In the current landscape of development, it was clear that the industrialist faction was entering a golden age of rapid ascent. This trend was undeniable, like a massive vessel gathering steam, prepared to slice through the waves and usher in an era of unprecedented brilliance.
If one were to objectively point out the plan's potential weakness, it was the duration. This was no short-term project that would yield flashy results in a year or two; it was a war of attrition requiring patience, perseverance, and years of accumulation. It was a marathon, not a sprint, demanding continuous investment and cultivation.
However, choosing the path of long-term development was the profound lesson Hiruko had taken from the "Millet War." In that conflict, he realized that growth must never be rushed at the expense of stability; a long-term vision and meticulous planning were paramount.
Despite possessing advanced technology and the power to flip the board, Hiruko knew he couldn't let grain production skyrocket overnight. Agricultural development followed its own internal logic, and violating those laws would only lead to catastrophic side effects. Could he grow crops in an instant? No. He had to endure the slow grind. Only by keeping one's feet on the ground and moving step by step could a true harvest be reaped.
After a long silence, Kitsuchi was the first to finish reading the data regarding the Land of Rice Fields' grain prospects. He frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before questioning Hiruko. "Hiruko, I'm willing to believe in your capability and that the company will be profitable, but isn't the profit margin a bit low this time?"
Hiruko stopped sipping his tea, his gaze shifting to Kitsuchi. "High and low are relative terms," he said slowly.
In terms of the fundamental profits of the grain industry, this new venture would at least triple returns—hardly a low figure. By bringing in all five Great Hidden Villages and leveraging their collective might, they could scale the company's influence to a global level. Of course, this wasn't just about money; the sheer size of this agricultural giant would hold significance far beyond the balance sheet.
However, the company wouldn't be directly controlled by the five villages. Instead, shares would be held by proxies or hidden under other names until the necessary moment for disclosure. Frankly, if Hiruko just wanted to make money, he could have acted alone. But some things were better left unsaid.
"You likely missed the detailed profit projections on page eight of the appendix," Hiruko noted.
Hiruko was meticulous with his reports, favoring hard data to ground his arguments. To him, statistics were the most persuasive evidence of an issue's essence. Using ninjas for commercial espionage was almost too easy—they were essentially D-rank or C-rank tasks for them. The "youngsters" he sent out were sharp and capable, bringing back flawless data.
Kitsuchi quickly found the section Hiruko mentioned. He scanned it, a look of surprise crossing his face. "The last run made dozens of times the investment. Our warehouses couldn't even hold the stock."
Hiruko rolled his eyes. "Can we really treat the 'Millet War' as a normal occurrence? That was a rare alignment of timing, geography, and human will. That massive production drop was a fluke used to trigger a price war with our 'merchant friends' to pump the market. That was 'creating something from nothing'—a hollow commercial miracle that bled the world dry. If we keep doing that, the commoners will eventually pick up their hoes and revolt against ninjas."
Hiruko didn't dare repeat that trick. The previous victory was a beautiful bubble—stunning, but fragile. A skyscraper built on a hollow foundation would eventually collapse.
Of course, Hiruko understood why Kitsuchi reacted this way. Within the Hidden Stone, the conflict between the Reformers and the Conservatives was intensifying. The Reformers advocated for change, new technology, and growth. The Conservatives clung to tradition, fearing that change would destabilize the existing order. This rift was a chasm dividing the village's future.
The smoke from the Fourth Shinobi World War had barely cleared, but the Hidden Stone was already in a state of disarray. War is a beast that tramples everything it touches. Ohnoki, the hero who had guarded the village with iron will, had been heavily wounded. His once-sturdy frame was now hunched, his eyes clouded with exhaustion. The village was riddled with scars—shattered buildings, fallow fields, and a mountain of debt that threatened to crush them.
Fear and uncertainty gripped the survivors. Some, sensing the collapse, even considered fleeing. The Hidden Stone was a sinking ship in a storm.
It was during this crisis that Hiruko had "happened" to get word. Seeing the former glory of the Stone reduced to such a state, Konoha decided to "help." Hiruko used his connections to bring in supplies and capital, assisting them in drafting a recovery plan. Under his guidance, the Stone caught its breath, clutching the lifeline he offered like a drowning man.
