Chapter 176: Kanda Kyoichi, a Frightening Man!

"Hokage-sama? If you needed something, you could’ve just sent someone to call me. You actually came in person..." Kyoichi had just returned home to “conduct research”, only to find Hiruzen Sarutobi showing up at his door. That was unexpected. Shouldn’t he be busy receiving A? “Heh, you ran off the moment you got back, afraid the Raikage would rope you into a duel? And you had the nerve to leave this whole mess to an old man who's nearly retired?” The Third Hokage was speechless. You come all that way, only to retreat and hole up at home again? This wasn’t “research”—it was clearly slacking off to avoid dealing with the situation. Kyoichi chuckled sheepishly and flattered him, saying, “Doesn’t this just go to show how capable you are?” “Save that talk for someone else. I’m far past the age where flattery means anything to me. Whatever, I won’t pry into the rest—both you and Tsunade clearly have your own plans.” The Third pulled out his kiseru pipe, ready to light it—but then he glanced around, remembering this was Kyoichi’s house… and there were children living here. Silently, he set it down. “How’s the preparation for the Chūnin Exams going? Kumogakure was the last to arrive, and they’ve already settled in. Are you ready for the start and end dates? The venue arrangements, the flow of the event—are all those finalized?” He hadn’t wanted to get involved in this. But… Searᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kyoichi had been so quiet lately that even the semi-retired Hokage couldn’t sit still. “You don’t need to worry. I’ve already arranged every detail of the Chūnin Exams. Here’s the proposal—if you’re unsure, feel free to take a look.” Kyoichi pulled a stack of documents from the study cabinet. He’d practically taken over ANBU operations by now, while most of the Hokage’s duties had been passed to Tsunade. As a result, many day-to-day affairs never even crossed Hiruzen’s desk. Sarutobi accepted the proposal. He noticed right away that Kyoichi’s study housed quite a few scrolls—some were from the Second Hokage’s era, but many had clearly been added recently. So… Kyoichi really hadn’t been slacking at home. He opened the proposal and began reading carefully from the beginning. After a while… Hiruzen’s expression turned a mix of surprise and confusion. “If you have any questions, Hokage-sama, feel free to ask. Everything’s still open to discussion at this point.” “Not exactly questions, but… what’s this ‘Observation Hall’ about?” He was genuinely puzzled. What was the point of building an Observation Hall? It’s not like the daimyō would be attending this time. An Observation Hall... for whom? “Well, as the name suggests, it’s for observing the matches. When the time comes—” “No.” The Third Hokage cut him off sharply, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. He even interrupted Kyoichi before the boy could finish explaining. Because… He knew exactly what Kyoichi was about to say. Last time had been a complete disaster— Using the Telescope Technique in front of so many shinobi had felt like he was being roasted alive. The moment everyone saw the surveillance screen, their first thought was, “That’s the old man peeping again.” Just remembering it made him want to crawl under a rock. Never again. No way. Not in this lifetime. “Ahem, Hokage-sama, I think you’ve misunderstood. This time it’s different—I’ll be performing the Telescope Technique with you, behind the scenes. No one will know it's you. You’ll be anonymous.” Kyoichi tried to explain. But Hiruzen shot him a cold, side-eyed glance. What difference does it make? After what happened last time, everyone in Konoha already knew the technique belonged to Hiruzen Sarutobi. The moment a picture appeared, they’d assume he was behind it. Even if Kyoichi cast it too, people would still think it was Hiruzen pulling the strings. That feeling… No. Absolutely not. Just imagining it made him feel like he was back on the execution block. “Hokage-sama, this jutsu is incredibly useful. And it’s not like you’re using it for anything shady—why hide it? A jutsu is meant to be used.” Kyoichi pressed on. Hiruzen had no response. He wasn’t sure if Kyoichi was aware of the backstory, but... He certainly wasn’t going to say it out loud himself. “Forget it. Let’s leave that aside for now. You still haven’t explained who the Observation Hall is actually for. We ninja can just watch from the sidelines—why even build one?” “It’s for those who need it—like well-off ninja without clearance, thrill-seeking nobles from the capital… those types. They’re willing to pay a premium.” “Nonsense! Are you turning the Chūnin Exams into a money-making scheme? This is a global shinobi event!” The Third was both stunned and disapproving. It wasn’t that profit was inherently bad—but using the international Chūnin Exams to squeeze money out of spectators? That would sit poorly with the other villages. After all… There could be classified intel involved. “There’s nothing wrong with it. Front-row seats go to the teams accompanying the participants. And if the other villages host next time, they can do the same. This is a universal model—it’s just a matter of whether they can pull it off.” Kyoichi didn’t see any issue with it. Besides… Sure, ninja could observe parts of the field—but who else could see the entire arena as clearly as with the Telescope Technique? No one. Only the Observation Hall could provide that. The Third fell into silent conflict. He knew this was a lucrative opportunity—but it definitely crossed some lines. If it left a bad taste with other villages, hosting future Chūnin