Tobirama Senju: Corruption—Oh, No! Money Saved Through Frugality

It'll be used to fund my research! ### This time, Sasuke Sarutobi had come to Konoha not merely to discuss the Sarutobi Clan's collective relocation to Konoha with Tobirama Senju; he also wanted to introduce his son, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to Tobirama Senju. ### If possible, Sasuke Sarutobi also hoped that Tobirama Senju would take Hiruzen Sarutobi as his student. ### This was a decision Sasuke Sarutobi had made after careful deliberation. ### Some time ago, ### Sasuke Sarutobi had come to the village to investigate. ### The village's formidable strength was beyond doubt. After all, it had been founded through the cooperation of the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan. ### Of course, this was common knowledge. ### The key point was that Sasuke Sarutobi had more or less figured out a crucial question concerning the Sarutobi Clan's future development. ### Once the Sarutobi Clan moved to Konoha, whom should they curry favor with, and which side should they take? ### Whom to curry favor with? Naturally, the Leader. ### Which side to take? Naturally, the Leader's side. ### They couldn't possibly follow the second-in-command and eat leftovers! ### Then who was the village's Leader? ### On the surface, there was naturally no doubt that it was Hashirama Senju. ### But in reality, the Leader was actually Tobirama Senju, standing right before him! ### Tobirama Senju was nominally an assistant, but in reality, he was the regent! ### He had the final say in matters concerning Konoha's development! ### Sasuke Sarutobi had personally witnessed the famed Hashirama Senju, renowned throughout the Ninja World, being reprimanded by Tobirama Senju and made to squat in the corner drawing circles. ### That was all it took! ### In the end, Hashirama Senju had even bowed and scraped as he begged Tobirama Senju not to be angry. ### After witnessing such a legendary scene, ### Sasuke Sarutobi could conclude just how terrifying Tobirama Senju's authority was in the village. It could be described as absolute power! ### If the Sarutobi Clan wanted to obtain sufficient resources and develop over the long term in the village, they had to establish ties with Tobirama Senju. ### In the Ninja World, ### apart from family and blood relations, the closest relationship a ninja could have was that between master and student. ### If Hiruzen Sarutobi could become Tobirama Senju's student, the Sarutobi Clan would have a backer in the village. At the same time, this would also serve as the Sarutobi Clan's pledge of allegiance. ### "Lord Tobirama, leave this matter to me!" ### "I'm already a ninja who can stand on my own!" ### At the signal from his father, Sasuke Sarutobi, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately stepped forward. His voice was loud, and his expression was full of confidence. ### "Lord Tobirama, I'm the same!" ### Danzo Shimura, meanwhile, stepped forward a beat slower. ### "I see." ### Tobirama Senju raised his head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura standing before him. ### Although they had not yet come of age and appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen, in this cruel Ninja World, children who could survive to fourteen or fifteen could indeed be called ninjas capable of standing on their own. I was already following my father onto the battlefield at seven or eight to exterminate the naturally evil Uchiha! ### "Lord Tobirama, you can safely leave this matter to Hiruzen!" ### "I was already planning to have him handle the procurement of these supplies. Hiruzen is my son, and sooner or later, he will have to shoulder the Sarutobi Clan's heavy responsibilities. It's time for him to—" ### "Delivering a letter is just something he can do along the way." ### As Sasuke Sarutobi spoke, he unconsciously began praising Hiruzen Sarutobi more and more. ### "I happened to have the same plan. Danzo is also at the age when he should—" ### Shima Shimura was doing the same beside him. Considering the future of the Shimura Clan, he also hoped that Tobirama Senju would take Danzo Shimura as his student. ### "Well, since both of you put it that way, all right." ### Tobirama Senju nodded. ### It was only a matter of delivering a letter to the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura would also be going to the Land of Fire to purchase supplies along the way. What could possibly go wrong? ### Seeing Tobirama Senju nod in agreement, ### joy appeared on the faces of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura. Delivering the letter was merely an excuse. ### The most important thing was that they had secured an opportunity to spend time with Tobirama Senju. ### Then came Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura's time to perform. ### To ensure that the letter-delivery mission went off without a hitch, Hiruzen Sarutobi took the initiative to talk about the Fire Release ninjutsu he excelled at, while Danzo Shimura began boasting about his Wind Release. ### Tobirama Senju played along with their performance and even took the opportunity to point out the deficiencies in Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura's understanding of ninjutsu. By this point, Tobirama Senju could more or less guess what Sasuke Sarutobi and Shima Shimura were thinking. ### Taking them as students was not impossible. ### Aside from the disadvantage of having to waste his precious time teaching students, everything else could be said to be beneficial. ### In the future, the Sarutobi Clan and the Shimura Clan would support him instead of being corrupted and won over by the naturally evil Uchiha. The support of the ninja clans would be a great help to Tobirama Senju in controlling the village more effectively in the future. ### After they went back and forth for a while, ### Sasuke Sarutobi and Shima Shimura finally revealed the second purpose of their visit that day. ### "Lord Tobirama, you truly are a powerful ninja, with such extensive knowledge. Guiding the two of them was effortless. I wonder if you would be willing to take Hiruzen/Danzo as your student?" ### "Take them as students? Hmm, it's not impossible, but my standards for choosing students are quite high." ### Tobirama Senju said this even though he truly did intend to take Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura before him as students. He certainly could not agree so readily. ### As the saying went, good things took time. ### There were still quite a few steps to go through before taking students. They had to pass a series of tests. Besides, I am Tobirama Senju. No matter what, I can't take two useless students. I have my pride! ### The necessary tests could not be omitted. ### Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, meanwhile, wore excited expressions. ### During their brief exchange just now, the two of them had already been won over by Tobirama Senju. To identify their deficiencies in understanding ninjutsu within such a short time was something even their fathers could not do! ### Even if it was not for the sake of their clans' futures, they would still have to find a way to take Tobirama Senju as their master simply to become stronger. ### "After you return from the Land of Fire, I will test you. If you can earn my approval, I will take you as my students." ### "Lord Tobirama, I won't disappoint you!" x2 ### Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura shouted together. ### With both sides reaching an agreement, Tobirama Senju once again brought up adult matters. ### They began discussing the supply procurement list, the relocation of the ninja clans, the planning of the ninja village, and a series of other issues. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura listened from the side while thinking about how to earn Tobirama Senju's approval as quickly as possible after returning from the Land of Fire. ### "Then it's settled." ### "The village also needs to purchase supplies recently, so I'll trouble you to handle that along the way. That way, we can get a slightly better price." ### The Sarutobi Clan and the Shimura Clan each planned to spend roughly two hundred million ryō on supplies. The village could subsidize each of them fifty million ryō, while also spending another three hundred million ryō on supplies. That came to a total of eight hundred million ryō. With such a large-scale purchase, they could probably get a discount of around five percent. ### Five percent might sound like a good deal, but calculated out, it was still a considerable expense. ### The money saved won't go into the public accounts. I'll keep it to buy some research instruments. Hehehe. This is the fruit of my wisdom! ### How exciting! ### That was what Tobirama Senju was calculating in his heart.