Uzumaki Chigusa said with a worried expression, resting her hand on her cheek.
"No one can say how long the war will last. I recently completed a mission that could change the situation, and the Iwagakure forces fighting Konoha have already begun to retreat…"
Orochimaru was also unsure how long the war would last. The direction of the war had already deviated from the original story, and when it would end was an unknown.
"That's quite interesting too. What's the point if everything is already decided?"
What Orochimaru found strange was, why did things turn out this way when she didn't even do anything?
"So, seeing me was just an afterthought?"
Uzumaki Chigusa's red eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of displeasure. Who could tolerate being an afterthought?
"Chigusa, I came to the Land of Waves to see you, and to introduce you to Mio and Kohaku, and also to hand over the stolen supplies to Kakuzu for sale."
Orochimaru slightly changed the order.
"That's more like it."
Uzumaki Chigusa showed a satisfied smile.
"As easily satisfied as ever…" Orochimaru grumbled inwardly.
Orochimaru did not stay long at Uzumaki Chigusa's house before returning to Konoha with Hyuga Mio and the others.
At White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, on the rooftop lounge area, a black sedan with the Amegakure symbol was parked on the platform. Hanzō, who got out of the car, uncomfortably adjusted his suit. He was more accustomed to a Ninja's attire than a suit.
"Mr. Hanzō, I've been waiting for you."
Setsuryu said with a smile.
"Setsuryu, just call me Hanzō. This matter is a bit troublesome."
Hanzō said with a somewhat solemn expression.
"Then, let's go to the conference room."
Setsuryu turned and walked towards the elevator.
Conference room.
"That's the situation. The Kazekage of Sunagakure wants to hold a meeting with the Hokage of Konoha in the Land of Rain. This meeting concerns the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, and will also involve the Company."
Hanzō briefly explained the background of the matter.
"Hanzō, if you don't want to agree to Sunagakure and Konoha holding talks in the Land of Rain, it's fine to refuse, isn't it?"
Kakuzu could tell that Hanzō didn't want Sunagakure and Konoha to hold talks in the Land of Rain.
"I am indeed worried that this meeting will affect the Land of Rain and the Company... However, I personally still hope to contribute to the peace of the Ninja World. This is an opportunity, an opportunity to end the war and return to peace."
Hanzō had given up his former dream, but with an opportunity before him, he truly wanted to contribute to the peace of the Ninja World. Otherwise, he wouldn't have appeared in the Land of Waves, but would have directly rejected the proposal of the Sunagakure envoy.
"Hanzō, have you considered what would happen if the intelligence of the Kazekage and Hokage meeting in the Land of Rain were leaked? And what would that bring to the Land of Rain and the Company?"
Aokawa believed that Hanzō was still too idealistic, thinking too beautifully and taking too many things for granted.
"That would be equivalent to declaring war on Sunagakure, Konoha, and Amegakure simultaneously. No one would be foolish enough to do something so stupid at a time like this, would they?"
Looking at the Five Great Nations, Hanzō really couldn't imagine who would be foolish enough to do such a thing. Not to mention whether it could succeed, even if it did, what then?
They would face a full-scale assault from Konoha, Sunagakure, and Amegakure. Even if they wanted to die, they wouldn't drag the entire Ninja Village down with them, would they?
"Then, why not raise the stakes? I will go as a witness to this meeting. I'm also very curious who would dare to cause trouble."
Aokawa intertwined his fingers, deciding to personally go to the Land of Rain. He really wanted to know who would dare to cause trouble in the Land of Rain with him, the President of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, present.
"President Aokawa, this is not very appropriate. I should go instead!"
Setsuryu immediately objected to Aokawa's decision. How could a President personally go to be a witness? If anyone had to go, it should be her. She was the representative of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company abroad.
"No! I'm going!" Aokawa insisted.
Setsuryu stood up and said, "You are the President, how can you…"
"I'm going!"
Aokawa said, leaving no room for refusal.
"Alright…"
Setsuryu sat back down, having thought she could secretly make a trip to Konoha to see Lord Orochimaru.
After the meeting, Aokawa arranged everything for the Company and drove his silver-gray sedan to the Land of Rain.
"Kakuzu, why didn't you stop him?"
Setsuryu looked resentfully at Kakuzu, who was still calculating his accounts.
"Didn't you already fail?"
Kakuzu's gaze at Setsuryu was as if to say, "If you failed, do you think I could succeed?"
"I still need to find a way to sell these supplies. Once Konoha and Iwagakure form an alliance, it might affect the situation. The prices of those supplies change daily, and I don't want to lose money. Orochimaru promised me a commission for selling the supplies."
Kakuzu had to sell the supplies he had, certainly not through legitimate channels, but through the black market to Iwagakure.
He really didn't know what Orochimaru was thinking, to actually sell the supplies taken from Iwagakure back to Iwagakure… Anyone else would never sell them back to Iwagakure, fearing that the supplies would be discovered to be those stolen from Iwagakure.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, wasn't afraid of Iwagakure discovering them; she was only afraid they wouldn't.
Kakuzu could imagine how furious Iwagakure would be when they discovered that the supplies they bought at a high price were the same ones stolen from their supply unit. They'd probably even want to flatten the black market.
Unfortunately, the black market's network of connections was complex, and even Iwagakure, one of the Five Great Nations of the Land of Earth, couldn't touch the black market. At most, they could retaliate.
However, if Iwagakure retaliated against the black market, what did that have to do with him?
He, Kakuzu, was the Vice President of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company. How could he be a black-hearted merchant selling supplies of unknown origin on the black market?
After confirming that the meeting location would be the Land of Rain, Sunagakure notified Konoha, inadvertently leaking the intelligence to the black market.
Iwagakure, who had intelligence Ninja stationed in the black market, paid for this top-secret intelligence and then, at a price above market value, bought the strategic supplies sold by Kakuzu, disguised as a black market merchant.
On the other side, Hiruzen Sarutobi departed from Konoha for the Land of Rain, with only Orochimaru as his escort.
What he didn't know was that Ichikishimahime was invisibly following Orochimaru.
Since the TV tower still needed some time to prepare, Ichikishimahime openly stayed there and didn't return to Ryūchi Cave, stating that she would return when the TV tower could be installed in Ryūchi Cave.
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