A Crafter’s Ambition: Seeking Okane

Okane had come to the exams to see about promising new recruits to his empire only to find the exams had drawn to a mysterious standstill. Though the festivities seemed to be ongoing he had grown rather bored as of late. He had hired a private security team for the majority of the event but for the time being the seemed unnecessary. His own two guards sat at a table adjacent to himself while two men in suits stood outside watching those coming and going from the coffee shop. This was a high end hand brewed barista shop but he preferred it over the stands around town. One could taste the difference in expertise. However he was careful not to intrude too much. Though his corner was more private he had instructed his guards to let the business continue as normal. However traffic was light as the majority of their business came from shipping out their coffee brand and this particular shop was high end and expensive. At least for the common folk. A couple of people came and went as the hour dragged on as typical for the business but nothing more. He was free to enjoy his paper, half cream coffee and garlic cream cheese toasted cheese bagel. 

The table he was at was designed for two but he sat alone. Quietly and almost idly he would reach out his hand as a puppet string would lift a cube of sugar out of a bowl and lower it into his coffee. With a subtle shift of his index finger it would drag it around in a slow circle as it dissolved in the hot liquid. His guards sat with their back to a wall quietly with their own coffee in a mostly ignored state. One was a smaller man with two chinese straight swords on his hips and a black cloak and green hair. His hair clips and jewelry made him more pretty than intimidating but he had been with Okane from the beginnings in Suna. A runner for him and decently skilled with a sword. The second was a taller man with piercing blue eyes and stark white hair. He was wearing leather pants and a white beat up fur tank top with a hand crossbow at his hip. Both seeming to watch the comings and goings with hawk like eyes. Although one was using sensory. 

Okane himself had only taken a single bite of his bagel so far and was still preparing his coffee that had just arrived. Steam still rising off of it as he let it cool. They had a chocolate stick emerging from it designed to stir the sugar cubes in but he was letting it dissolve for a more mocha taste. His glowing green eyes would lift from his tanned complexion as he sat with his fitted black slacks over shined black pointed dress shoes and a white button up shirt with the top two buttons undone. A single silver ring on his right hand with the stag symbol over the symbol for Suna. He was the Sultan after all. With Ryuko looking after his affairs there he had been busy building towers first in Kiri and then in Konoha. Soon he would move onto Suna and perhaps even Iwa. He hadn't wanted to see his home in its ruined state. However he had many plans for it. Even if the so called western alliance seemed to die with Diana.

The guards would take notice of her as she entered.  First the two outside and then the two who were more than just hirelings. Of course they were under instructions not to display hostility unless necessary. However they would all visibly tense. Here purpose was clear in her gaze and pace as she made her way straight for Okane. Still the two nearby would feel unease as their hands shifted to their weapons hilts subtly. They would be ready to draw if needed. Of course Okane himself hadn't missed a single coming or going of anyone within sight of the cafe. He was always aware since his kidnapping and torture. Always watching and waiting for them to come attempt to reclaim him like some lost tool. Still he would remain poised and shift one knee over the other. His eyes flickering back to the paper as he would read a couple lines before checking to see if anyone else was with the girl with a passing scan with those shining green orbs. Still she would stop and announce herself and her reason rather abruptly. With an elaborate bow to match it. He would let his gaze shift over his paper as she continued. 

So Iwa had an engineer it would seem. One who wished to expand her horizons. To join his retinue and become the best crafter in Iwagakure. To do so she was after the blueprints for a true forge. It was true such a room drastically increased the pace with which one could produce items. At least for those who had not achieved the rank of master crafter already. He would calmly fold his paper as silence loomed. She was confident but he could see the perspiration. Hear the near desperation. If anything this was a sales pitch and she was the product. Normally he just took on skilled employees but an apprentice? He had not taken on an apprentice. Still he would smile as tensions seemed to ease from the guards. A simple hand motion like a dismissing wave would cause the two to relax and return to watching with hands off weapons. 

"Order a drink and come sit with me Ms. Rita Kotoshura. Let us talk comfortably and with more mild tones yes?"

His voice was like silk. Calm and soothing. He was more than a crafter but the greatest salesman in the world. His empire made more than nations and he had even acquired Sunagakure from Rita's last Kage. Perhaps her last act before her death. It was a pity her body was yet to be found according to his sources. He suspected however that with no body despite witness accounts she potentially were still alive. She was much to potent and clever of a woman to simply pass from heart failure. Such a convenient happenstance. Still he wouldn't voice these opinions less he offend someone from Iwa. Instead he would wait patiently as he picked up his own drink. With one pinky out he would sip at the creamy liquid before setting the cup back on its plate. If Rita would join him he would gently push the bowl of cubed sugars closer to her. She seemed like a woman who would enjoy sugar in her coffee. 

