Chapter 11: Developing the Economy is the Right Path

Mukaze entered the room.

Rasa saw a blob of glowing red molten iron suspended in his palm and felt puzzled.

"Mukaze, what are you up to again?" he asked.

Mukaze lifted the molten iron in his palm, gesturing for Rasa to take a look.

"I told you before that I would solve the village's financial problems. And now, I have."

"Take a look."

Rasa used his Magnet Release chakra to sense the molten iron and immediately became angry.

"Mukaze, don't spout nonsense here. I've been lenient with you because of the Third Hokage, but don't think I won't take action against you for playing tricks with a common molten iron. You underestimate me."

Mukaze snorted and raised the molten iron again.

"Rasa, your eyesight is failing you. Can't you see its uniqueness?"

Rasa was taken aback.

Mukaze's eyes were serious, his expression solemn, as if he wasn't joking with him.

He carefully examined the molten iron in Mukaze's palm once again.

Indeed, there was something special about it.

The quality was better than ordinary molten iron.

But so what?

Rasa shouted, "Even if the quality of the molten iron in your palm is slightly better, it has nothing to do with the village's financial crisis."

Mukaze sneered, "Let me emphasize this: the most important thing about this molten iron is that I produced it myself. Do you understand what I mean?"

Produced it himself?

Rasa was stunned, his eyes widened.

"Did you steal the Daimyo's mines?"

Mukaze proudly said, "Mines? That's nothing. I'm more advanced than mines."

Mukaze briefly explained about his own Sandworm Iron Refinery and his future plans.

Rasa listened, feeling a bit confused, and lowered his head to ponder.

Mukaze explained his needs to Rasa.

"I now need to establish power plants, build factories, start production lines, and capture more sandworms to expand our raw materials. Therefore, I hope the village can provide manpower support for me."

"In the initial phase, I need 200 people to join production, and after training, over 100 people will become sales personnel to be sent to various regions in the shinobi world."

"I believe that with my highly competitive ninja tools, we can secure a place not only in the Land of Wind but also in the markets of other countries."

"The ninja tool assembly line can be completed tomorrow, and standardized ninja tools can be mass-produced. We can start selling immediately."

"If everything goes smoothly, the village's financial situation can be immediately improved."

"With the expansion of production capacity and market, the village will become wealthier and wealthier."

"That's enough!"

Rasa shouted loudly.

To him, Mukaze's words were nothing but meaningless gibberish.

"You're just daydreaming."

Mukaze's eyes turned cold.

The scorching molten iron in his palm lost its heat and turned into a pile of iron slag.

"Rasa, what else do you have to say?"

Rasa stared at Mukaze cautiously, like a cat.

He couldn't show weakness.

He still maintained the stance of the Kazekage.

"Hmph, the shinobi world is a world that relies on strength. Without strength, your business won't be able to leave the Land of Wind."

"No, it won't even be able to leave the Village Hidden in the Sand."

Mukaze gave him a look that said, "Are you an idiot?"

"Do you think I don't understand such a simple principle?"

"If I didn't have strength, I'm afraid you would have taken all my gold sand long ago."

Rasa remained silent.

He had once tried to negotiate but was defeated by Mukaze's strength when he attempted to use force against him.

He had also abandoned the idea of forcing Mukaze with strength.

That was why Mukaze had waited until he reached the level of a Kage before opening his shop.

He knew too well that the shinobi world was a brutal world where strength was respected.

If he didn't have enough strength, how could he dare to open a shop outside the village?

Rasa felt humiliated by Mukaze's taunts and became furious.

"Even if you have strength, so what?"

"Even if your shuriken and kunai are of good quality, what difference does it make in occupying the market?"

"For the Hidden Sand Village, this business is not important."

"What's important is defeating our opponents."

"As long as we defeat our opponents, we can have as much money as we want."

"So instead of involving ninjas in such a boring business, it's better to do more important things."

Mukaze's lips curled up, revealing a mocking smile.

"The more important thing is to defeat Konoha, right?"

Rasa froze.

His heart skipped a beat.

Could Mukaze have discovered his plot?

"After defeating Konoha, we'll defeat the Hidden Mist Village. After that, we'll defeat the Hidden Rock Village. Once we're done with that, we'll take on the Hidden Cloud Village. If we defeat the other four major shinobi villages, you think the Hidden Sand Village will become the number one village in the shinobi world."

"Hmph!"

Rasa let out a heavy snort.

Mukaze shook his head.

"You're still thinking too naively, too simply."

"Besides the hidden strength of each of the four major shinobi villages, there are other villages and organizations with considerable power outside of them. Can the Hidden Sand Village ensure their suppression?"

Rasa's face gradually turned pale with anger.

"The Hidden Sand Village is a bottom-ranking village in terms of strength."

"Wanting to become powerful doesn't involve taking military risks, but rather following the path of development."

"Relying solely on defeating others to become stronger has no future, it's unscientific."

"In the shinobi world, ambitious individuals and enemies are endless. You can't defeat them all."

Rasa exclaimed in resentment, "So, relying on your shuriken and kunai, you think you can make the village strong?"

Mukaze nodded firmly.

"Yes!"

"Developing the economy is the correct path."

"The main reason the Hidden Sand Village is at the bottom is that the village's economy is underdeveloped and the environment is harsh, making it unattractive to both ninjas and ninja clans."

Without individuals, especially those with special abilities, the village has no hope of becoming strong.

Only by making the Hidden Sand Village prosperous, even if it means offering high salaries, can we attract a large number of ninjas.