Konoha Drunkard

"I bet you're just afraid your wife will smell the alcohol on you," Shanks said disdainfully.

"I'm not trying to be mean, but if my wife were nagging me while I was drinking, I'd drag her off to clap her hands. Brother Lu, you need to show some manly assertiveness," Shanks continued to cajole.

"Well, I have that domineering aura, but I didn't bring it home." Nara Shika said, patting his shoulder. The entire ninja world knows that their clan is afraid of their wives, but they don't feel ashamed of it, so they take it in stride.

"You're amazing!" Shanks sensed with his Observation Haki that the ten ninjas from the Cloud Village were about to arrive, so he stopped arguing with Nara Shika.

Sure enough, less than half an hour later, ten figures were seen rushing over from a distance.

The leader of the Cloud Ninja was Azaburo, the head of the Azabu clan, who was also known as the Grand Steward of the Hidden Cloud Village.

The Grand Strategist.

"Hahahaha!! It's been so long, Grand Steward. I've missed you so much!" Shanks displayed his ability to speak to anyone, however casually.

The group of Cloud Ninja were completely dumbfounded. Even the man who was known as the Grand Steward was dumbfounded.

"Have we met before...?"

Shanks wasn't embarrassed at all. "We've known each other for a long time, we've been friends for a long time. Look, just to see you, I've been waiting here for so long that I've drunk three bottles of sake and eaten four pounds of fish balls."

"Come on! This is the most famous limited edition sake from our Land of Fire, with only 10 bottles produced each year. This was even the First Hokage's personal collection." Shanks shamelessly boasted, pulling out an unopened bottle of sake.

"-_-# Haha, Konoha Red-Haired Shanks is too kind, let's get going." Sackbag Pocket, still not quite used to Shanks's thought process, took the sake and laughed.

"Don't be in such a hurry. We'll go to the capital of the Land of Fire for a hot spring and a casual meal first. Tonight, I've booked private rooms at the largest hotel in the Land of Fire to welcome you all. Each and every one of them is the top courtesan of the Land of Fire!" Shanks deliberately leaned closer to the burlap sack with a knowing look at the last sentence.

"Hmm!" The Cloud Ninja behind the burlap sack swallowed hard. Their minds were filled with thoughts of the top courtesan, the word "top courtesan" flashing through their minds.

The ninjas around Shanks all looked up at the sky, as if they didn't recognize him.

"Haha, Konoha is too kind. However, we came out on a mission from Lord Raikage, so I'm truly sorry, we urgently need Lord Hokage's reply," Sackbag said politely, declining the offer. This was none other than the famous Shanks of Konoha. Anyone else, a smart person, would have acted immediately. The village was currently in dire straits, with the Eight-Tails being held back by the Raikage alone. Who knew how long he could hold it off? He didn't want to waste any time.

"Oh! That's such a shame. You don't know, those top courtesans usually only entertain daimyo. It took me a lot of effort to get a date with them," Shanks said with a regretful expression.

"Haha, next time, next time I will definitely come to apologize to Lord Red-Haired Man," the burlap sack said with a laugh.

"Then it's settled. I'll be waiting for you in the capital of the Land of Fire next month. Don't worry, in the Land of Fire, it's all-inclusive service. I guarantee you'll come happily and leave comfortably!" Shanks hooked his arm around the neck of the burlap sack, looking every bit the buddy.

"Then thank you in advance, Lord Red-Haired." The man in the burlap sack was exhausted. Couldn't this kind of person understand what others meant?

“Just call me Shanks to give me face. Don’t be so formal.” Shanks said heartily.

"-_-#...." A burlap sack. It has to be said, clever people have many ideas. Judging from Shanks's expression, he didn't know if this was a test from Konoha.

If Shanks knew, I'd just spit a mouthful of sake at him and say, "I was just joking around because I was bored."

The Cloud Ninja behind the burlap sack were different; they all thought the Konoha Shanks were just being hospitable and didn't see anything particularly interesting about it.

"Sigh. Let's go, the Hokage is waiting," Nara Shika said, seeing that Shanks had no intention of letting the Cloud Ninja go.

Even Konoha's Grand Strategist has spoken, so Shanks has to give him face. After all, his family owes so much money for the deer antlers Tsunade's father.

52. You are the number one person after Naruto! "Seeking flowers!" "Seeking favorites!"

The group rushed to Konoha without stopping. Once they arrived, Shanks' mission was considered complete. He happily accepted his A-rank reward and told Sackbag that he wanted to have a drink with him that night before leaving.

