"And mineral resources are an indispensable part of building the Sun Disc."
Maki's eyes brightened.
As the disciple of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, and one of Sunagakure's core members, there were many things Maki could access.
Because of that, Maki knew very clearly what value the Sun Disc held.
"Teacher, rest assured. I will do everything I can to search for mineral deposits."
After arriving in the Land of Water, they first met the daimyo of the Land of Water.
The daimyo of the Land of Water had a friendly attitude.
"Kazekage, come. Have some tea."
Rasa nodded, lifted the teacup, and took a small sip.
The daimyo of the Land of Water said, "With the Great Age of Sailing beginning, to be honest, even I do not know whether this is fortune or disaster for the Land of Water. But the trend has already formed. It cannot be stopped."
"The sea is vast, but it is also dangerous. Without enough strength, exploration is impossible."
"Only powerful ninja like all of you can do it."
"The Land of Water has limited ability."
"However, the Land of Water also has its own role to play."
"No matter how many resources there are, they are ultimately meant to be used by people. And what the Land of Water does not lack is people. As long as the resources obtained by the sailing groups are given to the Land of Water, the Land of Water can digest them."
"Furthermore, the Land of Water can offer a high price. There is no need for you to painstakingly transport them elsewhere."
"Kazekage, take a look at this cooperation agreement."
Rasa accepted it.
It was called a cooperation agreement, but in reality, it was closer to a purchase agreement.
Every kind of aquatic product had a corresponding price.
Once this agreement was signed, whatever Sunagakure's sailing group obtained could only be sold to the Land of Water.
The prices were not low.
But the term of the agreement was long.
A full ten years.
To say Sunagakure would suffer a loss from this agreement would not be accurate.
But the Land of Water would not lose out either.
And once the ocean economy developed well, the Land of Water would gain even more benefits from this agreement in the future.
Rasa did not agree immediately. He planned to consider it further, so he found an excuse.
"I will discuss it with my village."
The daimyo of the Land of Water smiled.
"No problem, Kazekage. The Land of Water is very sincere. I hope we can reach a cooperation with Sunagakure."
Rasa nodded.
Onoki, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the Fourth Raikage entered the daimyo of the Land of Water's meeting room one after another for discussions.
But like Rasa, none of them agreed immediately.
When benefits were involved, everyone was extremely cautious, afraid of being taken advantage of.
Besides, the conditions that the daimyo of the Land of Water could offer right away were definitely not the final conditions.
Everything still had to be negotiated.
Kirigakure.
The Mizukage succession ceremony.
Kirigakure's Fifth Mizukage was Chukichi.
Rasa studied Chukichi.
He looked like an ordinary ninja on the surface.
An elite jonin.
He possessed a special Kekkei Genkai: Dark Release.
It allowed him to absorb ninjutsu used by others, then release it himself.
To return the opponent's method right back to them.
All of Kirigakure became lively.
Kirigakure's intention was to use this succession ceremony to dilute some of the negative atmosphere inside the village.
Rasa could clearly notice quite a few hostile gazes falling on him.
"That's Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage!"
"You can feel how strong he is just by looking at him. He's the one who killed the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura-sama."
Some people hated Rasa and wished they could charge forward right now to avenge Yagura.
But they were stopped.
"Yagura-sama's death can't really be blamed on Rasa. After all, Yagura-sama was the one who went to Sunagakure first. He wanted to ambush Sunagakure and kill Rasa."
"If Yagura-sama had not gone to the Land of Wind and had stayed in Kirigakure, nothing would have happened."
"Kirigakure's situation would not have become this terrible either."
"And besides, Rasa is that strong. Even if you go, you'll only die. You'll just create more trouble for the village."
Hearing these discussions, some nearby people could not help but complain about Yagura.
"Yagura-sama was too impulsive. Why did he have to go?"
"The village's situation was already bad. Because of him, it became even worse."
"He didn't consider the consequences at all."
Someone else said, "Tell me, did Yagura-sama really have something to do with what happened to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
"If the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were still around, no matter what, Kirigakure would not have fallen this far."
On a raised platform stood five chairs.
Sitting in the center was the newly succeeded Fifth Mizukage, Chukichi.
On the left were Onoki and Rasa.
On the right were Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Fourth Raikage.
These shinobi villages all had deep grudges with one another, yet as they sat here, they appeared extremely harmonious.
But everyone knew this harmony was only an act.
The Fourth Raikage's father, the Third Raikage, had died under Iwagakure's human-wave tactics.
Iwagakure had been defeated by Konoha not long ago.
Sunagakure had been bullied by Iwagakure at the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War.
Kirigakure had been defeated by Sunagakure, and the Fourth Mizukage had died at Rasa's hands.
Below, two young Kiri ninja stepped onto the arena.
This was Kirigakure's Chunin Exam for the year. Now, it had been moved onto the Mizukage succession ceremony as a performance for Rasa and the others who had come to observe.
"Tsuchikage, Hokage, Raikage, Kazekage, please don't stand on ceremony… These are all Kirigakure's local specialties. They taste quite good. Try them. Don't worry, they're all very fresh."
Rasa looked at the specialties spread across the small table before him.
"I know that before coming to Kirigakure, all of you first met with the daimyo of the Land of Water. He invited you to form sailing groups. Kirigakure has no objections to that."
"Kirigakure even wishes to cooperate with all of you."
"The sea is indeed vast, and the ninja of your villages are strong. But when it comes to operating on the sea, it is still Kirigakure's Water Release ninja who are the most skilled."
"Kirigakure welcomes all sailing groups."
"…"
Rasa looked at Chukichi.
"Mizukage, when you say all sailing groups, does that include the Kaguya Sailing Group and the Ninja Sword Glory Sailing Group?"
Chukichi's expression stiffened.
Rasa continued, "In that case, it seems the matter that spread through the shinobi world some time ago—about whether the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were persecuted by Yagura Karatachi—should be true."
"Will the Kaguya clan, Jinpachi Munashi, and Fuguki Suikazan return to Kirigakure?"
Instantly, the attention of everyone around them was drawn over.
Even the Kiri ninja fighting fiercely in the arena were no longer watched.
Rasa noticed it.
At that moment, the points on the system panel were rising at an extremely fast speed.
They not only broke directly through the three-thousand mark.
They rushed straight toward four thousand.
Very quickly, they reached the upper limit of four thousand.
That meant the fourth rumor Rasa had created had completed its entire spreading mission.
"Thirty draws, begin!"
"Ten draws, begin!"