Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Gui eventually left.
After leaving behind a mess of rotten fish and shrimp, he led the remaining Hidden Mist Village ninja out of the war to return to his hometown to settle his affairs.

With the Lightning-Earth-Water Alliance losing a crucial arm, the delicate balance on the battlefield was shattered. With the dual support of manpower and resources, Konoha began to show signs of a counterattack, repeatedly defeating the Lightning-Earth Alliance and gaining the initiative in the war.

In the Hokage's office,

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could even rejoice upon receiving the news of victory from the front lines, he discovered the coded message that Danzo had smuggled in.
"Hmph~ Now you know how to apologize? Too late!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew without a doubt that this was an apology letter written by Danzo out of remorse after hearing his message.

However, he would not forgive the other party so easily. Those were his precious Ape Clan Army, each of whom was of immeasurable value and could not be measured in money.

However, after Hiruzen Sarutobi finished translating the coded text in his hand using special methods, his face instantly turned pitch black.
"Oh!"

The desk that had served in the Hokage's office for many years shattered under his furious blow.
"You bastard Danzo, I treated you like a brother, but you treat me like a Japanese?"

Withdrawing his swollen hand, Hiruzen Sarutobi wished he could go to the front lines alone right now and personally cut off Danzo's pig's head to appease the spirits of the Sarutobi army in heaven.

"Use your Shimura breeding pigs to compensate my Saru Family Army 1:1? How could you, you bastard, even think of that?"

How could Hiruzen Sarutobi not be angry? His Sarutobi army consisted of excellent ninjas whom the clan had painstakingly built up with money, each costing nearly a million, and bringing the clan hundreds of thousands in revenue each year on average.

As a side note, the Sarutobi Army is also a registered ninja force of Konoha. They are a special unit trained by the Sarutobi clan during the Sengoku period to prepare for group battles.
They excel at teamwork, but are mostly chunin or genin, with only a very few reaching jonin level.
In peacetime, they also make a living by taking on missions; however, due to limitations in individual strength, the rewards they can generate are not as high as one might imagine.
Even so, it wasn't something the Shimura clan's breeding pigs could easily pull off.
How much profit can one breeding pig generate?

Bang bang bang——

Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart.

"Come in."

"Greetings, Hokage-sama."

The visitor was someone Hiruzen Sarutobi recognized; he was a ninja from the Shimura clan. Upon entering, the man cautiously glanced around, and after confirming no one else was present, carefully pulled a scroll from his robes.
"Lord Hokage, this is what our young clan leader instructed me to give you."

"what?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took the scroll with a puzzled look, and was about to open it when the Shimura clansman in front of him explained first.

"This is the land deed for our Zhicun pig breeding farm, which includes the 3,000 breeding pigs on site."

"Oh!"

Seeing the desk that had crashed to the ground in front of him, the Shimura clansman, who was about to continue his introduction, wisely shut his mouth.
"Get out of here!"

"Yes Yes Yes!"

Fearing for their personal safety, the Shimura clansmen immediately scurried out of the office, closing the door behind them as they left.

"You're pretty efficient, kid."

Gritting his teeth, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced down at the land deed in his hand, and the anger he had just suppressed instantly flared up again.
So in your eyes, Danzo, one of my Ape Clan soldiers is only worth a big fat pig?

Bang bang bang——

Do you dare to come back?

Hearing the knocking again, Hiruzen Sarutobi assumed it was the Shimura clansmen who had returned earlier.
"Come in!"

He was instantly filled with rage, grabbed the scroll in his hand, and threw it fiercely at the figure who pushed open the door, determined to ruin the other person's chances of finding love.

"Snapped!"

Unexpectedly, the newcomer was quite skilled, managing to catch the scroll he angrily threw at him.
"Lord Hokage, what is the meaning of this?"

Uchiha Setsuna, completely unaware of what had happened in the office, looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who remained in a throwing stance, her narrow eyes full of questions.
"Cough cough cough, so it's Elder Setsuna."

A flicker of surprise crossed Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, but he quickly regained his composure.
He sat back down on his Hokage throne, stretching out his hands to prop his chin up in a pose of profound contemplation, only to forget that his desk had long since died of age. He could only awkwardly perform a mock face-resting act.
"Please don't make a fuss, I was just practicing my throwing technique."

"I see. Thank you for your hard work, Hokage."

Uchiha Setsuna was filled with respect upon hearing this. It was truly admirable that someone in such a high position could still maintain basic training every day.

"I wonder what brings Elder Shana here today?"

Since Uchiha Setsuna publicly expressed his support for his work at the last mobilization meeting, their cooperative relationship has been officially established.

