Sarutobi Hiruzen: Danzo, You Really Made a Killing, Kid

Have I become the clown?

Uchiha Makoto cast a casual glance at the "ignorant" daimyo and did not bother arguing with him.

Since the daimyo was unwilling to meet Hashirama Senju, Makoto could go in his place. As the intermediary, he would have plenty of opportunities to manipulate the situation.

"Your Highness, leave this matter to me."

"Set this letter aside for now. If Hashirama Senju comes to the Capital of the Land of Fire in person, I will be responsible for receiving him."

"That would be wonderful."

After receiving Uchiha Makoto's assurance, a smile appeared on the daimyo's face.

With the matter of the letter settled, the two began discussing the Tulip plan.

The Tulip plan was now approaching its climax. According to the information currently available,

over the next month, cash from every country in the Ninja World would flow into the Tulip market. Uchiha Makoto planned to introduce a completely new trading method—contract trading—at the right moment.

This move was called adding fuel to the fire!

The two chatted for a while and finalized some specific details of the plan's execution. For example, experts who spread false rumors and stirred up trouble had to be planted in every Tulip trading market in the Land of Fire.

About half an hour later,

their discussion ended, and Uchiha Makoto left the room. He had to rest for the night. Ever since receiving the daimyo's letter, he had rushed here overnight.

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

The price of Tulips began to rise even more sharply than before.

Meanwhile, Shimura Danzo, who had plunged headfirst into the Tulip speculation market, was immersed every day in the happiness of watching the prices "rise, rise, rise."

His worldview had suffered a severe blow.

How could making money be so difficult?

All he had to do was use money to buy a batch of Tulips, then wake up the next morning to find that he had earned a huge sum. Wasn't this something anyone with hands could do?

At the same time,

as his worldview changed, his desires gradually began to run rampant. They had even become twisted. He had originally only planned to invest one million taels, but Danzo had now repeatedly diverted large amounts of the clan's procurement funds to buy Tulips. The amount had already reached a horrifying fifty million taels. The returns were naturally extremely generous, and his profits had already doubled!

In just one week, he had earned fifty million taels!

What an astonishing return!

The funds Tobirama Senju had racked his brains to embezzle were probably not even as much as what Danzo had earned in one week.

However, Danzo had no intention of stopping yet.

According to the rumors circulating in the market, this was only the beginning. An endless stream of money would soon pour in. The price was still only halfway up the mountain!

"How can I stop at a time like this?"

"If I don't go all out when there's a chance to make a fortune, who knows how long I'll have to wait for another opportunity like this!"

Such words spread throughout the Tulip exchanges, and Shimura Danzo deeply agreed. That was exactly what he thought!

Those who got off halfway were timid fools. At the slightest sign of trouble, they wanted to sell?

The price dropped a little, and they were already scared out of their wits!

So what if the price plunged?

Based on his analysis of past price movements, Shimura Danzo knew that this was merely a temporary pullback—a dip to pick up passengers, a technical adjustment!

Those who chose to sell now were all brainless bagholders. Sooner or later, they would have to buy back in at a higher price!

"I have to go see that idiot Hiruzen again."

"Poor Hiruzen Sarutobi. What can he possibly accomplish today?"

"At most, he'll haggle with that group of unscrupulous merchants and quibble over every last few hundred thousand taels!"

Thinking this, Shimura Danzo strode away from the Tulip trading market, brimming with satisfaction. He had spent the entire day there again. In fact, ever since making a huge profit in the Tulip market, he had already tossed the task of procuring supplies to the back of his mind.

In his view, that kind of task could be done at any time. The most important thing now was making a fortune!

Once he had money, what was there to fear about not being able to buy supplies?

As a result, Shimura Danzo's procurement progress was slow, far behind Hiruzen Sarutobi's. But Danzo's attitude was different from before. During the first few days, he had still needed to think of excuses and put on an act to deceive Hiruzen Sarutobi. Now, he could not even be bothered to pretend.

"Hiruzen, I came up empty-handed again today. Those people are all unscrupulous merchants!"

Shimura Danzo's face was filled with delight. There was not even the slightest sign of disappointment at falling behind schedule.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing in front of him, wore a grim expression.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not a fool.

At first, Danzo's disguise had been enough to fool him. But later, Danzo's behavior had become increasingly outrageous, and now he could not even be bothered to pretend!

Today, in order to find out what Danzo had really been doing, Hiruzen Sarutobi had specifically followed him. He had watched Shimura Danzo enter the Tulip trading market with his own eyes and remain inside until the appointed time for the two of them to meet.

"Danzo, you're still spouting blatant lies to my face!"

"Are you treating me like a monkey?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi grumbled inwardly, then confronted Danzo directly.

"Danzo, stop pretending!"

"You haven't been carrying out the supply procurement at all during this period. I already know the truth. How can you face Lord Tobirama?"

"A business like Tulips is not something we ninja can get involved in. Danzo, you must turn back before it's too late!"

Shimura Danzo's expression changed, and then he realized something.

"Hiruzen, you followed me!"

"Yes, I did follow you, but I did it for your own good. Right now, our top priority is to complete the supply procurement mission."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with righteous conviction, his face radiating a sense of justice.

As a comrade, he could not stand by and watch Danzo go farther and farther down the wrong path.

"All right."

"I had originally planned to continue treating you as an ordinary ninja, but all I got in return was your estrangement."

"I'll come clean. I'm done pretending."

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had discovered his secret, Shimura Danzo simply stopped hiding it. Enough time had passed—it was time to come clean to Hiruzen.

"Danzo, why is your attitude still like this? I'm only thinking of what's best for you."

"We're comrades, after all!"

"I can't stand by and watch you keep making more and more mistakes!"

Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's "well-intentioned advice," the corners of Shimura Danzo's mouth curled upward. He even could not help letting out a soft snort.

"Hiruzen, you're not a bad person, but your horizons are too narrow."

"Since you can speak these heartfelt words to me now, I've decided to take you along and make a fortune."

"What do you mean, make a fortune? Danzo, what are you talking about?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in confusion, as Shimura Danzo slowly held up five fingers.

"Hiruzen, guess how much money I've made recently."

"Five hundred thousand taels?"

Danzo shook his head.

"Five million taels?"

Danzo shook his head again.

"Don't tell me it's fifty million taels!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice trembled faintly.

Danzo, you really made a killing, kid!

Have I become the clown now?

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