Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki Chapter 512 512: Ten Million? This Might Be Just the Beginni

Watching Kazuyama Gekkō walk off grinning with ten million ryō from the village coffers, Minato felt a pang in his chest.

An S-rank mission usually paid just over a million, yet Kazuyama had just walked away with the equivalent of ten of them. How could Minato not feel the sting? He had never worried about money before, but becoming Hokage had opened his eyes to just how enormous the village's expenses were.

Sensing his discomfort, the three elder advisers exchanged faint smiles. They had all been in Minato's position before—parting with such a sum felt like slicing off a piece of your own flesh.

"It's fine, Minato, it's only money."

"The business plan that brat ca up with has already started paying off."

"Especially the Akimichi Clan's barbecue chain—there's a branch in nearly every major town in the Land of Fire now. The financial reports Torifu sent over were impressive."

"And you know how vital intelligence is. Ten million is ten million—just let it go."

Hiruzen Sarutobi lit another cigarette. He also thought ten million was a lot, but given the village's recent steady inco and the importance of the intelligence network, it was sothing he could accept.

Then Minato spoke again—and it left Hiruzen frozen.

"I'm not worried about the ten million. I just think Kazuyama might not stop there..."

"This could be just the beginning..."

Hiruzen's mouth hung open. After several monts of silence, he realized Minato was absolutely right.

If that man was Kazuyama, it might very well be exactly like that...

Hiruzen: Why in the world did I ever agree to let that brat handle this...?

Minato: ...Who are you asking?

Kazuyama: Hehehe, relax. I'm not going to clean you out. I have a conscience—just a little one.

...

While the others were quietly worrying, Kazuyama was in high spirits. First, he stopped by the Ninja Academy to report to Pakura, then vanished from the village in a flash with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

If he was going to build an intelligence network, it had to cover movents outside the village—aning the capable disciples he'd recruited before could finally put their skills to use.

In Takigakure, ever since Yahiko had taken leadership, the village had been thriving, thanks in part to his connections with Orochimaru. Yahiko and Konan greeted Kazuyama warmly when he arrived.

That warmth vanished the mont he told them about Nagato.

"So Nagato's been completely swayed by that Madara Uchiha?"

"He attacked the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, and even you, Kazuyama..."

"Damn Madara Uchiha!"

Yahiko's temper flared instantly. Nagato was his brother—now that his brother had been manipulated, he felt ready to explode.

Konan's expression darkened. She had once been cautious, even wary of Kazuyama, but after everything she had seen him do for them, her trust had grown a hundredfold. But Nagato...

"It's fine. Don't get worked up over him. I'm telling you so you won't worry about his safety."

"Even if he's been misled by Uchiha Madara, there's still a chance to bring him back. It might just take ti."

"This ti, I ca because I have a new plan."

At that, Yahiko and Konan imdiately straightened. Though they now had full control of Takigakure, they had never abandoned their original goal—to liberate Agakure.

Could this be it?

"No, Agakure is still sealed off. Our current mission is to spread our intelligence network across the entire ninja world."

"This is a task assigned to by our Hokage. Hmph—since it's a mission, it'd be a waste not to make the most of it."

"Yahiko, Konan, Takigakure's policy of staying out of wars gives your shinobi a unique advantage. No one will target Takigakure ninja."

"That ans gathering intel from all over the ninja world will be easy for you."

That was precisely why Kazuyama had co here—Takigakure had never taken sides in the conflicts between the Five Great Nations, making it the perfect carrier for intelligence work.

"Exactly. I went to the Land of Grass before to buy supplies, and even the Kusanin were friendly to ."

"I doubt they ever imagined Takigakure would one day trade in information."

Yahiko's eyes lit with motivation. Intel was the lifeblood of any nation or shinobi village. If they could control the flow of information across the entire world, their position would be imasurably stronger.

And when the ti ca to move on Agakure, it would be far easier.

"That's right—Takigakure will beco the intelligence hub of the entire ninja world. When that ti cos, hmhm..."

"Oh, and Yahiko—this first intel mission should go to Yugito and Terumi. They both need the experience. You just supervise them."

"I want them to beco shinobi who can stand on their own."

He hadn't gone to the trouble of recruiting them just to keep them as pretty faces.

Takigakure would serve as a base station; once it truly beca a powerhouse of information, Kazuyama could run everything from behind the scenes.

"All right, no problem. When do we start?"

"Now?"

Kazuyama nodded, pulling out the eight million ryō he'd brought from Minato earlier and setting it on the table.

Why eight million? Because he'd pocketed the other two million—he was heading to Kumogakure soon, and he wasn't about to travel without funds.

As for why Kumogakure—there was a technique there he badly needed.

"You can start right away. Assign the missions under the cover of having accepted a commission. Keep everything secret for now."

"For the first stage, stick to the north. Don't touch Kirigakure or Sunagakure yet—connect the intel network in the Lands of Grass, Rice Fields, Hot Water, Earth, and Lightning."

"If you run short on money, tell —I'll get more from the Hokage at ho."

"As for , I'm heading to Kumogakure."

Yahiko nodded—his trust in Kazuyama was absolute now. But then he rembered sothing else.

"Kazuyama, there's one more thing. It's about Takigakure's Tailed Beast."

"Recently, there's been so change at the sealing site. The Seven-Tails' chakra seems to have vanished."

"Should we be concerned?"

What? Keep an eye on the Tailed Beast? Was Yahiko asking him to monitor himself?

Still, his words jolted Kazuyama to attention. He imdiately called out to Chōi.

"Chōi, did the shell you shed lose its potency?"

Chōi: Oh, I thought you'd forgotten...

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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