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My Journey as Fourth Kazekage 216
🕑 Added 2025-07-01 16:00:07 +0000 UTCChapter 216: The Bait I Can't Refuse
When Yahiko and the others, led by Pakura, arrived at Sunagakure and stepped into the Kazekage’s office within the Kazekage Tower, they were immediately taken aback by the bustling scene inside. The spacious office was packed wall to wall with people, easily over a hundred, and the air buzzed with intense discussion. All eyes were drawn toward two massive maps that hung prominently on the wall, commanding the attention of everyone present.
Yahiko instinctively assumed Sunagakure was preparing some kind of counteroffensive against Iwagakure and Kirigakure. However, he quickly sensed something unusual, as the two maps told a different story.
One of them was a topographical map detailing Sunagakure’s terrain, clearly updated to reflect the dramatic changes caused by the recent tailed beast upheaval. The village, represented as a small dot, lay nestled in a canyon shaped like a gourd—narrow at the top and widening out below. The second map portrayed the larger territories of the Land of Wind and the Land of Demons, and featured a bold red line stretching across the area with precise intent.
“Please wait here for a moment...”
With a few quiet instructions, Pakura wove her way into the crowd.
Yahiko and the others exchanged glances and remained where they stood, trying to shake off the uneasiness settling in their chests. The surrounding people, meanwhile, had also noticed the unfamiliar faces in their midst. Yet upon seeing that they were brought in by Pakura-sama herself, they relaxed visibly, with a few even offering friendly greetings.
“I am Ryosuke, a merchant from the Land of the Sea. You don’t appear to be shinobi from Sunagakure, are you?”
“A merchant!?”
Akatsuki’s members were briefly taken aback. None of them could figure out why a merchant would be allowed inside the Kazekage’s office during such a critical time.
Curious, Yahiko responded with a nod.
“We’re from the Land of Rain.”
“The Land of Rain!?”
Ryosuke was visibly surprised, then broke into an admiring grin.
“I see. So even the Land of Rain is now being considered by Kazekage-sama! I had assumed it was only the Land of Demons.”
That statement puzzled Yahiko and his companions.
“Sir, what do you mean by ‘being considered’?”
Ryosuke paused and looked at them in mild confusion before replying with a surprised tone.
“Eh? Aren’t you here like the Miko-sama from the Land of Demons, to seek cooperation with Sunagakure?”
“Cooperation!”
Yahiko shook his head firmly.
“No, we’ve simply come to pay our respects to Kazekage-sama.”
“Ah, I apologize then. I must’ve misunderstood!”
Ryosuke laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
At that moment, Konan, who had been silently studying the two large maps on the wall, turned toward them and spoke with quiet curiosity.
“Ryosuke-san, may I ask what kind of cooperation you were referring to just now?”
“Oh, that? Of course.”
Ryosuke’s eyes lit up as he spoke with a mixture of wonder and admiration.
“You must have seen it as you entered the village, right? The entire environment around Sunagakure has changed. They say it was all caused by some kind of beast... what do they call it... yes, a tailed beast. It ravaged the land and left tremendous destruction in its wake.”
Yahiko and the others nodded solemnly, recalling the devastated terrain.
“But even so, Kazekage-sama is truly exceptional. He saw a chance for transformation in the midst of all that damage.”
“Transform the village!?”
“Yes, absolutely!”
Ryosuke turned and gestured toward the map of Sunagakure.
“First off, the terrain around Sunagakure has become far more suitable for habitation. Naturally, land alone isn’t much of an advantage if people can’t live on it, but you must’ve noticed something else too when you arrived. Kazekage-sama actually used shinobi techniques to reshape the barren, blackened wasteland into a lush, fertile expanse brimming with greenery. That single action resolved the long-standing land shortage that had always hindered Sunagakure’s development.”
As he spoke, Ryosuke gestured toward the dense crowd gathered ahead.
“See all those people? They’re all high-ranking figures of Sunagakure. Right now, they’re arguing over plots of land.”
Yahiko frowned slightly, puzzled.
“Fighting over land? Why? Has Sunagakure always had a shortage of land?”
Ryosuke responded with a cryptic smile.
“Well, land here had always been scarce, yes, but not to the point of being uninhabitable. The difference now is... no one knows just how valuable this land could become.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Had it been anyone else asking, Ryosuke might’ve brushed the question aside. But seeing as these individuals were from the Land of Rain and had come under the escort of Pakura, the Scorch Release wielder and a notable figure in Sunagakure, he reconsidered. With a small nod, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, then handed it to Yahiko.
“This is my card. If the Land of Rain ends up forming an alliance with Sunagakure, I hope you’ll keep me in mind.”
Curious, Yahiko took the card and opened it. The words printed clearly read: Ryosuke Construction Company.
Seeing that Yahiko had read it, Ryosuke leaned in slightly, wearing a smile that practically dripped with flattery.
“When I said the land would become extremely valuable, I meant it. It’s tied to another bold initiative from Kazekage-sama. You must’ve seen it when you arrived—the enormous, pitch-black pit near the village?”
Yahiko and the others nodded immediately. Of course, they had noticed it. That gaping void had startled them the moment they laid eyes on it.
Only then did Ryosuke continue with more energy.
“That, too, was formed by the tailed beast’s rampage. But unlike the surrounding areas that were transformed into fertile land, that pit is entirely uninhabitable. Leaving it alone would be too dangerous. But Kazekage-sama has a visionary solution. He wants to transform it into an enormous lake.”
“A lake!?”
The boldness of that idea stunned them all over again.
“Yes, exactly. That’s the core of Kazekage-sama’s grand plan.”
Ryosuke then turned and pointed to the second map—the one outlining the geography of the Land of Wind and the Land of Demons.
“From that artificial lake, Kazekage-sama intends to construct a massive river. It will connect the Land of Demons, pass through Sunagakure, and eventually reach the sea. And once that river is complete...”
At this point, Ryosuke’s eyes gleamed with fervor.
“Then the harsh, arid geography of the Land of Wind will no longer matter. Trade routes will open up. Goods from every corner of the world can be transported directly into Sunagakure. Can you imagine how much wealth that will bring? Sunagakure, which will control the entire waterway, will become the richest village in the entire shinobi world. Even Konohagakure won’t be able to compete. And with the kind of power Kazekage-sama has already demonstrated, the village will be strong enough to stay safe, even through the coming wars. People will flock here from everywhere, and land will become even more precious. Eventually, it might be as valuable as gold.”
He was so immersed in his excitement that he didn’t even notice the look of frozen astonishment on Yahiko and the others’ faces.
“This Kazekage-sama may be a shinobi, but he’s also an extraordinary businessman. He granted development rights for the surrounding lands to the village’s senior officials. Of course, shinobi aren’t the ones handling construction. That responsibility falls on us merchants. And the profit margins? They’re massive. Sunagakure already has a strong financial base, but once the waterway is up and running and trade starts flowing in, it'll be like earning money in your sleep. That’s why, the moment word spread, everyone scrambled to get involved.”
“I see...!”
Even after Ryosuke’s explanation ended, the members of Akatsuki were still visibly shaken. The shock and awe hadn’t yet faded from their expressions.
“Looks like we arrived at just the right time. This Kazekage really is something else!”
But what Ryosuke said next made every single one of them feel a chill creep down their spine.
“Who could possibly disagree? All those shinobi villages endlessly waging war—what’s the point? After so many years, nothing has truly changed. People continue to die, and the world outside remains chaotic. No one has managed to destroy anyone else. But Kazekage-sama... he truly understands what war is supposed to achieve.”
