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"Lord Fourth Hokage, Gojo Kaigetsu reporting as ordered."
Gojo Kaigetsu arrived at the Hokage Tower's meeting room, hands clasped behind his back, posture ramrod straight, striding confidently into the chamber.
The rustling of his black attire against itself gradually silenced the heated discussions within.
This meeting was clearly of a higher caliber than any previous one. Heads of all Konoha clans, large and small, as well as leaders of various village administrative departments, had been summoned to participate in this symposium.
It was a symposium on the future direction of Konoha, and simultaneously, a "shareholders' meeting."
In Gojo Kaigetsu's view, Konoha was like a large corporation. The Senju and Uchiha clans were the two major shareholders, while the other clans, big and small, were the minor shareholders.
Today's symposium was akin to disclosing the corporation's financial report, instilling confidence in these minor shareholders and encouraging them to increase their investment in Konoha.
The news of the [Administration]'s achievement of the greatest victory since the Third Shinobi World War had already spread throughout the clan heads of Konoha.
Those boxes filled with sealed scrolls contained stacks of cash. Putting aside the exact amount, the visual impact was undeniable.
Then there were the throngs of outsiders lined up outside Konoha's gates, clutching their Konoha Green Cards, eager to enter the village.
Even the villagers who usually felt the least sense of belonging to Konoha couldn't help but puff out their chests with pride at this sight.
Just look at the awestruck expressions on the faces of those bumpkins from the Land of Water! Everything in Konoha was commonplace to them, the Konoha natives!
While the impact of "Iki" might be indirect and intangible, the millions of ryĹŤ and the thousands of "newcomers" were undeniable proof of their success.
Gojo Kaigetsu's political prestige had reached the pinnacle of his career.
Fugaku Uchiha was the first to react.
He immediately rose, a cordial smile on his face, and pulled out the first chair to Minato's left for Gojo Kaigetsu.
Although he was still unaware of the specifics of the operation, his eldest son, Itachi, and Shisui Uchiha had reported learning a great deal from Gojo Kaigetsu.
As far as Fugaku was concerned, this only deepened his debt of gratitude to the advisor.
Fugaku's attitude and actions conveyed the utmost respect.
The heads of several smaller clans exchanged glances. They knew Advisor Gojo had a good relationship with the Uchiha clan, but they hadn't expected it to be this good… good enough for the clan head to personally pull out a chair for him.
It almost seemed as though the Uchiha were deferring to Gojo Kaigetsu.
"Kaigetsu-kun, you've worked hard on this operation." Minato Namikaze was the second to react.
In the eyes of outsiders, Gojo Kaigetsu was undoubtedly a staunch supporter of the Fourth Hokage. And in Minato's heart, their relationship might not be described as "two peas in a pod," but they were certainly close allies.
The Kirigakure Freedom Operation had been executed flawlessly.
They had carved out a sizable chunk from the Land of Water without bloodshed and without even sending a single ninja into their territory.
Now, even without the jointly drafted operation statement, they held the high ground in the court of public opinion.
They, Konoha, weren't invading the Land of Water; they were saving the suffering masses!
Praise Konoha!
The clan representatives present erupted in applause, while Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane, seated opposite Gojo Kaigetsu, wore grim expressions.
They, too, might have wished for Konoha's prosperity, but certainly not under the leadership of their political rivals.
Danzo narrowed his eyes, silent, seemingly plotting something.
"Shikaku Nara will now present a detailed report on this operation." Seeing that everyone on the invitation list had arrived, Minato declared the official commencement of the first Konoha Clan Representatives Assembly during his tenure.
Indeed… the "First Konoha Clan Representatives Assembly" was a name proposed by Gojo Kaigetsu himself.
It aimed to strengthen Konoha's overall unity and, more importantly, to get these wealthy clans to contribute financially.
Just consider the Nara clan, famous for their deer. Since Konoha's founding, they had been selling their ninken to the entire shinobi world. Imagine the wealth they had accumulated! And then there were the Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuga…
Now, with the Hokage's authority firmly established, but the village coffers running low, it was time for these large clans to contribute their share.
Shikaku Nara, unaware of being targeted by Gojo Kaigetsu, rose slowly as the clan representative:
"During the Kirigakure Freedom Operation, Konoha, through the Green Card system proposed by Advisor Gojo, ext… collected 762 million ryō in cash from the refugees of the Land of Water."
