Naruto - Leader of Kusagakure

"I have a connection in Grass Village," Kado whispered, leaning in closer to Danzo, his voice low and conspiratorial. "Through this connection, I can procure large quantities of raw materials at a fraction of the cost. The risk is high, but the potential profit is even higher. Once the deal goes through, we'll significantly lower our production costs. As they say, fortune favors the bold."

Kado paused, watching Danzo carefully for any signs of hesitation before continuing. "But I can't do this alone. If Grass Village discovers my involvement, I'm as good as dead. That's why I need your shinobi's help to ensure everything goes smoothly. So, Brother Danzo, what do you say? Shall we work together? It'll be a straightforward deal—money for goods. No strings attached. Totally reliable."

As Kado finished speaking, Danzo's eyes sharpened, a flicker of interest flashing across his features. The issue of high raw material costs had been one of his biggest obstacles. And here, Kado was offering a direct solution—one that could relieve Danzo of his greatest burden. Acquiring raw materials cheaply from Grass Village? It was almost too good to be true.

That's why a part of Danzo's mind remained cautious. Could this be a trap?

Danzo, ever the cautious strategist when it came to anything involving Grass Village, studied Kado closely. His expression remained neutral, but his sharp eyes never missed a detail. "Oh? Kado, my friend, do you wish to collaborate with me? I recall not long ago you said your relationship with Grass Village was too important for you to risk it. What's changed?"

Kado, sensing the tension, leaned back in his chair with a confident smile, spreading his arms wide. "I'm a businessman, Brother Danzo! If you succeed, just imagine the return on investment I'll get! The opportunity is too great to pass up. Besides, in business, the risks are just another part of the game."

Danzo's gaze shifted slightly, his eyes glinting with understanding. That explanation made sense. For someone like Kado, the potential for massive profit could easily outweigh any hesitation about crossing certain lines. If the deal worked, the rewards would be substantial.

Danzo nodded, a slight smile forming on his lips. "I see. So, how do you propose we collaborate?" His voice was steady, but there was a flicker of concern in his mind. Kado's offer was tempting, but Danzo couldn't afford any mistakes.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Kado replied, a sense of relief washing over him as he saw Danzo's interest. Flashing a confident smile, he elaborated, "Here's the plan: I'll invest 5 billion ryo, and you'll match that with another 5 billion. We'll split the profits 50-50. I'll leverage my connections to secure the raw materials, and you'll handle the transportation. With 10 billion ryo worth of materials, we'll have more than enough to keep production going for a while. That window of time will give us the leverage we need to break into Grass Village's market dominance!"

Kado finished with a gleam in his eyes, excited by the prospects of his proposal. However, just as he was about to revel in the idea of the deal, Danzo lightly tapped the table, his gaze thoughtful. Kado's heart skipped a beat—had he overestimated his position? Was Danzo going to reject the deal because the investment was too high?

But Danzo's next words caught him off guard. "I'll invest 10 billion ryo. However, you'll only receive 30% of the profits."

Kado froze, his expression turning from confident to incredulous. However, he quickly shook his head as regained his composure and countered. "I'll raise my contribution to 7 billion Ryo and take 40% of the profits!"

Danzo's gaze remained unwavering, his response calm yet decisive. "I'll invest 15 billion ryo, and you'll still receive 30%. That's my final offer."

As Danzo's words hung in the air, Kado felt a shift in the atmosphere. He noticed several Root shinobi silently positioning themselves around him, their hands subtly resting on the hilts of their kunai. The faint shimmer of kunai sent a chill down his spine, and he instinctively stiffened.

Swallowing hard, Kado forced a shaky smile, trying to keep his composure. "22 billion ryo worth of raw materials? Are you certain you'll even need that much, Brother Danzo? And... let's not forget, I know for a fact that you don't have that money readily available. So, where do you plan on sourcing the rest of the funds? Time is of the essence, after all. Why don't we stick to the original deal—5 billion each?"

Danzo's brow twitched ever so slightly. His voice remained calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "Where I obtain the money is none of your concern. Rest assured, when the time comes, I'll have it."

Kado, sensing the unwavering determination in Danzo's eyes and feeling the pressure from the Root shinobi still closing in on him, sighed deeply in resignation. "Very well, Brother Danzo. I only hope you keep your word. After all, cooperation benefits us both."

Without another word, Kado rose from his seat. Frustration etched on his face, he turned and walked out, not waiting for a formal goodbye. Danzo, leaning on his cane, watched him leave with an expression as calm as still water, saying nothing.

Once outside, Kado let out a long, exasperated sigh. Muttering to himself, he shook his head, "What a nightmare…"

He had initially thought that 5 billion Ryo would be more than sufficient, but Danzo's obstinate nature had pushed the negotiation to an entirely new level. No wonder they called him Konoha's Darkness.

Inside the room, one of Danzo's subordinates approached, bowing respectfully. "Lord Danzo, Kado has left, but he appeared quite displeased."

"Is that so?" Danzo replied dismissively, waving his hand as if the matter was of little consequence. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting into the distance, his mind deep in thought. "15 billion…"

Kado had been correct in one regard: Danzo's available funds were limited. He had just over a billion ryo at his disposal, and even that was money he had painstakingly scraped together through a mix of schemes, sacrifices, and swallowing his pride.

The funds had already been stretched thin—first for the newspaper venture, then for his various experimental projects. Now, there was barely anything left.

