Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?

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When push came to shove, when their own ninja way and personal interests were on the line, the Will of Fire… proved less than universally effective.

Those receptive to the Will of Fire were approached with appeals to the Will of Fire. Those resistant required the application of the Hokage Tower's rules and regulations.

This night in Konoha was destined to be… turbulent.

Knock, knock, knock—

Like the Grim Reaper's summons, the sound reverberated through the various clan compounds within Konoha.

Hatake Kakashi arrived at the Nara clan compound and, following his instructions, knocked on Nara Tegaki's door.

The door opened, revealing a man rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Upon seeing the Anbu mask, his drowsiness evaporated…

His mind wasn't flooded with thoughts of loyalty to the Will of Fire, or aspirations to become Konoha's weightlifting champion. Instead, he was consumed by profound self-reflection, racking his brain for any act of betrayal against the village or disloyalty to Advisor Gojo.

The moment seemed to stretch into an eternity, yet also passed in a blink. Only when his back was drenched in cold sweat did Kakashi finally present the conscription letter.

"What is… this?"

"You are Nara Tegaki, correct? This is a confidential communication from the Hokage Tower. Read it after I depart. Maintain absolute silence; disclose its contents to no one! Whatever the letter instructs, comply! This is a joint directive from the Hokage Tower and your clan leader!"

"Ah?" The Nara ninja inside the room seemed to exhale a sigh of relief, a relieved smile spreading across his face, his voice even gaining a noticeably brighter tone. He gestured to the door across the way, "Anbu-sama, you've mistaken the residence. Nara Tegaki lives opposite me. My name is Nara Teaka."

"...."

——

The Land of Fire, Daimyo's Palace.

The envoys of the Four Great Nations' Daimyos had finally arrived, with considerable pomp, at the Fire Daimyo's capital.

They were accommodated in a lavishly appointed hotel.

Finally, the time for the audience arrived, but the one who summoned them was not, as they had anticipated, the Fire Daimyo – but a ninja with a black blindfold concealing his eyes, wearing a standard ninja headband…

The envoy from the Land of Lightning was incensed, slamming his fist on the table and shouting, "I represent the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, a figure of utmost nobility! The Fire Daimyo does not deign to greet me personally—but dispatches a mere ninja to parley?"

"Hmph! With such blatant disrespect, these negotiations are pointless!"

With that, the Land of Lightning envoy rose abruptly, intending to leave.

Gojo Kaigetsu, seated calmly at the head of the negotiating table, produced two tokens from his pocket.

One bore the Hokage insignia, the other the Daimyo's. He spoke slowly, "Allow me a brief introduction. My name is Gojo Kaigetsu. Are you certain you wish to disrespect me and storm out of this room?"

This man… is Konoha's Gojo Kaigetsu?

The Lightning envoy froze, as if struck by a paralysis jutsu.

The envoys from the other three major nations also frowned, their expressions darkening.

As trusted confidants of their respective Daimyos, they regularly reviewed development reports submitted by the hidden villages under their jurisdiction. Among those reports—the name Gojo Kaigetsu featured prominently.

The reputation of a man is like the shadow of a tree.

Dispatching such a renowned ninja to negotiate was, in fact, no slight at all.

The Land of Lightning envoy gave a curt snort and resumed his seat. "The Land of Fire bestows its token upon a ninja, truly debasing its own status… But since you have been entrusted to negotiate, let us proceed."

"The matter of the 'Fire Games'."

Making money was no cause for shame. The repeatedly provoked Gojo Kaigetsu remained composed. He produced the meticulously prepared proposal and placed it on the table.

"The essence of the Fire Games is a celebration of peace, fostering cultural and commercial exchange. It will feature the Joint Chūnin Exams as its centerpiece, supplemented by competitions between ordinary citizens of various nations to broaden its appeal…"

The Land of Lightning envoy impatiently flipped through a few pages and tapped the table. "Get to the point. How do we profit?"

Gojo Kaigetsu, rather than directly addressing the financial aspect, elaborated:

"These Fire Games will be held not in Konoha, but in the Land of Sound, at Otogakure. I have already commissioned the construction of a colossal venue in Otogakure capable of accommodating 100,000 spectators simultaneously…"

"Furthermore, with the policy support of our Konoha, Otogakure has become, arguably, the seventh-largest city in the ninja world, surpassed only by Konoha and the capitals of the Five Great Nations! In terms of ninja village population alone, it ranks second only to Konoha!"

"With such a substantial permanent population, coupled with the novelty of this [First Joint Chūnin Exam of the Ninja World], consider the sheer scale of the potential influx!"

"Regardless of your business venture, how could you not turn a profit?"

Otogakure was situated a relatively short distance from Konoha.

Ordinary citizens could travel there by carriage in just over half a day. For ninjas employing standard running techniques, the travel time would be significantly reduced.

Otogakure, in Gojo Kaigetsu's vision, was a novel type of ninja village complex, integrating commerce, scientific research, military capabilities, and ninja academies.

It siphoned wealth from the Lands of Lightning and Water, and a surrounding ring of smaller nations, serving as Konoha's open gateway to the outside world, continuously providing a healthy stream of tax revenue for Konoha.

Konoha proper maintained strict regulations on commercial activities. For instance, the dissemination of pornography, deemed harmful to Konoha's youth, was prohibited, as was the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to minors.

Population movement was also tightly controlled.

Without Gojo Kaigetsu's policies, such as the assimilation of talented individuals like the Uzumaki clan and the people of Rōran, and large-scale immigration initiatives, obtaining a Konoha residency permit was no easy feat. Either exceptional talent or substantial wealth was required…

But Otogakure's structure was fundamentally different, characterized by a lack of restrictions. Pornography was permitted, potentially corrupting the youth of the ninja world. Minors could freely purchase cigarettes and alcohol.

There was also considerable leniency towards population movement; newcomers were welcomed. As long as they weren't listed on the Hokage Tower's wanted list, they could become residents of Otogakure.

This massive influx of people presented both opportunities and challenges for Otogakure.

Due to its open nature, the newly established Otogakure was in a state of untamed growth, with wealth to be made in abundance.

However, this same openness attracted spies from other villages, rogue ninjas, and remnants of the underground ninja world…

To maintain order and security in Otogakure, the Oto Tower issued a substantial number of missions.

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