Naruto felt a bad feeling in his heart as he watched the Mist Shinobi thrash on the ground from his punch.
"Sasuke! Where's your Sharingan? Quick! Come greet me!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, enduring the chakra drain, and stepped forward. "Naruto… how exactly do you want me to 'greet' him?" he asked doubtfully.
"Use your Sharingan to force him to give up the information," Naruto said, bending down to lift the rogue ninja and setting him upright in front of Sasuke.
The Sharingan was a tool for interrogation—Naruto had taught Sasuke this.
Even though Naruto didn't possess a Sharingan, he knew enough to instruct Sasuke.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan again and locked eyes with the rebel ninja.
The man was clearly weak-minded, and the genjutsu immediately took effect.
Sasuke began the interrogation. "Tell me… how many of you are there?"
Rogue Ninja: "Three."
Sasuke: "Are they all here?"
Rogue Ninja: "Yes, that's right."
Sasuke: "Why are you kidnapping children?"
Rogue Ninja: "Isn't it obvious? I sell them to support my wife! Should I capture them as offerings to my ancestors?"
Sasuke: "You have a wife, and yet you kidnap other people's children? Have you never thought about destroying those families?"
Rogue Ninja: "Why should I care?"
Naruto nodded at Sasuke. "Don't waste time scolding him. Ask him if his wife is pretty first."
Sasuke turned to Naruto, confused. "?"
Sakura and Kakashi exchanged glances. "…Brother, what are you saying?"
Naruto noticed their expressions and waved his hand. "Forget I said anything."
Sasuke resumed the interrogation, asking various questions until he finally got the full picture.
Several rogue Mist-nin had crossed the sea into the Land of Fire to avoid capture.
Lacking money for food and shelter, they kidnapped children and sold them.
The rogue ninja's "wife" was actually just a waitress at a shady inn.
The kidnapped children had already been sold.
After getting the information, Naruto crushed the traitor's neck and discarded the body.
He clapped his hands and addressed the team. "Mission complete. You can head back. I have other matters to attend to."
"What?!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise. "Naruto-kun, aren't you coming back with us?"
Naruto shook his head.
Sakura frowned. "But Naruto, didn't the Third Hokage warn you about danger outside?"
"Don't worry. I don't feel any danger," Naruto replied calmly, placing a hand on his abdomen.
1.5 Nine-Tails!
Still lending Naruto chakra generously.
How many ninjas today could even face 1.5 Nine-Tails?
Kakashi frowned, still worried, but Naruto insisted.
Eventually, Naruto said to Kakashi, "Jōnin-sama, who do you think needs protection? Me, or Sasuke and Sakura? And who's really leading?"
Kakashi hesitated, then muttered, "Naruto… you'll regret this… huh? Something feels wrong… but in the end, it's you who'll suffer."
Still, Kakashi had no choice but to follow Naruto's orders.
Team 7 helped the village eliminate the bandits.
The village chief was also informed of where the children had been sold.
Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi returned to Konoha along the same route.
Naruto, however, pressed eastward.
East of the Land of Fire lay the sea.
Near the mainland was a small island nation called the Country of Waves.
Naruto had chosen this mission deliberately because of its proximity to the Land of Waves.
When he had selected missions, he noticed the plotline in his original life—the Land of Waves mission.
Originally, Team Kakashi had handled it.
But now that Naruto was in control, if the Country of Waves fell to Kado, he could intervene.
He could also borrow some money from Kado while he was at it.
If Kado didn't control the country, Naruto could still learn about him—and, again, borrow some money.
This Kado was truly a "novice village event boss," capable of producing piles of gold.
Any time travelers would likely visit him to borrow funds.
Naruto wasn't interested in money per se, but he didn't want to be deprived of opportunities.
Though he had 200 million now, his purchasing power equaled 10 million from his previous life.
But a young ninja's expenses were high. Ten million wasn't enough.
Three hundred million? Then he'd be set for life.
Of course, it depended on how he spent it.
Naruto increased his speed and rushed toward the Land of Waves.
…
Upon reaching the Country of Waves, Naruto sought information.
Bad news: he was late.
That black-hearted merchant, Kado, had already established a 90-year tax extension over the Country of Waves.
That's 150 damn years for Konoha!
This wasn't a problem in itself—the real issue was the change in plot.
Originally, Team Kakashi would handle the mission.
Now, it was Team Guy.
Guy versus Zabuza.
The sequence went like this:
Zabuza injured Lee.
Guy kicked Zabuza.
Zabuza, furious, killed Kado's men.
Then he stole a huge sum of cash and ran off with the beautiful Minazuki Shiro.
When Naruto heard this from Team Guy, he cursed inwardly: "Damn troublemaker! How dare you touch my gold coins?!"
Seeing Naruto frozen in anger, Tenten approached him. "Naruto, were you the one selling photos earlier?"
"Huh?" Naruto came back to his senses and looked at the girl, dressed in familiar clothes.
"Yes, it was me," Naruto nodded.
Tenten, bolder, asked directly, "Would you consider taking more photos to sell?"
"Me?!" Naruto waved his hands. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Tenten's smile disappeared. "I'm willing to pay."
Naruto shook his head firmly. "I won't compromise my integrity for a few coins!"
Tenten: "The last time, it cost less than 10,000 taels. I can give you 100,000 taels now for the photos."
Naruto laughed. "Woman…"
Tenten: "Fifty thousand."
Naruto: "Do you think I'm short on money?"
Tenten: "One million."
Naruto: "This…"
Tenten: "Still refusing? You're such a man of principle. Fine, three million."
Naruto: "It's not about money… there aren't even any cameras here."
Tenten: "Five million—take the photo now."
Naruto: "Sister, what pose and outfit do you want?"
On the sidelines, Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Neji: "…"
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