In the attic, Hanzo was still kneeling on the tatami, holding a scroll in his hand.
The three of them, Yahiko, were left standing alone.
This is not the first time the two sides have met. That year, the Konoha Sannin and the demigods fought, and Yahiko and others who were on the edge of the battlefield were involved in that battle.
If Nagato hadn't suddenly exploded, they might have cooled off by then.
It was only after that day that Yahiko learned about Nagato's special ability: when his blood volume fell below a certain level, his combat power soared from fighting against five scum to the point of shattering detectors.
Of course, this ability is not unique to Nagato. Far away in Asgard, a man with a small hammer also had a similar passivity.
It’s just that the man is in daddy-missing mode.
"So, why do you guys come to see me?"
After a while, Hanzo finally spoke, but his eyes were still fixed on the scroll and he had no intention of putting it down.
The contempt is self-evident.
But Yahiko was not angry. He stepped forward in a good-tempered manner and said, "I hope Hanzo-sama can stop waging war. The Kingdom of Rain can no longer withstand the devastation."
Hanzo frowned slightly but said nothing.
Yahiko gritted his teeth and knelt on the ground, pleading: "Please, I don't want to see the Kingdom of Rain fall into war again, I don't want to see the people suffer from the war, and I don't want to see countless children become war orphans.
Please! "
Hanzo finally withdrew his gaze and focused on the yellow-haired boy.
"Then what if I stop the war."
"Then, quell the war in the Land of Rain, develop people's livelihood, and solve the entrenched wandering ninja forces... We, Akatsuki, will do our best to help you!"
Yahiko said a lot in one breath. These were issues he and Nagato and others discussed privately, and they were also visible and tangible problems in the Land of Rain.
Hanzo was a little disappointed, he didn't hear what he wanted to hear.
The reason why he met Yahiko was because he thought these people came with Konoha's intentions.
Therefore, Hanzo calmly asked again: "Then what?"
"Then..." Yahiko was speechless for a moment. "Isn't this enough?"
"Do you think it's enough?" Hanzo glanced at Yahiko and said meaningfully: "Do you know the defeat agreement signed by Konoha and me?"
"Have heard a little bit."
Not many people knew about it before, but with the convening of the Five Kage Conference, the agreement signed between Konoha's Second Ninja War and the defeated countries gradually spread.
Hanzo put down the scroll in his hand and said solemnly: "In the agreement, we have to pay back Konoha for two hundred years just for compensation. This is just the tip of the iceberg."
"Before this, the six largest mines in the Country of Rain are all developed by the Country of Fire; the taxes paid by the Country of Fire for import and export goods must be negotiated with the Country of Rain; the scope of the tasks of the ninjas in the Hidden Rain Village cannot exceed Within the Kingdom of Rain…”
"Under these heavy shackles, do you still feel it's enough?"
Yahiko was stunned. He did not expect that Konoha would control the country of rain so much. According to Teacher Jiraiya, Konoha has always been a good village.
Yahiko has always longed for it.
"But that's..."
"Then we can't start a war, right?" Hanzo looked directly at Yahiko, with a hint of majesty in his voice.
"How can we get rid of the shackles without starting a war? Even Sand Hidden Village and Iwagakure Village can only go to war to pass on domestic conflicts. Do you think we, a mere Rain Country, can have a better solution?"
"But these... aren't they the consequences of your launching the Second Ninja War?" Yahiko retorted.
"Bold!" Kazama yelled, standing in the corner.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.
Hanzo waved his hand, stopped his subordinates, and faced Yahiko and said calmly: "Do you think that all the troubles in the Rain Country are caused by me?"
Hanzo chuckled and stood up.
“Once upon a time, I was as naive as you, thinking that by completely unifying the Country of Rain, this country would be able to move toward peace and prosperity.
But I was wrong.
The Country of Rain is located at the junction of the three major countries. Its land area is too small and it lacks necessary living space and sufficient natural resources.
If you want to develop, war is the only way to solve the problem of living space.
The Kingdom of Wind, the Kingdom of Earth and the Kingdom of Fire, these are big countries that we basically cannot afford to offend.
But if we talk about small countries, the Country of Birds, the Country of Rivers and the Country of Grass are not our opponents.
But when I make the slightest move, the surrounding big countries will start to attack and interfere with Yuyin Village.
In order to break through this shackles, I decided to participate in the Second Ninja War.
But later you all knew that the Rain Country was defeated and a series of unequal treaties were signed. "
Hanzo sighed. If it was his first attempt to invade a small country, then the Second Ninja World War was his second attempt.
But all failed.