"These funds have been sealed and stored in the treasury."
"The Green Card holders consist of:"
"Thirty-nine Genin specializing in Water Release, five Chunin, one hundred and ten skilled workers and artisans, three scientific researchers, and over a thousand carefully vetted civilians."
Shikaku presented the mission report. Undeniably, the Kirigakure Freedom Operation had yielded remarkable results.
The reward for an S-rank mission typically started at one hundred thousand to one million ryĹŤ.
A single Kirigakure Freedom Operation had generated the equivalent of six hundred S-rank missions-an astounding figure, exceeding the annual income of many smaller clans.
Of course, mission rank and difficulty couldn't be directly equated with monetary rewards.
Operations like the Kirigakure Freedom Operation, which resulted in no bloodshed and filled the village coffers, were rare and depended on the perfect convergence of timing, location, and people.
Kirigakure had been testing the waters, and Konoha had essentially ridden their coattails to success.
A complete victory!
"These Green Card-holding refugees have been dispersed and housed in newly constructed temporary housing throughout Konoha. We've also deployed Military Police Force members to increase patrols and requested the Hyuga clan to conduct stricter entry inspections."
Upon hearing this, Fugaku Uchiha and Hiashi Hyuga, seated on the left side of the table, rose and nodded in acknowledgment, further solidifying their presence before the assembled clans.
The sudden influx of foreign refugees would undoubtedly increase the burden on the Military Police Force and entry inspections.
However, for the revitalized Uchiha and the self-proclaimed strongest clan of Konoha, the Hyuga, this was no major issue.
The younger members of the Uchiha clan were clamoring to repay Advisor Gojo's kindness. Participating in patrols was hardly a burden.
As for the Hyuga, it went without saying. Using the Byakugan didn't consume chakra; it simply meant more work for the branch family members.
"Remarkable results…"
"Kirigakure was already poor enough, and now Konoha has fleeced them for a fortune without bloodshed. Tsk tsk!"
"Don't celebrate too soon. Knowing Kirigakure's temperament, they're likely to retaliate against Konoha."
"We must be fully prepared for Kirigakure's potential backlash."
"…"
Gojo Kaigetsu rose slowly, placing his hands on either side of the table. "Ahem, allow me to say a few words about the allocation of resources~"
The rising murmur in the meeting hall subsided once more.
"There are quite a few merchants among these Green Card civilians. The person in charge of the new commercial district should handle their integration, ensuring fair treatment equal to that of Konoha villagers."
"Any negative news reaching my ears… will be considered a disrespect to this advisor."
"The arrangements for the retired shinobi remain the same. Those willing to return to active duty can exchange their old headbands for Konoha headbands and register. Those unwilling can seek other professions within the bounds of Konoha law. Clan heads, if you have any openings for Water Release ninjas in your businesses or industries, feel free to hire them."
"The three scientific researchers will be transferred to the research institute I established."
"As for the 760 million ryō… 60 million will be distributed as rewards for this operation based on merit. 200 million will be allocated to Konoha's suburban development fund, establishing a new ninja training ground, a special training facility for the Academy, and the second phase of the Chunin single apartments…"
"The remaining 500 million will be invested in the weapons factory, expanding production lines and increasing the output of shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags."
"Who agrees? Who opposes?"
Ninja discussions were straightforward and efficient, quickly dividing the spoils of their bloodless victory over Kirigakure.
The clan representatives readily agreed with the first few points, all of which benefited the village's economic development.
However, when it came to the final point, some representatives, leaning towards the policies of the Third Hokage's era, showed hesitation.
"I disagree." Homura Mitokado stepped forward, adjusting his glasses. "Investing 500 million ryĹŤ at once to expand military production, do you realize what kind of reaction this will provoke from other villages?"
"Young people are impetuous and lack foresight." Homura casually remarked before presenting his viewpoint. "The shinobi world has just emerged from the Third Shinobi World War. The villages are still in a state of cold war, mutual suspicion, and occasional skirmishes."
"Currently, a delicate balance is maintained. Although conflicts exist, no village has actively encroached upon another's territory."
"The First Shinobi World War erupted in the 18th year of Konoha, triggered by the death of the First Hokage, which emboldened certain ambitious individuals in the shinobi world. The Second Shinobi World War broke out in the 38th year, driven by the ambitions of warmongers in various villages. The Third Shinobi World War began in the 47th year…"
"The situation has only recently stabilized, and the village is finally entering a period of recovery. Expanding Konoha's military budget will undoubtedly provoke other villages, disrupting this hard-won peace. It could even become the catalyst for the Fourth Shinobi World War!"
