"Kaigetsu-kun, I don't understand…"

"Address me by my title during work hours!"

"Gojo-san, I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"This…"

Minato Namikaze marveled at Gojo Kaigetsu's political acumen. The journey from Konoha Hospital to the Hokage Tower took time, meaning Kaigetsu likely only heard snippets of his conversation with the Suna envoy, Baki. Therefore, the terms he'd just proposed were probably formulated on the spot, designed to maximize Konoha's advantage.

Such impressive on-the-fly judgment!

That being said, Minato still couldn't comprehend certain clauses that seemed detrimental to Konoha.

However, out of absolute trust in Gojo Kaigetsu, Minato refrained from questioning him during the treaty signing.

Now, it was time.

"Dispatching permanent ambassadors and technicians to Sunagakure… I understand this. Gojo-san, you're likely planting informants to monitor the impact of 'Iki' in Suna and make necessary adjustments, correct?"

"Smart, as expected of you, Minato."

"As for using our Land of Fire currency for settlements and allowing Suna students to study in Konoha, while I don't grasp the nuances, I presume it won't negatively impact Konoha."

"What I find puzzling is the final point."

Minato pointed to the road construction clause.

"Why should Konoha bear the entire cost of road construction? Even with tolls, it would take thirty years to recoup the investment, wouldn't it?"

"And assigning escort missions under the village's name incurs additional expenses. I don't understand."

Tariffs were a separate matter to be discussed in detail with the Suna delegation during future negotiations and weren't currently under consideration. The shinobi world was still relatively unsophisticated, and road construction was viewed as a loss-making endeavor with little chance of return.

High tolls would deter merchants and civilians. Low tolls wouldn't even cover maintenance costs.

Thus, ninjas traditionally traversed forests, mountains, and rivers using their ninja skills. Roads weren't of much concern to them. As for civilians, they either took detours or used the roads funded by the daimyo's treasury.

There was little precedent for villages proactively constructing roads to enhance trade, let alone one village shouldering the entire burden.

It felt like a larger village bullying a smaller one!

"You just don't see the big picture, Minato~ We need to think long-term."

"It's a known fact that vast deposits of chakra metal lie buried beneath Suna's deserts. And who knows what other rare resources they might unearth in the future."

"We're currently in a tumultuous era of shinobi warfare. Due to external pressures, Suna's resources remain largely untapped. But think long-term: five, ten, twenty years from now?"

Gojo Kaigetsu drew a straight line between Konoha and Suna on the map. "The easiest way for Suna to prosper is to sell its resources to the rest of the shinobi world. It's practically a guaranteed profit. Chakra metal is always in demand, and the more advanced shinobi technology becomes, the more valuable it gets."

"And apart from Iwagakure, the quickest, most convenient, and most cost-effective way for Suna to transport goods eastward is through Konoha!"

"Imagine a completely peaceful shinobi world, where ninjas no longer rely on missions for income and villages abandon their arms race, investing instead in infrastructure, research, and leisure."

"Suna, with its small population and abundant natural resources, would undoubtedly prosper rapidly, possibly even surpassing Konoha in economic growth."

"Besides Suna, we can also construct a road between Konoha and Kirigakure, connecting the east and west of the shinobi world."

"Then, the Konoha-Suna trade route, built under our supervision, would see an immense flow of people. We'll establish service stations along the route, filled with shops that could be directly operated by Konoha or sold to other merchants…"

"In my vision, Kirigakure in the east will be a seaside resort, while Suna in the west will be the shinobi world's most luxurious entertainment hub. Wealthy individuals from across the shinobi world will eagerly travel between the two."

"And as long as Konoha maintains the most powerful ninja force and the most advanced technology, we can reap the benefits, leaving Suna and Kiri with no grounds for complaint."

"Even establishing service stations now would be profitable. There are plenty of merchants within Konoha eager to expand their businesses and venture into Suna. Minato, do you still think a 30-year operating license won't generate profit?"

Hiss-

Minato was stunned by Gojo Kaigetsu's Limitless imagination.

He was still strategizing, analyzing the possibility of war and formulating countermeasures. Meanwhile, Kaigetsu-kun had already envisioned a "unified shinobi world under Konoha's rule"?

This pace… was a little too fast. Minato wasn't ready to become the founding father of a Konoha empire!

'So Kaigetsu-kun never considered Kiri and Suna as equals… He sees them as dishes on a table, not even worthy of a seat.'

Gojo Kaigetsu, seemingly reading Minato's thoughts, added knowingly, "In the shinobi world, you're either at the table or on the menu. Clearly, Kiri and Suna are already on Konoha's menu."

Minato took a deep breath, his thoughts returning to reality.

"If this works, no matter how much Kiri and Suna develop, they'll only be feeding Konoha. We'll be leeches, draining their resources. The shinobi world's economy will become a closed loop, with all the wealth ultimately flowing into Konoha's pockets."

