Kobori Taiten was utterly captivated, hanging onto every word. At some point, he had procured paper and a pen and had begun furiously scribbling notes as Gojo Kaigetsu continued his sermon.
As Teuchi's cousin, Taiten possessed a sharp business acumen. While Konoha's Shuriken might require some careful handling to avoid damaging the reputation of Taiten Ninja Tool Shop, the impact of The Explosive Tag on the Wall would be undeniable.
Taiten could already envision the scene: fresh-faced genin, newly graduated from the Academy and strapped for cash, would hear the heartwarming tale of Taiten Ninja Tool Shop's Explosive Tag on the Wall. Driven by curiosity and a sliver of hope, they would flock to the shop. Even well-off ninja, intrigued by the story, would come to witness the spectacle.
This meant foot traffic! And with foot traffic came a wealth of opportunities.
With increased customer flow, Taiten could offer discounts on other items, focusing on high-volume sales with smaller profit margins. He could even hire actors to genuinely pay for two explosive tags and leave one as a "reserve."
How much did a single explosive tag cost? As the owner of Konoha's largest ninja tool shop, Taiten could easily absorb the cost of the reserve tags.
This strategy would encourage wealthy ninja to make purchases to save face. Furthermore, the grateful genin who benefited from this act of kindness might, upon achieving success in their careers, remember the generosity of Taiten Ninja Tool Shop and offer substantial returns in the future.
Of course, all of this hinged on the assumption that Konoha's populace was indeed relatively honest and kind. Lately, Taiten had observed that, under the influence of the Will of Fire, they were considerably more amicable than the villagers of Kumogakure.
'The Explosive Tag on the Wall… it's feasible!'
However, a flicker of hesitation crossed his face. "But this… advertisement, wasn't it originally intended for my cousin Teuchi?"
"If you give it to me, Gojo-sama… wouldn't that leave my cousin…?"
"You're quite considerate."
"?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I have other advertisement ideas for Teuchi. I still feel a bit guilty about freeloading that soda from him the other day. If you feel bad about this, you could make a donation of ninja tools to Konoha in the name of Taiten Ninja Tool Shop."
"Kunai, explosive tags, shuriken, medical bandages… anything works."
The recently approved military budget increase hadn't fully taken effect yet. While the clan coffers had already been tapped, Konoha's wealthy merchants were ripe for the picking. A little "donation" from each of them would add up to a substantial sum for the military.
"Yes! I understand, Gojo-sama! Tomorrow… no, today, today I will donate a batch of military supplies sufficient for five hundred people in the name of Taiten Ninja Tool Shop!"
"I will also implement the water-style ninja shuriken cleaning service today."
"And as for my cousin, I'll have him distribute ramen coupons to Konoha's dedicated ninja."
"Excellent, excellent, Taiten-san, you're very perceptive~"
"Alright then, I'll await your good news."
Gojo Kaigetsu waved his hand and departed Taiten Ninja Tool Shop, leaving both parties satisfied.
His work wasn't done yet.
The Explosive Tag on the Wall could be published as a special supplement to Three Years at the Academy. After all, both stories promoted a positive image of Konoha.
Alternatively, he could offer a special edition to the impoverished villages of Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure, known for their… "rustic" customs. The same story, presented in different village contexts, would generate entirely different interpretations.
The relatively wealthy and well-mannered Iwagakure might react similarly to Konoha. However, the effect on the other three villages was unpredictable, but it was unlikely to be purely positive.
Next on his agenda was the head of the Green Card Guild, the honey merchant known as "Big Boss."
Big Boss's honey shop wasn't far from Taiten Ninja Tool Shop. After about five minutes of navigating through the crowd, Gojo Kaigetsu arrived at his destination.
Compared to the bustling ninja tool shop, the honey shop and the adjacent Green Card Bookstore were doing considerably worse.
Even among immigrants, there were disparities!
Those who had immigrated to Konoha after reading the first issue of Iki were now mostly living the lives they desired. However, the later wave of immigrants faced a much tougher reality.
While Konoha's large economy and population meant they wouldn't starve, their current situation was likely worse than their previous businesses in the Land of Water, falling far short of their expectations for life in Konoha.
This disparity bred resentment.
The honey shop was deserted.
Only two portly men sat behind the counter, their faces etched with worry.
Gojo Kaigetsu walked straight towards them, and, meeting their gazes, declared preemptively, "Are you unaware that speaking ill of Konoha within Konoha is illegal? For that alone, I could confiscate your entire Green Card deposit!"
