Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 189
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 21:28:41 +0000 UTCEver since settling in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, the Kumo ninjas had made full use of the area.
During its early days, Kumo was not particularly strong among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
At that time, the strongest was undoubtedly Konoha—this was beyond question.
Next in line were Kiri and Suna.
The First Kazekage dared to act boldly at the Five Kage Summit because he believed that only Konoha was a true threat—and he was confident that Konoha would not attack him.
The one who openly threatened to kill him was the First Mizukage. Like the First Kazekage, the First Mizukage knew he was no match for Hashirama but believed he could handle the Kazekage.
He accepted that only Hashirama and Madara could act superior in his presence—after all, those two were hardly human.
Meanwhile, Kumo and Iwa were in the third tier of strength, with Kumo even appearing to be the weakest of them all.
Back then, the Kumo ninjas did not yet have the Lightning Release Chakra Mode or their refined taijutsu techniques. Meanwhile, Iwa lacked Dust Release, but its ninjutsu system was more complete, and they had a larger population than Kumo.
---
Deep within the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, a vast training ground had been established in Kumo. Countless Kumo ninjas were training rigorously.
The people of the Land of Lightning were difficult to govern, though they were still more manageable than those from the desert. The key was the Third Raikage, who united all Kumo ninjas under a single purpose—by ensuring conflicts were redirected elsewhere.
When there were too many people and not enough resources, they would go to war. When there were fewer people, there was more to go around—problem solved.
If there was conflict within the village, instead of fighting among themselves, they would be sent to the battlefield to fight others. A true warrior should only direct their aggression toward enemies, not their fellow villagers.
Lack of money or supplies? No problem—just go out and take what they needed. The world was their warehouse, and everyone else's wealth was theirs for the taking.
Over time, this mentality became deeply ingrained in the Kumo ninjas.
"When in doubt, go out and fight."
"If there's no war, train harder."
They became an incredibly united force.
It wasn't until the Third Shinobi World War that this mindset started to backfire.
Their enemy was Konoha, and every time they stepped outside, they were beaten.
Their enemy was the White Ghost—who left no survivors.
Yet, despite heavy losses, internal strife within the village diminished.
Conversely, their defeats only strengthened their collective resolve—if they couldn't defeat the White Ghost, they would find someone else to fight.
This became another shared belief among the Kumo ninjas: "The White Ghost isn't human. As long as he exists, we shouldn't waste time fighting Konoha."
For instance, attacking Iwa was a fine alternative—they still had a grudge to settle with the Third Tsuchikage.
Obito had heard plenty of such talk over the past few days.
"Tobi, put more effort into your training."
In the training grounds, a Kumo jonin spoke to him.
"You are now a Kumo ninja, not a merchant. Don't waste your talent. Most people your age wouldn't even benefit from more training—but geniuses like you are rare. The future of Kumo depends on the bravery of young warriors like you."
Don't make me laugh. Bravery? This is just blind reliance on strength. They were scared senseless by that guy.
"Yes, I will continue to work hard!"
To the Kumo jonin, Tobiyama appeared neither overly enthusiastic nor lacking in determination. This pleased him greatly.
No matter—Kumo was like a great melting pot. This descendant of the Senju clan would eventually shed the weakness of the Land of Fire and become a true Kumo ninja.
A Senju without being affiliated with Konoha, yet wielding Wood Release—this was a blessing for Kumo.
Everyone firmly believed that only the Senju clan could truly wield the power of Wood Release.
Among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Konoha had the best body-enhancement techniques. Their Wood Release experiments were well known—after all, Konoha's ANBU had a member capable of using it. But in the end, that individual's abilities were merely a slightly stronger unique ninjutsu, nothing more.
Tobiyama, however, had created an entire forest of thorns the moment his Wood Release awakened.
Kumo's ANBU who had previously fought against Konoha's Wood Release user confirmed—compared to Tobiyama, that person's abilities were a joke.
Both his Senju lineage and his Wood Release ability made Tobiyama an extremely valuable asset to Kumo. Otherwise, why would a jonin take time out of his schedule for one-on-one training?
This was all at the insistence of the village elders.
The Senju clan was truly terrifying.
According to intelligence reports, this young man had never received formal shinobi training—he had merely built a foundation using his family's wealth. Now, with systematic training in Kumo, his progress was astonishing.
Within a year, he would certainly reach chunin level.
