Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 191 A calculated scheme to shake the foundations of the ninja village

Fujiwara Daizo left the Uchiha Armory and embarked on his journey home.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in the center of the testing ground. He didn't look at the departing God of Wealth, but turned around and stared coldly at Sousuke.

"Zongsi, take your men and leave."

Hiruzen spoke.

Uchiha Sōji glanced at Sōsuke.

Sosuke nodded slightly, indicating that everything was alright.

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Zongsi waved his hand, leading the surrounding security guards and workers out of the core area.

In the vast testing ground, only Hiruzen and Sousuke remained.

The wind blew, stirring up the sand and gravel on the ground.

"Takaya Sosuke."

Hiruzen finally spoke, his tone authoritative.

Do you know what you just did?

"I was just doing a business deal, Hokage-sama."

Sousuke faced the leader of the strongest village in the ninja world with composure and a calm expression.

"Business?"

Hiruzen sneered.

"What you're selling isn't weapons, it's order."

The ninja village system has been in place for decades. One village per country is an ironclad rule. Daimyo provides funding, and ninja villages provide military force. This is the balance, and also the bottom line.

Hiruzen's eyes were like knives.

"You are selling weapons that threaten the ninjas to the daimyo, helping the daimyo build a private army—you are shaking the foundation of the ninjas."

"If the Daimyo's own army can kill ninjas with just their equipment, then what's the point of having Konoha? What's the point of having ninjas?"

"Do you want to cause Konoha to lose its jobs? Or do you want to start a civil war between the Daimyo and the ninja villages?"

This is a critical assessment of his character. It's also what Hiruzen, as a politician, feared most.

The ninja's status was earned through fighting and monopolistic practices. Once that monopoly was broken, the ninja's privileges became increasingly precarious.

Sousuke remained calm in the face of the Hokage's questioning.

He walked to the tool table next to him, picked up a pot of cold tea, and poured two cups.

"Lord Hokage, you flatter me."

Sosuke handed him a cup of tea.

Hiruzen did not accept the call.

Sosuke wasn't embarrassed. He took a sip and moistened his throat.

"We should consider the current predicament rather than the loss of power."

"You know the battle reports from the front better than I do."

"Although the Raikage of Kumogakure is dead, their fighting strength should not be underestimated. Iwagakure has deployed tens of thousands of troops in the Land of Grass. Although Sunagakure was temporarily repelled by Lord Sakumo, it has not yet been defeated."

"Konoha is now fighting on three fronts."

"Do we have enough manpower?"

Sousuke asked back.

Hiruzen remained silent.

There are simply not enough people. Even students who haven't graduated yet have been sent to the battlefield. How can that possibly be enough?

"The current situation is that Konoha's ninjas have to waste a lot of energy defending the long border and dealing with infiltrating ninjas and wandering samurai."

"This is a huge waste of elite combat power."

Sosuke walked over to the crossbow and patted the thick bolt.

"This thing is indeed powerful. But it's cumbersome, slow-moving, and lacks agility. It can't kill top-tier ninjas. It can only be used for defending cities and dealing with large-scale charges."

"If the daimyo's samurai corps were equipped with these, they could take over the routine defense tasks on the border."

"Lord Hokage, isn't this a good thing? Let the samurai be cannon fodder and guard those boring strongholds."

"By freeing our ninjas and letting them carry out real raids, decapitation strikes, and strategic decisive battles, we have not weakened Konoha. On the contrary, we have made the value of ninjas even more elite."

"We are using the Daimyo's armed forces to save Konoha's manpower."

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to these words in silence. He had to admit that Sousuke was right.

As a commander, he was all too aware of the attrition rate of low-level ninjas in positional warfare. If samurai and machines could replace the lower-level ninjas in filling the gaps, it would indeed greatly alleviate the village's population pressure.

but----

"even so."

Hiruzen finally accepted the cup of tea, but did not drink it.

