Land of Fire Daimyo - Angel Investor

What was the most important thing in founding a ninja village?

Money.

Talent could be recruited, supplies could be purchased, and territory could be claimed—but money was the one thing you absolutely could not do without. Without money, ninjas could not even afford to eat, so why would they risk their lives for you? Without money, you could not even issue kunai.

Uchiha Yan understood this better than anyone.

Thus, as soon as his appointment as Konoha's Minister of Revenue was announced, he set off for the Fire Capital without delay.

The Fire Capital, the heart of the Land of Fire and the residence of the daimyo.

Compared with Uchiha Yan's calm composure, the daimyo of the Land of Fire was exceptionally unsettled at this moment.

Over the past few days, his desk had been piled high with reports concerning Konoha. The Senju Clan and the Uchiha had joined forces and founded a village called Konoha. Ninja clans large and small throughout the Land of Fire had flocked to join them—Hyuga, Boar-Deer-Butterfly, Sarutobi, Shimura Clan... one after another, they had thrown their lot in with that rising power.

The daimyo's brow had not relaxed once.

What unsettled him even more was that Konoha had sent someone—

He had heard plenty about the Uchiha's fearsome reputation. That man called Uchiha Madara was said to be able to summon a blue giant as large as a mountain and split a mountain apart with a single slash.

The daimyo wanted to refuse the audience, but he did not dare. What if he angered those unreasonable ninjas and they marched straight into the Fire Capital? Would the samurai around him be able to stop them?

They could not.

So he could only meet him.

On this day, Uchiha Yan finally arrived at the Fire Capital.

As the most prosperous city in the Land of Fire, the Fire Capital had broad streets, rows upon rows of shops, and a constant flow of people. It was bustling beyond compare.

The royal palace stood in the center of the Fire Capital, its red walls and golden tiles imposing and magnificent. A row of samurai stood before its gates, clad in armor with long swords at their waists, each one standing ramrod straight.

Uchiha Yan walked up to the palace gates.

"Stop!"

The leading samurai barked sharply and raised a hand to block him. The samurai behind him simultaneously placed their hands on their sword hilts, watching Uchiha Yan with wary eyes.

Uchiha Yan stopped, unhurriedly sizing up the samurai. Most were at the chunin level, while their leader had barely reached jonin level—such strength amounted to little in the ninja world.

He smiled faintly without taking offense.

"Go inform His Highness that Uchiha Yan requests an audience."

Uchiha Yan was in an especially good mood. He was about to meet his angel investor—in his eyes, the daimyo of the Land of Fire was a mobile treasury, a rich mine waiting to be tapped. Uchiha Yan possessed extraordinary patience and tolerance toward those who funded him. Such a minor offense was entirely acceptable.

The leading samurai turned and went inside to report his arrival.

Before long, the samurai hurried back out.

"By His Highness's order, Uchiha Yan is summoned for an audience."

The palace was resplendent in gold and jade.

The daimyo of the Land of Fire sat at the head of the hall, dressed in magnificent robes and wearing a crown. His features were proper enough, but the anxiety between his brows was impossible to hide.

Uchiha Yan stepped forward.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Uchiha Yan immediately expressed his goodwill.

"Please, sit. Serve tea."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Uchiha Yan sat down without hesitation.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before Uchiha Yan stated his purpose directly.

"Your Highness, some time ago, the Uchiha and the Senju Clan set aside their hatred, joined hands, and founded a ninja village called Konoha. I presume Your Highness has already heard this news."

The daimyo's smile stiffened.

Of course he knew. In recent days, news of Konoha had been flying into the Fire Capital day and night, reported to him at the first possible moment. The Uchiha and the Senju had fought with such force that heaven and earth seemed to collapse, changing the very landscape of mountains and rivers—over the years, the daimyo of the Land of Fire had seen ninjas before, including powerful figures like Hyuga Tennin. But battle scenes as exaggerated as those involving Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, where every punch and kick could move mountains and fill seas, had completely surpassed the realm of mortals.

