Naruto: Starting from Eating the Gold Fruit

Chapter 43 Four-Nation Business Alliance

Tobirama Senju was puzzled. "Your Iwagakure village has already decided on the selection of the Third Tsuchikage?"

The man from Iwagakure was a burly man named Kurotsuchi. He stated neither humbly nor arrogantly that the village was still fighting, but everyone agreed that making money didn't conflict with the selection of the Third Tsuchikage.

Although we had a conflict with Konoha before, Kirigakure almost ambushed and wiped out a Konoha squad, so there's no deep-seated hatred between us. It's perfectly fine to talk about money when it's time to talk about money.

Those listening nearby were dumbfounded.

Seriously, buddy, are you really that straightforward?!

Hongtu continued speaking with neither humility nor arrogance: "Our Iwagakure's main principle is honesty. Before, Kumogakure gave us money to help us fight you, so we did. Now that you can bring benefits to our Iwagakure, we will put aside our disputes and come to talk about cooperation with you."

Tobirama Senju didn't think too much about it. The fact that Iwagakure was certain they wouldn't get involved in the upcoming war between Konoha and Kumogakure was good news for Konoha, so he agreed first.

Yuya agreed, and besides, it wasn't easy for them to come all the way from Iwagakure. Peaceful coexistence would benefit both villages.

Then Yuya discovered a problem: Konoha didn't have a place specifically for me to receive foreign guests.

Ok……

It doesn't seem like it's ever happened before.

After thinking about it, You Ya wrote this down in his notebook.

Konoha will definitely expand its outer city in the future, but it doesn't matter if people from small countries' villages stay in the outer city. However, it's a problem if people from large countries of Konoha's scale stay in the outer city...

It's not just these people who lose face, it's yourself who lose face.

However, after looking at the space inside Konoha's inner city...

There really isn't enough space to convert it into accommodations for foreign guests.

The only thing that can move...

Youya's gaze fell upon a mansion, the place where he had lived for the past few years...

His master's wife still lives there...

Youya shook his head. No, this place absolutely cannot be touched.

Although Yua knew that Mito Uzumaki wouldn't refuse if she asked, Yua couldn't possibly do such a thing.

Rather than having Mito Uzumaki sacrifice her own interests for the greater good, it would be better to...

Yuya looked towards the territories of the other families within Konoha's inner city.

The Uchiha area is too remote and not suitable for building a hotel to welcome foreign guests.

The most suitable one is definitely... the Hyuga clan.

This clan's territory is located in the northwest of Konoha, occupying about one-twentieth the size of the inner city. It's smaller than the Uchiha clan's territory, but the Uchiha clan's territory is far from the core area of ​​Konoha, while this place is very close to the core area of ​​Konoha...

However, now is not the time to acquire the land.

Those muscle-bound idiots in Kumogakure haven't signed a peace treaty yet; we can't stir up internal conflicts in the village at this time.

Bringing his thoughts back, Tobirama Senju led Yua to the conference room to discuss cooperation with the Red Earth Envoy from Iwagakure.

However, after Kurotsuchi handed the document filled with regulations to Tobirama, Tobirama opened it and his eyes immediately gleamed red. He looked at Kurotsuchi dangerously and said, "Iwagakure wants to cooperate with Konoha? They're clearly trying to get something for nothing!"

Red Earth said expressionlessly, "We in Iwagakure are very trustworthy. If Konoha doesn't agree, there's nothing we can do."

Yuya could see clearly from behind Tobirama that Iwagakure's conditions were actually quite simple: Konoha would lend them 1 billion ryo, to be repaid in ten years, with an interest rate of 0.5% per year, which would be 50 million ryo per year.

Then Konoha invested in building factories in Iwagakure, and the Land of Earth also has iron ore, and quite a lot of it.

Twenty percent of the output from the first three years will be given to Konoha.

Then came the elimination of tariffs on trade between the two sides, allowing merchants to travel without obstacles.

The items from Konoha were sold to Iwagakure at the original price...

The above is basically a direct copy of the treaty signed between Konoha and Kirigakure.

Strictly speaking, these regulations are not problematic in Youya's eyes.

However, Tobirama Senju didn't believe that Iwagakure would actually pay back the money after receiving the 1 billion ryo.

And why should the interest rate be so low?

It should be at least 10%, right?

Tobirama Senju's first reaction was to refuse, but Yua coughed, and Tobirama turned to look at Yua: "You have something to say?"

You Ya nodded.

At that moment, Hongtu also saw Yua and asked in confusion, "Who is this...?"

Yuya: "I am just an unknown junior who is learning from the Hokage. Please don't pay too much attention to me."

Red Earth nodded. It was normal for a boy to learn from the Kage of a village, which meant that the boy was trusted and valued by the Kage.

Yuya whispered a few words to Tobirama Senju, who then thought for a moment and said to Kurotsuchi, "I'll take these regulations back and review them, and give you a reply another day."

