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Sasame was given VIP treatment—the finest room and the most luxurious food.
That said, it was just… passable.
The accommodations were far inferior to his Gunma Casino.
As for the food? Mostly fish. After a few meals, he'd had enough.
Mei Terumī was busy.
After escorting him to his room, she left and didn't return until the fourth day.
"Lord Takashi, how do you find Kirigakure after these few days?"
"Lacking vitality."
Sasame had spent his free time exploring.
Without comparison, there was no sense of loss.
No wonder everyone wanted to attack Konoha—its location and environment were simply too favorable.
Of course, another reason was their lack of development.
Sunagakure and Kirigakure were prime examples.
Despite abundant natural resources, they struggled terribly.
A limitation of the times, one might say.
Originally, Sasame had come to harvest Fate Points.
But Mei's appearance gave him a new idea—economic control over Kirigakure and the Land of Water.
This was his first attempt at such a scheme, and he had no experience.
But failure wouldn't cost him much.
If he succeeded, however, he'd gain immense wealth.
No matter how he looked at it, there was no downside.
Mei sighed at his blunt assessment. "It's tradition in Kirigakure."
Why had Yagura's bloody rule remained unchallenged?
Aside from his strength, it was because of tradition.
Even under the Third Mizukage, Kirigakure had already been a village of oppression, earning its infamous "Village of the Bloody Mist" moniker.
Yagura, under control, had merely intensified the persecution of kekkei genkai users.
"Do you want to change that tradition?"
Noticing the flicker of suspicion in her eyes, Sasame clarified, "The current Kirigakure isn't suitable for business investment. The reason I requested to meet the most outstanding young shinobi was my belief that she might change these so-called traditions. In other words, I'm not investing in the Fourth Mizukage—I'm investing in you."
Mei's expression shifted.
At first, she had been wary of his interference in Kirigakure's internal affairs.
But his explanation dispelled her doubts.
A shrewd, far-sighted merchant.
The thought crossed her mind, followed by a surge of hope.
Perhaps his arrival could truly bring positive change to Kirigakure.
"Change doesn't happen overnight."
Mei shook her head slowly.
She had no intention of rebellion—not yet.
Even if she became Mizukage, it would only be after Yagura stepped down.
And that could take years.
"You're still young. The future is yours."
Sasame smiled at her twenty-year-old face. "Let's discuss investments."
Mei straightened, her demeanor turning serious.
"We're a shipping company, so our first investment is sea routes."
He raised a finger.
"Sea routes?"
Mei frowned. "If it's about maritime trade, you should deal with the Land of Water, not Kirigakure."
Shinobi existed in a world largely separate from ordinary society.
Their lives revolved around bloodshed, not production or commerce.
To Sasame, it was a waste.
Such efficient productivity, used only for killing.
"I want to open new routes."
He revealed his plan. "I intend to hire Kirigakure shinobi for tasks like surveying, mountain clearing, and land reclamation."
Mei was taken aback.
Most client requests involved escort missions or assassinations.
But upon reflection, shinobi were ideally suited for such work.
Interesting.
After a moment's thought, she met his masked gaze. "And the payment?"
"Jōnin-ranked tasks will be classified as A-rank, chūnin as B-rank, and genin as C-rank."
Sasame continued, "Payment will be calculated per person, with the total sum as the final compensation."
Mei's breath hitched.
Kirigakure's decline had led to a severe loss of shinobi, resulting in fewer missions.
Sasame's offer was a lifeline.
And his terms were exceedingly generous.
Normally, missions of this scale would involve heavy casualties.
But this? Effortless.
"How many personnel do you need?"
Though inwardly thrilled, Mei kept her tone steady.
"Quite a few."
Sasame unfolded a crude map of the Land of Water—little more than an outline by modern standards.
"I plan to establish five major routes. One connecting the islands and major cities of the Land of Water, and the other four extending north, south, east, and west—linking to neighboring countries."
"You're ambitious."
Mei's eyes traced the map before settling on him. "If these routes are fully realized, you'll control all maritime traffic."
Though she didn't grasp the full implications, she understood the surface-level significance.
"The difficulty is high."
Sasame added, "Existing shipping lanes are controlled by multiple companies. My involvement will provoke retaliation, so I'll need Kirigakure's protection."
Mei's interest spiked again.
This meant even more missions, solving Kirigakure's employment crisis.
And the village, through commissions, would gain substantial funds for development.
"Many shipping companies have nations backing them. Relying solely on Kirigakure and the Land of Water will be… stressful."
She began negotiating.
If Sasame monopolized maritime trade, his profits would be astronomical.
She wanted to secure a better deal for Kirigakure.
"With pressure comes benefits."
Sasame smiled. "Kirigakure's environment is unique—surrounded by sea, making it hard to invade. But it's equally difficult for you to venture out."
Shinobi could walk on water, but few had the chakra reserves for long distances.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kirigakure's operations had one common trait:
Small, elite squads.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen. The Three-Tails' suicide attack.
In fact, Kirigakure's tradition of fostering elite shinobi stemmed from this very limitation.
Mei's eyes widened.
This revelation struck harder than the previous two.
She suddenly grasped the subtext of his words.
"Once the routes are open, Kirigakure can build its own warships to reach any nation. Our company will handle logistics."
Sasame spoke slowly.
Why had no one thought of this before?
First, merchants didn't wage war.
Second, no one possessed Sasame's resources to consolidate shipping lanes.
Existing routes were mostly natural, with few artificially developed.
Mei shot to her feet.
The implications were staggering.
In future wars, Kirigakure wouldn't just gain an edge—it could dominate.
Staring at Sasame, she felt a surge of relief.
Thank fate she had encountered him first. Otherwise, he would have been a formidable enemy.
Because the reverse was equally possible.
If another nation controlled these five routes, they could launch a full-scale invasion of Kirigakure.
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