"Gojo Kaigetsu, do you intend to plunge Konoha into another four-village siege?"
"If that is your intention, I will never agree to your policy." Homura concluded his argument.
Generally, a village's military budget was a fixed amount.
It primarily consisted of funds from client missions, donations from warmongering clans, various village taxes, and, most importantly, allocations from the Land's Daimyo.
These figures couldn't be hidden. Think tanks and intelligence agencies in each village would do their best to gather relevant information and estimate the approximate figures.
Peacetime military budgets were significantly smaller than wartime budgets.
They also served as indicators for assessing war threats. If a village suddenly announced an increase in its annual or quarterly military budget, other villages would start to consider the possibility of war.
Ninjas.
Even training a single Genin typically took over eight years, from birth to graduation from the Academy. And what was the cost of an explosive tag that could create a trap and take a Genin's life?
The answer was the cost of raw materials and the sustenance required to maintain a worker's basic life functions.
An increase in the military budget, to some extent, equated to an increase in the number of ninjas-a figure that threatened peace.
"The sound of an explosive tag is worth a thousand ryĹŤ." This was no empty saying.
From there, a long and unbreakable chain of suspicion would form, ultimately leading to an eruption of conflict and a reshuffling of power in the shinobi world.
The history of the shinobi world was like a mirror. Since the Second Shinobi World War, the Five Great Villages had gained enough experience to understand the potential for war based on changes in military budgets.
Konoha had always maintained the highest military budget. During the peak of the Third War, it had even surpassed the combined budgets of the other four villages.
Of course, a village's strength and threat couldn't be solely determined by its military budget. It was simply an important risk assessment indicator.
Now, with the war just ended, all villages were attempting to achieve a peaceful consensus. At least on the surface, they were tacitly reducing their military budgets, allocating funds towards post-war reconstruction and ninja relief…
Yet, Gojo Kaigetsu, defying common sense, was proposing to increase the military budget and expand military production lines just one year after the war's end. This would undoubtedly provoke the other four villages, whose nerves were as sensitive as… well, very sensitive.
In an extreme scenario, Konoha could become a target, once again facing a siege from the four other villages.
"Do you intend to create the legend of the fastest war in shinobi history and destroy Konoha?"
Every word was a pointed accusation.
The neutral clans began to contemplate Homura's words, considering the likelihood of war following a military budget increase.
Danzo Shimura, who had kept his eyes narrowed, finally opened them. He tapped his staff, similar to that of ĹŚnoki, against the ground, slowly and deliberately.
"I agree with Advisor Mitokado."
"Let's set aside other villages and focus on Kirigakure, the village most affected by this operation."
"Since the Second Hokage's era, I have been responsible for the village's foreign intelligence gathering. It can be said that no one in Konoha understands Kirigakure and the Mizukage better than I do."
"Kirigakure is known as the Village of the Bloody Mist. Having endured the Bloody Mist era under two Mizukage, they are ruthless to their own people and even more ruthless towards outsiders."
"Bound by the recently signed peace treaty, Kirigakure might choose to swallow their pride and endure, fearing Konoha's power. But using the funds extracted from the Land of Water to increase Konoha's military budget will undoubtedly provoke those lunatics…"
"Heh, knowing Kirigakure and the Mizukage as I do, they will undoubtedly set aside Kumogakure and retaliate against Konoha without hesitation."
"I know the advisors of Kumogakure. They are wise elders. If it were them, they would never miss such an opportunity. They would rise amidst the chaos!"
"Whether it be forming an alliance with Kirigakure to wage war against Konoha, or establishing temporary bases like we did to Kirigakure…"
"The consequences, I believe, are clear to everyone."
The opinions in the Hokage's meeting room were now divided. Following Homura and Danzo's speeches, the wavering neutral faction seemed to have found their stance.
Doing nothing would undoubtedly maintain the status quo and allow for joint development with other villages. But taking action would undoubtedly increase the risk of war.
Konoha was currently enjoying a period of peace, the most peaceful time since the end of the war. Those ninjas fortunate enough to survive the meat grinder of war could finally savor the tranquility.
War could happen! But absolutely not now! As for when… well, just not now!
This military budget… could not be increased!
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