Konoha. The Hokage Tower.
The Third, sitting there full of anticipation while he waited for good news from the tobacco business, took a pleased drag from his old pipe.
Life was getting sweeter by the day…
With Kangetsu out there earning for him, he felt completely at ease.
In fact, the old man was even mulling something over.
He was getting up there in years. Maybe he should dig a hot spring in his backyard.
What? Hot springs cost money?
He had money.
He had plenty of money.
Feeling rich and bold, the Third waved his hand and decided to approve the project for himself.
He'd worked his whole life for Konoha. Wasn't he allowed to enjoy a little?
He looked down at the paperwork on his desk, practically glowing.
Yeah. The hot spring project was a lock.
And then—
Kangetsu burst in, face tight with urgency.
Oh?
What was this?
Kangetsu never looked like this—never this flustered.
Don't tell me the tobacco business ran into trouble?
The Third's brow furrowed, and his heart gave a hard lurch.
No way…
With Kangetsu watching it, how could it still lose money?
"Hokage-sama! Bad news!"
"The tobacco business took a loss!"
…Huh?
It actually lost?
The Third's first thought was: How much?
His second thought was: How is that even possible?
What went wrong?
"This…"
Kangetsu hesitated, like he wanted to speak but couldn't quite force it out.
Got it.
The Third understood immediately.
Someone from "the higher-ups" had stuck their hands in it.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
He'd warned them again and again—no one interferes, and Kangetsu handles it himself.
And yet someone had ignored the Hokage's orders anyway.
That took guts…
All right. Say it.
Which side was it?
Homura? Koharu? Or…
Danzo?
"…It wasn't them."
"It was… it was…"
Kangetsu looked like he was bracing himself as he finally spit out a name.
"It was Asuma…"
The Third's hand twitched. His mouth went crooked.
He just stared.
…What?
My own idiot son?
Wait—
Hearing it was family, the Third's expression shifted again. He forced out a laugh like it didn't matter.
"All right, I sent him."
"I thought he could learn something from you and try his hand at business, but I guess it didn't take."
"Fine. Kangetsu, how much did we lose? Give me the detailed list."
Deep down, the Third still believed his idiot son couldn't possibly have made that big a mess.
It wasn't like Asuma had gone to the tobacco fields and taken the entire operation for himself.
…Right?
Kangetsu didn't argue. He simply and respectfully pulled the ledger from his robes and held it out.
Hokage-sama… you'd better hold steady.
"Hokage-sama. Logistics reserves, production fields, plus transport, management, sales—everything together."
"Conservatively estimated, total losses are…"
How much?
The Third waited.
No number came.
He frowned and looked at Kangetsu, confused.
Did we lose more than expected?
All right. Say it.
He could take it.
How much?
"Th-Thirty-five hundred million…"
Oh.
Three-point-five billion.
Heh.
The Third looked like he still hadn't processed it. He even took another drag from his pipe.
But once that number spun through his head a few times, he froze, staring at Kangetsu like his soul had stepped out of his body.
"Three-point-five billion?"
"…Yes."
Oh.
So it was real.
Not a dream.
"…"
His brain started trembling.
Back in the old days, even two full years of Konoha's revenue couldn't cover a number like that.
And now?
Oh. Still couldn't.
No wonder Kangetsu had rushed in like that.
This wasn't a small cut.
This was a spear through the artery.
The Third tried to pick up the ledger, hands shaking so hard he couldn't even lift the page.
Three-point-five billion. Three-point-five billion…
"Three-point-five billion…"
The number slipped out of him like a curse.
Asuma…
"ASUMA—!!!"
A furious roar shook the entire Hokage Tower.
And it wasn't over.
The moment the advisers got word from the tobacco fields, they exploded too, rage boiling over so hard it almost turned physical.
Third!
I swear to—!
They stormed toward the Hokage's office at full speed and kicked the door open.
"Hiruzen—!!"
Homura Mitokado's eyes were bloodshot, red to the core.
The sound of his voice felt like it was being forced out through clenched teeth.
Koharu Utatane wasn't any better—she was so furious she was practically hyperventilating, blood vessels crawling across her eyes.
Behind them, Danzo wore the face of a man possessed by rage.
Of course.
He was acting.
But that didn't stop him from joining in to make Hiruzen's life miserable.
Look.
Just look what Hiruzen had done to him.
The bandages still weren't even off. One leg was broken, and he had to lean on a crutch.
Seeing his old teammates charging in like a natural disaster, the Third's heart shuddered.
Everyone!
We can talk about this!
Honestly, you weren't the only ones who lost money—I lost money too!
Cornered, the Third hunched his shoulders and coughed twice, trying to awaken a shred of friendship in them.
Guys, we're on the same side!
We ate together yesterday, remember? Remember?!
Meanwhile, Kangetsu quietly completed his mission and stepped out.
He even closed the door for the old man—very gently, very thoughtfully.
Three-point-five billion.
That won't kill you.
With the clothing business as a safety net, you won't stay broke forever.
But "briefly losing everything"?
Oh, that part was guaranteed.
That's what happens when you try to eat alone.
Your risk tolerance is terrible when you can't spread the loss across the group.
The moment Kangetsu left—
A friendly little "team-building activity" officially began.
"Hiruzen!! What the hell are you trying to do?!"
"Huh?! I'm asking you what you think you're doing?!"
"Hiruzen!! Do you have any concept of collective responsibility?! Do you even have us advisers in your eyes?!"
"Hiruzen!! Stick your damn leg out!"
"Hiruzen!! What did you promise us?! That no higher-up would interfere in business!"
"Hiruzen!! The other leg! Hurry up! I don't see it yet!"
"Three-point-five billion! How are you going to pay that back?! Answer me! Can you even pay it back?!"
"Hiruzen!! Get your butt up! I said get your butt up!!"
"I'm telling you right now, this isn't over! Don't think you can bluff your way through it! Where is Asuma?!"
"Asuma has some nerve! Business? Is he even built for that?!"
"Oh? Hiruzen! You were even filing paperwork for a hot spring?!"
"This old man is going to beat you to death for being selfish, you shameless old fossil!"
…
Downstairs in the Hokage Tower, Kangetsu couldn't help glancing back.
Brutal.
You could hear bones cracking through the walls.
(End of Chapter)
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