While 22 billion Ryo worth of raw materials might seem excessive, if Kado could indeed secure them at a fraction of their market value, it would be a windfall. If everything went according to plan, the cost of production would rival even Grass Village's notoriously low rates.

A swift, decisive launch could give them a strong foothold in the market, allowing them to establish themselves as a serious competitor. Grass Village couldn't possibly maintain such low prices forever. But still, the question remained: where would he find the money?

Danzo narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. The answer began to form in his mind. After a moment of contemplation, a grim smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he murmured to himself, "It seems... I can only borrow it from someone."

...

A few days later, Akihiko, the leader of Grass Village, sat in his private study, reading a secret letter from Kado. As he finished it, he let out a long, drawn-out sigh, shaking his head with a touch of regret. "Too little! I charged far too little before."

He couldn't help but think back to the missed opportunity. If he had known Danzo still had so much left, he would have blackm… ahem—introduced him to a much higher, more exclusive tour package. But who would have guessed that, even in this precarious situation, Danzo could casually promise over 10 billion Ryo? His generosity was... impressive, to say the least.

As expected of his dear friend and cherished ally—Danzo's vision and ambition truly knew no bounds. Still, Akihiko couldn't help but wonder... did the Root organization even have that much money left? Or was Danzo relying on something else?

Akihiko glanced at Mubuki, who had been standing quietly nearby, pondering. After a moment of contemplation, Akihiko turned to him and asked, "What has Danzo been up to these past few days?"

Mubuki hesitated for a moment, his expression turning uncertain as he glanced at Akihiko. Finally, he spoke. "It seems... he's been investigating the fire safety measures of the various ninja clans."

Akihiko froze, his eyes widening in confusion. After several moments of stunned silence, he blinked, shook his head, and then let out a small chuckle, shaking his head in genuine appreciation. "Danzo... you never fail to surprise me!"

...

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen reclined comfortably in his chair, savoring the warmth of a steaming cup of tea. He set the cup down gently on the table, absentmindedly stroking the small tuft of beard on his chin, a look of contentment on his face.

Lately, Danzo had been preoccupied with the establishment of his factory, and, much to Hiruzen's surprise, had refrained from causing any disturbances or pursuing his usual schemes. The village was gradually recovering, and progress was happening a bit faster than anticipated. For once, Hiruzen found himself enjoying a rare period of calm.

"Good, good," he murmured softly to himself, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his lips. To ensure this unusual productivity, Hiruzen had even instructed the Anbu to refrain from interfering with Danzo's work, and had agreed to rent the former Uchiha clan grounds to him at a slightly discounted rate.

"Although Danzo's methods may not always align with my vision... as long as he's occupied, this isn't necessarily a bad thing," Hiruzen mused aloud, his tone thoughtful but relaxed.

Just as Hiruzen was idly stroking his beard in contemplation, the door to his office suddenly burst open. An Anbu ninja rushed in, eyes wide with alarm. "Hokage-sama, something terrible has happened!"

"Calm down," Hiruzen said, his voice steady despite the urgency in the air. His brow furrowed slightly, but his movements remained composed, and he resumed stroking his beard, a gesture he had long adopted to help maintain his focus and calm, especially during stressful moments. His medical advisor had insisted it was an effective way to prevent overexertion and anxiety.

The village depended on him—he couldn't afford to falter now. His composure had become second nature in handling all matters, big or small.

"Now, tell me. What has happened this time?" Hiruzen asked, his voice light but firm, betraying a touch of concern. "Has Danzo snuck out of the village again? Isn't he supposed to be focused on his factory project?"

"No, Hokage-sama. Danzo-sama hasn't left the village, and he's indeed working on the factory. But…" The ANBU ninja hesitated, clearly uncomfortable.

"But what? If he's just focused on the factory, there shouldn't be any issues," Hiruzen said, his expression relaxing as he gestured for the ninja to continue. "I told you not to interfere with him unless absolutely necessary. Is he asking for more land?"

"No, Hokage-sama, it's not about land," the ANBU replied quickly. "It's just… well, recently, Danzo-sama has been inspecting fire safety protocols in the various ninja clans, and it seems…" The ninja faltered, unsure how to phrase it. Finally, he blurted out, "It seems he's doing this because he's run out of funds for the factory!"

Hiruzen's hand froze mid-motion, his expression shifting as he processed the information. His grip tightened on his beard, and he exhaled sharply through his teeth. "Wait… are you telling me that Danzo is inspecting fire safety because he's running low on funds for the factory?"

The ANBU ninja grew more flustered at the sight of the Hokage's strained expression. "H-Hokage-sama! Are you all right? Please, stay calm! Don't panic!"

"Shut… shut up! I'm fine, just a little short of breath!" Hiruzen snapped, gripping his chest as he tried to steady himself. His other hand remained clutching his beard, his fingers trembling slightly as he struggled to regain control. After a moment, he forced out, "Go… go get Danzo. Tell him… to meet me immediately."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The ANBU straightened, preparing to leave to carry out the Hokage's command.

"Wait! Wait a second!" Hiruzen's voice halted the ninja mid-step.

The ANBU turned back, confused. "Hokage-sama, is there something else?"

"Forget it," Hiruzen muttered with a wave of his hand, his voice weak. "Just tell him… tell him to meet me in the medical department. Now go."

"…Understood." The ANBU nodded and disappeared swiftly, leaving Hiruzen alone in the room. Slumping back into his chair, he placed a hand over his chest and muttered under his breath, "Danzo… you'll be the death of me."