The sea is truly vast!
Standing by the shore, Naruto gazed into the distance, his view filled with an endless expanse of blue, stretching out of sight.
Beyond the sea must be the Land of Lightning?
A definite enemy.
Naruto briefly sighed, admiring the wide ocean, then flashed away once more.
Swoosh~
Hiraishin no Jutsu vanished from the spot.
Shigaraki Tanuki and Aburame Ryūma each led a combat squad, a total of fourteen people, who had been searching the sea for nearly a week with absolutely nothing to show for it.
Everyone was a Jōnin; the squad's strength was enough to pick a fight with other villages, and this was the result?
Naruto had to go to the coast himself to supervise... ahem, to offer comfort.
Swoosh~
Flashing again, Naruto appeared on a ship.
This large vessel belonged to the Root. There were people on duty, and Naruto was immediately spotted upon his appearance.
"Lord Naruto!"
A Root member named Izumi ran over, his face alight with enthusiasm.
"Where are Tanuki and Ryūma?"
Naruto scanned the ship, but couldn't see anyone else.
"Lord Shigaraki Tanuki and the others are searching beneath the sea. As for Lord Ryūma, their ship is in a different location."
Naruto nodded.
He understood: the two had split into two ships to search in two different areas.
"Any luck these past days?" Naruto asked.
"The seafood is really delicious!"
At the mention of it, this unremarkable Root member, Izumi, had tears of appreciation welling up in his eyes.
"?"
Naruto glared at him. Did I send you here to eat seafood?
Noticing Naruto's expression, Izumi scratched his head, looking sincere. "Um... Lord Naruto, we haven't found anything this past week. But we have caught a lot of seafood."
Izumi spoke the truth.
"Oh?"
Naruto looked at him in surprise. Does Root even have such an 'idiot'?
Shimura Danzō's eye for talent was usually quite good; there were no fools in the Root. Every member was skilled, and though 'foolishly loyal,' they were all shrewd individuals.
But this one...
Staring at his face for two minutes, Naruto tried to recall Danzō's memories, but couldn't seem to find any of this guy?
I don't believe it. Search again.
He dug through the forgotten corners of the memories.
The next second, Aha! He finally found him.
This guy seemed to be the Root's little nobody, mainly responsible for cooking, cleaning, and things like sweeping the latrines. He was weak and not very bright.
It was only due to Naruto's arrival that this fellow's status also skyrocketed, suddenly acquiring the strength of an Elite Jōnin.
His name was—Udabo Izumi.
He never expected Root to have someone like this.
"No wonder they made him watch the boat!" Naruto mumbled.
Naruto found it hard to blame him now.
A quick use of his sensory ability showed that everyone else was still searching over a hundred meters below the surface. He wasn't planning on going down.
"What good stuff is there to eat?" Naruto walked straight into the cabin.
"I have some freshly caught seafood. It tastes especially, especially good! I'll warm it up for you, Lord Naruto!"
Naruto watched him busy himself.
His gaze continually drifted around the ship.
The large wooden ship was one or two stories tall, with many rooms inside. It was fully equipped to meet the needs of the squad for eating, drinking, and sleeping.
His eyes returned to the stove. Naruto was a little worried this guy might set the boat on fire.
However, as long as Izumi wasn't so stupid that he wouldn't run home in the rain, he could use his Water Release to put out the fire.
A moment later, a pot of fresh seafood was ready.
Naruto took a bite. So fresh!
Not bad!
The flavor whetted Naruto's appetite, despite having only eaten three simple bowls of ramen for lunch.
Slurp slurp~
He dug in!
Just as he finished nearly two large bowls of seafood, Shigaraki Tanuki and his team jumped onto the ship, laughing.
Everyone was laden with bags and bundles, all having a full harvest. They were even comparing their hauls.
Don't mistake it—they weren't sea turtles, but various kinds of seafood.
The group froze when they saw Naruto inside.
"Lord Naruto!" x N
"You're back?" Naruto, who had been facing away, turned to look at them.
One of the ninjas, realizing their actual mission here, stammered at Naruto's back, "Um... that, that..."