The daimyo had originally hoped that the two clans would fight each other to the death and, ideally, perish together, leaving the Land of Fire in peace.

Who could have imagined that they would reconcile?

You've disgraced all ninjas—the daimyo only dared curse those words in his heart, not speak them aloud.

"Indeed." The daimyo gave two dry laughs. "I have already received word of the Uchiha and the Senju Clan. I wonder, Yan, what brings you here this time...?"

"Your Highness!" Uchiha Yan suddenly raised his voice, his face taking on an expression of deep grief. "The Land of Fire is in grave danger!"

The daimyo froze, bewildered by the abrupt declaration.

The Land of Fire was in grave danger? Wasn't Konoha itself the greatest threat to the Land of Fire? You, Konoha's Minister of Revenue, came all the way here to tell me that the Land of Fire was doomed—no matter how he heard it, something was off.

"What do you mean?"

Uchiha Yan's face turned solemn, his tone heavy. "Your Highness, the Uchiha and the Senju joined forces for love and peace, to resolve the hatred of generations and spare the Land of Fire from further war."

"But the vermin of the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, the Land of Water, and other nations cannot bear to see the Land of Fire prosper. They have actually joined together to illegally establish ninja bases in those countries, intending to encroach upon the Land of Fire."

He paused. "May I ask, Your Highness, when the ninjas of those nations point their swords at the Land of Fire, what will ease your worries?"

The smile vanished completely from the daimyo's face.

This was outright deception!

It was an open scheme, and an utterly naked threat at that. Konoha was all about love and peace, while everyone else was vermin and traitorous rebels? Konoha was clearly the largest military bloc itself, yet it turned around and dressed itself up as the savior of the Land of Fire?

The daimyo's expression stiffened. While Uchiha Yan had been on his way here, the daimyo had already guessed it—this Uchiha had come to fleece him. As the daimyo of the Land of Fire, he had long understood: as long as you weren't rebelling, wasn't it just about money? Name your price, and he would pay it, wouldn't he?

Yet Uchiha Yan had to be so shameless, actually portraying himself as the hope of the Land of Fire.

"How... should we handle this?"

That was exactly what Uchiha Yan had been waiting for.

"Your Highness, I do have an idea. Konoha loves peace and is determined to protect the Land of Fire. Though Konoha's combat strength is limited, we are willing to ease Your Highness's worries."

"However..." Uchiha Yan abruptly changed tack, revealing a troubled expression.

"However what?"

"However, Konoha has only just been established, and there is much to be done." Uchiha Yan sighed, looking utterly helpless. "When it comes to protecting the Land of Fire, I fear we have the will but not the means."

Shameless!

Shameless to the extreme!

Damn vermin. When those ninja clans had come asking him for money before, it had been his reward, and those clans had accepted the money on their knees. But now this Uchiha wanted to take the money standing up—and he could not even refuse to give it.

But what else could the daimyo do?

He drew a deep breath. The muscles in his face twitched twice before he finally forced out a smile uglier than crying.

"For love and peace." The daimyo spoke each word slowly, his voice carrying the weary resignation of one who had accepted his fate. "I am willing to provide Konoha with aid..."

The conversation that followed was pleasant for both host and guest—at least on the surface.

The two tacitly haggled back and forth. Uchiha Yan's asking price was far from low, and the daimyo's face alternated between pale and green, but in the end, he still gritted his teeth and nodded.

Ten billion.

Uchiha Yan had secured ten billion in sponsorship for Konoha.

This sum was enough to accelerate the construction of Konoha several times over and train even more ninja.

At the end of their discussion, the two also established an important rule.

Ninja belonged to the Hokage; civilians belonged to the daimyo.

This sentence was both a boundary and a contract. From then on, the ninja and secular powers of the Land of Fire would each perform their own duties without interfering with one another. The daimyo would manage his people and taxes, while Konoha would manage its ninja and missions.

Uchiha Yan rose to his feet and bowed once more.

"Your Highness truly understands righteousness. Everyone in Konoha will be deeply grateful. The Land of Fire and Konoha shall share glory and disgrace."