To Get Rich, Build Roads First! Lord Madara Teaches You How to Do Business and Make a Fortune!

The Mizukage Building's conference hall, once used to discuss assassinations and incursions, now brimmed with a strange, oppressive atmosphere.

There were no maps or Kunai on the table. Instead, it was covered in stacks of thick paper that smelled of ink.

They were copies of the Five-Year Plan for Kirigakure's Industrial Revitalization and Development, which Lin Feng had printed overnight using a printer provided by the system. At present, Kirigakure's annual income in Konoha Year 48 was 120 million, and it was running a 500-million deficit (that's my estimate, since Kishimoto never wrote it).

The leaders of the Hozuki Clan, the Yuki Clan, the Kaguya Clan... These notorious, violent gang leaders in the Ninja World stared at the tables before them, their minds completely frozen.

"Projected total income after five years... nearly twenty times higher?"

"From Konoha Year 48 to Konoha Year 53, Kirigakure's revenue will grow from 120 million to 2.5 billion."

Elder Hozuki rubbed his eyes, suspecting he'd fallen victim to some high-level genjutsu. He pointed at the figures, his voice uncertain. "Lord Madara, are there a few too many zeroes in these numbers?"

Lin Feng leaned back in the seat of honor, his black hair falling over his armor. His Rinnegan glimmered faintly in the dim room.

"To you, those numbers look like fantasy. To me, they're the value you've wasted over the past few decades."

"You've lived in Kirigakure for how many years now? Do you really have no ideas of your own about how to develop the economy?"

He tapped the table with a finger, his voice echoing through the silent hall.

"Kirigakure has abundant marine resources and the strongest water-control abilities in the Ninja World. Yet you send your clan's geniuses to the battlefield as expendable tools, just to earn a pittance from missions and subsidies from the daimyo. Even a dog would shake its head at this kind of business model."

"You're holding golden bowls and begging for food!"

Yahiko, standing off to one side, twitched at the corner of his eye. It was hard to connect such a vulgar yet spot-on criticism with the legendary "Asura of the Ninja World."

Kisame carried Samehada on his shoulder and grinned menacingly at the others. "Lord Madara is giving you a chance. Just this once. If you don't cherish it, you know what happened to the previous Mizukage!"

The entire room fell silent.

Lin Feng rose to his feet and casually waved a hand. A huge chart appeared on the wall behind him.

"Take a look at the Kekkei Genkai you're so proud of."

He pointed at the Yuki Clan's representative. "Ice Release. In your hands, it's a weapon for killing. But in my plan, it's liquid gold."

"Three refrigerated ships, permanently staffed by Jonin from the Yuki Clan and supported by elite Jonin from Anbu. The nobles of the Five Great Nations want fresh seafood and chilled juice in summer. Using refrigerated trucks to deliver them everywhere will make you the sole supplier. This monopoly alone could bring your clan over 1.5 billion ryo in net profit a year. Isn't that faster than killing people?"

The Yuki Clan leader's breathing quickened. He'd always thought his people were regarded as monsters, but he'd never imagined their "monstrous abilities" could be turned into real money.

"And you, the Kaguya Clan."

Lin Feng looked at the group of battle-crazed warriors who thought of nothing but cutting people down. "Your bones are harder than fine steel. Use them to drill through rock and mine ore, and they'll work a hundred times faster than ordinary tools. Those thick-headed rock lovers from Iwagakure are struggling to break through hard layers of ore. Your bone blades are exactly the industrial marvel they need."

The Kaguya Clan leader rubbed his forehead and asked in a gruff voice, "Lord Madara, does that mean we'll still... go to war?"

"Wars are fought to seize resources." Lin Feng gave him a cold glance. "Once you control the source of those resources, you won't need to fight. If you want someone to run out of supplies, they'll have no choice but to surrender."

The logic was crude and simple, but it hit these ninja right where they were weakest.

In the Ninja World, strength meant status. But Lin Feng was telling them that strength could mean limitless wealth—and wealth could buy even greater status.

"I'm changing the system of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, too."

