https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-90-Shinobi-Logistics-Is-That-It-/12832091/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-92-The-Greed-of-the-Shinobi-World-/12832095/
Chapter 91: I Have Special Money-Making Skills!
Chapter 91: I Have Special Money-Making Skills!
Swish!
A massive caravan slowly made its way from the interior of the Land of Fire, heading toward the southwestern region.
Just the cargo-laden wagons numbered over a hundred, stretching for several kilometers.
If bandits were to attack, they would surely have an easy time launching their assault.
But throughout the journey, not a single bandit managed to come close to the caravan, as they were dealt with by the Leaf shinobi before they could even make a move.
Yes!
This enormous caravan was none other than the logistics supply convoy of the Leaf's southwestern military forces.
The convoy was escorted by not just one but multiple shinobi squads, led by a jonin.
A single convoy would naturally not have such a large escort, but when multiple convoys merged, the scale of the protection naturally increased.
In this way, Tohei had significantly enhanced the safety of the convoys without consuming additional resources.
Otherwise, according to previous data, at least a few out of every ten wagons would be destroyed by Sand shinobi en route.
Now, with this new approach, the losses could be reduced by at least ten percent.
Don't underestimate that.
Ten percent of the entire southwestern camp's consumption is no small number.
Moreover, the escort team included Hyuga Sogetsu and Yamashiro Koji, who were secretly overseeing the operation.
Tohei, who was in charge of logistics, couldn't personally escort the convoy, but these two could, so they were dispatched.
With them around, there was no need to worry about the convoy running into trouble.
Especially with Hyuga Sogetsu!
With her, any traps or ambushes could be easily detected, making the journey much smoother.
This level of protection was something a regular merchant convoy could never achieve.
Right now, a merchant guild was taking a "free ride" and enjoying special treatment.
Even if Sand shinobi were to attack, they would likely turn tail and run upon seeing this formidable lineup.
They were here to carry out harassment missions, not to commit suicide.
Inside the convoy.
"We've reached Inaba City. This trip is definitely going to be a huge profit!"
A middle-aged, overweight man, resembling Honda Taka, looked at the distant city outline with an excited tone.
He hadn't expected such an opportunity.
As long as the goods could be sold, the profits would be at least a few million ryo, and even up to twenty million ryo wasn't out of the question. It was pure profit.
The key was that these profits would continue as long as the war didn't end. This was just the beginning.
Although they had to share half of the profits.
But in his view, it was entirely justified, given the extensive support provided by their partners.
The escort team alone included a jonin, several chunin, and dozens of genin, which could be described as a "mini army."
Just hiring these shinobi for a mission would cost several million ryo, and it would also require significant connections.
Not to mention, they could use the name of "shinobi army logistics supplier" to avoid the exploitation by the nobles.
That was the crucial point!
The nobles were ruthless in reality.
If it were a regular merchant convoy, even if they managed to arrive safely, the profit would be around a million ryo, and they would still face the risk of being plundered or killed.
But now, the journey was both safe and easy, with a profit difference of over ten times.
The difference was truly staggering.
"I never thought I could earn this much!"
The young man, Honda Taka, muttered to himself.
"From now on, no matter what Tohei needs from the Honda Guild, you must agree to it!"
Honda Katsu, his father, whispered a reminder.
He knew Uchiha Tohei very well.
Before graduation, Tohei had a negative reputation as a "failure" and "bottom-of-the-class student."
But during the graduation exam, he managed to defeat Kakashi, the son of the White Fang, and in the joint chunin exams, he outperformed all the prodigies to win the championship.
If that news hadn't been suppressed, he would definitely have been hailed as a super genius.
Even so, that would only mean he had a promising future.
But on the battlefield, he first saved his son from Yugao and later managed to escape from Roshi.
This showed that Tohei had grown into a true powerhouse, not just a prodigy.
Relying on a strong ally was only natural.
