"Based on that analysis, she's at most a mistress Hiruko keeps on the side. She doesn't have the status to be his primary wife."
"Now, it's time for us to fight for our own interests using our own strengths."
"That woman Tsunade... she doesn't have a shred of the gentleness a woman should possess; she's far too abrasive. Even if she is the woman Hiruko loved in his youth and admired from afar, over time, the pedestal he's put her on will inevitably crumble. We don't need to take her to heart at all."
"All you need to do is love Hiruko with all your heart, pouring all your gentle maternal instinct onto him without reservation. When the time comes, you won't have to force anything; just sit quietly by his side and offer him unconditional support. That kind of tenderness is enough to melt even the most iron-blooded man."
Mei Terumi rolled her eyes dramatically at the Mizukage. "You're talking in circles again."
"If, as you say, Hiruko despises political marriages, why on earth do you think I stand a chance? I'm essentially your person—isn't that a total contradiction?"
"Because you are my carefully chosen successor," Yagura stated with total gravity. "And through you, I can bind the Leaf and the Mist so tightly together that our interests become inseparable."
Mei's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "When you say things like that, don't blame me for speaking out of turn—have you lost your mind?"
"What kind of absurd plan is that? The child of the Hokage and the Mizukage inheriting both seats? That sounds utterly ridiculous!"
"Once he's done being Hokage, we in the Mist find a way to make him Mizukage? How does that work? You're basically handing the entire Hidden Mist to the Leaf on a silver platter!"
Yagura blinked, his lips curling into a light chuckle. "If Konoha truly annexed the Mist, the external pressure from the Leaf might actually make us more united than ever."
"Besides, we would be joining of our own volition. Konoha wouldn't be able to place too many restrictions on us. In time, we could make 'small moves' from within the Leaf. Internal collapse is always more effective than an external assault."
"And what if Konoha truly conquers our heir? What then?"
Yagura's gaze turned meaningful. "If it truly reaches that point—if even your child is willing to turn their back on their home—then it simply means I have failed as a leader."
"Everything we do is for the pursuit of true happiness, to ensure every citizen of the Land of Water lives a fulfilled life. If that is achieved, admitting defeat is no great loss. However, the legacy of the Mist must be passed into the hands of Hiruko and your child."
It had to be said—Yagura was a top-tier talent. Deep in his heart, he harbored a desperate desire to lead the Land of Water to true prosperity.
Half a year flew by.
Through the relentless efforts of Konoha and the specialized irrigation systems designed by Hiruko, Loulan had been transformed into a technological nation with perfect modern infrastructure. The land was now highly developed in electronic information technology, and the domestic timber trade flourished; it was a vibrant green sanctuary. Maintaining such a vast, living forest in the middle of the desert required a constant infusion of chakra from Leaf shinobi.
Amidst the boundless sands, the vibrant green of Loulan shone like a beacon. Walking the streets, one saw electronic screens and solar panels everywhere, and various high-tech concepts were beginning to surface.
In Loulan, a new profession had emerged, similar to puppetry yet fundamentally different: Gundam Pilot.
This was a new career promoted specifically for the civilian populace. Unlike being a ninja, it required neither massive chakra reserves nor a superhuman physique. One only needed a mind with sufficient spiritual energy to interface with and pilot a "Gundam." These machines could be used for national defense, but more importantly, they could revolutionize daily life—assisting in construction, making life more convenient, and improving the standard of living.
Of course, this was merely the blueprint for a beautiful future Hiruko had painted for the people—a whim of his imagination. Loulan still had a long way to go before becoming a true technological powerhouse of Mecha. It wasn't that the goal was impossible; it was the lack of specialized talent. Unless more geniuses like Hiruko emerged, the vision remained out of reach.
However, the people of Loulan were now filled with hope. They spent their free time reading and absorbing knowledge. Hiruko's textbooks—covering math, physics, chemistry, and biology—were practically worn to rags by eager students. In Hiruko's original world, the "hard sciences" might have been considered "career pits," but here, everything was founded upon them. He made these materials public, easily accessible online, covering energy development, materials science, mechanics, bionics, and mineralogy.
Influenced by this local enthusiasm, certain sectors of the Leaf shinobi began to stir. Smart ninjas who lacked the physical ceiling to progress further, as well as wealthy clan scions, began studying to become Gundam Pilots. This included the Hyuga, Nara, and Uchiha clans. With the Land of Snow's heavy industry and ordnance sectors booming—and their alliance with Loulan—acquiring ammunition and core components was no longer a hurdle. Arming Mecha within the military was becoming an inevitability.
The Lost Tower of Loulan had been completely remodeled. It now possessed a sleek, futuristic aesthetic, officially renamed by Hiruko as the "GN Drive Tower" (Solar Furnace Tower). No longer a ruin, it was constantly expanding, intended to integrate with the entire nation as its central hub.
Six months was enough for Hiruko to seal and modify the Dragon Vein. It could now be viewed as a remarkably clean, linear energy source, powering all of Loulan. Hiruko could now adjust the output at will and link it directly to the GN Drive Tower.
This allowed him to achieve the "undying puppet" effect that Zetsu had once failed to realize—though Hiruko called it the "Immortal Gundam." The principle involved transmitting Dragon Vein energy to the Tower, which then broadcasted power continuously to the Mecha. The Tower could restore energy indefinitely, becoming an impregnable fortress, and any Gundam within its broadcast radius was effectively invincible. Furthermore, he built in massive energy shields and defensive mechanisms. Hiruko clearly placed immense value on this project.
