"Cash power?"
Uchiha Makoto said this.
But clearly Uzumaki Shinji and Uchiha Setsuna hadn't understood what he meant and kept trying to persuade him.
Uchiha Makoto could feel their genuine concern; they didn't want him to rush into war with Kumogakure on a hot head. Even if Akatsuki Village wasn't weak, the outcome was uncertain.
If Konoha didn't send troops, even a win for Akatsuki would be a pyrrhic one, which would be totally not worth it.
"For a mere possible future war, dragging yourself into a quagmire now is putting the cart before the horse. Even if war does break out then, it would be an offense–defense alliance of Akatsuki, Konoha, and the Uzumaki clan."
Uzumaki Shinji argued, and Uchiha Setsuna nodded beside him.
"Hmph…"
Uchiha Makoto smiled without agreeing or disagreeing. Once Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara both passed on, if Konoha didn't stab Akatsuki in the back, he'd burn incense in thanks… that innately evil Senju old ghost would definitely make a dirty move!
But Uchiha Makoto felt it necessary to clarify Akatsuki Village's current strength to them.
He had to make the two of them loyal supporters of Akatsuki.
Uchiha Setsuna!
If you want to take down Tobirama Senju in the future, think of me first.
And Uzumaki Shinji, you must stand firmly with Akatsuki—you won't lose out!
With that in mind, Uchiha Makoto took them out of the Light-and-Shadow Building to a secret base.
"Makoto, where is this?"
"Yeah, why does it feel like we're going farther off the path?"
Uchiha Makoto said nothing more, formed hand seals, and opened the door of the base.
"Damn!!"
"Absurd… don't tell me all of these are…"
Uchiha Setsuna and Uzumaki Shinji completely lost control of their expressions. The entire base was packed with golden-yellow explosive tags.
They were veteran shinobi; ordinarily explosive tags wouldn't shock them. But this quantity was outrageous, far beyond imagination… their faces looked like Obito's when he saw Konan had prepared 600 billion tags to bomb him.
"This is only a portion."
"I'll show you around elsewhere."
Uchiha Makoto showed them Akatsuki's war reserves. Putting Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju aside, the shinobi world was still normal enough.
War is nothing but money and grain.
The better the gear and the more explosive tags, the stronger the combat power. Even a jōnin wouldn't dare go head-on with a genin wrapped in tags; if such a madman pounced, you'd definitely turn tail and run… what if it's a Shadow Clone?
"Makoto, when did Akatsuki prepare all this?"
"And those explosive tags…"
"This is way too much!"
"Yeah, how much did this cost?"
Following behind, Uchiha Setsuna and Uzumaki Shinji couldn't help asking.
"Akatsuki's research institute revamped the manufacturing process and tech for explosive tags. That alone burned nearly two billion ryō. We tested dozens of materials and multiple processes. Now, although shinobi are still needed at one stage, most of the work can be done by ordinary people… with no middlemen taking a cut, costs are down three to five times. The more we make, the lower the unit cost…"
"At cost, what you're seeing is worth a little over one billion, close to two billion ryō. At market prices in the shinobi world, it wouldn't be cheap."
Uchiha Makoto glanced at them and spoke slowly. This was already high-level secrecy for Akatsuki, but Uchiha Setsuna and Uzumaki Shinji were trustworthy enough.
They exchanged a look, did some quick math, then thought of their own village budgets—and suddenly the world felt absurd.
After one circuit, Uchiha Setsuna and Uzumaki Shinji were almost speechless. They saw warehouses piled to the brim with explosive tags, heaps of kunai and shuriken, and all kinds of war materiel…
In their view before, Akatsuki and Kumogakure were roughly matched; once war broke out, it would be fifty–fifty with no guaranteed victory.
But now…
Akatsuki was basically assured to win!
They could crush them with money alone.
For Akatsuki and Kumogakure, war was like trading health bars. Early on both sides wouldn't lose much, shaving each other down—but ninja tools cost money, explosive tags cost money, medicine costs money, death gratuities cost money. A shinobi's combat power and will to fight correlate with money! The later it goes, the more HP you shave off!
But Akatsuki's HP bar is thick—thick and self-healing. This month's salt dividends have already reached over six billion ryō; next month may be even more.
"Wish Kumogakure luck."
Uchiha Setsuna almost pitied them. He didn't want to fight an enemy like Akatsuki—opening move, dozens of tags thrown; every so often a genin wrapped head to toe in tags jumps out of the brush at you, probably a Shadow Clone.
Who can stand that?
"Makoto, just how much funding does Akatsuki have to burn like this?"
Uzumaki Shinji was still reeling and asked the question he cared about most. Uchiha Makoto only smiled without answering… was he supposed to say Akatsuki's annual budget was nearly ten times Konoha's?
Sorry, he feared they'd get ideas.
"I get on very well with the daimyō. He supports me. After we win, the daimyō of the Land of Fire gains face too. And nations have interests between them… those who know, know…"
Uchiha Makoto used the daimyō as a shield and brushed it off. He wasn't afraid Konoha would notice something and go ask the Fire Daimyō.
Because the Fire Daimyō did know the inside story. Akatsuki had crossed the line before, but they'd done the job beautifully. After the salt market was unified, the daimyō and the great nobles who joined in all made a killing. Even if there were complaints, for money's sake, one eye open and one eye closed—let it slide.
Just this once!
But how could Konoha be allowed to know?
What if they copied it?
"That's right, I'm the one bankrolling Akatsuki. I've long disliked the Land of Lightning. A daimyo three reigns back slighted the Land of Fire's lord—the grudge of nine generations can be avenged… Akatsuki did splendidly!"
The Fire Daimyō would swear to this and help Uchiha Makoto keep the secret.
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