Akatsuki Ninja Village.
Uchiha Makoto was squatting on the ground alone. A group of researchers, bent over and busy in the surrounding fields, quickly noticed him.
Seeing that it was the Kōkage himself, they immediately stood up and bowed. Uchiha Makoto simply waved his hand, signaling for them to continue with their work and ignore him.
Then, Uchiha Makoto reached out, grabbed a handful of soil, and observed it carefully.
He had to admit...
This land was truly fertile. So fertile that one's bloodline was about to awaken... Such excellent land should be used for farming!
Speaking of which... there were only a few places in the ninja world suitable for agriculture.
Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Wind was a desert, sand everywhere, making it impossible to farm. Humans shouldn't even be living on this land.
The Land of Earth was filled with rocky mountains and had few plains.
The Land of Lightning was similar, with steep cliffs and high peaks, and a rather harsh climate.
The Land of Water had a climate similar to Australia on Earth, but it was just an island nation, far from the continental center.
The Land of Rice Fields, the Land of Grass... these countries were too small.
But the Land of Fire was vast, with fertile soil, a suitable climate, and large plains. It was the largest grain-producing nation in the entire ninja world and also the most populous.
"Truly a divinely chosen land of kings, a place of rising dragons!"
As Uchiha Makoto was sighing with emotion, an ANBU ninja from the Akatsuki Ninja Village arrived with Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
A familiar voice reached his ears.
"Makoto, why did you call me over in such a hurry? Is something the matter?"
"Lord Hashirama, I'm sorry to bother you so suddenly, but I have something very important that I happen to need your help with."
"You're being too polite, Makoto. Just say it. If I can help, I'll certainly do my best."
Senju Hashirama was as easygoing as ever. For a good-natured person like him, as long as there was a reasonable excuse and the request wasn't excessive, he wouldn't stand by and do nothing. After all, he could openly offer to give away the Tailed Beasts he worked so hard to capture for free.
"Then I'll be direct. The progress of the breeding research organized by the Akatsuki Ninja Village is currently quite slow. The most difficult key issue to solve is the time it takes for seeds to be produced and reach maturity..."
"So, Lord Hashirama, I need your Wood Style."
Uchiha Makoto didn't beat around the bush, stating his purpose directly.
To obtain high-yield, disease-resistant, drought-tolerant seeds with a short maturation period in breeding experiments, besides scientific cultivation methods, another very important factor was luck. With good luck, you could get the desired traits, and then through repeated cultivation, you'd get seeds with stable traits.
The biggest cost in all of this was time.
Now, he wanted to use the power of Wood Style to shorten the breeding time.
After some explanation, Senju Hashirama roughly understood Uchiha Makoto's meaning.
"Isn't it just speeding up the growth of seeds? A trivial matter, that's too easy."
"Back when Konoha was just founded, because two juniors went to speculate on... uhm... a flower called the tulip, we lost a large sum of money... It was Tobirama who had me use seeds to quickly grow a large batch of tulips to sell on the market, which helped recover a lot of the losses... but later, that incident caused a huge mess..."
Seeing that the matter wasn't difficult, Senju Hashirama immediately agreed, muttering about an old story.
"Ahem... Lord Hashirama, let's not talk about the past. The important business at hand is what matters now!"
Uchiha Makoto gave a dry laugh and quickly changed the subject... He had been one of the masterminds of that tulip scam, and a key operator at that.
Soon.
Several agricultural experts who had been busy nearby gathered around.
Under everyone's watchful eyes...
Senju Hashirama clapped his hands together, and the crops in the nearby experimental fields began to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within a few breaths, they had already reached maturity.
This direct display left the agricultural experts on the scene dumbfounded.
As ordinary people who had joined the Akatsuki Ninja Village, they had more or less been exposed to information about the ninja world—that the First Hokage of Konoha possessed a Wood Style powerful enough to destroy the world.
However, at this moment, they weren't concerned with the so-called mighty power of the Wood Style; they were looking at it from a different perspective.
As agricultural experts specializing in seed breeding, they almost instantly realized that in the field of seed cultivation, the Wood Style was basically a cheat code.
Decades of hard work...
Could perhaps be solved in a matter of days.
Thus, they looked at Senju Hashirama as if they were looking at some priceless treasure.
"Everyone, I specially invited Lord Hashirama here. He will now cooperate with your breeding experiments and also test the effectiveness of the fertilizers."
