Hiruzen Sarutobi Forms the Strongest Duo with Someone Else

The Daimyo was filled with complex emotions.

On the one hand, there is a sense of relief, as if one has survived a disaster.

While Hiruzen Sarutobi silent, he thought he was going to die today...

But on the other hand, he also felt very frustrated.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was not a fool; he knew that this was Hiruzen Sarutobi intimidating him.

But he didn't have any good solutions...

At most, they'll sabotage Konoha financially and nominally, silently harassing them.

Although it may not have a significant effect, it can still vent one's anger.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire consoled himself with this thought.

"Danzo, bring me the ' Sage Pill '," Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly.

Shimura Danzō forward and, without saying a word, placed a beautifully crafted box on the table.

He stood behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, still wearing that sinister expression.

Daimyo clicked his tongue in amazement.

A ferocious tiger is dangerous, but someone who can control it...

That's the more ferocious one!

"Your Daimyo, Koharu and En must have already told you, right?"

"This is a health supplement specially formulated by Lady Mito and Tsunade, combining the specialties of the Three Great Sage Regions..."

"You must be exhausted to be working so late..." Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the box in front of the Daimyo and said softly.

Daimyo's heart skipped a beat.

This looks like they're trying to poison him...

But after calming down, he felt that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't need to go to such lengths to attack him.

"Then thank you for your concern, Hokage." The Land of Fire Daimyo tried to calm himself down, his voice gradually stopping its trembling.

A hint of admiration flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

In fact, this was also part of his investigation...

A puppet, or rather, a Spokesperson Plan.

Obedience is only part of the equation; being a complete idiot is also unacceptable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi focused his main energy on Konoha and his own strength.

He couldn't possibly take on all the responsibilities of the Land of Fire.

What's needed is to grasp the specific direction.

There's no need to nitpick over the details; real-world problems rarely have perfect solutions.

Daimyo opened the box.

A wisp of white mist suddenly emerged, drifting across the tabletop and spreading out a hazy veil.

Inside the box lay three exquisitely crafted, off-white Healthcare Pill, each engraved with Katsuyu, Spirit Snake, and a toad, their lines classically elegant.

On the back panel inside the box lid, Konoha crests and flame totems are carved in a staggered pattern, with faint landscape scenes hidden among them, as if clouds and smoke are slowly flowing between the patterns.

Although the entire box is made of inexpensive quartz, its translucent texture after polishing gives it a more refined and elegant feel than ordinary jade.

"This is it!" The doubts in the mind of the Land of Fire Daimyo were instantly put to the back of his mind.

Just by looking at it, it's definitely not an ordinary product!

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly, "Please use it."

Daimyo had no doubts and, after some deliberation, swallowed the one engraved with the Spirit Snake.

The initial taste is a crisp, slightly bitter sensation, which transforms into a rich, sweet aroma as it travels across the tongue.

Between bitterness and sweetness, there seems to be some kind of mystery.

The formula, which Tsunade had adjusted many times, contained ingredients that were not particularly rare, but as soon as the medicinal power dissipated, an immediate sense of comfort spread from the throat to the limbs.

The weariness that had enveloped Daimyo seemed to dissipate, like wisps of white mist rising from the tabletop.

His mind became increasingly clear and calm, without the slightest trace of drowsiness or confusion.

The joints that used to ache were now soothed by the warmth of the water, the soreness and swelling subsided, leaving only an indescribable feeling of lightness and comfort.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled but remained silent.

Reconstructing the value anchor of Chakra from "violence" to "nourishment," even if it's just the beginning, is enough to be called a dimensional reduction attack.

This effect is of little significance to ninjas.

The ninjas suffered from chronic illnesses and ailments accumulated over years of warfare, not from a lack of exercise or excessive indulgence in pleasure.

But for people Daimyo, it's just right.

"This... Hokage, this must be a divine medicine bestowed by the Sage of the Holy Land, right?" The Daimyo's eyes widened, and he carefully and immediately closed the box.

He was afraid that the medicine's effects would dissipate in the air along with the rising white mist.

A sense of guilt arose in Daimyo's heart.

While Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions did objectively disrupt the balance between the Daimyo and the Hokage...

But the fact that they came in the middle of the night shows they really meant well...

Such a divine item!

"The raw materials are indeed sourced directly from the Three Great Sage Regions, but the processing techniques were entirely developed independently by Konoha," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a chuckle.

"Your Daimyo, guess how much this production volume is?"

"How many? Dozens, hundreds?" Daimyo tentatively guessed, "Could it be thousands!"

"Thirty-six thousand." Hiruzen Sarutobi gave the answer calmly.

This number is the result of Tsunade and Orochimaru's simplification of the prescription.

There would have been more.

However, Orochimaru believed that these Nobles only needed to take it three times a month, and there was no need to increase the frequency.

The lingering aftertaste has a long-lasting effect and adds a sense of mystery.

Furthermore, slightly increasing the amount of medical Chakra injected can also better train the production team.

Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally adopted this suggestion; he disliked micromanagement and preferred to leave professional matters to specialists...

His Daimyo caused a great stir.

"Take three times a month, thirty-six pills a year, and the production capacity can supply a thousand people."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly, "Those capable Nobles and central bureaucrats of the Land of Fire, do they match this number?"

"That matches," Daimyo replied in a low voice, a lot coming to mind in an instant.

For those Nobles, the effects of this Sage Land Pill will surely cause a frenzy of fighting over it!

Konoha, which produces elixirs, will undoubtedly receive their full support...

Broken!

"Is 100,000 taels expensive for this one?"

"It's not expensive." Daimyo subconsciously shook his head, his eyes filled with despair.

In the Shinobi World, roughly converted to purchasing power, one tael (两) is equivalent to about five to six cents in his previous life...

Even if a Nobles were to bear the burden for the entire year, it would only amount to 3.6 million taels, or about 2 million taels.

For these top thousand Nobles of the Land of Fire, affording such a thing is not difficult; it can be considered a necessary necessity.

"The tax revenue of the Land of Fire is far less than the wealth accumulated by the Nobles..."

"The richer they become, the poorer the Land of Fire becomes, and the worse off the common people are. The Land of Fire's agriculture and manufacturing industries are affected, creating a chain reaction that impacts Konoha's war potential."

Hiruzen Sarutobi remarked with a sigh, "So, I have to find a way to get their money back."

What do you think?

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire pursed his lips and nodded weakly.

These are undeniable facts, and there's no point in arguing about them.

"I'll sell the first batch of goods at a lower price, using that to break down the psychological barriers of the Nobles and seize the market."

"After the second year, anyone who wants to buy will have to qualify according to the quota..."

"Only those who can ensure their territory's inhabitants live in peace and prosperity, with thriving industries and a wealthy population, are qualified to purchase this ' Sage Land Pill '..."

"They need to be properly managed! If they take the ' Sage Land Pill ' and become so energetic that they enjoy causing trouble and affecting industry and agriculture, that would be a disaster..."

The Daimyo sighed and closed his eyes, "Lord Hokage, please don't make me feel pain later."

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought too comprehensively.

So much so that he felt that if Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to become Daimyo, he would definitely encounter some obstacles, but it was only a matter of time before he could take that position.

What are you saying?

Hiruzen Sarutobi nudged his shoulder.

The Daimyo opened his eyes, and what greeted his gaze was Hiruzen Sarutobi's signature cheerful smile:

"How to set the criteria, identify the eligible Nobles, assess their territories, and establish efficient distribution and remittance channels—that all depends on you, Your Daimyo..."

Daimyo's pupils trembled.

So, they wanted to cooperate with me?

The Third Hokage was truly a kind and honest person!

If he were Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would choose to kill himself, even if it wasn't the optimal choice...

Power has a natural tendency to expand.

Was Hiruzen Sarutobi's ability to restrain this desire solely from the perspective of benefiting the Land of Fire?

And even under these circumstances, one can still address him by his "Daimyo".

The strong sense of human warmth in this scene brought tears to Daimyo's eyes.

In fact, besides the internal reason that the cost-effectiveness was too low, Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to cooperate with the Daimyo.

There were also external factors—it wasn't enough to just take over the Land of Fire; to take it all over, he had to take over the entire Nobles of the Shinobi World as well...

In this regard, the Daimyo needs to lead the Nobles and sincerely promote him.

As the Hokage, he can't exactly throw a banquet and invite foreign Nobles over, can he?

But the Daimyo are different; these people are all related, some like Kaguya and the Hyuga Clan...

"You must be a few years older than me..." the Daimyo said in a low voice, "You see, it's far too distant for us to address each other as 'Your Excellency' or 'Sir'..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "Indeed, but how can I make it seem more intimate?"

"May I call you elder brother?" the Daimyo asked earnestly.

"Of course it's suitable."

Hiruzen Sarutobi his arm around the Daimyo's shoulder and said with a smile, "Worthy Brother, what good is the title of lord to me?"

"My only wish is that you and I, the Hokage and the Daimyo, are two sides of the same coin, to extract the silver that the Nobles hoard and refuse to part with, to whip them with the whip of quotas, and to develop the Land of Fire..."

"There's no point in making money off the poor."

"If we're going to make money, we'll make money off the rich, and we'll make sure they bring the poor down with them..."

"That's more interesting, don't you think? This is something that no king in the history of the Land of Fire has ever accomplished!"

Daimyo took a deep breath. "Big brother, you think highly of me, so let's work together!"

"Good Worthy Brother!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Daimyo clasped hands tightly. "With our combined efforts, is there any stronger duo in the Land of Fire?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" the Daimyo cried out. "No-Man can stop him!"

And behind them.

Shimura Danzō watched this scene with a blank expression.

Deceive, and keep deceiving...

He wondered, how many people had Hiruzen Sarutobi said similar things to?

They were supposed to be the strongest duo...