"People of Akatsuki, can you really rescue the ninja captured from Iwagakure?"
Kurotsuchi frowned as she questioned Kakuzu of Akatsuki. She had led a large ninja force into the territory of the Land of Grass. One purpose was to stir up trouble for the increasingly powerful Konoha and Sand Federation. Competing with Konoha and the Sand Federation in development was impossible, and the Land of Earth's daimyō also hoped Iwagakure could oppose Konoha and the Sand Federation.
The Land of Earth's daimyō did not understand the gap between ninja villages. They simply did not want a federation-style system to continue spreading. Even the Land of Fire's daimyō residence had been destroyed this time, and they already had their own guesses about who would be next. The federation system was digging at the roots of the daimyō system. According to the intelligence they gathered, after the nobles of the Land of Water were captured, they did not enjoy a good life at all and were directly sent to mine.
A truly demonic existence—forcing nobles who were born to enjoy everything to do the most menial labor. The daimyō of the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Iron could not accept this.
They all urged their own ninja villages to form an alliance, so when Akatsuki came knocking, they immediately agreed.
The fame of the Land of Rain in the Fourth Shinobi World War had already spread. It was the only force that could repel head-on the Fifth Hokage who had awakened the Wood Release bloodline. Moreover, the Sand Federation's attack on the Land of Rain never spread at all. The Federation immediately had ninja cooperate with the Jiekang Trade Association to seal off the borders of the Land of Rain.
Other Akatsuki members had been persuaded by Tobi and would not speak of such matters at all, so Iwagakure and Kumogakure were completely unaware that the Land of Rain had changed hands. Their village strength had also greatly declined, leaving them unable to investigate other countries' affairs. Right now, their greatest concern was Konoha and the Sand Federation.
"Don't be anxious, Fourth Tsuchikage."
The White Zetsu clone laughed strangely and gestured as it spoke to Kurotsuchi. "We've already detected the location where the captured Allied Shinobi Forces are being held. It's in the mining area southwest of Roran County in the Sand Federation. We can easily bring them back now, but the seals on them are a bit troublesome. We'll split up when the time comes, but disturbing the seals will definitely alert the Sand Federation, so you'll need to play your part and draw their attention."
Because White Zetsu had already shown Iwagakure and Kumogakure photos of the Raikage and Tsuchikage at work—taken from hidden angles—this greatly increased their trust in Akatsuki. After all, if they could track the whereabouts of the Kage, there was a chance to rescue them.
"Let's hope you act quickly," Kurotsuchi said, suppressing the anxiety in her heart.
This was their final gamble. Iwagakure now had only a little over thirty jonin and fewer than four hundred chunin left. The rest were all genin. Even these genin were rapidly promoted by Kurotsuchi after lowering the standards: as long as they could throw shuriken, use one or two of the Three Basic Jutsu, and skillfully use explosive tags, they could become genin.
Not long after, General Mifune of the Land of Iron arrived at the agreed meeting point with his samurai. Mifune had received orders from the Land of Iron's daimyō to lead elite samurai to aid the Allied Shinobi Forces and erase the evil federation system from the world.
Mifune stepped before Kurotsuchi, nodded slightly, and said, "Lady Tsuchikage."
Kurotsuchi thanked him. "General Mifune, we appreciate the Land of Iron's assistance this time."
"No need for thanks, Lady Tsuchikage," Mifune replied solemnly. "The Sand Federation attacking daimyō and nobles is something we samurai absolutely cannot tolerate. Even if it breaks the Land of Iron's neutrality, we must act."
Kurotsuchi nodded. She knew Mifune was very strong. Though a samurai, his strength surpassed that of most elite jonin. Rumor even said he had once fought Hanzo of the Salamander, the Demigod.
"Is everyone here?" Mifune asked.
"Grass Village and Taki Village are still missing," Kurotsuchi replied. "Kumogakure is too far away, so we agreed to have Akatsuki use space-time ninjutsu to bring them over. This way, we can also get a glimpse of Akatsuki's intelligence."
