Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand-Chapter 166 - 61: The Golden Era of Sunagakure

Time moves like a wild steed, galloping forward without pause. It had been five years since the anti-bandit campaign and over six years since the end of the Second Shinobi World War.

With the war's conclusion, Sunagakure entered a period of rapid development under Jinghang's leadership. Thanks to its unique economic model, the village soon reached an unprecedented golden era.

In the Yuehu District, agriculture flourished under the direction of Sasori, the director of the Akasha Research Institute. Large-scale puppetization of farming operations had been achieved, allowing a single puppet master to control puppets capable of cultivating and harvesting nearly one hundred acres of crops. Grain production increased year after year, not only meeting the village's substantial domestic demand but also providing surplus for export.

The Hourglass Group, spread across the Land of Stone, the Land of Rain, and the Yuehu District, had successfully decentralized its operations. With the war's end, demand for ninja tools and canned goods plummeted across nations. In response, the Hourglass Group restructured its strategy: high-end manufacturing was concentrated in the Yuehu District, while the Land of Stone and the Land of Rain served as hubs for low-end processing and logistics. These products were then distributed to ninja villages worldwide. Today, almost every nation with a ninja village boasts a Hourglass Group store, and its ninja tools have become synonymous with top-tier quality.

As for the Yuexi Peninsula, it had gained fame as the premier leisure destination on the ninja continent, thanks to the promotional efforts during the Second Five-Nation Summit. It became a gathering spot for the elite of various countries, generating daily revenue in the billions. It was undoubtedly Sunagakure's financial cash cow, bringing immense wealth to the village. Every shareholder of the Yuexi Peninsula profited handsomely, and Sunagakure's treasury overflowed with riches, elevating it to the wealthiest ninja village on the continent.

With abundant wealth and resources, Sunagakure had completely shed its impoverished and weak image from a decade ago. Its "hard power" had also seen tremendous growth. The standing army now consisted of four divisions, totaling nearly sixteen thousand well-trained and well-equipped soldiers. Its military strength rivaled that of established powerhouses like Konohagakure and Kumogakure.

At the same time, the village's elite shinobi training programs bore significant results. During the second "World Ninja Way Tournament" hosted in Konohagakure, members of the Twelve Earthly Branches, led by Sasori of the Red Sand and Hidan, achieved impressive results. Sasori even reached the finals, securing second place. (For the record, the champion was Konohagakure's rising star, Minato Namikaze.)

At this moment, the Third Kazekage, Jinghang, was in his office at the Kazekage Building, meticulously reviewing a report submitted by Rasa. The title read: "Analysis of the Current Situation in Amegakure."

"Amegakure truly is the source of chaos in the ninja world. Every time, it's the first to stir up trouble!" Jinghang muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration as he read the report.

"Kazekage-sama, if it were only this underground radical group called Akatsuki, it wouldn't be much of a concern. However, according to the intelligence relayed by Yashamaru, there are signs of Konohagakure's involvement behind the scenes," Rasa said gravely.

"It's Danzo, isn't it?" Jinghang asked.

"Indeed. He's quite influential in Konohagakure these days, practically controlling the entire ANBU and leading his own Root organization. He's even capable of challenging the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and influencing Konoha's decisions. In recent years, he's frequently meddled in the internal affairs of smaller neighboring countries. Just last month, he visited the Land of Rain privately and held a two-hour secret meeting with Nōshin Kongo. The details of their discussion remain unknown."

"Hmph! There's no need to guess. That mutt Nōshin Kongo is probably looking for a new master to serve," Jinghang scoffed with disdain.

"And as for Danzo, that old schemer—he's been exploiting Konoha's ANBU connections to smuggle tobacco and tea in recent years, amassing a fortune. Compared to a few years ago, he's much wealthier now. Knowing his nature, he's like a leech drawn to the sound of water. He'll always stir up trouble. Pair him with Nōshin Kongo—one a cunning rogue, the other a dry well—and it's no surprise they've teamed up."

"That's true. Should we strengthen the Hourglass Group's security forces in the area?" Rasa inquired.

After a moment of contemplation, Jinghang replied, "Not for now. Let's proceed with the planned withdrawal. The best course of action is to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible. I'm curious to see how they manage without us."

At this stage, the Akatsuki organization was still in its infancy, led by the young trio of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. At most, it was an idealistic, radical group. Additionally, the individual who would later betray Yahiko, Hanzo of the Salamander, had already been eliminated by Kakuzu. The organization's future trajectory was uncertain. Nevertheless, Jinghang decided to withdraw the Hourglass Group from Amegakure.

The reasons were threefold. First, the two iron mines purchased by the Hourglass Group in the Land of Rain were nearly depleted. Further mining would require constructing tunnels, which, according to Yashamaru's calculations, would cost more than importing iron ore. Moreover, operating on foreign soil carried the risk of being forced out at any moment, potentially leaving their investments to benefit others. Thus, Jinghang decided to relocate the ninja tool manufacturing industry entirely, leaving only logistics and low-end processing operations.

Second, the industrial park in the Land of Stone had developed well in recent years. The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure was pragmatic and far more cooperative than Nōshin Kongo, providing excellent policy support to the Hourglass Group. The local ninja even constructed several roads to facilitate operations, making the Land of Stone a burgeoning power in the continent's heartland. Consequently, Amegakure's strategic importance diminished.

Third, Jinghang's personal judgment played a role. A glance at the manga reveals that the Second, Third, and Fourth Shinobi World Wars all had ties to Amegakure. Any association with this cursed place seemed to spell trouble, so Jinghang opted for an early exit.

"Was this intelligence provided by Qiangyu or Zhanmeng?" Jinghang suddenly asked.

Qiangyu was "Ding," and Zhanmeng was "Yi"—both members of the Heavenly Stems.

"It was Qiangyu. Zhanmeng is currently stationed in Konoha's secretariat and has yet to be activated," Rasa replied.

"Very well. It seems the Intelligence Division, under Yamashita Toru, has indeed excelled in recent years. To infiltrate both Danzo's Root and Hiruzen Sarutobi's inner circle is no small feat," Jinghang remarked approvingly.

"However, Konoha's ANBU still holds significant depth. These two spies are invaluable and must be protected. Inform Yamashita Toru to place them in dormant status for now. Without activation, they are not to transmit any intelligence," Jinghang instructed seriously.

Rasa detected another layer of meaning in Jinghang's words. "Do you mean to let Danzo grow unchecked?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Jinghang nodded with satisfaction. "Exactly. My years of cultivation haven't been in vain—you're starting to develop strategic insight. That's precisely my intention. Danzo is ambitious, capable, and cunning, but he lacks two crucial qualities, which make him a destabilizing force within Konoha."

"What are those two qualities?" Rasa asked.

"Vision and integrity. A narrow vision limits strategic foresight, and a lack of integrity leads to unscrupulous actions. Do you think I've had Hirai Kanzaburo specifically collect his smuggled tobacco and tea because I needed them? No, it's to provide him with the economic foundation to grow. His rise will only deepen Konoha's internal divisions, which benefits us."

Jinghang smiled triumphantly. Years of planning were finally bearing fruit.

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