The Rebellious Youth Worth 35 Million Ryo

"Focus on acquiring food, clothing, and tents!" Xun Uzumaki said as he looked at the spiky-haired youth before him, who appeared to be around eighteen.

It was already nearing the end of the year, and the Shinobi World had long since entered winter. Keeping warm and fed was the highest priority. As for the construction of the Land of Whirlpools, it could only proceed slowly for now!

The person before him was Gato, the future shipping tycoon of the Land of Waves.

He was merely a youth now. Aside from looking somewhat sleazy, he bore none of the appearance of the fat, lecherous middle-aged old man he would become in the future!

Meeting Gato had been a stroke of luck. Back when Gato had wandered here, Xun Uzumaki had found him. Because of that name, Xun had offered him a helping hand. It had not been much trouble anyway, but he truly had not expected...

Someone named Gato really was a business genius!

It had been an accident too. He had not had any other assistants for business at the time. Could he have asked the Uzumaki Clan to help?

That would have been truly disastrous!

Was the Uzumaki Clan made for business?

There had been no one else, so he had given it a try because of the name. He really had not expected it!

Xun Uzumaki could now be certain that this Gato was the future shipping magnate who would monopolize transportation in the Land of Waves.

Eh... that probably would not happen now. After all, the Land of Whirlpools had not been destroyed. Where would the Land of Waves even be established?

"Yes!" Gato nodded earnestly. He would never truly regard the person before him as a child!

"And remember, don't reveal the name of the Land of Whirlpools!" Xun Uzumaki said sternly, staring at Gato.

Their most important task now was to reduce the Shinobi World's attention toward the Land of Whirlpools and draw the eyes of every shinobi village elsewhere!

After all, if the Land of Whirlpools wanted to develop, it could only do so quietly. Especially after winning this war, they had truly drawn too much attention!

Therefore, to the outside world, the Land of Whirlpools could only claim a miserable victory!

Without the fortune of a Child of Prophecy, it was best not to stand out!

As for Kirigakure, Xun Uzumaki guessed they would not actually admit that they had been left in such a sorry state by a small country!

The Five Great Shinobi Villages still cared about their dignity!

It was just that he himself might not be able to stay hidden. A seven-year-old at Kage-level was still far too shocking at present!

Although that ninjutsu last time had merely been an accident, he was not Kage-level. He was only a Jonin.

So lately, he should just honestly build up his reputation!

"Understood!" Gato's gaze sharpened, and he nodded. He had done this sort of thing plenty of times and knew all the tricks!

"Remember, stockpile enough supplies for more than four hundred thousand people to get through the harsh winter," Xun Uzumaki said after some thought.

The Land of Whirlpools currently had nearly three hundred thousand shinobi and civilians combined. Once some refugees arrived later...

It was better to be prepared!

Moreover, after a war ended, it was also an important period of population growth. During this time, the population throughout the Shinobi World would undergo explosive growth.

If the Land of Whirlpools wanted to become strong, population was one of the necessary conditions.

Gato frowned. This would be somewhat troublesome. There were simply too many supplies involved. It seemed that this time, he could not pose as someone from Kirigakure. No matter what, they were one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. They would not purchase that many supplies in other countries. Besides, even if Kirigakure truly needed that much, they would use official channels. Not only might they receive discounts, but others would specifically dispatch shinobi to escort the goods.

They would not send a merchant to make purchases.

If they did, Kirigakure would be finished sooner or later.

It seemed he would have to purchase supplies in batches across the five great nations this time!

And this time, he could only pretend to be a merchant from a small country or a small shinobi village!

After considering it, Gato decided that although it would be troublesome and might even be dangerous, he would still do his utmost to complete it.

This...

Was to repay the kindness of that meal!

War was a contest of money, manpower, and resources.

Other than lacking people and resources, the Land of Whirlpools could still easily control its money. After all, it was one village as one nation, and the upper ranks were basically all from the Uzumaki Clan.

And...

He had even appropriated part of the national treasury for himself!

Compared to Kirigakure...

Just have Hozuki Gengetsu ask the daimyo of the Land of Water for funds to buy Explosive Tags and see what happens.

It would be strange if the daimyo did not spit all over the village chief's face!

Why had he established a shinobi village?

Wasn't it so the country's military defense could save money?

Because shinobi could take missions and earn money!

They only needed to be self-sufficient.

Yet you wanted to request several hundred million, or even several billion, to buy Explosive Tags.

The daimyo of the Land of Water would probably be preparing to replace the village chief. If you could not save money, what use were you?

That was why Hashirama's one-country-one-village policy was truly a damned trap. The money was in the hands of the country, while military authority lay with the shinobi village...

Wouldn't everything be over once the country and the shinobi village came into conflict?

Where had Asuma Sarutobi's 35 million ryo bounty come from?

It came from when he had been one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and killed the other half of the Twelve Guardian Ninja.

Then...

After the Twelve Guardian Ninja killed each other, who exactly had placed the bounty on Asuma?

Heh heh, who would believe the daimyo of the Land of Fire had no hand in it?

After wiping out the Twelve Guardian Ninja, he ran off, leaving no bodyguards around him. If they did not put a bounty on you, who would they put one on?

Konoha had probably seen that the daimyo was not close to Konoha. He had even been egged on by the other Twelve Guardian Ninja. Fearing that this would harm the shinobi village, they had wiped out the other Twelve Guardian Ninja to show him Konoha's strength and make him see whether he still dared to remain distant from Konoha.

Then...

The daimyo backed down. When he formed the Twelve Guardian Ninja again, he even had to consult Konoha first!

As for Konoha claiming that Asuma had joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja during his rebellious phase and that they had known nothing about it.

Heh heh!

Xun Uzumaki could only say, as expected of Hiruzen Sarutobi!

The son of Konoha's village chief had joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja, yet no one knew until he made a name for himself and ended up with a 35 million ryo bounty...

Who would believe that?!

Since when could Konoha's shinobi leave the village whenever they wanted?

Or did Asuma have that privilege because he was the Hokage's son?

Heh heh!

How scheming!

Hashirama had probably never expected the relationship between shinobi villages and nations to develop into this. Shinobi villages had originally been established to preserve peace in the Shinobi World, yet they had unexpectedly turned into...

A struggle for power!

After all, as time passed, people's hearts changed. Especially for the ruler of a nation—when going to war, he actually had to ask someone else for permission?

What kind of daimyo would that make him?

Perhaps if he carelessly cursed Konoha a couple of times, he would die of a heart attack the next day, and then the Land of Fire would need a new daimyo!

As for whether it was not a heart attack but an assassination...

Did that matter?

Didn't Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura still fight for power in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations? Even a tiny shinobi village was like this, let alone an entire nation?

Only one chapter today. I'm a little tired! I'll owe the rest for now!