The Third Hokage was so furious his hands and feet went ice-cold, mustache bristling as he glared.
He was just about to say something when a wooden plank suddenly went smack and nailed him right on the forehead.
"Shut up!! Danzo! We're only taking five percent from you, and you still want more!?"
"Koharu! Say something, Koharu!"
"The old Koharu is dead! You picked this, Danzo!!"
"But Kangetsu already—"
"Shut it! You thick-headed idiot with a record!"
"Ino-Shika-Cho! Close the door. Get him!"
"Oi! You— You're doing this for real!?"
Homura and Koharu opened with Konoha Dai Senpū (Konoha Great Whirlwind).
That was his money!
His money!!
Ten percent profit—over a hundred million a year!
Nobody wanted to budge.
They'd all been poor for so long that the second anyone touched their money, it was a fight to the death.
They'd been shinobi for decades, risking their lives over and over—what for?
Wasn't it so they could finally have money and live in peace?
And now Kangetsu had waltzed in and gone straight to the finish line, throwing cash around by the fistful. Every one of these old fossils had bloodshot eyes.
To them, anyone looked like a robber.
Since the Hyūga clan marrying into Kangetsu was already a done deal, then someone had to be shoved out as the unlucky bastard who "made concessions."
Who was going to be that unlucky bastard?
"Danzo!!"
The Third Hokage stared, dumbstruck.
These old monsters had no shame at all—ganging up and roundhouse-kicking Danzo in a circle.
"Stop! Stop it! Don't hit him anymore!"
"There are no concessions! And I'm not splitting your money!"
"Kangetsu already came up with a solution!!"
"What!? That Danzo bastard suggested splitting my money!?"
The Third Hokage's expression froze.
He instantly went quiet, silently scooting off to the side.
Beat him.
Beat him till he's smoking!!
…
…
"Did you memorize everything?"
Hyūga compound.
Hiashi spoke with earnest gravity as he reminded the Senior Elder.
The Senior Elder raised a hand and patted the stack of banknotes at his chest, wearing the kind of grim resolve that said a brave man goes forth and may not return.
This was fifty thousand ryō, scraped together by the entire Hyūga clan.
All to treat their son-in-law to a proper meal.
Because they planned to invite their son-in-law to discuss clan matters.
When you needed a favor, didn't you ask over a table of food and drink?
He patted the money against his chest again and made his guarantee.
"It's all locked in, Clan Head. Don't worry. This time, I'll make sure son-in-law helps our Hyūga open up new income streams!"
"…Good," Hiashi said. "As long as you understand."
Hiashi understood perfectly.
His son-in-law's position was not ordinary.
Through the clothing business alone, he'd tied the Hokage, the Hokage's advisors, and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans onto the same rope.
They'd become a community of shared interests.
And in the future, there would be an endless stream of nobles and big shots scrambling to join in.
In Konoha, who didn't know Kangetsu was a real, living God of Fortune?
Who wouldn't want to become family or close friends with him?
And with the clothing business in hand, with a brain like his, was it possible Kangetsu wouldn't build an even bigger "business" later?
Plenty of Konoha's major clans were already rubbing their hands together, waiting for a chance to buy in.
It was only because the Hyūga had a good daughter—and because Konoha's upper ranks just happened to be trying to pull them back in—that they'd seized the initiative.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have been their turn at all.
Hiashi had heard it already.
Even the upper ranks couldn't get enough of the clothing business.
Every day, people were throwing punches in the Hokage's office over profit splits.
"Go," Hiashi said.
The Senior Elder nodded solemnly.
Under the serious, send-off stares of both the main house and branch house, the Senior Elder felt crushing pressure settle on his shoulders.
This trip—he had to secure real benefits for the Hyūga.
If not, the clan might truly decline.
Before he left, quite a few elders came up to pat his shoulder.
Especially the Second Elder.
He was practically in tears.
"Brother… There's money in your chest that belongs to me too. You can't screw this up…"
The Senior Elder was deeply moved—and, with sheer force of will, yanked the other man's hand away from his chest.
You only threw in a few hundred ryō. What are you crying for?
The Senior Elder walked off.
He paused for a long while in front of a restaurant, face twisted with indecision, then turned and left.
Fifty thousand ryō should be enough to eat there, but he was worried the dishes might run too expensive and he'd come up short—losing face in front of muko-dono.
The Hyūga clan had fought to build the world alongside the First Hokage. They were old nobility.
Could they afford to lose face?
Absolutely not.
So he chose a yakiniku place and reserved a private room.
After booking it, he waited at the entrance.
Naturally, he had to keep a low profile.
A great clan like the Hyūga couldn't be seen looking desperate.
But not long after, he saw groups of "Hospital" people coming in, shouting and calling to each other like they owned the street.
The Senior Elder's eyes nearly popped out.
Wait.
The Hospital crowd is this rich?
Sure, everyone knows you're new money, but do you really have to spend like you're lighting cash on fire?
Hold on!
Did he just see that grandson from the second branch—Tokuma?
Since when did that kid become Hospital?
Look at him, strutting like a peacock…
"Boss! Bring the yakiniku! Best booze, best meat—load it all up!"
"What? Only one plate? If the Uchiha next door sees that, they'll think I can't afford to eat!"
"Come on! One plate each!"
"Don't be shy! It's on me today!"
"Nara clan? The Nara clan is a bunch of idiots! You think they can compare to us Hospital folks? Do they have that kind of power?"
Tokuma was buzzing.
So excited his face was bright red.
Standing on his seat, he swept a hand out grandly, drunk on his own swagger.
This felt amazing.
He'd always wanted to say something like that at least once!
And now that he was Hospital, he finally understood.
This feeling was damn near addictive.
He slapped two specially invited former teammates hard on the shoulders.
It's back.
All of it is back!
…Huh?
The Senior Elder's face went numb.
He didn't know what had happened to Tokuma.
But he understood one thing: the kid had money now.
No…
Our Hyūga clan was doing such a good job being poor together.
And you're the only one eating the good stuff?
Why?
His jaw clenched. His heart hardened.
The Senior Elder's inner balance snapped.
Tokuma…
This brat really deserves to die…
And the worst part?
He got rich and didn't even tell the clan.
Just quietly stuffing himself with the good grain all by himself.
Truly deserves to die…
His chest turned sour like he'd swallowed a lemon.
The Senior Elder really wanted to walk over and punch him twice.
Did you forget what "If you get rich, don't forget your brothers" means?
What?
You don't know?
Someone bring the clan law!
Just you wait—when we get back to the compound, I'll personally have you punished!
"What? Those old Hyūga fossils? Don't even mention them! My Hospital life is way better!"
"Mission pay gets 'delayed' every time. What can those old fossils even do?"
Tokuma's drunk "trash talk" after a couple cups made the vein at the Senior Elder's temple throb.
Good. Fine…
Just wait.
You just wait…
(End of Chapter)
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