"If you don't mind, just call me Ashina without any honorifics. That way, we won't seem like strangers." Without bringing up the matter of repayment again, Ashina shifted the topic.
"Ashina."
Ashina beamed with a dazzling smile.
Putting aside any sincerity, both men actually had their own calculations. Shin, while presenting himself as someone who gave without expecting anything in return, was thinking: Once the war ends, and you are the sole ruler of a nation and loaded with wealth, wouldn't it be reasonable for you to give me a nice gift worth billions as thanks?
Meanwhile, Ashina was thinking: Now that we are family, it's only fair you help me with even more dedication, right?
"Now, to the second gift..."
After saying this, Shin took out another storage scroll, from which he retrieved a strange device that looked like a hat and another spherical device about the size of a millstone.
"What's this?" Yuuichi asked with curiosity.
"This hat is a sensory amplifier, and this large sphere is a sensory receiver. Because an individual's ability has its limits, I won't be on the front lines. After much thought, I realized the best way I can help is by gathering intelligence for you. But even though my sensory ability is incredible, I can't perceive the entirety of the Land of Whirlpools, nor can I keep my sensory powers active all the time. So, I'll create many long-lasting shadow clones, each equipped with a sensory amplifier, and have them hide in designated locations."
"The sensory amplifiers can transmit signals to each other, and all the intel they gather will be sent back to the sensory receiver. This way, I'll be able to sense the entire territory of the Land of Whirlpools. I'll stay in this secret chamber to receive the intel in real time and pass it on to you as needed."
He didn't explain too much, he only introduced the basic functions. After all, the principles were too complicated for others to understand. But just this functionality alone was enough to excite anyone.
"Really?" Ashina asked with great excitement.
Intel!
Wars were won by intelligence. With timely and accurate intel, they might actually be able to win a war that seemed completely unequal. The Uzumaki clan had a secret technique called Mind's Eye of the Kagura. When activated, a ninja could detect anomalies within its range even with their eyes closed.
If they locked onto specific chakra signatures, they could precisely locate and track targets, including enemy numbers, characteristics, and movement speed. In dangerous situations, they could also hide their own chakra or use it to determine if others were lying.
In short, this secret technique was extremely useful on the battlefield. But to sense the entire Land of Whirlpools? That was nothing short of a fantasy.
So the gift was incredibly precious.
"Absolutely true," Shin nodded with a smile.
Ashina and the other two elders started breathing heavily. If the Uzumaki clan could survive this desperate crisis, it wouldn't be unreasonable to follow Shin's lead from then on.
"And this is the third gift," Shin produced another device, a radio with a headset and signal receiver. He was a bit speechless at how the tech tree in the shinobi world had been so oddly skewed.
All technological devices seemed to exist independently, without any coherent system, truly bizarre.
"This is a radio?"
"Yes, and it's a modified one. The signal is extremely stable, and with the sensory amplifiers spread across the Land of Whirlpools, it enables real-time communication throughout the entire nation."
Another bombshell.
The shinobi world already had radios, but their limited range severely hampered their use. A radio that enabled real-time communication across the entire Land of Whirlpools... With intel gathered via the sensory network and orders transmitted instantly via radio... This war could truly be winnable!
The so-called allied shinobi forces were nothing but a loose, disorganized group. Once they entered the Land of Whirlpools, they'd fight separately, and might even turn on each other over plunder.
If everything was managed properly, they could win.
The way Ashina and the others looked at Shin completely changed. This man was bringing them hope.
"But I do have a few conditions."
"Speak freely," Ashina pounded his chest in assurance.
Such weighty gifts, if the other party asked for nothing, it would actually feel burdensome. Having some conditions made him feel more at ease. As long as the demands weren't excessive, he would definitely agree.
"The first request: Everything about me must be kept strictly confidential. Whether now or in the future, aside from the three of you, no one else can know."
"This is a golden opportunity to make a name for yourself in the shinobi world…" Ashina tried to persuade him.
Shin shook his head.
"Alright then," Everyone has their own aspirations. Ashina respected Shin's decision.
"The second request: I want Tsunade to become truly renowned. When the time comes, she will enter the battlefield to heal the wounded, and she'll also participate in combat. I hope you'll give her the title of commander. Of course, she won't actually be in charge. The real command center will still be here, with you, the elders, and me. But the credit must go to her. During this time, you must do everything you can to promote her reputation. It's fine even if everyone ends up believing it was Tsunade alone who turned the tide of war."
"That's easy," Ashina agreed without hesitation.
He had lived over sixty years and saw many things clearly. Reputation was just an empty title. Compared to the survival of a nation, what did it matter? Besides, they actually feared attracting too much attention.
If credit fell on the wrong person, it could bring disaster. In fact, aside from Tsunade, no one else could shoulder that burden.
"The third request, and the last one. But first, let me tell you somethin: Konoha won't be sending any help. In fact, they're stationing troops at the border, waiting for a chance to invade and seize all the resources and wealth the Land of Whirlpools has built up over the years."
"What?" Ashina shot up in disbelief, staring at Shin. "That's how Hiruzen repays decades of alliance and sacrifice?"
He was so furious he nearly had a stroke on the spot.
"Tsunade, is what Shin said true?" The words were so outrageous that he had to double-check with her.
"I'm sorry, but it's true," Tsunade sighed.
This time, it wasn't just speculation from Shin. It came straight from Torifu, who had personally attended the meeting.
"A great ally, what a great ally!" Ashina paced furiously in the secret room, his gaze icy cold, he looked like he wanted to tear Hiruzen to pieces. Just thinking of all the years of dedication and service to Konoha, always answering their call even at the age of nearly seventy, he felt like all his goodwill had been fed to the dogs.
A bunch of ungrateful traitors!
After a long time, he finally suppressed his rage and asked, "What's your final request?"
"My final request is this: after the war ends, no matter how Hiruzen tries to repair the relationship, you must not agree. On the contrary, you should give him a reputation he can never shake off. And you must declare openly that only if Tsunade becomes Hokage will the Land of Whirlpools consider mending ties with Konoha."
"Agreed," Ashina nodded firmly. "Even if you hadn't asked, I was planning to do that anyway. He deserves it!"
None of the three demands were unreasonable, in fact, they were easy to fulfill. As for using public opinion to boost Tsunade's rise to Hokage? That was exactly what he hoped to see.
It was a clear-cut win-win.
After receiving the supplies, he immediately turned to Yuuichi and said, "Go and deliver the full payment for these supplies right away. Shin has helped us this much, we absolutely must not make things difficult for him. He still has to arrange for people to buy materials and ramp up production. The funding must arrive immediately."
"Understood!"
While waiting for the money to arrive, Shin asked, "How is the current situation in the Land of Whirlpools? What are the major ninja villages up to?"