Although Ao was doing his best to keep his expression neutral, a storm of suspicion had already begun to brew within him.
What is Uchiha Hikaru really planning?
He was willing to offer Kirigakure an additional 5% tariff increase just for the right to set up a few commercial warehouses?
What stunned him even more was the fact that the other party actually entrusted Kirigakure's own shinobi to handle the security for those warehouses. Did he not realize that if the Mist Village developed even a shred of greed, they could simply "appropriate" the stored goods?
Although Ao wanted to accept the deal on the spot, his instincts screamed that it couldn't possibly be that simple.
After all, this was the man who, through sheer force and cunning, had triggered a total power shift at the top of Konoha.
There were also persistent rumors that he had played a quiet but decisive role in the recent succession crisis in the Land of Fire's capital...
If Kirigakure received an extra 5% profit, wouldn't the Fire Daimyo object?
Ao didn't believe for a second that Uchiha Hikaru's words could represent the full authority of the Land of Fire.
After all, the shinobi villages—Konoha included—were still only villages. The real wealth and control over land, infrastructure, and economy still rested with the country and its daimyo.
Ao forced himself to suppress the unease in his heart, keeping his expression as composed as ever as he looked across the table.
"Lord Hikaru, may I ask—does this 10% tariff apply only to goods from Konoha?"
"Or does it include goods from the entire Land of Fire?"
"That's not a small difference, after all. A village's production is nothing compared to that of a country."
Uchiha Hikaru leaned back lazily in his chair, his posture relaxed. The sharpness in his brow faded slightly.
"Don't worry," he replied with a soft smirk. "Our Godaime Hokage is a direct blood relative of the current Daimyo."
"So of course the tariff applies to the entire Land of Fire, not just to products from Konoha."
"The Daimyo has full trust in Lady Tsunade."
"Is there anything else you're concerned about?"
Ao heard him clearly. Everyone in the shinobi world knew who Princess Tsunade was.
But… somehow, when those words came from his mouth, it all sounded just a little too rehearsed.
It sounded like truth—but felt like a lie.
Still, with the tariff confirmed to apply to all goods from the Land of Fire, the economic benefit was undeniable. The Fire Country's territory was vast and rich in resources. Its lands were fertile. It had everything—minerals, forests, lakes—maybe not in extreme abundance like other nations, but it lacked nothing.
That balance and wealth made it the most enviable country on the continent.
But Ao still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
"Lord Hikaru, with all due respect," he said carefully, "I must ask you to clarify this extra 5% tariff."
"Is there some… underlying reason?"
"This truly is a great offer—for both Kirigakure and the Land of Water."
"But it's a significant move. I must proceed with caution."
Hikaru's expression tightened, as if there was something inconvenient he didn't want to admit.
After a moment of apparent hesitation, he exhaled a sigh.
"Well… it's not anything particularly important. Just a little… embarrassing."
"You must promise not to spread this around."
Ao's curiosity spiked immediately. Hikaru's tone, his demeanor—none of it felt like acting.
"Of course, Lord Hikaru," Ao nodded. "As high-ranking shinobi, confidentiality is second nature to us."
"You've given us such a generous offer—5% more tariff revenue."
"Naturally, we'll keep this matter quiet. All I want is to ensure my village's stability and security."
Only after Ao's reassurance did Hikaru seem to ease up.
"To be honest… this clause wasn't even in the original draft of the treaty."
"But unfortunately, the succession of the Fire Daimyo has involved too many ministers."
"We tried bribing them… but those bastards already have more money than they know what to do with."
"So instead, they gave us two… unusual conditions."
Across the table, Ao and Hozuki Mangetsu—who had been standing behind him silently—perked up at the same time.
This smells like good gossip. I'm all ears~ (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Hearing rumors about the internal affairs of nobles was a rare treat.
"What were the two conditions?" Mangetsu asked without thinking.
Ao immediately turned to glare at her. "Insolence!"
"Mind your manners!"
Then he turned back toward Hikaru, putting on a polite, apologetic smile.
"Forgive her, Lord Hikaru. I failed to discipline her properly."
"Please continue."
Hikaru waved his hand.
"It's fine."
"These two demands might sound ridiculous, but please—take them seriously."
"The first is this: the ministers want increased access to foreign luxury goods."
"Specialty items from other countries—Thunder Country's thunder beef and thunder wine… Water Country's deep-sea fish… Wind Country's rare minerals… Earth Country's rock lamb and stone artworks…"
"They want it all."
Ao blinked in disbelief.
"…That's it?"
"They just want to go shopping?"
Hikaru nodded.
"They're sick of the usual black market routes. They want official, easy-to-access channels."
"The second demand is warehouse space."
"Apparently, transporting goods back and forth was too expensive. Too many caravans, too many middlemen."
"So they came up with this idea—build the warehouse in the target market."
"That way, they don't have to ship everything themselves. Just store it on-site and let the demand come to them."
"That's why this clause was added to the treaty."
Ao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Is this really the leadership of the Land of Fire?
It sounds so ridiculous that it just might be true...
But then again, this was the world of shinobi.
The Daimyo and the ruling class controlled wealth and power far beyond what most ninja could even imagine. Their lives were so luxurious, so disconnected from reality, that this kind of indulgence made perfect sense.
Ao himself had once served as a bodyguard for the Water Daimyo. He'd seen that kind of wild excess firsthand—wine, women, banquets, and blinding wealth.
That's why, in this moment, Hikaru's story made sense to him.
"Very well," Ao finally said. "Since you've shared the true reason with me…"
"How could I refuse?"
"The 10% tariff increase and the land lease—I agree to both on behalf of Kirigakure and the Land of Water."
With the security detail still in Kirigakure's hands, Ao could now accept the treaty with confidence.
If anything really happens, we'll handle it. It's just a rental. No harm in that.
In fact, he was even starting to feel optimistic.
If more merchants from the Land of Fire set up shop in Kirigakure, the influx of high-quality goods could improve everyday life for his villagers. Better daily necessities. A better standard of living.
But what he didn't know was…
Everything Hikaru had just told him was made up.
The real reason Tsunade had spent so long in the capital wasn't to indulge herself—it was to settle the Fire Daimyo's succession.
Behind the scenes, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Taxation had both handed their seats to their sons. And those sons… had surrendered entirely to Tsunade's influence.
As for the Daimyo himself…
He was firmly within her grasp.
It wasn't a battle for control.
It was a silent alliance.
A new regime was already in place—quiet, methodical, and rooted in Konoha.
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