CH - 104 10 million.

Few days later, in Konoha, in a hidden underground room, Danzo furrowed his brow as he looked at the Root ninja before him, his voice calm and controlled. "So, there's been no response from the Rain Village?"

The Root ninja before Danzo bowed respectfully and replied, "I apologize, Lord Danzo. There has been no response from the Rain Village so far. We have not received any communication from them."

Danzo's brow furrowed even deeper. This lack of response troubled him. Ever since he had delivered the secret message to the Rain Village, he had been patiently awaiting their reply. Danzo wasn't overly concerned about them rejecting his proposal. After all, the Land of Rain was currently in a state of chaos.

The leader of the Rain Village, the Demi-God Hanzo of the Salamander, had expressed a strong desire to negotiate with the five major nations. Would the Rain Village dare to refuse him, especially when he was acting under the banner of Konoha? Even though he hadn't explicitly consulted Hiruzen, Danzo believed that he was doing what was best for Konoha.

As the shadowy figure within Konoha, Danzo held significant influence, and if Hanzo sought a meeting with the Five Great Ninja Villages, Danzo was the one who could facilitate it. But it had been several days since the message had been sent, and there had been no response. Danzo considered various possibilities, including the intensity of the ongoing war between the Grass and Rain Villages or the interception of the letter.

Danzo, well aware of the ongoing conflict between the Grass and Rain Villages, hadn't expected the relatively small Grass Village to stand toe-to-toe with the Rain Village, especially considering they had the formidable Demi-God Hanzo, albeit past his prime. It seemed that the new leader of the Grass Village was proving to be a challenging opponent.

He continued to ponder these possibilities until another Root ninja rushed into the chamber and knelt before him. With great respect in his tone, the ninja reported, "Lord Danzo, we have received a response from the Rain Village."

Danzo, though somewhat dissatisfied with the delay, accepted the letter from the ninja and carefully unfolded it. As his eyes scanned the opening lines, which confirmed the Rain Village's acceptance of the offer, a small, satisfied smirk crept onto his face.

Danzo, despite his initial displeasure at the delay, accepted the letter from the ninja and carefully unfolded it. His eyes scanned the initial lines, which indicated that the Rain Village had indeed accepted the offer. A small, satisfied smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Indeed, it was unlikely that the Rain Village would reject such an offer, especially if they desired to restore peace to the Land of Rain. To achieve this goal, they had little choice but to rely on Danzo's influence. However, as he continued reading, he encountered a section of the text that raised his eyebrows with intrigue.

{Esteemed Konoha, renowned as the guardian of peace in the ninja world, 

I have long heard of your village's commitment to upholding peace throughout the ninja world. Konoha, the largest and most influential ninja village, has consistently dedicated itself to preserving the harmony among ninja nations. It has extended its helping hand to protect the interests of smaller ninja villages and fostered cooperative relationships with other shinobi nations. Let us unite to safeguard the peace of the ninja world.

Upon receiving your letter, I was overwhelmed with a myriad of emotions- fear, astonishment, anxiety, and hope. The ongoing conflicts have left the Land of Rain in a state of exhaustion, plagued by internal strife and causing immense suffering to our people. Witnessing the tragic events unfolding in our homeland has been a personal torment for me as its leader. Each time I see the human suffering in the Land of Rain, I bear the weight of their anguish and grieve deeply.

The Grass Village, fueled by ambition and greed, declared war on our already beleaguered Rain Village during these tumultuous times, exacerbating our dire circumstances. However, the Rain Village's strength is waning, and I, Hanzo, formerly known as the Demi-God, am growing old. Despite our best efforts, the Grass Village, propelled by their rapacious aspirations and formidable shinobi, has forced us into retreat.

Today, with the unexpected alliance offered by Konoha, I believe we can expel the Grass Village and ultimately bring peace to the Land of Rain. However, you must be aware that the Grass Village, while not on par with the five major ninja villages, possesses a well-equipped force. Their leader is a formidable shinobi, equal in strength to myself. I implore you not to underestimate them. If Konoha can deploy a ninja force to support us and join in the assault on the Grass Village, we stand a better chance of securing their defeat.}

Danzo paused, his thoughts swirling as he considered the situation and the peculiar nature of Hanzo's letter. He couldn't help but wonder if Hanzo from the Rain Village always composed such emotionally charged messages. Danzo examined the letter in his hand, his face betraying a range of emotions.