The reason Uchiha Setsuna was able to quickly establish prestige within the clan was not only due to his own financial contributions, but also because Hiruzen Sarutobi played a significant role in his efforts.

Specifically, this was reflected in the upgrading of the Konoha Police Force's functions and the month-on-month increase in personnel salaries, which provided strong support for Uchiha Setsuna to win the positions of Konoha Police Force Captain and Elder.

"I have a proposal here. Please take a look, Hokage."

Setsuna knew very well that only with the Hokage's authorization could he break the Shimura clan's monopoly on the pig market and allow Uchiha clan pigs to appear in butcher shops large and small throughout the Land of Fire, reaching every household.
"A business proposal? Are you Uchiha people getting into business too?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked on with curiosity. The Uchiha clan was a powerful clan with a history of over a hundred years; their wealth was unimaginable. Why would they, a peasant clan like theirs, go into business?
Larger ninja clans, in order to maintain basic operations, find that the rewards from missions are far from sufficient. To generate income, they have to engage in other industries to supplement their household expenses.
For example, the pig, deer, and butterfly business deals in flowers, herbs, and health products, making a fortune every year.
The Sarutobi clan also has its own brewery, and its fruit wines and monkey wines are exported overseas.

Even the Shimura clan became wealthy through pig farming and became major taxpayers in Konoha.

"You know the situation of the Uchiha clan in recent years. If we don't start some side businesses, we'll eventually run out of money."

"That's true."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had witnessed the Uchiha clan's rapidly increasing casualty rate in recent years and was secretly pleased. He immediately waved his hand...
"Elder Shaka, no matter what kind of business it is, as long as it is reasonable, legal, and pays taxes actively, I will fully support it."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

To everyone's surprise, Hiruzen Sarutobi approved his business deal without even reading the proposal.
"However, I would like to ask the Hokage to take a look at the plan in order to avoid any misunderstandings later."

However, out of caution, he still spoke up to remind Hiruzen Sarutobi to learn a little about the industry the Uchiha clan was about to enter.
"Haha, then I'll see what kind of big business you Uchiha are planning to do?"

The cheerful Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the proposal, and the words "big fat pig" that caught his eye made his eyes widen in shock.
"I am not wrong, right?"

Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, and confirming that the proposal was indeed for the Uchiha breeding farm and meat processing plant, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted repeatedly, finally settling into a complex emotion that Uchiha Setsuna couldn't decipher.

"Lord Hokage, if you find this difficult, we Uchiha can choose another project."

Considering the ambiguous relationship between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, Setsuna Uchiha carefully considered her words before speaking.

"No, I think this project is good."

"Uh, the Shimura clan?" "Competition drives progress. The Shimura clan has become too complacent, which is why they've become somewhat arrogant."

Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the proposal and replied cryptically,
Danzo, you were the one who was ruthless first, so don't blame me for being unrighteous. Besides, Kagami is my adoptive father. He wants to get into pig farming, how can I not support him?

"Just go ahead and do it. If you encounter any difficulties, you can ask the village for help, and I will do my best to provide assistance."

Konoha is arguably the village that places the most emphasis on the business environment among the major ninja villages, and every businessman who invests here praises Konoha's service policies.

"I thank you in advance, Hokage. Actually, we do have a problem right now, and we don't know if the village can help us solve it."

Uchiha Setsuna had expected the establishment of the pig farm to be fraught with difficulties, but things progressed far more smoothly than he had imagined, prompting him to bring up issues he had originally planned to address later.

"Oh? Come and listen."

"We don't have breeding pigs."

Pig farms, as the name suggests, absolutely cannot function without pigs, but currently the breeding pigs on the market are monopolized by the Shimura family.
If we want it, we can only import it from abroad at a high price. At this critical juncture, isn't that just waiting to be ripped off?
"Breeding pigs, you know?"

Upon hearing the words "breeding boar," Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted slightly, his gaze then falling on the scroll clutched in Setsuna Uchiha's hand.
"That's right. Pigs are in short supply in Konoha right now. Even if you have money, you can't buy breeding pigs."

Are breeding pigs very expensive?

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked a question that seemed to come out of nowhere, leaving Setsuna Uchiha completely bewildered.
"Well, it depends on the quality. If it's a breeding pig of ordinary bloodline, it'll cost tens of thousands of taels, at most a little over one hundred thousand. But if it's a high-quality fat pig that the Shimura clan has bred for many years, the price of one could exceed one million."

Before writing the business plan, Setsuna conducted in-depth market research and discovered that there was a huge price difference between ordinary pork and premium pork.

