"..."
Samui, who had still been in a state of shock, became a little helpless again when she heard this.
Having worked in Konoha for so long, and with Yugito's constant snarky remarks, they were already familiar with some of the new Hokage's peculiar tastes.
So, in order to satisfy him, she responded in the way Yugito had once mentioned that could catch Aoba's interest.
After letting out a long sigh, she gritted her teeth, bent forward slightly with an expression of humiliation, deliberately revealing her exaggerated cleavage, looking as if she were clenching her teeth in frustration.
"As long as Lord Aoba is willing to spare the civilians of Kumogakure…"
"I-I'm willing to do anything."
No matter what, Kumogakure was their hometown. No matter what, she had to do her part.
"Me too!"
Beside her, Mabui, who had just come back to her senses, also bent forward. Only her attitude was very sincere, not like Samui's forced cooperation.
It felt rather bland.
'No, wait!'
Aoba shook his head and snapped out of his daze.
He had said these words to no small number of people before, but this was the first time he had met someone as cooperative as Samui.
For a moment, he did not know whether he should continue along her line of thought and stage some plot about an incompetent ninja village, or an incompetent Raikage, or something like that.
From a certain point of view, Samui really was someone he had taken from Kumogakure and the Fourth Raikage… no, dug up from there.
Honestly, it fit the plot pretty well.
"Ahem!"
At this moment, Shizune, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, could not stand it anymore and gave a very dissatisfied light cough.
Aoba immediately came back to his senses. He exchanged an awkward glance with Shizune, then cast another deep look toward the second highest peak in the ninja world.
He had almost gotten lost in the mountains.
"Alright. This war is aimed at the Land of Grass. Kumogakure will be dealt with later. As for how it will be handled specifically, that will depend on your sincerity."
"Sincerity?"
Samui froze slightly. With her head lowered the whole time, all she could see in front of her was a mass of white, unable to see the ground at all.
As a ninja, she naturally sensed Aoba's gaze just now.
'This so called sincerity… could it be this?'
She glanced again at Mabui, who looked as if she were still out of the loop, a little dazed.
Mabui was still thinking about what sincerity meant. In her view, both she and Samui were already in Aoba's pocket. It was only a matter of time. Sincerity definitely would not be them.
Aoba probably wanted them to do something.
Samui hesitated for a while, but only for a short while, before she made up her mind.
Since that day would come sooner or later anyway, if it could save so many civilians of Kumogakure, then at least it could be considered fulfilling her own value.
"I understand. I will let Lord Aoba see my sincerity," Samui said this with a resolute expression.
Then she pulled Mabui, who was still thinking about how to show their sincerity, and left the Hokage's office.
With Shizune still in the office, it was obviously not a suitable time. She could only find another opportunity in the future to show her sincerity.
"Hm?", Seeing how decisively she left, Aoba was instead completely confused. He looked at Shizune and asked in puzzlement, "Shizune-nee, do you think Samui misunderstood something?"
"Heh! I don't think there's any misunderstanding at all. You scumbag."
Shizune sneered as she walked up to Aoba, very displeased as she reached out and pinched his cheek, "What? You're that impatient to take Samui down already? And using this kind of threatening method, too?"
Actually threatening other girls right in front of her, his official girlfriend. This was really too much.
Even if she was usually good tempered and easygoing, she was really angry now.
"Shizune-nee, you misunderstood."
Aoba felt both amused and helpless. He did like threatening people, but he had never threatened anyone into doing that kind of thing for him, alright.
"I just hope that in the future, the affairs of Kumogakure can be handed over to them, so they can properly persuade the civilians there to work for us."
"Those willing to behave can stay and grow cotton. Those unwilling can be sent to meet the Sage of Six Paths. Whether the land ends up drenched in blood or not will naturally depend entirely on the sincerity of the two of them." [T/N: Brooo!]
"Really?"
"Really! Really!"
He spoke with deep sincerity, and coupled with that aggrieved, innocent expression, it even made Shizune believe him a little.
Of course, she would not fully believe it. After all, there was no way this guy had no interest in Samui, that mini version of Tsunade.
But her attention was drawn to something else now, and she asked curiously, "Why is it cotton they're growing? Is Kumogakure suitable for growing cotton?"
"Mm… it's just an example. Besides growing cotton, they could grow other things too. Anyway, in the future, the people of Kumogakure will also be Konoha's labor force. It just so happens that Samui can supervise them. That should also reduce some trouble."
'Mm, letting Samui, one of their own people, supervise the other people. That is very reasonable.'
Aoba felt that it would be even more appropriate if he swapped Samui's weapon for a whip later on.
"I see," Shizune accepted Aoba's explanation and temporarily let go of his cheek, which was already starting to hurt, "Then let's get to work. There's still quite a lot left to handle today."
"Alright…"
Since the news of the Land of Snow's declaration of war had not yet come in, Aoba did not make this matter public for the time being. The afternoon passed amid routine work.
It was only when work ended that Aoba briefly mentioned this matter to Konan and Uchiha Mikoto.
Aside from being a little surprised when she first heard it, Uchiha Mikoto did not show any other reaction.
After all, it was just a Grass Ninja Village. Although Sasuke would also be participating in this operation, with Aoba around, there was no way Sasuke would be allowed to fall into danger.
Konan, on the other hand, seemed a little absent minded.
But after Aoba talked her through it, she quickly accepted it as well.
Although making the Grass Ninja Village the primary target did indeed carry a bit of personal emotion.
From the perspective of the bigger picture, however, only through unification could the chaos of constant warfare among the major ninja villages, which had continued since the Warring States period, truly be brought to an end.
Konan hated war, but she longed for peace even more.
Aoba had already laid out the blueprint of the future in front of her. The war at hand was also an unavoidable path toward peace.
———
After returning home, Aoba originally wanted to tell Karin about this matter first, but he did not see her, so he went straight next door and knocked on the door of Karin's house.
"Aoba-nii!"
The next moment, the door opened, and Karin, wearing only a pair of shorts and a small tank top in the middle of winter, rushed out and hugged him directly.
Seeing this, Aoba quickly picked her up, carried her inside, and closed the door.
Then he rubbed her face and scolded her with slight dissatisfaction.
"Seriously, going out dressed like this in such cold weather. Aren't you afraid of the cold?"
Although chakra had some effect in resisting the cold, it could not completely isolate temperature.
If it was cold, it was still cold.
"Hehe! It's not cold at all. It's nice and warm."
Although it was a scolding, Karin instead squinted her eyes, looking very pleased.
'Why does this feel like a reward instead?'
Aoba could not help tugging at the corner of his mouth, and his hands used a bit more strength.
"Ow~"
Karin immediately showed a pained, aggrieved expression.
Seeing this, Aoba let her off, patted her head, and said, "Be serious. I'm looking for you and Auntie Kasui about something important."
"Something important? But Mom went shopping with Kushina-nee today and hasn't come back yet."
Karin froze for a moment, then seemed to think of something, "Oh right, Aoba-nii, I was just trying on some new clothes. Wait a moment, I'll put them on and show you."
Without waiting for his answer, she turned around and ran into the room.
Aoba felt a bit helpless, but since Uzumaki Kasui had not come back yet either, it was not very urgent. He walked over and sat down on the sofa to wait.
.
.
.
"Aoba-nii!"
Not long after, Karin appeared again.
Only the clothes she was wearing were not new.
Instead, her slightly closed legs were wrapped in black thigh high stockings, whose color and texture seemed a bit different from before.
They gleamed faintly, and at the top of the stockings, the flesh of her thighs sank in slightly, forming a tight ring of pressed skin.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.