"Anything else you need?" Konan asked as she set Shinho down, watching him fix his hair. She couldn't help but think to herself that this kid was a bit vain.
"No, thank you," Shinho replied, shaking his head.
"Then please return the client verification," Konan said, extending her hand.
Shinho pulled out a card and handed it to her. The "client verification" was a token provided by the black market, confirming the completion of the mission. Konan could exchange it for the payment. This way, Shinho wouldn't have to waste time going to the black market himself.
"If you ever need something like this again, feel free to contact me," Konan said flatly. "You know my codename—White Tiger."
Akatsuki members never revealed their real names. Naturally, the same applied to Shinho. Up until now, Konan had no idea what his true identity was.
"Got it, White Tiger sister," Shinho replied with a nod.
As he spoke, he adjusted his sunglasses. The nickname felt a bit strange, but Konan didn't seem to care. With a powerful leap, her white wings unfurled, and she ascended into the sky like an angel. A gust of wind blew, lifting her Akatsuki cloak, revealing the tight black leggings underneath, almost like black stockings.
Turning his gaze away from Konan, Shinho looked back at Karin and her mother.
Their red hair was a little messy from the high-speed flight.
"Are you both okay?" Shinho asked.
"We're fine," the woman responded, shaking her head.
Karin clung tightly to her mother's leg, staring intently at Shinho. He met her gaze, and for a moment, they simply looked at each other. She blinked but didn't avert her eyes.
"Here, this is for you," Shinho said as he pulled a lollipop from his pouch and handed it to her.
"Thank you," Karin said, examining the lollipop curiously, unsure of what it was.
Seeing her confusion, Shinho unwrapped it and gently guided her hand, bringing the candy to her lips. The sweet aroma wafted over her taste buds as soon as she took a bite.
Karin's eyes lit up as the sugary sweetness filled her mouth.
So sweet!
Shinho smiled softly.
Watching this scene unfold, Karin's mother felt something she hadn't in a long time—a sense of relief, like she was finally leaving the nightmare behind and returning to the world of the living.
"My name is Shinho," he said, noticing how pale she looked. An idea came to him. She might be the perfect candidate to test his Nine-Leaf Life Herb.
"I'm Chisori," the woman introduced herself, gently stroking Karin's hair. "And this is my daughter, Karin."
No mention of the Uzumaki clan. It seemed they had learned to avoid revealing their heritage after years of suffering.
Shinho took out a single leaf from the Nine-Leaf Life Herb and handed it to Chisori. "Eat this."
Chisori hesitated for a moment. Shinho had saved them, but surely he had some ulterior motive. Did he know about their Uzumaki lineage? It was hard to think of any other reason.
If Shinho were an adult, she might have suspected he was after her. But he was just a child. There was no way he could be interested in her daughter, Karin, right?
That seemed impossible. As far as she knew, only Kusagakure's shinobi were aware of her daughter's existence. Karin had never left the room since the day she was born.
However, Shinho's actions had earned her trust, at least temporarily. Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, Chisori swallowed the leaf.
Her eyes widened in shock.
A warm current flowed down her throat and spread rapidly throughout her body. Where she had once felt utterly drained and weak, her body now felt revitalized, as if a parched field had finally received the rain it so desperately needed.
How could a simple leaf have such a miraculous effect?
Shinho's image in her mind grew even more mysterious—young, wealthy, and undeniably powerful.
"How does it compare to the healing jutsu I used earlier?" Shinho asked, observing her reaction.
Chisori thought for a moment. "About a quarter of its effect."
Shinho nodded thoughtfully. A quarter might seem insignificant at first glance, but it was actually quite remarkable. After all, the Mystical Palm technique was high-level medical ninjutsu that only skilled Chunin, or gifted ones like Sakura Haruno, could master.
A medicinal herb that could achieve a quarter of that effect was bound to fetch an astronomical price.
"Lord Shinho," Chisori asked after a moment of hesitation, "why did you save us?"
"Sealing techniques," Shinho answered frankly.
He had no reason to hide his intentions. He was in complete control of the situation and had no need to worry about Chisori and Karin fleeing. Besides, there was no point in lying.
"Sealing techniques?" Chisori's body trembled slightly.
As she had suspected, he knew they were from the Uzumaki clan.
"Apologies," she said sincerely, "but we were never taught any sealing techniques."
Though the Uzumaki clan was renowned for their mastery of sealing jutsu, not every member was privileged enough to learn them.
Shinho nodded. He had expected as much.
