Konoha's Tatsuya

Half a month later, in a small village on the northern border of the Land of Fire, Tatsuya, wearing a conical straw hat, and Pakura walked through the settlement.

This village was located near the northern border of the Land of Fire, not far from where Konoha and Kumogakure were engaged in battle. To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, both Tatsuya and Pakura had disguised themselves as wandering ninja.

"With Konoha and Kumo locked in fierce combat, are you sure you don't need to hurry back?" Pakura asked, her eyes scanning the dilapidated village.

"I'm just a lowly chunin. Taking some time off to recover from injuries sustained during a mission is perfectly normal," Tatsuya replied calmly, glancing at the deserted village.

Since Jiraiya and Orochimaru had led a large number of Konoha's elite ninja to the northern border to provide support a month ago, Kumogakure and Konoha's forces had been locked in a stalemate along the border of the Land of Fire.

The two sides fought back and forth, but neither had gained a clear advantage. Jiraiya and Orochimaru, both Sannin, possessed strength that placed them at the pinnacle of the ninja world. The young Killer B of the Eight-Tails and Yugito Nii of the Two-Tails were no match for them.

However, because Kumogakure had launched the surprise attack and the battlefield was within the Land of Fire, Kumogakure held the initiative, forcing Konoha's ninja army into a defensive position.

Both sides had their strengths, which had led to the current stalemate. The dilapidated state of the small village where Tatsuya and Pakura currently were was a direct result of the war. The entire village was almost empty, with all the residents having fled.

After spending several days recovering from his injuries on the western border of the Land of Fire, Tatsuya and Pakura had hurried here without stopping.

Hearing Tatsuya's words, Pakura smiled slightly. "A lowly chunin? Konoha's chunin are certainly something else!"

"Heh, you're wrong! The most fearsome ones in Konoha are the genin!" Tatsuya couldn't help but think of the meme from the original story about never provoking Konoha's genin, and a smile spread across his face.

Speaking of recent events, there's Might Duy, who, in the Third Great Ninja War, kicked the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist so hard they became the Auspicious Three Treasures, he was a genin for over twenty years.

"Konoha's genin?" Pakura looked at Tatsuya, puzzled.

Tatsuya chuckled. "You'll understand eventually!"

Pakura, seeing his response, didn't press the issue. Instead, she changed the subject. "What exactly are you planning to do in the Land of Rice Fields?"

After Tatsuya had recovered from his injuries, he'd taken her towards the Land of Rice Fields, but he hadn't revealed his specific intentions to Pakura. Throughout their journey, the disheartened Pakura hadn't asked many questions. However, now that they were on the northern border of the Land of Fire, about to enter the Land of Rice Fields, she wanted to know his plans so she could prepare.

Tatsuya stopped walking and turned to face Pakura, his expression serious. "I intend to establish a power base in the Land of Rice Fields, and I want you to help me manage it."

Pakura's face registered shock. "You want to establish a ninja village?"

Establishing a ninja village was no easy feat. It required a large number of personnel and significant funds. Pakura didn't believe that the two of them alone could create a ninja village.

Tatsuya shook his head. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a ninja village, but it's a possibility if the conditions are right."

Pakura's expression became grave. "What exactly are you planning? Are you planning to betray Konoha?"

Tatsuya's gaze slowly swept over the deserted village. "This ninja world is a dangerous place. I just want to do everything I can to protect the people and things I care about."

Pakura's gaze also turned to the nearby houses, and she said in a low voice, "Your Akimichi clan is a noble clan of Konoha. Such dangers shouldn't befall you."

Tatsuya replied, "You can never be too sure about these things. Who knows, maybe one day Konoha itself will be destroyed."

Pakura fell silent. Although Konoha had weakened slightly in recent years, its strength still placed it at the top of the Five Great Ninja Villages. It would be impossible to defeat them without gathering the strength of several major villages. And given the tangled web of interests between the major villages, such a scenario was highly unlikely.

Although Pakura didn't understand, she could genuinely feel the concern and determination in Tatsuya's heart. Was there truly a force capable of wiping out Konoha?

After that, the two didn't say much more and continued on their way.

Crossing the border of the Land of Fire, Tatsuya and Pakura quickly entered the Land of Rice Fields.

The Land of Rice Fields was a small country bordering the Land of Fire. It did not have its own ninja village, nor were there any significant ninja forces within its borders. In the original story, after Orochimaru left the Akatsuki, he came to the Land of Rice Fields and bribed its daimyo to establish Otogakure, the Village Hidden in Sound. After the establishment of Otogakure, the Land of Rice Fields became Orochimaru's main base.

In Tatsuya's original plan, he hadn't intended to establish his own power base so soon. However, after unexpectedly rescuing Pakura during this mission, the idea had sprung to mind.

Based on his interactions with her during this time, as well as her portrayal in the original story, Tatsuya had formed a general understanding of Pakura's character and abilities. At this point, Pakura harbored a strong desire for revenge against the higher-ups of Sunagakure who had persecuted her. She needed to rely on Tatsuya's strength to exact her revenge.

Coupled with the fact that he had saved her life, Tatsuya was confident that he could entrust this matter to her. With Pakura's strength, managing a small-scale ninja force in the early stages would be more than enough.

As for choosing the Land of Rice Fields as the foundation for their power base, there were three reasons.

First, the Land of Rice Fields was a small country with no other powerful ninja forces within its borders. It had a very low profile in the ninja world. Placing Pakura and the others here would allow them to avoid attention and scrutiny. At the same time, without interference from other powerful forces, the initial development of their power base would be much smoother.

The second reason was that, with Otogakure from the original story as a reference, Tatsuya was relatively familiar with the situation in the Land of Rice Fields. It would be easier to recruit talent and expand their influence. At the very least, they wouldn't be stepping on any landmines!

The third reason was that Tatsuya had connections in the Land of Rice Fields, and he planned to start his money-making scheme there.

Building a ninja force was impossible without a large amount of capital. In the Land of Rice Fields, Tatsuya had a contact: Yoshida Jin, the wealthiest man in the country, whom he had once saved. When Tatsuya had rescued Yoshida Jin, he had used the Fujinhoin to improve his health.

At the time, Tatsuya had only done it as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to build a positive relationship. He hadn't expected it to have such unexpected results. Under the influence of the Disease Sealing Technique, Yoshida Jin's physique had not only improved, but his stamina and prowess in ahem "matters of love" had also increased significantly.

This kind of thing was incredibly appealing to a wealthy man like Yoshida Jin. Therefore, after the mission was completed and Tatsuya had returned to Konoha, Yoshida Jin had repeatedly sent messengers to Konoha, wanting to further his contact with Tatsuya.

Tatsuya had never refused these overtures, and now he was heading to the Land of Rice Fields to ask for Yoshida Jin's help. With a local powerhouse like Yoshida Jin on their side, Pakura and the others would have a much easier time gaining a foothold in the Land of Rice Fields. Moreover, Tatsuya's money-making plan also revolved around Yoshida Jin.