Konoha: Offer your heart to the Hokage!

[Kirigakure: Shukaku the One-Tailed Beast]

Kusagakure: Matatabi the Two-Tails

[Sunagakure Village: Sanwei Isofu]

Akatsuki Village: The Four-Tails Son Goku

【…】

The Thousand Hands brothers looked at the plan and fell into deep thought.

As Hashirama looked at the document, he asked, "Shen'er, explain your thought process."

"Yes."

Shen Er began to explain to the two brothers: "Generally speaking, each of the five major ninja villages is allocated one tailed beast. The remaining four are distributed to the weaker ninja villages that are neutral in stance and adhere to the ideal of peace."

"This way, the overall balance of power can be maintained, and even if major ninja villages like Iwagakure and Kumogakure obtain tailed beasts, the ambitious people in their villages will not become too arrogant."

He picked up his pen.

Connecting the several small ninja villages that will acquire the tailed beasts on the map creates a line that forms a circular arc around the north side of Konoha.

“If the ninja world inevitably heads toward war in the future, the ninja villages with tailed beasts along this arc can also serve as a barrier for Konoha, sharing the pressure from Iwagakure and Kumogakure. I call it the ‘Arch of Resistance’.”

"The Arc of Resistance is a peace alliance led by Konoha, uniting multiple ninja villages along the arc. Its purpose is to prevent ambitious individuals from Kumogakure and Iwagakure from interfering in the region and disrupting peace."

"The fact that the Land of Rice Fields, a small country located in a remote corner, could establish such a pure and peaceful village like Akatsuki is enough to show how simple and honest its people are; Kusagakure is also quite good, having maintained a neutral stance since its founding; Hot Spring Village, with its abundant hot spring resources, is a well-known place for recuperation in the ninja world, and most of the ninjas in the village adhere to pacifism..."

"Of course, the matter of forming the Arc of Resistance can be discussed in detail after the Five Kage Summit, when we can summon the leaders of these ninja villages separately."

"Good good!"

Whether the four great ninja villages were convinced or not is unknown, but Hashirama Senju was undoubtedly convinced at this moment.

The concept of the arc of resistance proposed by Shen Er perfectly aligns with his ideas.

Tobirama, however, was more realistic, pointing out the problem:

"Let's put aside the fact that the four major powers would not accept such a distribution plan. Even if they did, could these small villages afford to buy it? Having allies is certainly good, but right now, Konoha's development needs real money."

Even so, I know that Konoha is also short of money right now.

It wasn't until they sold the tailed beasts that they embarked on a period of rapid development.

He was also short of money.

The Gospel Hospital has a well-established kickback system. To put it another way, Konoha's money is his money.

"First, it would be best if they could accept it at the negotiating table. If they really can't accept it, we can consider giving up the quota for the Two-Tails of the Grass Village and letting them compete for it themselves."

"Secondly, it would be best if they could pay in full at once. If that's not enough, they can pay a down payment first and then pay the rest in installments. If they can't even afford the down payment, they can use local property as collateral."

Shen paused for a moment, then said, "The specifics depend on what price the Hokage intends to set for the Tailed Beasts."

Both of them looked at Hashirama at the same time; he was the one who would make the final decision.

"This……"

Hashirama scratched his head and hesitated, then said, "How about fifty million ryo for one tailed beast?"

For him, capturing the Tailed Beasts was a risk-free business; his intention was to demonstrate sincerity to other ninja villages, and a high price would be counterproductive. Besides, fifty million ryo wasn't a small sum; he could only gamble a few hundred thousand ryo in a day in Tanabata.

"Too little!"

Tobirama immediately retorted, "Each one costs at least 500 million ryo! Brother, you have no idea how valuable the tailed beasts are. If they were to capture them themselves, they would lose countless elite ninjas."

"Money can't buy the life of an elite ninja."

"Alright, then five hundred million taels for one."

After being reprimanded by his second brother, Hashirama immediately changed his tune and started counting on his fingers:

"Eight tailed beasts, that's four billion ryo! Konoha's going to be rich!"

Hashirama Senju was immediately overjoyed.

This 4 billion ryo was a substantial legacy he left for the future generations of Konoha. Even if he were to die soon, he wouldn't need to worry too much about the village's future.

Tobirama reminded him, "Brother, Shukaku has been placed under guard by a temple in the Land of Wind..."

"Huh? Is that so?" Hashirama Senju scratched his head, hesitated for a moment, then clapped his hands and said, "I'll find a way to make Shukaku get lost. Then I'll find someone in the desert who doesn't want it and pick it up."

"..."

"Okay! It's decided then."

"Let's proceed with the sale plan as proposed. Tobirama, send someone to contact the ninja villages on the list and inform them that Konoha is going to hold the Five Kage Summit. By the time I capture the Tailed Beasts, we'll be there in time."

Tobirama always liked to first assume the worst-case scenario: "What if the four great ninja villages still don't agree to this distribution plan in the end?"