Within ten years, Kumo would have a powerful Wood Release user.
A true genius.
Because of him, a certain female ANBU had even been promoted to special jonin.
Who would have thought? She had originally been a low-level spy, stationed in an entertainment district to monitor foreign activity. But she had managed to catch such a big fish.
Unfortunately, the rumors about their relationship were false. The truth was that the female ANBU had unrequited feelings for him. That night, Tobiyama had simply been drunk—crying his heart out while calling out a woman's name.
No one had been able to clearly hear the name he called.
It didn't matter. The women of Kumo found him incredibly attractive, and he would soon realize just how lucky he was to be here.
Tobiyama claimed he was disfigured, but what nonsense! When he removed his mask, an old veteran nearly had a stroke on the spot, and the younger kunoichi practically threw themselves at him.
Even the Kumo jonin was envious—he wished he had that kind of charm.
Those fierce kunoichi weren't just flirting for the sake of a mission—they genuinely liked him.
"Alright, Tobiyama, that's enough for today," the jonin said.
He had noticed multiple kunoichi "coincidentally" passing by.
Yet Tobiyama remained cold and distant, rejecting all their invitations and focusing solely on his training.
If it had been any other man in the village, those same kunoichi would have torn him apart.
But in Tobiyama's case?
"A serious man is so attractive!"
Unfair!
He needed a drink to heal his wounded pride.
"Thank you for your guidance. May I continue training a bit longer?"
"Of course. The training grounds are open to all Kumo ninjas—use them as you please."
The jonin vanished with a Body Flicker, thinking he must have looked quite impressive in Tobiyama's eyes.
Meanwhile, Obito thought, That was the weakest Body Flicker I've ever seen.
If it had been him, he could have killed that jonin several times over.
Once the jonin left, he resumed training—seriously.
Partly to maintain his cover.
But also, he truly found this training beneficial.
For the first time in a long while, he had the chance to quietly focus, to train, to build his foundation.
Kumo's taijutsu techniques were famous and widely accessible.
His plan was simple—use Wood Release and taijutsu to establish himself in Kumo, gaining influence over time.
Just like a certain someone once did in Konoha.
This time, Obito would be patient.
---
A week had passed, and Masashi was once again summoned to a meeting at the Hokage's office.
Although it was unclear what exactly the Kumo ninjas had been discussing while holed up in their hotel for the past week, whatever it was, it didn't matter.
From the very beginning, his goal was never about how much more compensation they could extract from Kumo. For a major ninja village, losing money was only a temporary setback.
In fact, 10 billion ryō was already enough—too much might actually be counterproductive.
In the end, Kumo might not actually pay Konoha 11.26 billion, but the amount they had to pay would certainly not be less than 15 billion.
This exceeded Kumo's ability to pay within three years. As a result, the daimyō of the Land of Lightning would have no choice but to step in and provide assistance. His only option would be to restructure some of the country's internal debt to ease Kumo's financial burden.
But once this starts, it won't be easy to stop.
The daimyō's government wasn't just the daimyō alone—when the interest margins grow too large, objections will arise, and the number of dissenters will increase.
Debt restructuring could only temporarily suppress these grievances.
Anyone willing to lend money to Kumo must have the backing of the great nobles of the Land of Lightning.
In the end, this would force the daimyō to either demand early repayment from Kumo or adjust the interest rates. Either way, it would create a rift between Kumo and the daimyō's government.
When it came to organizational interests, personal relationships don't count.
The bond between Kumo and the daimyō's government was too strong—unacceptably strong. How could they be so close? It wasn't normal.
In the meeting room, after a week of absence, the two sides gathered once again for the second round of negotiations.
Dodai seemed to be in decent spirits, but the bloodshot veins in his eyes betrayed his exhaustion.
"Did you not get enough rest?" Minato asked. "If anything is making you uncomfortable, please let us know. We will make adjustments."
"Not at all. Your hospitality has been excellent," Dodai replied. "When I think about Kumo's future, I can't help but worry. That's what keep me up at night."
He couldn't tell if the Hokage was just being polite or applying pressure. But regardless, Minato was one of the Five Kage, while he himself was only a temporary replacement for the Raikage, hastily appointed. Whether in strength or status, there was no comparison.
Minato was no longer the newly appointed Hokage he had once been—his reputation had soared.
He had proven to be a very capable Kage.