"Sigh." Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head as he watched Shanks's retreating figure. For a time, he had considered grooming Shanks to be the next Hokage, but considering his personality... he eventually gave up.

After only Hiruzen Sarutobi and the three top officials remained in the Hokage's office.

"Lord Hokage, our Raikage is willing to exchange 3 S-rank ninjutsu and 10 A-rank ninjutsu for your village's Tailed Beast Sealing Technique. What do you think, Lord Hokage?" Sack Bag said.

"The Tailed Beast Sealing Technique was developed by our First Hokage's wife, Lady Mito. Although it's already registered in our sealing team, it still requires Lady Mito's approval," Koharu Utatane said before Hiruzen Sarutobi could speak.

"Oh? Then may we have the honor of meeting Lord Mito?" The burlap sack knew that the other party wouldn't agree so easily.

"Well... Lady Mito hasn't been involved in Konoha's affairs for a long time, so please be patient, messengers. We will convey your message," Koharu Utatane said calmly.

"In that case, we'll take our leave now." After saying this, the burlap sack left with a few Cloud Ninja.

"What do you think?" Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe.

"He was just testing the waters, but the fact that he immediately used three S-rank ninjutsu shows that their village was indeed badly damaged," said Mitokado Homura.

"Hiruzen, this is a great opportunity. If we launch a war against the Land of Lightning now, they won't be able to defeat us," Danzo said excitedly. In his mind, this was the peak of Konoha's power; they were still young, and with Shanks and Sakumo Hatake, their top-tier fighting force completely overwhelmed Kumogakure.

"No! We've only had a few years of peace. I won't let the village be plunged into war at this time." Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately rejected the idea without even thinking.

"Danzo, have you forgotten that our teacher died for peace? How can we go against his wishes?" Koharu Utatane said seriously. The Koharu Utatane of today is not yet the stubborn old woman she will become; she is still the most beautiful girl in Konoha.

"Hmph! I hope you don't regret this!" Danzo snorted when he saw that the two disagreed and that Mitokado Homura acted as if it were none of his business. This was the first time he and Sarutobi Hiruzen had disagreed.

"Let's stall him for a few more days. When he can't wait any longer, he'll speak up," Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly after thinking for a while. He inherited the peaceful will of his two teachers, but he preferred peaceful coexistence with other villages, while Danzo was more radical, believing that only by unifying the ninja world could there be true peace.

............

The next day, Shanks wandered aimlessly through the streets. Konoha's population had been growing rapidly in recent years, and the village was gradually expanding. Before he knew it, he arrived at the entrance of the Ninja Academy. The Ninja Academy now had many more students than it had a few years ago, with about five hundred students graduating each year. Moreover, the ninjas leading the teams had been promoted from team captains to instructors.

Shanks' former homeroom teacher, Hiroshi Sarutobi, is now the school's principal. Leveraging his influence from training two of Konoha's top stars and an idol group, he successfully secured the second-in-command position. This has brought him to the pinnacle of his life, since the top leader is the Hokage.

Hiroshi Sarutobi sat under a big tree near the school gate. He no longer had to attend classes, and every day, teachers and students coming and going from the school would greet him with "Good morning, Master!" He felt a surge of satisfaction, a feeling that made him want to stay in that position for another 500 years.

"Hey, Mr. Pervert, I've come to see you!" Shanks greeted Hiroshi Sarutobi, who was sitting under a big tree.

"Haha! Shanks, you haven't come to see me for more than half a year. I thought the Red-Haired Lord had forgotten about me!" Hiroshi Sarutobi laughed when he saw that it was Shanks.

"How could I forget you? You're the number one person after the Hokage now, how could I possibly forget you?" Shanks teased.

"Haha! Don't tell anyone that." Sarutobi Hiroshi said this, but he was secretly pleased. Of all the students he taught, Shanks was the most eloquent. He was a genius, and his words were always pleasant to hear.

Sakumo Hatake respected him the most, but he didn't talk much and would bring him some gifts every month.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru... He doesn't dare call them his students anymore; wouldn't that be competing with the Hokage for students?

Shanks and Hiroshi Sarutobi chatted for a morning before disappearing. Unexpectedly, they found a burlap sack outside a bathhouse.

"Haha! I was wondering why I felt so lost despite the clear sky and cloudless expanse. It turns out that fate brought me here to meet the Grand Steward?" Shanks rambled on in a serious tone.