"The product is what is important. Take these coffee. Most wouldn't know the man who produces this bean is named Roberto. He is a chemist that runs a bean processing field with the utmost care and employees. Yet without knowing his name his business grows because his product speaks for itself. My products however match up to my name as there is no individual in this world who likely has not heard of me. If you wish to make something lasting it should be a name for yourself. However Ms. Kotoshura your timing is impeccable. Tell me, have you heard of the stag towers in Kirigakure and Konohagakure?" 

Okane would settle into his seat and sip his coffee as she ordered. His green eyes looking her over and admiring her form and ambition. Both beauty and brains had rarely been hand in hand on a level that could create a true forge. Short of Gyo and himself at least. There had been others but they were either dead or fallen to the plague. He would sip his coffee as he considered how at the very least their fall had led to his rise. Before he had been a part of the original three way empire of master crafters. The other two were lovers but one was murdered and the other into seclusion after. It was part of the reason that he held no real emotional connection to anyone. His empire was his alone and those under him benefited enough that they did not betray easily. Though they cycled through via death or plague he continued on. Even surviving kidnapping and torture for two years. The hidden scars under his clothing evidence of that. The only scar that still showed was a jagged scar running up from the neckline of his shirt to his jaw. A permanent mark on his otherwise flawless face.

She would settle and he would smile. His green eyes observing quietly as she spoke. She mimicked how he stirred the sugar into his coffee and he found that amusing. For him it was a simple matter of the least amount of effort needed to actually do a thing. A single finger movement to stir instead of utilizing a utensil. Efficiency was part of his whole goal. The towers were educational institutions that encouraged the growth of other crafters and provided a means for all crafting. However they served two other purposes for him. The first was that he could scout talent and have them instilled with some sense of being indebted to him for the facilities. The second was placing a flying thunder god seal in each tower. He could either retreat to in the event of the need to escape or travel to in the event of a sale to any of the major countries by the end. A merchant that was so widely available previously was unheard of. Still he would chuckle at her comment about conquering and wave a hand dismissively. He wasn't expanding anymore. What had to be claimed for his goals had been.

"I have all the resources I need now to improve the world around me. I am not a conqueror. I simply wish to provide a means to defend against those who would be. There are likely other lands that could be seized but financially I am in a better position than anyone. That said Iwagakure was already on the list to receive such a tower. My head of security is a previous Kage herself and royalty even. However she was able to negotiate on my behalf with her diplomatic skills to have a tower built. I however lack manpower at the moment. If you can build the true forge I believe you can complete this tower on my behalf. It is considered a vast base with a Laboratory, Institute of Medical Tech, and True Forge. If I provide you with the blueprints and funding, I believe you would be capable of making your home country stand on par with Kirigakure and Konohagakure technology wise. As a reward I would not only add you to our payroll but I would wish to appoint you as headmistress of the institute. Giving you access to all my companies blueprints."

Okane would settle back into his seat. This woman was an uncommon find. Some years ago he would have even said it was especially surprising from Iwa. However since the rise of Diana their technology was the only power rivaling his own left in the world. He had heard of the autonomos workforce and how efficient it was. In comparison to the rest of the world they were decades ahead. His flying technology was all that competed with it. A floating city called the Emporium now flying off the coast of his homeland. His palace as sultan of the great sands. He would return there soon after he was finished in Konoha. However a contact so aware was a valuable thing to have in Iwa. Still he would calmly smile and sip his coffee as she flattered him. Either she was a real fan or her ambition was driven by a very clever mind. He would admit before the kidnapping he would have been more excited from this. However now he was not interested in getting too close to anyone. She was capable of spreading his influence without him having to do more than provide the designs and funding. A stag tower would rise without him stepping into the country. 

It wasn't like he had anything against Iwa beyond the failure of protecting his home. How it had been someone from Iwa that had wiped Suna from the map. His father and mother falling before a policy against the elderly. Chen however was a personal grudge. He wouldn't consider it a good business policy to blame an entire nation. Even if this seemed a bit shameless. Still she was capable and useful. He would sip his coffee and let it rest against his palate. She was explaining to him the kind of power he had and he would simply let her. His mind partially on the coffee and partially on home. He would set it down as she continued. She liked to talk. Gyo talked less but he was one to enjoy the center of attention. Idly he wondered how the two crafters would get along. She would pause to sip her coffee and he would reply. The timing simple to not interrupt. 

