Chapter 470: The Hidden Sand Village That Will Gradually Vanish
When Kenichi arrived by airship, he saw the Sunagakure ninja being held captive.
They sat on the ground with ashen faces, their bodies securely bound and unable to move. Beside them, the Uchiha Clan ninja were tending to the wounded.
Shisui and Itachi stood together, whispering about something.
It was then that Shisui looked up, saw Kenichi, and quickly walked over, waving cheerfully at him.
"Shisui, thank you."
Kenichi smiled and extended his hand to shake Shisui's.
This war was over, and the Uchiha Clan no longer owed him a favor.
At least, that was what Kenichi thought.
However, Kenichi was not sure how the Uchiha Clan viewed the matter.
Perhaps they would still feel indebted to him, but Kenichi no longer planned to ask anything of the Uchiha Clan.
The clan had suffered heavy casualties, and what they needed most now was a long period of rest and recuperation.
Strengthening the Uchiha Clan was not something one person could achieve.
The prosperity and continuation of a clan was a long-term project, unless someone was willing to become a breeding machine.
"You're welcome. This is what our Uchiha Clan should do."
Shisui spoke earnestly.
They had come from the Land of Rice Fields this time to repay Kenichi's kindness.
Unexpectedly, they had encountered Sunagakure's ninja on their way to the Land of Grass.
Although Kenichi had not said much, Shisui knew that Sunagakure was also Kenichi's enemy.
So he had taken action directly.
"Speaking of which, who is the leader of Sunagakure's ninja?"
Kenichi asked with some curiosity.
He could not help being curious.
Sunagakure's ninja really had a weak presence.
Kenichi's most vivid impressions of Sunagakure were Gaara, Sasori, and Chiyo.
Aside from them, there was practically no one else.
"It's him. Sunagakure's jonin, Baki."
Shisui pointed at one person.
That man was looking at Kenichi and Shisui with an indifferent gaze.
Kenichi raised an eyebrow.
He had some impression of that name.
He vaguely remembered that although Baki was not a particularly powerful ninja, he seemed to have some reputation in Sunagakure.
Kenichi glanced at him once and lost interest.
Baki was not an especially famous ninja, and Kenichi did not have a deep impression of him.
There was nothing special about him worth noting.
Someone like that should just be sent to have a parasite implanted and become a ninja of the Land of Flame.
However, before the implantation, Kenichi still walked over.
He squatted in front of Baki, who silently watched him, his eyes carrying a trace of despair and resignation.
"You went to the Land of Earth to ambush Iwagakure and give your Sunagakure ninja a new gathering place?"
Kenichi asked curiously.
He thought Sunagakure's idea was a little fanciful.
After all, that was Iwagakure.
Although Onoki's fate was unknown and Iwagakure's ninja had suffered heavy casualties, there were still many Iwagakure ninja within the Land of Earth.
"..."
Baki did not answer.
He only looked at him.
"Rasa is dead."
Kenichi showed a slight smile.
Baki's eyes trembled, but he still said nothing.
"Is your Sunagakure really going to attack Iwagakure? If you don't speak, I don't mind burying all of Sunagakure in that desert."
Kenichi frowned slightly.
Although implanting a parasite could make the other party tell the truth, that would take some time.
That was not convenient when he needed information about Sunagakure quickly.
"We only wanted to find a land more suitable for survival."
Baki finally spoke and sighed.
Lord Rasa, this gamble had undoubtedly been lost.
Sunagakure's ninja would ultimately remain trapped in the barren, harsh land of the Land of Wind.
Some people from other countries believed that Sunagakure's ninja stayed in the Land of Wind because of attachment to their homeland, contentment with the status quo, or simple habit.
But only Sunagakure's ninja knew the truth.
To hell with attachment to homeland.
If Sunagakure's strength had not been so weak, completely incomparable to the other villages, they would have long since broken out and annexed the small countries bordering the Land of Fire as a buffer zone, then moved their Ninja Village there.
