Fists clenched.
This was truly intolerable bullying.
Naturally evil Uchiha brat.
Senju Tobirama tightened his grip. He really wanted to plant a punch squarely on Uchiha Makoto's face, but for Konoha's future he forced down his anger and tugged a strained smile onto his lips.
"This time Konoha hopes to reach a cooperation with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. We seek economic and political support from the Land of Fire. Also, regarding mission assignments within the Land of Fire, Konoha hopes to build a unified platform to distribute missions and set mission ranks."
Tobirama laid out point after point without stopping. He had clearly come prepared, with a broad plan for Konoha's future already in mind.
The most ruthless move among them was to standardize all missions inside the Land of Fire and have Konoha evaluate and issue them. Given how one-dimensional shinobi income was in this era—earned almost entirely through missions—this would cut off the livelihood of every independent clan inside the Land of Fire.
Even if Konoha shared a slice of platform revenue with clans that refused to join, what awaited them would be the high-difficulty, low-reward, risk-heavy jobs, while the easy, well-paid missions would be swallowed by Konoha's own. And Konoha would still take its cut. Over time, those outside clans wouldn't survive such exploitation. But Konoha's size and power were beyond their ability to resist.
So they would either flee the Land of Fire or join Konoha.
In essence, a monopoly.
The upside was obvious. In the past, clans inside the Land of Fire fought to the death over mission sources. If everyone joined Konoha and missions were managed and allocated centrally, much bloodshed could be avoided.
For the Hokage, this also meant taking the village's clans by the throat. Mission distribution is a clan's economic lifeline.
Without money a man loses his spine; for a clan it's the same. What counts as a fair evaluation and allocation is highly subjective, and the one who runs the village holds the loudest voice.
"Good move."
Uchiha Makoto couldn't help but admire it inwardly. If these measures passed, Konoha would be the only village able to survive inside the Land of Fire.
No wonder the Uchiha didn't want to follow Madara and run. Even if they left, once Konoha controlled the mission pipeline, the Warring States order would be broken and replaced by a new economic model. As a mere clan inside the Land of Fire, the Uchiha wouldn't land any decent jobs. In the end they'd still be taking missions from Konoha's platform.
Or they could depart the Land of Fire for one of the other four great nations. But those already had their own villages, and the Uchiha would be outsiders there.
In Konoha they were founders, and the treatment on missions was completely different.
Run for what.
"Tobirama, your idea is excellent and highly beneficial. Once implemented, the clans within the Land of Fire should finally settle down and stop the mutual slaughter of the past."
Makoto nodded, mentioning only the advantages and deliberately glossing over the downsides.
Hashirama beamed. He also felt his brother's plan was very good. Once rolled out, the Land of Fire would no longer see clan wars, and children wouldn't be forced onto the battlefield so young.
"Hmph, as long as you understand."
Tobirama couldn't help letting the corner of his mouth curl up. He was proud of this exquisite scheme. He really was too clever.
It would expand Konoha's influence, draw more clans in, secure his grip over them, and achieve peace within the Land of Fire.
Several birds with one stone.
"But for Konoha right now, it's wildly unrealistic.
"As I understand it, a large number of your missions have been canceled, not just in the Land of Fire. Nobles from neighboring countries look poorly on Konoha. Expecting them to cooperate so you can implement this plan is not realistic.
"Missions are about mutual consent. If clients no longer want to submit requests to Konoha, what then? Does Lord Hashirama intend to force them?"
Watching Tobirama's smile, Makoto let out a cold laugh and dumped a bucket of cold water on them. Konoha's reputation was already in tatters. Rumor had it they were the hidden hand behind the tulip shearing.
If not for fear of Konoha's strength, the nobles would have moved to destroy them already.
"Th-that... forcing people, of course not..."
Hashirama faltered and deflated. As a textbook good man, he could never do such a thing. That was why they had come to petition the daimyo—hoping he would use his influence to help enact Tobirama's plan.
Tobirama said nothing. Even he found the current situation thorny.
Sitting at home and the pot falls from the sky.
Who had Konoha provoked.
He only wanted to recoup losses.
"In fact, I do have a good solution. Building a platform to unify mission distribution and ranking can be handled entirely by our Akatsuki Village. The end result would be the same. Konoha's shinobi could come to Akatsuki Village to take missions.
"Of course, to protect everyone's interests, Konoha can assign some people to participate. Wouldn't that be a win-win."
"What do you think?"
Makoto proposed a everyone-wins approach. Since Konoha's name had gone rotten, let Akatsuki Village manage this matter of historic importance for the shinobi world.
Hashirama felt Makoto's idea sounded good, yet something felt off. He turned to Tobirama.
During negotiations, if I don't speak, Big Brother, you must not say a word.
Hashirama still remembered Tobirama's warning.
Tobirama's face was black.
Naturally evil Uchiha brat.
Believe it or not, I'll cut you down with a Flying Thunder God Slash right now.
You still have the face to ask what we think. Your idea is pure garbage.
You're trying to dig out Konoha's very foundation and still have the gall to talk like this. Why don't you just say Konoha should merge into Akatsuki Village.
This touched Konoha's bedrock. Tobirama would never agree.
Titles and instruments of power must never be placed in another's hands.
That much, Tobirama understood.
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