Chapter 82: Moonlit Confessions
With Cardo in tow, Uchiha Douguang and Kakashi made their way to the tycoon's vault. This time, Douguang had come prepared with plenty of empty sealing scrolls. Even with an extra person to split the profits with, Cardo's wealth—accumulated by dominating the entire economy of a nation—was vastly greater than the small-time noble Douguang had shaken down in Tanzaku Town.
True to his word, Douguang only took 70% of the vault's contents—about 6 billion ryō—and split it in a 4:3 ratio. Kakashi received a portion worth nearly 3 billion.
Kakashi stared blankly at the sealing scroll in his hands. Three billion... That was likely more than his entire Hatake lineage had earned since their founding. There was so much inside that even extracting it would cost him two to three chakra cycles just to access it all.
Now he understood why Douguang had been so generous back in Konoha. Judging by his practiced ease, this clearly wasn't his first time doing something like this. He must have pulled the same stunt during his "mission" in Tanzaku Town.
No wonder Douguang had said the funds taken from the Shimura, Mitokado, and Koharu clans were "small money."
Even as Douguang planted a seal on Cardo and they left the estate, Kakashi was still staring at him with wide, almost disbelieving eyes.
"What?" Douguang asked, unnerved by Kakashi's intense gaze. "Don't look at me like that."
Then he added, "And remember—that money isn't all for you. Keep 10% for yourself. Distribute 30% to your mid-level officers, and the remaining 60% to their subordinates. Be sure to do it properly."
"Like what you did with the police dog program for the Inuzuka clan and sponsoring secret technique research for the Aburame?" Kakashi quickly caught on.
"Exactly. You're starting to understand politics." Douguang grinned, and the two of them shared a smile as they headed for their reserved hotel.
Douguang's maneuver that night had undoubtedly opened a whole new world for Kakashi. But once the initial shock and excitement wore off, reality set in.
Douguang had led him into a scheme that, if exposed, would make them enemies of the entire ninja world. What they did had shattered the unspoken rules held at the core of every shinobi's beliefs—and he had become an accomplice without even realizing it.
Kakashi's hand trembled slightly as he touched the scroll containing his portion of the loot. He swallowed hard and called out, "Hey, Douguang."
"Yeah?" Douguang turned back with a smile.
"Do you… know what you're doing?" Kakashi asked, voice low and uncertain.
"Of course I do," Douguang replied without missing a beat. "Why? Are you scared? If you are, give me the scroll. I'll pretend you were never here."
Kakashi was silent for a long time.
"Until today, I thought you just wanted to be Hokage," he said finally. "But after tonight… Douguang, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Douguang's expression turned serious.
"You really want to know?" he asked. "Then remember: once you hear it, there's no going back."
Under the cold moonlight, Douguang's face lost its usual warmth. The shadows cast by his still frame made him look more like a phantom than a man.
Kakashi hesitated. But then he remembered: this was the man who cleared his father's name, who had supported him through the storm, who made it possible for him to raise Naruto openly.
So Kakashi shook his head and replied, "I was already your accomplice. There's no turning back now. So tell me—what are you really trying to do?"
Douguang's smile returned, but now it was tinged with something colder.
"What am I trying to do?" he repeated. "I want to fix this broken world."
Kakashi's eyes widened.
Before he could respond, Douguang asked:
"Everyone loves to preach about peace—about how mutual understanding can end all wars. But Kakashi, have you ever really thought about what war is?"
Kakashi shook his head. He'd heard Minato and Jiraiya talk about it, claiming that peace would come through understanding. But neither of them had ever found a way to achieve that dream. Jiraiya had clung to the prophecy from the Great Toad Sage, believing a child of destiny would one day change the world.
"We both lost people in the Third War," Douguang continued. "And for what? Nothing changed. The daimyō and nobles are still sitting around their card tables, waiting to restock their chips. To them, our bonds, our pain, and our lives are just numbers on a ledger."
"War is just the continuation of politics. Shinobi think their battles bring peace—but really, they're just pawns moved by the ones who never bleed. We, the ones who hold true power, are shackled by some ridiculous rules and forced to accept being tools—never players."
Douguang looked up at the moon, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning slowly in his eyes.
"This world is sick," he said softly. "And I intend to cure it."
"For the children who deserve to grow up safely… for the heroes who shouldn't be slandered… for the passionate youth who shouldn't die nameless—I'll bear whatever sins I must."
Kakashi stood frozen. The magnitude of Douguang's ambition overwhelmed him.
He opened his mouth, closed it again, then finally gathered his composure. His expression turned solemn.
"If that's what you're fighting for…" he said, "then I'll walk this path with you."
Douguang said nothing—he merely extended his hand.
Without hesitation, Kakashi took it and shook firmly.
Under the moonlight, the two men sealed a bond not just of partnership, but of shared revolution.
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