In that terrible place called Sunagakure, you breathed sand, and when you opened your eyes, there was sand.
If you did not eat indoors, your food would be full of sand the moment you stepped outside.
In Sunagakure, military rations were the best-selling product, because when Sunagakure ninja performed missions in the wild, they did not want to eat mouthfuls of sand.
They would rather eat military rations.
Eating military rations occasionally was fine.
But eating them frequently was incredibly suffocating.
Yet Sunagakure's ninja had been eating them for so many years.
Kenichi rubbed his head.
He had previously visited Sunagakure to promote his goods.
The Kazekage of Sunagakure, Rasa, had left him with the strongest impression of being stingy.
Or rather, too frugal.
Rasa had haggled over the price of an airship.
He had haggled in all sorts of ways and was terribly meticulous.
Although the Kage of other Ninja Villages also liked to haggle, they generally would not be like Rasa, who kept haggling endlessly.
Even after an agreement was reached, he would still ask whether the price could be lowered further before paying.
Now, it seemed Rasa also had his own difficulties.
That Kazekage probably excelled at panning for gold in the desert to help the village survive, right?
A dignified Kazekage living like a gold miner.
Perhaps the most suitable job for Rasa really was gold mining.
"So everyone in your Ninja Village has also set out, right?"
Kenichi thought of something.
It would not be easy to take down Iwagakure with only these ninja.
If he guessed correctly, Sunagakure should have already begun preparations to invade Iwagakure.
Since they planned to gamble the fate of the village, they would definitely go all in.
Just like when Iwagakure once gambled the fate of their village and ended up being slaughtered by the Third Raikage.
Although they eventually succeeded in wearing down the Third Raikage, the price they paid was too heavy.
And now, Sunagakure's ninja had also begun gambling the fate of their village.
To increase their chances of victory, they would definitely send out the entire village.
Otherwise, if Iwagakure reacted and intercepted Sunagakure's ninja, it would become a piecemeal tactic.
"Yes, but if we don't go, they will return."
Baki sighed.
This time, to occupy Iwagakure, they had even brought the young Gaara, all to use the Tailed Beast in Gaara's body to gain an advantage at the most crucial moment.
But if this group of ninja did not go, then their compatriots in the village naturally would not continue fighting.
They would return to Sunagakure, defend it fiercely, barely survive, and buy time for the village to rest and recuperate.
In such a situation, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind would probably also increase investment in Sunagakure.
After all, if Sunagakure disappeared, then the Land of Wind would also be in danger.
Kenichi squatted on the ground, thoughtfully looking at Baki in front of him.
He was considering whether to let Baki lead Sunagakure's ninja to continue this crazy mission, letting Sunagakure and Iwagakure wear each other down like dogs fighting over a bone, before he absorbed them afterward.
Or should he safely take over Sunagakure now and control them with parasites?
Both options had benefits.
But considering that every ninja was now a rare and valuable labor force, Kenichi ultimately decided to absorb Sunagakure and make them work for him.
As for Iwagakure, without the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and with Onoki's fate still unknown, Iwagakure's strength had already declined greatly.
After annexing the Land of Lightning, he could begin preparing to attack the Land of Earth.
"Let them all accept new life."
Kenichi waved his hand.
The Sunagakure ninja here would be controlled, implanted with parasites, and then made to perform ninjutsu to see whether any ninjutsu could nullify the parasite's control.
As long as none could, they could be sent back to Sunagakure, accompanied by two jonin from the Land of Flame.
Step by step, Sunagakure would be swallowed whole by parasites.
By then, Sunagakure could complete its transition of power peacefully.
The ninja from the Land of Flame brought by Kenichi led the Sunagakure ninja away one by one.
They would let them accept new life and become entirely new people.
"Kenichi..."
Shisui looked at Kenichi, seeming to hesitate.
"Shisui, what's wrong?"
Kenichi smiled at Shisui.
He no longer had such great expectations for Shisui.
No, it should be said that he no longer had such great expectations for the Uchiha Clan.