Lord Naruto's back is so slender, but the pressure he gives off is so, so immense!
"Sir, don't blame them, it was entirely my decision," Shigaraki Tanuki stepped forward to explain. "The turtle you are looking for is too difficult to find. I took the liberty of catching some seafood while searching for the turtle, which serves as a good supplement to our food supply."
Naruto's expression remained neutral upon hearing this.
Just as they braced themselves for judgment, Naruto, who had just finished eating, turned around and smiled, "Don't be nervous. See? Am I blaming any of you?"
The smile on Naruto's face immediately put everyone at ease.
That's right!
How could a kind and friendly person like Lord Naruto suddenly punish us!
However, Naruto's next words made their hearts sink.
"But since you enjoy catching seafood so much, catch a lot more!" Naruto said with a full smile.
"A lot more... how much is 'a lot'?" Shigaraki Tanuki's face stiffened; he had a bad feeling.
"Not much, just three to five hundred tons a day."
Shigaraki Tanuki was stunned, his eyes wide as copper bells, as if confirming, "Three to five hundred? Tons?"
"Mm."
Thump~
Shigaraki Tanuki immediately knelt. "Lord Naruto, please have mercy~~~"
Naruto gently patted his head, smiling with narrowed eyes. "Don't be nervous. How could I possibly harm you? This capture requirement isn't for now. I will continually send you more manpower. Achieving this catch volume in the future will be enough."
Three to five hundred tons should be enough for the mid-to-high-end consumption inland, right? Naruto calculated in his mind.
Twelve years had passed since he transmigrated. Although Naruto still felt like an 'outsider,' he was trying to integrate into this world.
Economic integration is also a form of integration.
So, Naruto planned to seize this opportunity to establish a seafood company, primarily focusing on delivering freshly caught seafood from the coast directly to the tables of the wealthy inland.
Given the distance and the technology in the Ninja World, it must be difficult to eat seafood this fresh, right?
No problem! Root will solve it!
Not just fresh, but still vibrant as new, even after hundreds or thousands of kilometers—no different from when it first left the sea.
There's no need for black technology; he'll simply utilize the 'Inventory' function.
It's sure to make a fortune.
No, it's sure to better serve the people.
And while he's at it, let the residents of the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, who have never had seafood, taste its freshness.
Emmm, as for the common people eating it, that'll have to wait until it's popularized and everything is peaceful.
This move also conveniently solves the employment problem.
After all, when war breaks out, so many captives will be converted into clones. They need jobs, too. They can't all be crammed into the 'Construction Division,' can they?
It also expands Root's business scope.
With this thought, Naruto patted Shigaraki Tanuki's shoulder with satisfaction.
"Good job, Big Tanuki! I'm making you the CEO of 'Big Tanuki Fresh,' spanning the four seas!"
Shigaraki Tanuki was truly bewildered. He didn't understand that Naruto had already planned his future job, or what he would be facing.
"Yes! Yes!"
Shigaraki Tanuki didn't understand Naruto's words, but seeing Naruto pat his shoulder, he could only bow low, trying his best to make it comfortable for the seated Naruto to pat him.
"I'm finished eating."
Naruto stood up. "Tell me about the turtle now."
"Yes, Lord Naruto..." The past few days were slowly recounted by Shigaraki Tanuki.
The story was unremarkable. The sea was too vast. The target Naruto asked them to find—a jar or a pot—left the two, no, the fourteen, utterly clueless in the face of the expansive ocean.
They eventually had to split into teams and begin searching for a needle in a haystack.
They had searched diligently, but still had no leads.
Naruto frowned as he listened.
This 'turtle' was indeed troublesome.
Boruto had not provided any useful information, only that the turtle came from the sea, looked like a jar, and nothing else.
Could it be...
Thinking of something, Naruto jumped off the boat and stood on the surface of the sea.
He extended his hand, submerging his right hand in the seawater, then closed his eyes and released his sensory ability.
With seawater as a transmission medium, Naruto's sensory ability instantly received a huge boost. Even Chakra signatures thousands of kilometers away were clearly mapped out in his mind.
