Chapter 268. The News is Out
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Meanwhile.
This was Kumogakure.
At this very moment—
All the high-ranking officials of the village were gathered for an important meeting.
"Yuto Group has agreed." The Fourth Raikage, Ay, sat with his arms crossed before his chin, his face serious. "However, they require the same management and planning rights. Of course, they have agreed that Kumogakure will remain the main authority in the partnership, and the two sides will cooperate. At the same time, they will also be providing sponsorship."
At those words—
The Kumogakure officials, who had initially been displeased at the idea of Yuto Group interfering, suddenly relaxed considerably.
"That demand isn't unreasonable."
"Indeed! Even without us, Yuto Group could have organized the event on their own."
"And right now… if we truly want to host a racing tournament, we can't do it without them."
"Yo, yo, check it out…"
After all, when it came to cars, no one was more experienced than Yuto Group. They were the pioneers of the automobile industry. Not to mention, they had the most advanced and well-equipped maintenance teams—something Kumogakure desperately lacked.
Though both Kumogakure and Sunagakure had recognized the potential of the automobile industry and had started their own developments, they still lagged significantly behind in car maintenance… especially when it came to specialized tools.
Only Yuto Group had those!
And this tournament…
It wasn't just about promoting their new movie.
Their real goal was to make this a major event—something truly unique, something that would showcase the Land of Lightning and Kumogakure. Just like how Konoha had hosted the Mahjong God Cup, attracting countless dreamers from all over.
"If that's the case, I understand." The Fourth Raikage's furrowed brows eased slightly. He nodded. "I'll have someone call Yuto Group later and finalize our partnership."
After a brief pause, he shifted his gaze to one of the Kumogakure ninja.
"Now… about the other matter."
His sharp eyes swept across the room.
"Something major has happened in the Land of Earth." The speaker was a stunning female ninja with sharp, cold features, fair skin, short blonde hair, and a curvaceous figure. She spoke calmly. "Although Iwagakure has tried to cover it up, the impact was too great—it was impossible to completely suppress."
She hesitated briefly before continuing. "The Land of Earth has been thrown into chaos over the past few months. Though Iwagakure eventually forced things back under control, the situation was quite serious."
At those words—
The Kumogakure officials sitting at the table exchanged curious glances.
Something that even Iwagakure couldn't suppress?
You know, the village had been ruled by a bunch of stubborn old men for years. Even Kumogakure had initially resisted modern advancements like the internet, but over time, they gradually accepted it.
And honestly, ever since they connected to the internet, Kumogakure's economic opportunities had skyrocketed. Revenues had increased. Resources for training ninjas had expanded as well. Moreover, communication with other villages had become far more convenient.
It had changed everything.
Yet… Iwagakure still refused to modernize. They remained isolated, refusing to connect to the internet.
It could be said that the Land of Lightning and Kumogakure had changed significantly in recent years, but Iwagakure was still the same—stuck in the past.
So…
What exactly happened to those ultra-conservative old geezers who preferred playing it safe and were always afraid of new things?
Judging from the tone of the report, it seemed serious.
Could it be that some country had declared war on the Land of Earth?
"According to our investigation…" Samui flipped through her notes and spoke. "A few years ago, a group of businessmen began operating within the Land of Earth. They claimed to be part of a financial investment firm—gradually gaining control over a huge portion of the country's wealth. And then…" She paused. "They disappeared! Their movements were incredibly well-planned, and their intelligence network was exceptional. By the time Iwagakure realized what was happening, they were already gone."
At those words—
The room fell into complete silence.
Everyone stared at each other.
This story…
It sounded oddly familiar!
Hesitating for a moment, someone muttered, "Pyramid… scheme?"
"Indeed, it's very similar to the old pyramid scheme tactics." Samui nodded thoughtfully before continuing in a calm tone. "I suspect… it's the same group from back then. Just as mysterious as before. Even now, the Iwa ninjas haven't been able to track them down."
"This Iwagakure… It serves them right!" The other Kumogakure ninjas began to sneer. "Remember how Yuto Group kept warning people about these scams? If Iwagakure had connected to the internet, maybe things wouldn't have turned out this bad."
"Exactly! They brought this upon themselves! Those old geezers were way too arrogant."
"Times have changed! I bet they don't even know how to use a smartphone!"
"No wonder no one could find that group—they ran off to the Land of Earth!"
The entire meeting room was filled with mockery toward Iwagakure.
However, Samui didn't join in. She remained calm, looking directly at the Raikage before continuing. "I believe Kumogakure also needs to be cautious. After all, there are still many remote areas within the Land of Lightning. If that group is hiding here and we fail to detect them, Kumogakure might end up being the next laughingstock—just like Iwagakure."
"In that case, expand our anti-fraud awareness campaigns throughout the Land of Lightning." The Raikage nodded. Pyramid schemes were indeed dangerous—precautions were necessary.
After thinking for a moment, he continued, "Our main focus will be the Chunin Exams in Konoha, the Land of Lightning's racing tournament, and anti-fraud awareness. Especially the racing tournament—we must make it grand, make it enticing, and showcase the style of Kumogakure."
"Yo, yo! An exhilarating racing tournament and a terrifying fraud scheme—these coming days are gonna be thrilling! Yeah! But, Bro, you gotta let me perform! I guarantee it'll be a spectacle! Yeah!"
"…"
The Raikage fell silent for a moment, seemingly ignoring Bee, before looking back at the other Kumogakure ninjas.
"If there's nothing else—"
Before he could finish—
Samui spoke up again. "There's one more thing. It's also related to Yuto Group."
"???"
Everyone turned toward her.
"What is it?"
"The Yuto Mall that Yuto Group has been promoting will be online in a few days. They want to know if Kumogakure is interested in participating."
…
"It's somewhat similar to an escort mission, just on a much larger scale and involving more than just one person's cargo."
In a way, ninjas were already… couriers.
After all, most missions involved escorting something or someone. The world-saving, S-rank, and SSS-rank missions were far less common. Perhaps that's why many ninjas adapted so quickly to food delivery work.
At its core, it was just another escort mission. The only difference? The distances were much shorter.
Yuto looked at Minato and smiled. "Amegakure and Kirigakure have already started. Konoha can also set up its own express delivery division."
In this era—
There was no better profession for delivering packages than a ninja!
Safe and reliable!
Once a ninja accepted a mission, they dedicated themselves fully—even at the cost of their own lives.
"I see." Minato fell into brief contemplation before smiling at Yuto. "I'll hold a meeting later to discuss it. There shouldn't be any major issues. I still trust Yuto, but…"
He paused, then sighed with a helpless smile.
"There's been a lot going on lately. The Chunin Exams need organizing, and with the recent pyramid scheme incident in the Land of Earth—where half the country's funds were scammed away—the Daimyo has requested that Konoha send ninjas to investigate. They want to check if that group has infiltrated the Land of Fire. So, we're a bit short on manpower."
At those words—
Yuto's expression froze.
He hesitated before asking, "…Pyramid scheme?"
"That's right."
Minato smiled. "Some believe this is the same pyramid scheme group that vanished years ago—except this time, they operated in the Land of Earth. Later, I'll need Yuto Group to help spread awareness online."
"…O-Okay!"
Danzo.
…Could he have gone to the Land of Earth to make a fortune?!
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