Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?-Chapter 252: The Power of Information in Shinobi Politics!

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"What?! Five hundred men?!"

Arnold, who had never seen the front lines, let out a gasp. "How can it be only five hundred?! That's impossible! You're lying, aren't you?"

"I swear on the Will of Fire! Konoha has dispatched exactly five hundred Shinobi!" Gojo Kaigetsu then probed further. "Why? Is the intelligence within Kumogakure different?"

"The village intelligence—stated that Konoha sent three thousand elite Shinobi. To prevent escalating the conflict, Lord Raikage, out of concern for the villagers, chose a peaceful resolution and sent me for these negotiations."

"That must be the Raikage's scheme! He's trying to trick you, Mr. Arnold—into becoming Konoha's slave!"

The time was right. Gojo Kaigetsu retrieved the long-sealed letter and placed it before Arnold.

Gojo Kaigetsu sighed deeply. "Alas—the truth is written here. If it weren't for my admiration for you, Mr. Arnold, this confidential letter might never have seen the light of day."

Arnold numbly accepted the correspondence between Minato and A—reading every word.

After finishing, Arnold was stunned, muttering to himself, "This is truly the Raikage's handwriting. The Raikage—how could he do such a thing? Isn't this betraying the village's interests?"

"Indeed! Such a Kage—even as an enemy, I find him utterly contemptible! That Fourth Raikage, A, doesn't even resemble a true leader!"

Gojo Kaigetsu reached out, seemingly plucking a peach from thin air, and placed it on the table. "Let me ask you, Mr. Arnold! According to the traditional virtues of a Kumo Shinobi, who is more deserving of this peach—you or the Raikage?"

Arnold declared, "I embody bravery, fearlessness—all the noble qualities! A Shinobi like me, undoubtedly deserves this peach! As for the Raikage—colluding with the Hokage, undermining the village's interests—he is unworthy!"

With that, Arnold snatched the peach and took a vicious bite, as if tearing into the Raikage's flesh, not the fruit's.

Gojo Kaigetsu's smile widened.

Power, like poison. When Raikage A chose to cooperate with Konoha, consolidating power within Kumogakure, he had unknowingly ingested an incurable toxin.

The poison was bound to take effect; it was only a matter of time.

And now—the "Konoha Gate" incident had occurred.

Arnold's eyes shone with newfound understanding. He saw it all now!

It had all been orchestrated by the Raikage. If, by misfortune, he had been killed by the Hyūga's Gentle Fist earlier that morning—the Raikage would have used his death as a pretext to attack Konoha. With Arnold's reputation in Kumogakure—many unsuspecting villagers would have been incited by the Raikage to charge onto the front lines!

The Fourth Raikage, A, had been corrupted by power, no longer valuing the lives of his own Shinobi!

Arnold's heart filled with bitterness, the disillusionment of being abandoned by his idol.

When he returned to the village, he could finally declare, "The Raikage is dead!"

Perhaps the Raikage's muscles still lived, but his leadership, his authority as the head of their—organization, was dead.

This was no longer about negotiations. He needed to return to the village, expose the truth, and prevent this corrupted Raikage from leading the villagers down a path of destruction.

"Advisor Gojo, have the Hyūga release my chakra seal! I must return to the village immediately..."

"Hold on, Mr. Arnold, don't be hasty~"

"You alone, against the Raikage—who would believe your word? Even if you reveal the truth, what would change? The clans have already been purged. The upper echelons of Shinobi, even if they know the truth, will side with the Raikage to protect their redistributed interests. Even if the stubborn clan factions try to use this opportunity to overthrow the Raikage, it will only plunge Kumogakure into civil war!"

"And the lower ranks—you know how it is. Many aren't leaving because they hate the village, but because life has become unbearable. That's why they complain."

"And that's the best-case scenario! Perhaps, by the time news of this morning's incident reaches Kumogakure—the moment you step outside Konoha, an elite Kumo Shinobi squad will be waiting to ambush you, to kill you and frame Konoha!"

"Let's reconsider yesterday's negotiations. Let's each take a step back."

"Cede the three border towns to Konoha, and in return, I'll introduce you, Mr. Arnold, to a business venture that can earn you one Billion Ryō. Once you have the money—your character can win the trust of the upper ranks, and your wealth can win the loyalty of the lower ranks—How then can you fail to overthrow that despicable Raikage?!"

Arnold was once again stunned by Gojo Kaigetsu's words, a cold sweat breaking out.

Yes, he had been too naive.

The Raikage, corrupted by power, was capable of anything! To become a hero, to save Kumogakure, he needed to rally more people to his cause!

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"Advisor Gojo, you are a good man." Arnold was thoroughly convinced by Gojo Kaigetsu's persuasive arguments. "Regarding Kumogakure's interests, I am willing to compromise. What business venture do you propose?"

Finally~

"The business I offer is simple, Mr. Arnold. Two things!" Gojo Kaigetsu held up two fingers. "Bonds, and stocks."

"Take these 'Konoha War Bonds,' for example. They have a one-year term, each bond costing ten thousand Ryō. The funds raised will be used to manufacture Konoha's military supplies for the war. For instance, if we wage war against the Land of Lightning, plunder your treasures, and profit from it—After one year, Konoha guarantees a minimum interest payment of three hundred Ryō per bond to the holder. And after the term, the bonds can be redeemed at any time."

"Only three hundred Ryō interest?" Arnold asked, slightly disappointed.

"Don't scoff at three hundred Ryō. This interest is backed by the full faith and credit of the Hokage Tower! What if you bought a hundred bonds? A thousand? Ten thousand?"

Arnold's mind raced. His arithmetic wasn't strong, but he grasped Gojo Kaigetsu's explanation.

Purchasing one hundred thousand Konoha War Bonds, totaling one Billion Ryō—after one year, without lifting a finger, Konoha would pay the holder twenty Million Ryō in interest...

And the source of this profit?

His head felt itchy, as if his brain was finally starting to grow.

Arnold was speechless.

Gojo Kaigetsu pressed his advantage. "And stocks! The potential returns are even higher than bonds! Consider our Hokage Tower-backed companies: Konoha Real Estate, The Land of Fire Technologies, Konoha Education, Konoha Vision—these are all premium stocks. Buy them, sit back, collect dividends, and lead the people of Kumogakure to prosperity!"

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