Enrollment for the Advanced Class only took half a day.
In the afternoon, Kitazawa went to the Anbu base.
Konan stepped out to meet him and even opened his office door a beat ahead of him. She'd grown used to life in Anbu by now.
"Thanks."
Kitazawa walked into the office.
"This scroll came yesterday from the Heart of the Ocean Jewelry Store in the Land of Fire's capital," Konan said, handing him a scroll.
Kitazawa unrolled it and read.
The Heart of the Ocean shop in the Land of Fire capital had been set up and opened smoothly. Thanks to the Daimyo's wife and the buzz from that necklace auction, business was packed every day after the launch—booming, really. Both high-end custom pieces and standard lines were selling like crazy.
Orders were so overwhelming that the Hyuga shinobi had worked for over half a month straight without a break. It hurt, but it felt good—after all, ten percent of the profits went to them.
"With this much money, I honestly don't even know how to spend it," Kitazawa said with a grin.
"…"
Konan had no words. The speed at which he was making money shocked her. She suddenly felt like Akatsuki running all over the shinobi world for mission payouts was… kind of pointless—exhausting and dangerous, and still not as profitable as one little jewelry store.
Fortunately, Kitazawa had already agreed to serve as a consultant to Akatsuki. It wouldn't be long, she figured, before they were raking it in too. Beyond the Eye of the Moon Plan, the rest of that cash could be poured into the Land of Rain and Amegakure.
In fact, Akatsuki had always been supporting the Land of Rain and Amegakure. The reason was simple: it was the dream the three of them once shared. Back when Yahiko was alive, they founded Akatsuki hoping to bring peace to Amegakure, the Land of Rain, and the entire shinobi world. Yahiko died, Nagato hardened, and then that masked man calling himself Uchiha Madara showed up—only then did Akatsuki change its nature.
"What are you thinking about?" Kitazawa looked up and noticed her drifting, so he asked casually.
"It's nothing," Konan said after a pause. "I was thinking about the construction timeline for the silver-refining plant in the Land of Rain."
If they were going to sell jewelry, they had to process the silver they mined. So the Rain Country Silver Refinery had been put on the schedule recently.
"Half a month if we're fast, a month if we're slow," Kitazawa estimated offhand.
"Mm." Konan nodded. "Once the refinery's done, do we open more jewelry stores? Where?"
"The Five Great Nations are all fine," Kitazawa said, confident. "Where do you want to start?"
"The Land of Earth," Konan said after thinking it over. "A lot of our Akatsuki clients are nobles from there."
She assumed Kitazawa would use the same marketing playbook as before; those nobles could be leveraged again.
"Works for me." Kitazawa set the scroll down, offering nothing more. He actually hadn't decided how to advertise Akatsuki's silver pieces yet, but there was time to think it through.
"I have another question," Konan frowned. "How do we transport everything?"
"That's easy," Kitazawa smiled. "Use large summoned beasts."
Konan blinked—and then her eyes lit up as she thought it through. It really was a great idea, and Akatsuki didn't lack for big summons. One of the Six Paths of Pain—the Animal Path—had plenty: the Giant Multi-Headed Dog, the Giant Crustacean, the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird, and so on.
Not just the Animal Path—she thought of the Deva Path too. The Deva Path could control attraction and repulsion; it could practically be a mover, hauling silver ore to the Land of Earth.
Konan snapped back to herself and realized how… heretical that sounded. The Deva Path was Yahiko, and Pain was Akatsuki's leader—you didn't send him to do manual labor.
Her eyes drifted to Kitazawa. Spending time around him, she couldn't help being influenced. Most of all, her traditional "shinobi" mindset had shifted. Without even noticing, she'd started seeing shinobi as a kind of productive force.
"What is it? More questions?" Kitazawa met her gaze.
Konan shook her head.
"Then that's it for now." Kitazawa flipped through the documents on the desk and headed to the Hokage Tower.
He'd meant to find Tsunade, but halfway there he remembered something and detoured to the Hokage's Secretariat.
Konoha currently had thirteen secretaries: four leads and nine staffers. The four leads had their own offices; the nine shared a large one.
Kitazawa went to Uchiha Itachi's office.
After becoming a Hokage secretary, Itachi was no longer Anbu.
Kitazawa raised a hand and knocked.
"Come in," came Itachi's voice.
"It's been a while, Itachi." Kitazawa pushed the door open with a smile.
"Kitazawa-sama." Itachi stood quickly. Technically, as a Hokage secretary he didn't have to add "-sama," but Kitazawa was different—he was the Fifth Hokage Tsunade's student, and he'd helped the Uchiha clan many times.
"I've got a favor to ask," Kitazawa said straight out. "Help me locate a place—Summoning Island, in the Land of Sea."
He planned to bring back Uzumaki Honoka, who'd been living abroad, and have her run the Heart of the Ocean Shop.
