The uproar over that 3.5 billion ryo mess was nowhere near dying down.
Why?
Because a handful of advisors and the Hokage's own family weren't enough to swallow an account that rotten and pretend it never happened.
So even if those old men never intended to spread the risk around, the stench of that massive hole still drifted through all of Konoha anyway. The signs were obvious: prices creeping up, fewer deals getting made, and traveling merchants catching a whiff and bolting.
Sweet mother of—Konoha lost money doing business!
And not just a little. They lost 3.5 billion ryo!
Worse, it was the Hokage's own kid leading the charge straight off a cliff.
Who could stomach that?
Konoha slid right back into economic slump mode, and every major faction in the village was quietly seething.
Fine.
You, the Third Hokage, wanted to eat alone when there was profit—people gritted their teeth and let it go.
But you didn't invite us when you were making money.
Now you want us to help carry the loss?
Resentment started to breed.
Nobody said it out loud, not on the surface. But underneath, trouble began to ripple. More than a few clans that had originally stood firmly behind the Third Hokage hit the brakes hard.
Because something about this didn't feel right…
They couldn't see the road ahead.
Better to watch first.
Even the Ino-Shika-Cho trio—usually the Hokage's most loyal "wife"—wasn't exactly purring anymore.
Ino-Shika-Cho had always been the Hokage's most faithful "wife." All the way back to the First Hokage—everyone who'd "used" them said it was a sweet deal.
That's why their position in Konoha was always special: elevated, untouchable, floating above the fray.
And their policy matched it.
They didn't care who became Hokage. They only cared about being the Hokage's wife.
In the past, as long as they were close to the Hokage, life was smooth.
In the future, it was supposed to stay smooth.
But the Third Hokage—this old man—was starting to look like he couldn't hack it.
There was money to be made, and he didn't even bring the "wife" to the table?
If Kangetsu hadn't mentioned it in passing, Ino-Shika-Cho's slice might've gotten carved up and stolen out from under them.
Which meant the Third Hokage was "acceptable" before, but now? Not exactly qualified…
That cold, detached attitude—turning into real dissatisfaction—was something the Third Hokage didn't even notice.
He couldn't.
The debt alone had him pinned down with a headache that felt like it would split his skull. He had no bandwidth left to watch the currents.
Same with the three advisors.
Koharu and Homura were spinning in circles every day over the debt, running themselves ragged.
And Danzo, that old bastard, was hopping around nonstop, picking fights with the Third Hokage day after day because he wanted the Assistant Hokage seat.
When the top doesn't handle it, the middle and lower ranks just get angrier.
A vicious cycle, plain and simple.
And then—right at that moment—
Kangetsu stepped up and shouldered the whole thing.
He was preparing to get the tobacco fields business back in order.
Anyone with eyes could tell he was stepping in to wipe the village's ass.
But that didn't stop Konoha's factions from finally breathing again.
Because if the money god was taking the stage, then there was hope for that budget crater.
At least it meant everyone wouldn't have to keep tightening their belts until they couldn't breathe.
At the very least, prices had to come back down, right?
And speaking of which…
The Third Hokage's position was starting to wobble, but the money god's prestige was climbing higher by the day.
So… was there a chance?
At the Hyuga compound, the Elder Branch Head brought it up—casually, like it was nothing.
Hiashi shut it down immediately.
"Watch your mouth!"
His son-in-law was only a chuunin. Nowhere near that realm.
That's what he told himself.
But the words still left a shadow in Hiashi's heart.
He'd never thought in that direction before.
But now, looking again…
It wasn't impossible.
If his son-in-law raised his strength, with the Hyuga clan backing him, with Ino-Shika-Cho throwing him those flirtatious glances…
With the Uchiha clan raising hell, and the medical system voting in lockstep…
Hiashi sucked in a sharp breath, his spine going cold.
Unknowingly, his son-in-law's influence had climbed this high!?
Th-This…
"Clan Head!!"
The Elder Branch Head was practically vibrating, forcing his voice down. He glanced left and right, then lowered his head and pressed a hand over Hiashi's.
"Don't say it. Not a single word. Wait, just wait for our Hyuga clan's son-in-law!"
Right.
Absolutely right.
Hiashi couldn't stop the grin threatening to break loose as he stood and paced back and forth.
What a son-in-law.
Damn it… I really did pick a good one.
At the same time, Clan Head Itachi and Clan Head Shisui over in the Uchiha clan were also starting to taste something in the air.
They looked at each other—then, in perfect sync, looked away.
What?
Us Uchiha "colluding" with that man?
Don't talk nonsense—unless you're telling the truth.
We're obviously just chasing money.
If you've got the guts, why don't we move into your house? Let's see you come up with a solution.
Besides, getting close to him was the Third Hokage's assignment in the first place.
After all, last time they went crying poor to the Third Hokage and asked for funds, the old man said he didn't have any.
He told Kangetsu, that solid young man, to figure something out.
Over on another front, the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans gathered too.
Every word was about business.
As for that "other" topic—none of them wanted to touch it.
What?
Why not warn the Third Hokage?
No, thanks.
Ino-Shika-Cho was the money god's "wife" now.
They were still eating off the money god's table.
If you smash Ino-Shika-Cho's rice bowl, are you going to feed us?
So, one way or another, every faction that lived off the money god formed an unspoken agreement.
Wait.
They were convinced by the money god.
A money god who could lead everyone to make money together—honestly, they wanted to put him on an altar.
Only problem was his strength was still a little lacking.
Hey.
Did our clan lose a ninjutsu scroll?
What?
We didn't lose anything?
Think again.
What?
We lost several secret technique scrolls?
That's more like it.
As for where they went…
Who knows?
I don't care where they went, but those scrolls better have our clan crest stamped right on them, got it?
Yeah.
Now you get it.
Back home, Kangetsu was sprawled out with Mikoto-san in his arms, turning a few ninjutsu scrolls over in his hands like he was admiring fine wine.
He clicked his tongue softly.
Everyone's sharp as a tack…
But his proficiency panel demanded refinement.
Time didn't wait for anyone, so he had to choose carefully.
Rest assured, everyone.
You lift me up high, and I'll keep you in my heart.
Kangetsu came from the people—so of course his mind had to stay with the people.
Itachi noticed that a lot of his clansmen suddenly had extra openings in the hospital system and the sales network.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
Even Shisui, standing beside him, bumped his shoulder with a grin.
See that?
How'd we "lose" those scrolls?
Lost 'em good.
Itachi really wanted to say it.
But he couldn't.
At least, not yet…
Maybe what that man was showing right now was only a hint of intention—maybe there was no deeper intention at all.
But the Uchiha didn't have any grand intention either. They were just making a gesture.
You always put your eggs in more than one basket, don't you?
(End of Chapter)
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