"So, you all knew? And I was the only one kept in the dark?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's mood was complicated.
Orochimaru's lips curled slightly as he said, "I only found out during today's battle."
"Same here."
Minato nodded—he had been just as surprised at the time.
"I assumed Jiraiya-sama would mention it. Things were hectic, so I didn't bring it up."
Kyōichi took the lead in explaining.
"I— Well, Kyōichi used it when capturing Rōshi, but I thought he'd tell you himself, so I didn't say anything! Don't blame me!"
Jiraiya looked like he wanted to cry.
Damn it, this wasn't even my fault!
How had he ended up the one feeling guilty?
"That's not the point, Hokage-sama. The point is, we already have a solid foundation. Developing a Mokuton variant for accelerating plant growth shouldn't be difficult."
"It seems your preparations are quite thorough…"
The Sandaime sighed.
Kyōichi was too much like Orochimaru—outwardly unassuming, yet secretly fascinated by everything. First the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, now Hyōton.
If these things were brought up directly, they'd all be banned.
"If it would take over a decade to develop, I wouldn't have bothered asking the Raikage for those terms."
Though his shadow clone hadn't returned yet, Kyōichi knew his own thoughts best. A payoff that took ten years to materialize? That would be a terrible deal.
Kyōichi wasn't that foolish.
After a moment of contemplation, the Sandaime said, "In that case, proceed with your research. The village will provide full support—funds, personnel, whatever you need."
"Actually, I've already made some progress. The real challenge is the commercial side. If we follow my plan, Konoha should establish its own merchant fleet."
Konoha's income came almost entirely from missions and state funding.
That wasn't sustainable.
Commerce was the key to a self-reinforcing cycle!
The Sandaime hesitated.
A merchant fleet was a good idea, but…
The Daimyō's reaction would be the problem.
"Kyōichi, your intentions are good, but the Daimyō likely won't approve."
Orochimaru had the same concern.
Tensions already existed between Konoha and the Land of Fire. If Konoha started its own trade operations, the profits could significantly boost the village's strength.
But would the Daimyō allow it?
Sarutobi sat down, brows furrowed, tracing lines on the map with his finger.
"It's not entirely impossible…"
"Exactly. We can split the profits three ways—one share for the merchants, one for Konoha, and another for the Land of Fire. Revenue would be jointly managed by all three parties."
Kyōichi laid out the plan.
The Sandaime paused, then nodded without hesitation. "Right. That's essentially what I was thinking."
The direction was similar.
He'd also considered sharing profits with the Daimyō, but Kyōichi's proposal was far more detailed—three-way splits, joint oversight.
Not that the Hokage couldn't have thought of it. Given time, he could've refined the plan himself.
But Kyōichi wasn't done.
"Konoha's share could be further divided—part for village funds, part for supporting civilian-born shinobi, improving rations, and so on."
"But what about you?"
Minato couldn't help worrying for Kyōichi.
Merchants, Konoha, the Land of Fire—
Yet the proposer himself wasn't accounting for his own cut. That didn't seem fair.
"Minato, don't worry. The merchant's share hasn't been specified yet, has it?"
Jiraiya sighed.
This disciple…
Too straightforward.
Did he really think Kyōichi would shortchange himself?
Every detail had been meticulously planned—there was no way Kyōichi had overlooked his own stake.
His profits were obviously part of the merchant's share.
Or rather, Kyōichi intended to control the fleet.
Not surprising.
With Tsunade as the next Hokage and Kyōichi as the proposer, who else would manage it?
The Sandaime, however, considered deeper implications.
Kyōichi's profit distribution accounted for many factors—one of which was the civilian population.
Since the Shodai's era, the Senju had always prioritized the interests of Konoha as a whole, even encouraging intermarriage to integrate their clan into the village.
Konoha's current strength was undeniably tied to the Senju's legacy.
And Kyōichi?
Despite being in his teens, his mindset mirrored Hashirama and Tobirama's—thinking not of individuals or clans, but the entire system.
Empowering civilians would strengthen Konoha's foundation.
Only then could the village truly thrive!
Kyōichi had grasped the Shodai's will at its core, while many—including himself—had only understood it superficially.
Sarutobi reflected inwardly, ashamed. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
But he quickly composed himself.
"I'll discuss the merchant fleet with the Daimyō. It shouldn't be an issue. Kyōichi, you've had a long journey—why not rest first? We can address other matters later."
For some reason, he sensed Kyōichi wasn't finished.
But the ideas so far were already overwhelming. If Kyōichi kept going, he feared he'd be left completely behind.
