Chapter 81: Technical Partnership

"Hey! Put that down!" Seiryu, seeing his teammate's lack of composure, sighed. Truth be told, what Kakashi lacked wasn't skill, but vision and ambition.

Up to now, Kakashi still saw himself as just a ninja. Even as he began to shift toward being a politician, his upbringing still made him revere daimyo and tycoons.

Seiryu's main purpose for bringing him here was to shatter that illusion.

As for Gato's fortune—that was just a side benefit.

Kakashi looked back at Seiryu, confused. Gato had just offered them the money—what was Seiryu hesitating for?

"It's not very polite to just take it," Seiryu said.

His words made Gato nervous. He could tell Seiryu was in charge, and if they weren't after money, maybe they wanted revenge.

"If I've offended you somehow, or my men have, please tell me. I'll make it right," Gato stammered.

"Look at you, you've frightened our Mr. Gato," Seiryu said, smiling in a way that made Gato's skin crawl. "Turn on the light, let Mr. Gato get a good look at us."

Kakashi put down the gold, found the switch, and turned on the light. The sudden brightness made Gato squint. He realized—if he saw their faces, he'd be killed.

He shut his eyes tightly and covered them with his hands.

"Don't! I know the rules! If I see your faces, I'm dead!" Gato panicked.

"Open your eyes and look at us," Seiryu said, using a kunai to tidy Gato's disheveled hair.

Feeling the cold metal on his scalp, Gato didn't dare move. "No, no…"

"Just one look. Relax, we mean no harm."

"I understand, please, just say what you want," Gato replied.

"We're here to invite you, on behalf of Konoha's Uchiha and Hatake clans, to invest in the village. Konoha is thriving lately—if you invest, the returns will be huge."

"Uchiha… and Hatake?" Gato slowly opened his eyes, swallowing nervously as he saw the three Sharingan. He knew both clans' reputations—Uchiha needed no introduction, and the Hatake clan, while less famous, had recently had a member honored by the Fire Daimyo.

"So, you just want me to invest in Konoha?" Gato relaxed a little. "That's fine."

With their identities revealed, Gato let down his guard. "What do you want me to invest in?"

"What to invest in?" Seiryu grinned. "Whatever makes money. We trust your business sense, Mr. Gato—otherwise we wouldn't make the effort to come here."

"So, the Uchiha and Hatake want to partner with me in Konoha?" Gato confirmed.

"Of course." Seiryu nodded. "Uchiha and Hatake want a stake in your businesses. What do you think?"

"Very well. How much are you offering?" Gato asked.

"We plan to invest via technology," Seiryu said, twirling a kunai.

"Technology? What kind?" Gato was puzzled.

"Ninja technology," Seiryu replied, driving the kunai into the floor between Gato's legs, making him shiver.

Gato instantly understood—what ninja technology could it be, if not killing?

"We'll split profits 70/30," Seiryu said.

"You want 30%?"

"No, you misunderstood." Seiryu pulled out another kunai and shaved Gato's stubble with it. "Thirty percent is yours."

"The other 70%—Uchiha takes 40%, Hatake 30%."

The cold steel on his neck made Gato freeze. Still, he protested, "But isn't that against the rules?"

"Rules?" Seiryu laughed. "Let our new partner sample our technology—just a basic genjutsu, Kakashi."

"Me?" Kakashi was stunned. You want me, a Hatake, to show off genjutsu in front of an Uchiha?

"Don't just stand there. If I do it, this guy'll end up a vegetable," Seiryu said, annoyed by Kakashi's look. "Who says all Uchiha must master genjutsu?"

Kakashi reluctantly complied. Before Gato could react, he cast a genjutsu.

In seconds, Gato was drenched in sweat, terror on his face.

Kakashi released the illusion. Gato gasped for breath while Seiryu gently helped him recover, then asked, "Well, Mr. Gato, do you think our technique is worth the price?"

"Yes! Of course!" Gato stammered, afraid Kakashi would do it again.

"Then, happy cooperation?" Seiryu asked.

"Happy cooperation," Gato replied instantly.

"Then, lead the way, Mr. Gato. This year's dividends belong to us now. From now on, your safety is in the hands of the Uchiha and Hatake clans—a privilege even the Fire Daimyo doesn't have. You won't lose out, Mr. Gato."