Moreover, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Honda Guild. To expand and become a larger guild, they needed the protection of a powerful ally.
"I understand!"
Honda Taka nodded silently.
Soon, the convoy entered Noyama City.
For a regular merchant caravan, they would have to bribe the guards and deal with greedy nobles. However, once the convoy revealed the "Konoha" name, all the trouble vanished. After all, Konoha is the strongest military institution in the Land of Fire, and even the most stubborn nobles wouldn't dare cause trouble. Otherwise, they might find out just how sharp a ninja's blade can be.
As the convoy continued out of the city, the number of wagons reduced from over a hundred to just a few dozen. Clearly, most of the goods didn't belong to the Southwest Shinobi Army. The empty wagons wouldn't leave immediately; instead, they would purchase local specialties and wait for the wagons returning from the shinobi camp to head back into the Land of Fire together.
Due to the war, the prices of local specialties naturally fell. This meant that the merchants could make a profit on both the way out and the way back. It was a win-win situation!
This was the unique advantage of combining military might with commercial acumen.
Half a day later, the convoy arrived at the camp. The commanding jonin of the escort team led Sanekichi and Hyuga Aotsuki to the logistics department where Dohei worked. Upon entering the tent, his expression froze. This place didn't look like a place for handling logistics at all; it resembled a laboratory. Several long tables had appeared, each cluttered with numerous bottles and vials.
"Lord Dohei, how did the mission go?"
Dohei, standing by a wooden table and shaking a vial in his hand, didn't even look up as he asked.
"Everything went smoothly!"
Sanekichi replied straightforwardly.
"That's good!" Dohei placed the vial on a test tube rack and picked up a file from the table, handing it to Sanekichi. "Thanks to your help, here is the agreed-upon 'reward.'"
The file contained three million ryo, as per their previous agreement. Indeed, Dohei had specifically requested that Sanekichi lead the logistics escort mission and had privately offered a reward. Otherwise, how could such a smoothly organized escort team be formed?
Jonin!
Although Sanekichi was a civilian, his jonin status was highly valuable. A jonin was essential for a convoy of this scale. Other jonin wouldn't tolerate the Honda Merchant Guild "hitching a ride." But with Sanekichi in command, it wasn't an issue.
Got it?
Dohei needed a jonin to oversee his money-making plan, so he had specifically invited Sanekichi. They had worked together before, and Dohei knew Sanekichi's character. Other jonin might not agree, and even if they did, they might hold it over his head. After all, this involved leveraging the resources of the shinobi army to make money. While everyone did it, they couldn't afford to have any leverage against them.
"This is too much..."
Sanekichi, doing this for the first time, appeared somewhat bashful and didn't immediately take the money Dohei offered.
"This is your well-deserved reward."
Dohei saw it differently. Isn't it only right to receive payment for one's labor? He wasn't like the village's higher-ups, who would only use the "Will of Fire" to exploit people without offering any compensation.
"You're right!"
Sanekichi was finally convinced and reached out to take the reward. As the team leader, he would take one-fifth of the money, with the rest to be divided among the others. One-fifth of three million ryo was six hundred thousand ryo. It might not sound like much, considering an S-rank mission starts at a million ryo. But S-rank missions were incredibly dangerous, and even jonin had a significant risk of encountering problems. This escort mission, however, was much safer, if not entirely risk-free. Besides, the mission already came with its own contribution points. This money was an extra bonus!
And receiving this reward didn't affect the escort mission, so there was no mental burden in taking it.
"I agree with what you said before!"
Sanekichi seemed to have made up his mind, leaving the logistics department with those words. Previously, when Dohei had approached him for a long-term partnership, Sanekichi had said he needed to think about it. Now, it seemed he couldn't resist the "sugar-coated bullets."
After Sanekichi left, Dohei turned to Sanekichi and Hyuga Aotsuki, his eyes filled with a questioning look. Some items had been brought with this convoy.
(End of Chapter)
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