"Very well, Hokage-sama. We'll take our leave. Summon us if needed."
Kyōichi could tell.
The old man was rattled.
Fine.
The research institute could wait until they returned to Konoha. Funding would come from the village anyway—no point finalizing plans here with just four people.
Seizing the chance, Jiraiya swiftly followed them out. By the time the Sandaime snapped out of his thoughts, the tent was empty.
——
Outside, Orochimaru walked beside Jiraiya and exhaled softly.
"Why are you sighing in relief? I'm the one who got lectured for an hour! Thank Kyōichi—otherwise, I'd still be trapped in there."
"Hah. I was just thinking… I was once praised as a genius. Yet earlier, I kept worrying Kyōichi-kun would unveil yet another idea I hadn't considered."
Orochimaru smirked self-deprecatingly.
Jiraiya rolled his eyes, refusing to engage.
Worry?
Why bother?
From the moment he witnessed Kyōichi's Hyōton, he knew the kid was extraordinary—far beyond conventional logic.
So as long as he didn't compare himself, there'd be no disappointment!
"You don't understand. While I only care about jutsu, falling behind in every aspect makes me feel… foolish."
Orochimaru chuckled. "I know he still has more to say… But thankfully, I can probably guess what it is."
"Oh?"
Jiraiya's curiosity flared.
More? And you can guess?
"So what is—?!"
He waited for the answer—only to realize Orochimaru had silently vanished.
Jiraiya stood stunned for a second before his eyebrow twitched.
You bastard.
Leaving me hanging to look cool?
Who taught you that? How shameless!
——
Outside the camp, Minato went to find his beloved student, but Kyōichi couldn't be bothered to follow.
The war was over. Those kids weren't in any real danger—this was just pointless fussing. He'd rather catch up on sleep.
Between battles and sea travel, proper rest had been scarce. Now was the perfect time to recharge.
But just as he was about to drift off—
A familiar chime rang in his mind.
Finally, feedback!
[Completion: 'Economic Warfare' Introductory Lesson]
[Evaluation: Excellent]
[Reward: Summoning Technique – Rashōmon]
Not bad.
The Fivefold Rashōmon had formidable defensive capabilities.
And—
An idea sparked in Kyōichi's mind.
The Gōryōsa no Jutsu could create massive stone golems. If scaled up, they might even wield Rashōmon as shields. And if combined with Hyōton, Mokuton, or even Hashirama's cells…
Perhaps they could be sealed for on-demand deployment.
Or—
What if they infused them with bijū chakra via the Four Symbols Seal?
He was itching to experiment.
But then—
Another notification appeared.
Kyōichi glanced down, spotting a second reward.
[Completion: 'Practical Application of Mokuton' Expanded Lesson]
[Evaluation: Supreme]
[Reward: Five Elements Seal, Hashirama Cell Analysis]
Huh?
He hadn't expected much, but a Supreme rating? After a long pause, Kyōichi fell deep into thought.
Economic Warfare was only Excellent.
Yet "Grass Release" earned Supreme…
Perhaps because he'd explained the latter in exhaustive detail—covering not just the jutsu but its role in "food warfare." The economic strategy had been more conceptual.
That might explain the difference.
He claimed all three rewards without hesitation.
Rashōmon was self-explanatory.
The Five Elements Seal was another gem. While weaker than the Four Symbols Seal, it was faster to cast—ideal for combat.
Not that it'd be hard to learn from the Sandaime anyway.
The real prize was the last one.
Kyōichi focused on it immediately.
Hashirama Cell Analysis.
For a Supreme-rank reward, it had to be valuable.
Upon reviewing it, he froze.
This was…
Extremely detailed.
Far beyond what he'd imagined. If he hadn't already mastered Mystical Palm Technique, he could've reverse-engineered it from this data alone.
And that was just the beginning.
Frankly, with this information, mastering Mokuton might allow him to replicate the real thing.
But at what cost?
His life.
Hashirama's cells were potent precisely because each contained immense vitality. The Mokuton derived from them carried the same life force.
However, producing such ultra-viable cells came with extreme risks.
Hyper-reproductive, highly invasive—
Wasn't that just cancer?
Hashirama could control it because of his innate Sage Body, Asura's chakra, and monstrous vitality—his reserves rivaling the Nine-Tails.
Those were absurd prerequisites.
Still, this data opened another possibility—exploiting the cells without full integration. Harvesting their Mokuton chakra and vitality, but not the cells themselves.
Difficult, but worth attempting.
If successful, the rewards—enhanced physique, Mokuton chakra, extended lifespan—would far outweigh the risks of direct transplantation.