Hashirama Senju smiled kindly: "If Shen's plan fails to satisfy them, I will try to win them over with my sincerity."

Chapter 70 Nine-Tailed Fox, Offer Up Your Heart

After dealing with the distribution of the tailed beasts, Hashirama immediately announced that Konoha would form an alliance with Uzumaki Village.

No one has any objection to this.

The following day, Uzushiogakure sent people to Konoha.

This extraordinary efficiency was clearly something the Hokage couple had planned in advance.

Even Mito Uzumaki's idea could be imagined.

With the Tailed Beasts betrayed, the demand for sealing techniques in all the major ninja villages will undoubtedly increase dramatically. The Uzumaki clan, possessing the strongest sealing techniques in the ninja world, will naturally become a prime target, surrounded by predators.

Only by aligning themselves with Konoha can their safety be guaranteed, allowing them to act as arbiters in this "Tailed Beast Battle".

Following this line of thought, the Uzumaki clan voluntarily gave up the struggle for the Tailed Beasts. Acting as both arbiter and player would only invite a united attack from various nations.

Mito Uzumaki never expected this.

The village of Konoha, founded by her husband and entrusted to her by her entire clan, would one day abandon her most loyal ally and ultimately watch as the Uzumaki clan was annihilated.

Kushina, the red-haired princess with exceptional talent and pure blood, was sent to Konoha just before her clan was wiped out. She suffered bullying and exclusion in the village as a child, and as an adult, she had to take on the shackles of being a Jinchūriki.

Seeking advantage and avoiding harm is an instinct in the ninja world.

But it's not very respectable to eat off someone's children.

Even at the Hokage Building, they met the envoy from Uzumaki Village.

The person responsible for signing the alliance treaty between Uzushiogakure and Konoha was Uzumaki Ashina, the leader of Uzushiogakure.

The iconic red hair of the Uzumaki clan had lost half its luster on him, revealing a decline in vitality.

The bloodlines of Senju and Uzumaki are born with immense vitality, but this vitality broadens the breadth of life rather than its length.

Even the strongest physique cannot withstand the erosion of time.

Mito Uzumaki, who cultivated the Yin Seal, was an extremely rare individual even within the Uzumaki clan.

Ashina arrived in Konoha in the morning and began signing the treaty in the afternoon.

Under the watchful eyes of the villagers, the leaders of the two ninja villages shook hands and exchanged contracts stained with bloody handprints.

The remaining time was used to discuss the details of the treaty.

Hashirama took the initiative to suggest adding the Uzumaki clan crest to the back of the Konoha ninja uniforms to demonstrate the unbreakable friendship between the two villages.

Shen Er sat in the conference room, calmly observing the old man before him.

He had heard of Ashina Uzumaki back in Takigakure; Ashina was a master of all kinds of powerful sealing techniques and was hailed as the strongest sealing ninja of his time. Even now, in his old age and declining health, his mastery of sealing techniques still surpassed that of Mito Uzumaki.

Such ninjas have always been regarded as treasures.

Extracting even a little something from them would greatly enhance one's tactical reserves.

Previously, Shen Er had his sights set on Mito Uzumaki, and had already prepared countless plans to gradually gain her trust and trick her into giving him the sealing technique.

Upon seeing Ashina Uzumaki, however, a different plan began to form in his mind.

This old man doesn't have much time left.

Wait for the right opportunity, steal his body, and resurrect him using the Impure World Reincarnation technique. Perhaps we can extract all the secret knowledge of sealing techniques from his soul.

It's ultimately a backup plan.

Shen Er was such a cautious ninja that the first thing he thought of upon meeting someone was either their organs or their soul.

But Shen Er didn't see anything wrong with it. It was a tradition of the older generation of Konoha people.

Just like what Konoha did to Uzumaki in the future, it's all about human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm.

After the meeting.

Ashina Uzumaki, posing as a member of her family, approached Mito Uzumaki alone.

After a few brief pleasantries, he raised the issue with a serious tone:

"That new elder of Konoha, even... I sensed an unsettling chakra emanating from him."

"Mito, you must be very careful of this person while you are in Konoha."

Some ninjas are born with the ability to sense emotions and malice due to their chakra nature, although it is not as obvious as that brought by the Nine-Tails.

Uzumaki Ashina was such a ninja who had experienced the ways of the world and was wise and experienced with age.

But Mito didn't take his reminder to heart, and just gave him a perfunctory reply:

"Understood, Second Master."

Having witnessed Jinji practicing medicine and saving lives firsthand, she knew that the "uneasy chakra" Ashina spoke of was Jinji's Tenci Yu.

Hashirama is right.

A ninja judges by his actions, not his intentions.

Bloodline is inherited through bloodlines, just like beauty and ugliness; it's not something one can choose.

"Oh, Mito, you should really pay attention."

Ashina Uzumaki stood with his hands behind his back, shook his head helplessly, and left Konoha that night.

...