Truth be told, the best candidate in his mind was Konan. She'd been at his side and learned a lot already. Putting her in charge of the jewelry stores, the shipping company, and the seabed exploration team would be perfect—but only if she joined Konoha.
In other words, Kitazawa would have to win Akatsuki over—or beat them into submission. He didn't have the strength for that yet; he'd have to wait for the system to kick in.
"Understood. I'll send people now," Itachi answered immediately.
"Good. Let me know as soon as there's news," Kitazawa added. "And don't spook the people on the island."
After finishing with Itachi, he headed for the Hokage's office.
"Get over here." Tsunade's eyes brightened when she saw him, and she waved him closer.
"What happened?" Kitazawa stepped up, curious.
"Give me money." Tsunade held out a fair, smooth hand.
"What money?" Kitazawa tapped her hand and asked.
"The money the Heart of the Ocean Shop made!" Tsunade glared.
Kitazawa suddenly put it together. Anbu routed reports in duplicate—one copy to him and one to Tsunade. She'd clearly seen the scroll from the Land of Fire capital and knew they'd made a killing.
"Didn't I say I'd keep it safe for you?" Kitazawa asked with a sunny smile.
"Then give me a million ryō up front," Tsunade bargained. "I'm going to unwind at the casino after work."
"Unwind at the casino?" Kitazawa couldn't help teasing. "Every time you come back from the casino you're furious. What part of that is relaxing?"
"Are you giving it or not?" Tsunade's eyes flashed. Losing at the tables was a taboo topic—Kitazawa was the only one who dared say it out loud.
"I never said I wouldn't." Kitazawa produced a thick stack of cash. "Eight hundred thousand ryō."
"Why are you skimming two hundred thousand?" Tsunade frowned.
"Eight hundred thousand sounds luckier. It'll boost your luck stat," Kitazawa said, dead serious.
Tsunade was so exasperated by that nonsense she actually laughed, chest heaving—then… fine. Eight hundred it was. Kitazawa was her golden goose now; no sense strangling it. Slow and steady streams were the way to go.
"What did you come here for?" she asked as she pocketed the money. "If it's nothing urgent, cover my desk for half a day. I'm heading to the casino."
"Why should I cover for you?" Kitazawa held out his hand. "You'll need to pay me."
"In your dreams!" Tsunade smacked his hand with a sharp clap. "Do your own job."
"I am," Kitazawa said bluntly.
"I'm still your teacher!" Tsunade put on her stern face. "You can't handle this tiny favor?"
"I can—but you'll owe me one," Kitazawa pivoted.
"What favor?" Tsunade tensed on instinct.
"I want Kabuto to be Orochimaru's lab assistant," Kitazawa said.
Tsunade blinked, and—oddly—felt relieved.
"Kabuto's got talent for research. With Orochimaru, he might learn a lot," Kitazawa added.
"That's not hard," Tsunade nodded. "Whether Orochimaru's willing to teach him will depend on Kabuto's own ability."
"I believe in Kabuto," Kitazawa said confidently.
In the original timeline, Yakushi Kabuto practically inherited all of Orochimaru's knowledge and jutsu. Things were different now, of course—but Kitazawa figured Orochimaru would teach him, so long as Kabuto proved useful.
"All right, go on then—head to your casino," Kitazawa said, stepping up to her. "Make room."
"If someone overheard that, they'd think you were staging a coup," Tsunade said as she stood.
"If I did stage one, wouldn't that make you happy?" Kitazawa dropped into the Hokage's chair and looked up—only to have his view blocked.
Tsunade paused, then burst out laughing as she realized what he meant. If Kitazawa seized power, she could retire—honestly, not a bad outcome.
She glanced back at him, then suddenly dipped down and kissed his forehead. "Borrowing a little luck," she said, waved, and left the office.
The door clicked shut.
Kitazawa chuckled. Tsunade had changed a lot without realizing it.
He took over her shift. "Shift" was a big word, though—most of the work could be pushed to the secretaries. He even had time to tinker with his Yang Release Chakra Mode.
The next day—Monday, the first day of the new term.
It was Iruka Umino's theory class, but Kitazawa went to the academy too. Mainly he wanted to observe Kaguya Kimimaro, Haku, and the others—especially Tayuya.
They were behaving, thankfully. Tayuya, though, fidgeted through class like she had ADHD.
Kitazawa thought about it and understood why. Tayuya had been taken by Orochimaru as a child and raised in a hellish regimen. It was training and nothing but training—ninjutsu, not theory. She probably couldn't even read. Dropping her straight into lectures was too much.
Kimimaro, Haku, and Jugo were likely in the same boat; they were just steadier and didn't show it.
After first period, Kitazawa spoke to Iruka about it. The only fix was remedial lessons just for them. Since Iruka couldn't do it all alone, Kitazawa pulled another theory teacher from a different class to teach the four of them.
When theory was over, it was time for practicals.
