Chapter 92: 88: The Man Whose Belief Was Money (1)
White Fang was dead?
When the Third Kazekage, who resided in Sunagakure, received this news from the Anbu of the Suna, he initially wondered if it was a mistake.
This wasn't a questioning of the strength of the other ninja villages. Still, the Third Kazekage believed that, apart from the current Five Kage, there were very few ninja who could match Konoha's White Fang.
On the front lines of battle, the Third Kazekage didn't pay much attention to White Fang's destructive power. But this was a sharp blade capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory and becoming invincible.
Especially Konoha's high-ranking officials were adept at using this sharp blade. They never deployed him on the front lines but used him as the leader of an elite team for covert missions behind enemy lines.
In critical moments, he could deliver a fatal blow to the enemy. In recent years, the success rate of missions led by him had reached 100%. Many prominent business figures and nobles in the ninja world would come to Konoha to request Sakumo's services.
This trust was unparalleled. So, when the Third Kazekage first heard about Konoha's White Fang Hatake Sakumo's death from an Anbu agent, his immediate reaction was disbelief. How could such a powerful ninja die so suddenly?
"Who killed him? A ninja from Kumo?" The Third Kazekage's expression became grave.
Although he was somewhat reluctant to admit it, the overall strength of the Sunagakure actually ranked behind the five major ninja villages. Immediately following Konoha was Kumo from the Land of Thunder. Most of the ninjas in Kmo were known for their strength, agility, and an unwavering will to fight. If anyone could have killed Konoha's White Fang, the ninja from the Land of Thunder would be the prime suspects.
"That's not the case, Kazekage-sama. Konoha's White Fang... he committed suicide."
"Suicide?!" After the Anbu reported this, the Third Kazekage's expression turned extremely strange, a hint of disbelief lurking in his eyes.
Suicide? How could that be? Konoha's White Fang committed suicide? How was that even possible? What were the people in Konoha doing? Were they trying to incite something? A conspiracy against the remaining four ninja villages?
"This is what happened, Kazekage-sama." The Anbu submitted the gathered information to the Third Kazekage.
After the Third Kazekage carefully reviewed it several times, he finally accepted a harsh reality—Konoha's White Fang was indeed dead. Konoha White Fang who had given him headaches had taken his own life.
The Third Kazekage had been prepared to sacrifice Suna elite ninja to take down Konoha White Fang, but now this risky plan was unnecessary. There was no longer any need for Suna to face off with White Fang in a potentially deadly confrontation.
For a moment, the Third Kazekage even entertained the idea that Konoha's high-ranking officials might actually be their allies. While he didn't have detailed records of the incident, the Third Kazekage could make some educated guesses.
Konoha's Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hirazen, was nearly fifty years old, and it was indeed time to choose a successor. Konoha's candidates for the Fourth Hokage included White Fang, the Sannin, and other prominent Konoha figures.
This was essentially a political struggle within Konoha.
The Third Kazekage sighed.
Konoha's White Fang... his death wasn't worth it. Just when he felt the enemy had lost his joy, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. Perhaps this was a warning; no matter how powerful a village was, it couldn't use this method to gain political leverage.
The upcoming election ceremony for the next Fourth Kazekage needed to be carefully observed to avoid following in Konoha's footsteps.
However, the Third Kazekage believed there was no one in the Sunagakure who would pursue such a course. He was still in his prime, and it wasn't time to select the next Kazekage.
Thinking along these lines, the Third Kazekage found some relief. "Let's pass this news on to Elder Chiyo. White Fang led his team and killed her son and daughter-in-law. Now that White Fang is dead, it can be seen as revenge for her."
"Yes."
After the Anbu departed, the Third Kazekage exhaled lightly.
He retrieved a scroll from a drawer, spread it on the table, and studied its contents attentively. This scroll contained the general plan for future attacks on the Land of Fire, designed to pin down Konoha's forces. It included offensive routes, supply lines, resource acquisition points, and all action plans.
One crucial link had been crossed out: the elimination of Konoha's White Fang. Since he was dead, there was no need to commit so many resources to this part of the plan. The extra manpower could be redirected to other key areas.
As he contemplated the situation, the Third Kazekage couldn't help but think, "If only Sannin were more like White Fang..."
But then he realized how whimsical that notion was. White Fang and Sannin, along with the political backing behind them in Konoha, were entirely different.
Nevertheless, the death of Konoha's White Fang was a cause for celebration. He decided to wrap up his work early that day and return home for a sound sleep.
◎
The news of White Fang's suicide reached the other ninja villages one after another, and their reactions were varied - some were disdainful, some looked on coldly, and others were excited.
Many business figures and nobles in the ninja world were unhappy about this turn of events. After all, they had entrusted Konoha with tasks for which they had paid a significant amount of money, with White Fang being the assigned ninja. Now that White Fang was no longer alive, the remaining Jonin were handling these missions.
Even though Konoha's leadership promptly decided to refund the excess funds from these missions, it still tarnished Konoha's reputation.
To be honest, since the Hokage rarely participated in missions, White Fang had become the face of Konoha for these nobles and businesspeople. They had complete trust in his abilities and reputation, and the interactions had been mutually beneficial.
They not only protected their goods but also ensured their personal safety without any incidents. Konoha had only one Jonin who could accomplish this at present.
Following an investigation, many nobles and businesspeople began questioning Konoha.
They weren't concerned about the internal conflicts in the ninja village; they only cared about their goods and personal safety, and White Fang was the one who could guarantee that. With Fang Fang gone, their enthusiasm for Konoha naturally waned.
Incomplete statistics indicated a significant drop in Konoha's income from mission assignments compared to previous years.
