The way the Shimura elder hid in the crowd and whipped everyone up eventually got the other adviser families' higher-ups tempted.
Because Asuma had said it himself.
The profit split was "negotiable."
And Asuma was a guardian shinobi from the daimyo's court. He'd seen more of the world. That had to count for something, right? He was basically a "top student," wasn't he?
If you're stepping up to wave the flag now, you must have something in your back pocket.
Otherwise, how would you dare?
For a moment, the mood shifted.
The higher-ups started to soften.
They weren't pushing back as hard.
So… should they try it?
Down in the crowd, the Shimura elder wasn't about to let everyone hesitate.
Get in there, boys.
Don't lose face now.
What?
Asuma might actually make money?
Don't give me that.
A few days ago, this old man had clearly seen Kangetsu-sensei earnestly trying to talk Asuma down.
Which meant Kangetsu-sensei hadn't agreed.
Most likely, Asuma had forced it through with his status.
After all, Kangetsu-sensei was the Third's subordinate, famous for loyalty.
And the Third's son, at certain times, represented the Third's will.
Interesting…
Looks like this old man needs to pull his funds back as soon as possible.
No way I'm letting Asuma sink my money with him.
As the higher-ups started speaking more gently, one after another, Asuma's mood immediately lifted.
A rush of swagger hit him, bright and intoxicating.
Then he threw out a big, confident wave of his hand.
"Everyone. Listen to me."
"I've seen nobles do business at the daimyo's court. I understand their methods."
Listen to me.
Put all your money into this.
We're going big.
Because the more you invest, the more you earn.
And the more you earn, the more you invest.
If you want to make real money, you have to invest more.
Uh…
That sounded kind of weird.
But when you actually thought about it…
It wasn't wrong.
For several days, Asuma kept working the higher-ups from the adviser families.
And the Shimura elder put on a little show too, only "reluctantly" agreeing after the elder side nodded first.
That made Asuma so happy he could barely contain it.
Every few days, he'd throw another banquet.
We've got money.
Everyone, we've got money.
Once we hit it big, what's a banquet compared to that?
Pocket change.
During that stretch, Kangetsu's Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) came to warn him more than once.
But Asuma blocked it every time.
He even forbade the clone from sending word back.
He said he wanted to give his old man a huge surprise.
Faced with that kind of threat from a pampered young lord, the Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) had no good options…
So it could only keep trying to talk him down.
Under the Kage Bunshin's (Shadow Clone) pressure, Asuma did sober up a little.
But then a certain unnamed Shimura elder kept fanning the flames behind the scenes.
The Clan Head had said it.
Make the Sarutobi take a hard fall.
Naturally, the Shimura elder was happy to oblige.
Because he'd heard, too.
He'd heard about Sasuke Sarutobi bullying the Shimura back in Konoha.
How was he supposed to take that?
Oh, so that's how it is.
I'm out here in the Land of Fire making money for Konoha, and your Sarutobi brat is stomping on my people like that?
And what did I do, really?
I just beat you up a little.
I just stopped you from hogging everything.
Putting facts aside, are you saying you're completely innocent?
Don't you know it takes two hands to clap?
With everything looking so favorable, plus the Shimura elder's constant whispering, Asuma got high on it.
He slapped his thigh, slammed the table, and made the call.
Everything was set.
All that was left was for the frontline sales to report back.
Watching bundle after bundle of tobacco get hauled out, Asuma grinned so hard his face practically bloomed.
That was money.
All of it was money.
And then…
Days passed, and there was still no news from the frontline.
Asuma started frowning.
A few more days, and the higher-ups in the tobacco fields grew visibly restless. A knot of anxiety started twisting in Asuma's gut.
A few more days, still no news, and Asuma started facing question after question from every direction.
Half a month went by, and the higher-ups finally snapped.
One after another, they stormed in to make trouble for Asuma.
Where's the money?
Tell me.
Where the hell is my money?!
Asuma's scalp went numb. He hurriedly told everyone not to panic, that he'd go check the frontline himself.
When Asuma rushed to the frontline in a frenzy, what he saw was tobacco that wouldn't sell no matter what they tried, piled up in warehouses and molding.
In an instant, it felt like his brain had been smashed with a sledgehammer. His head rang.
After a round of frantic questions, he finally learned the truth.
The frontline couldn't sell.
They couldn't find an entry port.
They couldn't line up buyers for shipment.
Transportation had been hit by rain.
And the managers were a complete dumpster fire.
When the person in charge handed Asuma the detailed ledger, Asuma's vision went dark.
Oh.
Oh, no.
It's over.
And then his heart started hammering, fear crawling up his spine, and he immediately thought about fleeing back to Konoha.
No.
No, that was bad.
Asuma was terrified now.
They'd lost money.
And not a little.
Just thinking about the size of the loss made him feel like a disaster was already falling out of the sky toward his head.
So no, absolutely not. He could not go back to Konoha.
His old man would beat him to death.
Then he'd go back to the daimyo's court.
Go back to being a guardian shinobi.
What?
What about the tobacco business?
Who cares what happens to it?
He couldn't even save himself right now.
So he ran.
Asuma didn't even pack. He made up an excuse and slipped away.
He decided that as long as nobody wiped this mess up for him, he just wouldn't go back to Konoha in public for the rest of his life.
At the same time…
Back at the tobacco fields, they'd waited for days. No frontline updates, and no Asuma returning.
That was when the higher-ups who'd invested started panicking like their hair was on fire.
They all ran to Kangetsu's Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone).
"Kangetsu. What do we do? What do we do?!"
"Kangetsu, still no news? Should we send someone to push them?"
"Where the hell did that bastard Asuma go?!"
"Send a carrier pigeon message. I don't believe the frontline has nothing to say!"
Kangetsu's Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) could only sigh and try to soothe them.
Then, finally, it let the information spread.
Until one frontline genin reported back.
And the entire tobacco fields fell into dead silence.
The elder's eyes went wide. He staggered, nearly losing his footing, his head ringing.
"Y-You said what?"
"We lost it?"
"W-We lost everything?"
That single sentence was like opening Pandora's box.
In the silence, fury erupted like a volcano.
"Asuma—!!!"
"Asuma!! You piece of shit!!!"
"My money! My family's money!!"
"Clan Head! Clan Head!! This old man has failed you!!"
"Bastard! Damn you, Asuma—!!!"
(End of Chapter)
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