"Miwa, isn't Aya here?" Kain asked, scanning the room as he stepped into his office.
"Someone's causing trouble on Main Street. She went to handle it. Afterward, she might have to go to the Land of Waves, so she won't be back for a while. Boss, should I send a message to Aya?" Miwa inquired, her head slightly lowered as she awaited further instructions.
"No, let her handle it. Other than Main Street, is everything running smoothly?" Kain took the ledger from Miwa, reviewing the financials. Recently, he had noticed increasing interference from local nobility in the Land of Fire, likely due to his growing influence. While they hadn't acted overtly against him yet, there were clear signs they might soon make their move.
"The town remains secure, and revenue is increasing across the board. Other than Main Street, only the Land of Waves is experiencing issues," Miwa paused, then continued, "There have been rumors that someone hired wandering ninjas specifically to target us."
Kain's gaze hardened. "Contact Kakuzu's team. Offer seven million ryo, and if Kakuzu feels that's too low, raise it to ten million. But make it clear that whoever is behind this needs to be eliminated."
He closed the ledger. While Kain wasn't a financial expert, he had become familiar with the economic landscape in the ninja world. His ventures in Konoha weren't reflected in this particular ledger, but the figures showed a steady increase in monthly profits, now surpassing seventy million ryo. His businesses included three casinos, four dessert shops and a factory, four izakayas, three restaurants, and three food stores. Notably, the casinos accounted for nearly 70% of the income, while the other establishments served as additional revenue streams.
Aya managed the bulk of these enterprises, operating with a level of autonomy. She had shown a keen eye for opportunity, expanding their operations significantly since the initial izakaya that Kain had established. Now, she was working on building a supply chain from the ground up, planning to buy grain directly from farmers to supply local stores and a soon-to-be-built winery. Kain had already purchased modern brewing equipment, as he wasn't satisfied with the traditional brewing techniques of the Shinobi world.
Lichun Bookstore was another profitable venture, pulling in close to twenty million ryo monthly. Kain had provided them with seven novels, and the bookstore had expanded to over twenty branches, with distribution agreements in other major countries. It was a highly successful business that dominated the market.
By comparison, the annual allocation from the Land of Fire Daimyo's Mansion to Konoha Village was only around two hundred million ryo. Kain's personal monthly income was approaching ninety million ryo. While it was too bold to claim he could finance Konoha entirely, he certainly had the resources to contribute significantly—at least during peacetime. Wartime, however, would demand an entirely different scale of funding, as expenses would include weaponry, ninja equipment, mission payouts, pensions, medical supplies, and more. During conflict, Konoha fully reimbursed ninjas for their gear and expenses. They also cared for the children of fallen ninjas until they completed ninja school or could support themselves independently. Without such support, the "Will of Fire" ideology would lose its meaning.
"Miwa-san, I'm heading to Konoha. I'll leave things here in your care," Kain informed Miwa, but she quickly interjected, "Boss, please consider bringing the Konoha ninja guard team with you. Even if there haven't been any recent assassination attempts, better safe than sorry."
Miwa worried about Kain's safety, knowing that if something were to happen to him, their entire operation could collapse.
"Good point, Miwa, but no need for it this time. My movements are hard to trace," he reassured her, hinting at the unique transportation method he used to travel to this world. His trading system's shuttle function brought him here, always placing him in a forest near Konoha Village, which provided both privacy and security.
"You and Aya have limited guards. While your people are capable against regular civilians, they may struggle with bounty hunters. Consider sending a message to Konoha and issuing two B-level guard missions. Moving forward, I want two Chūnin squads assigned to protect both of you," Kain instructed.
Adding two Chūnin and six Genin to their security would enhance their defenses. Konoha Village would likely avoid assassination contracts against them, and other villages would have to think carefully about risking conflict with Konoha by targeting its ninja teams.
Miwa felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you, Boss. I'll arrange it immediately. Please, though, be cautious yourself."
Kain acknowledged her concern and, after delegating further responsibilities, activated the shuttle function of the trading system, arriving moments later in the forest near Konoha. Entering the village, he headed towards his commercial street, a project he had poured significant resources into. Over the past two years, he had opened thirteen stores in Konoha, covering a wide array of goods and services: food, drinks, entertainment, clothing, and more. Though slightly off the main area, it was still the only dedicated commercial street in Konoha.
The person in charge of managing these businesses in Konoha was Nanami. Known for her discipline and reliability, she kept operations running smoothly and was actively pursuing additional property purchases on the street to further expand Kain's commercial footprint. Of the thirteen stores, all but the pharmacy had been doing brisk business, capitalizing on the lull in conflicts and the brief peace that the Shinobi world was enjoying. Medicine sales had slowed, as people weren't purchasing in high volumes outside of wartime, but Kain was considering expanding his pharmaceutical business to smaller, less stable countries still experiencing turmoil.
After Nanami reported the business details, Kain felt reassured about the state of his affairs in Konoha. However, he had one more question. "Anything unusual recently?"
Nanami hesitated briefly before responding, "There is something. Uzumaki Kushina has been visiting the stores daily, asking us to inform her as soon as you return. I thought it best to notify you first, so I haven't agreed to anything yet."
Nanami was unfazed by Kushina's persistence. Though they shared a friendly rapport, Nanami's loyalty to Kain was unwavering. For her, nothing justified compromising his privacy without his consent.
Kain chuckled at her loyalty. "Thank you, Nanami. You did the right thing." He considered Kushina's recent behavior. Her curiosity and determination to locate him had undoubtedly grown, likely fueled by personal or clan matters. It was a reminder that his connections in Konoha were both a resource and a potential complication.
Satisfied with the state of his affairs, Kain pondered his next steps. Though he had allies and influence across various domains, he knew he couldn't afford complacency. For now, his focus remained on expanding his enterprises and strengthening his network, all while navigating the complexities of the Shinobi world and the looming challenges that might soon arise.
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