Konoha 47 years, mid-January.

The weather was not clear, but the milky white sky was much brighter than the snowy sky.

In the cold and frozen forest, there are no birds flying high, there are no lush vegetation, and there are only three or three footprints on the snow-covered ground, which proves that someone is active here.

Then, in the silence of the forest, there was a sudden sound of gunfire tearing through the air.

The bullet pierced through the center of the target hanging from the tree and penetrated deep into the tree behind the target, where a deep hole the size of a peanut could be clearly seen.

Bullets pierced through hard trees so deep that you can imagine what would happen if they hit a flesh-and-blood human body.

"It seems that the marksmanship has been practiced very well, and with the white eyes of the Hyuga clan, even in a complex environment, it can accurately hit the enemy's body."

Asuka said in a good mood as he watched Aya Chiba use a short flintlock pistol.

Because it was a rest day, he rarely didn't go to work in his workshop, but took advantage of the New Year's atmosphere to spend as much time as possible with his family.

Kazuhime also nodded on the side, compared to the rest of the people, with white eyes, no matter what the environment, can capture the enemy's movement trajectory, greatly reducing the difficulty of use.

"Yes, yes, but I think the range of the bullet is a little shorter."

Aya frowned, though she also felt that the flintlock pistol was very helpful for ninjas in battle, especially if they were taken by surprise and could quickly kill their enemies.

But for him with white eyes, such a range is still a little too close.

"The effective range is already more than 40 meters, and under normal circumstances, no ninjutsu can reach this level."

Asuka explained.

Because of the space that can be operated, or because of the current technology, the effective range of the flintlock pistol can only be adjusted to the limit distance of 40 meters.

In fact, when it exceeds 30 meters, the bullet will deviate from its original trajectory, but the angle of the deviation cannot be detected without careful observation, so Asuka thinks that it is not a big problem.

At least it's much better than a bulky, low-range weapon like the kunai.

"In other words, can't you adjust the longer range? Brother Asuka? ”

Cai asked.

"Well, because there is very little room for flintlock pistols to operate, and there are no breakthroughs in technology and materials today, although there is an intention to mass production, it is not possible at the moment. But ......"

Asuka took a serious look at Cai, smiled and said: "Your words can also be a reminder, what you said is right, if it is an ordinary ninja, the range of this distance is enough, but for the Hyuga clan, such a short range is indeed a problem." ”

Yiji, who was on the side, also pondered for a while, and quickly understood the key.

"It's because the effective observation distance of the white eye can reach more than two kilometers. If the effective range of the gun's bullets is increased to more than two kilometers, then the ninja of the Hyuga clan with white eyes can snipe the enemy from a safe area without touching the enemy. ”

Because the white eye can see through all obstacles and accurately capture the enemy's position.

No matter how complex the environment is, it cannot affect the play of the white eye, unless it is a targeted technique to confuse the insight ability of the white eye.

In this way, the idea of color is actually very suitable for the characteristics of white eyes.

Adult Hyuga ninjas, with a white-eyed observation distance, start with a base of two kilometers. Powerful like Ayane, the effective observation distance can reach more than ten kilometers, and all the grass and trees cannot escape.

"What you said is the ideal situation, the progress of technology, not overnight, but in the usual accumulation and experimentation. Moreover, every time the range of one meter is broken, it takes a lot of effort, and the requirements for bullets will be higher. Even if it is possible to increase the capacity of the firearm, it will take a long time to operate. ”

Asuka looked at Kazuhime speechlessly.

How can such a thing be said to exist?

"How to improve the convenience of weapons, that's the job of your researchers, and it has nothing to do with me. I just need to use this to fight and take out the enemies. ”

As for Asuka's complaints, Ichihime ignored them at all.

Asuka sighed, still the same personality as before.

"Anyway, I'll give it a try. Alright, it's almost time, let's go back. ”

Kazuhime and Aya did not object, and nodded in agreement.

……

"Yo, the eldest lady and the little master are back. It's really hard to go out. ”

When I entered the courtyard, I saw Thunder Ming Maru, who looked like a watchdog, lying on his own turf basking in the sun, while eating snacks he had rummaged through the house.

Coming back from the country of waves, it's basically lazy to eat and do here every day, after all, there is no special war in the country of ghosts now, and he, a combat clone, is useless. Moreover, cultivation or something, this kind of thing is completely unnecessary, and the 'system' that exists in them themselves does not have the ability to cultivate.

Therefore, life is very leisurely.

After seeing the three of them come back, they immediately said hello.

This sentence made Asuka unable to complain.

Obviously, he is the eldest brother, why is he called 'little master'.

And as a younger sister, Ichime is called 'Miss'.

Asuka felt that Thunder Ming Maru was really becoming more and more like a loyal dog wagging his tail at his master.

The distinction is also too serious.

