"Oh, um... I'm not sure," the Hidden Sand ninja stammered, taken aback by the sudden revelation. He quickly composed himself and continued, "I know that kid, Kuro! He's an orphan in the village, and it's highly unlikely he could afford a new ninja vest. Please wait here; let me call him and ask."
As he spoke, the Hidden Sand ninja sternly called out to the nearby genin, "Kuro! You brat, come here!"
The abrupt shout caught the attention of the excited young genin surrounding Kuro, causing them to turn their heads curiously.
"Who dares to call me Kuro directly, it's Kuro-sama...?" Kuro began to retort, trying to assert his importance when someone dared to call him a "brat." However, as he noticed the two adults with stern expressions nearby, his bravado quickly faded. He shivered and hurriedly ran over, addressing them as "Yes, sir."
"You little brat, what were you about to say? Kuro-sama? You really think you're someone important?" Mato scolded, delivering a light slap to the back of Kuro's head.
Then, Mato's frown deepened as he observed the new ninja vest on Kuro. "Where did you get this ninja vest? Remember, genin aren't qualified to wear ninja vests."
"Ah? I bought this myself!" Kuro quickly shielded his new possession, eager to defend it. "Senpai, if you want one, you can buy it too. It's available at half price, and if you purchase it now, you get a one hundred ryo coupon for your next purchase."
"Half price? Coupon?" Mato's face displayed confusion, not familiar with these terms.
"Cough, cough!" Rasa, realizing that Mato was forgetting his presence, subtly cleared his throat to get his attention.
"Oh, my apologies! I nearly forgot, This is Lord Rasa!" Mato swiftly turned his attention to Rasa, speaking with great respect. "Lord Rasa has some questions, and you must answer truthfully and honestly."
"Lord Rasa?" Kuro was taken aback, quickly turning his head to look at the stern-faced young man beside him.
He was well aware of Lord Rasa, the hero who bravely resisted the Cloud ninja's invasion. He had also heard that Lord Rasa was likely to become the next Kazekage. Therefore, In the hearts of these young genin, Rasa was greatly admired and respected.
Kuro, still excited, introduced himself, "Lord Rasa, I am Kuro, a recent graduate. It's an honor to meet you, Lord Rasa..."
"No need to be nervous!" Rasa nodded reassuringly, then got straight to the point, "About the ninja vest you're wearing..."
"I bought it myself, Lord Rasa!" Kuro's face showed a mixture of pride and concern, "The village won't take it away, will they?"
"Don't worry! The village won't take it back! It's perfectly fine for a ninja to have their own personal gear," Rasa assured him, understanding that it's not uncommon for shinobi to invest in their equipment, "It's just that you mentioned something about half-price?"
"Ah? Lord Rasa wanted to know about that!" Kuro felt relieved, then spoke proudly, "Yes, it was just half-price! I unexpectedly found it during a mission outside the village. The quality is excellent, not inferior to Senpai's ninja vest. Lord Rasa, would you like to buy one too? Oh, and I almost forgot!"
Suddenly recalling something, Kuro took out a well-folded pamphlet from his pocket and handed it to Rasa, "I'm giving this to you, Lord Rasa. With this, you can get a one hundred Ryo discount on your purchase."
Both Rasa and Mato were momentarily taken aback. A one hundred Ryo discount? As the next Kazekage, did Rasa really need such a discount? Rasa's expression froze, and he looked at the pamphlet with a hint of doubt.
When Rasa opened the pamphlet, he read the enticing descriptions of the ninja vest:
{Professionally produced, fits snugly, comfortable, and breathable—say goodbye to stuffiness}
{Exquisite craftsmanship, conscientious quality, flexibility like a breeze—protecting your safety}
{To reward customers, the entire store is half price, and group purchases enjoy even more value}
Below these words was a detachable coupon, offering a discount, reducing the price upto one hundred Ryo. Rasa couldn't believe what he was seeing. Who had the audacity to bring their business into the Hidden Sand Village with such enticing offers?
As Rasa and Mato continued to frown, Kuro explained in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "Although there's a label on it that we can't remove ourselves, the price was really affordable. I had been saving money for so long, and I could finally afford it."
Kuro then turned around and pointed to the center of the back of the vest. Rasa and Mato's eyes widened when they saw a small, swaying grass symbol, and beneath it, the words "Produced by the Kusagakure Garment Factory, high-quality product guaranteed."
Both Rasa and Mato's expressions became perplexed, and inwardly, they couldn't help but curse, realizing that the Grass Village was behind this scheme. "Damn! So, it was this group of tricksters!"