Kurotsuchi nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Hokage."

Deep down, he had already given up hope and planned to wait in Konoha for the results before returning to Iwagakure.

After Kurotsuchi left, Tobirama Senju and Yua began discussing the regulations.

You Ya felt that the 1 billion taels could be lent.

However, Tobirama Senju refused to believe that Iwagakure would honor the contract and repay the money on time.

Yuya was helpless; Tobirama Senju still didn't understand how economic warfare worked.

The ten billion taels were definitely not borrowed for nothing; the Hidden Stone Village would have to provide something as collateral.

What does Iwagakure have?

The Land of Earth is rich in minerals.

Unlike the impoverished surroundings of Sunagakure, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind was exceptionally wealthy. However, the Daimyo of the Land of Earth relied heavily on trust.

Perhaps it is because they know that only when the ninja villages are strong can the Land of Earth maintain peace, so the Land of Earth provides substantial subsidies to the Hidden Stone Village, with ample funding every year.

In any case, there has never been any news of people starving to death in the Land of Earth.

It's completely different from the Land of Wind.

After all, the mineral resources, oases, and other rich places in the Land of Wind are all in the hands of the daimyo of the Land of Wind.

The Sand Village wants it? Beg us! If we're in a good mood, we'll give you some money; if we're not, get out of here!

Yua's target was clearly the mineral resources within the Land of Earth.

Unfortunately, Tobirama Senju was also unimpressed by the proposal, because he felt that even if Iwagakure gave it to them, Konoha would send someone to receive it and they would definitely renege on their promise. In the end, it would be a waste of time and effort. Why not just not give it to them in the first place?

Yuya could only sigh helplessly. There were some things he couldn't say. If Iwagakure agreed and then reneged, the people Konoha sent to take over would be left in Iwagakure forever. But Yuya was certain that Iwagakure's commercial reputation would plummet, and merchants would be less willing to go to the Land of Earth. Yuya could slowly destroy the Land of Earth's economy and then bleed Konoha dry. The only loss would be a team that Konoha sent to take over.

But it's impossible to say those words out loud.

Fine, since Tobirama Senju distrusts Iwagakure so much, let's try a different approach.

One hundred million taels of silver can be borrowed in one year, and one billion taels can be borrowed in ten years. At the same time, Iwagakure can offset the one hundred million taels of silver by providing Konoha with food, crops or other supplies of corresponding value.

Alternatively, they could provide ninjutsu scrolls, which Konoha could purchase at 20% above the market price.

However, this condition is unlikely to be exchanged for by the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, unless the new Tsuchikage is incompetent.

Senju Tobirama was satisfied with the proposal put forward by Yua.

Why not just provide this solution from the beginning?

He insisted that I accept his bullshit proposal.

Youya sighed helplessly, and after get off work, he went straight to a small gold mine he had previously explored to collect gold.

There's a lot of gold here, dozens of tons, but unfortunately most of it is deep underground. Although Youya's abilities have improved, he can only explore up to ten kilometers underground. If he wants to go any further, he'll have to wait for his abilities to continue to grow.

But there's no rush. Getting a few hundred kilograms this time will be enough.

You Ya is thirteen years old this year. There is still plenty of time. Take your time and don't rush.

In total, Youya already has more than a ton of gold.

It looks like a lot, but if you use your abilities to turn a ton of gold into a cube, it would be a cube with a length, width, and height of less than 40 centimeters. It's quite small; it could fit in an ordinary suitcase, whether you can even drag it is another matter.

Youya could even forgo sealing the gold in the scroll and simply let it cover his body.

Carrying a ton of gold on your back is indeed too heavy, unless you use your own strength to support it at all times...

hissing...

This seems like a good way to improve skills.

Okay, Yuya decided to train his abilities.

This is something we can't overlook.

……

The following day, on this day in the nineteenth year of Konoha, when Kurotsuchi had given up all hope, Tobirama Senju approached Kurotsuchi and proposed a loan of 100 million yen per year, which Iwagakure could repay with resources.

Hongtu was a little confused. He actually agreed?

Although……

In reality, Iwagakure (the village of Iwagakure) never intended to renege on their debt.

After careful consideration, Hongtu understood: "Yes, Konoha definitely doesn't want our Iwagakure to get involved in the conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure."

Yes, that must be it.

It has to be said that, to some extent, people from these three countries really do have a lot in common when it comes to soil, wind, and water.

In the nineteenth year of Konoha, the four villages of Konoha, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure formed a business alliance.

It is said that on this day, the Second Raikage of Kumogakure was so angry that he smashed everything in the Raikage's office.

There's a video on Abi (a Chinese social networking site) of someone carrying away 35 kilograms of gold; you can search for it if you're interested. It's about the size of a palm and weighs 35 kilograms. A ton is roughly thirty of those golds combined, so it's not a very large volume.

(End of this chapter)