"By the way, my father asked the eldest lady to go to his study, it seems that there was a little accident in the country of waves."

Thunder Pill remembered something and said to Kazuhime.

"The Land of Waves?"

Kazuhime frowned and thought about it for a while, still not knowing what changes had taken place in the pattern of the country of waves.

"I see, then I'll go first."

Yiji quickly left the group, entered the villa building, and walked all the way to the study on the second floor.

In front of the door of the study, Yiji knocked on the door first, and soon there was a sound of "come in" from inside. Kazuhime unscrewed the doorknob and pushed open the door into the study.

The study room has a large space, with no less than 100,000 books placed here, and there is also an office area.

On the desk, there are more important confidential files, which are placed in different categories.

"Old man, are you looking for me?"

After Kazuhime came in, he asked straight to the point.

Shiraishi, who was sitting in an office chair, was looking out the window at the scenery, and only after Ichihime opened his mouth did he turn his head to look at her.

"Yes, there is a little situation in the country of waves, although it is not very important, but I will tell you about it, so that you can be mentally prepared."

Shiraishi spoke.

"What's the situation? The merchant alliance of the isolated island has been eradicated, and the remnants of the party are also not leaked to be caught back, and go to the construction site to work and reform, I don't think the current country of fire dares to do anything excessive. ”

Kazuhime said based on her own guesses.

"This time is different from the past, a year ago, the third generation of Hokage secretly took the head of the upper ninja squad Nara Shikahisa and paid a private visit to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. We don't know what the conversation was about, but the decision to cooperate was made at that time. Moreover, among Konoha, there is Shimura Danzo, the leader of the hard-line faction who is more difficult to deal with than the three generations, and with our side and the Land of Thunder pressing forward step by step, it is inevitable that the Land of Fire will change another attitude to contact us. ”

Shiraishi said.

Although it is impossible to believe that the third generation Hokage has such a strong day, however, the strong turn of the Fire Nation was originally a possibility in the alternative.

Unlike the three generations of Hokage apes, the Daimyo of the Fire Country, the leader of the roots, Shimura Danzo, are all ambitious factions.

If these two people completely agree to the tough plan with the outside world, then the three generations of Hokage will inevitably compromise the decision of these two in order to consider the balance between the country and Konoha.

Political things are originally about constant compromise between the two sides, and then to run in with each other.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire, the Sape Flying Sun, and the Shimura Tunzo, all three of them have been friends since childhood, and they know each other well, so if they are completely united, it will also be a troublesome matter.

The most important thing is that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire is not like the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, and he is not subject to the handle of the Oni Country at all, and like an old fox, he wraps himself tightly and does not give the Oni Country a chance to infiltrate.

It is basically impossible to break up the cooperative alliance of the three from within.

"The informant in Konoha Village, can't he contain the footsteps of the three generations of Hokage?"

"Let's not say that this can't be done, even if it can be done, now is not the time for them to stand in front of the stage."

Shiraishi shook his head.

"So, what's going on in the Land of Waves?"

"The branch of the workers' and people's cooperatives opened in the country of Wave was seized by the soldiers of the Daimyo Mansion of the country of Wave just this morning. The reason is that it is to damage the national defense and security of the country of Poland. ”

“……”

Wave country defense?

Is there really such a thing as defense in that country?

The people of their own country know very well, the Daimyo's Mansion, which even pirates can't solve, where can it be used as a force for national defense?

Isn't this talking nonsense with your eyes open?

Yiji was slightly speechless.

"Although the workers' cooperatives are only a grassroots creation, the response among the people of Poland is very good, and it has also helped many poor families in the country of Poland to survive this difficult winter...... In addition, I bought a lot of workers before. Is this mess like this, is the country of waves planning to push all its own people to our side? ”

Kazuhime said with a frown.

She could predict that the workers' and people's cooperatives would be shut down, and the voices of the people of the country of Wave would definitely be boiling.

It doesn't affect a few thousand people, it's thousands of families.

For a small country like the country of waves, the public opinion of thousands of families united was enough for the daimyo to eat a pot, and if the situation was not controlled, it could easily cause a revolt among the workers and peasants.

Originally, in order to fight against pirates, the country of waves lost a lot of young and middle-aged people, and taxes also increased year by year, but the income of workers and peasants did not increase year by year.

This also led to the poverty of the Land of Waves.

It made the country of Wave, which was not rich, even more impoverished.

It was not easy to get by through the workers' cooperatives, but now they have been seized by the government soldiers of the Daimyo's Mansion and have been squeezed for so long, it is strange that they don't get up and struggle.

"It's hard to say behind this that it's not the Daimyo of the Fire Nation who is instructing."

"I don't think the Fire Nation Daimyo is that stupid."

Kazuhime said.