If they had truly been proficient in sealing techniques, they wouldn't have ended up as mere chakra batteries, used by Kusagakure like disposable tools. After all, these were the same techniques capable of subduing even the Nine-Tails. If they had known how to wield them, escaping from Kusagakure would've been easy.
Chisori hesitated. "So, what now?"
"I'll teach you," Shinho said with a smile. "Once you've learned, you'll help me when I need it."
"Really?" Chisori's initial shock gave way to a sense of cautious excitement.
As long as they wouldn't be subjected to the same torment they endured in Kusagakure, she could accept this deal. Learning the Uzumaki clan's powerful sealing techniques would be a rare and valuable opportunity.
"Why would I lie to you?" Shinho asked rhetorically.
This was how the Uzumaki clan should be utilized. Kusagakure had been draining their chakra like bloodsuckers, not realizing they were destroying the source of their power.
Chisori fell silent, realizing the truth in his words.
With Shinho's wealth and influence, if he had wanted them dead, it would have been a simple matter.
This was the harsh reality of the world.
"Follow me," Shinho said after checking the time. It was nearly noon, and if he didn't hurry back, Tsunade and Shizune might think he had gone missing. If that happened, they could easily cause a major scene in the Land of Fire.
There was a long-standing discussion in his previous life about whether Tsunade's status as a "princess" had something to do with her connection to the daimyo. After all, she was the only kunoichi among the Five Great Villages to hold such a title.
Regardless of the truth behind that, there was no denying that Tsunade held immense influence in the Land of Fire. Even the daimyo referred to her as "Princess."
After a few twists and turns, Shinho finally arrived at a company called Aburame Pest Control.
This world did have companies—or "kaisha," as some called them. For example, Gato , the villain from Team 7's first mission, had a shipping company.
"Uncle Kyohei," Shinho called out as soon as he spotted Aburame Kyohei.
It wasn't hard to identify him. After all, the Aburame clan had a signature look—sunglasses and a long coat.
"Shinho?" Kyohei took off his sunglasses and smiled brightly. "Long time no see! Come here, give your uncle a hug!"
"..."
Shinho instinctively stepped back.
"Haha, all grown up, huh?" Kyohei said nostalgically. "I remember when you were just born. I even held you back then."
Shinho couldn't help but feel a twitch at the corner of his mouth. How cliché.
Shinho didn't quite remember much about this uncle. Kyohei spent most of his time away, only returning home during the New Year.
"Uncle Kyohei, did my dad contact you?" Shinho asked, steering the conversation back to business.
"He did," Kyohei replied, his curiosity piqued as he sized Shinho up. "Your dad said to follow your orders."
How could this little guy have gained such authority in just a year?
"There are two things," Shinho said, dropping the formalities since his father had already made the situation clear.
Kyohei assumed a posture of attentiveness. He owed everything to the Aburame clan, including his business success. Having the clan's name on his business shielded him from countless troubles. Now, facing a potential future clan leader, he had no room for carelessness.
"First, disguise these two as merchants and bring them safely to Konoha. Make sure to dye their hair black," Shinho instructed, pointing to Chisori and Karin.
"No problem," Kyohei agreed without hesitation, giving the two a glance before accepting the task. He didn't ask why or who they were.
"Second, I need you to sell these life-restoring leaves to nobles or wealthy merchants," Shinho said, handing him a bundle of fifty leaves. "Each one has about a quarter of the effectiveness of the Mystical Palm technique."
"Incredible!" Kyohei was stunned, struggling to wrap his head around it. Although he wasn't a shinobi, he knew how valuable the Mystical Palm was. If what Shinho said was true… Kyohei couldn't help but smile, thinking, I'm about to make a fortune!
That smile... Shinho couldn't help but think it reminded him of a certain greedy face from his past life.
"What price do you have in mind?" Shinho asked.
"How much can you produce?" Kyohei responded, thinking through the business plan.
"Fifty leaves a month," Shinho replied.
The Nine-Leaf Life Herb could generate nine leaves at a time. In theory, if he had unlimited energy, he could produce endless leaves. But theory is just theory. In reality, sustainability was key. Shinho had already pushed the herb to its limit this past week by harvesting fifty leaves. Doing that too often might lead to unknown consequences. A monthly quota seemed like a safer bet.
"That's a bit on the low side," Kyohei said with a grin, "but with such rarity, we can charge a higher price. I'd suggest fifty thousand ryo per leaf."
"They'll pay that much?" Shinho raised an eyebrow.
"Absolutely!" Kyohei nodded confidently. "These types of people fear death more than anything. Fifty thousand ryo is nothing to them."
