CH - 172 Iwa visit once again.

The Third Hokage's abdication and the ascent of the Fourth Hokage resonated as a significant event in the ninja world. Given Konoha's stature as the foremost ninja village, its every move carried weight and influence across the entire shinobi realm.

Shortly after these pivotal changes, Konoha intensified its collaboration with the Grass Village. Homura Mitokado, a high-ranking advisor of Konoha, assumed the role of the representative, and news of a 100 million Ryo deal quickly circulated.

This development raised alarms in the surrounding ninja villages. The current strength of the Grass Village was not to be underestimated.

Konoha, having experienced deception on several occasions, once again deepened its ties with the Grass Village. The question lingered: what concealed motives lay behind this renewed cooperation between the two ninja villages?

On the flip side, at this juncture, Kitsuchi set foot once again on the Land of Grass's territory, his heart tinged with complexity. The unforeseen maneuvers orchestrated by this seemingly small neighboring country in the war had taken him by surprise. Through an alliance with the weakened Land of Rain, they effectively thwarted the collective efforts of the four major ninja villages. The Land of Grass was unmistakably on a subtle rise, gaining momentum.

Particularly now, as Kitsuchi gazed upon the transformed Grass Village, a surge of emotions welled within him. Upon his initial arrival in the Land of Grass, it languished in a state of neglect, with muddy roads and dilapidated houses dotting the landscape. However, the present scene tells a different tale. The Grass Village's current appearance radiated wealth and prosperity, surpassing even his own Iwagakure, one of the five great ninja villages.

The notion that a village once deemed inferior had outpaced one of the Five major villages in terms of infrastructure seemed incredulous. Who would have thought that, in just a few short years, this small village would undergo such rapid development, reaching this level of prosperity?

As Kitsuchi pondered the transformed scenes before him, a familiar voice interrupted his reflections.

"Brother Kitsuchi... You guys are here!" Startled, Kitsuchi snapped back to reality, turning to see a figure approaching with a cheerful smile.

It was Mubuki, the high-ranking advisor of the Grass Village and the guide they had once underestimated. Now, Kitsuchi realized that they had likely been misled by this cunning Grass ninja. Indeed, the general notion that Grass ninjas were untrustworthy seemed to hold true.

"Long time no see!" Kitsuchi snorted. Despite his broad-minded and imposing stature, the sense of being deceived didn't sit well with him. The losses Iwagakure suffered against this seemingly small ninja village in the war were embarrassing. If not for the news of the Fourth Hokage's succession and the deepening cooperation between Konoha and the Grass Village, he wouldn't have come here.

The strategic importance of the Land of Grass was undeniable. Previously, it was merely a small, inconspicuous village, and ordinarily, they might have disregarded such duplicitous dealings.

However, with the recent alliance between Grass and Rain, and the subtle changes in the Grass Village under its current leader, there were concerns that this alliance could pose a threat to Iwagakure. Hence, Kitsuchi was assigned to investigate.

Kitsuchi glared at Mubuki, remarking, "Mr. Mubuki, you've certainly led Iwagakure astray."

"Deception? Can you call it that? Is conducting business deceitful?" Mubuki responded with a solemn expression. "By the way, the ten harvesters you ordered from our Grass Village are already completed. We were about to deliver them to you."

Kitsuchi fell silent, a realization dawning that they had almost overlooked the ten harvesters they had ordered. Initially, they had considered it a mere pretext from the Grass Village. Iwagakure had paid thirty million for information and borrowed a route; they had dismissed it at the time.

Now, it appeared that the Grass Village hadn't forgotten. Kitsuchi's expression froze momentarily. As he looked at Mubuki, a hint of emotion welled up. Reflecting on that day, the money spent seemed justified. Iwagakure had gained an early advantage.

However, an unexpected twist occurred later. Who could have anticipated that those three young ninjas from Konoha would be so formidable? With just three individuals, they demolished the bridge, turning the tide against Iwagakure.

Recalling the past discussions and the current circumstances, Kitsuchi hesitated before saying, "We no longer require those ten machines. I've arrived here for cooperation with the Grass Village. I've heard that Konoha's high-ranking elder, Homura Mitokado, is facilitating the collaboration..."

