~/ Enjoy!!
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“Three hundred… what?!”
Homura Mitokado’s face darkened, his breathing being bored. “Repeat that. How much cash did you say it was?”
“Three hundred million ryō. I firmed it personally, with my other eye.”
Kakashi pced his hand on his headband, emphasizing his seriousness.
Danzo Shimura’s eyes narrowed, drawing a sidelong gnce from Minato Namikaze.
[A mert from the Land of Lightning brings three hundred million ryō in cash to i in Konoha-]
Although this three hundred million ryō wouldn't immediately bee Konoha's wealth, it would, in the words frequently used by Gojo Kaigetsu, “promote a positive eic cycle, expand domestic demand, and stimute ption!”
This was undoubtedly a good start.
It could absolutely be used as a prime example for publicity, attrag more fn iment to develop Konohagakure.
“Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving… Let me personally meet this mert from the Land of Lightning.”
“e, e, let’s go together~”
The Hokage’s office, which had been bustling with people just moments ago, instantly became empty.
Of course, before leaving, Minato assigned a new mission to his beloved student, Kakashi:
“Kakashi, I have a new mission for you.”
“Fourth Hokage-sama, please instruct me.”
“Ahem.”
Minato feigned seriousness. “Someone has reported that Advisojo has embezzled funds belonging to the publishing house. Now, as the Hokage, I order you to secretly iigate this matter.”
“Submit your iigatio within three w days.”
Kakashi: “?”
He instinctively poi himself, his gaze dartiween Gojo Kaigetsu’s retreating figure and Minato.
‘Eh? I’m iigating Gojo-sama?’
‘Is this part of some eborate pn?’
However, his ninja discipline kicked in, aood at attention. “Yes, Hokage-sama!”
…
…
Kobori Taiten nervously observed the people before him.
There was a young man with spiky blond hair in a ceremonial robe… He khis one was Minato Namikaze.
There was a strange man ed in bandages, eyeing him with suspi… He didn’t know who this one was.
And there proachable, handsome man with his eyes covered by a bck cloth and white hair, greeting him warmly…
But as a mert, he possessed a clever mind uhe muscle-headed Kumogakure ninjas, uanding that his sensitive identity as a “ninja tool shop owner” had probably caught the attention of Konoha’s higher-ups.
Danzo Shimura was the first to voice his suspis.
He tried his best to make his expression appear less intimidating:
“I ask you, why do you possess the title deed to a property in Konoha? You reside in the Land of Lightning. How did you obtain the deed to a shop in our ercial district?”
Kobori Taiten hastily expined:
“It’s like this, esteemed sirs. I have a cousin euchi, who runs a ramen shop in Konoha.”
“I asked him to purchase the property for me a long time ago.”
Teuchi?
Gojo Kaigetsu couldn’t help but take a closer look at the thick-browed man before him. He hadn’t expected such a e.
“Ah, so you’re Teuchi-ojisan’s retive? I frequently eat at Ichiraku Ramen. The food is delicious.”
So that’s how it was…
Danzo Shimura nodded slightly. Ichiraku Ramen was a loablished shop in Konoha; its authenticity couldn’t be questioned.
He then asked:
“You’ve e to Konoha to tinue operating a ninja tool shop?”
“Why? While Kumogakure isn’t as prosperous as Konoha, it’s the vilge you’ve always lived in.”
“Well…”
Kobori Taiteated. Gojo Kaigetsu sensed his apprehension:
“Don’t worry, today’s versation won’t be leaked. Even if it were…”
“On my name, Gojo Kaigetsu, I guarantee your safety!”
With that, Gojo Kaigetsu waved his hand.
Specialized clerical staff immediately stepped forward, prepared to record Kobori Taiten’s words, which would be preserved as crucial data.
Perhaps, iure, it would bee a quote in “Iki” attributed to an “anonymous fn mert.”
Kobori Taiten gratefully g the man with the bck cloth, no longer holding back. In front of the four Konoha higher-ups, he began to pin about the unreasonable practices in Kumogakure.
“…Cases weren’t accepted!”
“The Raikage didn’t value us merts at all…”
“…That Raikage advisor cimed they wao learn from the excellent policies proposed by Elder Mitokado of Konoha. I think it was all lies!”
Suddenly mentioning Homura Mitokado’s name caused the elder’s face to darken even further.
He couldn’t escape being associated with bad news, eve had nothing to do with him.
“Of course, I retly heard about the positive business enviro in Konoha, which is why I decided to relocate my ninja tool shop here.”
Gojo Kaigetsu enced him. “Oh? Business enviro? Tell me more.”
“Eh? Don’t you know? That magazine called ‘Iki’ is published by your Land of Fire’s publishing house, isn’t it?”
Kobori Taiten quickly pulled out a copy of “Iki” from his bag, pointing at the cover.
“I believe that the sce of a hidden vilge be seen iitudes of its weakest members towards life.”
“If even the most ordinary vilgers are so kind, then the political enviro and the ninja of that vilge must also be good…”
Kobori Taiten tinued with a string of praises for Konoha.
While it undoubtedly tained elements of pledging allegiance, Gojo Kaigetsu found it incredibly refreshing.
How simple and hohese people of the shinobi world were, untouched by the icism of publitellectuals, believing everything they heard.
He listened, nodding in agreement:
“Indeed, you’re right. That’s our Konoha. It’s civilized and enlightened. Does Kumogakure have such a level of civility?”
Kobori Taiten was bewildered.
Meanwhile, Konoha’s higher-ups were already aced to Gojo Kaigetsu’s etric pronous.
The joys and sorrows of ninjas did not resoh each other.
On one side, the reformists, led by Gojo Kaigetsu, were engaged in a jovial versation with the fn mert, Kobori Taiten. Oher side, the servatives, represented by Danzo Shimura, were plunged into deep silence.
Shameful, utterly shameful!
Even with Danzo’s stubbornness, he couldn’t find any justifiable grounds to criticize Gojo Kaigetsu’s as of bribing fn nobles.
Just one mert had already returned a signifit portion of the iment.
At this moment, Danzo only wished he hadn’t spoken so loudly in the Hokage Tower earlier.
He shot Gojo Kaigetsu a deep look. This time, Gojo had won.
“Homura, let’s go.” Danzo turo leave; remaining in this situation would only bring further humiliation.
Homura Mitokado quickly followed. “Danzo, are we just going to let this go?”
“Even if we aowledge his success in this matter, what about the ninja headband issue?”
“We ot ge the traditions of our aors. I will never wear that new headband.”
Danzo turned his head, his eyes fixated on his old friend. Behind them, it was as if they both had an invisible queue:
“The Uchiha ’s movements have bee increasingly frequent. We should focus our attention on that.”
“As fojo Kaigetsu…”
“Let’s ignore him for now.”
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To Be tinued...
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