Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

Hiruko didn't expose him, but instead took out the total account of Konoha Cola.

For various reasons, Konoha Cola can actually be considered a semi-state-owned enterprise. Fortunately, as the leader, Hiruko has a general account.

"I don't know about the other four countries, but just looking at our Land of Fire, Coca-Cola sales are soaring, and we haven't seen the ceiling yet..."

As Hiruko spoke, he pointed to the data in the ledger, "Cola is just that powerful. During wartime, everyone was under immense pressure and needed it to relieve stress and soothe their tense nerves."

In peacetime, everyone is wealthier than before, so they are naturally more willing to buy Coca-Cola and enjoy the comfort, resulting in increased consumption rather than decreased consumption.

In other words, Konoha set the tone early, and it was a super-violent group with established connections; otherwise, this super cash cow would never have fallen into their hands.

As Coca-Cola sales continue to climb, the demand for Coca-Cola bottling equipment and related supporting industries is naturally also soaring.

"In fact, the application of cola bottling equipment is quite extensive and is not limited to cola production."

However, statistical data was relatively difficult to obtain in this era, so Hiruko chose the most readily available data at his disposal.

Mei Terumi is a smart person, not the kind of combat ninja whose head is filled with muscles. She only needs to see the general outline to understand the intricacies of the situation.

"call……"

Mei Terumi looked at the zeros on Konoha Cola's ledger and felt a little dizzy for a moment.

Yagura had always groomed her as his successor, and she was aware of the profits from the cannery in Kirigakure.

But such a large factory couldn't even compete with Konoha Cola in terms of profits.

Konoha Cola is just one of Konoha's four major companies... Is the world's number one industrial nation really that domineering?

Seeing that Mei Terumi was indeed overwhelmed by the many zeros, Hiruko continued her deception: "Although this is just one person's opinion, it reflects a larger truth... You should understand what I mean, right?"

"As you said..."

Mei Terumi subconsciously moved a little closer, her eyes revealing a desire to know more. "But if I remember correctly, doesn't the Land of Fire already have quite a few cola manufacturers?"

The Land of Fire does indeed have many cola producers, and the competition is quite fierce.

“You’re right, but… most of them are small in scale and have a narrow market reach.”

Moreover, we have unique formula advantages and brand influence.

You might not believe it, but our cola far surpasses other similar products in taste and quality. However, due to insufficient promotion and channel expansion, there is still significant room for improvement in market share.

To be precise, it's not that other cola manufacturers are incompetent, but rather that Konoha Cola's foundation and strength are simply too profound.

The appeal is so strong that unless it's a large conglomerate with sufficient funds and channels to compete comprehensively, people's first reaction will always be to choose Konoha Cola rather than other brands.

People in this era still value quality and reputation. For most people, the war has only been over for a little over a year, and they are more willing to choose products that have been tested by the market and are trustworthy.

Compared to buying a flashy but impractical outfit, people would rather praise you for getting a can of excellent-tasting cola for a reasonable price—the latter is the wisest choice among consumers and a consumer wisdom worth talking about.

Other cola brands have the same problem.

No matter how much they promote and market, they can't beat Konoha Cola's rich heritage and good reputation.

If you can't beat someone, you can't beat them; there's no reasoning with that.

In this era, Konoha Cola still has a fairly large market.

Of course, from a historical perspective, other emerging beverages like dry cola are inevitable.

When various new healthy drinks emerge, Coca-Cola will face huge challenges, except for some special consumer groups.

Hiruko had personally experienced similar changes in the beverage market, so he was very clear about it.

Soda was his greatest childhood pleasure and a staple in every household.

However, as time went by, various new types of drinks emerged, and soft drinks gradually lost their former glory.

But given the current state of the Naruto world, that would be at least a decade or two from now.

This duration is sufficient for a fog-concealing maneuver.

Coca-Cola bottling equipment may seem insignificant, but besides its current broad market, it has another hidden advantage—relatively controllable costs and a certain technical threshold, though not insurmountable.

The main components of a cola bottling equipment are the can manufacturing machine and the filling line.

The Naruto world is rich in metal resources, so the raw materials for making the tanks are not a problem.

Even with large-scale production, mining for decades or even centuries would not pose any problem.

For others, mining metals might be a tough and arduous task.

But for ninjas, it's not a problem at all.

For metal mines that require specialized equipment, Chunin can mine them efficiently using special ninjutsu, much faster than ordinary mining methods, and at a significantly lower cost.

If you're not too picky, even the kids at the ninja academy can participate in some simple tasks under guidance—consider it a practical lesson for them, pure free labor.

As for the technology for manufacturing cans and filling... we can just buy it directly or introduce it through cooperation.

No matter what, the Fog Shadow is still a large military organization. If they grit their teeth and squeeze out a little funding, they can get the technology.

Hiruko tried to explain the current situation to Terumi Mei in as concise a way as possible.

Mei Terumi listened with a sense of longing and couldn't help but move closer.

But she still had some doubts: "Is the cola industry really that profitable? If it is, why doesn't your Land of Fire expand production across the board and monopolize the market?"

