Konoha, Hokage Building.
"Lady Tsunade, the Hokage is busy—please allow me to announce you first, Lady Tsunade—"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was bowing his head to approve documents when he heard a commotion outside the door, followed by a bang, and his office door was roughly pushed open by a figure.
The person didn't even intend to knock.
Looking across the entire Village, there weren't many who could act this way.
Because everyone was quite respectful to him, this Hokage.
"Tsunade—when did you come back?"
However, after Hiruzen saw clearly who had walked in, his expression was somewhat surprised.
It was actually his Disciple, one of Konohas Three Legendary Sannin, Tsunade, who had been traveling outside for many years and nobody knew where she was messing around.
They often received some news about Tsunade.
But—as for the content of the news—it was basically all related to gambling.
Although Tsunade's intrusion seemed a bit impolite, she was still very respectful to her teacher, but it seemed like something had happened—she seemed a bit anxious.
"What's wrong?"
Hiruzen also understood his Disciple well, squinting his eyes.
"Old man—look at this." Tsunade put something in her hand on the table without further ado.
Hiruzen Sarutobi picked it up and found it was a paper package with the word "Sand" marked on it.
He peeled off the not-so-exquisite outer packaging and saw a pill.
"This is—"
"A masterpiece from the Hidden Sand Village." Tsunade continued.
"A masterpiece?" Hiruzen was a bit surprised.
"A type of solid medicine—I discovered it while traveling through a small country. It's a medicine for dispelling wind and cold. There are others here too—" As she spoke, Tsunade took out some more medicine packets, "Most of these are used to treat common folk illnesses—the medicinal effect is astonishing, and it is already selling well among many small countries and Ninja Villages."
"Hmm—" Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes after hearing this.
He immediately realized the problem. The Hidden Sand Village had silently researched this kind of thing and had already started cooperation with the outside world.
This didn't seem like the style of the Hidden Sand Village he knew. Since when did Sunagakure play trade so skillfully?
As old rivals, Konoha and Sunagakure had a certain understanding of each other.
"What's the problem?"
However, Hiruzen hadn't realized the severity yet; he only felt that the Hidden Sand Village was trying to make a change to increase revenue.
After all, Konoha knew about the economic situation of the Hidden Sand Village.
"When I say the medicinal effect is astonishing, I mean the effect of this pill has far exceeded the level our Village can achieve—and some of these medicines are specifically used to treat external injuries, with a very obvious improvement in the recovery of wounds. I inquired a bit; this medicinal resource has already been purchased by many countries and Villages—plainly speaking, it's special medicine for war!" Tsunade said with a serious face, emphasizing.
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyelids twitched.
Then, Tsunade specifically found someone to try the external medicine for treating wounds from the Hidden Sand Village in front of the Third Hokage—although it was just a shallow cut on the skin, after applying the medicine, the wound healed in a very short time.
"This—"
This scene immediately made Hiruzen understand where the "problem" Tsunade mentioned was.
And he finally understood why his Disciple had suddenly returned to the Village.
Their Konoha hadn't noticed the activities of Sunagakure in the Ninja World at all—
"The only outstanding Medical Ninja in the Hidden Sand Village is Chiyo—but to produce this kind of medicine, and with such a complete range, it has little to do with Medical Ninja anymore. It requires rich knowledge reserves and research experience in pharmacology—"
The teacher and Disciple didn't have the joy of meeting again after a long time; there was only thinking about the Village's stance.
"With the support of this medicinal resource—not to mention to what extent the economy of the Hidden Sand Village will be improved, once a war starts again, their Village's army can completely rely on these medicines to cause a qualitative change in military power on the battlefield!"
After saying a lot, Tsunade sat down, her face solemn.
No one knew how shocked she was when she discovered these medicines. As a Medical Ninja, she could see the intention behind the actions of the Hidden Sand Village from its trade activities even more.
Hiruzen Sarutobi lit his pipe.