Inside the Tower, Hiruko was attempting to reverse-engineer the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, aiming to modify it into a long-range, directional teleportation system. He had failed many times, struggling to master the basic physical laws and spatial parameters of the shinobi world. Teleportation errors were common, which was frustratingly inconvenient. Summarizing the world's underlying laws was proving to be an agonizingly slow process.
Sasori, standing nearby, was reaching the limit of his patience. "Does it really matter? If it's that hard, just use the Summoning Jutsu instead of a transport system."
Hiruko shook his head. "In theory, yes. But I want to build a truly convenient logistics network. One day, I want ordinary people to be able to get almost anything they need without ever leaving their homes."
Hiruko remained calm. He had a premonition that this research would help him better analyze the spatial laws of the world, eventually allowing him to upgrade the Flying Thunder God into a truly formidable spatial secret art.
Sasori's mood grew increasingly foul. The Loulan ruins hadn't been fully cleared, and Hiruko had already opened a new research topic. Busy as he was, Sasori had no chance to visit parallel worlds. While his daily exchanges with Hiruko were fruitful and he had learned much, he loathed the feeling of endless waiting. it reminded him too much of his childhood, waiting for parents who never returned.
Hiruko sensed Sasori's tension and smiled. "Relax. I won't keep you waiting much longer." His tone was mild. He was just as interested in parallel worlds as Sasori. Building the Tower was itself a preparation for that journey; he just hadn't told Sasori yet.
Just then, a science-ninja rushed in to report. "Lord Hiruko, the translation of the scripts from the Loulan ruins is complete."
Hiruko immediately dropped his work and headed to the archives. A vast array of stone slabs and steles had been assembled in a specialized room. Researchers had been conducting deep-level analysis on them.
"According to our tests," a researcher said seriously, "these ruins are complex. There are numerous signs of tampering. Furthermore, the timeline of the slabs is chaotic; true and false information are tangled together. It's hard to tell if this is the message Ancient Loulan wanted to send, or if someone with hidden motives planted them."
Black Zetsu likely never imagined that his "masterful" forgery would be exposed by scientific diagnostics. The results were fascinating: the slabs had been heavily altered.
"I'd like to see what kind of story lies behind these forged steles," Hiruko mused. He was now certain Black Zetsu was involved. But the "black history" and hidden messages within the forgeries intrigued him deeply.
Konoha's recent maneuvers were having a profound impact on the shinobi world, far beyond what ordinary ninjas expected. The Daimyo of the Land of Wind made a shocking decision: he issued a massive, long-term mission contract to the ninjas of the Hidden Leaf.
When Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, heard the news, his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He stared at the messenger in disbelief. "The Wind Daimyo has money, yes... but Suna's budget was already razor-thin! Now, he's publicly recruiting Leaf ninjas for missions?! My ninjas work day and night just to keep the lights on!"
Even Rasa himself was using his Magnetic Release to mine for gold, resulting in permanent dark circles under his eyes. The Daimyo's move was more than an insult—it was a slap in the face. By ignoring his own village to hire the Leaf, he was declaring Suna "incompetent" to the entire world.
Ebizo, the elder advisor and Chiyo's brother, stepped forward to calm Rasa. "Lord Kazekage, please. He is merely a messenger." Ebizo was an old-school strategist who had expected this outcome.
Rasa gritted his teeth. "What missions did the Daimyo give to the Leaf?"
Because the Wind Daimyo had slashed Suna's numbers and funding, their military power was at an all-time low. Rasa had been keeping the village stable by mining gold to trade with other nations—mostly thanks to Hiruko offering a high price for gold after the marriage alliance. But he couldn't fix the lack of warriors. His son was a Jinchuriki, but far too young to be reliable. His wife, Karura, had passed away during childbirth, and Gaara's seal was a ticking time bomb.
What task was so special that only Leaf ninjas could do it?
"The Daimyo commissioned the Leaf to conduct afforestation, beautify the Land of Wind, and install advanced hydraulic irrigation systems," the messenger stammered. "He wants to raise the living standards and create more oases in the desert."
The messenger actually didn't mind the mission. He'd passed through Loulan recently and seen the prosperity there. To be able to drink water without limit in a desert nation was a luxury beyond imagination. The common folk of the Wind Country yearned for that. Even if it meant Konoha controlled the water, they were too thirsty to care.
"That cursed Fourth Hokage!" Rasa slammed his desk. Afforestation via Wood Style and scientific irrigation... those were indeed things only the Leaf could provide.
Rasa was forced to accept reality, but he hated how dependent Suna was becoming on the Leaf. Was Suna still an independent village, or a mere subsidiary? He couldn't oppose a project that benefited the people, but he was powerless to stop the Daimyo's decision.
Long-term, this destroys us, Rasa thought. If the Daimyo gets used to hiring the Leaf, Suna becomes obsolete.
"Minato Namikaze... Hiruko... was this your plan all along?"
Though allies, the Leaf had always been Suna's imaginary enemy. Therefore...
I Hope your enjoying this book .
I am going to release new book of Naruot soon....
Up coming book dam sure your are going to all love it.