It's inevitable that the cola industry will be profitable.

Take a well-known cola brand in the real world as an example. In the mid-20th century, it quickly occupied the global market and became a giant in the beverage industry with huge profits, thanks to its unique formula and powerful marketing.

Numerous sources indicate that the brand amassed enormous wealth during this period.

While Hiruko doesn't have precise figures on this, one thing is certain—the brand has indeed achieved strong market dominance, sparking a global consumer frenzy, and its brand influence continues to this day…

During this period, Hiruko didn't know exactly how much the brand had earned, but given its dominant position in the global market, the money must have been substantial.

Any company that occupies a dominant position in the market will undoubtedly acquire astronomical wealth.

As for why Hiruko didn't expand the scale of the cola industry in the Land of Fire to monopolize the market...

"Because I want to direct more resources toward diversified industrial development. Although the cola industry is highly profitable, the market will eventually become saturated."

Moreover, complete monopoly can lead to various problems, which are detrimental to the healthy development of the industry and the stability of the market.

"I don't want those short-sighted guys to focus only on this piece of the pie and waste the great opportunity to develop other industries." Hiruko's words were realistic, and that's precisely why Terumi Mei believed he was telling the truth.

This guy is basically a mediocre person, but he does have unique insights and plans when it comes to business.

"As long as you start operating a Coca-Cola bottling equipment business, you can make a lot of money... Is that right?" Mei Terumi's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Overall, it will still take some time, but it's better than standing still."

Anyway, your Mist Village has abundant resources and a certain advantage in manpower, and you don't lack workers... you'll always be able to develop."

Hiruko kept listing numbers to comfort Terumi Mei.

He even remembered to liven things up.

"Ah, of course, business competition is still quite fierce overall."

If you, the Hidden Mist, rashly go in, you'll definitely run into some trouble..."

"Hoo..." Mei Terumi looked at the zeros on the Konoha Cola account and felt a little dizzy for a moment.

Yagura had always groomed her as his successor, and she was aware of the profits from the cannery in Kirigakure.

But such a large factory couldn't even compete with Konoha Cola in terms of profits.

Konoha Cola is just one of Konoha's four major companies... Is the world's number one industrial nation really that domineering?

Seeing that Mei Terumi was indeed overwhelmed by the many zeros, Hiruko continued to deceive her.

"Although this is just one person's opinion, it shows something big... You should understand what I mean, right? The cola market has huge potential. As long as we seize this opportunity, Kirigakure's economy can usher in a new era of development."

A long time ago, Qinghe told Hiruko something. Through Hiruko's introduction, Terumi Mei met several renowned bankers from the Land of Fire.

Even though she was in the Land of Water, Mei Terumi had vaguely heard their names before.

These people are indeed leaders in the financial industry, with immense strength.

...At the same time, they were all top-tier tycoons who would devour people without spitting out the bones.

But thanks to Hiruko's mediation, nothing unexpected happened.

There wasn't even a proper meeting between the two sides. Basically, Hiruko said a number, and then these bigwigs started filling out forms.

So Easy.

Mei Terumi was so simple that she even suspected these people were actors hired by Hiruko—when did these guys become so easy to talk to?

But they are indeed the real people.

In this way, Kirigakure obtained a large amount of loans from the Land of Fire at a very low interest rate.

Of course, to be on the safe side, this part of the loan will go through several layers of intermediaries.

As for the additional conditions in these loan contracts... besides the funds being earmarked for specific purposes, there were a few strange conditions that Terumi Mei didn't quite understand... Yagura clearly understood them.

But after sighing, he didn't offer much rebuttal, simply asking Mei Terumi to sign first.

Mei Terumi ultimately signed her name with a heavy heart.

However, she didn't have much time to reminisce, because Hiruko soon led her on a shopping spree.

While watching massive amounts of money slip out of your account every day is indeed a nerve-wracking experience.

Even Mei Terumi had to admit that it felt really great to be like a sugar daddy...

As things stand, the Land of Water doesn't actually lack manpower. If they just made it a little more human-like, they definitely wouldn't have trouble recruiting.

The Coca-Cola industry isn't exactly high-tech. Just hire a few mentors, show them the processes a few times, and the workers will understand everything.

The production line equipment was no problem at all; in fact, they didn't even need Bilihu's help. A few bankers simply talked and the problem was solved.

As for transport capacity, Wuyin already purchased a large number of ships, so it's not a problem now.

Raw materials such as trees... Yagura used his remaining influence to have the Hidden Mist Ninja Academy start water-spraying... no, it was to simulate tree destruction practical training courses in batches.

This practical course is not only not strenuous, but it even pays out of pocket, so it was not rejected by the ninja school. After all, ninja students at this stage do not earn money, and most of them come from poor families. They are actually happy to spend some time to help support their families.

It's okay if it's less, after all, I don't have to work so hard, and they even provide a meal.

For Wuyin, the most difficult thing about starting a factory is not anything else, but how to monopolize it.

The big landowners weren't fools.