Naruto: Starting from Eating the Gold Fruit

Chapter 430 The Ten-Year Agreement

"The Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Rain have cooperated?!" Yua looked at the ANBU ninja who was reporting to him in shock. "What could they possibly have to cooperate on?"

What Yuya really wanted to say was that Konoha had control over both the Land of Rain's economy and the Land of Whirlpools' economy. How drunk were you to dare to cooperate with Konoha behind their backs?

Or rather...

What kind of cooperation could you possibly have between you?

"This was announced publicly at the same time."

Yuya casually accepted it, not believing that there was any possibility of cooperation between the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Rain.

After all, Konoha holds the key to their relationship. It's not impossible to cooperate without Konoha, but it is indeed very difficult.

However, when Yuya received the design drawing that was reported along with the intelligence, he was stunned.

Good heavens! This is actually a submarine design?!

No, did you guys mess up the tech tree?

How did you design this submarine? What about the power system? Power...

Oh, it works on a similar principle to the chakra cannon. Chakra... it really is quite useful...

Nonsence!

That's not the point!

The main point is that damn submarine...

I want one too!

……

"Nadeshiko Shizuka?" Nagato looked at a clerk at the door with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, that's what that lady calls herself," the female clerk said to Nagato, holding the documents in her hands.

"Okay, I understand." Nagato nodded, muttering to herself with some confusion, "Why is she here?"

Nagato went out and arrived at the foot of his office building.

Then, he looked at the figure standing at the door downstairs in a slightly daze.

Nadeshiko Shizuka was dressed in a proper kimono, her long hair was curled into a bun and secured with a hairpin.

Nagato, somewhat surprised by Nadeshiko Shizuka's attire, asked, "What are you doing here?"

Nadeshiko Shizuka blushed slightly and said to Nagato, "The appointed time has arrived, so I came."

Nagato was somewhat surprised: "The agreed time?"

Then he remembered: "You mean...when we were at Konoha University..."

Nadeshiko Shizuka blushed and nodded: "Now that you have fulfilled your dream and become the man who changed the Land of Whirlpools, I came to find you."

Nadeshiko Shizuka's eyes were full of tenderness, making Nagato feel somewhat uncomfortable under that gaze.

He thought for a moment and said to Shizuka Nadeshiko, "Wait for me."

Afterwards, Nagato asked for leave from the office staff in the building.

The head of the construction department is, after all, the head of a department. Being away from the office for a day isn't a big deal.

Nagato took Nadeshiko and Shizuka to a place to eat.

It can only be said that once you enter officialdom, many things become tacitly agreed upon.

For example, people often talk about business while eating; this has been the case throughout history and across cultures.

However, the West prefers to gather many people together for a large banquet.

"Actually, I may have disappointed you." Nagato looked at Nadeshiko Shizuka with a headache and said, "I haven't been able to fulfill my ideals, and this country... hasn't changed."

Shizuka Nadeshiko was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "How could that be? You, you've put this country on the right track. After this railway is completed, this country will only get better and better."

Nagato looked at Nadeshiko Shizuka and smiled helplessly: "So, you think this railway can actually be built?"

Nadeshiko Shizuka looked at Nagato with some confusion: "Hasn't the time already been set? And those ordinary people have agreed to lower their demands..."

Nagato smiled bitterly to himself, but he knew he couldn't tell Nadeshiko Shizuka what had happened to him.

He could only vaguely say, "The reason isn't here; the main reason is because..."

"Is it because of that?" Shizuka Nadeshiko quickly asked.

Nagato sighed: "Because I'm not capable enough."

This isn't just idle talk; Nagato genuinely believes he lacks the ability to handle things properly, which is why things have turned out this way.

If he had the ability to swim...

Shaking her head, dismissing the unrealistic fantasy, Nagato looked at Nadeshiko Shizuka and said, "Let's put that aside for now. But you, do you even remember the promise we made in college...?"

Nadeshiko Shizuka blushed slightly and said, "It's only a promise from ten years ago, it's not that long ago."

As she spoke, she looked at Nagato with deep affection.

Nagato looked at Nadeshiko Shizuka in silence for a moment: "I may disappoint you, but I... am not planning to get married for the time being."

Nadeshiko Shizuka's face paled instantly. She looked at Nagato and asked, "Yes, is there something I did wrong?"

Nagato shook her head: "No, you are excellent, extremely excellent. You were already extremely excellent ten years ago, and many people pursued you back then. In the past ten years, I imagine even more people have pursued you."

Nadeshiko Shizuka's expression softened somewhat, but she still asked, "Is it because you already have someone you like?"

Nagato looked at Nadeshiko Shizuka, whose beautiful eyes were fixed on his expression.

It was as if they wanted to tell from his expression whether he was lying or not.

Nagato sighed and said, "I still think... we should get that railway repaired first."

I want... to make life a little better for the people of Whirlpool Country...

Nagato lowered his head, somewhat unable to look at Nadeshiko Shizuka.

This girl actually waited for him for ten years because of a promise.

To say that Nagato had no feelings for her would be a lie.

But... he really couldn't make a promise to Shizuka Nadeshiko.

Ten years ago, he was young and arrogant, thinking that since he had read so many books on the fifth floor of the Konoha Library, he had the ability to make the Land of Whirlpools as good as Konoha!

At that time, he was full of vigor and ambition, and many girls pursued him and Yahiko.

After all, putting everything else aside, college students ten years ago were more valuable than college students today.

Now college students are in high demand, let alone ten years ago.

It's just that Nagato and Yahiko weren't interested in that at the time.

It was around that time that Shizuka Nadeshiko began to tell Nagato that it was her destiny to be with him.

The reason is that her teacher, Jiraiya, the man destined for Himiko, made a promise with her that their disciple would inherit their predestined relationship.

Nagato scoffed at this idea back then.

However, Nadeshiko Shizuka always saw things this way, and Nagato had no plans to get married for the time being, so he made a promise with Nadeshiko Shizuka.

Once he reaches a high position and changes the status quo of the Land of Whirlpools, he is willing to try accepting Nadeshiko Shizuka.

What was unexpected was that the other party remembered this agreement for ten years.

(End of this chapter)