The Third Kazekage finally sighed and said, "I have one last request. If you agree to it, my disciple and I are willing to go to Konoha and work as ordinary miners."
"Let's hear it."
Shin wasn't the type to casually use genjutsu to control others, such methods were too low-class. If he could win someone over directly, that was naturally the best outcome.
"I've heard that in the past two years, with Konoha's help, Iwa has transformed much previously uncultivable land into fertile fields," the Third Kazekage said, looking at Shin with hope. "Some of that land even included desert areas."
"You really do have a fine plan worked out," Shin sneered. "Do you know what Iwa paid for that? You really think you're worth that much?"
"You misunderstand," the Third Kazekage quickly explained. "I only hope you can give Suna the same opportunity. Even if we have to pay the same price, that's fine. You say that as if Suna is still under your control. I really don't have the final say anymore. But I know Pakura, if there's an opportunity to boost her political achievements and prestige, she won't let it slip by."
"Alright, I'll agree to that much. As long as Suna offers the right terms, I've no reason to refuse, do I?"
Hearing Shin agree to his request, the Third Kazekage finally let go of his worries and expressed his willingness to hide his identity, join Konoha, and become a miner.
Not that he really had a choice, he could tell that Shin was determined to have him, never intending to give him a chance to refuse. If he truly said no, Shin would use force, and he'd end up submitting anyway.
So there was no real choice to be made.
Besides, he had already done enough for Suna. From any angle, his conscience was clear.
Rasa, standing to the side, hadn't spoken a word. Since his teacher was the one talking with Shin, he had no place to interrupt.
Still, he supported his teacher's decision. After all, mining was mining, what did it matter where you dug?
What's more, Shin's offered conditions were generous: complete the assigned tasks, and you'd get rich rewards and a comfortable life. That was far better than exhausting himself in Suna for nothing, only to be cursed at by countless people.
After their discussion was settled, Shin took the Third Kazekage and Rasa back to Konoha, where they met Tsunade.
Seeing Shin return with both of them, it was impossible for Tsunade not to be pleased.
She naturally had no objections to Shin's decision, welcomed the Third Kazekage and Rasa, and immediately began arranging their work.
So, after resting for only a single day, the Third Kazekage and Rasa were brought by Shin to a remote wilderness camp.
Recently, a group of miners had just been stationed there.
The moment the Third Kazekage arrived, he was made the camp leader, everyone was to follow his orders.
The miners were curious about this masked, mysterious new leader, but they firmly expressed their willingness to cooperate and fully support all his arrangements.
Beneath this wilderness lay untouched mineral deposits.
However, Shin had already used technology to survey the area; he knew exactly how much ore there was and in what proportions, ensuring he couldn't be deceived.
Once he saw the Third Kazekage and Rasa quickly adapt to their roles and start mining together, Shin watched for a while before leaving.
He didn't assign anyone to watch over them.
First, the cost of monitoring those two was too high, unless he sent Minato, Madara, or Kushina in her role as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, ordinary people, no matter how many, couldn't stop them if they tried to escape.
Second, his philosophy was "Don't doubt the people you use; don't use the people you doubt." To keep them more motivated to mine, he needed to show basic trust, especially since he had already intimidated them and placed a Flying Thunder God mark on them, allowing him to track them remotely at any time.
With their efficiency, it wouldn't be long before Konoha would never again face a shortage of chakra metal.
Yes, among the minerals in this deposit were raw materials for making chakra metal.
In the entire shinobi world, anything tied to the word "chakra" is inevitably connected to the Ōtsutsuki clan, or to events related to their arrival.
Chakra metal is no exception.
Originally, chakra metal was just ordinary metal. But by a twist of fate, it absorbed chakra and underwent strange changes, becoming a special metal capable of conducting chakra.
Shin had already mastered the technology for crafting forbidden techniques using chakra metal, and he had created many extraordinary things with it.
Most of these creations had never been made public, otherwise, they would cause a massive upheaval across the shinobi world.
In many of his successful experiments, chakra metal played a crucial role as a material.
However, even when synthesizing chakra metal, not all ores were equal, some had a very high conversion rate and produced extremely high-quality chakra metal, while others had a low conversion rate and yielded poor-quality products.
The metal ore Shin had the Third Kazekage and Rasa mining was precisely the kind that could be used to synthesize chakra metal.
Originally, he had planned to mine it himself if absolutely necessary. But now that the Third Kazekage and Rasa were here, he could naturally return to his research without delay.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Deep beneath the research facility, in a vast space that had been excavated, everyone stared excitedly at an enormous hemispherical ruin that had been transported there intact.
After all this time, they had finally found it, the related research could now truly begin.
"You've worked hard," Shin said sincerely.
"You've got some nerve saying that." Madara completely ignored Shin's attempt to smooth things over, "We agreed to work together on this search, but you turned into a hands-off boss and made me into free labor."
"If I hadn't run into Minato and the others later, I'd still be in the dark thanks to you. I must've been out of my mind to believe you'd actually join me in looking for this thing."
Shin gave an awkward smile and quickly tried to placate him. "This is just a matter of different roles in the revolution, right? Besides, I promised you that evolution experiment, and I wasn't about to slack off, these past six months I've been working hard on that."
"Yeah, keep talking. I'll decide whether to believe you or not," Madara said. "Minato told me all about your glorious deeds."
"Minato!" Shin instantly flared up, grabbed Minato by the collar, and squeezed his neck hard. "Didn't I tell you not to spread things around? You looking for a beating?"
"Cough, no, cough, he isn't an outsider," Minato hurriedly explained.
"Let him go." Madara immediately stepped in to defend Minato. "In the end, you're the one who lied, how is that Minato's fault?"
Hearing this, Shin froze.
Why did this scene feel so familiar?
It was just like when Tsunade had pushed him around back in the day, and Mito had stepped in to defend him, scolding Tsunade.
And now, in just half a year, Minato had already managed to... coax... charm... and win over Madara to this degree?
Looking at Minato scratching his head sheepishly and glancing at him with embarrassment, he was speechless.
So, you didn't pick up any of my good habits, but you did learn my entire repertoire for sweet-talking lonely old men?