The situation in the Land of Lightning was much the same. They too had suffered immense losses. While the Cloud and Stone had historically decent relations and supported each other in the war, business was business. Both were saddled with high-interest debt and were desperate for cash. Thus, they reached a temporary truce to focus on making money together, deferring long-term development issues until they were solvent.
Consequently, the people of the Stone and Cloud spent their days in a frantic race for profit. The machines in the factories roared day and night; farmers labored until they were drenched in sweat.
Then, the "Millet War" hit.
This sudden commercial storm acted like a monsoon for the Cloud and Stone, bringing in staggering profits. Capital flooded the villages, making them wealthy overnight. But the distribution of this wealth became a new headache. How should the pie be sliced? Everyone wanted a bigger piece.
In the Stone, Ohnoki's prestige managed to hold the line. He gathered the high-level council to negotiate the split. Though arguments were heated, his mediation kept things from turning violent.
The Cloud wasn't so lucky. The Raikage had lost an arm in the war, and his physical health—and thus his intimidation factor—was declining. Internal conflicts and clan rivalries boiled over during the profit negotiations, leading to small-scale skirmishes. The village's stability was teetering.
The ordinary villagers and ninjas of both villages were the ones who truly suffered from this roller coaster of instability. Exhausted by war and now embroiled in endless internal squabbles over money, they lived in fear. They were desperate for subsidies to improve their lives.
In this environment, more commoners were joining the Reformer ranks. These members were mostly young, passionate, and hopeful for the future. They saw the innovations coming out of Konoha—advanced tech, booming commerce, and the benefits Leaf ninjas were reaping—and they wanted in. They craved a radical transformation that would make their lives better.
Conversely, the Clan Ninjas leaned toward the Conservatives. Years of tradition had created a stable (if exploitative) distribution system that favored established families and left little for the "new" ninjas. They feared change would strip them of their guaranteed interests.
The "elders" of the Stone also sided with the Conservatives. It wasn't that they couldn't see Konoha's success; they wanted a strong village too. But Konoha's methods terrified them. The Leaf's Council of Elders had become a mere decoration—irrelevant old men who spent their days fishing at the reservoir with Hiruzen and Jiraiya while the village moved on without them. Danzo was in prison. The old guard of the Stone didn't want to end their lives powerless. Those who have tasted power can rarely stomach the loss of it. Fearing Ohnoki's reforms would erase their status, they dug their heels in.
Hiruko knew all of this not because he had a vast network of spies, but because the Stone elders told him themselves. They saw his influence and hoped to win his support to protect their interests within the village.
Naturally, Hiruko had no intention of helping them. He had his own goals, and he wouldn't be swayed by the remnants of the old era. Thus, the internal friction in the Stone continued to grow.
Hiruko remained a steadfast supporter of the Reformers. While the local youth didn't understand the "dirty" deals their elders were making with Hiruko, the various nations didn't object to the upcoming consolidation.
"I propose we form a unified internal entity with fixed transfer pricing. This will eliminate conflict between our nations," Hiruko said calmly. "We project a triple profit. It's not a 'miracle' run, but it's a massive, stable deal."
Normally, a project of this scale would take months of diplomatic wrangling to finalize. But after the "Millet War," the Five Villages shared a new level of understanding. As military organizations, they were naturally sensitive to food security. Over tea and talk, the deal was essentially struck. The rest was just filling in the details.
The diplomats looked at Hiruko with lingering hesitation. They struggled to believe he just wanted to "farm." But it didn't matter. They couldn't overtake Konoha in the short term anyway. As long as Konoha was willing to bring them along for the ride, they would take what they could get to avoid falling too far behind. Overtaking the Leaf on a curve was a dream for another time.
The decision was made in their hearts: work hard in private, but maintain the front in public. They continued to marvel at Hiruko's ability to generate wealth.
Following Hiruko... tch, tch. It was quite the experience.
A single relevant follow-up question: As the "Grain Plan" moves forward, how does the Land of Rice Fields react to the Five Great Nations essentially deciding its economic future behind closed doors?
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