Recognizing the "Interviewer-sama," the faces of the honey shop owner (Big Boss) and the bookstore owner (Little Boss) paled, and they trembled.
"B-but we haven't said anything yet!"
"Hmph! Don't think I don't know what you're about to say just because you haven't said it yet!"
"…Interviewer-sama, Please forgive us." Big Boss and Little Boss pleaded.
Only after arriving in Konoha did they realize that the rumors they'd heard in the refugee camp weren't entirely true.
Where was the gold paved streets they were promised? Upon arrival, they discovered fierce competition. Similar products could be found in almost every store.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The legal system was well-established, and there was a potential customer base. However, as newcomers, they couldn't compete with Konoha's established businesses that had already built a reputation. Their usual tactics, like "Grand Opening Sale!" and "Flyer Distribution," yielded minimal results.
"Doing business in Konoha is truly difficult. I haven't sold many jars of my 179 ryō honey."
"M-me too. My books are 79 ryō each, and I haven't sold many."
"The rent in the new commercial district is high, and according to Konoha law, we have to pay our employees' contracted wages even if we have no customers. At this rate… we're not far from bankruptcy."
"Sir, I have five wives to support. What am I supposed to do…"
Originally, Big Boss's wealth would have allowed him to live comfortably even without working. However, after paying the hefty Green Card fee, his finances had taken a significant hit. Furthermore, Konoha was an expensive city, and his five wives contributed significantly to Konoha's GDP daily.
If this continued, Big Boss was certain he would lose his fortune, his wives, and everything he held dear.
This was what they called a businessman's keen sense of smell.
Gojo Kaigetsu frowned and retorted, "Don't be absurd. 179 ryō for a jar of honey? 79 ryō for a book? Goods are very affordable in Konoha. You should look inward instead of blaming the environment. Have you lowered your prices after all these days? Have you put any real effort into advertising?"
"Huh? 79 ryō is still low… Any lower, and we won't make any profit." The two owners mumbled.
They came to Konoha to gather gold from the streets, not to scrape by with meager earnings. They might as well have stayed in the Land of Water if that were the case!
Gojo Kaigetsu noticed their conflicted expressions.
Hmph, coming to Konoha and wanting to leave? Was Konoha a place one could come and go as they pleased? If they were allowed to leave, Konoha's external image would be tarnished.
'These foreigners are so difficult…' If any Konoha native dared to speak to him, Gojo-sama, like this, he would have called upon Fugaku to arrest them on the spot.
Their foreigner status still held some weight. At least until Gojo Kaigetsu achieved his vision of a unified shinobi world, maintaining a positive external image and attracting foreign immigrants was necessary.
Unwilling to lower prices? Dreaming of striking gold? The people of Konoha were kind, but not foolish.
Gojo Kaigetsu's face darkened. However, he was a man of action, preferring solutions over complaints. After a moment of thought, he devised a plan.
"You said… you sell honey, and he sells books?"
"That's right, sir. Is something the matter?"
"I have an idea that could make you a fortune. However…"
Big Boss, reading between the lines, said knowingly, "If it truly brings us fortune, we won't skimp on your share, sir."
"Ha! What are you taking me for?! Do I look like I need your paltry offerings?"
Big Boss forced a smile, rubbing his hands together. "Of course, of course, you're right, sir. So…?"
"I want you, as representatives of foreign merchants, to take the lead in supporting the village's policies. Tomorrow, when the military budget increase is announced, you will donate. The day after tomorrow, when village bonds are issued, you will buy. The day after that, when monogamy is declared, you will… ahem, never mind that last one."
"Understood?"
"Uh… donate again?"
Having forgotten the middle and latter parts, Big Boss and Little Boss only remembered the first part – "donate." They initially wanted to hear Gojo Kaigetsu's money-making scheme before committing, but seeing the Interviewer-sama's darkening expression, they reluctantly agreed.
As the saying went, when a merchant meets a soldier, reason becomes irrelevant.
They had to play along. The Interviewer-sama offering them any explanation was already a courtesy. If they further displeased him… their future in Konoha would be bleak.
The fortune-making plan was probably just a pacifier, a way to keep them quiet. They regretted listening to the rumors and squandering their savings on Konoha Green Cards. They should have remained comfortably wealthy in the Land of Water. Now, their money was gone, and their future uncertain.
