81 CH - 79 Poor Village?

The next day, Akihiko found himself once again perplexed by the investigation report he held in his hands. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Do they think I'm a fool?"

It seemed like these incidents were becoming more and more ridiculous. The latest report detailed two seemingly unrelated incidents:

"The Mysterious Interviewer at the Academy!"

"Trash Pickers at Dawn and Night!"

Both incidents happened simultaneously, and it seemed evident to him that they were orchestrated by the same group of people. Although Akihiko didn't know that behind all these incidents was only Zetsu himself, he was aware that the White Zetsu group was likely behind these mysterious occurrences.

The first incident, the mysterious interviewer, might be overlooked for now. However, the second one was puzzling. Why would someone with valuable skills engage in picking up trash? Not only during the day but even at night! It didn't make sense.

It's been said that, for an unknown period of time, there's a diligent sanitation worker who comes out to clean the streets every day before dawn, even when everyone else is still sleeping or when it's already dark.

This mystery worker diligently cleans the streets with unwavering dedication, yet their identity remains unknown. This low-key but selfless act of service was witnessed by an enthusiastic ninja citizen in the morning and quickly became known to countless ninjas and citizens of the Land of Grass.

The profound impact of this person's actions even reached the other sanitation workers of the Land of Grass, who were deeply moved. They sent a letter, hoping that the village leader could recognize this person's incredible dedication and offer them an honorable position as part of the sanitation team.

Despite the heartwarming nature of this act, Akihiko couldn't help but feel perplexed by White Zetsu's involvement in these random incidents, including the trash-picking. What was their motive? Why would they engage in such activities?

Akihiko wondered if it had anything to do with their factory job, which they have already lost earlier due to the previous incident. Perhaps, unable to find another job, they resorted to picking up trash as a means of earning a living. But then, he questioned, why would this group, who didn't need to eat, sleep, or rest, be concerned about earning money?

Could it be that their actions were in support of their boss, Madara? While Akihiko hadn't personally witnessed White Zetsu's diligent group in action, he was certain that they were behind these mysterious events in the Land of Grass.

As for Black Zetsu, Akihiko couldn't help but be frustrated with his lack of focus on saving his mother amidst the critical Third Shinobi World War. Instead of prioritizing his responsibilities, Black Zetsu seemed to be wandering aimlessly and causing unnecessary chaos.

Nonetheless, Akihiko chose not to dwell on it too much. With three mysterious incidents already, adding two more wouldn't drastically change the situation. Still, if given the opportunity, he would definitely reprimand Black Zetsu for his actions and remind him of the importance of saving his mother.

As for Yahiko's silly' organization, they had reignited their detective spirit due to these incidents and were gearing up to investigate these mysterious events once more.

As Akihiko sighed, a knock echoed in the room, followed by the entrance of Uzumaki Yoshinori with a serious expression.

"Sorry to disturb you, Kusano-sama," Yoshinori spoke slowly.

Akihiko looked at him puzzled, asking, "What's the matter? You seem quite serious. Did something happen? Is it about Iwagakure retreating and Konoha invading, or is Konoha reproaching us again?"

During this period, the Land of Grass had been experiencing relative peace. The Kannabi Bridge provided a transportation line for Iwagakure to reach the borders of the Land of Fire. However, Konoha's strengthened border defenses led to a standoff between the two sides, preventing any further actions.

Thinking of Konoha, Akihiko couldn't help but feel disappointed. Despite claiming to "trust" the Land of Grass, they sent ninjas to reinforce their borders against them. It felt like hypocrisy, especially when they accused the Land of Grass of deceiving them, which was nothing more than an accident.

Nevertheless, the current situation was favorable. The major countries were at a deadlock, and the Land of Grass remained relatively calm. The bountiful autumn harvest season added to the positive atmosphere, thanks to advanced scientific ninja tools and mechanized farming techniques.

"Oh, it's not that serious!" Uzumaki Yoshinori reassured Akihiko, his expression pausing for a moment. He scratched his head and continued, "It's just that those piled-up goods need to be handled. If we remain closed like this, the village won't be able to pay the salaries!"

Indeed, the Land of Grass couldn't receive missions at the moment, and selling information was also out of the question. Even Mubuki, the former Grass ninja in charge of selling information, had discounted the Grass ninja information by 80% and offered one free for every ten purchased. Yet, despite such a significant discount, no one came to buy the information. The reputation of the Land of Grass had seriously declined.

In recent years, due to the development of scientific ninja tools and the increase in basic ninja workers, the clothing factory had been producing an excessive amount. The offensive scientific ninja tools hadn't been sold from the beginning and were all piling up in the warehouse, almost overflowing.

A few years ago, they attempted to sell Grass-made ninja vests to Kirigakure. However, people there didn't trust the Land of Grass, considering a village that even dared to sell information about their allies to the Five Great Shinobi Countries for a living couldn't possibly produce suitable ninja vests. Consequently, they rejected the offer outright.

Especially during this special situation, the fear of buying fake goods haunted them. Even allies like Konoha or Iwa might share the same concerns.

"Really?" Uzumaki Yoshinori was both relieved and excited upon hearing Akihiko's words. "Should we start loading the goods now? The warehouse has just been emptied, and we need to store the new scientific ninja tools."

"No hurry!" Watching Yoshinori's enthusiasm, Akihiko shook his head with a smile. "The scientific ninja tools can't be sold just yet."

It wasn't the right time to introduce the scientific ninja tools. They needed to wait until the Five Great Shinobi Countries were worn out from the war. That way, those countries wouldn't pay much attention to their small village. Once the war concluded, the Five Great Shinobi Countries would be too fatigued to deploy significant forces against them. As for smaller conflicts, the current Land of Grass could handle them.

"However, you can start preparing the clothing," Akihiko continued, changing the topic. "By the way, were the ninja vests modified according to my request?"

"Yes!" Yoshinori's face briefly showed a strange expression, but he quickly composed himself and replied, "They have been made strictly according to your requirements."

Although he didn't know the reason behind delaying the scientific ninja tools sale, he trusted that the Leader has his own plan.

However, Yoshinori couldn't help but ask, "Leader, where do you plan to sell this batch of goods?"

Akihiko responded naturally, "We'll target villages that are currently facing financial difficulties and can't afford expensive ninja equipment. It may not bring in substantial profits, but it will help us gain some reputation."

"Poor villages? Are you planning to sell to remote small villages? Maybe Amegakure?" Yoshinori inquired, thinking of the situation in the Rain Village.

"Small villages? Those places are even poorer than the Land of Grass! They simply don't have the financial resources. As for Amegakure, it's out of the question, they struggle to afford even basic necessities like food." Akihiko clarified, shaking his head.

"We want to sell to villages that are less prosperous than the Land of Grass, but not to the extent that they have to buy on credit. We'll aim for financially challenged villages, but not ones in extreme poverty." He wanted to emphasize that he wasn't considering extremely impoverished villages that couldn't even afford budget-friendly vests.

"Then, which poor villages are left?" Yoshinori's curiosity grew as he looked at Akihiko with confusion.

"The Sand Village, of course!" Akihiko replied matter-of-factly. "Despite being one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the Sand Village faces financial challenges compared to the other major villages."

Yoshinori froze for a moment, thinking to himself, 'The Sand Village is still one of the major villages, even if they are facing some financial difficulties compared to others. Can they really be considered poor?'

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