking about the sealing technique for imprisoning and extracting the Tailed Beast's chakra.
Uchiha Makoto could only immediately wink at him, signaling him to stop.
For a weapon of mass destruction like a Tailed Beast.
Whether as a large battery or a Jinchuriki weapon, the best way is still to establish a relatively friendly relationship with them and work together to create a harmonious coexistence between humans and Tailed Beasts.
Hmm... it's a bit shameless to say that.
But Uchiha Makoto felt that this was not impossible.
The Tailed Beasts look like a group of very ferocious guys, but in fact, anyone familiar with the original Naruto story knows that they are mostly just tough-talking, tsundere big guys. As long as you are willing to spend time and effort with them, you can establish a friendly relationship.
Especially for the Two-Tails.
The villains who harmed the cat have already stood out.
Senju Hashirama is one, and there's also Uchiha Madara!
And the methods used by the villains were quite cruel.
Compared to the cruel methods used by those two great demon kings, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama... he just wanted to extract a little chakra. As long as the Two-Tails was willing to cooperate, the treatment could be negotiated. He wouldn't even have to seal it in a little black room.
So now is not the time to have a complete showdown with the Two-Tails. He still needs to cultivate a relationship with it for a while.
"Meow~ Uchiha Makoto, what do you want me to do for your Akatsuki Village?"
"What sealing technique... what 'going to work'?"
The Two-Tails kitty keenly sensed that something was wrong. It seemed that Uchiha Makoto was discussing something extraordinary with this red-haired old guy, and it was about itself.
"Oh~ Two-Tails, you'll know when the time comes."
"It's a surprise. But compared to that, I have another gift for you."
Uchiha Makoto quickly changed the subject, stood up, and took out a can of catnip from the room.
When he occasionally summoned the ninja cat clan, he would always give a few bottles of catnip to the summoned ninja cats as a thank-you gift—the Two-Tails kitty is also a cat, maybe it will like it too.
"This is... a very familiar smell... so pure."
"Ah ninety-nine percent a rare thing, hahaha... a rare thing!"
The Two-Tails kitty's eyes immediately lit up. This was its favorite thing in the wild.
But as a Tailed Beast, its body was too large, and the catnip was just a wild species, not yet specially cultivated and processed by humans. It was only after its body had shrunk that the Two-Tails kitty smelled such a pure and good thing for the first time.
The moment Uchiha Makoto opened the can, the Two-Tails kitty couldn't wait to grab a handful and take a big whiff.
Soon, the entire can of catnip was spilled on the ground.
The Two-Tails excitedly rolled back and forth on the ground, and then its eyes began to glaze over.
"Hehe~ a rare thing."
"Is it that strong?"
"Well... kitty, I only sell this stuff, I don't use it. It's not good for the brain."
Uchiha Makoto petted the already intoxicated Two-Tails kitty a couple more times and couldn't help but sigh.
—This could be considered another way to handle the Two-Tails kitty, right?
Uzumaki Shinji looked at the "bizarre" scene before him and couldn't help but rub his eyes repeatedly. The Tailed Beasts recorded in the family records were all terrifying beasts.
How could this Two-Tails be acting exactly like a house cat?
Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, on the other hand, acted completely unconcerned. In their eyes, the Two-Tails was just a house cat.
After dealing with this stupid cat, the Two-Tails, Uchiha Makoto could finally eat freely.
The few of them had a very enjoyable hot pot meal.
Except for Uchiha Madara, of course... this guy would fall into a contemplative state from time to time, who knows what he was pondering in his mind.
To this, Uchiha Makoto had no good solution.
Sooner or later...
Konoha will become a stumbling block for Akatsuki Village, and this time may come very soon, perhaps in a few years.
And Uchiha Makoto had no confidence in fighting Senju Hashirama.
To this day, Senju Hashirama had only fought with the Wood Golem. He had never once released his ultimate move, the True Several Thousand Hands.
This move was probably something Senju Hashirama would only use when his life was on the line.
The relationship between the two families had also been elevated. Uchiha Makoto didn't want to fight Senju Hashirama to the death, so he could only let Uchiha Madara go. Therefore, he planned to temporarily keep the truth behind the Eye of the Moon Plan to himself—this was a definite path that could make Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama break up and eventually lead to a life-or-death battle.
"I am indeed a sinful and ambitious man."
"But... for the sake of peace in the ninja world, if you two seniors keep hanging around, how can we young people stand out?"
Looking at the departing backs of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
Uchiha Makoto couldn't help but sigh.
Family is family, and the great cause is the great cause.
It is indeed despicable, but the adult world is just that dirty.
Like Uzumaki Naruto, descending from the heavens like a hero to defeat all enemies and save the ninja world... is ultimately just a shonen manga fantasy.
A world saved in this way is just another cycle.
Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke are at best just a copy of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
...........
The next day.
"Time to start working again."
Uchiha Makoto opened his eyes, put on his coat, and sat up with the Two-Tails kitty in his arms.
Like all cats, the Two-Tails was usually unwilling to get up early. It curled its entire body in Uchiha Makoto's arms.
Perhaps because of her pregnancy.
Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku was also gradually becoming less and less fond of getting up early. Uchiha Makoto didn't want her to get up and fuss over breakfast for him either. He chose to go to the kitchen alone, cook a bowl of noodles, eat a little, and then return to his Lord Light Shadow office once more.
