"The world really needs to change."
Uchiha Shisui paused, then spoke again.
When he was a ninja, his focus had always been on missions—killing, darkness, life and death. That was his view of the ninja world.
But now, walking through the world as an observer, away from missions, he saw a completely different picture.
Farmers sighed over poor harvests.
Merchants wept over lost goods.
Orphans fought hungry dogs over scraps in the trash.
And bandit raids left destruction in their wake.
Buildings collapsed. People were injured. Life was fragile.
Everything was shocking.
Shisui suddenly understood what Naruto had been emphasizing all along: the ninja world isn't just about ninjas. The ordinary people—the backbone of the world—matter too.
It's too narrow-minded to focus only on Konoha.
Naruto entered, clad in jet-black armor. His presence radiated authority and power.
Shorin came in with tea.
"Shorin, sit here and take notes for the meeting."
Shorin hesitated, about to retreat, but Naruto pointed to the seat beside him, insisting she sit.
She trembled, not daring to resist. Only eight years old, she had been beaten and scolded in Kusanagi Village, which had made her cautious by habit. Even in Red Sun Town, her life safe, that habit persisted.
Quietly, she observed the three adults with curious eyes.
"Shisui, do you have something to discuss with us?" Naruto asked, sitting at the main seat.
"In the past two years, 387 people have come to the town. Of those, 160 are adults. The rest—227—are orphans of various ages."
Naruto nodded, impressed at the sheer number of people now under their care.
"There are many empty houses in the town, so the children have a place to live. We're also self-sufficient in food and vegetables.
"The problem is, people can't live on just vegetables. They need meat and fish. Clothes and daily necessities. And tools for practice—props for ninjutsu, training equipment…"
Shisui poked at the report with his pen, his expression growing more and more troubled.
Uchiha Itachi looked on curiously. He had been busy with Konoha affairs, leaving town matters aside except for teaching.
In this town, Shisui was effectively the head steward, overseeing food, resources, and daily operations.
"You mean…"
"We're out of money."
Shisui handed the report to Naruto, spreading his hands.
"Remember last time? We joined forces to catch that group of bounty criminals. The reward was over ten thousand taels—and now it's almost gone."
Naruto's eyes widened. Over a year ago, he had realized money would be an issue. He left a decoy in Konoha and, with Shisui, captured a group of notorious bounty criminals through the black market, earning a large sum.
"Not much left," Shisui sighed.
He hadn't realized how expensive running a town could be. In the past, the ninja mission rewards had seemed more than enough to live comfortably. Now, he truly understood the value of money.
"This is a real problem. We can't rely on catching bounty criminals forever. We need a stable, sustainable source of income."
Naruto tapped the table, thinking. When it came to making money, he had some ideas—but ideas alone weren't enough. Without enough trustworthy people, even the best plans couldn't succeed.
After all, Naruto couldn't manage everything alone.
"Manpower?"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
He looked at Shisui. "Shisui, what about the person I asked you to track? Have you found him?"
"Found. Yakushi Kabuto. He's been sent to Iwagakure as a spy for Root and has been on assignments for some time."
"Already in Iwagakure?" Naruto's face darkened slightly.
He had asked Shisui to track Kabuto because fragments kept surfacing in his mind—Kabuto seemed important. This year marked a turning point in Kabuto's life, the change that could send him spiraling. And that place seemed to be Iwagakure.
"Shisui, regarding the money issue… let's catch a few bounty criminals first to relieve the pressure. I'll join you. Itachi, stay here and watch Danzo carefully—see how long he can hold out."
The three discussed the town's minor issues and made decisions.
Shorin quietly recorded every word. Her eyes grew wider with curiosity.
To her, these three supremely powerful ninjas were concerned about ordinary problems. It was eye-opening—and reassuring.
Living in this town would be safe and comfortable.
"Shorin, manage those little devils down there. Don't let them do anything too dangerous. Keep them healthy and safe. If they misbehave, punish them—and reward them with fried pork and bamboo shoots. Got it?"
Shorin froze, caught off guard by the responsibility. She had never been cared about before.
Naruto didn't give her a chance to refuse—he was resolute.
"President, you seem to value Shorin a lot."
"She's from the Uzumaki Clan. She has high potential and can't be wasted. Good seedlings like her need careful cultivation from the start…"
Shorin listened, her eyes shining. For the first time, someone recognized her worth—not just as a tool or a medical assistant, but as someone truly needed
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