"Yes, Lord Kōkage!" xN
"Lord Hokage, this way, please..."
"What are you pushing for, don't you know first come, first served... Lord Hokage, come over here."
"Get lost... My breeding experiment is the most important one... Lord Hokage, this way please. Once my experiment is complete, you will be canonized as a saint... Even the Sage of Six Paths would have to make way for you."
The top agricultural experts couldn't help but start scrambling for him.
At this moment, no one understood the terrifying potential of the Wood Style better than them. They might very well achieve the feat of starting their own family branch because of Senju Hashirama, or even... have their names go down in history.
"Hahaha, don't rush, don't rush."
"Being on par with the Sage of Six Paths... that's too much flattery."
"Wood Clone Jutsu."
Being showered with praise, Senju Hashirama couldn't help but place his hands on his hips and let out a hearty laugh. He then performed the Wood Clone Jutsu, creating over a dozen wood clones, effectively sharing his Wood Style.
Each of the agricultural experts took a few wood clones and dove headfirst into the fields.
"This is the correct way to use Wood Style. If it had been used like this from the start, so many people in the ninja world wouldn't have starved to death."
"Hmm... The ninja art revolution you spoke of... is this what you meant?"
"Exactly."
Uchiha Madara, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. He had never thought that Wood Style could be used in such a way.
It wasn't just Uchiha Madara; even Senju Hashirama himself, and Senju Tobirama, who prided himself on being the ninja world's foremost scientific master, had never thought of developing the Wood Style's capabilities in fields outside of combat.
The power of Wood Style was revolutionary in many areas; it could change the entire ninja world!
In this cesspool of a ninja world, if the vast majority of people could eat their fill, many disputes could be resolved easily.
"Interesting. So this is the path you're following to achieve peace in the ninja world?"
"But you've overlooked one point, and that is human greed... This doesn't solve the fundamental problem... Humans are pathetic creatures... But my and Hashirama's ideal is to create a world of eternal peace in the ninja world!"
Uchiha Madara subconsciously began to debate with Uchiha Makoto. Ever since he was thoroughly defeated by Makoto in their last debate, he had been thinking... It was too humiliating to be out-argued by a junior!
The evil in human nature destined the world to be in a constant state of war, just like the despicable things those scoundrels do.
Once there's a food shortage, they will hoard grain and sell it at high prices!
A thirty percent shortage in grain doesn't just mean the price will triple or even increase tenfold; it means the price will rise until that thirty percent of the population can no longer afford it, no matter what, until they starve to death.
"Lord Madara, I admit that a theory based solely on productivity cannot solve all social problems, but at the very least, the world is getting better bit by bit."
Uchiha Makoto said this, but with his back to Uchiha Madara, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Before, Madara could still be reasoned with. How much time has passed? Staring at that broken stone tablet and thinking by himself has already turned him into an obstinate mule—eliminating human greed, achieving eternal peace, how could such a world possibly exist?
The best way to deal with an obstinate mule is to give him two slaps to wake him up.
Unfortunately... the only person who could give Uchiha Madara two slaps right now was Senju Hashirama!
—Black Zetsu, are you pulling the strings, or is this the so-called correction of the world?
The topic quickly came to an end.
Because Senju Hashirama's original body returned.
"Makoto, I've left my wood clones here. The chakra in those clones will last for a very long time."
"Madara... let's continue our inspection of the Akatsuki Ninja Village!"
Senju Hashirama dusted himself off, intending to continue his learning tour of the Akatsuki Ninja Village with Madara.
Uchiha Madara remained silent, his thoughts unknown—he didn't mind playing this house game with Hashirama a little longer.
However, Uchiha Makoto stopped Senju Hashirama at that moment.
He wanted to talk to Senju Hashirama about adult matters.
"Lord Hashirama, I really have you to thank this time. As it happens, the Akatsuki Ninja Village is planning to establish a seed company and a fertilizer company. I'd like to invite Konoha to invest with its technology. We can sit down and discuss the share distribution."
"This collaboration will absolutely bring enormous benefits to both Konoha and the Akatsuki Ninja Village."
"We are all allies, and we'll be one family in the future. We can absolutely work hand in hand..."
Uchiha Makoto spoke with sincerity.
Since he couldn't have it all for himself, he might as well open his heart and cooperate earnestly with Konoha.
The agricultural pie was simply too large, big enough for both the Akatsuki Ninja Village and Konoha to eat until they were stuffed.
"Cooperation?"
