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Minato sighed. If he had a choice, he would choose to be a good person.
But this was the Shinobi World. There were no choices, only the fate chosen for them by Gojo Kaigetsu.
"Relax, Minato. Don't feel guilty~ Ultimately, this is all for the village's developnt, for the continuation of the Will of Fire—At least it's not as depraved as a Ponzi sche." Gojo Kaigetsu said, his words lacking conviction.
Deliberately creating the tulip bubble was practically indistinguishable from a Ponzi sche.
"What's a Ponzi sche?" Minato asked.
"Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Getting sothing for nothing."
Minato, restraining himself, didn't press further. Using the Hokage Tower's authority to manipulate the stock market for illicit gains already challenged his adherence to the Will of Fire.
If he learned of similar sches—he might truly be corrupted by Gojo's influence, becoming—unclean. Even Kushina might kick him out of bed, disgusted.
"So—how is Operation: Tulip progressing? I hear tulip prices in the four great nations have reached astronomical heights. Shouldn't we start selling now?"
"We can begin quietly selling now. Then, just as the Fire Gas are concluding, dump all of Konoha's tulip reserves onto the market."
"The bubble bursting must coincide with the Fire Gas' closing ceremony. We've worked so hard to bind the four daimyo to this—vessel. If we bankrupt them now, the Fire Gas will be pointless."
Minato was perplexed. "If we sell slowly, won't the four nations realize what's happening? Won't that trigger panic selling? Our tulips would beco worthless."
"No, no—you underestimate human nature," Gojo Kaigetsu said with a confident smile, raising a finger. "Dumping all our tulips at once would indeed cause panic, rendering the tulips purchased at exorbitant prices worthless. Everyone understands this simple truth."
"So, to minimize their losses, what should they do?"
Gojo Kaigetsu was, undeniably, a good teacher. Prompted by his question, Minato considered, then answered, "Protect the price of tulips?"
"Exactly! If they don't want their tulips to beco less valuable than toilet paper—they have no choice but to use their national treasuries to buy up tulips on the market, maintaining a facade of prosperity for those gambling on rising prices. Not only will they buy back the tulips we sell, but they'll push the price even higher!"
"Only then can they secretly sell their own tulips, shifting the risk onto new buyers."
"First, it's passing the buck from left hand to right. Then, it's a ga of Hot potato. We'll see who gets burned~"
"Initially, to maintain the illusion of a thriving market and bolster the gamblers' confidence, they won't target Umbrella Corp. But they will secretly seal their ports and borders, attempting to prevent further tulip imports."
"Until finally, when they can no longer pass on the bubble, they will launch large-scale investigations into Umbrella Corp.'s assets, declare tulips contraband, and ban their import."
"Perhaps they'll suspect Konoha, the first to ban tulips. But even after sealing their land and sea routes, tulips will continue to flood their markets via Konoha's air routes. At this point, their suspicions will waver—Which nation, which hidden village, possesses the ability to traverse the skies? Certainly not Konoha."
"I don't know exactly how much the daimyo, nobles, and rchants of the four nations have spent on tulips. But I imagine, if they're sufficiently invested, when they realize the bubble is bursting dostically, they might, during the Fire Gas, grasp your hand, or mine, and beg Konoha for loans."
"The economies of the four nations will collapse, leaving behind a wealth of cheap, high-quality assets, ripe for angel investors to rescue them~"
"Without money, the daimyo's authority will crumble. Countless estates will lose their owners. All valuable companies will be sold off cheaply. Whoever holds the cash—will beco the master of these estates and companies..."
"In the end, the common people of the four nations will never know, will never rember, that Konoha stole their wealth with tulips. They will only rember the angel investors from Konoha, who arrived with vast fortunes, took over their failing companies and factories, and beca their saviors."
A chill ran down Minato Namikaze's spine—Ruthless! Utterly ruthless! Killing them softly, then twisting the knife.
Using worthless tulips to plunder the wealth of the four nations.
Then, using their own money to acquire their bankrupt companies, spreading the Will of Fire to the desperate gamblers, rescuing them from ruin, becoming their guiding light...
When faced with a choice between their daimyo and their advisors, whom would they choose?
Perhaps—conflicts previously defined as national wars would be rewritten as—"the great process of national unification."
"At that point," Gojo Kaigetsu said softly, "even if soone realizes Konoha orchestrated everything, what difference will it make?"
"Konoha will hold economic dominance. Their only recourse would be to unite their military forces, overturn the table Konoha has set, and reclaim their stolen wealth."
"But—can they succeed?"
"Setting aside the top-tier ninja—can the Allied Shinobi Forces, unable to afford kunai, truly defeat Konoha, whose exploding tags are so plentiful they could be used as—toilet paper? Who will erge as the military hegemon of the Shinobi World?"
Culture, politics, economics, military...
Minato considered the current state of the Shinobi World.
Culturally, Ikki and Forest Reader continued their steady offensive, a silent war largely ignored by the four great nations.
Perhaps, from the mont Gojo Kaigetsu proposed the "Invade the Four Great Nations Plan," Konoha's victory had already been assured.
First Victory!
Politically, aside from the unwavering Iwagakure, what was the state of the other three nations?
In Kumogakure, the Raikage and the elders were locked in a power struggle, purges and counter-purges becoming commonplace.
The Raikage and the established clans were estranged.
In Kirigakure, while the elder advisor maintained control, the elite were divided into comprador and traditional factions.
In Sunagakure, the struggle for the Kazekage position had led to the unthinkable act of regicide, the light of the Tailed Beast Bomb nearly erupting within the village...
And Konoha?
From the highest officials attending etings in the Hokage Tower to the common villagers struggling for survival on the streets, all basked in the light of the new era's Will of Fire, facing the daily risk of—third-degree sunburn.
While so might be motivated by fear—of purple eggs, northern purple sand, or separation from loved ones—could anyone truly call this disunity?
Compared to the other four villages, Konoha's greatness was undeniable.
Second victory!
Economically—the tulip bubble, Konoha bonds, stocks, the lottery—they were systematically harvesting the wealth of the four nations' citizens. Humans were driven by desire, and wherever desire existed, Konoha would take its cut, the only question being how much.
Of course, there were those truly dedicated to their work, unmoved by desire—Such individuals could profit alongside the Hokage Tower in this Shinobi World financial storm.
Third victory!!
Finally, militarily...
Only here was the situation less clear. But according to Gojo Kaigetsu's plans, with the Airborne Ninja Force capable of launching surprise attacks and disrupting supply lines, and the ever-ready orbital cannon—and on the ground, the Konoha army, with enough exploding tags to—well, suffice it to say, they were well-equipped.
Even if the Allied Shinobi Forces outnumbered Konoha's ninja, the disparity in equipnt was like comparing primitive humans to—advanced aliens.
And in terms of top-tier combatants? Minato felt confident he could still handle the Raikage and his brother.
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