Ebizo soon confirmed their identities and smiled faintly. "Elite Jonin Kurozai," he said, "welcome. I never expected you to be the one leading the envoys. I've heard of your name before. I am sure you met my sister before in your diplomatic work. Your work assisting the Third Raikage in managing affairs within the village as an advisor is quite well-known. But it's been difficult to hear much about what's happening in the Land of Lightning lately. I truly didn't expect to see you in person. Welcome again, I'll escort you to Sunagakure. We've already informed the Daimyo; he should arrive by the time we reach the village."
As Ebizo and his team, accompanied by Sasori, led the Kumogakure envoys from the border toward Sunagakure, conversation naturally arose between them. Ebizo's questions subtly probed for information about Kumogakure's recent changes, its direction, and its stance toward the world while Kurozai, equally tactful, steered the dialogue toward the upcoming negotiations. After all, both Dodai and the Third Raikage had agreed that Sunagakure was the most likely to accept the "secondary deal" specifically crafted for them, unlike the other nations that would only receive general offers.
As they walked across the dunes, Ebizo, himself a Shadow-level ninja, found it curious that Kumogakure would send envoys of Elite Jonin rank. Like Yagura in Kirigakure, he felt the strength emanating from them, yet he was less wary. If Kumogakure was truly sending such capable individuals as envoys rather than spies or infiltrators with another hidden agenda, it suggested genuine intent. Against an entire village, their hidden agendas would most likely lead to certain deaths, so it was likely that Kumogakure was here with genuine intent.
Breaking the silence, Ebizo asked, "Kumogakure has changed quite a bit these past years. Tell me, will you continue keeping your borders sealed and stay out of the ninja world's affairs? Or… are you finally preparing to make your move?"
The group glanced at one another, even young Sasori turning to look curiously at Kurozai. The Elite Jonin only smiled faintly and replied, "After our army was wiped out, the Third Raikage worked tirelessly to stabilize Kumogakure. Even in the previous wars, we never suffered such casualties. Truthfully, many within the village wanted to wage full-scale war against Konoha in revenge. But it was impossible. That moment was the darkest and hardest in Kumogakure's history."
Even Sasori, who normally showed little emotion, felt a flicker of sympathy. Sunagakure had experienced its own tragedy when its forces sent to the Land of Uzumaki were decimated. The death of even a tenth of a village's Jonin forces could cripple it for years, not to mention the countless Chunin and Genin who never returned, and the families left behind. Those who died in war usually fell gradually across battles, but this… this was annihilation. Hearing that Kumogakure had lost its entire army in one campaign, even the calm and calculating Ebizo felt a pang of empathy.
Kurozai continued, his voice measured. "But strangely enough, that disaster turned into an opportunity. The Land of Lightning flourished under the Daimyo's rule. He supported the village with new policies and business ventures, allowing us to focus on rebuilding instead of fighting. As a result, Kumogakure shifted its priorities. We reduced dangerous missions and turned our attention toward economic expansion under the Daimyo's leadership. For now, peace and prosperity matter more to us than war and territory. Though we've recovered financially and materially, rebuilding our ninja population will take time. That's why, under the Raikage and Daimyo's directive, we're keeping our borders sealed for now, focusing on growth through commerce."
He paused briefly before adding with a faint smile, "But this time, we've finally decided to step back into the wider ninja world, though in our own way. Under the Daimyo's and Raikage's vision, trade has expanded across nations to a scale unseen in history. It's not only Kumogakure that benefits; every major village has prospered from it since the end of the Second Great Ninja War."
Ebizo and his accompanying ninjas nodded in agreement. They all understood that the Land of Lightning's economic network had reshaped the world. Through Kumogakure's protection and its thriving trade routes, countless nations had gained wealth and stability. Even the impoverished Land of Wind had seen its nobles and civilians begin to prosper. The newfound flow of wealth allowed them to purchase more food and resources, softening the harshness of their desert life.
To begin with, Kumogakure's trade ventures were so extensive that the village could not handle all escort and transport missions alone. Most of their operations were concentrated in the Land of Snow and the border regions, leaving opportunities open for other nations. Thus, the Land of Lightning began contracting ninja villages across the continent, providing work and profit to all, including the Land of Wind.
For Sunagakure, this partnership had become a lifeline. Nearly forty percent of its C-rank and higher missions now came from contracts linked to the Land of Lightning's commercial network, a tremendous boon to its wealth. Of course, this was partly due to Sunagakure's lower mission volume compared to other villages, but even Konoha, with its vast size and manpower, saw about twenty percent of its mid to high-level missions originating from the same source. Though the percentage was smaller, the absolute number of missions was far greater due to Konoha's larger total number of missions and the size and population of the Land of Fire, illustrating how deeply the Land of Lightning's businesses had woven themselves into the world's economy.
Ebizo nodded thoughtfully and said, "That's true. With the Land of Lightning's enterprises spreading across the world, we've all gained from it. The number of missions has increased, and even our nobles and Daimyo now find it easier to secure resources, especially grain. Though we still depend largely on the Land of Fire for food, trade with other nations has given us alternatives. It may not be much, but having more sources of supply helps us weather shortages during conflict. Even a little relief can make a difference."
As the group continued across the sand, the wind carried their words into the horizon, symbols of a world quietly shifting from war to trade, from blades to balance sheets, without ninja villages realizing the power of it, nor understanding it, though beneath the calm, every village still watched the others carefully, waiting for the next move.