What kind of idea?
Naturally, it was the idea of going solo!
Among them, Rasa felt it most deeply. Yesterday, Rasa and the Wind Daimyo talked all night, promising countless benefits.
Rasa had never found a Daimyo so endearing before, and a thought subtly arose in his heart: 'You treat me as a national hero, and I shall repay you with the nation.'
Originally, he was prepared to be scorned and utterly lose face, all to secure enough land for the Land of Wind and carve out a future for Sunagakure.
But after seeing what a nation truly possessed, Rasa suddenly felt somewhat uninspired.
What exactly do Ninja exist for?
He recalled the true root cause of the Third Shinobi World War was not the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, but the Wind Daimyo's tightening of the purse strings, forcing Sunagakure to initiate war.
Sunagakure had expended all its resources in that war; almost half of its Ninja never returned after leaving the Village.
The ultimately defeated Sunagakure was met with an even tighter purse from the Wind Daimyo.
With its population halved and most of its Ninja dead, Sunagakure barely managed to sustain itself.
Coupled with Rasa's diligent work over the years, Sunagakure gradually recovered some of its vitality.
But now Rasa felt increasingly strained; in just one year at most, Sunagakure would have to find a new way out.
One year later was precisely the year the 'Konoha Crush' was launched in the original story.
Rasa silently pondered everything he had just seen. The Land of Earth was not much stronger than the Land of Wind.
Yet, such a Land of Earth, with just one small area within it, could allow Sunagakure to live in peace for generations, at least for over a hundred years.
Besides being used as Ninja tools, minerals are mostly consumed by ordinary people.
A mining site meant a continuous source of wealth.
Without speaking, Rasa had already made a silent decision in his heart.
Similarly, many others present also made their choices in their hearts.
Finally, someone broke the silence and spoke to Tomoki.
"Hokage-sama, what exactly do you intend to do?"
Tomoki looked and saw that the speaker was the leader of the Hot Spring Village.
The Hot Spring Village, having been ravaged by the Jashin cult, now had only a few people, with a population of less than ten thousand and less than a thousand Ninja.
"That's a good question!"
Tomoki stood up, his eyes filled with reminiscence, and began to speak.
"Everyone, after the Fourth Shinobi World War, I reformed the Military Police Force, and the most crucial part was establishing several factories."
"Today, the products from these factories are popular throughout the Ninja World, and I believe everyone present has, more or less, seen products from Konoha."
Tomoki cast his gaze upon everyone. Those he looked at nodded, and then Tomoki spoke again.
"Some of you may think Konoha's products have their ups and downs, but in my eyes, all of it is too good!"
"Because they have brought me, and Konoha, countless riches!"
"I believe you have all seen the lives of the Konoha Villagers. I can say, without exaggeration, that the lives of Konoha Villagers are more comfortable than some impoverished nobles!"
After listening, everyone unconsciously nodded, and at the same time, felt a deep envy.
"I want to tell you a fact: for Konoha to be so prosperous, the military funds provided by the Land of Fire Daimyo only account for half a percent of the effect!"
"The remaining ninety-nine and a half percent are supported by Konoha's various factories. This means that if the Daimyo no longer provides military funds to Konoha, the Konoha Villagers might suffer a little, but not much."
Tomoki's words left everyone present stunned.
Everyone present knew that the people working in Konoha's factories were ordinary people. Konoha could be self-sufficient just by relying on these ordinary people?
Tomoki ignored everyone's shock and continued to speak.
"As is well known, I have always hoped for peace in the Ninja World."
Everyone present inwardly thought, 'Is it really appropriate for you to say such things here?'
If you truly seek peace, then what are we doing sitting here?
"Because only with peace can Konoha sell its products to all parts of the Ninja World without hesitation, and only then can Konoha be self-sufficient!"
With these words, everyone nodded. If Tomoki had not been lying before, then Konoha truly was the most hopeful for peace.
"The several Shinobi World Wars in the Ninja World are, in the final analysis, wars between Ninja."
"I want to ask everyone present, think back: what exactly did you fight for back then? After the war, did you truly get what you wanted?"
Which war wasn't because the Village couldn't sustain itself, with internal conflicts arising, forcing them to use war to divert internal contradictions?
After the war, even if they lost, they actually got what they wanted.
The Village became incredibly stable, united, and they lived comfortably, but all of this was at the cost of countless Ninja deaths.
"Now the situation is that Konoha has moved ahead and seen an incredibly beautiful landscape!"
Tomoki paused slightly, then continued.
"As the first Ninja Village in the Ninja World, Konoha, though not afraid of war, also dislikes war. And the only way to prevent war is to make the other Ninja Villages like Konoha, so they don't have to fight to the death for the meager military funds given by the Daimyo!"
"As long as all Ninja Villages do not crave war, then Konoha can forever enjoy these peaceful and tranquil days."
Finally, Tomoki spread his hands, a sincere smile on his face, and slowly said.
"You ask me what I want to do. What I want is very simple: to create a beautiful future for all Ninja!"
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