Hyuga Village Couldn't Be Allowed to Keep Growing!

The daimyo's residence, in the capital of the Land of Fire.

Tobirama Senju stepped over the high threshold.

He was still turning over what he had heard at a tea shop in Konoha.

The daimyo and nobles of the Land of Rice Fields had pooled their money to give Hyuga Village a major mission to wipe out the bandits across the entire country.

In just a few months, the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields had been cleared out.

Yet the nobles of the Land of Fire were still hiring Konoha individually to clear out bandits.

They only cleared out the bandits who affected them, leaving alone those who had nothing to do with them.

As a result, no matter how many bandits were cleared out in the Land of Fire, there were always more.

He had come this time because he wanted the daimyo of the Land of Fire to follow the Land of Rice Fields' example.

To give Konoha a major mission to wipe out the bandits across the entire country as well.

An attendant led the way with his head lowered, guiding Tobirama into the reception room.

Tobirama waited in the reception room for a while.

The daimyo of the Land of Fire entered with several nobles and took the seat of honor.

Tobirama lowered his head in a bow.

"Your Highness."

Without beating around the bush, he spoke directly about the Land of Rice Fields.

"The daimyo and nobles of the Land of Rice Fields pooled a sum of money."

"They gave the Hyuga a mission to wipe out the bandits across the entire country."

"In just a few months, the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields have already been cleared out."

"Now merchants from every country are flocking to the Land of Rice Fields."

Tobirama looked at the daimyo and stated the purpose of his visit.

"Konoha would like to ask Your Highness and the assembled lords to pool a sum of money as well."

"And give Konoha a mission to wipe out the bandits throughout the Land of Fire."

A noble dressed in silk spoke first.

"Surely there's no need to wipe out the bandits across the entire country?"

"There were indeed several groups of bandits on the trade route to the Land of Waterfalls a while ago."

"Didn't I hire you people from Konoha to clear them out?"

"That road has long since been open again."

Another noble chimed in.

"Exactly. I hired Konoha to clear out bandits before, too."

"The Land of Fire is perfectly peaceful now. The commoners have all gone back to farming."

"Why should we waste another sum of money?"

After hearing them out, the daimyo leaned back in the seat of honor and laughed.

"Tobirama."

"Didn't we already hire you people from Konoha to clear out the bandits?"

"Why are there still bandits now?"

The daimyo lifted his teacup and lightly tapped its lid.

"Don't tell me you people from Konoha collected your payment without finishing the job?"

The nobles in the reception room all laughed along.

Some even raised their teacups to cover their mouths.

Tobirama's hands clenched sharply at his sides.

He straightened, sweeping his gaze over the laughing nobles.

All laughter in the reception room stopped at once.

He turned to look at the daimyo in the seat of honor.

"Your Highness, my lords, you must be joking."

"We Konoha ninja have always put our missions first."

"As for the missions you previously assigned to Konoha, my lords."

"We completed every mission before collecting our payment!"

"As for why there are still bandits in the Land of Fire?"

"The Land of Fire is vast."

"There will always be places beyond Konoha's reach."

"If we are to clear out all the bandits in the Land of Fire, the only way is for Your Highness and the assembled lords to pool your money and give Konoha a mission to wipe out the bandits across the entire country."

Tobirama's final words left the daimyo feeling rather uncomfortable.

Why did that sound like a threat?

Without payment, the bandits in the Land of Fire couldn't be cleared out?

Holding his teacup, the daimyo's thoughts took another turn.

With Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, Konoha was already powerful enough.

If Konoha were allowed to develop further...

Who would the Land of Fire answer to in the future-the daimyo or Konoha?

The daimyo's smile vanished, and he set his teacup back on the table.

"The Land of Fire is perfectly peaceful now."

"Money must be spent where it matters."

"There's no need to spend such a large sum over a few bandits hiding deep in the mountains."

The silk-clad noble beside him chimed in.

"Exactly."

"How could there be so many bandits in the Land of Fire?"

The daimyo raised a hand and settled the matter.

"There aren't that many bandits in the Land of Fire."

"If bandits appear on anyone's lands in the future, they can issue a mission to Konoha then and have Konoha's ninja clear them out."

With matters at this point, Tobirama did not continue arguing.

He straightened and lowered his head in a bow.

"Sorry to have troubled you, Your Highness."

With that, Tobirama turned, took his leave, and exited the reception room.

The reception room's doors closed, and Tobirama's footsteps faded into the distance.

The silk-clad noble from earlier leaned close to the daimyo and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness."

"Konoha's appetite really is growing larger and larger."

The daimyo looked at the closed doors and nodded.

Tobirama left the daimyo's residence and walked along the capital's streets.

The streets bustled with people coming and going.

Several merchant caravans stood on either side of the broad street.

Dozens of large wagons formed long lines, taking up half the street.

Workers called out in rhythm as they loaded crate after crate of goods onto the wagons.

The wagons were piled with grain, cloth, and all manner of sundries.

The goods rose above the wagon beds, secured with lengths of thick rope.

Several merchants in silk robes stood beside the wagons, watching the workers load them as they talked loudly.

Tobirama slowed his steps and heard their conversation.

"Get a move on, all of you. This shipment has to leave for the Land of Rice Fields today."

"We can finally head north. I hear the roads there are easy to travel now."

"Hyuga Village really is something. They cleared out all the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields in just a few months."

"Exactly. Now, whether you're going to the Land of Rice Fields or passing through to the Land of Iron, you don't even need to hire guards."

"The Land of Rice Fields is short of everything right now. Goods sell easily, too."

"We need to get our goods over there quickly. We're sure to make a fortune on this trip!"

Every merchant beamed as they congratulated one another.

With a crack of a whip, the horses pulling the wagons began to move.

The heavy wheels rumbled dully over the stone-paved road.

Tobirama stood at the roadside, watching the caravans begin to move.

Wagon after wagon formed a long procession with no end in sight, all heading toward the northern city gate.

North was precisely the direction of the Land of Rice Fields.

Tobirama watched the wagons laden with goods recede into the distance.

He could not help cursing inwardly.

The daimyo of the Land of Fire really was an utter fool.

Once the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields had been cleared out, the trade routes leading there had opened up completely.

These merchants from the Land of Fire were pouring goods and money into the Land of Rice Fields.

The Land of Rice Fields, along with Hyuga Village, would develop through this trade route.

Yet the daimyo of the Land of Fire remained completely oblivious.

To save that little bit of mission payment, he still refused to pay even to clear out the bandits in his own country.

Not only was the daimyo's residence unwilling to spend money, it was also guarding against Konoha at every turn.

Tobirama withdrew his gaze.

His thoughts turned once again to the Hyuga Clan.

To that boy named Shinichi Hyuga.

At sixteen, he had led the Hyuga Clan out on their own and established Hyuga Village.

Now that the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields had been cleared out, all the trade routes from the Land of Fire and other countries into the Land of Rice Fields had opened up.

Hyuga Village did not merely have the backing of the daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields.

It now also had a constant stream of merchant caravans and money.

Hyuga Village was certain to see major development next.

If a few more sizable ninja clans joined it...

Before long, Hyuga Village would grow into a behemoth, crouching just outside the Land of Fire's northern gateway.

Tobirama set off toward Konoha.

The clamor of the merchant caravans continued in the streets.

Hyuga Village couldn't be allowed to keep developing like this.