Chapter 182: Gojo Kaigetsu Expansion Plan—Banking, Bonds, Stock Market and Beyond

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Gojo Kaigetsu, feeling like a modern-day Indiana Jones, was eager for his next adventure.

The reason he'd dismissed the possibility of the Ryūmyaku's chakra originating from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki or Hagoromo and Hamura was simple: they wouldn't have left such a powerful force unchecked.

Naruto's trip had been brief. But what if a less scrupulous individual traveled further? To the age of the Sage of Six Paths, perhaps?

So, Gojo Kaigetsu theorized that Ryūmyaku's power emerged after Kaguya's sealing. The question of who or what created it—well, that was a mystery for him to solve.

This time-travel power was unique, a power he had to control.

The ninja world had been turned upside down because of him, but Gojo Kaigetsu was always cautious. He liked having—options.

Just in case Kaguya's revival wasn't simply a matter of converging timelines, he'd use the Ryūmyaku to escape, to eliminate any chance of her return.

"This time—I'm going time-traveling!" He declared it out of the blue, raising a single finger towards Minato, his expression deadly serious. "Minato, this is the only way to save the ninja world."

Minato, completely baffled, scratched his head. "Should I have Kushina accompany you to the Land of Wind, like last time?"

"...."

Gojo Kaigetsu lowered his finger and shook his head. "I'll go alone. Too many people just complicate things. Have the Raikage's staff prepare the treaty. Send it throughout the ninja world as soon as it's signed. We can't let Baki think we're planning to invade Rōran. That would only escalate things."

"But Kaigetsu-kun—what's your plan? Without guards, how will you ensure your safety? Rōran is secondary to your well-being!" Minato, though he trusted Gojo Kaigetsu without reservation, was curious about the specifics of the exchange.

Rōran was, after all, not Konoha. And Gojo Kaigetsu—he was invaluable. Minato wouldn't risk his safety for Rōran.

"Promise them Rōran!" Gojo Kaigetsu declared without hesitation. "But—not without a fight. I'll—drag it out, make them work for it."

If his intel was correct, Hiruko was already at the Ryūmyaku's seal, trying to break it. He would follow Hiruko through time. What happened afterward was—beyond his control.

He'd have done his part. The seal would be broken, the treaty signed and broadcast. Baki couldn't back out then.

"And my safety? Don't worry. To be honest, I'm pretty strong now." He puffed out his chest, sounding like some—overconfident commenter on a ninja app, saying things Minato would never say. "If the Kazekage tries anything funny, I'll personally wipe Sunagakure off the map!"

With his [System] activated and [Limitless] ready to be unleashed, Gojo Kaigetsu was at the peak of his power.

He was eager to—test his limits.

"This is just—the first step. They still need to formally request your assistance." Minato, unrolling a map of Konoha, frowned. "If we give Rōran to Sunagakure, its people will be displaced. Where will we relocate them?"

Konoha, under Minato's leadership, had grown exponentially. But space was becoming an issue.

Hashirama Senju, in his idealistic vision, had simply drawn a circle on a map, and Konoha had sprung forth. To him, it was a military installation.

But under Gojo Kaigetsu's guidance, Konoha had become a political, economic, and military powerhouse.

Hashirama had likely envisioned a village with a stable population, births, and deaths roughly balancing each other. The infrastructure—water, sanitation, power—had been designed with that in mind.

But he hadn't accounted for the ninja's—enthusiasm for procreation. A larger clan meant more power and more influence.

Children were—inexpensive assets. Hand-me-down kunai and shuriken were perfectly acceptable. The more children, the more ninja, the stronger the clan.

And in times of war, the drive to have children was even stronger.

Konoha might be peaceful now, but the world beyond its walls—was not.

This mindset, combined with Konoha's open immigration policies, fueled a population boom.

The village was becoming overcrowded. The existing infrastructure was straining under the pressure.

Land, unfortunately, was a finite resource.

Even with careful planning and resource management, they were running out of space.

The new commercial district, the Uzumaki Clan compound—both were built on land "borrowed" from Tsunade, from the Senju clan's holdings. This couldn't continue.

A clan elder had once suggested building upwards.

But that idea had been swiftly rejected by Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. "Buildings cannot surpass the Hokage Rock! It's a matter of principle!"

Surprisingly, Gojo Kaigetsu had agreed. The Hokage Rock, the symbol of the Will of Fire, was sacred. Every morning, as the villagers emerged from their homes, the first thing they saw was the Hokage Rock, bathed in the rising sun's light. To overshadow it would be—disrespectful.

At least, for now. Konoha needed its symbols.

Once the ninja world was at peace, perhaps then he'd reconsider.

"It seems we have no choice—we need to expand." Gojo Kaigetsu drew a large circle north of Konoha on the map.

"Yūkaku-jō to the north, the Daimyo's capital beyond. Plenty of wealthy clients in that direction. We expand—north."

"But the forest—clearing it would be a monumental task."

"We have plenty of Genin eager for work. A few construction contracts and the problem is—solved."

Gojo Kaigetsu, a seasoned city planner at heart, began laying out his vision. A new police station, a hospital branch, a ninja academy annex, apartments for Jonin, traditional barbecue restaurants, bookstores—The clans, unknowingly, were already part of his grand design.

Minato stared at the map, stunned by the scale of the proposed expansion. "Kaigetsu-kun, this is—massive. Can the village afford this? Even just the initial construction costs would deplete our funds."

"The Hokage Tower has several profitable ventures: the new commercial district, the publishing house, the Konoha-Suna trade route, the Green Card program…"

But Konoha also had significant expenses. The hospital, the Ninja Academy, the weapons factory, the orphanage, Otogakure—they were all costly endeavors.

And to keep the lower-ranking Shinobi employed, they had to issue missions, even low-paying ones. A stable economy relies on—consumer confidence. The villagers needed to feel secure to spend their money.

Konoha was profitable, but its expenses were high.

"True—our funds are limited." Minato breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that perhaps Gojo Kaigetsu's ambitious plans would be put on hold. Then…

"Which means—it's time for another one of your money-making schemes?"

Minato's stomach dropped. "Kaigetsu-kun—what do you have in mind?"

Gojo Kaigetsu held up four fingers. "I have four plans! An excellent plan, a good plan, a decent plan, and—a mediocre plan. Which would you like to hear first?"

"…The mediocre one?"

"Overhaul the Land of Fire's banking system."

The various countries did have banking systems. Ryō could be exchanged for banknotes at the Daimyo's capital. But—trust in these institutions was low. People preferred to carry small amounts of cash and store larger sums in sealing scrolls.

"And the decent plan?"

"A lottery, backed by the Hokage Tower."

"A lottery?"

"Think of it as—a public service. Privately run, it's gambling. But with the village's backing, it's—a fundraiser."

Minato understood. Either legalize it or exploit the loopholes.

"The good plan?"

"Village bonds. Development bonds, war bonds—all kinds."

"Meaning…?"

"Legalized fundraising."

"And the excellent plan?"

"A stock market. A futures market. Perhaps start small, build the framework, prepare for the future."

Gojo Kaigetsu, having learned his lesson, quickly added, "Think of it as—legally redistributing wealth. The village gets rich. Some people get a little rich. And some people—get a lot poorer."

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