The prospect of sending a ninja force to support the Hidden Rain Village was simply unfeasible. Danzo knew that this operation was not sanctioned by Hiruzen, the Hokage. Given Konoha's current alliance with the Grass Village, launching an attack on another minor village, especially with the four major villages watching closely, was out of the question. This was not the time to provoke unnecessary conflicts.

However, it was evident that the Rain Village took the threat posed by the Grass Village very seriously. Danzo began to consider that the new leader of the Grass Village might indeed be a formidable adversary.

He sighed and muttered to himself, "It seems that this Grass Village leader is not to be underestimated. Certainly, it's no easy feat to endure against the Rain Village for so long. However, no matter how capable they may be, sending a large number of ninja is simply unfeasible."

"If Hanzo had personally lead the mission and still fail to subdue the Grass Village, how could he hope to negotiate with the five major ninja villages? This Hanzo may just be all talk," Danzo concluded with a shake of his head. 

Danzo was about to dispose of the letter when he noticed there was more written on the back.The final part of the letter, written on the back, piqued his curiosity, he continued reading:

{However, I understand that the situation is incredibly complex. The four major ninja villages have shown little concern for the principles of ninja morality, initiating a war against Konoha, and disrupting the peace of the ninja world. While Konoha is certainly not fearful of these four major villages, they might not have the luxury of spare manpower to assist the Rain Village when confronted with such an assault.

After deep reflection, I have come to the realization that the root of the Rain Village's issues is poverty. Had we possessed the resources and equipment comparable to the Grass Village, we would not have fallen into such dire circumstances. Thus, the Rain Village would not have suffered defeat, and I, as the esteemed demi-god of the ninja world, would not face defeat either.

Henceforth, all we require is a mere 10 million Ryo to purchase the vestments and inner armor from the Grass Ninja Village, significantly enhancing the capabilities of our Rain Ninja. Once we secure these invaluable resources, the Rain Village will be fully prepared to welcome your support. Together, we have the potential to shift the tides of battle and expel the Grass Village.}

Danzo was stunned as he read the contents of the letter. The tone had shifted dramatically, from a plea for assistance to a bizarre request for money to purchase the vest and inner armor of the Grass Ninja Village. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

"What in the world is this?" Danzo muttered to himself, clearly exasperated. He reread the last lines of the letter, trying to make sense of it. The request for 10 million Ryo to buy equipment from the Grass Ninja Village seemed utterly absurd and out of place.

He knew that the Rain Village had suffered greatly during the ongoing conflict with the Grass Village, but this request was beyond unconventional. It left Danzo deeply perplexed.

After a few moments of contemplation, Danzo couldn't contain his frustration any longer and burst out, "Damn it! What the hell is going on here?"

…

Meanwhile, In the Land of Rain, Aso, one of Demi-God Hanzo's most loyal aides, observed the Grass Village Leader with a mix of amazement and bewilderment.

he thought that the plan to hire Rain Village ninjas to stage a fake fight with their own village was already extreme. Little did he know that the Grass Village leader had even grander schemes, inviting their enemies to engage in battle with them. To make matters more audacious, they intended to cheat their enemies of their money.

Aso couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "I've witnessed many things in my time, but this surpasses them all. It's now clear why the entire ninja world holds such dislike for the Grass Village."

However, he had one question that remained in his mind, "Leader Akihiko, do you truly believe that Konoha will consider agreeing to this?"

Akihiko, the Grass Village's Leader, casually shrugged. "Whether they agree or not is of no consequence. If they acquiesce, we benefit financially. If they decline, we lose nothing. Our focus remains on our own affairs, and we leave the five major villages to manage their own issues."

Aso nodded in agreement and then turned to gaze at the new establishment before him, a smile gradually appearing on his face. Finally, they had secured a new base capable of accommodating a significant number of people. He quietly pondered, 'I wonder how Hanzo-sama is faring.'

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