บท 55: Chapter 55
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"More? How much more?"
"100,000 ryō for C-rank ninjutsu scrolls, 200,000 ryō for B-rank, 1 million ryō for A-rank, and 10 million ryō for S-rank," Shiyu repeated with a smile.
Kusanagi stammered, "But... but at these prices, it's equivalent to the cost of missions of the same level!"
He knew that C-rank missions paid between 30,000 to 100,000 ryō, B-rank missions between 80,000 and 200,000 ryō, and A-rank missions between 150,000 and 1 million ryō. S-rank missions started at over 1 million ryō.
To be fair, 10 million ryō for an S-rank ninjutsu wasn't unreasonable. Asuma Sarutobi's bounty alone was 35 million ryō, but he was the son of the Third Hokage, an elite jōnin, and one of the Fire Daimyō's Twelve Guardian Ninja. His reputation added to his value.
Still, for a small ninja village like Kusagakure, even A-rank scrolls were a significant expense. Kusanagi thought about the Chidori demonstrated earlier, and the very thought of the cost made his heart ache.
His assistant, seeing Kusanagi's dilemma, stepped in with an embarrassed smile. "Patriarch Toki, is there any way to lower the price? You know how difficult things are for us in Kusagakure..."
The assistant's reasoning was simple: hiring a ninja for a mission was cheaper than purchasing a one-time-use ninjutsu scroll. Although war missions started at B-rank, the cost could still be more manageable.
Toki, however, simply smiled. "This is a small business; we don't bargain."
Kusanagi and his assistant exchanged uneasy glances before bowing slightly.
"In that case, we apologize, but we may have to decline. As a small village, we simply cannot afford it..."
The reality was harsh. It was more cost-effective for Kusagakure to train civilians into expendable soldiers rather than invest heavily in high-quality equipment. Human life during wartime was the cheapest commodity.
Toki, unfazed, picked up the gloves and shook his head regretfully.
"What a shame. If that's the case, I'll take my offer to Takigakure instead. I'm sure they'll be more interested in this product."
"Wait, wait!!"
"Yes! We'll buy it!" Kusanagi and his assistant shouted hastily.
The thought of Takigakure gaining access to such a powerful tool sent chills down their spines. The Land of Waterfalls was already wealthier than the Land of Grass. If they equipped their ninjas with these tools, Kusagakure wouldn't stand a chance.
Toki grinned, his expression taking on a devilish quality.
---
When Toki finally left Kusagakure, his pockets were filled with stacks of silver ryō notes.
As it turned out, even small villages weren't necessarily poor. They were often backed by wealthy merchants and nobles whose influence extended beyond national borders.
Toki couldn't help but compare them to figures like Gato from the Land of Waves—tycoons whose wealth enabled them to manipulate entire nations' economies.
The ninja world's political system, where military, political, and financial powers operated independently, often baffled Toki. He vowed that once his clan grew strong enough, he would show these bureaucrats the true meaning of democracy and the power of unity.
Apart from earning a fortune, Toki gained two unexpected rewards.
The first was that his system unlocked a Trading Sector after completing the transaction. Kusagakure now appeared as a business partner in this sector, with every 10,000 ryō in trade turnover converting to 1 point of clan prestige.
This time, Toki had sold his goods for a staggering total of 1 billion ryō, granting him 100,000 prestige points!
For Toki, this was an astronomical figure. Up until now, his clan had barely accumulated 10,000 prestige points over three months.
With his newfound wealth, Toki could now consider upgrading key facilities. For instance, he could raise the Psychic Beast Cultivation Center to Level 3, potentially unlocking terrifying creatures from other worlds.
However, knowing that higher-level beasts required loyalty before being useful, Toki decided against such a reckless investment.
He had already deduced that Level 1 facilities were tied to the ninja world, while Level 2 and beyond delved into otherworldly realms. If he could continue upgrading, the possibilities were endless.
As these thoughts filled his mind, a voice interrupted him:
"Uh... Sir?"
Toki turned, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face as he came back to reality.
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