Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?-Chapter 283: Kill the Daimyo! Seize the Fortress

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"As soon as you leave this room, I'll have my subordinates deliver your share of the profits, Brother Water Daimyo!"

"Then—thank you! Brother Fire Daimyo!"

The Lightning Daimyo, who had been listening intently, stared wide-eyed.

Why did he tell the Earth Daimyo the profits needed time, that they weren't ready? Why did he offer the Wind Daimyo an advance? And now, for the Water Daimyo, the full amount is ready immediately?

Is he just—making things up? Completely disregarding the agreement?

Soon, only the Lightning Daimyo and Gojo Kaigetsu remained in the private chamber.

Meeting Gojo Kaigetsu's gaze, the Lightning Daimyo was speechless.

Based on the previous interactions—the faster one submitted, the more smoothly one embraced servitude, the greater the rewards. Not only would they receive their rightful share, but perhaps also a long-term, interest-free loan, or even a substantial, non-repayable grant.

The slower one submitted, the longer the dividends were delayed, and there were no extra "bones" as a reward for servitude.

But—could he agree to this?

The relationship between the Lightning Daimyo and the Raikage—had always been relatively amicable.

If he agreed to hidden village reform today, tomorrow the Raikage would likely storm the Daimyo's mansion and—devour it whole.

"Fire Daimyo, I..."

Bang!

Just as the Lightning Daimyo was about to make his decision, a subordinate burst into the room, frantic.

The Lightning Daimyo, displeased, snapped, "You idiot! Can't you see I'm speaking with the Fire Daimyo? Barging in like this, have you no manners? Even if the sky were falling, you should wait outside!"

"But—but Lord Lightning Daimyo, it's worse than the sky falling!"

"?" The Lightning Daimyo's heart sank. "What is it?"

"A message from the ministers—The Land of Lightning—is bankrupt! Mobs are storming the Daimyo's mansion! The ministers have evacuated to Kumogakure and established a temporary government!"

"They also instructed me to tell you: 'Until the situation stabilizes, for your own safety, do not return! The Land of Lightning, as it is now—is not home!'"

——

Kumogakure, Raikage Tower.

The atmosphere was tense.

The Raikage Tower conference room, usually spacious, now felt cramped.

The reason?

Seven or eight ministers, along with their staff, had suddenly appeared, overwhelming the room's capacity.

This was a double entendre.

It referred not only to the room's physical capacity, but also to the political capacity of Kumogakure.

The conference table was long. The Raikage sat at the head, the seating arrangement on either side determined by a complex calculation of rank, strength, and influence.

But now, many had been stripped of their right to even sit at the table.

The Raikage sat in the main seat, arms crossed, face dark, silent.

Opposite him sat the Land of Lightning's Finance Minister and his contingent of bureaucrats.

When the sky falls, the tallest bear the weight. But when the sky itself is pierced...

In Otogakure, the Daimyo had grasped the Raikage's shoulders, trembling, entrusting him with the fate of the nation, appealing to his loyalty, his sense of duty, urging him to save the Land of Lightning.

Upon hearing the news, A, trailing sparks and lightning, had activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, racing back from Otogakure, crossing mountains and valleys to take charge.

Honestly, A didn't want to deal with this mess.

The Daimyo's government is bankrupt?

Could anything be more ludicrous? In the thousand-year history of the Shinobi World, no nation had ever gone bankrupt. The Land of Lightning—had set a precedent.

Future histories would undoubtedly devote a significant Chapter to this event!

And he, the Fourth Raikage, would be forever associated with this period of shame!

A didn't care about his personal reputation, but the thought of the Raikage title, of Kumogakure itself, being dragged through the mud—infuriated him.

How would history judge this generation's Raikage and Kumogakure?

Militarily reckless? Obsessed with glory? Uncontrollable? Dragging the nation into ruin...?

A had read books! He remembered the unflattering descriptions in the Strategies of the Land of Fire. He could imagine the negative portrayal he would receive.

Tulips! Damned tulips!

He couldn't comprehend why people had become so obsessed with them. It was like finding your soulmate on a dating app, instantly falling head over heels, completely captivated.

He'd rushed to the Daimyo's mansion, warned him, yet they'd still emptied the treasury to buy tulips, leading to national bankruptcy...

What could be done now? Tulips were now worth less than toilet paper. The streets were littered with discarded bulbs, trampled underfoot like garbage.

Angry mobs surged through the streets, demanding the Daimyo's head.

It was the Daimyo!

The Daimyo started it! He wore the most expensive tulips in public, fueling the craze! He must take responsibility!

Where is the Daimyo? In his mansion?

The Daimyo isn't in his mansion! The mansion warehouses are filled with boxes upon boxes of tulips! We've all been fooled!

For gamblers—

When they'd lost everything, they would resort to any means necessary to recoup their losses.

In gambling dens, gamblers, having lost everything, would borrow from loan sharks. The ministers were no different. The citizens of the Land of Lightning were no different.

They sought the Daimyo, demanding restitution. The Daimyo possessed the nation's wealth; let him use his generations of accumulated fortune to compensate the commoners!

Unfortunately, the Daimyo, the biggest player in the tulip game, had already lost everything.

"Swords in hand, follow me! Kill the Daimyo! Seize the fortress!"

"Swords in hand, follow me! Kill the Daimyo! Seize the fortress!"

The rallying cry echoed throughout the Land of Lightning.

Bandits, displaced farmers who'd sold their land and tools—their numbers surged, sweeping across the nation.

Only Kumogakure, protected by its Shinobi, remained untouched. Otherwise, the situation would have been ten thousand times worse.

Countless people, burdened by debt, desperately sold their possessions to compensate.

But in reality, no one was buying. Perhaps some were willing, but lacked the means. The market had collapsed. Commerce ground to a halt; the formerly vibrant business environment became desolate. Police, unpaid, resorted to—self-sufficiency. Public works ceased. Even ordinary civilians, untouched by the tulip bubble, were affected.

Merchants desperately tried to sell their goods, but no one could afford them. Nobles, seeking to maintain their lifestyles, began selling off their now worthless land...

In the current Shinobi World, perhaps only the Land of Fire remained solvent.

Whoever possessed cash could acquire vast amounts of valuable assets at bargain prices, potentially leaping social classes amidst this widespread financial ruin. freewebnoveℓ.com

Whoever possessed the most cash—could become the new king of this ownerless land!

For those chanting "Kill the Daimyo, seize the mansion," their greatest need was someone to step forward, resolve the crisis, restore order. Whoever had cash, whoever could stabilize the market, represented the interests of the vast majority.

In the Shinobi World, most commoners lacked nationalistic sentiment. They didn't care whether their savior was from the Land of Lightning or the Land of Fire.

Meaning...

The news of the government's bankruptcy struck Raikage A like a physical blow. He sat stunned in his Kage seat, unable to process the information.

Finally, A gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling. "You bastards—you've ruined me!"

"There's no time for complaints, Raikage! The Daimyo praised your loyalty! Now, only you can save this nation!"

"Me? Rely on me? Tell me, what can I do?"

Bang—!

A, losing control, slammed his fist on the table. It splintered, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

The ministers flinched, trembling, fearing the enraged Raikage might turn on them, becoming like the bandits outside.

Only the Finance Minister remained composed. "We hope you, Raikage, will first stabilize the Kumo Shinobi. Then, under the command of our Land of Lightning provisional government, strike at the bandits, eliminate those treacherous merchants and nobles who profited from this disaster, and confiscate their assets!"

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