The man explained to Shimura Danzo what "going all-in" meant.
Listening, Danzo grasped it and then repeated the man's line: "Going all-in is a kind of wisdom?"
After mulling it over carefully, he still couldn't fully understand the line's deeper meaning.
But for some reason it sounded so damn right.
"Young man, if you have a great goal, you'll have to strive for it countless times, but the chance will appear only once or twice."
"Seize it and go all-in once. You're young. Even if you lose, it's no big deal. At worst, start over."
"Go big and wrap it up early."
They all chimed in at once.
It was textbook motivational talk.
In truth, it was pyramid-scheme patter.
The speculators in the room could spout such lines without thinking.
It was just boasting anyway.
What was there to fear in boasting?
If someone believed it and actually made a fortune, they could use it as future bragging rights and might even reap unexpected benefits.
If someone lost everything, it wasn't their money.
Suckers like that deserved to lose.
"Well said, brother!"
"The young should press forward. If you aren't hot-blooded when you're young, what kind of youth are you?"
"Exactly."
Their voices were jubilant.
The room quickly heated up, full of giddy energy. Everyone was making money.
People are social animals, truly. Only in society can they stand on their own. In such an atmosphere, Danzo was quickly infected by the mood. Hearing the rousing slogans, his overheated brain began to daydream.
"Three hundred thousand ryō, earned so easily in a single night."
"If it were ten million, that would be three million. If a hundred million, that would be thirty million."
"Making money is as simple as breathing."
A surge of regret welled up. Thirty million ryō. If he kept doing missions like before, he might not earn that in ten years.
But it was only fantasy. He couldn't be mad enough to pour in that much on his first try at something unfamiliar, and it wasn't even his own money. It belonged to his clan and to the village. If he made money, everyone would cheer. If he lost, he'd be in serious trouble.
Danzo shook his head to fling away the messy thoughts, but the idea of adding to his position and going all-in had already taken root.
The happy time for boasting passed in a blink.
It was nearly noon.
He wanted to stay, but had to go. It was almost time to meet Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Still, he had no intention of telling Hiruzen about the three hundred thousand he had made on tulips.
"I'll work and make money in secret, then amaze everyone."
"Let Hiruzen regret it alone."
Thinking this, he couldn't help humming, a smile curling his lips, as he hurried to the meeting spot.
"Danzo, how did you do on the morning tasks?"
As soon as they met, Hiruzen asked about the procurement. Danzo had spent all morning drinking tea and boasting at the exchange, so he fobbed him off. "Uh, same as before. A bunch of profiteers. It's normal."
"Is that so…"
Hiruzen was taken aback. Danzo looked energized and elated, nothing like someone who had failed to close a deal. Not a single agreement and you're this happy. Strange.
"What are you staring at me for, Hiruzen? Come on, let's eat."
"Busy all morning, I'm exhausted. Lunch is on me today."
"Why didn't you say so sooner? Let's go."
Danzo didn't want to be tangled up in questions, so he used his secret weapon of treating to a meal. It worked perfectly.
At this moment, in the palace of the Land of Fire—
"Makoto, you finally came. Look at this letter. What should we do?"
Seated on the sofa, the Daimyo handed the letter to Uchiha Makoto, who had rushed to the capital overnight. This wasn't something to discuss by mail. It required a face-to-face.
"Your Highness, don't rush. Let me read the letter first."
Makoto read it through. The Daimyo's summons had already summarized Senju Tobirama's letter, but with plenty of the Daimyo's own embellishments. Who knew how much of it was wrong.
After reading, Makoto understood the situation. The Konoha plotline matched the original, except that because he had been spreading the "Hashirama threat theory," the Daimyo had yet to cooperate with Konoha.
That suited Makoto. The later the Daimyo cooperated, the slower Konoha would grow.
As for Hashirama coming personally to negotiate, that likely meant he would arrive bearing gifts to ask for cooperation. If the Daimyo refused, Hashirama would even kneel to achieve his aim.
No rush. The letter could sit awhile. Let the bullet fly a little longer.
He also needed to insert himself into the talks to keep the Daimyo suspicious of Senju Hashirama as much as possible.
As he was thinking, the Daimyo spoke.
"Makoto, as Daimyo, I do not want to meet a ninja as extremely dangerous as Senju Hashirama."
"So why don't you go deal with Senju Hashirama?"
He simply didn't want to meet Hashirama. What if, during the talk, Hashirama smashed his cup to the floor. The Daimyo would not stand beneath a crumbling wall.
"Me? Ahem."
Makoto coughed and stared at the Daimyo. Old man. If I really had the power to take out Senju Hashirama, believe it or not, the first thing I'd do is take you out and put your robes on my own shoulders. A man born between Heaven and Earth, how could he languish beneath others.
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