Although the Daimyo of the Fire Nation is very greedy in dealing with the affairs of the isolated island, and intends to swallow it for himself and not give the rest of the country a chance, it also proves that the Fire Nation is capable of smoothing out the subsequent impact. It was only the Oni Country that intervened sideways and co-opted the rest of the great powers to make the Fire Country's plan fail.

Being able to dominate such a huge country, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire would not be unaware of the consequences of the closure of the workers' cooperatives.

"It's because there's a plan to start it. Either in the territory of the country of waves, or in the ......"

"Land of Rain!"

Kazuhime said these three words instead of Shiraishi, and his face became solemn.

Such a reckless suppression of the influence of the Oni Country in the middle of the continent can only show that the Daimyo of the Fire Country has the next step.

Although the Land of Waves and the Land of Rain are located in different locations, they are actually the same in nature.

The Land of Fire and the Land of Demons both intervened.

On the one hand, it is troubled, and on the other hand, it is bound to be greatly affected.

"According to the report of the wandering shrine maiden in the territory of the Oni no Kuni, I have not noticed any unusual movement of the ninja troops of the Daimyo Mansion. This is also a matter of course, after all, behind the scenes, the group is hiding in the lead, arranging the chess game in the dark, he is a veteran, and he will definitely not let us easily detect the traces of his moves. Just like when he and Orochimaru calculated Hanzo in Yuyin Village. ”

Shiraishi took a sip of tea.

"Knowing that there is about to be a big operation in the Fire Country, aren't you in a hurry, old man?"

Seeing that Shiraishi was still drinking tea leisurely, Ichihime asked.

"It's not just me who is anxious, don't forget, the country in the northeast corner is also anxious."

Shiraishi laughed.

Kazuhime nodded, indeed, it is not the country of ghosts that is targeting the country of fire, the country of thunder, which is located in the northeast of the ninja world, is more urgent to suppress the country of fire than the country of ghosts.

The traditional five great powers fought fiercely with each other, even more so than the battle between the country of ghosts and the country of fire.

"Since this has happened, I will return to the country of waves now, and I will deal with this matter as soon as possible."

Kazuhime said.

"There's no problem going back, but, right now, there's no need for you to show up. We can't help them all the time, everything has to be self-reliant, otherwise, it's spoiling! In the end, what was cultivated was just a group of wasted people. ”

Shiraishi looked directly into Kazuhime's eyes.

Kazuhime was stunned for a moment, and then understood something.

"It's true that although it's not good for the country of ghosts at the moment, it's also an opportunity."

With the help of the seizure of the workers' cooperatives, it may be possible to make the resentment of the people of the country of waves boil again.

After all, there is a very important seed buried there, and the sprout has already grown in the soil, and now it is just about to break through the soil and blossom and bear fruit.

◎

"This group of bastard soldiers from the Daimyo Mansion is really ruthless!"

The Land of Waves, the Dazna Family.

Dazna was now sitting on a straw mat with his waist straight, and the only thing in the room was the oven for heating, but most of the room was still cold.

He took off his clothes, and his waist was already bruised, obviously injured by someone.

Her daughter, Tsunami, was taking out the medicated wine and wiping his wound with a cotton ball, causing Dazna to hiss.

"Tsunami, you rub it slowly, this old bone is about to fall apart."

"It's not that Dad, what kind of majesty are you going to do, you are a lot of age, how can you still be like a young man and go to the famous house to make trouble. Isn't this a search for sin? ”

Tsunami glared at her father angrily and blamed him for going to the mansion of the daimyo family to make trouble.

Is that where civilians can go?

Since ancient times, the people do not fight with business, and business does not fight with officials.

Even the merchants can't fight them, and going to the door of the daimyo's house to make trouble is purely an act of looking for death.

"I don't want to ...... But the daimyo did too much this time, so he didn't talk about the factory, and this time he also stopped running the workers' cooperative opened in the country of ghosts, which was the bottom line for many workers to live. Now that this bottom line is gone, it is natural to go to the famous family and reason with those big masters. ”

Dazna smiled wryly.

With the workers' cooperative, although the construction of the factory was stopped, the family could barely make a good living.

You don't have to work hard to go out to sea to fish, if you encounter a robber attack, then you really don't have to say it.

Strange to say, however, in the last month or two, there have been no rumors of pirate attacks on the coastal areas.

However, fishing in the country of waves is still a dangerous thing.

can have a stable source of livelihood, who would want to do that kind of dangerous thing, the fish caught, from the businessman who picks the door, can not exchange a few dollars.

What they lack is the necessities of life more than money.

Salt seasonings, brown rice flour, and a stove for winter clothes.

The workers' cooperatives can exchange very low labor for these living materials, so that they can keep them fed and warm in life.

This is also why, the workers' cooperative, which has been in operation for less than two months, has such great appeal.

At first, they were just workers, but later many farmers joined in.

