vstars Chapter 747 Firmly Believing
Chapter 747 Firmly Believing
Zhang Hai firmly believed that this trip to the Land of Craftsmen was imperative. In his mind, the image of a new ninja sword was gradually taking shape. It would be a sword that could embody all the essence of his swordsmanship and perfectly unleash the characteristics of his lightning-attribute chakra. He believed that when he returned from the Land of Craftsmen and obtained this new weapon, his swordsmanship would experience a qualitative leap, and even surpassing his teacher, Hatake Sakumo, would no longer be an unattainable dream.
Night deepened, and the stars twinkled. Zhang Hai concealed his aura, gazing down at the brightly lit village of Takumi below. Unlike the grandeur of Konoha, this village appeared unusually small, even smaller than some medium-sized ninja villages. A question arose in his mind: why was a ninja village that supplied weapons to the Five Great Nations so small?
He speculated that this might indicate the Land of Craftsmen itself was not very powerful. If it weren't for the checks and balances among the five great nations, this village, which made its living by forging ninja tools, would likely have been annexed by one of the major powers and ceased to exist long ago. In the ninja world, strength is the only true measure of power; without sufficient strength, even the most exquisite skills will inevitably lead to becoming a vassal of others.
Zhang Hai took out the documents Orochimaru had provided from his pocket and carefully examined them by the moonlight. The documents showed that the Land of Craftsmen was indeed a nation that made its living by forging ninja tools, supplying the Five Great Nations with various excellent and exquisite ninja tools. Due to the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War, orders from various countries surged, forcing the ninjas of the Land of Craftsmen to work day and night. Even in the dead of night, the villages remained brightly lit, with the sounds of forging echoing throughout.
He put away the documents, silently leaped down from the dense forest, and moved like a ghost towards the gates of the ninja village. As he slowly advanced, his Sharingan eyes had already perceived everything around him. The terrain, the layout of the buildings, and even the faint but palpable hostility in the air were all clearly presented in his mind.
Just as he was about to reach the village entrance, suddenly, several shurikens and kunai shot out from the darkness on both sides with a whooshing sound, aiming straight for his vital points.
Zhang Hai's lips curled into a cold smile. This level of ambush was child's play for him. Without pausing, his body swayed slightly, and his hands, like phantoms, precisely caught all the incoming projectiles. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the projectiles were sent flying back with even greater speed and force.
"Here you go." Zhang Hai's voice carried a hint of sarcasm, sounding exceptionally clear in the night.
The ninjas from the Land of Craftsmen who were lying in ambush were shocked to see their hidden weapons so easily deflected and their positions so readily known. Knowing they had been exposed, they abandoned their hiding places and rushed out of their ambush, their faces filled with fear and tension.
One of the ninjas, who appeared to be the leader, forced himself to calm his fear, stepped forward, and loudly questioned, "Which ninja village are you from?! What is your purpose in coming to our Land of Craftsmen?! Do you want to annex us?! Let me tell you! Although our Land of Craftsmen is weak, we will never submit! We would rather die than surrender!" His voice trembled slightly, but his tone was unusually firm, clearly indicating that he was prepared for a desperate fight.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai immediately understood. It seemed the ninjas of the Land of Craftsmen were filled with hostility and suspicion towards him, and even mistook him for a ninja sent by some powerful nation to annex them. A thought struck him: considering the superior quality of the Land of Craftsmen's ninja tools, and given the current state of war, all factions were eager for excellent ninja equipment. He deduced that he might not be the first "uninvited guest" to arrive; the Land of Craftsmen, during this time of war, was bound to be coveted by various factions.
Seeing Zhang Hai lost in thought, completely ignoring him, the leading ninja's expression shifted several times. He glanced back at his terrified comrades, a pang of sorrow flashing through his heart—the helplessness of a small nation was starkly evident. However, this sorrow was quickly replaced by a ruthless determination. He knew that even if it meant death, he would make this ninja of unknown origin pay the price! A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he prepared to give the order to attack.
Zhang Hai noticed the renewed hostility in the other person's eyes. He had little interest in this cowardly and wary ninja, and besides, he wasn't here to cause trouble, nor did he want to waste his time here.
Without uttering a word, he casually tossed a heavy box onto the ground with a dull thud. The ninjas from the Land of Crafts, who were preparing to attack, were startled by the sudden sound and stopped what they were doing, watching warily at the box on the ground and Zhang Hai standing in front of it.
Seeing that Zhang Hai meant no harm and had even dropped a box, the lead ninja relaxed his guard slightly. He cautiously asked, "What's in the box?"
Zhang Hai didn't answer, but simply gestured with his chin towards the box, indicating that he should open it. A ninja stepped forward and carefully opened the box. When he saw what was inside, his eyes widened instantly, and he exclaimed, "Money...it's money! So much money!"
Inside the box, stacks of banknotes were neatly arranged, conservatively estimated to be at least tens of millions. The surrounding ninja from the Land of Craftsmen, upon hearing it was money, craned their necks, their eyes filled with shock and greed.
Upon seeing the large sum of money, the lead ninja's heart stirred, and his tense nerves relaxed considerably. He immediately understood Zhang Hai's purpose, and a look of sudden realization appeared on his face: "You're... here to order weapons?"
Zhang Hai shrugged, confirming the leading ninja's guess. He didn't say anything more, just gestured with his eyes.
The lead ninja immediately realized he had misunderstood Zhang Hai, and his hostility vanished instantly. He turned around and shouted to the still tense ninjas behind him, "Put away your weapons! He's not an enemy, he's a guest!"
The surrounding ninjas breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing their leader's words. They sheathed their weapons and returned to the shadows to continue their lurking. Although they had relaxed their guard, their vigilance remained.
"I'm sorry, sir. We misunderstood." The leading ninja said to Zhang Hai somewhat awkwardly, and then led him into the village.
Zhang Hai followed the lead ninja into the village, only to find that the scene was completely different from the bustling place he had imagined. The streets were dimly lit, with only a few lights, making it appear unusually desolate and quiet, comparable to the dilapidated state of Amegakure in his memory. He was puzzled; logically, the Land of Craftsmen, which traded with major nations annually and provided such exquisite ninja tools, should have been quite wealthy.