Mifune agreed. "A sound plan, Lady Tsuchikage."
After that, they discussed other topics, mostly Mifune asking Kurotsuchi about the Sand Federation. The Land of Iron had not participated in the previous wars and knew very little about the Sand Federation and Konoha, so they had to understand things clearly.
Before long, Taki ninja arrived with their forces. Although this was the Land of Grass, Kusagakure arrived last.
This village had a poor reputation across the shinobi world, essentially a bandit village under the name of a ninja village. Once a Shinobi World War began, Kusagakure would immediately become a fence-sitter. If the Sand Federation hadn't demanded too much this time—not vassalage but outright annexation—Kusagakure might have defected to the Sand Federation.
This time, Kakuzu accompanied the Kusagakure ninja, and they arrived last as well.
Seeing that most people had arrived, the White Zetsu clone quickly sent out a signal.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi stepped forward and asked, "Everyone's basically here. What's next?"
"Next, we wait for Lord Mirai to capture all of you, hehehe."
The White Zetsu clone danced about as it laughed, but in the next second, Kurotsuchi grabbed it by the neck.
"What did you say!?"
Hearing those words, Kurotsuchi felt something was wrong. With anger on her face, she said, "I advise you not to joke so casually with allies."
"A joke? Cough, cough… all your actions were carried out under Lord Mirai's instructions. You're finished now…"
As the grip around its neck tightened, Mifune and the leaders of Kusagakure and Takigakure came over and asked, "Lady Tsuchikage, what's going on?"
"Akatsuki may be on the Sand Federation's side. We've been deceived!"
"What!?"
The others were shocked and all turned to look at Kakuzu and Raiga. Nearly everyone present had been contacted by them. As for Kumogakure, they had been contacted by Kisame Hoshigaki, Hidan, and Deidara.
"Don't spout nonsense!"
Kakuzu said in a deep voice. If they were labeled traitors with so many people here, even if they lined up to be killed, he would die of exhaustion first.
"Nonsense? Your companion said it himself!" Kurotsuchi shouted angrily.
Kakuzu then turned his green eyes to the White Zetsu clone and asked coldly, "Zetsu, what's going on?"
"Sorry, cough… Kakuzu-san, I was just… following orders."
After coughing out those words, Kakuzu realized something was very wrong. This thing had ill intentions from the beginning. He had been deceived by money.
"What exactly is going on?"
Before Kakuzu could finish asking, he caught sight of a black spatial passage opening in the air. A figure then stepped out of it.
Kurotsuchi, Mifune, and the leaders of Kusagakure and Takigakure all saw the person emerge from the spatial passage.
Upon seeing him, Kurotsuchi unconsciously released her grip on White Zetsu.
"Lord Mirai, my mission was a success!"
After breaking free, White Zetsu danced over to Hyuga Mirai and reported excitedly.
"Well done. I went to Kumogakure just now, so I was delayed a bit. Was Kakuzu the one who made contact here? If so, you're quite a talent."
Hyuga Mirai roughly counted. There were over seven thousand Allied Shinobi here. This meant the Federation would not lack forced labor for a while. This number was enough to saturate all hard labor within the Federation. Any more, and feeding the prisoners of war would become troublesome.
"Enemy!"
Kurotsuchi shouted loudly, but before the Allied Shinobi Forces could react, she saw Hyuga Mirai raise his hand slightly. In the next instant, the scene before her eyes changed.
In a flash, they were transported from the Land of Grass to a desert. The temperature immediately turned scorching, and as far as the eye could see was endless sand.
"What's going on?"
"How did we suddenly get here? Genjutsu?"
"Damn it, release!"
Suddenly transferred into a desert space by Hyuga Mirai, the Allied Shinobi Forces fell into chaos. Some immediately tried to dispel genjutsu, while others drew explosive tags and kunai in alert.
