Did Money Really Matter?

Just after Koki finished saying he was ready in his mind, he was instantly engulfed by an overwhelming pain.

The feeling was like countless steel needles piercing his body at the same time, each one deeply penetrating his bone marrow, bringing unbearable pain.

This pain felt as if it were tearing his soul apart, plunging him into endless darkness.

In the real world, Koki lay on the cold hospital bed, her arm reflexively covering her eyes, her body trembling uncontrollably from the pain.

His face was as pale as paper, his lips trembled slightly, and he let out a low groan.

The pain came on fiercely, like surging waves crashing against his consciousness.

The pain reminded him of the moment he first activated his Sharingan.

As expected, the system hadn't lied; the situation was almost identical to when he first awakened his Sharingan. Koki mocked himself inwardly, trying to find a sliver of pleasure in the abyss of pain.

I have experienced similar pain in the past, but the pain I feel now seems even worse and more unbearable.

Koki's eyes were tightly closed, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became rapid and unstable.

He tried to relieve the pain by taking deep breaths, but the pain came like waves, one after another, almost making him lose his mind.

Fortunately, the pain was like a Hayate downpour on Natsuhi afternoon—it came on strong but also dissipated quickly.

Koki's body, which had been tense like a bowstring, gradually relaxed at this moment. He felt the burning pain in his eyes gradually fading away, replaced by a faint coolness.

Although the pain had subsided, the brief but intense agony remained deeply etched into his heart like a brand.

Deep within his mind, a lively circle of light danced incessantly, like a playful little sprite. In his heart, Koki bitterly complained to this circle, "Couldn't you be a little more intelligent next time? Don't make me suffer this kind of excruciating pain again!"

The halo seemed to understand Koki's complaint. After spinning a few times in the air, it stopped, as if deep in thought. Then, it jumped up again, as if to express agreement or offer comfort.

Just as Koki had finally calmed down, a strange voice, completely different from the Redemption System, suddenly came to his mind.

The voice was crisp and mechanical, as if it came from a distant time and space, echoing directly in the depths of his consciousness.

[Congratulations, host, you have successfully bound yourself to the Reborn as the Richest Person System in Hokage!]

[The Richest Person System is loading...]

[The Richest Person System has been successfully loaded!]

The voice didn't give Koki much time to react, continuing, "[Host, this system will assist you in achieving great success in the business world of Hokage, becoming a true tycoon.]"

Koki's heart raced, and his excitement drove him to quickly activate the hidden, mysterious system in his mind.

Before his eyes, a sea of data unfolded, and a door to an unknown world slowly opened.

His first glance fell on the account balance section, where the number "one hundred million taels" struck him like a bombshell, causing Koki to involuntarily gasp.

"One hundred million taels!" Koki exclaimed inwardly. This was undoubtedly an astronomical figure for him, and for any ninja, it was a huge sum of money that would make anyone drool.

However! Koki then thought of the bounty prices in the anime, such as Asuma, whose head was worth as much as 35 million ryo. The bounty for a single head is tens of millions of ryo. Compared to that, this amount of money seems insignificant.

His gaze swept quickly across the control panel, and he was surprised to find that the system offered a wide range of business options.

Before him appeared pharmacies, milk tea shops, cake shops, restaurants... and even card and chess rooms, among other types of shops, each with a detailed description and potential profit models.

"The pharmacy can supply the ninjas with the medicines and treatments they need, the milk tea shop and cake shop will probably be very popular with the villagers, the restaurant will meet everyone's daily dietary needs, and as for the card room..." Koki analyzed the possibilities and market potential of each type of shop in his mind, his heart filled with anticipation.

Koki's heart was like willow catkins gently drifting in the spring breeze.

His gaze swept across the sea of system panels, when suddenly a line of text caught his eye. "No matter how much you spend, you'll get double the return!"

This short sentence was like a bombshell, creating a storm in Koki's heart. His pulse quickened, his blood boiled, and he was plunged into an unprecedented state of excitement.

"Double the return?" Koki pondered the phrase repeatedly in his mind, his brain racing as he tried to understand its meaning.

What does this mean? It means that even if he doesn't understand business operations, even if he makes mistakes in investing, even if his business fails, he will never lose money.

Because every expense will return to his pocket in double the amount.

Koki's eyes lit up; he seemed to see endless possibilities.

He doesn't need to worry about risks or losses; he just needs to go for it, try it, and explore it.

Under this rule, every attempt he made became a gamble with no risk of loss.

"This is absolutely insane!" Koki exclaimed in her heart!

In the world of Hokage, apart from Kakuzu, it seems that the ninjas don't care much about money. They even look down on some commoners who do business, and their worldview is quite distorted.

But who dares to say that money isn't important?

If Kakashi doesn't have any money, how can he buy the latest Icha Icha Paradise?

Recalling Naruto's youthful days, he often ate instant noodles and drank expired milk because he had no money.

Why do those who bear the identity of ninjas move between different missions, and why are these missions even divided into A, B, C, and D levels? Does each level correspond to a different ransom?

Is their mission solely to maintain peace in the Shinobi World? Or is it merely a duty of service?

No, that's not it! What they're chasing is the reward for the mission, the thing they rely on to survive.

Ninjas are human too; they need food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, and they need to take care of their basic living needs.

Even the esteemed Lord Hokage must follow the Daimyo's budget every year, bowing and scraping before them. All matters, big and small, in the ninja village, and even the change of leadership within the village, require their approval.

The importance of money to the ninja village is evident from this.

In essence, the profession of a ninja is no different from that of a mercenary, bounty hunter, or bodyguard; they all earn money through force and intelligence.

With money, ninjas can become domestic helpers, private bodyguards, nannies, or mercenaries on the battlefield. As long as their wallets are full enough, they can recruit many companions to help them build a powerful force and roam freely in the ninja world.

Kakuzu, who has lived for over ninety years, has spent his entire life realizing the truth that "money is eternal."

Ōnoki from Iwagakure was also able to enter into numerous employment contracts with the Akatsuki.

After deep thought, Koki was filled with joy. His mood was as warm as the shimmering lake surface under the spring sun, and even the faint pain in his stomach seemed to have lessened.

Koki looked at the lively halo beside her and said in a grateful tone, "You finally did something... good!"

The halo rotated slowly in the air, emitting a warm glow, as if silently responding to Koki's praise.