"It's a fantastical idea, just thinking about it makes my blood boil."

"And the service stations… during peaceful times, they'll generate continuous revenue for Konoha. During wartime, they'll serve as military outposts…"

Minato looked at Gojo Kaigetsu with increasing bewilderment. "Sometimes I really want to open up Kaigetsu-kun's head and see what's inside, where all these brilliant ideas come from."

"Ichiraku Ramen, Taiten Ninja Tool Shop, the Green Card Honey Shop, the Akimichi BBQ, the Nara Deer Antler Hot Springs… Let those old moneybags in Konoha, who are drowning in cash, take the lead and invest in the trade route service stations!"

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Although the road hasn't been built yet, we can start attracting investors in advance."

Gojo Kaigetsu waved the Konoha-Suna agreement as if it weren't a flimsy piece of paper but a scroll containing untold riches.

It was strange… The road hadn't even begun construction, yet he was already enticing Konoha's wealthy with promises, using their investments to build the road, and then using the road to siphon more of their wealth. Essentially, building the road at zero cost and reaping enormous profits, all by leveraging Konoha's authority…

'Damn, why am I so good at this?'

"…Isn't this a bit… unethical? Even Danzo wouldn't do something like this, would he? Will those old moneybags agree?"

Minato hesitated. Anyone could see this was a risky venture. The road was still a distant dream, yet he was asking them to invest in service stations?

The wealthy didn't acquire their riches through wind-style jutsu.

Such a blatant money grab could easily provoke opposition from Konoha's affluent class.

"Disagree? Are they refusing to give Gojo-san face?" Gojo Kaigetsu said with a smile.

He wasn't unreasonable. He would paint the picture as enticingly as possible. Once the picture was complete, would Konoha's wealthy really refuse him face? It was merely a small investment to gain favor with Gojo-san. Surely, they would be happy to oblige.

Otherwise… a minor policy change could result in losses far exceeding the cost of giving Gojo-san face.

The era of hidden villages had one advantage: the village wielded absolute internal authority. Theoretically, any decree could be issued and enforced.

Any individual who dared to disobey would face severe consequences. Even the mighty Uchiha were swiftly dealt with.

"Then… what about assigning missions to ninjas in the village's name?"

"It's just a replacement for those low-level find-my-cat-or-dog missions. We can slightly increase the rewards, deducting it from the service station profits." Gojo Kaigetsu explained. "Putting more money in the pockets of lower-ranked ninja will also allow them to hone their combat skills."

"Our Konoha ninja have one flaw: they're too comfortable."

Strengthening Konoha's military had to be a gradual process. Besides Enhancing top-tier combat power, Gojo Kaigetsu also wanted to raise the baseline.

He didn't hold any prejudice against Genin, but the reality was that during large-scale conflicts, they served mainly as living tools wielding ninja tools. The power of a couple of low-level jutsu was often less effective than a single explosive tag.

Setting aside the top-tier fighters of each village, in terms of basic combat strength, Konoha's "average" Genin were inferior to those from Kirigakure and Sunagakure, who emerged from brutal selection processes.

As for Kumogakure and Iwagakure, having no prior interaction with them, Gojo Kaigetsu couldn't make a judgment yet.

Therefore, his plan was to expose even the most average Genin fresh out of the Academy to the harsh realities of the shinobi world.

The "Konoha-Suna Trade Route" instance was officially open. The trade route, situated in the southernmost part of the shinobi world, presented a moderate level of risk for Genin-perfect for honing their skills.

Those who couldn't handle it could pursue other careers within the village using their Academy-acquired skills.

"Only when rank-and-file ninja have money can they become consumers, driving the development of various industries in Konoha. Instead of hesitating for ages at the lowest-tier counter of a ninja tool shop, picking out the cheapest kunai and emptying their wallets."

"Witnessing the prosperity of the Konoha-Suna trade route will instill confidence in Konoha's future, encouraging them to spend freely! They won't have to worry about saving every penny for fear of not finding well-paying missions. They'll know there are always more opportunities to earn."

Having risen through the ranks from Genin, Gojo Kaigetsu clearly understood the anxieties of lower-ranked ninja.

Those with no hope of becoming Chunin were like day laborers, scrambling for odd jobs like finding lost pets for wealthy clients. After completing a job, they would wander around the village, choosing the cheapest food just to survive… constantly fearing they might not get another easy, well-paying mission.

Such Genin offered little military or economic value to the village, only boosting the numbers on the ninja registry. If all Genin held this mindset, how could Konoha boast about its economic prosperity in the shinobi world?

