"Does the Orga Corporation want to hire us?"
"Yes."
When Hiruzen heard that one of the biggest companies that grew in the Land of Fire, which also expanded to another, wanted to tie them to the contract, and hired them as official guards by even giving them 10% of the revenue, he was at a loss for a moment before he calmed down and understood everything.
Orga Corporation.
It was a new company that started in the pharmaceutical industry and then expanded to various things, from technology to finance, extraction, and many others. While it was unexpected, it somehow grew into a behemoth that everyone was greedy toward.
Yes, due to the size and also the money that this company had created, many of the nobles from various countries wanted to seize this company by using brute force to take it down.
While the corporation could hold on, it sought stability, and for that reason, it wanted to hire all the ninjas from Konoha by offering them 10% of the company's revenue.
"10% of the revenue..."
Hiruzen's eyes flickered, thinking of the many places that needed money in Konoha.
If he could have that money, then—
"What are you waiting for, Hiruzen!?"
"You should take the offer directly!"
"It's a rare chance! As long as we get this deal, we can improve the village!"
Many things had happened to Konoha in the past years, and those problems weakened their village further, but if they got more money, they could train more ninja and increase the strength of their village.
Naturally, their families would also be blessed as they would get a lot of money, which was something that all of them couldn't ignore.
"But what about the daimyo? Won't he complain to us?" Hiruzen expressed his concern.
Usually, for this type of problem, the Orga Corporation should have talked to the daimyo first, before it talked to them, the Konoha Village, since as long as they got the friendship of the daimyo of the Land of Fire, this company would naturally become friends with the Konoha Village.
Only—
"What are you afraid of, Hiruzen?!" Danzo was enraged by Hiruzen's timidity. "What's the use of the daimyo's anger? Does he want to send an army to kill all of us? No! All he will do is cut off our funding! That's it! Compared to that small amount of funding, it is better for us to just agree to this contract! By then, we can develop the village and fix everything that has been broken, whether it is from that Nine-Tails incident or the Uchiha! We need a lot of money to further strengthen Konoha!"
"Danzo..."
Hiruzen didn't get angry at Danzo's scolding; instead, he was in a dilemma and was deep in thought, thinking that there was some truth in his friend's words.
How much funding was given by the daimyo of the Land of Fire?
While the Land of Fire was known for being the richest land in the world, the funding that the Konoha received was so minimal, and even now, that funding has been further decreased. Yes, their situation wasn't as bad as their neighbor, the Sunagakure, who could only live by panning for gold in the desert. Their situation slowly became bad, and it wouldn't be weird if, sometimes in the future, the Daimyo would somehow cut off their funding.
"..." Naruto as the 7th Hokage.
Moreover, the amount of money that came from this contract was simply immense!
"More importantly, they will also give us a special price for a house in another city, one for every ninja," Danzo added, even further, which made Hiruzone, Utatana Koharu, and Mitokado Homura excited.
A house that was located in the new city, of course, if they could get it at a cheap price, they would seek it!
Moreover, as the city was located outside of the village, even if something had happened in the Konoha Village, such as the Nine-Tailed incident, they could retreat.
While this contact was unexpected, many of their ninjas had also worked under the Orga Corporation and had a good impression of it.
So, how would Hiruzen answer?
"Okay, let's do it."
Usually, Hiruzen would be indecisive, but as his three friends agreed, why should he refuse?
After all, everyone had gotten a lot of money from it, and no matter what, their work didn't change much, only to protect the Orga Corporation, like how they protected the Land of Fire.
The only problem was which one of them could give them more money.
Yet, as they agreed, Danzo came to Utatane and Mitokado and said, "Let's do it."
"Okay." 2x
The two agreed with Danzo's plan to take away most of the properties in the new city, together with the Sarutobi family.
Their four families would dominate the new city, taking away most of the properties, leaving the rest with a simple soup as they devoured the juicy meat as they always did.
Still, would it be okay?
Wouldn't all the families be angry at Hiruzen and the three of them for taking away their interests?
No.
The three of them didn't think that the other families would dare to do anything to any of them.
As long as they were together, they were simply invincible, and nothing could stop them.
Moreover, there were no good candidates for the next Hokage, and even if someone took them, they could control this Hokage, as this new Hokage definitely couldn't ignore or control them.
Still, as all of them were greedy for money, Hiruzen wasn't stupid, and he also understood what his friends were thinking, but he didn't stop them as long as there was more money, he could increase the strength of his family.
By then, this village was no longer named Konoha Village, but Sarutobi Village.
Yet, what Hiruzen, Utatane, and Mitokado didn't know, Danzo, who was being controlled, made everything worse, taking many ninja to become his Root members, and at the same time, taking away all of the wealth that was supposed to be shared by everyone, increasing everyone's unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and everything even further.
But was there anything they could do?
Having a civil war wasn't something that they wanted to see, and if they grew weaker due to this war, the other ninja villages would definitely take this chance to take away everything!
This was the dilemma of the families and all the ninjas outside of the four ninja families that were related to Hiruzen, Danzo, Utatane, and Mitokado.
Moreover, due to Danzo's ruthlessness, who took away many of their ninjas to the Root, and also Hiruzen, who brainwashed their younger generation to the Anbu, all of the families were even more at a loss, knowing their death was just ahead.
While their death might not be as cruel as the Uchiha's, they knew well that it was only a matter of time before all of their ninja families would be assimilated, and no one would remember their identities except for the four ninja of Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado!
Yet, as they were in their deepest despair, thinking of what to do, a single hope, known as Orochimaru, came forward with his trademark snake tongue as he invited them to talk.
"Let's talk about the future of the Konoha village."
"Hmm?"