But among all the Chakra signatures, he did not find the existence of that 'turtle.'
There was only one possibility—the turtle was in some special state and currently had no Chakra signature.
"Tsk."
Naruto couldn't help but click his tongue. This was troublesome.
Searching for a 'jar' in the vast ocean of the Ninja World, how was that different from finding a needle in a haystack?
Seriously, why is getting an easter egg this hard?
How did they acquire it in the future, in Boruto's time?
Naruto began to think. It must have been discovered accidentally through continuous exploration of the ocean.
It was definitely the increase in commercial activity that led to increased exploration, which in turn led to its accidental discovery.
"Looks like I'll have to ramp up the development of the seafood company."
After realizing this, Naruto sent a string of messages to his clones in the group chat.
The main points were: increase the staff of 'Big Tanuki Fresh,' expand the company, etc.
He also decided to restructure the assets Kado left behind in the Land of Waves, wrapping them in the 'Big Tanuki Fresh' shell.
Good for recycling waste.
"Big Tanuki! I have a task for you."
After briefly explaining Shigaraki Tanuki's future mission, Shigaraki Tanuki burst into tears of gratitude.
Thump~
Shigaraki Tanuki immediately knelt down, snot bubbles coming out as he cried, "Lord Naruto! I don't want to leave you! My loyalty to you is as clear as the sun and moon!"
When the Root 'reformed,' he, Shigaraki Tanuki, was the first one to step out and become Lord Naruto's dog!
How has he now been reduced to "exile to Yazhou"?
How is this different from killing him?
"Don't get so emotional! Do a good job! My future rests on your shoulders!" Naruto consoled him warmly.
This 'easter egg' probably wasn't simple.
Since it was related to time travel, Naruto was very excited.
So, Shigaraki Tanuki wasn't being demoted but promoted.
"Keep up the great work! I look forward to your seafood every day."
Finally, Naruto patted Shigaraki Tanuki's shoulder with anticipation and left via Hiraishin no Jutsu.
Naruto arrived at Ryūma's ship, intending to say some encouraging words, but received a message from Uzumaki Goudan (Dogdan).
"Hurry to the Boss! Hurry!!!"
Hmm?
Three exclamation points?
Naruto looked at the message, his head full of questions.
"Lord Naruto, what's happened?" Aburame Ryūma, dripping wet, asked.
Naruto didn't answer, only leaving the instruction, "Everyone, the mission is over. Return to Konoha at once."
Afterward, he left with Hiraishin no Jutsu.
Swoosh~~~
Appearing again, Naruto had crossed half a continent and was now in the Land of Grass.
In the Land of Grass, the giant city of New Village (crossed out) Night City, was Goudan's unpainted 'CEO office'.
It was still messy as usual, with various clutter piled up.
Naruto searched around but couldn't find Uzumaki Goudan's red hair.
"Where did this guy disappear to?"
Muttering to himself, Naruto extended his sensory ability.
Finally, in an open field, Naruto found Goudan's Chakra.
Swoosh~
Appearing once more, Naruto materialized beside Goudan.
Uzumaki Goudan seemed already accustomed to Naruto's sudden appearance.
"Boss! You're here! Look what this is?"
Uzumaki Goudan had a flattering smile, holding up something for Naruto to see.
Naruto glanced at it casually, not expecting this Dogdan to have anything good.
However, after just one look, Naruto's pupils instantly contracted in surprise.
It was a shape Naruto was intimately familiar with: a grip, a cylinder, and a slender barrel.
Is this a revolver?
Naruto was utterly shocked.
This thing has been invented?
In an instant, Naruto's mind raced. The most important implication of this object's appearance was that a brand-new version of the Ninja World was coming!
A completely different version!
Goudan naturally noticed Naruto's shock. He laughed boastfully, "Haha, Boss, surprised? This was just researched in the lab. I made sure you were the first to see it and try it out."
The way he spoke, Naruto thought Goudan would give him the gun and let him take the first shot.
But...
After letting Naruto look at it, the guy took the gun back, loaded it, and pulled the hammer back, putting it in a ready-to-fire state.
