Hashirama and Tobirama were running inventory over the massive amount of food that the Mitsugo had delivered into their midst. Food that would change everything if they were to get this every year for a hundred years.
They would be able to expand the village in such a way that had never been possible before. The food could feed many thousands more people, many thousands more villagers and ninjas. What was more, it was land that was theirs in the first place instead of land that the Daimyo controlled. After all the Daimyo was weak at this point in time and the village of Konoha wielded much more power than it otherwise would have, them being the military force that was keeping the Land of Fire intact after all.
The land itself had been in question and with the Konoha ninjas claiming it with the intention to turning it over to the Daimyo, only to be given an offer that said otherwise… well, they made the only intelligent option they had. Or rather Tobirama had made the decision, Hashirama wanted to do this properly and turn over the land to the Daimyo but Tobirama had overruled him. Pulling on his heartstrings for his own people, he had said that if they wanted for the village to be prosperous and to live without worry, he would need to accept the deal.
Without an abundant supply of food, it was clear that Konoha would be forced into wars to protect what food they had, or to secure food for themselves. The first was more likely given how much arable land that the Land of Fire possessed, a percentage of the total production being earmarked for the Village itself. However, in the case of an attack in which there would likely be many, they were all going to suffer immensely. The village was isolated and any supply lines to it had to go through territory that was far too large to have Ninja constantly protecting it without cutting their own combat strength by a drastic margin, leaving them far too vulnerable as it was.
If the food supply was cut, there was not enough food left inside the village and the surrounding farm lands to sustain the population that would eventually fill the village. Many tens of thousands of people.
All of them needing food.
Food in short, was going to be a large factor in the future wars that would occur. They without wanted, they who had would protect. It would devolve into numerous little conflicts and until it could be settled, there would be not peace.
Tobirama understood this even if his brother did not.
Something had to be done about the Rice Nation as it was called. Attacking them was foolish, they didn't have the technical know-how to farm their own crops and in subjugating them, it would do nothing but engender the possibility of a revolt. On the other hand, it was clear that the Rice Nation would only become more powerful, more dominant in the political and economic spheres if this continue, their ability to produce absurd amounts of food would make them a coveted trading partner and an alliance partner.
Being able to cut off food supplies to an enemy sieged nation? Then they were going to fold sooner or later. The advantages of being friends with the food producers of the continent would have its benefits.
Tobirama wasn't an idiot, he would do what was necessary even if Hashirama did not.
As to what it was that he would do was something that he had to consider.
It was blatantly obvious that he needed some way to pull the Mitsugo onto their side, failing that, a way for them to worm their way into their confidence that friendly relations could be achieved. From there anything was possible, Konoha was not built in a day after all… or rather it had, but the buildings came later.
For Tobirama this was something that made far too much sense to him. He needed a way to get into the Rice Nation, and he also had a clan who was looking to be increasingly… different. They did not believe in the Will of Fire, rather for them, it was all about their own power. The Uchiha needed… to be dealt with. But he wouldn't fight them, in doing so he would only create a situation where they would be back to Senju fighting against Uchiha.
Perhaps he would be able to convince a few of the Uchiha, a few of the Senju and other clans to send across a few of their members to establish branch families in the Rice Nation?
It could be seen as a way for them to diversify their powerbase, while also for them to influence Konoha in such a way that was more familial than political, while also diffusing the tension that was beginning to increase over time.
What was more, it would allow for the Uchiha to leave the Village if they ever felt like they had to restart the conflict instead of actually fighting. Meaning that the Village would be saved from the widespread bloodshed that was imminent if the Uchiha decided that they no longer wished to be part of the village.
By sending the Senju across, he would be keeping an eye on them while also diversifying their bloodlines. The Rice Nation was powerful, supremely so in their ninja who were all descendants of the original villages, all of them related in some way, their production of triplets a well known phenomenon. The fact of the matter being that they did not need to have bloodlines like that of other villages who relied on having bloodlines or extreme training in order to gain individual power. Instead, they relied on superior numbers and coordination despite their inferior jutsu.
The Konoha bloodlines were valuable, the Senju he knew were extremely robust and powerful, the Uchiha with their eyes and the many other clans that existed. By sending branch members to the Rice Nation, he would be protecting them, the Rice Nation had no interest in them if their actions in all previous conflicts were any indication. Rather they would protect them as it would be an insult on their own abilities if they did not. The Rice Nation was neutral ground in all senses of the word, ready to defend that with brutal force.
