Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

Let's see if Jiraiya has done any research.

Finally, they took Nonou to the Valley of the End to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Today's date ended with me reaching second base, enjoying the delicate texture of the white porcelain bowl!

The next day, under the arrangement of Minato Namikaze, Kakashi set off for the capital of the Land of Fire with the Third Hokage.

As Minato Namikaze's capable disciple, especially with the other two disciples having already sacrificed themselves, Kakashi was naturally the obvious choice.

As the one who initiated this, Kakashi was naturally the first person that came to mind, and this matter also concerned future plans.

Although Kakashi didn't want this honor, he had no choice, since he was now the Fourth Hokage's only disciple.

To save time, they basically ate and slept on the road, enduring hardships along the way.

Soon the group arrived at the capital of the Land of Fire.

Kakashi had never been here before, but compared to before, the capital city clearly had a more weathered and somber feel, according to the other ninjas traveling with him.

The nationwide war inflicted extremely deep wounds on the entire country, wounds that were not only material but also deeply imprinted on people's hearts.

This place was no exception, revealing the scars of war everywhere, but Kakashi did not wallow in grief.

They didn't even have time to eat before heading to the Ministry of Finance under the guidance of the third generation.

In the reception room of the Ministry of Finance, they waited for almost half an hour before finally meeting a portly official with a prosperous appearance.

The group found a reception room and sat down. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they settled in.

The Third Hokage pulled a thick envelope from his pocket and said with a smile, "Konoha is rather barren and doesn't have many decent local specialties. This honeysuckle is a specialty of Konoha. I hope you will accept it."

The finance minister picked up the envelope, weighed it in his hand, and the weight inside brought a smile to his face.

He said with a smile, "Honeysuckle is wonderful. Honeysuckle is a treasure. Just smelling it can prolong life, let alone eating it."

The others exchanged knowing smiles, but Kakashi found it a bit cloying.

As a keen-eyed ninja, he naturally knew what was inside that packet of honeysuckle.

Seeing that the atmosphere was pleasant, the Third Hokage took the opportunity to explain his purpose for coming: "Konoha is facing a financial crisis, so we've come up with a solution, a plan..."

Given Konoha's size, they could easily come up with a large sum of money.

For ordinary wealthy individuals, this is a massive sum of money, so it's more than enough for acquisitions and consolidation.

Moreover, in practice, immediate payment is not required.

The finance minister listened and nodded, saying, "I see. But if that's the case, then you're under a lot of pressure."

The Third Hokage quickly pressed, "Why do you say that?"

The obese finance minister sighed and explained, "What else could it be? There have been constant wars in recent years, and there has been no real benefit. Even a wealthy country like Da Ming is struggling to maintain its status."

"Although the tax revenue is quite substantial, the rampant smuggling of salt has led to even some big shots engaging in illegal activities. It would be quite troublesome to target the smaller households, as it involves too many people."

"If you want to take over the salt industry now, the big shots will be very happy."

"Speaking of which, those guys are really going too far. Relying on the protection of big shots, they don't pay taxes this time, they don't pay taxes that time, and they keep their accounts a complete mess. It's enough to drive the daimyo crazy."

"It's good that you're willing to step forward and stop them. That way, Daming can rest assured and won't have to worry about anything happening. They won't dare to deceive their superiors anymore," the official said irritably.

In reality, these things are nothing more than deceiving superiors and subordinates; some people even deceive the powerful figures who protect them.

Doesn't that sound incredibly daring? It's practically suicidal.

However, this is to some extent the norm; even in a modern industrialized country, there are all sorts of corruption and fraud.

Moreover, in this Fire Country, which is still in an ancient society, who can say for sure what the situation is inside?

It must have been almost completely eaten away by termites long ago.

"Although salt is expensive, the income from it is not even as much as that from farming. The reasons for this are quite complicated."

After finishing his statement, the finance minister shook his head helplessly.

The Third Hokage understood the situation and knew that this mission would not be easy.

The Third Hokage, realizing what was happening, chuckled and agreed.

"However, this matter involves many people, so we still need to choose a reliable person to take charge," the official said with emphasis.

Everyone was easy to talk to at first, but towards the end, he suddenly changed his tone, leaving everyone a bit confused.

Fortunately, the Third Hokage was a wise and experienced man, and he certainly understood the meaning behind it.

"I understand," the Third Hokage said.

"The Hyuga brothers, Hizashi and Hiashi, will be in charge of this matter from now on, and I'm sure they won't disappoint the adults."

It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. Before the operation, Hiruko had already given instructions to cede a portion of the profits.

In any case, what Konoha really lacks is not money, but various kinds of capital.

Giving up some benefits can make things go more smoothly, so it doesn't matter.

The finance minister understood the Third Hokage's unspoken meaning, and a wider smile spread across his chubby face.

"The Hyuga family?"

"It's the Hyuga clan."

"That's a prestigious family from the last era, trustworthy, much more reliable than those unknown kids."

Both sides were delighted, and the officials were in good spirits.

After finalizing the matter, he even dragged the Third Hokage into chatting about this and that.

Somehow, the two of them ended up talking about the Land of Wind.

The finance minister then told the Third Hokage, "The Land of Wind is going to cut the Sand Village's budget."

The daimyo of the Land of Wind actually wants to cut the budget of the ninja village? Isn't that a bit too foolish?

Even the three-generation old man couldn't help but mutter to himself.

From the very beginning, ninjas were emphasized to be obedient and patient, but no matter what, ninjas also had to support their families.

Although I usually earn a good income from my tasks, I'm always short on money. There's really nothing I can do when I'm broke.

People need to eat, ninja tools need money to buy, and explosive tags and other supplies also need money to prepare.

Moreover, both compensating the families of fallen ninjas and training new ninjas require money.

A ninja's fighting ability is directly proportional to their budget.

Why was Konoha able to dominate the other four countries?

It's because Konoha has the most abundant funds.

The Land of Wind is now cutting its budget, which is practically weakening its own fighting power.

This approach is truly incomprehensible.

The key is......