Tuesday morning, after breakfast, Kitazawa met with Sarutobi Hiruzen, Maruboshi Kosuke, and Hatake Kakashi. They hadn't been present on enrollment day and hadn't heard about the four new students.
"Orochimaru's subordinates, huh?" Hiruzen said after hearing the details. "He really is up to no good in Otogakure."
"Their talent is real, though—especially Kaguya Kimimaro," Maruboshi Kosuke said with feeling. "Back in Kirigakure, the Kaguya were the top kekkei genkai clan."
"Kirigakure's methods were far too bloody," Hiruzen shook his head. "Wiping out a clan is a last resort—like cutting off your own arm."
Kitazawa felt a twinge at that. The Kaguya's fate mirrored the Uchiha's. If not for his butterfly effect, the Uchiha would have been on that list too.
"What's your plan for them?" Kakashi asked.
"Leave them to me," Kitazawa said, then added, "But they've only just joined us. Please keep an eye on them in the meantime."
"No problem," Hiruzen nodded. Maruboshi Kosuke and Kakashi both agreed.
Kitazawa also told them he planned to have every student take part in a live-combat exam for the first monthly test this term. All three had no objections.
At 9:00 a.m., the Advanced Class gathered on the field.
"We finally get to fight?" Tayuya heard it was practicals and immediately pictured Otogakure-style free-for-alls.
"It's not fighting, it's training," Yamanaka Ino explained.
"Isn't fighting the best training?" Tayuya asked, puzzled.
"In the Advanced Class, fighting is how we verify the results of training," Ino said evenly.
To her, Tayuya was extreme in her thinking, but not a bad person—just very confident. Plenty of confident kids in the Advanced Class; one more wasn't a problem.
"You people are weird," Tayuya muttered. Still, judging from the last two days, it wasn't all bad. At least the snacks were good.
"Before we start, an announcement," Kitazawa said as he stepped in front of everyone. "With the new classmates joining, the first live-combat exam will include everyone."
"Awesome!" Uzumaki Naruto whooped. "I get to spar with Sasuke again!"
"Get ready for defeat," Uchiha Sasuke said calmly, hands in pockets.
"What a drag," Nara Shikamaru sighed. He was working hard now, but hard work only made up so much for talent; against Sasuke and the others, there was only one outcome—losing.
"Ino," Haruno Sakura turned to her. "Get ready to lose."
"Hey, don't copy the way Sasuke talks!" Ino shot back.
"Sakura, why do you sound different lately?" Tenten asked, baffled.
"Because you all keep talking about me… Hmph. I'm going to prove it wasn't my fault!" Sakura said, dead serious.
"I want to see what you're really made of," Tayuya clenched her small fists.
Kimimaro glanced at her and said nothing. As for himself—he was aiming for first. He'd been number one in Otogakure: in strength, in talent, even as Orochimaru's chosen vessel. In Konoha, it would be the same. Only then could he continue proving his worth to Orochimaru.
Jugo and Haku didn't care as much about rankings; they were just happy to participate.
"Alright, start your drills. Kimimaro, Tayuya, Jugo—come with me," Kitazawa said, leading them to the far side of the field.
He didn't call Haku because Haku had already begun training in Anbu—learning Ice Release. Switching to the academy didn't change his curriculum.
Kimimaro and the others followed.
"Our Advanced Class designs training around each student," Kitazawa said when he stopped and turned to them.
All three were taken aback. That approach was… awfully considerate. Compared to Otogakure, it was heaven and hell. In the Sound Village, they taught you jutsu—and then tossed you into the arena for kill-or-be-killed matches. Only the survivors earned the right to continue.
"They probably just teach basic, low-level stuff," Tayuya thought to herself.
"Tayuya, I'll teach you a B-rank genjutsu," Kitazawa said, eyes on her.
"Huh?" Tayuya looked up, startled.
"It's called Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains," Kitazawa said, holding out his hand. "Give me your bamboo flute."
"A sound-based genjutsu?" Tayuya was even more surprised. She handed over the flute on reflex.
Kitazawa raised it to his lips and poured sound into it.
In an instant, Tayuya's vision wavered and she fell into an illusion. Before she could react, ropes dropped from the sky and bound her limbs.
At the same time, the horror of those brawls in Otogakure's underground hall rose up in front of her; memories surged, sweat beaded on her brow. One thought pounded in her skull: was Kitazawa using this to get back at her?
Then the flute fell silent, and the illusion shattered. Tayuya found herself still standing where she'd been. She looked at Kitazawa, fear flickering in her eyes.
"That's Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains," Kitazawa said, returning the flute. "From here on, a shadow clone will train you."
He formed the signs and split off a clone.
Tayuya was still processing. But one thing was clear: she'd only just joined the Advanced Class, she'd even shown she disliked Kitazawa—and he'd still taught her a B-rank technique. What about everyone else?
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 100 Chapters Ahead of Others!