?
Naruto's eyelid twitched. Don't get angry! Don't get angry!
But in his heart, he had already pulled out his little notebook and jotted down a note for Goudan: [September 12, Konoha Year 60, 2:31 PM. That little brat, Uzumaki Goudan, didn't let me take the first shot. I'll remember this grudge. I'll punish him severely later by walking into the office with my right foot first.]
Uzumaki Goudan didn't know what was about to happen to him. He took the gun, aimed at the target ahead.
One second later, he pulled the trigger.
Bang~~~
A loud explosion rang out. Naruto saw nothing happen at the target. When he turned back in question, he burst into laughter.
Hahaha~~
It had backfired.
Even funnier, the gunpowder quality was poor; it seemed to be black powder, and the massive amount of smoke caused by the over-loading instantly blackened the fair-skinned Uzumaki Goudan.
Cough, cough~~
Goudan coughed twice. The teeth he exposed shone brightly, a stark contrast to his dark skin.
"Hahaha~~~"
Naruto couldn't hold back anymore and laughed heartily.
"Boss, stop laughing. I just saved you from disaster!"
"What happened?"
"The lab said the explosives weren't mature yet, and there was a risk of backfiring. That's why I took the initiative to test it myself. I thought it would be fine, but it actually backfired." Goudan looked helpless. My loyalty!
I just took a bullet, no, an atomic bomb for the Boss!
Naruto instantly stopped laughing upon hearing this.
He understood; Goudan was risking himself.
I'll go easy on the punishment later.
He looked at Goudan expectantly, gesturing that there was another gun and he should continue testing.
"Are you serious, Boss? Again?" Goudan looked utterly defeated. One had already backfired; wasn't he miserable enough?
"Hurry up!" Naruto urged directly.
"Then..."
Goudan hesitantly picked up the gun, but couldn't bring himself to raise it again.
Although the probability of him dying was minimal, a ninja's body was too fragile.
Infinitesimally small ≠ 0!
What if...
He glanced to the side and saw the big black guy laughing heartily nearby.
"You!"
Killer B: Huh? Me?
Goudan yelled at the curious Killer B, who was peeking nearby, "Yes, you, Old Black! You try!"
Killer B was a little reluctant, but Goudan was his direct superior, so he couldn't refuse.
He first did a completely unmelodious rap, then picked up the gun.
Goudan taught him how to use it.
Then, Bang~~
The new gun didn't backfire this time; it fired successfully.
Killer B's aim was quite good. This unreliable handgun accurately hit the target twenty meters away.
"Bang~ Yo~ I just pull the trigger, Bang~ Yo~ and you'll be finished! Fool, ya idiot~"
Killer B felt incredibly cool and instantly improvised a rap. He was about to take another shot, but Goudan snatched the gun away.
"Alright, your mission ends here."
Goudan picked up the revolver, a confident smile blooming on his face.
Old Black didn't get a backfire. It must be fine this time.
He pulled the trigger.
Bang~
A loud explosion sounded again. The gun 'again' backfired.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Goudan's face as black as his own, Killer B laughed heartily.
Suddenly, his laughter stopped. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he immediately pulled out his notebook and pencil, jotting down two lines of lyrics.
Naruto watched the two clowning around, his thoughts already drifting far away.
A weapon like the gun had appeared.
Could more advanced firearms and cannons be far behind?
In the previous life on Earth, the appearance of guns and cannons signaled a revolutionary change in warfare.
How many years did it used to take to train a skilled warrior? How many years to train a skilled cavalryman?
But after guns and cannons came out, everything changed.
All you needed to know was how to pull the trigger! Why waste so much time learning and training?
What about the Ninja World?
It's pretty much the same!
Training a ninja takes a long time. Following the Five Great Nations' standard ninja training path like Naruto's: six years in the academy, and you're still just a Genin. You constantly do missions and pass the Chūnin exam to upgrade to Chūnin—only to be killed instantly by a single shot.
What era are we in? Still playing with traditional Ninjutsu?
Sir! Times have changed!
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi