Several days later.
Shimura Danzo stormed into the Hokage's office, fury radiating from every pore.
"Hiruzen! What in the world are you thinking? One million ryo! A full one million ryo! You just threw it away to let that brat play house!"
Tsk.
The Third Hokage took a slow, unhurried drag from his pipe.
He knew his old friend would come here to make a scene.
Also present in the office was the head of the Nara clan, Nara Shikaku. Seeing Danzo this angry, Shikaku shook his head inwardly. He didn't really approve of Shimizu Kantsuki's business venture either.
After all, Shikaku was one of the people who had lost his shirt trying to do business in the past. Since then, he had understood his place: he was a mission-taker, a strategist, not a merchant.
"Danzo, don't be so impatient. It's just an experiment. We should give young people a chance."
"Impatient?! Am I impatient?!"
Danzo was disgusted by Hiruzen's attitude.
"It's bad enough you gave him the money, but you even made the Nara clan clear a trade route and sent Nara ninja to escort him! Is this appropriate? It's a waste of manpower, a waste of resources, and a waste of money!"
Hearing this, the Third Hokage's face flushed slightly.
He knew, of course, that this trip would likely result in a loss. But wasn't the point to let the lad grow?
Truth be told, the old man had started regretting it the moment he agreed. One million ryo was not a small sum.
"Where is that brat, Shimizu? Get him in here!"
"Enough!"
Hiruzen, though feeling guilty, slammed his hand on the desk, choosing offense as his defense. Frowning deeply, he declared:
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"
"You…!!"
Fine. Good. Playing that card again.
"Hiruzen! You will regret this!"
With that, Danzo didn't waste another word.
Bang!
The door nearly fractured as Danzo slammed it on his way out. He would wait. He would wait to watch Sarutobi Hiruzen lose his shirt and his dignity.
Nara Shikaku awkwardly shifted his gaze. Seeing the Third Hokage's darkened expression, he didn't dare say a word.
"…Cough. Shikaku, sorry you had to see that."
"You speak too heavily, Lord Hokage. As you said, giving young people a chance to learn a hard lesson is a good thing."
Even if the tuition fee was steep.
A full one million ryo…
Of course, while a million was a lot, the Sarutobi clan could afford it. It wouldn't break their bones, just bruise the flesh a little.
"Yes. We must give the youth a chance."
Hiruzen rubbed his temples. He regretted it, but he couldn't say it aloud. The money was gone; could he ask for it back?
He just hoped the boy's "clothing empire" wouldn't lose too much.
Lose money?
Far away in the Fire Capital, Shimizu Kantsuki smiled without speaking.
It is a universally acknowledged truth: human nature is driven by thirst.
"Thirst" is the primary productive force.
Modern clothing designs had the psychology of men—and women—in a chokehold.
Sailor suits. Nurse outfits. Stewardess uniforms. Pencil skirts. Little devil sets.
Black silk stockings. White silk stockings. Garters. High heels. Hot pants…
He had everything.
And for the high society galas, he introduced evening gowns that would deal a devastating blow to the traditional, conservative fashion of the Ninja World.
Kantsuki didn't make these himself, of course. Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno handled the designs, and the Nara clan handled the distribution through intermediaries.
The only trouble was sourcing the fabric.
Mrs. Yukinoshita had proposed many business ideas, but Kantsuki had chosen clothing after careful deliberation.
Why? Because for the hidden villages right now, fashion was a luxury. And the raw materials required—high-quality silk and cotton—could only be supplied on an industrial scale by a resource-rich land like the Land of Fire.
Other villages couldn't replicate the supply chain. At best, they could open small boutique shops.
Therefore, the clothing industry in the Land of Fire was ripe for a monopoly.
Land of Fire, Nara Clan Territory.
Nara Suzaku looked bored as he watched a female clan member model a sample outfit.
Is this really going to work?
It looks… nice, I suppose.
But the Hokage is definitely going to lose his investment, right?
He shrugged. He stopped thinking about it.
They had only provided three storefronts. Since they didn't own the shops and were only taking a cut of the profits, the agreement was simple: display the clothes in prominent positions for three days.
If there were no results after three days, the stock would be pulled.
Day One.
Nara Suzaku found it interesting. A surprising number of "lecherous old men" were drawn in.
Day Two.
Nara Suzaku felt surprised. Why does it feel like there are more people?
Day Three.
Nara Suzaku stood at a distance from the shop, bewildered.
He couldn't get in.
"Quick! Give me the sailor suit! I want three sets!"
"Men, stop crowding! I want the nurse outfit, and give me a pair of white silk and black silk each!"
"Boss! Where is the boss?!"
"Stop pushing! Today's stock is gone!"
"Suzaku! Suzaku, go restock immediately!!"
On this day, Nara Suzaku witnessed the terrifying purchasing power of "thirst."
Women thought it was beautiful. Men thought it was beautiful.
Rich merchants were buying. Suzaku even noticed servants of noble families fighting to grab stock for their masters.
This… this…
After the shock came a dry-mouthed disbelief.
It sold out?
It definitely sold out, right?!
Nara Suzaku clenched his fists nervously.
How much money is this?
He remembered that the cheapest set in the store was ten thousand ryo…
He swallowed hard.
Like a madman, he sprinted to the other two shops.
People!
Nothing but people!
Everyone was fighting to buy clothes!
And yet, supply was deliberately low. What did Kantsuki call it?
"Hunger Marketing?"
Suzaku waited in a state of agitation until nightfall.
Spittle flying, he urged his subordinates to calculate the total turnover. When he saw the final number, his entire body began to tremble.
"…Quick! Quick!"
Nara Suzaku shouted.
"Send the intelligence back to the village immediately!!"
The Next Day.
Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage smoked silently, the air thick with gloom. Shimura Danzo sneered repeatedly, waiting for the punchline. Nara Shikaku sat in meditative silence.
They had been waiting a long time.
When a Chūnin from the Nara clan burst into the office, sweating and breathless, Danzo frowned, ready to scold him for his lack of decorum.
But the Nara ninja's face was flushed red, glowing with excitement as he held the settlement report high.
"Lord Hokage! Intelligence! From Shimizu Kantsuki!"
"Oh?"
Hiruzen noticed the expression. That doesn't look like the face of failure.
Did he not lose money?
"How much did we lose?"
"No! Lord Hokage, no loss! Kantsuki's clothing business made money!"
Interesting. The lad has some skill.
"How much did he make?"
"Net profit… fifty million ryo!"
!!??
"…How… HOW MUCH!!??"