"HIRUZEN SARUTOBI—!!!"
A single roar shook the entire Hokage Tower.
It was Danzo.
Danzo's eyes were so bloodshot they looked painted red.
Kangetsu was a good kid—damn good.
He'd wracked his brain to earn money for me—no, for Konoha's welfare. That's what Danzo meant. Obviously.
Forget the clothing empire.
The tobacco business hadn't even fully gotten on track yet. Just the scraps and side profit already looked like another "clothing empire."
If the tobacco operation truly launched, the numbers inside it…
Danzo couldn't even let himself imagine them.
And everyone had been sitting around smiling, waiting to collect their cut.
Then—crack.
Somebody decided to eat it all again!
Worse, the bastard had the nerve to send his own eldest son to eat it for him!
And when that kid got caught red-handed by an elder from Danzo's own side, he still refused to admit anything!
Was that just shameless?
No.
That was shameless on a level that should be illegal.
So Danzo started pounding the door like he was going to punch straight through it.
Of course.
Truth be told, he wasn't actually that furious inside.
This was a gift of an opportunity…
Dumping dirty water on Hiruzen? He could do it with a straight face, and nobody could say a word. It was clean, righteous, perfectly reasonable.
Still, he had to put on a show.
Because that old dog really was trying to eat alone.
How many times had Danzo said it?
Big picture.
As Hokage, you were supposed to have some.
Outside the door, Homura was just as furious, slamming his palm against it.
"Hiruzen!! Open up! If you've got the guts to eat alone, then you've got the guts to open the door!!"
His clan had already told him in the letter.
If they followed Kangetsu's plan, the bills would come pouring in.
And what did Hiruzen do?
Kick them out of the game.
Koharu was in the same state, her head hot with anger.
"Open the door! Open it right now!! Didn't I tell you before? Didn't I warn you?!"
She'd warned him more than once, and he still tried to eat alone.
How was that acceptable?
Inside the house—
The Third Hokage—face swollen and bruised—had his body braced against the door, holding it shut with everything he had.
The pushing from the other side was getting stronger.
And stronger.
Hiruzen tilted his head back and let out a long, miserable sigh.
That unfilial brat. That unfilial brat…
Kangetsu had handed him a clean profit share. All Sasuke had to do was keep his head down.
But no.
He had to get cocky, let people notice, and then get noticed so hard he was caught on the spot.
And to make it worse—Hiruzen hadn't even ordered any of it.
But once you're caught in public, it doesn't matter whether it's true or not.
If it looks like it, it is.
A scene of "top brass arguing over loot"—no, arguing over profit distribution—had already been seen by plenty of people.
And that meant Konoha had erupted overnight.
"See?! I knew Kangetsu-sama lived up to the hype!"
"Quick, quick! Notify the clan head! Kangetsu-sama made money again!"
"Once is luck. Twice isn't luck!
Everyone—bet!
Bet on Kangetsu-san!"
"You old idiots are insane! You're still 'waiting'? Keep waiting and you won't even get the soup!"
The wind from the Land of Fire tobacco business swept through Konoha and turned into a full-blown fever.
Most clans were holding meetings day and night.
Debating whether to go all-in on Kangetsu.
Or whether their clans were too small and they'd get crumbs anyway.
What?
Take missions?
At a time like this?
If you were still taking missions now, you deserved to be a broke mission-runner for the rest of your life.
How much did missions even pay?
If you could secure even a sliver of profit on the cash god's side, you wouldn't worry for generations.
And that was just the general mood.
Take the Hyuga clan alone—
That dog Hiashi was strutting around like he owned the place, walking with swagger like the wind itself was following him.
He told everyone Kangetsu-sama was the Hyuga clan's "husband," over and over, until it made people's fists itch.
By now, basically everyone in Konoha understood it:
Kangetsu-san—the village's one true "educated talent," the only real businessman—was the only reason half the village was dreaming big.
Everyone wanted to eat off that man's table.
But the leadership up top?
No class at all.
Eating alone…
And because they tried to eat alone, it turned into a public scandal about uneven loot—uneven profit—and the Hokage himself got blocked at his door by the advisors demanding answers.
I don't want this either…
Hiruzen's eyes were swollen. He was practically teary as he pressed his weight against the door.
They'd chased him all the way to his own home.
Now he finally understood the misery Danzo used to complain about—being trapped behind a door, too afraid to step outside.
Afraid he'd get grabbed and then—bam, bam—eat a few punches.
The worst part was, Hiruzen didn't even have the moral high ground.
He couldn't swing back.
If he fought them, the tobacco profit share would get carved up again.
And this time, the Hokage wouldn't see a single ryō.
Those old men would absolutely do it.
They'd known each other for years. Everyone knew what everyone was capable of.
So Homura was especially enthusiastic, helping Danzo pound the door—thunk, thunk.
This time, they were going to teach Hiruzen a lesson he wouldn't forget.
Otherwise, next time he'd try to eat alone again.
"Hiruzen! Come out! I'm not even angry anymore!"
"Thunk! Thunk!!"
"Hiruzen! We're old friends—do you really think I wouldn't forgive you?
Open up. I want to talk."
"Thunk! Thunk!!"
"Hiruzen! I already talked them down. Come out. And I remember I still owe you money—come with me!
I'll go to the kitchen and get it for you!!"
"Thunk! Thunk!!"
Sin after sin…
Inside, Hiruzen cursed his eldest son again.
What can you even do right?
The stage was set for you. Kangetsu was there holding your hand. All you had to do was sit and collect money.
And you still managed to blow it up.
Now he had to endure the old men pounding his door demanding answers.
For the first time in a long time—
Hiruzen missed the "good kid" out in the Land of Fire with his whole heart.
Kangetsu… come back already.
I'm not going to hold much longer.
Outside the door—
Danzo was so excited he almost wanted to shout.
Hiruzen.
Old friend.
Keep holding this dirty water.
The more unfit you look as Hokage, the more necessary I look as the future right hand.
Two decision-makers.
Danzo could feel that beautiful phrase getting closer and closer.
At the same time—
The Uchiha clan was also holding an emergency meeting.
Itachi and Shisui were practically spitting as they argued with several clan elders.
"You old fossils! Kangetsu-san's success already proved he can do it! What about you?! Where are your promises?!"
"Nonsense!! What does that punk success have to do with you? You think you can steal profit shares from the Third and his old men?"
"Whether it works or not, you have to do it first! If you never do it, then it'll never work!"
(End of Chapter)
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