"Haha, Lord Shanks, what a coincidence," Sack Bag laughed. Today, he had simply come out to see how prosperous the largest village in the ninja world was. It had to be said, under these natural conditions, Konoha was far superior to their Kumogakure. Their Kumogakure, starting with the Second Hokage, had also been actively seeking discovery, and had done quite well over the years. However, the Land of Lightning's geographical location naturally kept it away from the Land of Fire, so their discovery speed was naturally not as fast as the Land of Fire's. The more he looked, the more anxious he became.

The village had just been destroyed by the Eight-Tails, but thankfully there was a Raikage capable of single-handedly suppressing it. However, the Eight-Tails was made of chakra and didn't tire, while the Raikage was human. If they didn't hurry to switch to sealing techniques and return, the village would be finished once the Raikage couldn't hold on any longer. Thinking about this, his pressure increased even more. But the Konoha higher-ups were probably keeping him hanging, and he couldn't do anything about it. If he had spoken in a very anxious manner from the beginning, they would definitely have made exorbitant demands.

"I already told you, just call me Shanks. Don't be so formal, it's too much of a formality." Shanks looked unhappy.

"Ah. Lord Shanks is joking. If our Raikage knew, I would be in trouble," the burlap sack said with a wry smile.

"What's wrong? It seems like I'm not in a good mood, Grand Steward. What happened? Do you need my help? Just ask. I might not dare to say it elsewhere, but as long as it's in Konoha, if I say one thing, no one will disagree." Shanks, acting like a gangster boss, started rambling on, since it was free anyway.

"Then thank you very much, Lord Shanks. There is indeed something I would like to ask you for a favor," the burlap sack tentatively suggested.

"Go ahead and say it. As long as it's not about sealing techniques, anything is fine. Even if you want the Nine-Tails, I can get it for you," Shanks said casually.

"Ahem, no, I won't do that. I heard Lord Shanks is the First Lady's nephew, and I'd like you to introduce me to her," said the burlap sack. Damn it! He was just saying you were the undisputed ruler of Konoha, yet you can't even handle sealing techniques.

"Oh, that's what it is. It's a small problem... You know my aunt doesn't manage things anymore, and her grandson is due soon. My aunt dotes on me, her unborn nephew, the most, so..." Shanks gave him a knowing look.

"Don't worry, I won't let Lord Shanks and Lord Mito down!" Sack Bag said through gritted teeth, knowing he was bound to be tricked.

"Oh? I wonder what it is that could move my aunt?" Shanks asked, sounding like a curious child.

Even Shanks was stumped by the question... If Hiruzen Sarutobi had asked him, he would have definitely mentioned an S-rank ninjutsu or a large amount of resources. But Shanks had made it very clear: his little nephew, the First Hokage's beloved grandson. He was obviously asking for something for a child; if he had mentioned an S-rank ninjutsu, he would have been considered an idiot.

"Oh? I really don't know what children like. I wonder if Lord Shanks knows?" the burlap sack said helplessly.

"Ha! I actually know that. You know I'm a master swordsman. In the entire ninja world, I dare say I'm second to none. My little nephew will definitely have to learn swordsmanship from me in the future. But how can a swordsman be without his own sword? You agree, right? I heard that Gold and Silver Horns used to have a Seven Star Sword, but after they died, no one knows where it is now," Shanks said.

"That's impossible. The Six Paths Tools are treasures of our Hidden Cloud Village." The burlap sack didn't even need to think about it.

"Don't be so quick to refuse. Think about it, since the deaths of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, no one in your Cloud Ninja has been able to use that thing. It's basically a useless piece of junk. But right now, your village is still suffering from the Eight-Tails' abuse. Even if you can handle it this time, what about next time? Even if you can handle it every time, there will still be losses, right? Isn't it worth it to exchange a piece of junk that you can't use for something that can avoid future losses?" Shanks said.

Shanks actually wanted the Seven Star Sword because of the death that Nawaki would face later. Shanks didn't know the specifics, only that it happened during World War II... Besides, Shanks couldn't always be by Nawaki's side; fate is unpredictable. Since he couldn't protect him, he might as well strengthen his survival abilities. He wasn't worried that Nawaki wouldn't be able to use the Seven Star Sword. Even the Six Paths Elder's bloodline couldn't use the Six Paths Elder's tools; who could? He didn't believe that Nawaki, wielding the Six Paths tools, couldn't take down those Sand Ninja who weren't very bright.

If he still fails after that, then it can only be said that it wasn't because he didn't try his best, but because Rope Tree is too weak.