For the current Kenichi, the Uchiha Clan was just the Uchiha Clan, a ninja family with decent strength.
As for their Kekkei Genkai, Kenichi really was not that interested anymore.
After all, he could now mass-produce Mangekyo Sharingan ninja.
Given enough time, all the ninja under his command could awaken the Sharingan.
"Kenichi, I want to ask, how far along is your... that plan now?"
Shisui clenched his fists and asked cautiously.
Kenichi was startled, then realized what Shisui was asking.
"The Land of Flame is mine now. In the future, the Land of Wind and the Land of Lightning will also be mine. After that, only the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire will remain."
Kenichi explained with a smile.
Baki, beside him, gritted his teeth, but he also looked at Kenichi with some shock.
This madman.
Did he know what he was doing?
This madman was making an enemy of the world.
"What kind of country do you plan to establish?"
Shisui looked at Kenichi seriously, his expression solemn.
Beside him, Itachi nervously pursed his lips.
"A country where ordinary people and ninja can live normally, without worrying about war?"
Kenichi scratched his head.
He did not state some overly grand dream.
Because he knew that for the current Shinobi World, his dream was already grand enough.
Baki remained silent.
This madman...
"Can we join this country?"
Shisui took a deep breath, then asked.
"Of course. The Land of Flame welcomes any peace-loving ninja."
Kenichi smiled.
He had long grown tired of the intrigues of the Shinobi World.
Establishing a unified country and stabilizing it for one or two hundred years would mean there would no longer be a Land of Water or a Land of Fire in the Shinobi World.
There would only be one country.
As long as there were no external enemies, such peace would last for a long time.
Of course, other problems would inevitably arise.
But compared to the current Shinobi World, that world would already be beautiful enough.
"Can we... can we also join?"
Baki could not help asking.
Sunagakure had initially considered whether to attack the Land of Flame and exchange bases with it, but ultimately decided that Iwagakure was more suitable.
It was closer, and there was no need to worry about delays.
However, they had not expected to be intercepted by these people before even reaching the Land of Earth.
Now that they were prisoners of the enemy, Baki also wanted to fight for something else for the village and his comrades.
"You don't seem to have a choice."
Kenichi glanced at Baki.
He would not believe what Baki and his group said.
Only after implanting parasites could he feel at ease.
A unified country needed to eliminate hatred between countries from every aspect.
And there had never been any concept of unification in the Shinobi World before.
Everything needed to start from scratch, and the difficulty would naturally be greater.
Baki showed a bitter smile.
But then, the unwillingness in his heart miraculously dissipated a little.
If they could join such a country, then Sunagakure could also move out of that desert, right?
"Ah ah ah!"
At that moment, in Gokuraku Hot Spring Town, a giant tree stood tall.
Obito let out an incomprehensible roar.
He was wailing, and blood tears flowed from his eyes.
His eyes had been broken by Killer Bee.
"Yo, you bastard, I'll punch you out!"
Killer Bee rushed over furiously.
He absolutely did not want to waste time here now.
His elder brother, the Fourth Raikage A, was currently lying behind him, receiving treatment from medical ninja.
A had to be sent back to Kumogakure's hospital for more comprehensive treatment.
The enraged Killer Bee charged toward Obito with Lariat.
Obito suddenly turned his head.
His crimson Sharingan flashed in his eyes, causing Killer Bee's pupils to constrict.
He had once been controlled like this and lost control when he and A went to Konoha to discuss cooperation.
If not for...
"You all must die!"
Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan spun in his eyes.
But Killer Bee, who was rushing toward him, was too fast.
Before Obito could clearly see him, he was sent flying.
But then vines coiled around Killer Bee, and countless sharp thorns instantly pierced into him.
Blinding lightning flashed from the thorns.
Then Killer Bee, gripping his weapon, charged toward Obito.
"Lariat!"
Killer Bee swung his blade down.
Obito instinctively entered the Kamui dimension.
A violent explosion instantly shredded his body.
.....
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