Raising ordinary pigs and selling ordinary pork is only enough to break even. If you really want to make money, you have to raise high-quality, large, fat pigs.

"million?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shuddered, nearly crying out in alarm.

3000x1000000=
From this perspective, Danzo's compensation seems reasonable: 3000 breeding pigs plus a pig farm, demonstrating his sincerity.

"Have you inquired with the Shimura family? Are they willing to sell?"

"Lord Hokage, have you ever heard the saying that competitors are enemies? They're not stupid, why would they sell their breeding pigs, which they rely on for survival, to us?"

It wasn't just the Uchiha clan; other clans had also considered entering the pig farming industry, but none succeeded, all being driven into bankruptcy by the Shimura clan.

"There's no need for the Hokage to trouble himself with this matter. We, the Uchiha clan, will figure it out ourselves."

The approval was already a great joy, and Uchiha Setsuna no longer asked for anything else. He bowed respectfully and prepared to take his leave.

"Wait a minute."

"Lord Hokage, here's another one! This scroll is for you."

Uchiha Setsuna, who hadn't turned around yet, was taken aback by what he heard, but quickly realized that he was still clutching the throwing tools that Hiruzen Sarutobi had used to practice his throwing techniques.

"25."

"what?"

Even if you're the Hokage, you can't ask for such an exorbitant amount.
A mere application for a pig farm requires a 25 billion yen bribe. At that rate, the Uchiha clan might as well just rebel!

"I'm talking about that scroll. I'll sell it to you cheaply, for only 25 billion."

Good, good, as expected of a leader, there are so many tricks to accepting gifts.

"Don't misunderstand, I'm trying to help you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed that Setsuna Uchiha's expression was growing increasingly sour, and a faint red glow was beginning to appear in his dark eyes. He immediately put on a sincere expression and explained...
Misunderstanding, lemon!

Just because you want to receive gifts doesn't mean you can accept them. Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?

Do you know how many tank repairs I would need to make back 25 billion?
"We Uchiha are better off not running this pig farm!"

"Why don't you take a look at what's inside first!"

Seeing Uchiha Setsuna about to leave in anger, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly reminded him.
"Hmph! Could it be that the Hokage himself wrote it?"

With a slightly cold expression, Uchiha Setsuna casually tore open the scroll, glanced at it, and his disdainful expression instantly froze on his face.
"Is this...is this real?"

"Absolutely true, you can verify it yourself if you don't believe me."

Three thousand high-quality breeding pigs, plus a pig farm with all the necessary equipment, ready for immediate operation—it's practically a tailor-made startup package for the Uchiha clan.

After the initial elation, Uchiha Setsuna suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Looking up at the smiling Hiruzen Sarutobi, a chill ran down his spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

Isn't this too coincidental?

He had only written the proposal a few days ago, and even his closest confidants were unaware of its contents.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, seemed to have been prepared all along, presenting such a perfectly tailored meal to himself. How could this not arouse Setsuna Uchiha's suspicion?

I'm being watched!
No, it should be said that the entire Uchiha clan was under Hiruzen Sarutobi's surveillance.

Uchiha Setsuna's heart skipped a beat. Unfounded suspicion overshadowed his gratitude for Hiruzen Sarutobi's timely help. After squinting and pondering for a moment, he raised two fingers.
"20."

Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected that Setsuna Uchiha, who had just been so grateful, would try to bargain with him, so he frowned slightly in displeasure.
"Elder Shaka, I've already broken your bones. 20 billion, I can't even get my principal back."

"Our Uchiha pig farm is newly built and there are still many places where we need money. Please forgive us, Hokage."

Setsuna explained calmly and confidently, "Since you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, are monitoring our Uchiha clan, then I don't need to be polite with you."
"No, no, these breeding boars were obtained by trading the blood and bones of our Sarutobi clan."

"21."

"Do you understand blood ties? Every single boar here is like a child of our Sarutobi clan."

"22.5 billion is the most we can go."

"make a deal."

The deal was struck, and Uchiha Setsuna returned home laden with the pig farm deed. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had agreed to reimburse him for a significant portion of his losses, also felt he hadn't lost out.
After all, each fallen member of the Ape Clan can claim a pension, so his actions amount to losing 3000 breeding pigs for nothing.
The only loser might be Xiao Tuantuan, who's still fighting bravely on the front lines!
Shortly after,
A batch of exquisitely packaged, succulent pork entered the high-end food market of the Land of Fire.

The customer who bought this batch of meat, while marveling at its high quality, fell into deep thought upon looking at the ping-pong paddle marks poked into the pigskin. (End of Chapter)