Lin Feng pointed at the remaining Ninja Blades on the table. "Starting today, there's no such thing as the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. There'll only be seven industry governors."

"Each Ninja Blade will represent a pillar industry. Take Samehada, for example. It can store and convert Chakra, so I'll make it the symbol of the 'Energy Storage Equipment Division.' Kisame, you won't just be the Mizukage—you'll be the biggest producer of energy-storage armor in the entire Ninja World."

Kisame grinned, his sharklike teeth glinting under the lights. "Governor... That sounds a lot better than janitor."

At that moment, an elite Jonin from the Water Clan hesitantly raised a hand. "Lord Madara, what if... what if Konoha and Cloud Village see how wealthy we've become and attack us?"

"Good question."

Lin Feng's lips curled slightly, revealing an arrogance that sent a chill through the room.

"That's why I'm planning to issue 'Tailed Beast Bonds.' I'll use the Three-Tails as collateral and issue high-yield bonds to merchant guilds and daimyos across the Five Great Nations. Once the wealthy and powerful in those countries have put their money into Kirigakure, once their fortunes and lives are tied to our financial reports..."

Lin Feng suddenly clenched his fist, making a dull thud.

"Anyone who dares attack Kirigakure will be reaching into the pockets of those powerful nobles and cutting out their money. When that happens, we won't have to lift a finger. The daimyo of the Land of Fire will be the first to crush any Konoha ninja who tries to start a war."

"As long as the daimyo is on our side, no Hidden Village will dare stir up trouble lightly. And those who envy our profits? They'll be our new gold mines!"

The entire room sank into a prolonged silence.

This one-two punch, which he called "financial entanglement," was completely beyond the limits of these ninja's understanding.

Kakuzu stared, transfixed. The abacus he'd polished to a shine even slipped from his hands and hit the floor.

"The Tailed Beasts... can be used like that?" he murmured. All five of his hearts pounded wildly in his chest. "Now this is the real way to make money! This is the ultimate secret of the Ninja World!"

Nagato stared at Lin Feng's back. For the first time, confusion appeared in his usually cold Rinnegan.

Was this the vision of an "Asura"?

While he'd been struggling over how to bring peace to the world through pain, his "Teacher" was already preparing to bind the entire Ninja World together with money and productivity, then hold it firmly in his grasp.

This conquest was more complete than conquest by force, and more stable, too.

"All right."

Lin Feng turned around and sat back down.

"Three years to take shape, five years to gain momentum. In five years, Kirigakure's revenue must be more than five times Konoha's. By then, when you walk across the Ninja World, you won't need to wear masks or hide in the mist anymore."

He looked into every person's eyes.

"You'll be the richest ninja in the entire Ninja World, the most distinguished financial elite. Tell me, do you want to be that kind of monster, or go back to the sea and catch little dried fish?"

"We want to get rich!" The Kaguya Clan leader was the first to roar.

"We're willing to lay down our lives for Lord Madara! We'll clear the way for the Mizukage!" Deafening cries surged through the hall.

Lin Feng waved a hand, signaling everyone to leave and get to work.

When only the members of the Akatsuki remained in the conference room, Black Zetsu silently emerged from the shadow behind Lin Feng.

"Lord Madara, the plan is going very smoothly, but there's one thing you should pay attention to."

A hint of cold excitement crept into Black Zetsu's voice. "That kid Obito has been active around Konoha. He seems deeply confused by your major moves in Kirigakure—and even a little... angry."

Lin Feng sneered and tapped the marble armrest with his fingers.

"Angry? That's because his narrow little mind is full of nothing but creating a 'world with Rin.' How could a lovesick fool like him understand the appeal of industrial development?"

All he knows is Rin, Rin, Rin. Lovesick fools like that all need to die, he thought.

He stood and looked out at the harbor, shrouded in mist.

"Let him make trouble. The more trouble he causes, the more chaotic Konoha will become. When he realizes that we won't give him the 'Nine-Tails Incident' he's working so hard to create, and instead let Namikaze Minato become Hokage in peace and Fugaku Uchiha become Hokage Assistant, he'll understand that's what truly serves our interests!"