He still barely maintained his composure.
But he fell into silence.
The reconstruction of Konoha had long been finished, and it had been a few years since the last Ninja World War stopped—the tight manpower and lost Origin Qi during wartime had also recovered.
Especially the rise of some juniors made him, as the Hokage, feel very gratified.
You know, Konoha was different from the Hidden Sand Village. After the Ninja World War ended, it was heard that the Hidden Sand Village also successively terminated the battlefields with Iwagakure and Hidden Mist, and lived quite peacefully.
But their Konoha couldn't really be at peace with the outside world and was always being "harassed" on a small scale by some Villages.
Fortunately, a Ninja World War consumed a lot of energy from many Villages, so even if there were some movements, they were not big.
Overall, it was considered to have entered a relatively stable period of peace.
Who?
What Hiruzen Sarutobi was considering was who had the ability to pull off such a big move in the Hidden Sand Village.
According to the Village's intelligence, some time ago, it seemed that there was internal strife in the Hidden Sand Village—it had been less than a year since it was completely quelled.
In this state, the Hidden Sand Village actually still had the energy to figure out such a huge industry that saved the Village from dire straits.
"Where did they get the money?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag on his pipe, his thoughts running wild.
Among the Five Great Ninja Villages, according to Konoha's intelligence collection and analysis, the Hidden Sand Village was temporarily considered the least potential threat—but with this, that wouldn't be right.
"Our Konoha must act quickly—if the Hidden Sand Village achieves its goal, then—" Tsunade, sitting opposite Hiruzen, said in a deep voice.
The reason she was so anxious was not because she was jealous of the Hidden Sand Village making money, but because she accurately captured the intention of the Hidden Sand Village which was very likely to incite war.
She felt that the Hidden Sand Village had laid out such a large stall now, possibly making some kind of preparation—
Although she was already tired of war and couldn't step onto the battlefield personally, she couldn't sit idly by when it concerned the safety of the Village.
"Who? In your opinion, who in the Hidden Sand Village has the ability to research this kind of medicine?" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Tsunade. In fact, when he asked this, a name had already appeared in his mind.
It was just—he didn't want to believe it.
"Who else could it be—it definitely isn't Chiyo. If she had this ability, the Hidden Sand Village wouldn't be in this state now. It can only be—a rising star of the new generation."
"Blood Doctor Yubi."
Tsunade spat out a name.
She had communicated with the merchant caravan selling medicine and had already confirmed some information.
"Is it him—"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart stirred.
One of the twin stars that suddenly rose in the Hidden Sand Village towards the end of the Second Great Ninja War.
Not only a Medical Ninja but also one of the top combat forces in the Hidden Sand Village now, that young Genius.
Also a possessor of a Bloodline Limit.
Konoha was not unfamiliar with Blood Doctor Yubi.
After all, that little guy had also had some "dealings" with their Konoha, and it could be considered that he started to make a name for himself in the Ninja World by stepping on their Konoha.
However, so long after the Ninja World War ended, as the Ninja World tended to stabilize, Konoha didn't have any major friction with Sunagakure again—time can make people gradually forget some things.
Therefore, the name of Blood Doctor Yubi had already been slightly forgotten by people.
Not many people knew—or could immediately remember this little guy.
"Honestly—I really didn't expect that the Hidden Sand Village could achieve this level."
"I guess I am old, a bit unable to keep up with the times—"
Hiruzen exhaled a puff of thick smoke and mocked himself.
Then, he glanced at the medicine package on the table in front of him, and raised his head to look at Tsunade, "This matter—can only be left to you."
"Come back to the Village—the Village needs you now."
"I will try—my best."
Tsunade's reply was not that confident.
Hiruzen smiled slightly.
Looking at it this way, the sudden rise of the Hidden Sand Village was not a bad thing—at least it helped Konoha to temporarily "invite" back Tsunade, who had been wandering outside.