Being thrust into an unfamiliar environment without the slightest ability to resist plunged all the ninja and samurai into panic.
Hyuga Mirai ignored those "laborers." With a casual wave of his hand, the desert beneath Kakuzu surged up and bound him tightly, then delivered him before Hyuga Mirai.
"Kakuzu, the Land of Rain and Akatsuki are already destroyed. The Federation will eventually unify the shinobi world, and underground bounty organizations will also be eliminated. I'll give you a place to go—work for me from now on."
Hyuga Mirai was very satisfied with Kakuzu's coordination skills and keen sense for money. The Federation's newly established taxation department was still weak. With Kakuzu's abilities, he would surely become the most outstanding official in the Federation's tax bureau.
"…"
Kakuzu remained silent. Ever since being bound by the sand, he had been trying to break free, but the sand restraining him was harder than steel. Even the Earth Grudge Fear within his body could not break it.
"Since you haven't decided yet, stay here and think about it. I'll come back in four days!"
With that, Hyuga Mirai took the White Zetsu clone and left the desert space. After enjoying a few days of desert life with limited supplies, these people would likely lose their temper, especially without enough provisions.
The Kumogakure ninja were imprisoned in the Truth-Seeking Ball space, along with Kisame Hoshigaki and the others. These people still had a chance to be persuaded, but like taming a hawk, they needed to be worn down for several days until their tempers were gone.
After returning, Hyuga Mirai told Pakura about the matter. Tsunade happened to be there as well, so Hyuga Mirai simply gathered Yamanaka Inoichi, Kakashi, and the Federation's high-level officials for a meeting.
After hearing the news, everyone showed great interest in the captured laborers. The Federation's Engineering Construction Department and Mining Department fought the hardest over them. In total, over nine thousand were captured. One applied for six thousand, while the other was not to be outdone and applied for seven thousand. At that rate, Hyuga Mirai would have to go capture more people from Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
Before they could argue further, Pakura spoke up and told all departments requesting manpower to submit applications detailing their plans and personnel needs. Some departments were directly disqualified. This was a rule set by Hyuga Mirai to protect Federation civilians. Easier jobs that required recruitment could only use Federation civilians, while grueling labor would use prisoners.
As for occupying several small countries, no one proposed it and no one supported it.
There was already no one left to spare within the Federation. Administrative departments were running with one person doing the work of three. Hyuga Mirai was even considering that once Mei Terumi joined the Federation, he would directly make her a deputy in a state, have her study for three months, then immediately assign her to another state.
The Federation still had a personnel shortage of over 40%. It would take at least two to four years to fully recover. Only then could the staffing pipeline from Federation schools, along with network infrastructure and computer development, truly ease the manpower shortage.
In the end, the Federation had simply developed too quickly. Each time, it barely met its own staffing needs before annexing another major nation. From the founding of the Sand Federation to now, only a little over ten years had passed, yet it already occupied more than half of the shinobi world's territory.
Grassroots administrative staff were already working nonstop, resting only about twelve days a year, and they would have to endure this for at least three more years.
As for people at Pakura's level, even relying on Shadow Clones might not allow them to rest.
Hyuga Mirai had No. 18 develop an administrative assistance system and install it on the computers of Federation officials. This system could be used for internal communication and had many other functions, such as reports, auxiliary planning, and maps. The computers later sold by the Uzumaki Trade Association were now divided into civilian and public versions.
After the meeting ended, it was about time for dinner, and Hyuga Mirai walked back with Tsunade.
"Kakashi looked at you several times today. Did you trick him again?" Hyuga Mirai asked curiously. After successfully turning Kabuto Yakushi into Anti-Tsunade Number One, was Tsunade now cultivating Anti-Tsunade Number Two?
Tsunade snorted. "Don't say nonsense. He just asked me to talk to you about pleading for Obito. I didn't agree."
