Chapter 126: Giving Too Much

In Konoha, Aoba soon received intelligence from Shin (Hidan).

"Hiruko?"

This character hadn't appeared in the main storyline but was featured in one of the movies. His talent and abilities were exceptional.

In the movie, he successfully fused four Kekkei Genkai and wielded them with skill. Ultimately, he was defeated by Naruto because his Dark Release couldn't absorb Senjutsu chakra.

There was no doubt that the effects of the Chimera Technique were terrifying. Aoba immediately sent word to Shin to assist in completing the technique and to send back all related data.

Shin's identity as a spy was open knowledge to Konan and Nagato. Such maneuvers were tolerated as long as they didn't cross critical boundaries.

Apart from Shin's reports, Zabuza also provided intelligence on a monthly basis.

As one of the early-stage boss-level characters, Zabuza's primary role now was to help Aoba generate money.

After taking control of Gato, and following Aoba's development strategies, Gato now controlled over 90% of the Land of Rice's economy.

Additionally, his shipping company had rapidly expanded, controlling over half of the maritime routes in the surrounding regions.

However, further expansion was currently limited. The major nations like the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth had their own maritime businesses, while the Land of Water dominated even more.

These major nations monopolized key shipping routes, leaving merchants like Gato to scavenge the leftovers.

To break through this limitation, Gato needed the backing of a major power. Among these, Konoha was undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders. Following Aoba's instructions, Gato began signaling his willingness to align with Konoha.

It's important to note that Gato sought cooperation with Konoha rather than the Land of Fire. This distinction was critical.

This move wasn't about hiring Konoha shinobi to protect his business. Instead, it was a proposition for partnership with Konoha as an equal.

Konoha traditionally didn't involve itself in such ventures. For years, ninja villages had functioned as mercenary organizations, earning commission fees without engaging in direct business operations.

Commerce was usually handled by the daimyō.

But now, Aoba sought to break this norm. Gato's proposal bypassed the daimyō, inviting Konoha to participate directly in business.

To be honest, the profits Konoha earned from missions were minuscule.

Despite Konoha's status as the leading ninja village, its wealth was only skin-deep. Aoba's few ongoing projects were already straining the village's finances, forcing him to push for economic reforms ahead of schedule.

Gato's approach represented a trial balloon—testing the daimyō's reaction as well as gauging the responses of Konoha's citizens and the broader populace of the Land of Fire.

Gato himself was merely a proxy. He could be discarded at any time if necessary.

Aoba wasn't well-versed in politics but had once heard a saying: The people cannot be persuaded—they can only be bought.

This statement carried an important political principle: to gain the support of the populace, words alone weren't enough; tangible benefits were necessary.

Aoba was now focused on providing benefits, initially limited to Konoha's residents. If the village earned money through business ventures, it could invest in infrastructure and offer subsidies, such as reduced school fees and improved public amenities.

Over time, Konoha's residents would grow accustomed to these perks.

Then, if one day the daimyō decided to forbid Konoha from engaging in commerce, and those benefits suddenly vanished, what would happen?

Gato's overture took Tsunade by surprise. She was familiar with him, having seen his name in Aoba's mission records.

But Gato personally approaching Konoha for a partnership was beyond her imagination. As someone rooted in the traditional shinobi world, her thinking was naturally constrained by its limits.

At the time, she was still struggling to secure additional funding from the daimyō, never having considered the idea of running a business herself.

Instinctively, Tsunade felt something was off, but the financial potential described by Gato was too tempting to reject outright.

She called a meeting of Konoha's senior leadership to discuss the matter.

When Nara Shikaku heard that Gato had approached Konoha with a business proposal, his gaze immediately turned to Aoba.

Seeing Aoba's impassive expression, Shikaku thought for a moment before responding.

"Hokage-sama, the first question we need to address is: can we keep this collaboration with Gato confidential?"

"Complete confidentiality is impossible," Tsunade replied. "But according to Gato's proposal, we could frame the partnership as a mission by dispatching a small team to support his business."

"However, this differs from a standard mission. He's looking to enter large-scale maritime shipping."

"The obstacles won't just be pirates or rogue ninjas. The main resistance will come from rival daimyō-backed trading fleets. In essence, he wants to leverage Konoha's name to legitimize his operations under the banner of the Land of Fire."

"This kind of maneuver won't stay hidden from the daimyō for long. Once discovered, it could have serious consequences, including the potential loss of funding from the daimyō. I think this plan is too risky."

Shikaku glanced at Aoba again before cautiously offering his dissent.

Kakashi, meanwhile, had little to contribute to the discussion. His focus was on Konoha's Advanced Ninja Academy, where he served as vice principal—a role Aoba had assigned him to help him build connections for his eventual succession as Hokage.

"You're absolutely right," Aoba finally spoke. "This is precisely the key issue we're discussing today.

"For context, the Land of Fire's total funding for Konoha this year amounted to 2 billion ryo. That's including a 500-million ryo emergency increase following the damages caused by the Hidden Sand invasion."

"In contrast, Gato claims that if we partner with him and ensure his business runs smoothly, we could earn... 3 billion ryo in annual dividends."

"..."

The meeting room fell into silence. Even someone as intelligent as Shikaku found it difficult to process. As a traditional shinobi, he had never taken businessmen like Gato seriously and couldn't fathom how he treated money so casually.

Awkward as the moment was, Shikaku quickly adjusted his stance.

"In my opinion, Hokage-sama, this matter is worth discussing further."

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