"That makes sense," Shinho agreed with a slight nod. An income of 2.5 million ryo per month seemed more than enough for his needs—assuming Tsunade didn't gamble it all away.
"What about the profit split?" Shinho asked, thinking of another detail.
"Ten percent—no, even five percent would be fine," Kyohei said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
"Deal," Shinho agreed. Keeping 95% of the profits himself was more than fair. After all, it would give Kyohei incentive to do his best while still making sure he didn't get greedy.
"I have one condition," Shinho added, raising a finger. "Try to keep the sales limited to a small circle."
"I understand," Kyohei said, surprised at how cautious Shinho was for someone so young. The value of these leaves was astronomical, and the fewer people who knew about them, the better it was for their safety.
"You two, follow his instructions," Shinho told Chisori and Karin. "I'll be heading off now."
"Will we see you again?" Karin asked, pulling the lollipop from her mouth.
"We'll see each other again tomorrow," Shinho replied, gently patting her red hair. It felt dry, a clear sign of the poor treatment she'd endured in Kusagakure. If she hadn't been from the Uzumaki clan, she likely would've been emaciated by now.
Achievement Unlocked: Tsunade's Reversal, Villa by the Sea
Reward: Fire Coat Gu
(Fire Coat Gu: A first-rank Gu insect that creates a protective layer of flames, like a cloak of fire.)
"Hm?" Shinho murmured to himself. It seemed that the method he had taught Shizune was working after all.
A Fire Coat Gu, huh? Shinho thought to himself. Could be useful in close combat, like adding fire enchantment to my moves.
After bidding farewell to Chisori and Karin, Shinho made his way to the casino. A few minutes later, he spotted Tsunade and Shizune.
Tsunade looked frustrated, as if she were one step away from having "Don't Bother Me" written across her forehead. Meanwhile, Shizune was doing her best to suppress a smile, trying not to burst out laughing.
"Shinho!" Shizune called out when she spotted him, her eyes lighting up. She finally let out a chuckle. She had been holding it in for too long.
If Tsunade weren't around, Shizune would have grabbed Shinho to gush about how she had dominated at the casino. As a novice, her first time gambling had been nothing short of exhilarating—she had won over and over again.
And after all the years of sticking by Tsunade, this was the first time she'd left a casino with money still in her pocket.
It was a miracle.
She felt like crying tears of joy. Finally, a glimmer of hope!
"Shizune-nee-san," Shinho replied, smiling. "I've finished buying what we need. We can leave whenever you're ready."
"No way!" Tsunade clenched her fists, refusing to give up. "I can't leave without winning at least once!"
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune snapped, suddenly serious. "We're out of money."
Shizune had used a transformation jutsu to sneak into the casino without Tsunade noticing. While Tsunade had been lost in her gambling, Shizune had been placing counterbets. And it worked—Tsunade was so wrapped up in her losses, she hadn't even realized.
Shizune hadn't told her about it for a simple reason: she knew Tsunade's pride. If she found out Shizune had been betting against her, she would be furious.
Tsunade instinctively glanced at Shinho, about to ask him for more money, but before she could say anything, Shizune blocked her.
"No!" Shizune crossed her arms, glaring at Tsunade.
The two locked eyes, as if sparks were flying in the air between them.
In the end, Tsunade backed down.
"Fine, let's go back to Konoha for dinner," Tsunade grumbled, waving them off. "Shizune, summon Katsuyu."
Shizune couldn't hide her triumphant smile as she nodded. She glanced down at Shinho and winked.
Shinho gave her a thumbs-up in return.
"Hey, you two, don't think I can't see what's going on!" Tsunade barked, walking up to them and playfully knocking Shinho on the head.
There wasn't any force behind the hit, more like a gentle tap that quickly turned into a rough hair tousling. Within seconds, Shinho's hair was a mess.
Shizune chuckled softly.
As a warm, familial atmosphere surrounded them, Shizune summoned Katsuyu. Just as before, the giant slug used reverse summoning to teleport them back to Konoha.
Once they had returned, Katsuyu vanished, having fulfilled her duty.
"Shizune, teach him the summoning jutsu," Tsunade said, suddenly remembering that Shinho still hadn't learned it.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shizune responded eagerly.
Here's my chance!
Shinho feigned confusion and asked, "Why does Shizune-nee-san have to teach me?"
"Don't ask too many questions, kid," Tsunade shot him a glance. "That's the teacher's secret."
But I already know the secret that can keep you in check for life, Shinho thought, amused. I just need to work a little more to boost my favorability with you.
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