bioinnovel Chapter 165 Kakashi's mask is removed
Chapter 165 Kakashi's mask is removed
Inside the royal council chamber, the heavy atmosphere was almost suffocating.
The long, dark wooden table was packed with civil and military officials, while the foreign minister held a scroll in his hand.
He stood solemnly in the hall, his voice breaking the silence: "Reporting to the Great Lord, news suddenly came from the Land of Fire today that the price of grain exported to our country has increased by a full 50%."
The moment the words were spoken, the council chamber erupted in chaos.
An elderly minister with white hair on the left suddenly stood up, slamming his fingers heavily on the table: "What?! Food prices have increased by 50%? Has the Land of Fire gone mad? They are the main food exporter in the ninja world. With such a drastic price increase, what will the people of the Land of Water eat in the winter?"
The Finance Minister frowned, his abacus clicking rapidly. "Yes," he said, "our Land of Water has many islands, and our arable land is limited. Every year, we have to import 30% of our grain from the Land of Fire. With this price increase, how much will the national treasury's expenditures increase?"
His face grew increasingly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Another minister offered a compromise suggestion: "Why don't we send an envoy to negotiate first? See if we can get the Land of Fire to lower the rate of increase, even if it's reduced to 20%, we can barely accept it."
Someone immediately retorted, "Negotiation is probably useless! The Land of Fire has always been assertive. This sudden price increase must have been premeditated; they won't give in easily."
The ministers each held their own opinions, and discussions rose and fell.
Food is a matter of vital importance to people's livelihoods, and a shortage of food could very likely trigger unrest.
Princess Sara looked at Uchiha Mitsumine, who was seated in the main seat, waiting for him to make a decision.
Uchiha Mitsunori tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips, his expression calm as still water.
Once the ministers' discussions had subsided, he slowly spoke: "Please calm down, everyone. The Land of Fire has been plagued by war in recent years, and just last month it paid 820 billion taels in reparations to its neighbor. Its domestic finances are severely strained, so it's normal for them to try to fill the gap by raising grain prices."
Upon hearing the lord's words, the ministers fell silent.
Uchiha Mitsunori's gaze swept over everyone, his tone calm: "It's mid-September now. In another half month, our southern rice and northern wheat will ripen one after another, and the harvest season will begin in October. According to this year's harvest forecast, the new grain is enough to cover short-term demand, and the impact of the price increase in the Land of Fire will not be too great."
Upon hearing this, the ministers' anxiety gradually faded.
They forgot that in recent years, under the leadership of the Three Peaks, the Land of Water has made great efforts to improve agricultural technology, and grain production has already increased significantly compared to previous years.
"Then how should we respond? We can't just let the Land of Fire make exorbitant demands, can we?" the Foreign Minister pressed.
"First, refuse to import the high-priced food from the Land of Fire. At the same time, draft a protest document to lodge a strong protest with the Land of Fire, accusing them of disrupting the trade order between the two countries."
Uchiha Mitsunori said firmly, "At the same time, issue a warning, saying that I will personally go to the Land of Fire in a while and have a proper talk with them in person."
His words carried an undeniable authority, and the ministers nodded in agreement, instantly restoring order to the previously tense council chamber.
The Foreign Minister immediately bowed: "Understood, I will draft a protest document right away and make sure it is delivered to the Fire Country embassy today."
After the meeting concluded, the ministers left one after another.
Sanfeng remained alone in the council hall, handling the remaining official business until it was completely dark.
He returned to his palace, but instead of resting immediately, he closed his eyes and slowly activated his Mangekyou Sharingan.
Within the scarlet pupils, black patterns swirled continuously, and the power of the Eye Technique: Divine Eye quietly spread, covering the entire Land of Water.
His gaze, like invisible wings, swept across the mountains, rivers, towns, and villages of the Water Kingdom, carefully observing every movement.
Only after confirming that the border was safe and the people's lives were normal, with no abnormal chakra fluctuations, did they feel somewhat relieved.
Finally, his gaze inadvertently drifted towards the direction of New Konoha Village, landing on Kakashi's house.
Through his divine eye, he could clearly see that Nohara Rin was wearing an apron and busy in the kitchen.
She skillfully chopped the vegetables, the soup simmering in the pot steaming, and the air seemed to be filled with the aroma of food.
Kakashi stood at the kitchen door, still looking lazy, but his eyes were always following Nohara Rin.
His mask was unusually pulled down to his chin, and a faint smile played on his lips.
When Nohara Rin needed to reach for the condiments on the high shelf, he would naturally reach out to help. Their fingers would occasionally touch, then quickly separate, with the shyness unique to young people.
Watching this scene, Uchiha Mitsunori smiled with a mixture of helplessness and relief, thinking to himself, "As expected, it's like a mountain for a man to pursue a woman, but a thin veil for a woman to pursue a man! Back then, Kakashi hesitated for so long when faced with Nohara Rin's feelings, but now that Nohara Rin has taken the initiative to approach him, he has quickly let down his guard."
After the meal, Nohara Rin cleared the dishes and was about to take them to the kitchen to wash them.
Kakashi, however, took the dishes first: "Let me do it. You've been busy all day, take a break."
His movements were slightly clumsy, and he didn't care that water splashed onto his sleeves.
Nohara Rin stood to the side, watching him wash the dishes diligently, her eyes filled with tenderness.
She quietly stepped forward and helped him roll up his sleeves, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his wrist.
They both paused for a moment, then looked at each other and smiled, a faint sweetness filling the air.
After tidying up the kitchen, the two sat on the tatami mat in the living room, and the moonlight from outside shone through the paper door and fell on them.
Rin Nohara asked softly, "Kakashi, how have you been these past five years?"
Kakashi's eyes darkened for a moment, then returned to calm. He reached up and touched his headband: "It's alright, it's just that I sometimes think of you and Obito."
Nohara Rin stood quietly in front of him, a faint smile on her lips.
She slowly approached Kakashi, the distance between them growing ever closer until they could feel each other's breath.
She gently touched his mask with her fingers, wanting to remove it: "Now that I'm back, I'll always be by your side, and we'll never be apart again."
Kakashi's ear tips turned slightly red as he reached out and gently took her hand.
His palms were large and warm, completely enveloping Nohara Rin's small hands.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still, and the whole world consisted of only the two of them, their breaths and heartbeats intertwined.
"Kakashi... I want to see... the real you behind the mask..."
Rin Nohara's face quickly approached Kakashi, and her small hand gently lifted his black mask.
As Kakashi's mask was removed, just like a bride having her red veil lifted, the two of them felt their hearts beat faster and faster!
In a certain place, Obito Uchiha felt a sudden pain in his heart, as if he had lost something important.