However, before he could conclude his statement, Mubuki interjected, frowning directly at the hefty Kitsuchi. "How can you say that! An order is an order, and cooperation is cooperation. We, the Grass Village, don't indulge in deceit like those ninja villages that take payment and fail to deliver."

Kitsuchi looked at Mubuki's words in silence, thinking, 'Really? Perhaps you're right. After all, you guys seem to excel at the art of deception more than the deceivers themselves.'

At this moment, disregarding the silent Iwa-nin, Mubuki continued, "Don't worry. As long as you're here for cooperation, the Grass Village welcomes you. Besides, you are an important friend to me." Adding a deep tone, he reminisced, "Have you forgotten the day we explored the Kannabi Bridge?"

"Uh, Mr. Mubuki..." Kitsuchi hesitated as Mubuki delved into the recollections.

"Call me brother," Mubuki said, smiling.

"Brother Mubuki," Kitsuchi awkwardly called.

"Kitsuchi, my friend," Mubuki said, smiling once again.

"Brother Mubuki..." Looking at the enthusiastic Mubuki, though feeling awkward, Kitsuchi gradually relaxed. It felt as if they had returned to the day when the passionate tour guide Mubuki led them to explore the Kannabi Bridge. In the evening, he treated them to a barbecue in the Grass Village and reluctantly bid them farewell.

Now, reflecting... Despite the Grass Village's deceptive reputation, they hadn't actually deceived Iwagakure this time. Whether it was the information about the Kannabi Bridge or the subsequent ninja vests, Iwagakure willingly purchased it all. Regarding the final war... in a way, Iwagakure had played a proactive role in initiating it.

Kitsuchi hesitated for a moment, before asking, "About this cooperation..."

"No rush. I've said it before, as long as you come for cooperation, the Grass Village welcomes everyone. The Grass Village welcomes every guest." Mubuki gestured with enthusiasm, leading Kitsuchi forward. "Since you've come this far, my brother, let me show you around."

"... I'll leave it to you, brother Mubuki." After a moment of hesitation, Kitsuchi agreed upon hearing Mubuki's words. After all, this visit also served the purpose of investigating the true nature of the cooperation between the Grass Village and Konoha.

Considering the situation in the village, Kitsuchi inwardly sighed. Despite being the son of the Third Tsuchikage, his father believed he lacked the qualifications to become the next Tsuchikage.

In the village, the situation remained challenging. Numerous tenacious elders retained power, and internal conflicts persisted. Therefore, compared to Konoha, the Stone Village continued to struggle under the leadership of the elderly figure.

Under Mubuki's guidance, as Kitsuchi observed the flourishing Grass Village, his restless heart gradually settled. Witnessing the bustling streets and the transformed Grass Village, he couldn't help but be mildly astonished. "I didn't anticipate the Grass Village's swift recovery. There's no trace of the war at all."

"Haha, all thanks to the leadership of our great leader," Mubuki chuckled, not delving much into the explanation. He then pointed ahead with his finger. "This is the Grass Village Commerce Department. If you're seeking cooperation, you've come to the right place. Here, countless opportunities for collaboration abound."

He gestured forward again. "In the Grass Village, we don't deceive. If you don't believe it, look at this... Have you seen the Konoha high-ranking elder? In less than half a year, he has amassed a staggering profit of 100 million!"

At his words, Kitsuchi's face showed a trace of surprise at the substantial figure. He raised his head and gazed ahead alongside the Iwa Ninja who accompanied him.

Their visit was solely prompted by the news of the collaboration between Konoha and the Grass Village. Therefore, any information they could gather on the matter would be valuable. This was precisely why Kitsuchi was deemed necessary to personally make the journey.

As they looked up, they were met with a colossal... poster? It rivaled the size of a wall, undoubtedly more extensive than typical movie theater posters. And above it, several figures were prominently featured.

Among them, the two figures standing in the center were unmistakably the elder of Konoha, Mitokado Homura, and the 'wise' leader of Kusagakure, Akihiko Kusano.

The two stood hand in hand, wearing smiles directed at the camera. A line of text below caught Kitsuchi by surprise, prompting him to read aloud, "Congratulations to Konoha Elder - Homura Mitokado for achieving a profit of 100 million."