The Lord Light Shadow Building.
A mountain of documents was already piled up on the desk.
But Uchiha Makoto did not deal with these documents immediately.
Compared to these documents, he was more concerned about the movements of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
To be on the safe side, Uchiha Makoto had specially arranged for a few ANBU ninjas to act as their guides in Akatsuki Village—guides in name, but surveillance in reality.
The news from the ANBU ninjas came back very quickly.
In almost one or two minutes.
Uchiha Makoto knew everything. Senju Hashirama had woken up early today. At five in the morning, he had dragged Uchiha Madara to wander through the streets and alleys of Akatsuki Village, investigating the so-called secret to its prosperity.
Actually, what secret is there... it's nothing more than simply having money.
Since Senju Hashirama was willing to make a fuss, Uchiha Makoto would not interfere with his actions. In the end, it would be Senju Tobirama who would bear all of this.
After giving the order for the ANBU ninjas to continue their surveillance, Uchiha Makoto split out two or three clones and began to handle the documents on his desk.
Most of the documents were economic contracts. These important major cooperations could usually only be decided by Uchiha Makoto... such tiring work, if only there was a money-loving, determined, trustworthy, tireless workhorse who was willing to work hard and overtime at any time to share the burden for him.
—Kakuzu, I really miss you day after day!
After a whole morning of hard work, the ninja birds outside the window chirped cheerfully, flapping their wings and landing near the Lord Light Shadow Building. Only then did Uchiha Makoto stretch his back and stand up from his seat—a letter from the nobles had arrived.
This group of Land of Fire noble lords was really slow. To get them all to find time to come to Akatsuki Village for a meeting, this matter had been delayed for almost ten days.
Uchiha Makoto had even taken a trip out to catch the Two-Tails in the meantime.
Now they had finally arrived near Akatsuki Village one after another. In two days at most, everyone would be here.
"As for the agricultural association... this group of black-hearted skinflints will never act without seeing a rabbit. If this meeting can't produce revolutionary results, then it can only be considered a preliminary meeting of intent. To truly push this plan, I'll have to continue to wrangle with them."
Uchiha Makoto sat back in his chair, his mind thinking about the next plan, while his hand stroked the protesting Two-Tails kitty.
—When those two big demon kings are in front of me, I, the cat, have to be careful. But they are not here now!!
But he didn't let the Two-Tails kitty have its way. After taking out two cans of catnip from the drawer, the Two-Tails kitty gave up its resistance.
His train of thought reconnected...
"Fertilizer is a good thing. It can indeed increase grain production. But it has just been produced and has not undergone on-site comparative experiments. The speed of plant production... if there is no specific data as evidence, the persuasiveness will be greatly reduced."
Uchiha Makoto muttered to himself.
Ever since the fertilizer was produced, the researchers of Akatsuki Village had immediately conducted various experiments to test its actual effects.
But from sowing the seeds, fertilizing, to the growth and maturity of the grain plants, even the fastest would take several months, or even half a year. The efficiency of the experiment was extremely low. Without specific data as evidence, even if Uchiha Makoto, the Lord Light Shadow, patted his chest and made a guarantee, the effect would be greatly reduced.
Controlling the price of grain, what a wonderful phrase.
Anyone who understands its meaning knows that this means a monopoly. The profits of a monopoly on the grain business are imaginable. It's not impossible to even make this group of vermin sell out the Daimyo... but this is a major matter, and convincing data must be presented to make them determined to help.
Of course, half a year, a year is not impossible to wait.
But...
Uchiha Makoto quickly thought of Senju Hashirama.
The legendary Wood Release could create a sea of trees in the blink of an eye. It would be easy to quickly grow a batch of grain crops for experiments.
And he could also take this opportunity to push forward the progress of Akatsuki Village's seed breeding experiments. If he really let that group of agricultural experts conduct seed breeding experiments in the fields little by little, it would probably take ten or eight years to cultivate a satisfactory high-yield crop seed.
"Senju Hashirama is still in Akatsuki Village... there are still one or two days. With him here, it should be enough."
"This little request of mine, he personally will definitely not refuse."
"But... on Senju Tobirama's side... it's definitely impossible to get Senju Hashirama's labor for free. Sigh... I still have to pull Konoha into this plan."
Uchiha Makoto thought to himself.
According to the friendship between him and Senju Hashirama, this was just a trivial request.
Of course, he really wanted to get Senju Hashirama's ability for free, and then have Akatsuki Village handle these big things by itself.
But this was too unrealistic.
When it comes to the grain trade, even a traditional ninja like Senju Tobirama knows the importance of grain and will instinctively want to get a piece of the action.
—Getting big brother's ability for free, without paying a price, how can such a thing be possible!
"This kind of thing is of great benefit to Konoha as well... the grain trade doesn't just include the Land of Fire, it can change the entire landscape of the ninja world... if it weren't for the fact that I have no other choice, I would really like to eat this meal alone."
"....I can only cooperate with Konoha... give them some shares."
If Senju Hashirama had any brains, he couldn't possibly refuse this cooperation between Konoha and Akatsuki Village.
On this point, Uchiha Makoto had absolute confidence.
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