What was the most important thing in founding a ninja village?
Money.
Talent could be recruited, supplies could be purchased, territory could be claimed—but without money, you could not take a single step.
Without money, the ninja could not eat, and who would risk their life for you?
Without money, you could not even issue kunai.
Uchiha Hikaru understood this better than anyone.
So the moment his appointment as Chancellor of the Civil Affairs Department was confirmed, he set out on the road to the Capital of the Land of Fire.
The capital was the heart of the Land of Fire, where the Daimyo resided.
Compared to Hikaru’s calm composure, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was deeply unsettled.
In recent days, the Daimyo’s desk had been piled high with reports about Konoha.
The Senju and Uchiha had joined forces, founded a village, and called it Konohagakure.
One by one, the great and minor clans of the Land of Fire had gone to pledge their allegiance—the Hyuga, the Ino-Shika-Cho, the Sarutobi, the Shimura…
all falling in line behind this rising power.
The Daimyo’s brow had not relaxed once.
What troubled him even more was that Konoha had sent an envoy.
He had heard plenty about the Uchiha’s fearsome reputation.
That man named Madara Uchiha was said to be able to summon a blue giant the size of a mountain, splitting peaks with a single swing of his blade.
The Daimyo wanted to refuse the audience, but he did not dare.
If he angered those unreasonable ninja and they marched straight to the capital, could the samurai around him possibly stand against them?
They could not.
So he had no choice but to receive them.
On that day, Uchiha Hikaru finally arrived at the capital.
As the most prosperous city in the Land of Fire, the capital boasted wide streets, countless shops, and bustling crowds.
The royal palace stood at the very center of the capital, with red walls and golden tiles, an imposing sight.
A row of samurai stood before the palace gates, clad in armor, long swords at their waists, each standing ramrod straight.
Hikaru approached the palace gates.
“Halt!”
The lead samurai barked and raised his hand to block him.
The samurai behind him all placed their hands on their sword hilts in unison, eyeing Hikaru with wariness.
Hikaru stopped, unhurriedly sizing up these samurai.
Most were at chunin level, and the leader barely reached jonin—in the shinobi world, such strength was unremarkable.
He smiled faintly, showing no anger.
“Please inform His Highness that Uchiha Hikaru requests an audience.”
Hikaru was in excellent spirits.
He was about to meet his angel investor—in his eyes, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was a walking treasury, a rich mine waiting to be tapped.
For a patron, Hikaru had extraordinary patience and tolerance.
Such a minor slight was entirely acceptable.
The lead samurai turned and entered to announce him.
Before long, the samurai strode back out.
“His Highness orders that Uchiha Hikaru be granted an audience.”
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire sat upon the dais, dressed in fine robes and crowned with a ceremonial headpiece.
His features were dignified, but his brows carried anxiety he could not fully conceal.
Hikaru approached.
“Greetings, Your Highness.” Hikaru immediately expressed his goodwill.
“Please, be seated.
Serve tea.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Hikaru took his seat without hesitation.
The two exchanged pleasantries, then Hikaru stated the purpose of his visit directly.
“Your Highness, the Uchiha and Senju clans have recently set aside their ancient hatred and joined hands to establish a ninja village named Konohagakure.
I trust Your Highness is already aware of this news.”
The Daimyo’s smile stiffened.
Of course he knew.
These past days, news from Konoha had flown to the capital without cease, reported to him immediately.
The Uchiha and Senju had fought battles that reshaped mountains and rivers—over the years, the Daimyo had seen his share of ninja, even powerful ones like Hyuga Ten’nin.
But battles on the scale of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, where every punch and kick could move mountains and fill seas, had utterly transcended the realm of mortal men.
The Daimyo’s original hope had been that the two clans would fight to mutual annihilation, leaving the Land of Fire at peace.
Who could have predicted they would reconcile instead?
“You ninja have brought shame upon yourselves”—the Daimyo only dared to curse this silently in his heart.
“Indeed.” The Daimyo forced a dry laugh.
“I have heard of the Uchiha and Senju’s union.
May I ask why Hikaru has come this time…”
“Your Highness!” Hikaru suddenly raised his voice, his face twisting into an expression of anguished concern.
“The Land of Fire is in grave danger!”
The Daimyo blinked, bewildered by this sudden declaration.
The Land of Fire was in danger?
Wasn’t the greatest danger to the Land of Fire Konoha itself?
A Civil Affairs Chancellor from Konoha came to his palace and told him the Land of Fire was doomed—the more he thought about it, the more absurd it sounded.
“What do you mean by that?”
Hikaru’s expression turned grave, his tone heavy with concern.
“Your Highness, the Uchiha and Senju united out of love and peace, to end generations of hatred and to spare the Land of Fire further bloodshed.”
“But—the vermin of the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Water cannot bear to see the Land of Fire prosper.
They have conspired to illegally establish ninja bases in their own countries, with designs on the Land of Fire.”
He paused.
“May I ask Your Highness, when these foreign ninja turn their blades toward the Land of Fire, what will you do to ease your troubles?”
The smile on the Daimyo’s face completely collapsed.
This was an outrage!
This was an open conspiracy, a blatant threat.
Konoha was love and peace, while everyone else was vermin and rebels?
The very same Konoha was the largest military force in existence, yet they had the audacity to paint themselves as the saviors of the Land of Fire?
The Daimyo’s face was rigid. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Even before Hikaru arrived, he had anticipated this—the Uchiha had certainly come to extort him.
As Daimyo of the Land of Fire, he had already made his peace with it: as long as you don’t revolt, isn’t it just money?
Name your price, and I’ll pay, won’t I?
But this Uchiha Hikaru was so shameless that he had dressed himself up as the hope of the Land of Fire.
“This…
what is to be done?”
Hikaru had been waiting for that very question.
“Your Highness, I do have a solution.
Konoha loves peace and is determined to protect the Land of Fire.
Though our military strength is modest, we are willing to relieve Your Highness of your burdens.”
“However…” Hikaru shifted his tone, a look of difficulty crossing his face.
“However what?”
“However, Konoha is newly founded, and a hundred things await attention.” Hikaru sighed, his expression helpless.
“To protect the Land of Fire, I fear we lack the capacity to do so.”
Shameless!
Utterly shameless!
Damn vermin.
In the past, when clans came to him for money, it was his charity—they knelt to receive it.
Now this Uchiha wanted to take the money standing up, and the Daimyo had no choice but to give it.
But what could the Daimyo do?
He took a deep breath, the muscles in his face twitching, and finally forced a smile uglier than tears.
“For love and peace.” The Daimyo spoke each word slowly, his voice carrying a resigned exhaustion.
“I am willing to provide aid to Konoha…”
The negotiations that followed were pleasant for both sides—at least on the surface.
The two haggled wordlessly back and forth.
Hikaru’s opening price was not modest.
The Daimyo’s face alternated between pale and ashen, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and nodded.
Ten billion.
Hikaru had secured ten billion in funding for Konoha.
This sum would accelerate the village’s construction several times over and allow for the training of many more shinobi.
At the end of their discussion, the two also established an important principle.
Ninja answer to the Hokage, civilians answer to the Daimyo.
These words served both as a boundary and a covenant.
From this day forward, the shinobi and secular powers of the Land of Fire would each mind their own affairs, never encroaching upon the other.
The Daimyo would govern his civilians and taxes; Konoha would govern its shinobi and missions.
Hikaru rose and bowed once more.
“Your Highness, you are a paragon of wisdom and righteousness.
Konoha is eternally grateful.
The Land of Fire and Konoha shall share honor and disgrace together.”