Immigrants, their hearts filled with bitterness!
"Hmm…" Seeing them agree to his unequal treaty, Gojo Kaigetsu's expression brightened.
"Iki, you're familiar with it, right?"
"Yes, I am," the bookstore owner eagerly raised his hand. "It sells quite well in the Land of Water, and I've always stocked it. I wanted to sell it here in Konoha too, but the head of the Land of Fire Publishing House, that Koyama fellow, refused to sell it to locals. He doesn't understand business."
"Ahem, I know Koyama-san, the head of the Land of Fire Publishing House. We're quite close. I can ask him to connect you with the author of Iki and have them feature your story in the next issue."
"Huh? What story do we have?"
The two men's eyes lit up, but then they voiced their confusion.
Being featured in Iki, given its popularity outside Konoha, would undoubtedly boost their businesses. While the influence from outside the village would take time to reach Konoha, and tourists would need time to arrive, they were willing to wait.
Riding the wave of "word-of-mouth" popularity, they would surely make a killing.
However, they didn't seem to have any noteworthy stories to tell.
"Stories are crafted from reality. Whether you have a story or not, we can simply create one."
"Your story will be this--"
The Village That Strengthened Itself Through Books and Honey
[Konoha villagers read an average of 64 books per year, with over 80% of the village population achieving this impressive feat.]
[Konoha villagers have a custom: when a child is born, the mother opens a collector's edition of Three Years at the Academy, purchased from Green Card Bookstore, and drips a drop of premium ninja honey, bought from Green Card Honey Shop, onto the pages. The newborn then licks the honey from the book, creating a positive first impression: books are sweet.]
[When a child is old enough to understand, almost every mother asks this question: "If a fire suddenly broke out in your house, what would you save first?" If the child answers money or soldier pills, the mother sternly corrects them: "Those are unimportant. You should save books first! Books hold wisdom, which is far more valuable than money or soldier pills, and wisdom is something no one can steal."]
[Consequently, Konoha is the only village in the shinobi world without illiteracy. Even beggars in Konoha cherish books. Even while begging, they always carry their daily reading material, let alone those who are well-off.]
[In Konoha, books and magazines are very expensive. A copy of Three Years at the Academy from Green Card Bookstore costs a whopping 17,900 ryō, and regular books are priced at 1,790 ryō or more. Yet, ordinary Konoha villagers are incredibly generous when it comes to buying books and subscribing to periodicals.]
[Nearly one-third of Konoha villagers buy a copy of Three Years at the Academy from Green Card Bookstore for their soon-to-be-born children, making them the nation with the highest per capita book ownership in the entire shinobi world.]
["Hokage Remembrance Day" is a significant event in Konoha. On this day, all commercial and entertainment activities cease. Shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues close their doors, public transportation halts, even ninja missions are suspended. People stay home to pray for the deceased First and Second Hokage.]
[However, one thing is permitted: all bookstores in the village can remain open. And on this day, Green Card Bookstore sees its highest customer traffic, with everyone quietly reading inside.]
[A village that values reading and learning naturally reaps rich rewards. Konoha's environment is harsh, surrounded by forests with limited arable land. Villages like Sunagakure, which also face harsh environments, often struggle with food shortages, relying on gold mined from the desert to trade for sustenance.]
[However, through their dedication to reading, the people of Konoha were the first to develop soldier pills. Not only do they produce enough for themselves, but they also export a steady supply to other villages. They have created astonishing material and spiritual wealth through their intelligence and wisdom.]
[Konoha has a large population and abundant talent, boasting double-digit Jonin-level ninjas. I sought to uncover the secret to their strength. A powerful active-duty Konoha ninja, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled that when he was young, his father bought him the most expensive and sweetest honey from Green Card Honey Shop and dripped it onto his ninjutsu scrolls.]
[From then on, he became obsessed with pursuing that sweetness. To experience that flavor, he relentlessly studied the Konoha-exclusive ninjutsu scrolls his father had bought from Green Card Bookstore, absorbing the honey within.]
[When he finally came to his senses, he realized he had far surpassed his Academy classmates. He didn't understand how he became a Jonin, but perhaps, this was the key!]
[Upon hearing this story, Gojo Kaigetsu, the official in charge of cultural education in Konoha, personally visited Green Card Bookstore and Honey Shop, purchasing enough supplies for an entire Academy class. He declared: Konoha is willing to invest in its children and will never allow Academy students to fall behind from the starting line!]