Stimulation! They needed a strong stimulus! But that required money. Therefore, Gojo Kaigetsu proactively took on the escort missions that should have been shared between the villages, assigning them through Konoha officially. Spending extra money to send the village's struggling Genin out into the wider shinobi world to broaden their horizons.

He could practically envision the throngs of Genin crowding the Boss Direct Hire board outside the Hokage Tower after the trade route opened.

"Kaigetsu-kun, you truly care about Konoha… As Hokage, I must thank you on behalf of the village's Genin." Minato spoke sincerely.

He himself would probably never have noticed this issue.

Although Minato came from a civilian background, his genius allowed him to practically skip the Genin phase. He quickly surpassed the income limitations of ordinary ninja by taking on high-difficulty missions.

He never had to hesitate in front of a ninja tool shop window, let alone for expensive items like explosive tags. Naturally, he couldn't empathize with the financial struggles of lower-ranked ninja.

It was also inappropriate for the village to directly subsidize these Genin. Assigning "Trade Route Escort" missions was a way to support them while simultaneously improving their skills and indirectly boosting Konoha's economy.

Konoha's economy was already a closed loop. The money spent would eventually return to Konoha's coffers.

Truly, it was a plan that killed two birds with one stone.

Minato exhaled deeply, the fog in his mind clearing. "One last question, Kaigetsu-kun. What do you think… should we do with Pakura?"

"Hmm? Pakura? The Scorching Beauty? What about her?"

Having arrived late, Gojo Kaigetsu was unaware of the condition that initially swayed Minato.

"Scorching Beauty?" Minato muttered, assuming it was another one of Gojo Kaigetsu's eccentric remarks. "Baki from Suna just offered to send their hero to Konoha for a secret mission."

"Her movements will be completely transparent to us, and Suna won't provide any support."

Gojo Kaigetsu quickly grasped the implications. "So… they want us to kill Pakura as a symbol of peace between our villages?"

"…That's certainly something Suna would do."

If he remembered correctly, Pakura was originally supposed to die at the hands of Kirigakure. Because of his presence, she had escaped that fate, only to become a sacrifice for Konoha's budding partnership with Suna.

A ninja's fate was rarely determined by their own will.

Gojo Kaigetsu sighed. "Minato, whatever happens in the future, please don't label me a hero."

Minato deadpanned. "Let's focus. What should we do with her?"

"What are your thoughts?"

"Kill her the moment she steps into the ambush."

Minato, after all, was a ninja forged in war. He wouldn't hesitate to weaken an enemy village. An elite Jonin, regardless of the village, even in the mighty Konoha, was a core asset. This was even more true for a relatively weaker village like Suna.

"If I recall correctly, Pakura is a Scorch Style elite Jonin, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Minato, nurturing a homegrown elite Jonin in Konoha is a long and complex process. We invest resources from their time in the Academy, assign suitable teachers for personalized guidance, and constantly worry about them dying on missions… But taming an elite Jonin from another village is much simpler: capture and subjugate."

"You're suggesting… sparing Pakura and making her work for Konoha?"

Minato's expression turned serious. "With all due respect, Kaigetsu-kun, it's best not to be lenient in such matters. She's a hero of Suna. There's almost no chance she would submit to Konoha."

"Regardless of her outward demeanor, her loyalty will always lie with Suna. Keeping her in the village risks intel leaks and sabotage. Her mere presence in Konoha could destabilize the current political landscape. Kumo, Iwa, and Suna will all have their own agendas. Not eliminating her immediately would be incredibly dangerous."

"Naturally, I'm aware of that."

Gojo Kaigetsu remained calm and composed. "If Pakura proves uncontrollable, we'll eliminate her immediately. But as for whether she's controllable or not, trust my judgment, Minato."

"They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Once we confirm Pakura's compliance, I'm sure she'd be happy to don a mask and target Iwa."

Gojo Kaigetsu wasn't worried. He suspected Suna might be playing a gambit.

Pakura was an elite Jonin, a product of Suna's brutal system. No matter how foolish, she should have realized that consecutive "secret missions" from first Kiri and then Konoha were highly unusual.

Perhaps she was willingly walking into a trap, or perhaps she truly was that naive… But it didn't matter.

Once Pakura was captured, Gojo Kaigetsu would use his Prosperity points to assess her. Even if it was a gambit, even if she intended to leak intel from within Konoha, she couldn't deceive his Six Eyes.

Kekkei Genkai ninjas were rare, often possessing greater combat power than ordinary Jonin. If utilized effectively, Pakura could become his… his first formidable subordinate! A spearhead against Kumo, Iwa, and even Akatsuki.

If she proved uncontrollable… He would simply pull out Minato's Flying Raijin kunai, summoning him to capture and swiftly eliminate her.

"Well… alright. I trust your judgment, Kaigetsu-kun. But if you find Pakura to be uncontrollable, please kill her immediately. Don't hesitate."

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