Chapter 66: Lady Mito's Pendants; The Cooperative Daimyo
"Big Brother, your pricing for these..."
The Daimyo gestured to the crystalline box. "You could easily charge much more! The nobility would pay ten times this amount without blinking!"
"Little Brother, we could indeed," Hiruzen said, shaking his head with a patient smile. "But a leader must look at the long game."
"If we squeeze them too hard now, they'll resent us. We want to bind their needs to our production until they are effectively our puppets. Besides, by keeping the price 'reasonable,' we can frame it as a reward from the Crown for those provincial Lords who govern well."
The Daimyo's eyes widened. "There are more of these 'Holy Treasures'?"
"Once the reputation of the Sage Vitality Pills is established, the next phase is the Sage Beauty Line—cosmetics for the noblewomen. After that, we introduce high-end, 'medically-infused' tobacco for the middle-nobility."
"Finally, we export the surplus to the other Four Nations at a massive markup. We use the wealth of our enemies to fund the prosperity of the Land of Fire."
Hiruzen patted the Daimyo on the shoulder.
"But remember, Little Brother... these products aren't just for profit."
"They are civilian pilots for military tech. The industrial lines we build to make these pills are training our shinobi in mass-producing war materiel. Money is useful to a Hidden Village, yes, but it has limits. If we fail militarily, the Eight-Tails won't be stopped by a mountain of gold. Everything we do must ultimately serve Konoha's combat readiness."
The Daimyo nodded slowly, strike with a sudden burst of inspiration. "Big Brother, your vision is... truly comprehensive!"
"I'll need your help to execute it."
Hiruzen leaned in. "Showing the nobles the miracle of the pills, gathering their loyalty, and purging the troublemakers—it sounds simple, but it requires a surgeon's touch. I need you to establish high-efficiency distribution and collection channels."
"I want our products to reach every corner of the world. And as they do, I want those distribution networks to act as our secondary intelligence web. I want to know what a Lord in the Land of Earth eats for breakfast."
"You handle the bureaucracy and the court politics. I'll handle the shadows."
These were the "minor details" of statecraft to Hiruzen, but to the Daimyo, they were the keys to a kingdom. He had already produced a brush and paper, frantically scribbling down every word Hiruzen uttered.
He felt it in his bones: this was his one and only chance. If he missed this boat, he would die as a forgotten figurehead. But if Hiruzen's blueprint succeeded, he would be a Sovereign in more than just name.
Konoha would be the sword, and he would be the hand that held the coin. No provincial Lord would ever dare to defy him again. He could see his name written in the history books—the man who unified the Land of Fire's economy.
Hiruzen watched the ruler's frantic writing and smiled. My 'Little Brother' doesn't realize he's already entered a state of fanatical devotion, Arata thought. Interest and ambition are much better chains than any Genjutsu.
"When can we expect the first injection of capital?" Hiruzen asked.
"Immediately, Big Brother," the Daimyo said firmly. "I'll empty the royal treasury and liquidate some ancestral holdings. I'll buy the entire first run of thirty-six thousand pills myself. I'll cover the difference for the promotional discounts. I want Konoha's coffers full by morning!"
Danzo Shimura's face darkened as he stepped forward. "You intend to create a monopoly and hike the prices? We won't allow the market to be destabilized."
The Daimyo flinched, instinctively hiding behind Hiruzen's broad shoulder. "No! No, I just... I want to ensure my Big Brother gets his return on investment as quickly as possible!"
"He's my Little Brother, Danzo. Which makes him yours, too, in a way," Hiruzen teased. "Don't scare the boy."
Danzo gave a stiff, unconvincing nod. "Understood."
"The price stays fixed," Hiruzen continued. "And as a token of our partnership, your lineage will receive one percent of all 'Sage Line' profits for as long as Konoha stands. It's not a mountain of cash, but it's a legacy that will last forever. What do you say?"
For a high-level aristocrat, the duration of a revenue stream was often more attractive than the amount. It represented generational security.
"Little Brother, take this as a token of our bond."
Hiruzen reached into his robes and pulled out one of the crystalline pendants Mito had given him.
It was one of the two replicas Mito had made—a high-tier "artifact" infused with a hint of her own calming chakra. Hiruzen's own neck still bore the original that Hashirama had given her.
"This was crafted by Lord Hashirama and Lady Mito together," Hiruzen said, fastening the pendant around the Daimyo's neck. "She told me to give it to a warrior who would bleed for the future of the Land of Fire. I believe that man is you."
A wave of profound, cool tranquility radiated from the pendant into the Daimyo's chest. Compared to the Sage Pills, this was a priceless heirloom that no amount of gold could buy.
Hiruzen's words were a double-edged sword. He was showing sincerity, but he was also reminding the Daimyo that he had the full endorsement of Mito Uzumaki. Even if the Daimyo tried to leverage the surviving Senju members in his court, he would find they answered to the Matriarch first.
"Big Brother... I don't know how to repay this kindness," the Daimyo whispered. He straightened his posture and raised three fingers in a solemn oath. "By the spirits of my ancestors and the honor of my heirs, I will be your hands in the capital. If I betray this bond, let the heavens strike me down where I stand!"
"Now, now! No need for such drama!" Hiruzen laughed, though he looked moved. "I trust you, Little Brother!"
Internally, Hiruzen was already planning to have the Anbu conduct a "financial audit" of the palace every quarter. Trust was good, but oversight was better.
After concluding the meeting, Hiruzen and Danzo prepared to stay in the capital for a few days to finalize the logistics. As they walked to their quarters, Danzo trailed behind Hiruzen in a brooding silence.
"What was the Daimyo's name again?" Hiruzen asked suddenly.
Danzo froze. He had been preparing a sarcastic remark about the "Strongest Duo," but this caught him completely off guard.
You've been calling him 'Little Brother' for two hours and you don't even know his name?!
What kind of Hokage are you? Do you have no respect for the nobility?
"His name is Gen Kujo," Danzo snapped.
Hiruzen nodded casually. He reached into his pouch and pulled out the final pendant—the second replica. He tossed it to Danzo.
"The Daimyo's pendant isn't as high-quality as this one. I saved the best for last."
"I know you've been eyeing mine. This is for you, Danzo."
Danzo caught the pendant. His first instinct was to huff and act as if he didn't want it, but his fingers gripped the crystal tight.
Lady Mito had said these were for "warriors who would bleed for the Leaf." Hiruzen giving this to him was a public—if private—acknowledgment that Danzo was his equal. It was the validation he had craved since the day Tobirama died.
If I have this, Danzo thought, then even the Sannin can't claim they are closer to the First's legacy than I am.
"By the way, I knew his name was Gen," Hiruzen said with a wink.
"Then why did you ask?" Danzo frowned.
"Because I was messing with you," Hiruzen laughed, waving a hand. "I didn't want you to die of a heart attack from being so grumpy all night."
"Get some sleep, Danzo. Tomorrow, I want a formal Anbu protocol on how we're going to 'spot-check' the capital's accounts. I want a charter on my desk by noon."
Danzo's lip twitched. He let out a long, weary sigh.
He really had no way to deal with this version of Hiruzen. The man was like a monkey—unpredictable, clever, and always three steps ahead of the joke.
That night, Hiruzen slept like a baby.
Danzo, however, sat up with his eyes wide, his mind racing. He was already drafting the most complex, bulletproof financial surveillance charter the Ninja World had ever seen.
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