"The old saying is give a man a fish. You know the rest. However I don't think the world benefits from just another man who can fill his belly. Teach him the best way to raise and harvest fish, how to protect the environment and not overpopulate or overfish and then how to market it and you will feed hundreds. You already have the knowledge...you just need the blueprints and resources for the fishery."

He would listen at her vision and it mostly matched up to his own. He however wanted to be prepared for war. She simply was worried about their technology being weaponized. Hoping it could be used for the good of the world over a need for killing. It was a morally high standpoint but one he didn't see as entirely a one sided need. He was a weapons merchant after all. Building his empire on swords. His creations taking just as many lives as they had improved. He didn't feel guilt over that. He simply improved the tools of war. Still it was natural to have a good sense of caution when playing with fire. She was wise to worry a little. She would roll out a couple of creations of her own but before she would continue speaking he would reach out and tap a napkin. A cone would surround them as a seal would form on the napkin from chakra ink. Almost entirely transparent but with the slightest vibrations from sounds. It was sealing sound from escaping around them. If this was an original creation prying ears wouldn't do. So now they basically had a semi private meeting where they could only hear each other. 

He would pick up one of the designs and glance it over. It was incredibly similar to the puppet armor designs he was familiar with. However such technology was already weaponized on a smaller scale. A larger puppet system would be more destructive on a larger scale. Or more capable in building. With a glance up of his emerald eyes he studied her a few seconds before returning to scan the blueprints. 

"It is an interesting concept. Very along the lines of puppet armor that exists already. However from your very own village you have a near puppet like work force I hear. One that is on a more humanoid scale but one nonetheless. If you could get your hands on that technology and combine it with this you could potentially remove hard labor from the hands of people. Support the economy in other ways so any lost jobs don't affect the population. Make food and shelter more readily available and you obtain a near utopia. As for chakra and materials, it has evidence as being both a fuel source and interacts with different materials in different ways. The most prevalent examples both come from Iwagakure. Chakra infused stone in your walls and chakra draining metal."

She would express how Iwatomics had lost a great deal of its potential when Diana perished. This did not come as a shock to him really. Most people did not consider sharing their creations willingly. However he had been on good terms with her before her demise. He had left a minor country alone at her request and some time later she had returned his country to him. Together their creations would have reshaped the world under the banner of the western alliance she had been trying to form. Eventually their technical prowess would have dominated anyone not included and left them behind like third world countries in comparison. He would pick up a biscuit and lightly dip it in his coffee while his other hand would collect another napkin. No one could listen to them now and he was rather relaxed despite the weight of the conversation. He would cradle the napkin under the coffee soaked biscuit as he would take a bite of it. Two dark droplets dripping and staining the white napkin as he had predicted. Still she would continue to share the limitations they were facing. So these creations were based on crystal release. While it would be best to find someone of the bloodline to continue the project he was confident if he was provided one of them he could reverse engineer it with steel release.

Puppetry would be ideal for more complex items of course and larger scale projects but Diana was onto something with a labor workforce that could accomplish more and without as many needs. Comfort provided to the citizens as hard labor was no longer required of them. In the desert this would be all the more beneficial as people suffered under the heat of the day and froze under the cold of night in the winter. People rarely realized that the desert could be both smoldering and a frozen wasteland. With high winds the temperatures would drop below freezing. Still he would finish the second bite of his biscuit as she acknowledged items use depended on the wielder. With the biscuit finished he would fold the napkin and set it down before sipping his coffee to wash down any crumbs. Covering up the two droplets it had absorbed. She was excited as she continued to discuss the possibilities of the two materials native to her own land she had mentioned. A smile played on his lips as he set his coffee nearly empty now back on the plate.

"Both do offer a great deal of things. If we could construct all our major important buildings with chakra infused stone it would thwart lesser terrorist attacks. As your famous walls do. Reinforcing them to withstand all but the strongest jutsu. As for chakra dampening all the uses you mentioned are wonderful. I would include that they might be used to thwart and capture more difficult opponents. Imagine a collar that could suppress chakra usage entirely. As for the populace not being left behind, general construction and hard labor could be automated while being overseen by puppeteers. They would be more knowledgeable about the capabilities and limitations of our automated puppet workforce and do on site repairs. However the populace can be redirected instead of ignored. Increased agriculture production for an abundance of food and water is something I already have designs for. With a dedicated workforce building it housing should be simple and provided instead of purchased or rented. Lowering the economic need while continuing to provide income for the affordable food that has now become abundant. Transportation could be considered as well but should for now be left to humans as it will need certain safety variables addressed. If you provide me with the two materials and any of Diana's blueprints I will put my companies resources and research and development onto converting the now stagnant creation into what it was intended for. Is that something you can accomplish?"