"This... Makoto..."
"Let's forget it. It was just a small favor... Let's not talk about cooperation."
Senju Hashirama immediately recalled his brother Senju Tobirama's warning before he left—no matter how beautifully Uchiha Makoto described the cooperation, Konoha could not partner with the Akatsuki Ninja Village!
He stammered for a long time, but ultimately chose to follow Senju Tobirama's advice and rejected Uchiha Makoto's offer.
"Lord Hashirama, this is something that would greatly benefit Konoha. Why refuse?"
"Take the canning factory, for example... Konoha has made a huge profit from that."
"This time, regarding the shares, we can sit down and discuss the details..."
Before Senju Hashirama could finish his refusal, Uchiha Makoto immediately pressed on.
Wood Style was a cheat code in the field of breeding.
This time it was just grain breeding. In the future, there would be vegetable breeding, fruit breeding... In just a few years, it could solve the Akatsuki Ninja Village's food problem, their entire food supply!
The future of this cooperation was immense!
"Makoto, I appreciate your good intentions, but I really can't agree."
"Why, Lord Hashirama? Is my offer not sincere enough? Is a fifty-fifty split not enough?"
"Does Konoha want a sixty-forty split? Ah... this... Lord Hashirama..."
Uchiha Makoto's voice suddenly rose. He had already raised the offer to a fifty-fifty split.
It was unlikely for a good-natured person like Senju Hashirama to jack up the price just because he had a monopoly on the technology.
"No... no... Makoto, that's not what I mean."
"I just... Anyway, let's just forget about this cooperation for now."
"Then there must be a reason."
"Sigh... Makoto... this..."
"Oh~ I understand. Senju Tobirama told you something, didn't he?"
Senju Hashirama was dead set against the cooperation but couldn't give a specific reason.
Uchiha Makoto blinked, and quickly guessed the truth.
It must be that naturally evil old demon from the Senju clan, Senju Tobirama, making trouble behind the scenes!
"Lord Hashirama, you don't have to hide it from me. I can guess everything just from your expression!"
"It must be Senju Tobirama sowing discord behind our backs!"
"He has always been suspicious of my identity... from beginning to end, he has never trusted me, nor has he trusted the Uchiha..."
"Even Lord Madara is probably the same in his eyes."
"Lord Madara even chose to forgive what happened to Lord Izuna!"
"Isn't that enough to prove our Uchiha clan's sincerity?"
"Perhaps Senju Tobirama never intended to treat our Uchiha clan as comrades."
"Are you the same way, Lord Hashirama?"
Senju Hashirama still wanted to cover for his brother, but Uchiha Makoto gave him no chance. To achieve his goal, he immediately began to use the situation to his advantage, pinning labels on him.
Not trusting me is the same as not trusting the Uchiha!
Most importantly, he had to bring up Senju Hashirama's beloved—Uchiha Madara.
And Uchiha Madara's beloved—Uchiha Izuna.
Uchiha Makoto's tone was filled with anger and disappointment.
Originally, Uchiha Madara didn't want to get involved in these matters.
But... several daggers had just been thrust straight into Uchiha Madara's heart.
With just a few sentences.
The conflict was successfully shifted.
Uchiha Makoto was no longer in a hurry.
Because Senju Hashirama was starting to get anxious.
...
Konoha.
Hokage's Office.
"Achoo~ Why do I suddenly feel a chill down my spine... This feeling... Don't tell me someone is plotting against me again..."
"Uchiha Makoto... As long as that idiot brother of mine follows my instructions completely, nothing will go wrong!"
"Could it be that I'm just being too sensitive?"
Senju Tobirama, sitting in the Hokage's office chair, suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of panic.
Almost instinctively...
He thought of his older brother, far away in the Akatsuki Ninja Village, and also of that naturally evil Uchiha brat, Uchiha Makoto.
The inexplicable panic made Senju Tobirama agitated.
He was beginning to regret letting his brother go to the Akatsuki Ninja Village alone just to save his own face.
His brother might just...
If he had accompanied his brother to the Akatsuki Ninja Village, the worst that could have happened would be Uchiha Makoto pointing at his nose and making sarcastic remarks... Hiss... that's also quite outrageous!
This was truly a no-win situation!!
However, after some mental preparation...
Senju Tobirama forced himself to calm down—As long as that fool of a brother doesn't agree to any cooperation between the Akatsuki Ninja Village and Konoha, there will definitely be no problem
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