53. Sending the Rope Tree Six Paths Ninja Tools: "Requesting Flowers" and "Requesting Collection"

"So, have you thought it through? If you agree, I can grant you a Tailed Beast Sealing Technique on behalf of my aunt. It's not some ordinary village seal, but a complete seal. It's the kind of seal that can withstand the power of a Tailed Beast on an ordinary person, and afterwards, you can make the Tailed Beast lie down; it will never stand up," Shanks said smugly. After all, Tailed Beasts are always lying down when sealed.

"I need to inform our Raikage-sama; I cannot make this decision on my own." Sackbag was indeed tempted. Rather than keeping something useless to show off, it was better to get something more practical. Sackbag didn't believe Shanks would lie to him; after all, problems with this kind of thing could start a war.

“No problem! As long as you agree, I’ll give you the sealing technique right away!” Shanks said.

"Then I'll go and deliver a message to Lord Raikage now. Farewell." With that, the burlap sack hurriedly left.

After Shanks saw him leave, he also went to the Hokage Building to trick Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Naruto Building.

"boom!"

"Old man, I've come to solve your problems. Oh, you're all here, where's Danzo?" Shanks came in and saw Hiruzen Sarutobi and two high-ranking officials, but Danzo was nowhere to be seen.

"Sigh! Danzo suggested we attack the Land of Lightning yesterday, but I rejected it, and he's fallen ill today," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

"...Danzo is really brave! Does he really think that the so-called strongest Raikage, the Third Raikage, is a fake?" Shanks pouted. It seems that Danzo is about to cause trouble. The best teammate for Konoha's decline.

"Oh? You think it won't work either?" Mitokado Yanagi

"It's not a question of whether we can or not. The ninja world isn't just about us and Kumogakure! Can we even take on four at once? Don't forget, there's Hanzo of the Salamander! He beat Mirror to that extent back then; even in a group attack, he shouldn't be underestimated. And so many years have passed." Shanks pursed his lips. Damn, thank goodness I've read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The three agreed with Shanks; although he seemed unserious most of the time, he was reliable in crucial moments. If any one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages were to go to war, it would undoubtedly be a world war.

"When you came in just now, you said you would help me solve my problems?" Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled his words.

“Yeah, I’ve befriended the burlap sack. If he gives the Seven Star Sword from his village to Rope Tree, I’ll give him the sealing technique. How about that? A sure thing.” Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"What! How could you decide to use the village's sealing technique to exchange with him on your own?" Mitokado asked seriously.

"What do you mean by 'on my own initiative'? Wasn't I informing you? Besides, what conditions did the burlap sack give you? S-rank ninjutsu? What do you need that for? Have you even learned the ninjutsu developed by Uncle Two in the Sealing Scroll? And you still want S-rank ninjutsu... a lot of resources? Our Land of Fire has so many resources that nobody uses them. What do we need resources for? Since you've already agreed to give them the sealing technique, and you don't know what to exchange it for, why not exchange it for something more practical? At least it's a Six Paths tool. Besides, Nawaki is the First Hokage's grandson. It's not unreasonable to consider it a birth gift for him, since he's already Konoha's." Shanks' impassioned speech finally silenced the three of them.

The three thought about it and agreed. Besides, it didn't seem like a big deal to give a Six Paths Ninja Tool to their grandson as a sacrifice from the First and Second Hokage. Thinking this, their mood improved. "This is a gift from us, not an exchange."

Shanks, having already piqued their interest, decided to add fuel to the fire, saying, "Most importantly, just in case—and I mean just in case—if one day you suddenly pass away and meet those two, you can brag that you gave your grandson a Six Paths tool. Wouldn't that be way more impressive than the other three?"

"..." The three of them were speechless!

"Alright, that's settled then. Let's wait for the Raikage's decision. Sending Nawaki a Six Paths tool would be good, after all, he's the master's successor." Hiruzen Sarutobi said, taking a deep drag on his cigarette, his eyes sparkling. He seemed to be already imagining the scene of bragging to the First and Second Hokage when he met them again.

......

The next day. All the high-ranking officials of Kumogakure were in the Raikage's office, but the Third Hokage, A, was nowhere to be seen.

Azabu Ninety, who was temporarily replacing Azabu Pocket as strategist, spoke up, "Yesterday, my elder brother sent a message via the messenger hawk: Konoha's Shanks wants to exchange our Seven Star Sword for a sealing technique that an ordinary person can withstand from a tailed beast. I wonder what everyone's thoughts are on this."