"No wonder. Obito Uchiha must have died this afternoon. I didn't see Uchiha Tekka at the meeting. Let me take a look."
After saying that, Hyuga Mirai used the Byakugan to search for the Uchiha clan's movements within the Federation capital. He found them soon enough, but it was already too late.
"Too late. Obito Uchiha is already dead."
Tsunade asked in confusion, "Too late? You wanted to save him?"
"How could that be? I was just curious how the Uchiha clan would deal with traitors."
Hyuga Mirai shook his head. "Didn't see it. A pity. Tsunade, how would the Senju clan deal with traitors?"
Tsunade snorted and raised her fist at Hyuga Mirai. "I don't know. Besides, the Senju clan has no traitors. If I couldn't beat you, I'd already have punched you for that remark."
Hyuga Mirai laughed. "Then you'd better restore the Senju surname first. Otherwise, it wouldn't be legitimate."
Strictly speaking, the Senju clan was already gone. There were still people of Senju blood, but none bore the Senju surname anymore, like Tsunade herself—either only a given name or another surname.
Tsunade ignored that remark and changed the topic. "You're getting married in half a month?"
"Yeah, everything's basically ready," Hyuga Mirai said, feeling a bit of a headache. "The Hyuga clan dug up etiquette from a thousand years ago."
A hint of schadenfreude appeared on Tsunade's face as she smiled. "That's what happens when you're the most powerful person in the shinobi world. Luckily, you don't have any crooked intentions, or the shinobi world would really be in danger."
"My ambition is still quite large. I need to climb step by step. Once the shinobi world is mostly unified, I'll prepare for the next step."
Hyuga Mirai turned his head toward Tsunade. "Orochimaru's research is quite interesting. I originally planned to enter the Pure Land using the Rinnegan's abilities, but Orochimaru seems to have given that child Hinata Hyuga an authority similar to ancient native deities, roughly equivalent to an onmyoji."
"Divine authority? Onmyoji?" Tsunade looked shocked. This exceeded her understanding.
When Hyuga Mirai learned of it, he was also surprised. Using Mount Myoboku's archives and gathering materials from Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru experimented step by step and actually created a half-finished god.
By purely using natural energy and rituals, it could achieve effects even closer to nature than senjutsu, essentially summoning wind and rain.
At present, Orochimaru had only roughly explored basic rituals based on the senjutsu of the Three Great Sage Regions, but he had already sent people across the shinobi world to search for records. With enough materials, Orochimaru could turn Hinata Hyuga into a true onmyoji—one who could communicate between yin and yang and perceive the Pure Land.
It was unrealistic for Orochimaru's own subordinates to gather information from the entire shinobi world, so he asked Hyuga Mirai for help. Although Hyuga Mirai agreed to keep an eye out, he did not hold much hope.
After all, more than a thousand years had passed. The only places that truly valued inheritance were the Three Great Sage Regions. Expecting to gather such information from ordinary people and ninja was unrealistic. In that case, it might be better for Hyuga Mirai to build a time-travel machine himself and return to ancient times to witness these matters personally.
When this thought flashed through Hyuga Mirai's mind, his interest was already sparked. He was confident he could build a time-travel machine. He was just too busy at the moment, but he had already recorded this plan.
Once most matters in the shinobi world were settled, Hyuga Mirai could devote more time to things he enjoyed.
With a lifespan of several thousand years, he could afford to waste a few hundred.
After returning, as soon as Hyuga Mirai stepped inside, Ayaka Uzumaki walked over in small steps and threw herself into his arms.
"Lord Mirai, they've already set off. They should arrive in about three days."
"Who?" Hyuga Mirai asked in confusion. But then he sensed something off about Ayaka Uzumaki's emotions and said, "Kiyo… and Kurenai?"
"Mm," Ayaka Uzumaki replied softly, hugging him even tighter, as if wanting him to feel it clearly.
Damn… how did they start communicating?
Hyuga Mirai felt a sense of danger.
(End of chapter)
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