"You used the military funds allocated to Konoha by the Daimyo to buy your weapons."

"This money should have belonged to the village's budget. Now, it's flowed into your pocket, into the Uchiha's pocket."

"What about the village's financial deficit? What about the compensation for the injured ninjas?"

This is the core issue.

Talking about ideologies is meaningless; talking about money is what really matters.

Hiruzen doesn't oppose the daimyo building a strong army, but he opposes taking meat from Konoha's bowl.

Sousuke smiled.

Since the Hokage has started talking about money, it means that he has already put aside matters of principle.

"Lord Hokage, you've misunderstood."

Sosuke took a document out of his pocket and handed it to him with both hands.

"This money has not been lost."

"What is this?"

Hiruzen took the document, glanced at it, and his pupils dilated slightly.

This is a "Voluntary Application for Tax Adjustment of Uchiha Arsenal".

The text reads: "In view of the village's financial difficulties during the war, the Uchiha Armory and the Takaya Trading Company have voluntarily increased the tax rate on ninja tool transactions from the originally required 20% to 30%."

30%!

This is a terrifying number.

It should be noted that, based on Fujiwara no Taizo's order volume, these two hundred city-breaking crossbows, plus subsequent maintenance and ammunition, amounted to a huge order worth hundreds of millions of taels.

If a 30% tax is levied—

That means that a significant portion of the money the Daimyo used to buy weapons returned to the Hokage Building's treasury through taxation.

Moreover, Konoha doesn't need to contribute manpower or resources; all they need is a production permit. It's free money.

"30%————"

Hiruzen raised his head and looked at Sousuke.

"Has the Uchiha clan agreed?"

"The clan chief has already signed it."

Sosuke pointed to the bright red fan-shaped seal at the bottom of the document.

"The Uchiha clan is deeply righteous and willing to share the burdens of the village."

Hiruzen took a deep breath.

He re-examined the young man before him.

Ruthless. Absolutely ruthless. This move managed to outmaneuver the Daimyo, the Uchiha clan, and Konoha.

The daimyo gained weapons and a sense of security. The Uchiha gained orders and opportunities for expansion. Miya gained tax revenue and the liberation of military forces.

As for Takaya Sousuke—he forged a connection with the daimyo and obtained permission to operate a private army. From now on, Danzo, and even Hiruzen himself, would have to think twice before trying to take him down.

This is an open and honest scheme that cannot be refused.

"call----"

Hiruzen pulled a match from his pocket, struck it, and lit his pipe. He took a deep drag, the pungent smoke swirling in his lungs before he exhaled.

The tense atmosphere dissipated with that puff of smoke.

"You win, Sousuke."

Hiruzen put the application form away and tucked it into his pocket. This meant he tacitly approved the deal and also approved Sousuke's private military license.

"However, I have one more condition."

Hiruzen looked at Sousuke.

"What are the conditions?"

"Although this batch of castle-breaking crossbows was sold to a daimyo, I demand that all core components, especially the so-called 'gear set,' be manufactured and assembled in Konoha."

"Furthermore, the repair techniques must be mastered by the Uchiha clan, and cannot be taught to the daimyo's craftsmen."

Older gingers are more spicy.

Hiruzen was keeping a technological lock in reserve. If the Daimyo wanted to use these weapons against Konoha in the future, Konoha could simply cut off the supply of parts, rendering these castle-breaking crossbows useless.

"certainly."

Sosuke agreed readily.

"This has always been our trade secret. Core technologies are never disclosed to outsiders."

"That's good."

Hiruzen turned around and walked outside.

After taking a few steps, he stopped, turning his back to Sosuke.

"Sousuke."

The old man's voice sounded somewhat weary.

"Shuimen is gone. The village is now very vulnerable."

"I know you have ambitions, and I know you're fighting Danzo, and even doing some shady research with Orochimaru."

"As long as you don't cross that red line —"

"I can pretend I didn't see it."