Exams would be much harder. “Hokage-sama, right now Konoha is the strongest. Most of these villages are here because they want to see what our next generation is capable of.” Kyoichi sighed and continued persuading him. “We’re not begging them. They’re the ones who need us.” He could hardly stand the old man’s mindset. The Chūnin Exams weren’t even officially sanctioned by the whole shinobi world—they started as a private event and only grew from there. Rules are made by the strong. What seems controversial now might become standard in the future—no big deal at all. Kyoichi didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. In fact… The other villages wouldn’t refuse. Sure, they might lose some intel. But they’d also gain valuable information. That’s the whole reason they came in the first place. Why wouldn’t they want that? The Third’s hesitation, in Kyoichi’s eyes, was pointless. Sarutobi let out a long sigh. He still couldn’t fully understand this kid—but time and again, Kyoichi’s plans proved effective. After some thought, he said, “Since it’s already in motion, it’s too late to take it back. Just remember—my Telescope Technique isn’t omnipotent…” “Don’t worry. I’ve already stationed ANBU at key locations around the arena—hidden spots with good lines of sight. We’ll be able to cycle between them and cover most of the battlefield. And I won’t just focus on Konoha.” “Fine. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.” The Third’s tone grew heavy. Not just because of the risks involved… But because he was about to get publicly roasted again. Sigh… Why did I even invent that jutsu? No—how did this brat even find out about it? It has to be Jiraiya. Only that loudmouth would go bragging about stuff like that. Sarutobi fumed silently. Good thing Jiraiya was off somewhere far away, or he’d have hauled him in for a beating today. Big-mouthed bastard… And as for the Observation Hall—there was still something Kyoichi hadn’t mentioned. He’d also invited several merchant caravans. Of course… These merchants had no clearance to enter the main venue. But they could set up shop nearby. In fact, the areas around the foreign ninja accommodations were already bustling with vendors. Shouting was banned. But stalls were allowed to be set up properly, and many Konoha businesses had sent people to those areas. The Third had noticed this. He’d assumed it was just locals doing their own thing—but in reality, it was all Kyoichi’s orchestration. Naturally, the stall fees were minimal. Most of the money went to support the ninja teams tasked with keeping peace and order among the visiting villages. Kyoichi himself made no profit. He didn’t need to. The tens of millions he earned during the war weren’t enough to live lavishly forever—but they guaranteed a comfortable life as a shinobi for years to come. To the visiting ninja, having shops pop up near their lodgings was a novelty—convenient, even. The whole thing was surprisingly well-received. However… Homura Mitokado was not impressed. When he saw the setup, only one thought came to mind— You can do business like this? This was the Chūnin Exams—and the place was crawling with foreign ninja! Normally, villages would be on high alert, limiting contact and watching every outsider like a hawk. But Konoha? Konoha rounded them up and put them all in one place. And then… Surrounded them with merchants. The perfect solution: security, surveillance, and a cash stream all at once. There were so many ninja here—maybe not everyone would buy something, but even if one in a few did, it still meant Konoha was raking in revenue. Homura sighed with admiration. Other villages had always lost money hosting the Chūnin Exams. Konoha, with its massive delegation from every corner of the shinobi world, should’ve been bleeding expenses. And yet… Now? Homura was certain Konoha wouldn’t lose a cent. They were too good at making money. No wonder they were so wealthy. “Homura-sama, what are you thinking?” “I’m just marveling… Kanda Kyoichi is a terrifying person. He always finds new ways to turn a loss into profit. No wonder he crushed three enemy forces singlehandedly during the war.” A small detail can reveal the whole picture. It might’ve seemed trivial—but to Homura, Kanda Kyoichi had just proven his brilliance once again. “Turn a loss into profit? But those merchants are outsiders, right? Not Konoha personnel,” said Yakura in confusion. "Same idea," Ebizō said. "Kanda Kyoichi once mentioned a concept called the ‘Shinobi Village Alliance.’ Right now, he’s just shrinking that ring to the village level. Think about it—after these merchants make their profits, where does the money go? Round and round, it still ends up in Konoha’s hands." Yakura frowned, not quite grasping it. Ebizō chuckled and said, "Don’t blame yourself. I only started to get it after reading a lot of books and thinking on it for quite a while. It’s normal you don’t understand it right away." Commerce… After witnessing Kyoichi's clever tactics, Ebizō was more determined than ever to start seriously studying business once he returned. At the very least, he needed to help Sunagakure establish a trade caravan of its own—only by becoming wealthier could the village solve many of its long-standing issues. That evening, while Kyoichi was eating dinner, a chime suddenly sounded. He froze for a second. At first, he thought it might be something to do with Shisui again. But after he finished eating and summoned the system— [You have completed the "Economics" tutorial] [Evaluation: Excellent] [Reward: Wind Release – Blade of Wind] That jutsu... Ebizō, that old fox— He really is sharp as a tack!