At the same time, the Rice Nation would not tolerate intrusions into its borders, so that in the event of Konoha being destroyed, there would still be survivors to carry on their clan. Yes, it was a move that he felt he could get Hashirama to rally behind, he would just need to… couch it in such a way that he didn't trip up his brother's alarms. He was far too protective of the village and if he knew Tobirama was looking for a way to "soft" exile the Uchiha, then he would not be very happy with him.
He knew Tobirama's opinions on the matter but so far he had done nothing so that was considered to be an issue that could be dealt with at a later date.
Still, he would need to act and he needed to do it soon. Those of the other hidden villages would be moving on their own. Only an idiot would see the rising power of the Rice Nation and willingly let it go for whatever reason.
No.
He needed to get into their good graces now before the deluge of others.
First, there would need to be a few delegates, permission to settle Branch families, negotiating what would happen to children in the event of a mixed birth, what would happen in times of an invasion, safety, sovereignty protocols and more.
The children were of a particular interest.
They of the Mitsugo clan were of a completely different chakra to that of other ninjas. It was bewildering and he considered that perhaps their children would be able to utilize both kinds of chakra.
Only the problem was that if they took custody, they would not be able to teach the children anything, the difference in chakra was something that was insurmountable. What worked with one, did not work with the other. He had seen that with their scrolls, they used a completely different technique, and… well, that was another avenue that he would need to pursue.
If he used the language that would say that the Uchiha would be there as long term spies to gain an understanding of the various techniques that the Mitsugo used, and then if they were able to secure a line of Mitsugo children for themselves, well they would be able to replicate the feats that the Mitsugo were able to achieve with their own fields.
It was something to consider, something very important if he had anything to say about it.
A way to justify the sending of the Uchiha in one hand, a way to help deal with the Uchiha in the other.
They could not afford to send off all the Uchiha right now, what with the continent still bubbling away, ready to erupt into war at any moment. But in the future when there was peace perhaps they would be able to do so.
Yes, this was a perfectly valid plan and he could see nothing which might be wrong with it.
Mitsue Uchiha was… an Uchiha.
It was rather obvious really… the whole Uchiha thing.
Still…
She was being exiled. It was being couched in really nice words like "exploring new possibilities" and whatever jargon the elders wanted to throw at her, but she knew what was happening.
She was being exiled for being too… rebellious. Or whatever it was that they were blaming on her this time.
Fuck the elders! Fuck them all!
She and a what looked like 9 others were being sent to the Rice Nation to be part of the Uchiha Branch Family. They already had a compound in Rice City, which was their capital. It was a small country to the north of the Land of Fire and she didn't understand at all why it was that the Uchiha were being sent out.
Sure she understood their mission, try to learn all of the jutsu that the Mitsugo clan used, but to send a permanent branch family over?
Just what was so special about these guys that needed what looked like to be the Uchiha and the other clans? She unlike the others didn't hate the Senju, she was too young when it all ended and she had been raised with the idea of village cooperation in mind, no she directed all of her hate to her own elders.
Fuck them all.
Old bastards.
The Senju were sending across what looked like 10 members, the Uzumaki were sending 10, the Hyuga were sending 10 members, and what looked like a bunch of minor clans. Just what was it about the Rice Nation, or the Land of Rice that was so important that they would risk this many bloodlines?
Or rather what was it about the Land of Rice that made the clan leaders so willing to send across their own bloodlines? Weren't they afraid of what would happen if they were captured and the bloodlines taken from them?
The women could be used to breed more ninjas, the same with the men.
It was all a threat and that they would be willing to send their own out spoke of just how much trust there was in the Land of Rice in the first place.
Mitsue had nothing but her own conjecture here, but she was sure that once she settled down, she would be given a missive that would have a very important mission that probably amounted to making babies with a member of the Mitsugo clan.
Yes.
Because that was how things worked here wasn't it?
Mitsue sighed, she was going to be a broodmare or something and dammit she was going to do it anyway since she was loyal to the clan and not those old codgers who were probably senile at this point.
They were all waiting here for the Rice Nation escorts to arrive. Konoha's own ninjas would be taking them to the border before leaving them behind. The proper border that was, not Area 51's border.
Mitsue was restlessly looking around as the time of rendezvous came closer and closer and the Mitsugo hadn't shown themselves.
Only to be shocked out of her mind when they did show up right in front of her. What looked to be 36 ninja, all of them armed to the teeth. All of them were wearing what looked to be blank white masks that had no eyeholes in them.
How were they supposed to breathe with those on? A question for the ages.
"Konoha delegation?" Asked on of them.
"Yes, we are." Said one of the Senju.
"Good. Follow." And they were off again…
This was going to be fun.
Following the boring ninja… yay.