…
At the same time, Somewhere not far from the Hidden Sand Village, Akihiko, and Yahiko were engaged in a conversation, both wearing sand-resistant cloaks
"Akihiko-sensei, are you really sure about this plan? Who else would buy ninja vests other than Chunin and Jonin? Especially during these times, regular people wouldn't waste money on such things. They'd rather spend it on food," Yahiko, commented sarcastically. His face turned serious as he recalled the refugees they had encountered along the way, who had lost their homes due to the war, and he let out a sigh.
"I wish we could directly approach the Hidden Sand Village. I believe they would buy it at such a low price. Then, when we go back, we can recruit some refugees from the Land of Rain. Once they are all on our side, we can take down Amegakure, and the Land of Rain will be o.." He paused suddenly, feeling a slap on the back of his head.
"Smack~" Akihiko had given Yahiko a slap on the back of his head upon hearing his words. He then spoke irritably, "You think I don't want to speed things up? Don't you think I want to directly promote our products to the Hidden Sand Village? The problem is that we have no connections there. In the past, we had collaborations with the Five Great Ninja Villages, and our relationships were quite good. But in recent years, the reputation of our Grass Shinobi..."
"People have a slight misunderstanding about us," Akihiko sighed, well aware of the challenges they faced due to their low reputation. Securing a deal with the Hidden Sand Village wouldn't be a simple task. They couldn't just hand over a cooperation contract and expect it to be accepted without hesitation.
Even if they managed to present a contract, people might dismiss it outright, assuming that the Grass Shinobi were selling cheap and inferior goods. The risk of being perceived as selling counterfeits loomed over them.
Selling in large quantities to normal ninjas also seemed like an unrealistic idea. The Sand Ninjas, already cautious with their spending during these times, so expecting everyone to buy their own vest is just a dream.
As for approaching high-ranking officials, the question remained: Who should they approach? Elder Ebizo or Lady Chiyo? It would have been ideal, but the unfavorable reputation of the Grass Shinobi complicated matters.
Thinking of the two senior advisors of the Hidden Sand Village, Akihiko couldn't help but admire their praiseworthy actions in comparison to the advisors of the famous Konoha. During peacetime, these two seniors willingly relinquished their power and chose to seclude themselves in a remote place, refraining from meddling in any village affairs.
However, when the Third Kazekage faced trouble, they fearlessly stepped forward despite their old age. Notably, at that time, they were unaware that their own grandson (nephew's son) was involved in the trouble. Regardless, they took the risk to assist and protect the village.
Finding someone from the Sand Village to convey his offer is also a near-impossible task, as convincing the senior advisors to agree to a contract seemed equally unlikely. Their unwavering integrity couldn't be swayed by bribes or any underhanded tactics. Besides, the critical situation only added to the risk, as there was a genuine fear that they might mistake the messenger for a spy from the Grass Shinobi Village and take drastic action not just against him but potentially against the entire Grass Village.
Given these daunting circumstances, Akihiko knew that directly approaching the Hidden Sand Village was out of the question. The reputation of the Grass Shinobi had suffered in recent years, making any negotiations even more challenging.
Therefore, they had no choice but to adopt a different approach and focus on promotion. They decided to let some of the Sand Shinobi use the product first, relying on word of mouth to spread the positive feedback throughout the village. He believed that once the Hidden Sand Village saw the quality and affordability of their products, they would gain the trust and support they needed.
Having good products at low prices was an enticing proposition, and Akihiko was confident that once they won over the Hidden Sand Village, gaining the favor of other ninja villages would become much easier.
As a teacher, Akihiko didn't mince his words when criticizing Yahiko. He sternly urged him to learn from Konan, who approached every task with unwavering dedication and seriousness.
Speaking of Konan, her past experiences of poverty seemed to have left a lasting impact, even after arriving in the financially stable Grass Shinobi Village. She remained extremely cautious with money and had developed an almost obsessive attitude towards it. However, her dedication to her work was commendable, as she diligently and diligently completed any task assigned to her.
While Akihiko observed Konan carefully counting money beside them, a mixture of emotions crossed his face, and he couldn't help but sigh. He affectionately rubbed her head, as if about to share some wisdom with her.
However, as he was about to speak, Akihiko's expression changed, and he narrowed his eyes, seemingly sensing something. A subtle smile appeared on his face, and he turned to the puzzled trio. "It's done!" he declared confidently, leaving them wondering about his cryptic words.
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