CH - 52 Shortage of Workers

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Guided by the amiable tour guide, Mubuki, the group of Iwagakure shinobi thoroughly explored the renowned Kannabi Bridge in the Land of Grass. They ventured across the entire span of the bridge, marveling at the intricate and interwoven rocks that adorned its structure, soaking in the breathtaking scenery that surrounded them.

After a series of eventful days, their "detour," or rather their trip to the Land of Grass, came to a successful conclusion. On their final day, they were treated to a delightful barbecue hosted by Mubuki, the senior advisor of the Grass Village. However, a minor issue arose during their gathering.

Strangely, Mubuki repeatedly praised his subordinate, Kamizuru Marubachi, in front of Kitsuchi, the leader of the Iwa team. He seized every opportunity to sing Marubachi's praises, raising suspicions that he may be attempting to recruit Marubachi from Iwagakure and even trying to poach the Kamizuru clan from their village.

Naturally, such a notion seemed implausible! It was unthinkable to consider that the Kamizuru Clan, holding a prominent position in Iwagakure, would entertain the idea of joining a smaller village like the Grass Village. Perhaps Mubuki genuinely wanted to commend his subordinate. Nonetheless, a question lingered in Kitsuchi's mind: "Did Marubachi truly possess the potential to become a future Tsuchikage?"

Nevertheless, as the enjoyable days drew to a close, they prepared to return to Iwagakure on a crisp and clear autumn morning. The atmosphere in the ninja world had grown increasingly tense, and Iwagakure, being one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, sensed a growing unease among the other villages. Thus, Iwagakure needed to be prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.

Regrettably, the Iwagakure shinobi were unable to meet the leader of the Grass Village during their visit. However, even if they couldn't, they preferred to cooperate with the new leader rather than any other individual, as they perceived a reduced risk of betrayal compared to the more traditional ninjas of the Grass Village.

"Mubuki-san, there's no need for you to see us off any further. It's time for us to depart," Kitsuchi expressed, feeling a sense of nostalgia as he glanced at Mubuki. "This collaboration..."

"Hey, what are you talking about? You're here as tourists! Understand? You're just visitors!" Mubuki interrupted impatiently.

Kitsuchi couldn't help but wonder about Mubuki's reaction. Was such caution truly necessary? Why worry when there were no other ninjas around?

However, as a seasoned Jōnin, Kitsuchi nodded in acknowledgement. "This journey to the Land of Grass has been truly remarkable. When we return to the Grass Village in the future, we hope to see you, Mubuki-san, leading the villa..."

"Stop! I've already told you! What are you trying to imply? I am devoted to our leader and have no intentions of seizing power!" Mubuki hastily corrected Kitsuchi once again.

Observing Mubuki's response, Kitsuchi couldn't help but think that despite Mubuki's cunning and greed as the Grass Village advisor, he was still fundamentally a decent person. Perhaps he simply lacked confidence.

Given the circumstances, why did he persist in hiding and pretending? Did he truly aspire to become the leader of the Grass Village? If he continued on this path, it seemed unlikely that many ninjas would support him. Disdain subtly flickered in the minds of the Iwagakure shinobi.

Sensing that it was time to part ways, Kitsuchi and the other Iwagakure shinobi bid their final farewells with a smile. "Goodbye!"

"Do you want to extend your stay? The Land of Grass has many other attractions!" Mubuki lamented, his voice lowering as he continued, "Would you be interested in purchasing some information? The Grass Village can provide you with insights about the entire ninja world, and as a gesture of friendship with Iwagakure, we'll offer you an 80% discount! Even our close ally, Konohagakure, doesn't receive such special treatment!"

"Thanks, but no thanks!" Kitsuchi raised an eyebrow as he regarded Mubuki, who had reverted to his old ways of promoting the Grass Village. While the service had been good during their stay, they were cautious about purchasing information from the Grass Village. Kitsuchi chuckled, "It's getting late. We should be on our way."

"Is that so? Well, if you ever need anything in the future, feel free to make a purchase! Buy ten items, and I'll give you an 80% discount, plus an additional one for free!" Mubuki, realizing Kitsuchi's lack of interest, shifted his attention to their target, the young man from the Kamizuru Clan. "And Marubachi, when you visit next time, I'll extend the same 80% discount to you! I still have some other styles of The Three Holy Princess that I can offer you at a discounted price!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present cast questioning glances at Marubachi. Sensing the peculiar gazes, Kamizuru Marubachi quickly stepped forward and exclaimed, "Let's go, let's go! The Tsuchikage is waiting for us to report our mission!"

Seeing Marubachi hasten his steps and motioning for them to follow, Kitsuchi finally led his team away from the scene.

"Goodbye! You're always welcome to come and visit! Come back anytime!" Mubuki waved enthusiastically, wearing a smile as he watched them depart. Only after they gradually disappeared from sight did he retract his hand, shaking his head with a hint of regret.

Although this venture had been quite rewarding, and it appeared that the people of Iwagakure had forgotten about the ten machines they had ordered, it seemed that Akihiko's plan to recruit from Iwagakure had failed. After all, poaching someone from the Five Great Shinobi Villages couldn't be so easily accomplished, could it?

"The leader, well, he's a bit delusional!" Just as Mubuki muttered those words, a calm voice spoke up beside him, "Who's being delusional?"

