Kakashi's Request for Guidance

"We conduct entirely legitimate business, so we don't make that much money. We bring in around seventy or eighty million a month," Yamamoto Taro replied with a hurried smile after hearing Uchiha Toko's words.

His answer was a kunai that instantly embedded itself in the gap between his legs.

"Including income from lending and such, it can reach around four hundred million ryo a month when business is good." Yamamoto Taro, who had still been trying to play tricks, immediately became obedient and blurted it out, terrified that the next kunai would fly straight at his head.

"That's quite a sizable business, isn't it, Lord Yamamoto?" Uchiha Toko drew another kunai and lightly lifted Yamamoto Taro's triple-chinned face with its tip.

"The Uchiha Clan recently has some spare funds and would like to invest in Lord Yamamoto's business. What do you think, Lord Yamamoto?"

"It would be my honor for the Uchiha Clan to invest in my business. Sir, how much do you intend to invest?" Yamamoto Taro asked with a fawning smile.

"Invest?" Uchiha Toko chuckled, then abruptly drove the kunai in his hand into the ground beside Yamamoto Taro's foot. "This is the Uchiha investment. Is it enough?"

"It's enough! It's enough!" Yamamoto Taro nodded frantically.

"The Uchiha will take seventy percent of all income."

"Uh, this..."

"Hmm?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Yamamoto Taiichi nodded vigorously.

"Don't make that face. The Uchiha Clan is far stronger than the Shimura Clan. We're absolutely worth the price as guards." Uchiha Toko smiled and helped Yamamoto Taiichi to his feet.

"Yes... I understand... Then, sir, what about the Feudal Lord?"

"Lord Yamamoto, facing threats from the rogue ninja Shimura Danzō, who intended to stage a military coup, acted out of righteousness, remembered the Feudal Lord's kindness, and joined forces with the Uchiha Clan to crush Shimura Danzō's plot. How does that sound?" Uchiha Toko asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes, exactly so! I knew the Shimura Clan had harbored rebellious intentions all along!" Yamamoto Taro hurriedly said.

"Then sign this and press your fingerprint on it." Uchiha Toko took out a sheet of paper from a Sealing Scroll and placed it before Yamamoto Taro.

Yamamoto Taro picked it up and saw that it was densely packed with the Shimura Clan's Evidence of Crimes, along with some material implicating the Mitokado and Utatane Clans.

"Sir... this... Can I not sign it?" Yamamoto Taro swallowed. He knew that once he signed this Evidence of Crimes, whether it was real or not, he would have thoroughly offended all three clans.

"What do you think?" Uchiha Toko raised an eyebrow, wearing a gentle smile.

"All right... I'll sign." Yamamoto Taro had no choice. Trembling, he signed his name on the Evidence of Crimes and pressed down his fingerprint.

Uchiha Toko nodded in satisfaction and put away his kunai.

Then, under Yamamoto Taro's voluntary guidance, the two entered the warehouse within the Lord's Mansion. Uchiha Toko took seventy percent of the wealth stored there. He was a man who kept his word—if he said seventy percent, then he took only seventy percent.

Even so, the full two billion in cash completely used up the fifteen Sealing Scrolls Uchiha Toko had specifically brought with him.

It seemed a heavy hand was necessary when dealing with these financial tycoons.

As he left, Uchiha Toko could not help thinking to himself.

When Uchiha Toko returned to the inn, everyone else had already finished that evening's gathering. He climbed back into his room through the window, only to find someone sitting on the sofa inside.

Kakashi was flipping through his copy of Make-Out Paradise alone. Only after hearing Uchiha Toko's arrival did he look up and ask, "You're back."

"When did you realize the one following you was a Shadow Clone?" Uchiha Toko asked with a smile.

"When we left the restaurant." Kakashi raised one Sharingan. "Don't forget, I can't turn these Sharingan off."

"All right, then what does Captain Kakashi intend to do?" Uchiha Toko asked with a smile. "Make a note of it in the mission report?"

"Toko, you know I wouldn't do that," Kakashi said.

"Ha ha ha!" Uchiha Toko laughed heartily. "Of course I trust that Captain Kakashi wouldn't do such a thing. So, if you waited for me this late, there must be something else."

Kakashi took a deep breath before solemnly asking, "After last time, I also wanted to try my hand at Kyudo, but I don't know where to begin. Do you have any suggestions, Toko?"

Hearing Kakashi's question, Uchiha Toko felt deeply gratified. Kakashi had finally started to get on the right track.

"Kyudo values an upright body, proper spirit, and tranquil heart. If your body is not upright, your spirit is improper, and your heart is unsettled, then the arrows you shoot will naturally go astray," Uchiha Toko said. "For beginners, it truly is a long cultivation."

After hearing Uchiha Toko's words, Kakashi fell silent.

"Before practicing Kyudo, you should first take proper care of your teacher's son. That child's situation in the village is not good," Uchiha Toko reminded him with a shake of his head.

After the Fourth died, why had the members of the Shadow Guard who had once followed him fallen silent? Wasn't it because they had no leader?

Kakashi had originally been the most qualified person to step forward and continue leading them, but what had he done? He had only immersed himself in his grief. He had not even taken care of the Fourth's sole orphan. How could those people dare stake everything on following him?

"Naruto?" Kakashi finally snapped back to his senses. "I understand. After this mission, I'll apply to leave the Anbu."

Uchiha Toko smiled and nodded.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer. Thank you." After offering his sincere thanks, Kakashi rose and left.

After Kakashi left, Uchiha Toko also went to sleep after taking a bath.

Early the next morning, the group gathered at the city gate. Once Utatane Kui and Mitokado Hayate arrived with extremely displeased expressions, they set off once more.

After the rapport they had built the night before, everyone traveled without any barriers between them, chatting and laughing happily. Even the two Hyuga ninja who had been rather aloof yesterday dropped their pretense. Only Utatane Kui and Mitokado Hayate were left out.

After enduring being isolated for the entire journey, the two finally could not bear it any longer. When Uchiha Toko announced that he would once again treat everyone to dinner that evening, Utatane Kui coldly said, "It seems some people have forgotten that we came out here to carry out a mission. Feasting and drinking all the way—do you think this is a picnic?"

Once she finished speaking, everyone looked at the pair at the rear of the group with strange expressions.

"Once the mission is over, I will truthfully report your conduct to Lord Hokage," Mitokado Hayate added.

"Strictly speaking, you have no authority to write the mission report, because I am the person in charge of this mission," Kakashi said coldly before Uchiha Toko could speak.

"Kakashi, you..." Utatane Kui had not expected Kakashi to take such an unequivocal stand on the other side.

"If you don't want to do this mission with us, you can go back now," Inuzuka Fu also spoke up, his dissatisfaction completely undisguised.

What a joke. Just because you don't want to eat, you expect everyone else not to eat either?