Hiruko's plan had effectively snared the entire salt industry in its net. As the group discussed the progress, the mood in the office was remarkably high.
"Speaking of which, the dividends for this month are about to be released. With this new stream of income, Konoha's finances should breathe a little easier," the old Third Hokage remarked slowly.
Lord Third's efficiency had been impressive. After all, the salt companies were already established—raw materials, workers, and sales channels were all in place. Konoha simply dispatched shinobi to forcibly integrate them into a singular entity.
Combined with the high-purity "Snow Salt" produced by Hiruko's newly built modern plants, it was a pincer attack on the market. There is a fundamental difference between an industrial power and an agrarian society; with Danzō's Root providing the "persuasion" (or making certain dissenters vanish), the latent productivity of this hybrid system exploded.
Being a Daimyō in an industrializing nation was proving to be an intoxicatingly profitable experience.
"How much do you estimate this month's dividend will be?" Minato Namikaze asked curiously.
"I'd wager around fifty or sixty million Ryo," Hiruzen replied.
The Old Man had been involved in the process, but he wasn't a merchant. If someone presented him with falsified ledgers, he wouldn't catch the discrepancy immediately. Fortunately, Danzō—a man who wouldn't hesitate to use Genjutsu to uncover tax evasion—was lurking in the shadows. Based on past experience, Hiruzen estimated a modest, safe number. The accuracy of that guess was reflected in Danzō's stoic expression; neither of them truly grasped the scale of the economic beast they had unleashed.
"Fourth Hokage, it is time you ended these entanglements with the Land of Fire nobility," Danzō said, his voice flat and cold.
Minato looked at him, puzzled.
"I admit, Hiruko's methods have secured some extra income, and I'm willing to believe your intentions for Konoha are sincere," Danzō continued, his face dark and inscrutable. "But our priority must be the external threat and the coming war. Konoha is already bracing for a massive deficit to counter the Hidden Cloud. Now, you are siphoning funds into 'industrial investments.' This will only deepen the hole. Konoha is not a toy for you to experiment with!"
The tension in the room thickened, a silent clash of ideologies.
Suddenly, the door burst open. A panicked Kakashi rushed in, clutching a report. His face was a mask of disbelief, as if he had just witnessed a miracle or a catastrophe.
"Kakashi!" Danzō barked. "What are you doing? Have you forgotten where you are? Such recklessness is unbecoming!"
Kakashi was gasping for air, clearly having sprinted there. Minato ignored Danzō's scolding and looked at his student with a gentle but questioning gaze. "What is it, Kakashi? Is the salt revenue less than fifty million?"
Kakashi shook his head violently, his voice cracking with excitement. "It's not fifty million... it's eighteen billion Ryo! The first dividend is a full eighteen billion!"
Eighteen billion!!!
To put that astronomical figure into perspective, one must look at the standard mission economy of Konoha:
D-Rank: Simple chores (finding cats, babysitting). Reward: 500 – 10,000 Ryo.C-Rank: Escorts or deliveries with no combat. Reward: 10,000 – 50,000 Ryo.B-Rank: Guard duty involving combat with enemy ninja. Reward: 50,000 – 150,000 Ryo.A-Rank: State-level requests (assassinations, tracking defectors). Reward: 150,000 – 1,000,000 Ryo.S-Rank: High-stakes national secrets or war-time hits. Reward: 1,000,000+ Ryo.
For an average shinobi, a single S-rank mission is a life-changing payday. But eighteen billion? Even if Jiraiya—one of Konoha's most prolific mission-takers—worked until his hair turned gray, he couldn't earn that much (unless you counted his book royalties).
The high command was accustomed to large sums during wartime, but ten billion Ryo in less than a month? It was staggering.
The reason was simple: the commoners had never seen salt this cheap or high-quality. The moment it hit the shelves, it was a frenzy. They sold out instantly. Supply couldn't keep up with demand.
The older generation knew that "Salt and Iron Monopolies" were historically the most stable earners for any government, but they hadn't anticipated the sheer volume. Even Tenten's family, who dominated the arms trade under the Third Hokage's patronage, couldn't compare to this. Weapons require a specific market; everyone needs salt.
The room fell into a deafening silence. Every eye turned toward Hiruko. Only one thought remained in their minds:
This man has turned brine into pure gold.
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