"Since then, I have understood that the real source of all evil in the ninja world is the five great nations and the Senju Hashirama, not me, Hanzo!"
"Senju Hashirama established the one-country-one-village system. Since then, the ninja world has formed a political structure headed by the five major nations.
There are sporadic small countries mixed in among the five major countries. This is done deliberately by them, just to leave a buffer between the big countries and to suck the blood of the small countries.
As vested interests, these major powers will not allow this geopolitical landscape to change.
However, the Kingdom of Rain’s desire for peace and development will always be wishful thinking! "
Hanzo's tone was low and his sentences were sharp. This is the tragedy of small countries. Their destiny is never in their own hands.
Yahiko was speechless.
He had never considered this before. He thought that if the Kingdom of Rain was at peace, the country would naturally become rich and powerful.
As long as people can understand each other, true peace can be achieved... These once deeply believed beliefs seem to be crumbling.
Hanzo sat down again, glanced at the three of them and asked: "I ask again, Yahiko, are you here with Konoha's intentions?"
"Hanzo-sama, what do you mean?"
"Aren't you three disciples of Jiraiya?"
"We are disciples of Master Jiraiya, but coming here today has nothing to do with him or Konoha. We come here according to our own will." Yahiko was a little distracted, but he still answered truthfully.
Hanzo was a little disappointed and suddenly lost interest in talking.
Xiao Xiao was nothing, an organization with less than a hundred people, Hanzo didn't take it seriously at all.
The reason why he took the time to meet Yahiko was because he wanted to convey his thoughts to Konoha through Yahiko:
The Kingdom of Rain can not fight, or even surrender directly, but the agreement signed during the Second Ninja World War must be completely erased.
But now it seems that he is simply overthinking.
"That's all I'm saying. I don't want war."
Hanzo picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and said casually: "You are Jiraiya's disciples. Instead of wasting time here, why not persuade Konoha to cancel the agreement in Amegakure Village?"
"The current frontline commander is Konoha Lightning. He is a disciple of Orochimaru. With the relationship between Orochimaru and Jiraiya, he may listen to you, but not necessarily?"
…
Yahiko left, taking Nagato and Konan with him.
The satin-like red hair covered most of Nagato's face, and Hanzo didn't notice anything unusual.
As he said, Akatsuki was too young. If he didn't think that Yahiko and others were carrying Konoha's orders, he would not have received them at all.
Hanzo has no intention of taking action against Yahiko and others. He is just a three and a half-year-old child, so he still has this kind of courage.
"Sir, they have left." Kazama opened the door and half-knelt on the ground.
"What do you think of today's incident?" Hanzo asked.
Kazama thought for a moment and said, "It probably has nothing to do with Konoha. Yahiko... is just innocent."
Hanzo frowned. "Do you sympathize with them?"
Kazama quickly lowered his head and denied: "Absolutely not. I just feel that these people are always ninjas from the Kingdom of Rain, and they may not be unable to be used for their own purposes."
"Three people dare to come here. Their courage is indeed good." Hanzo sneered: "But he is too naive politically, and he is still Jiraiya's disciple... I don't dare to use it."
Kazama knelt on the ground motionless, but his back was already wet with sweat.
He had indeed sympathized with Yahiko just now, and felt that Akatsuki was really having a hard time running around for the Land of Rain. Who would have thought that Hanzo would hear out just a few nice words.
Hanzo looked at Kazama with some boredom. Although he was getting more majestic, he had not yet been so harsh.
"Just keep an eye on me, young ninjas like to face problems with an innocent heart, and they often do things with passion and regardless of the consequences.
But it can also be easily exploited by a very small number of people with ulterior motives. "
Fengjian felt awe-inspiring: "What do you mean?"
"If you find that suspicious people are providing material support to Akatsuki," Hanzo said with a smile on his face, "let Watanabe lead his men to plunder the materials."
Watanabe is a rebel nin of Amegakure Village, but he is still loyal to Hanzo.
The forces in the Kingdom of Rain are too complex, with ninjas from neighboring small countries and ninjas from the five major countries.
Hanzo is the leader of the Rain Country, but precisely because of this, he is often unable to make a move and too many eyes are staring at him.
Therefore, he secretly cultivated a force dedicated to doing underworld work, usually plundering merchants from the five major countries, as well as the mineral deposits that originally belonged to Hanzo but were ceded.
"My subordinates know." Fengjian accepted the order and then withdrew.
Watching his subordinates leave, Hanzo did not look at his scroll, but fell into a trance.
Will you win this time
Or will it push the Rain Country into a deeper abyss
…
…
(Daily card text, just one update)