Coveting

Land of Fire, Daimyo's Mansion.

"What are the investigation results?"

The Daimyo's lazy voice echoed.

His retainers, however, did not dare to be lax.

"Reporting, sir, the origin of the 'Chinese Cuisine' shops in the Land of Fields traces back to the Uchiha clan in Otogakure."

"The Uchiha clan from Konoha?"

Although the Daimyo wasn't very familiar with ninja affairs, the renowned Uchiha clan was known to him.

"Yes, sir. There are also Uchiha clan members running these shops in Konoha. The Uchiha in the Land of Fields split from the main Uchiha clan?"

"A split? Is it a defection?" The Daimyo grew curious.

The retainer wiped his sweat and produced two reports.

"Sir, the statements from the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura are different. The Third Hokage states it as a departure, while Danzo claims it was a defection."

The Daimyo took the reports, one being a public statement from the Third Hokage and the other a special report from Danzo.

Seeing the lengthy text, the Daimyo frowned and quickly lost interest.

He irritably tossed both reports aside.

Whether the Uchiha clan split or defected mattered little to him.

The Uchiha clan was under Konoha's jurisdiction, and Konoha was in a cooperative relationship with the Daimyo.

Whatever happened to the Uchiha didn't directly concern him.

However, the fact that the Third Hokage let such a thing slip...

Hmph.

The Daimyo snorted.

"So, all these culinary establishments were created by the Uchiha?"

"Yes," the retainer confirmed.

The Daimyo felt annoyed. There was a hierarchy even among Daimyos.

The Land of Fields was a backwater place, seen as a rural backwater by the Land of Fire's Daimyo.

Two years ago, when the Daimyo of the Land of Fields heavily supported this culinary venture, the Land of Fire's Daimyo had laughed at him.

But in just two years, 'Chinese Cuisine' had spread across the Land of Fields, driving out other dining establishments and unifying the market. Any trade caravan that visited could not stop praising it.

The entire economy of the Land of Fields had been boosted by this food industry, something the Daimyo of the Land of Fire could hardly believe.

But after reviewing the retainers' statistics, he had to admit it was true.

The Land of Fields' Daimyo had made a fortune, and the country's economy had significantly developed. Its ninja village was now the top among those below the five great nations.

It might have risen even higher if it had not been for its small size and limited resources.

Of course, the Land of Fire had its commercial team attempt to join the trend.

However, the franchise fees were several times higher than those in the Land of Fields, and there were limited slots available.

This seemed like petty revenge to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

There was no way around it; great nations often bullied smaller ones, and now the tables had turned.

The Daimyo tried to imitate the concept initially, but the simple fermented tofu couldn't replicate the same taste and aroma.

They experimented with various spices, but none matched the original recipes. While they could recreate some dishes, they couldn't form a cohesive menu.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was green with envy.

The Land of Fields had become more prosperous thanks to this culinary venture. They would make a fortune if they could implement it in the Land of Fire.

The Land of Fields was just a rural backwater! A place that didn't even have a ninja village before!

However, those who knew the secret recipes weren't the shop owners but people sent by Otogakure. These individuals were as stubborn as rocks and refused to disclose any secrets, even committing suicide when kidnapped.

The Daimyo was particularly exasperated. Was making money worth dying for?

He didn't know that these individuals from Otogakure were all Orochimaru's people, either brainwashed loyalists or those placed under binding spells.

Otherwise, they would need to be allowed to engage in commerce.

The culinary industry is easy to imitate but hard to replicate precisely without years of heritage and core secret recipes. Even with a lifetime of imitation, some flavours could be more attainable.

The Daimyo rubbed his aching head, deciding to drop the matter. "Have Danzo from Konoha handle this. Ensure we get all the recipes."

"Yes, sir!"

...

Konoha, Hokage's Office.

"Sarutobi."

The Third Hokage, writing at his desk, looked up to see Danzo entering.

To his surprise, Danzo was without his cane, and his right arm was unwrapped, revealing a healthy limb.

"Danzo, your arm!?"

Danzo smiled slightly, raising his right hand. "It's healed. No more need for bandages."

The Third Hokage frowned, remembering that Danzo's arm had been modified, which is why it was always hidden.

Could Danzo have restored it?

The Third Hokage continued. After all, he had yet to learn the specifics of Danzo's arm modification.

"What brings you here?"

The Third Hokage's tone was calm. Despite Danzo's previous ambitious overreach, leading to his dismissal and severe setback, the Third still saw him as a long-time collaborator.

Stopping Root's funding and banning cooperation with other clans left Root poor.

But having worked together for so long, the Third Hokage knew he'd need Danzo again someday.

As long as Danzo remained under his control, his past actions were forgivable.

Whenever needed, the Third Hokage could permanently reinstate him.

"This is an income estimate from the Uchiha." Danzo handed over a stack of data sheets.

The Hokage glanced at them briefly. "This much? Twenty million in a year?"

Danzo's tone was as steady as ever. "That's just Konoha's data. Adding the Land of Fields, it's over fifty million a year."

"Itachi and Shisui took 'Chinese Cuisine' to the Land of Fields. Despite its poverty, the whole country is dotted with these shops."

"Who knows how wealthy the Uchiha really are."

Danzo paused briefly. "The Daimyo saw how profitable the Land of Fields became and ordered me to obtain all the recipes."

"So, Hiruzen, I need your cooperation now."

Danzo smirked, producing an official decree.

The Third Hokage frowned, picking up the decree and confirming its authenticity.

Huff...

The Third Hokage took a deep drag from his pipe.

He had yet to expect Danzo to appeal to the Daimyo.

This was tricky. As the village leader, he had countless expenses.

Konoha's long-standing dominance in the ninja world was due to its wealth. Money could endlessly convert into various resources.

Whether it was population, food, or other needs, wealth kept Konoha ahead in the ninja wars.

The military nations of Kumogakure and Kirigakure had intermittently fought Konoha for over twenty years.

Despite weaker military strength, Konoha had financially drained Kumogakure into seeking peace.

Much of Konoha's funding came from the Land of Fire's Daimyo, whose vast lands and resources provided generous subsidies.

Maintaining its ninja world's lead was mutually beneficial, with Konoha defeating other nations for the Daimyo's gain.

But now, the Daimyo had set his sights on 'Chinese Cuisine.'

The Daimyo bypassed him and gave the order to Danzo. Was this because of the Uchiha's departure?

His failure to report had created a rift with the Daimyo.