Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?-Chapter 276: Urgent Village Matters!

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That night...

"What? You're leaving early too?" The Wind Daimyo frowned at his Kazekage, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table. "Fifth Kazekage—this makes me lose face in front of the other daimyo."

It was rare for the daimyo to gather. While he couldn't compete with the Fire Daimyo financially, there were other areas for comparison—control over their respective hidden villages, influence over their Kage—Authority over Shinobi was part of a daimyo's prestige.

Ōnoki's early departure had already subjected the Earth Daimyo to considerable mockery.

Can't even keep your own Kage here today? Tomorrow, will those Shinobi kick you out of your own mansion?

He hadn't expected the same fate to befall him so quickly...

Just moments after mocking the Earth Daimyo, his own Kazekage was requesting leave.

"Yes—Daimyo." Baki's voice was urgent. "There's trouble in the Light district. I must return immediately to suppress the rebellion."

"Light?" The Wind Daimyo was shocked. "Isn't that where the Fourth Kazekage's family resides? The foundation of Sunagakure—How could they rebel?"

Baki lowered his head, concealing his expression. "The exact cause requires further investigation. But rebellion is rebellion. They must be treated as rogue Shinobi and dealt with decisively!"

"Fine, fine." The Wind Daimyo waved his hand dismissively. "I understand. Do what you must."

"However—" he cautioned, "The treasury cannot provide any further subsidies this quarter. Exercise restraint. Don't go too far."

"What?! Last quarter's subsidy was only half paid! And now this quarter's is canceled entirely?" Baki protested.

The Wind Daimyo's face hardened. "The nation has its difficulties. You're a mature Kazekage now. You should learn from the Fourth Kazekage, understand our nation's struggles! Don't come running to the treasury every time you have financial problems!"

"Honestly, if the Fourth Kazekage were still here, not only would he not constantly demand funds, he'd even contribute to the treasury when necessary!"

"I don't understand your Shinobi affairs. But since you can't generate wealth like the Fourth Kazekage did with his gold dust, find other ways to fund your village."

"In short—once the treasury is replenished, the village's subsidy will be restored. Until then, don't mention money to me."

The Wind Daimyo was also frustrated.

The Land of Wind's economy was already struggling. To try and revitalize it, the Wind Daimyo had, on a whim, invested heavily in tulips, using treasury funds.

He planned to sell them once their value appreciated.

He wasn't greedy; he'd sell once the price doubled.

That way, not only would the village subsidy be covered, but the treasury would be replenished, and he, the daimyo, could maintain his extravagant lifestyle.

Though tulip prices had fluctuated recently, they had stabilized and were gradually rising. By the time he returned home, stable tulip prices would await him!

Then, he would have both face and fortune.

For now—this was the darkness before the dawn. He would swallow his pride, borrow some money from the Fire Daimyo to tide them over, and await the glorious resurgence of the Land of Wind!

"Yes, I understand." Baki's eyes smoldered with resentment. He rose and, without looking back, signaled his Shinobi to return to the village.

The Land of Wind's finances are tight, but Sunagakure's aren't?

They were about to launch a joint attack on Konoha with the other three villages. Money was crucial. And now—the Light district had rebelled...

Attacking Konoha required funds; suppressing the rebellion required funds. Where would Sunagakure find the money?

The puppets, exploding tags, and kunai stored in the warehouses were intended for the war with Konoha. The Light district was powerful. Suppressing them by force would consume most of their supplies and elite Shinobi.

How then could Suna fight Konoha?

"Find another source of revenue..."

Easier said than done. Without Rasa, Suna couldn't rely on gold dust to subsidize its finances.

Though the tax revenue from the Konoha-Suna trade route helped, the impending war against Konoha meant the Kazekage Tower's deficit was growing.

To fund the war, forget the "three thousand three hundred ryō" baseline; under the Fifth Kazekage's command, Sunagakure had already entered a semi-wartime economy, with the Kazekage Tower directly intervening in economic affairs.

Their rule was maintained solely through brute military force. But even the members of the Sand Council knew this couldn't last.

Only one path remained for Sunagakure—

War.

Even without the secret alliance with the three villages, the Fifth Kazekage's government, to maintain its authority, had to initiate war.

To divert the villagers' hatred and resentment, to send the dissenters to the battlefield as cannon fodder.

In peacetime, Shinobi had rights, the ability to negotiate with the Kazekage Tower. In wartime, Shinobi were cogs in the war machine; obedience was absolute.

This mirrored the concept of the "Wartime Raikage."

Faced with the choice between "forcefully suppressing the Light district, leaving them unable to fight Konoha" and "partially suppressing Light, engaging in false peace talks, and sending Light Shinobi to the Konoha-Suna front lines," Baki decisively chose the latter.

Deal with internal threats before external ones!

But the cost of internal suppression had to be minimized. His ambition—was the entire Shinobi World!

To make Suna Great Again!

Not to get bogged down in internal strife, trapped in the desert, ruling over a village eternally out of reach.

For the sake of his Shinobi way, Baki would swallow his pride and engage in false peace talks with the Light district.

———

Baki rushed back to the Kazekage Tower, slamming his hat onto the table.

"Shit—" He cursed under his breath.

He surveyed the room, addressing the members of the Sand Council. "What are you all waiting for?! Just going to watch the Light district trample the Kazekage Tower's authority? Issue the Kazekage's decree! Mobilize for Light!"

Hidden villages were typically formed by consolidating the Major Shinobi clans within a nation. The most powerful clan was granted the Kage title by the daimyo, ruling over all commoner Shinobi and clans within their territory.

Most clans relocated to the main village hub.

However, some clans, bound by tradition or strong ties to their ancestral lands, remained outside the main village, forming autonomous districts or "departments." While nominally under the Kage's authority, they retained a degree of self-governance, serving as strategic outposts.

During wartime, they contributed Shinobi; when tax rates changed, they complied. They followed major village policies but managed their own internal affairs.

Suna had the Light district; Kumogakure had the Southern district; Kirigakure had its various islands—Nearly every hidden village had such outlying territories.

"Move! Move! Take your Shinobi, suppress the rebellion!"

With Baki's return, the Sand Council regained its focus. They rallied their Shinobi, opened the armory, and prepared to seize the stored weapons.

Slap!

Baki struck the official who'd given the order. "Fool! Who told you to bring kunai and shuriken?! And you there, put down those exploding tags!"

"Bring non-lethal weapons! Yes, standard-issue police batons!"

"Lord Kazekage, aren't we suppressing a rebellion?"

"Idiot! Who said anything about suppression? We're going to negotiate!"

———

The Kazekage Tower's standing army, transported in newly developed puppet vehicles, arrived at the Light district.

Upon arrival, the Shinobi disembarked, forming ranks behind Baki, brandishing their police batons menacingly, facing the Light Villagers who held protest banners.

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