Moreover, rumors spread by other ninja villages smeared Konoha's image and vindicated White Fang's name. Unfortunately, Konoha's senior management had to bear the brunt of these consequences.
◎
In a different context, Sakumo's story reached its conclusion.
Shiraishi decided to monitor Kakashi's situation in the village and even personally visit him.
Outside, his subordinates were tasked with ensuring Kakashi's safety to prevent any accidents.
Shiraishi also provided salary rewards to these subordinates who discreetly looked after Kakashi. Since this wasn't an official organization task but rather a personal matter, Shiraishi funded this part himself.
During this period, Shiraishi learned about another incident. A Konoha ninja, saved by Sakumo, had similarly taken his own life at home. Shiraishi couldn't fully assess this situation because Sakumo had never held any ill feelings towards this Konoha ninja. Regardless of any slander, Sakumo had never taken it to heart.
This ninja hadn't needed to commit suicide; like Sakumo, he had been a victim of tbe politics, a tool discarded after use. Even if he hadn't done it, someone else would have, perhaps more callously.
He hadn't done anything wrong; it was just unfortunate that he was selected as the spokesperson for these events.
"704 people... excluding combatants and non-staff personnel, there are only 76 people of various technical personnel? Monthly expenditure, the total income of the organization..."
In an underground laboratory in Konoha, Shiraishi held information gathered by his informant. It detailed the organization's current scale, its bases and personnel numbers in various countries, the salaries of personnel at each level, and the organization's finances.
Currently, the organization didn't have any industries. Its funding mainly came from the Ruri's mine, which was more than adequate. If necessary, another mine could be sold for a substantial profit, as merchants would compete to purchase it.
The organization primarily consisted of non-staff personnel, around 400 in total, who had the potential to become members but hadn't officially joined yet. They handled less important tasks and had no access to the organization's core secrets.
The next largest group was the combatants, numbering over 200. All of them are transformed humans after Shiraishi strengthened them with natural energy.
Most of them were concentrated at the Land of Ghosts headquarters, while a few were involved in covert operations around the world.
Elite squads led by Five Men were rare, involved in the most secretive and critical tasks.
The remaining members were technicians, with just six dedicated to scientific research, including Shiraishi. Most others possessed expertise in various fields.
Shiraishi believed that the organization had reached a significant scale at this point.
Natural energy was more convenient than chakra for mass-producing combatants. They could focus on improving their physical abilities and learn ninjutsu slowly. Even if they couldn't learn ninjutsu or weren't suitable for being a ninja, fighters enhanced by natural energy could still hold their own against ninjutsu users.
The organization's next step in its plan involves expanding its manpower with talented individuals from various backgrounds. Additionally, they plan to establish a company to diversify the organization's sources of income. Relying solely on mine sales for revenue is not sustainable.
While they have enough manpower, what they need now is someone with expertise in business operations to lead this effort. After reviewing a list of potential candidates, Shiraishi found a person with a strong background in business and decided to give them a chance.
"Kado... Let this person try..."
As Ruri had suggested, they were going to invest money and see how it played out. Shiraishi felt an unprecedented level of confidence, powered by the ability to provide financial support.
"By the way, the organization still lacks an accountant..."
Although there was someone handling the accounts, they lacked the professional expertise required for such an important role. Shiraishi decided they needed to find a professional accountant to manage the organization's finances.
◎
In a different location, in the Land Of Tea, there was a run-down teahouse that hardly received any customers. Hidden beneath it was an underground money exchange branch.
The Five-man team of the organization, arrived at this location to communicate with the staff there.
"We need to hire a financially savvy professional," Bug Man stated.
The staff at the money exchange were taken aback by this unusual request.
"Hire a financial manager?" they asked in surprise.
"Yes, is such a task possible?" the Bug man inquired.
"It is possible, but such requests are rare here. Most of our clients request services related to, well, the deat6," the staff explained.
Nonetheless, they nodded, indicating their willingness to assist the men in this matter.
Despite the peculiar nature of the task, they would do their best to fulfill their customer's request. After all, they were confident that, with their network, they could find a financial expert to satisfy the men's needs.
"Just keep an eye out for us. If you find someone suitable, I'll reward you with two hundred thousand ryo," the Bug Man offered before preparing to depart. However, the staff had one more thing to add.
"Wait a moment, Customer-san. I believe we have a candidate in mind. Would you like to hear about them?"
For the staff, it wasn't just about money; it was about ensuring their customers felt welcome and cared for. Their underground money exchange aimed to provide complete satisfaction, both physically and mentally.
The staff's attitude became more enthusiastic as they thought about the substantial reward of two hundred thousand taels.
"Have you ever heard of the legend of 'the Undead' within the underground money exchange?" they asked the Bug man.
"The Undead?" he inquired.
"Yes, it's a peculiar individual who has been a fixture at the underground money exchange for decades. Rumor has it that he never ages, always looks the same, and is a VIP here. He's known for his extreme obsession with money, meticulously handling anything related to it. Many have joked that he should be a financial manager at a major corporation instead of a bounty hunter."
This piqued the Bug man's interest.
"Who is this 'Undead'?" he asked.
"He goes by the name Kakuzu. I believe he's the financial expert you're seeking, Customer. He's exceptionally experienced in this field."
"Where can I find him?" Bug Man asked.
"He arrived here a few days ago. His pattern is to stay in a country for a month or two, then move on to the next. He should still be in the Land of Tea. Here's his photo."
The staff produced a photo and handed it to Bug Man.
Bug Man took the photo, placed it in his pocket, and promptly handed over a hundred thousand ryo in banknotes to the staff.
"If he proves to be the financial expert we
need, I'll provide the remaining 100,000 ryo later," he assured them.
"Best of luck in your search, Customer-san," the staff said with a sincere bow as the five men departed.
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