In truth, he still had an ace up his sleeve.
After all, Orochimaru, who was currently in charge of that area, was completely obedient to him. Whether the stalls opened or closed was entirely up to his word.
The current snack street had already become a signature attraction. Many visitors to the village, whether to discuss partnerships or after completing missions, would always take a stroll through the area to sample the local delicacies. If the Uchiha were truly driven out, it would be difficult for anyone who took over to maintain this level of prosperity.
Even with the recent trend of mass-produced fast food impacting the market, he had deliberately preserved a number of stalls that offered snacks whose best flavors could only be experienced when made fresh on the spot. Although similar products could be bought elsewhere, freshly made food was always superior. Combined with the brand recognition built over many years and a loyal customer base, new tourists were often drawn in to try a few things. This positive atmosphere encouraged more people to join the ranks of consumers, creating a virtuous cycle.
"In the future, this district will become an important commercial platform for our clan. We can simply send people to manage and maintain it in shifts. Of course, if we find trustworthy agents, we can consider entrusting some of the business to them. The profits will still belong to the clan."
The Fourth Elder nodded, indicating he understood the clan head's intentions.
Kawasaki spoke again. "Now, for the most crucial part: what is to become of the Uchiha?"
He gestured to Iori, who was standing behind him. She rose and unrolled a large map, hanging it on the wall. Kawasaki took a pen and drew a circle around four small islands to the west of the Mist Village.
"Right here!"
The audience below stared with wide, astonished eyes. "Isn't that territory belonging to the Land of Water?"
"As you all know, they are facing a financial crisis and are in desperate need of a capital injection. We took this opportunity to acquire these islands."
The room instantly erupted in an uproar.
"Several of those islands have international ports! Their trade potential is limitless!"
"Given that the islands are rather scattered, which is not conducive to unified planning, I have already contacted a relevant agency in the Land of Earth to assist with a land reclamation project. We will integrate these separate pieces of land into one large island."
The people below were utterly stunned. Buying so many islands wasn't enough; now he was going to reclaim land from the sea.
"If conditions permit, I even plan to expand our territory further to encompass a large area that includes the former lands of the Land of Whirlpools. There are many opportunities there, enough to support our developmental needs."
The Third Elder keenly caught onto a specific keyword. "Lord Kawasaki, you just mentioned the word 'territory'... could it be?"
Kawasaki let out a hearty laugh. "My apologies, I forgot to mention it. My ultimate goal is, in fact, to establish a new, completely independent nation!"
The moment his words fell, the entire hall burst into a frenzy.
He raised his hand to quiet the excited crowd. "Since we cannot live in peace as a subordinate clan, why not simply become our own masters? Wouldn't that be more satisfying?"
Takuya took a deep breath. After all, there was a vast difference between building a village and establishing a nation. In terms of manpower, the Uchiha clan could support a village. But to build a nation, the Uchiha's numbers were clearly insufficient.
"Clan Head, are our numbers not a little too small to establish a nation?"
Kawasaki shook his head. "Whether our numbers are large or small is not the key issue. Our population will grow in the future. What's crucial is that we have our own territory and that we are our own masters."
If they were just a village, they would have to be subservient to a major nation. But now that Kawasaki had secured their own land, they could naturally call their own shots.
"Next, Third Elder Takuya will lead an advance party to the islands and prepare everything. The rest of the clan will migrate over afterward."
Third Elder Takuya's expression was solemn. "Rest assured, Clan Head. I will see to it that everything is arranged perfectly."
Years ago, Takuya had followed Itachi and Shisui, helping to build their base in the Land of Sound from nothing. Kawasaki had complete confidence in entrusting this matter to him.
"After the meeting, you may go and collect the necessary funds and supplies. Remember to take plenty of storage scrolls and pack them with essential goods."
"Don't worry too much about housing; there should be enough. Your main task upon arrival will be planning. You'll need to figure out how to handle food and lodging for the clan members when they arrive."
For the Uchiha to live there, they would need a great deal. If it were a deserted island, they would have to construct countless buildings, power stations, water purification facilities, and more. Fortunately, these islands were already inhabited. The areas around the ports were fully equipped with these basic necessities, and there were ready-made houses available. All the Uchiha had to do was take over. Future improvements could be made gradually.
This was also why he hadn't directly occupied the lands of the former Land of Whirlpools. That territory was completely empty. Life for the ordinary clan members would be incredibly inconvenient. Starting from scratch would be both time-consuming and laborious.
If the Uchiha developed smoothly, no one would dare to protest if they occupied the Land of Whirlpools later. Of course, Kawasaki already considered the Land of Whirlpools to be his for the taking. But for now, he couldn't move too quickly, or problems might arise.
If it were only combat personnel, a few hundred people would be manageable. The difficulty lay in handling the civilian clan members, who now numbered over two thousand. This included many young children, some four or five years old, others as young as one or two. Traveling overland with them would be very slow, not to mention the sea they had to cross.
On the map, the islands appeared to be right next to the Land of Whirlpools, but in reality, a sea voyage was necessary. Their destination was the northernmost island, a major port in the Land of Water. The islands were not connected by land, so travel by ship was mandatory. A shinobi crossing the sea was one thing; a civilian doing so was entirely different. Migrating an entire clan was a massive undertaking. Just the advance planning Takuya had to do would take a very long time.
...
When the Uchiha clan meeting concluded, the members filed out with various expressions on their faces. They had to quickly relay this news to every clan member.
Those who could not travel easily, such as the elderly, the sick, pregnant women, or mothers with young children, could temporarily remain behind to look after their businesses. Civilians who did not wish to leave the village could also choose to stay. In a large clan, there were always differing opinions. However, if their descendants possessed the potential to become shinobi, they would still have to return to the Uchiha to prevent the bloodline from being diluted. Of course, anyone with the aptitude of a shinobi would naturally choose to join the Uchiha anyway. The Uchiha was a top-tier clan with a wealth of ninjutsu and secret jutsu—resources that would cost a fortune to acquire on the outside.
Once the orders were given, others would handle the detailed coordination. Kawasaki didn't need to concern himself with such matters. He decided to use this time to take a trip to the Land of Earth, not to collect a debt, but to check on Deidara's situation.
He had dispatched Deidara there some time ago but had yet to receive news of the mission's completion. He estimated that Onoki had not yet come to fully trust Deidara.
Kawasaki was just one nature transformation short of acquiring all seven. Elemental affinity was different from nature transformation, but possessing an affinity made mastering that element's jutsu exponentially easier. This mission could not be allowed to fail. The position of Fourth Tsuchikage had to belong to Deidara.