Under his leadership, Konoha had flourished—its internal cohesion had strengthened, its military had achieved a series of victories, and its diplomatic standing had greatly improved.
The current joint Chunin Exams had practically turned into a grand event encompassing the entire shinobi world.
Even the proud and aggressive Kumo ninjas when facing the once-feared "Yellow Flash," unconsciously restrained their usual brashness and became more courteous.
"Dodai, you worry too much," Minato said with a smile. "Once peace is established between Konoha and Kumo, both sides will have a brighter future."
"This year's joint Chunin Exams—we sincerely hope that Kumo will participate."
"Oh?" Dodai was intrigued.
The joint Chunin Exams were the best platform for showcasing a ninja village's strength in peacetime.
Right now, all he could think about was how to raise money.
Three years!
For three years, Kumo would have to tighten its belt and live frugally.
Thankfully, three years was still manageable. Any longer, and he feared the village would revolt.
"Minato, are you serious?"
"Of course. Becoming a chunin in such a prestigious event is the dream of most genin. It also allows villages to interact extensively. Kumo is a great ninja village—having its ninjas participate would surely delight the noble spectators."
Dodai nodded and started considering the possibilities.
The joint Chunin Exams always influenced the demand for mission assignments.
After all, clients judged a village's mission success rate based on the performance of its participants.
It didn't matter that the contestants were just genin—being able to participate meant they already had chunin-level ability. And chunins were not only the elite of a shinobi force but also the main workforce for missions.
Clients who could afford to hire jonin were rare.
Dodai had confidence in Kumo's ninjas. While they might not have as many elite jonin as Konoha, at the chunin and genin levels, he believed his village had the best talent.
"You are truly magnanimous…" he sighed. "Then Kumo gladly accepts."
Both sides smiled.
This was his way of signaling that Kumo had accepted Konoha's compensation terms.
There was no point in resisting any further.
10 billion ryō was secured, and there would be more profits coming in later. That was plenty.
Such a large sum wouldn't all be spent in the first year. Most of it would actually be deposited into banks to accumulate interest.
And when it came to managing those funds, the Uchiha clan would handle everything flawlessly.
Since the founding of Konoha, the village had never been in a better position than it was now.
Everyone present couldn't help but focus on Minato, their respect for him genuine.
He had dared to confront the village's darkness, broken past restrictions on the Uchiha clan, and, while reforming boldly, had also been cautious and decisive enough to avoid completely alienating Konoha's old elite. His balanced approach had improved everything.
Truly a worthy Hokage!
And then there was Masashi.
A true genius.
He was destined to be the next Hokage Advisor!
Although the age gap between Minato and Masashi wasn't large, if the opportunity arose, perhaps even the Hokage's seat wouldn't be out of reach.
After all…
It seemed that Minato was considering a retirement system.
However, no one had much faith in that idea.
The transition of a Kage wasn't easy—it involved countless factors. The smooth relationship between the Third and Fourth Hokage was already a rare blessing for Konoha.
And besides, just because Minato thought this way now didn't mean he would feel the same way in the future.
But Masashi? The Advisor position was his for sure. He would have to take it, even if he didn't want it.
Minato's success had largely been driven by Masashi's external maneuvering.
Without either Minato or Masashi, Konoha wouldn't be what it was today.
"We agree to sign the contract," Dodai finally said, as expected.
"Good." Minato nodded approvingly. "You are a shinobi worthy of respect."
Dodai returned a bitter smile.
But since he had already decided to take the hit, he wasn't going to make a fuss about it.
"Bring me a pen," he instructed the Konoha ninja waiting nearby.
His attitude was grand—like that of a wealthy patron.
The Konoha ninja were momentarily taken aback by his boldness before quickly bringing over the contract and a signing pen.
Dodai opened the document, carefully read through every word and line, confirmed that both copies were correct, and then signed his name with two swift strokes. Finally, he took out Kumo's Raikage seal and slammed it down firmly.
"Well then, we shall depart today. 3 billion ryō is no small amount—we will deliver it as soon as possible."
"I will see you off," Minato said, standing up.
"No need to trouble you." Dodai bowed slightly. "From now on, Kumo will not—cannot—be an enemy of Konoha. Please, show us mercy."
"You overestimate the situation, Dodai. As Hokage, I assure you, a lasting friendship between Konoha and Kumo is our sincere hope."
After receiving Minato's promise, Dodai nodded, turned around, and left.
