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  While he'd been ready to accept reasonable taxes that might—inveniehe vilgers, this sed suggestion struck a nerve.

  Anything that could improve Sunagakure's ces, he'd support.

  "So, what other brilliant ideas do you have?"

  The Thirty-Two, mostly bat-oriented Shinobi, werely skilled administrators. They exged gnces. Finally, one spoke.

  "We could implement a Building Maintenance Fee."

  "A Building Maintenance Fee?" This unfamiliar term made Baki pause. "Expin."

  "The average lifespan of a Sunagakure house is—fifty years. But due to various factors—erosion, substandard materials, faulty struany bee uhiy, even ten years. We standardize iions, based on age and type. Identify and address safety hazards. This—requires funding."

  "To echo Konoha's for the vilgers' well-being, we need a Building Maintenance Fee to—eheir safety."

  "So…?" Baki frowned. "Most houses in Sunagakure are self-built, aren't they?"

  "Exactly! That's why we he Kazekage Tuidao oversee the repairs."

  "And the money?"

  "From the vilgers, of course. But a rge, oime fee could be—problematic. We frame it as a subsidy. The Kazekage Tower is c most of the costs. They're only paying a small—maintenance fee."

  "And we establish a vilge-owned stru pany. No more self-built houses. The Building Maintenance Fee will be included in the purchase price."

  "What if repairs are actually needed?"

  "Shinobi use jutsu. That doesn't oney."

  "What if the vilgers refuse to pay and hire indepe tractors?"

  "We'll make it illegal. We're doing this for their own good. What if those—unscrupulous tractors cut ers and the houses colpse? The Kazekage Tower would be bmed."

  Baki leased.

  Who said warriors couldn't govern?

  The Thirty-Two were proving to be quite resourceful.

  The problems pguing the Kazekage Tower were solved.

  Increase taxes, introduew ones, raise prices, implement tolls — the military budget would swell.

  Though this might push the vilgers' expenses past the 3,300 ryō limit—it didn't matter.

  For Sunagakure's future, for its domihey had to—make sacrifices.

  And Baki had a solution.

  Every male child, regardless of aptitude, would be enrolled in the Shinobi Academy.

  He'd tell them: Sunagakure is the greatest vilge! Everywhere else is a barren wastend.

  Perspective was everything. Ohey uood how harsh the outside world was, they wouldn't pin about Sunagakure's hardships.

  And as the vilgers'—expectations lowered, the Kazekage Tower's ine would increase.

  This was a long-term strategy.

  Baki repared. He'd be Sunagakure's—shadowy Kazekage.

  "Enough about—taxes. What about—Konoha's request for a—ter-terrorism pn?"

  Kumogakure and Kirigakure were—another matter. Konoha still held siderable sway over Sunagakure.

  Baki was ambitious, but he knew—he had to appease Konoha.

  He had to earrust and vihem that Sunagakure was—on their side. Until he was strong enough to—challehem.

  The Hokage had sent a letter, demanding a crete pn.

  This was troublesome. Bandits, Missing-nin, they hadn't affected his rule. They were even useful.

  But he had to—py the game.

  "We've identified several underground exges within the Land of Wind. We —elimihem," one elder suggested.

  "That's—not enough." Baki shook his head. He'd learned from the—Kusagakure i. Konoha wouldn't be easily fooled.

  He had to be more ving.

  Sasori of the Red Sand, Sunagakure's most wanted missing-nin, was currently—an ally.

  He couldn't betray him.

  And Yasuke and Kosaka Kaoru—they were—imprisoned.

  "Is there—a suitable target? Someone whose capture—wouldn't be too difficult, someone—impressive enough for—a public dispy?"

  "There is." An elder poio a name on the Missing-nin List. "A Jonin Puppet Master!"

  "Who's that?" Baki frowned.

  "He defected—fourteen years ago, during the Sed Shinobi World War. He took—several secret jutsu and the—Puppet Brigade. The Anbu have been pursuing him ever since."

  "We've located his hideout."

  "Where?"

  "Rōran." A city on Sunagakure's western border, once closely tied to the Land of Wind, like Konoha and Uzushiogakure.

  However, uhe Sed Kazekage, Sunagakure had shifted its focus to military expansion. They'd set their sights on Rōran's—dragon vein, hoping to harness its power for their neonized puppets.

  Rōran, fearing Sunagakure's ambitions, had sent emissaries to Uzushiogakure, seeking prote.

  The Uzumaki, masters of sealing jutsu, had sealed the dragon vein, thwarting the Sed Kazekage's pns.

  Ehe Kazekage had ordered an atta Rōran. But the city's ruler had close ties to the Land of Wind's Daimyo. The attack ostponed.

  The people of Rōran, however, weren't taking any ces. They'd erected a massive wall, sealing themselves off from the outside world.

  Those who'd once prospered by trading dragon vein resources were noed, their wealth—useless.

  They waited, hoping for Uzushiogakure's intervention.

  Years passed. They remained isoted.

  And now the Land of Wind's Daimyo, captivated by Rōran's—female leadership, had—grown impatient. Perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, he'd order Sunagakure to—attack.

  "Rōran? He's hiding there?"

  Rōran was a one-way trip. Onside, esg Sunagakure's blockade was impossible.

  "A Jonin-level missing-nin, pursued for ten years—a suitable for Konoha. We'll invite Advisojo to—participate in the—apprehensioion. And we'll send this letter to Temari."

  Baki knew—he had to make a graure.

  He couldn't just—abandon Rasa's daughter.

  He had to—maintain appearances!!!

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