That's a favor that the daimyo can't give them, and the so-called cannibalism has a short mouth and a short hand, so it is natural to help the citizen cooperative to go to the daimyo to judge.

No matter how much you squeeze them, you can't deprive them of the right to survive.

If you are deprived of this, then everyone will get together and go to confront the daimyo and reason.

As a lord's daimyo, it's impossible not to even explain the truth.

If one person can't do it, a thousand people will always make a difference.

"Even if you go to sue the official, Dad, don't be a bird. We can't be a match for those officials. ”

Tsunami whispered.

In this world, there are not only ninjas, but also powerful daimyo and nobles.

Although the prosecution is a 'fair' appeal path for civilians, the person who sues the official will also be executed.

In the past, there were aristocrats who bullied men and women among the people, and some people went to the daimyo to complain.

In order to show his virtue, the daimyo disposed of the nobleman who bullied men and women, and later executed the commoners who sued the official.

The country of waves is a traditional country, and no class can be crossed casually.

Once crossed, it's a dead end.

This is also the reason why Tsunami is worried.

Even if the reason is explained to the Daimyo's house, the execution of Dazna afterwards is also the responsibility and obligation of the commoner to sue his superiors.

Dazna is the only pillar of the family now, and she doesn't know what Dazna will do, leaving her orphans and widows behind, and she doesn't know how to survive.

Dazna fell silent as well.

He understands the truth, but they always have to survive.

When the factory was closed, they only had resentment in their hearts, but they didn't dare to attack, because they didn't reach the bottom line and could barely survive.

However, this time, even the citizens' cooperatives were seized, and all the materials were forcibly expropriated, and the daimyo was managed in a unified manner. This is equivalent to confiscation and misappropriation by the daimyo.

There is a certain problem with even survival, and if you endure it any longer, who knows if the daimyo will go even more too far next time.

Every year, only a small part of the hard-earned grain is handed over for self-consumption.

The total population of the daimyo and nobles was less than one percent of theirs, but they enjoyed more than half of the country's food...... The food they hand in in a year can be enough for these people for more than ten years. However, why is it that more and more grain is handed over every year, and there is no decrease, and can these people really eat so much food?

Why did the daimyo and nobles collect food that could never be eaten.

Why would they rather hoard grain in warehouses and rot than distribute it to them?

The grain was originally made by them with hard work.

The Shiori Flower Chamber of Commerce in the Land of Oni helped them, but as a result, the factory was forced to stop construction, and the workers' cooperatives, which could exchange cheap labor or money for daily necessities, were also closed down by the daimyos.

But if their own officials and merchants have a little conscience, they will not turn against their own country for the sake of the merchants of other countries.

So, Dazner doesn't think he's done anything wrong.

But he still didn't understand why he handed over the grain, and the daimyo and nobles were still not satisfied, and continued to squeeze their right to survive in different ways.

"Is Dazner at home?"

At the door, there was the shouting of people.

Dazna heard who the voice was about.

"It's Kic, Tsunami, you go open the door."

Dazna lowered his clothes and blocked the wound on his lower back.

Tsunami nodded and walked out of the room to open the door.

After a while, led by Tsunami, Kiki arrived at Dazna's room.

With fishing nets and other salvage equipment in his hand, Dazna was surprised and asked, "Kiki, what are you doing here?" ”

Kage replied: "Of course, I'm out to fish, and if I continue to sit here and eat nothing, I guess I'll have to tighten my belt next month." Not only that, but this year's tax seems to have risen by another 10%, so it's better to work more now, otherwise if you can't make it up by then, you will probably have to go to jail. ”

“……”

Dazna opened his mouth, speechless.

With the arrival of the Aster Flower Chamber, it was not easy to improve the standard of living, but as a result, it was time to return to the fishing industry, which was more bitter and tiring, and there was a risk to life.

"Taxes have risen again, who are you listening to?"

Dazna asked.

"The leaflets have been distributed, can the family crest of the famous family be fake? This group of nobles is really a bunch of greedy vampires. It would be nice if Miss Kazuhime were here. ”

Kiki pulled a flyer out of his arms and placed it in Dazner's hand.

Dazna looked at the contents of the flyer, as well as the family crest of the Daimyo family of the country of Wave at the bottom, which was indeed from the official country of Wave.

Dazna sighed as well and stood up from the straw mat.

"It seems that now is not the time to rest. Then I'll go along, I hope this old bone can still have some effect. Tsunami, you're at home looking after the house. ”

"Daddy, your body ......"

"Don't worry, it's out of the way. Let's go, Kiki. Compared to the daimyo and nobles, I suddenly thought pirates were much cuter. ”

"Well, it's just you, the old friends are already one step ahead."

Kich nodded, leading the way ahead.

Tsunami looked at the backs of the two leaving, and could only silently pray for a safe journey.