Upon hearing those words, Mubuki involuntarily trembled. He quickly forced a sheepish smile as he turned to face the leader who had suddenly appeared. Inwardly, he complained, 'The leader's Paper style: Body Flicker is truly terrifying. I never sensed someone appearing behind me.'

"I, uh, I mean..." Mubuki's eyes darted around, and he swiftly adopted a serious expression. "I was referring to Konoha. They're the ones being delusional!"

Akihiko looked at Mubuki with a bewildered expression, wondering, 'What does this have to do with Konoha?'

"You see, even though our Grass Village and Konoha are allies, like brothers! But this relationship needs nurturing, right?" Mubuki noticed the leader's narrowed eyes and hastily continued, "Take Iwagakure, for example. Even though they are not allies, they still strive to maintain good relations with us by placing orders and showing their support. But Konoha, they do nothing! They haven't sent a single ninja, they refuse to invest even a penny!" He sighed, "It's difficult for us to take care of Iwagakure for them like this!"

Akihiko's mouth twitched at Mubuki's shameless behavior, and he couldn't help but inwardly complain, 'You just betrayed them a moment ago by aiding Iwagakure, and now you have the audacity to say you want to take care of Iwagakure for them?'

No one in Konoha would believe that! Even Akihiko himself, the leader of the Grass Village, couldn't help but slightly twitch his mouth. He couldn't help but praise and scold at the same time, 'Truly a Grass shinobi! But, Hasn't Mubuki learned anything during this period of time?'

"Mubuki, I must criticize you here. Our Grass Village is not the type to waver and be indecisive!" Akihiko stated firmly.

"I understand! Our Grass Village remains neutral! We are a Shinobi Village that upholds peace!" Mubuki hastily responded, aware that he shouldn't say too much. Saying too much might betray his lack of conviction and result in him being sent for re-education. Ignoring the somewhat regretful look on Akihiko's face, Mubuki pressed on, "We simply enjoy making friends."

Akihiko observed Mubuki speaking so eloquently and thought, 'This guy has become clever, huh!'

Before Akihiko could respond, Mubuki continued, "Leader, I heard that the factory was completed today! It's a momentous occasion for the Land of Grass! Unfortunately, I had to bid farewell to those Iwa-nin just now and didn't have the chance to go see it. Otherwise, I would have personally inspected it. Well, I must hurry and go take a look now!"

With those words, Mubuki swiftly turned around and didn't even wait for Akihiko's response before dashing away. His speed was so remarkable that it made one wonder if he had employed his Body Flicker technique.

Left with a dumbfounded expression, Akihiko couldn't help but think, 'Why is he running so fast? I'm not going to do anything to him!' But as he pondered upon the completion of the scientific ninja tool factory that day, a smile graced Akihiko's face, and he too decided to head towards the factory, saying to himself, 'Now that it's completed, it's time to commence operations!'

…

The scientific ninja tool factory is situated within the Grass Village itself. It possesses the potential to surpass other shinobi villages in terms of research, at least for the time being. While other villages might pursue similar research in the future, this advantage currently remains exclusive to the Grass Village. Therefore, maintaining utmost secrecy is of paramount importance.

The factory spans a considerable area, and to ensure confidentiality, the Uzumaki clan has implemented a sealing barrier around it. As it is still in its early stages, the factory has not yet been subdivided. All production is expected to take place within its premises.

Led by Uzumaki Yoshinori, Mubuki, and others, even the three rarely seen young ones emerged out of curiosity. They had heard about the development of scientific ninjutsu in the academy, and their teacher Akihiko occasionally mentioned it, emphasizing its distinctions from traditional ninja tools. Naturally, everyone was quite intrigued.

Upon their arrival, they laid their eyes upon the colossal and heavily guarded factory, and a sense of relief washed over them. If what the leader had stated was true, this could potentially mark a significant stride in the Grass Village's strength and serve as a pivotal moment in the history of the Land of Grass.

Regrettably, the factory stood empty, devoid of any workers. A sense of concern washed over Akihiko once again. There was no way around it—the Land of Grass needed people, whether they were ordinary citizens or shinobi, regardless of their rank.

Having endured the ravages of war, the Land of Grass already had a meager population. Now, with various internal matters to address, it would take time before they could commence production. Akihiko's dejection deepened as he whispered to himself, "We still lack people..."

Yahiko, who was casually leaning nearby, whistled and remarked in a nonchalant tone, "What's the big deal? The shinobi world may lack many things, but it certainly doesn't lack people! If necessary, we can recruit workers from the Land of Rain. Countless people there barely have enough to eat! I'm sure they would be willing to come to the Land of Grass."

As soon as Yahiko finished speaking, an abrupt silence descended upon the surroundings. Confused, he turned his head to see his teacher, Akihiko, approaching with a smile, his gaze fixed upon him. "Um... Akihiko-sensei, did I say something wrong?"

"No, you said it well!" Akihiko chuckled and ruffled Yahiko's hair. He then turned to the other high-ranking Grass Shinobi beside him, speaking with determination, "I have made up my mind! We will go to the Land of Rain to steal... ahem, I mean, to recruit workers!"

The onlookers stood stunned, their expressions becoming bewildered at his declaration.

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