So. The geezer agreed?
Kangetsu was honestly a little surprised.
But after thinking it over, it made perfect sense.
The Hyuga clan was huge. The upper ranks couldn't just leave them to drift forever.
And the Hyuga weren't like the Uchiha.
They were obedient.
When the higher-ups said the clan head's own twin brother had to die, the man actually died.
What more could anyone ask for?
Still, Kangetsu had to put on a show of loyalty.
Over the next few days, he went to the Hokage Office every single day to report in.
Out loud and between the lines, he kept making it clear: Kangetsu followed Hokage-sama's lead, step for step.
It made Hiruzen laugh himself silly.
He was grinning so hard he couldn't even hide his gums.
He loved listening to Kangetsu talk.
It sounded good, and nobody else could say it that cleanly.
So Hiruzen simply waved a hand.
Go do it with confidence.
This old man will always be your backing.
Danzo, on the other hand, had a bit of an opinion.
Not because he was worried about Kangetsu getting close to the Hyuga clan.
He was worried about the Hyuga clan getting close to Kangetsu.
So Danzo hinted at it in private.
Kangetsu…
You're different from them. You have the Will of Fire.
So focus on business. Make money.
And, by the way.
If the Hyuga clan asks you for money, you absolutely cannot give them any.
Danzo understood the situation perfectly.
He'd already lost credibility with multiple interest groups.
After all, he'd wiped them out once.
So if a new interest group got involved…
Then Danzo would definitely be the one shoved forward to "contribute" by giving up a cut.
Give up a cut?
Split money?
Just thinking about it made Danzo's chest hurt.
Everything else could be negotiated, but splitting money was absolutely out of the question.
Root, his clan, and Orochimaru's side of things… ahem.
There were plenty of places money had to go.
He'd finally gotten some breathing room. His belt could loosen a notch.
If he had to hand money out, wouldn't he just end up facing those dead-eyed Root types again?
Facing his own clan's hollow-cheeked crying-poor routine again?
Facing Orochimaru's scalp-crawling collection visits again?
Got it.
The upper ranks were scared of being poor.
Kangetsu understood what they wanted and immediately patted his chest.
The profit distribution for the clothing business had already been settled. There was no way anyone else could be allowed to join.
And besides, wasn't this something Hokage-sama had to decide?
With Kangetsu's guarantee, the old men finally relaxed.
As long as nobody was reaching into their pockets, everything was negotiable.
Poor people who suddenly got rich saw everyone as a potential thief.
They watched Kangetsu especially closely.
Terrified the God of Wealth might get hurt, or worse, that the money-making brain might take a knock.
A shinobi from the Nara clan bowed and invited him along.
He said he wanted to treat him to tea.
These days, who in Ino-Shika-Cho didn't know this man was the reason they could eat?
"Next time. I've got things to handle at the hospital."
"Next time for sure, Kangetsu-sama. I just picked it. Tea grown at home!"
A Yamanaka clan shinobi immediately scolded the Nara clan's bootlicking.
Then he rubbed his hands and leaned in.
"Kangetsu-sama, are you free tonight? My wife's cooking is pretty good. Want to have a drink?"
"Move. Move. You don't even know how to eat properly and you want to invite him? Kangetsu-sama, the Akimichi clan takes food seriously."
"Here's the deal. I'll set up a few tables and invite you properly, yeah?"
"Next time. Next time for sure."
Kangetsu declined the invitations at his leisure, then strolled across the snowy ground at an unhurried pace.
Who drank in the dead of winter?
He was going home to get warmed up under the blankets.
"Ah, ah, ah! Kangetsu-sama, why are you alone?"
At the hospital, the two younger senior staff—Yushi and Kampo—welcomed him with obvious enthusiasm.
Welcome, Kangetsu-sama, to your loyal Konoha Hospital.
Yushi immediately took the gifts Ino-Shika-Cho had sent over.
How could they let Kangetsu-sama carry anything himself?
Kampo, meanwhile, cheerfully led the way.
The other four older men weren't here, not because they lacked loyalty.
They were just buried in work.
Now that salaries were handled properly, those old guys practically wanted to eat and sleep at the hospital.
Because Kangetsu-sama had said it himself.
Do well, and it's triple pay.
And year-end benefits and bonuses too.
"Give it out to them. Split it up."
Kangetsu didn't care about these gifts. Besides, they weren't exactly sending anything rare.
"Yes!"
Kampo moved at once, grinning as he hugged the pile of gifts and ran them to the different departments.
Everyone. Kangetsu-sama is handing out perks again.
Yushi stayed behind, waiting for Kangetsu's next instruction.
He clicked his tongue quietly.
He wasn't like Kampo, that straight-ahead blockhead.
Doing things for a leader was one thing.
Keeping step with a leader was another.
Everyone knew Konoha Hospital had turned things around.
Even walking outside, they carried themselves differently.
They had money now.
As for the staff's excitement, Kangetsu didn't interfere.
Let them be happy. That was fine.
As long as it didn't affect work.
In his office, Hinata-chan came to play again.
Yushi tactfully withdrew, leaving the director alone to entertain the little guest.
Kangetsu scooped Hinata-chan onto his lap.
By now, she was a bit more used to being close to him.
She obediently lifted her little feet, because she knew he liked to poke at them and tease her.
Her white stockings made her small legs look even paler, like fresh snow.
Huh.
Looks like the clothing business had already spread through Konoha.
Even Hinata-chan had white stockings now.
And he remembered those weren't cheap…
Which meant the Hyuga clan probably still had some reserves.
Or—
They were spending money they didn't have just to keep up appearances.
Kangetsu rubbed his chin, leaning toward the second explanation.
Hinata-chan blinked her big, adorable eyes.
With him lightly scratching under her chin, she got ticklish, her cheeks turning bright red as she looked away.
As the legitimate daughter of a major clan, she knew certain things.
"B-Big brother… I can knead your shoulders…"
She was craving snacks.
But she couldn't just keep eating and drinking for free. Her upbringing wouldn't let her.
So she decided she'd do something for him.
Hinata-chan had never learned massages.
But Hyuga taijutsu control was so precise she could figure it out on instinct.
What a good kid…
Kangetsu thought the way she seriously kneaded his shoulders was genuinely sweet.
No wonder Hinata-chan became so beloved later on.
There was a reason.
"Hinata-chan, you know how people say if you eat something sweet, your words get sweeter too?"
"E-Eh? I… I don't know. Is that true?"
"I'm not sure either. Want to test it?"
"H-How do we test it, big brother?"
Hinata-chan looked completely lost, her small hands still carefully working his shoulders.
Kangetsu smiled.
"Easy. You tell me one nice thing you're thinking right now."