XX-level Hokage

Affection Reward (90): Frost Power

What Zhenbai thought was good was not Bai's favorability reward, and she didn't even quite understand what Bai's favorability reward meant.

What truly impressed Mashiro was Haku himself and Haku's mastery of Ice Release. She had a new business venture that needed the help of Ice Release. At that moment, Zabuza also emerged from the merchant building. His expression seemed somewhat lost, but upon seeing Haku, it immediately turned cold.

"Lord Zabuza, here's your lunch." He walked up to Zabuza, handed him the bento box, and said. "Haku, come with me for a moment." Zabuza didn't take Haku's bento box, and said coldly.

Bai was somewhat puzzled, but he still followed Kan Zaibujian into an office in the Chamber of Commerce building.

"What's wrong, Lord Zabuza?" Bai placed the bento on the office desk and asked with some confusion.

“Just now, Kado’s superior, Lady Mashiro from Konoha, came by. She was very interested in you, so I sold you to her,” Zabuza said calmly.

"What are you saying? Lord Zabuza!" Shiro's face turned deathly pale. She couldn't believe it, but Wen remembered the words of the girl who had just arrived at the building entrance.

"Didn't you understand? I sold you to Lady Mashiro. She has power and influence in Konoha. It's not like you're being treated unfairly by going with her. I'll also get a lot in return."

"This sum of money is enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life," Zabuza said coldly.

"You must be joking, right? I'm so ordinary, why would an adult like me need me?" Bai Yiran said in disbelief.

“Who knows? You’re so useless, I can’t figure out why she’d be interested in you. But since she’s willing to pay this price, I’m more than happy to accept,” Zabuza continued.

“Lord Zabuza, you must have been forced into this, right? If it really comes down to it, we can leave the Land of Waves and live somewhere else,” Haku said with immense sorrow.

"Leave? I don't want to live that kind of life anymore. Once the money she promised comes through, I'll be set for life." Zabuza said somewhat irritably.

"By the way, you should be an adult by now. Since you're going to be with someone else, why not give me your body first? It wouldn't be in vain that I've raised you all these years." (If not...)

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he reached out and began to tear at the white clothes.

She shed tears as she looked at Zabuza, knowing full well that these weren't Zabuza's true feelings.

She took off her coat and placed it in Zabuza's hand, saying sadly, "Since this is what you wish for, Lord Zabuza, I will go." She then gave Zabuza a deep kiss before leaving the office.

Zabuza held the white coat, his gaze complex, his body stiff. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh. Mashiro's words still echoed in his ears.

"You and Haku have only been able to live such a peaceful life all these years thanks to Gato, right? Do you know why? I've been secretly keeping your whereabouts in the Land of Waves under wraps. Many ninja villages have death warrants for you. You and Haku used to make a living by watching killings. You should know that Haku doesn't like killing; she even..."

"I'm not suited to be a ninja."

"You probably also want Haku to live in Konoha, right? Leave Haku to me, and I'll arrange a suitable job for her so she can live a stable life in Konoha." "You suspect I might do something to her? Unfortunately, Haku isn't a genius, and the Ice Templar of the Mizuki clan isn't a powerful bloodline limit either."

"Tell me, if I really want to do something, you can't stop me."

"I will give you some money. After that, you can choose to stay in the Land of Waves and continue to serve as Kado's guard, or you can go to other places. Of course, if you are willing to hand over your greatsword to me, I will help you remove the warrant for your arrest from the Land of Water."

You should know how to tell yourself, no one knows her better than you.

Although Zabuza didn't want to believe it, Mashiro's words were indeed true, and this was the best ending for the dialogue.

Looking at the bento box on the table, Zabuza began to eat heartily. "Bai, live happily ever after."

Mashiro is touring the factories in the Land of Waves, which are among her main tools for carrying out her plans.

Whether it was Akatsuki, Obito, or Madara, Mashiro didn't feel anything about the future enemies; they were just a bunch of losers.

The ninja world isn't just about ninjas; it's also made up of many ordinary people.

Technology, productivity, and employment—that's Mashiro's ultimate weapon. With the support of the common people of the ninja world, ninjas? Mere tools.

Chapter 76: Progress

"How well are the common people in the Land of Waves accepting this?" Mashiro asked, looking through the glass at the busy workers in the factory.

"Reporting to you, sir, they are very happy and their work enthusiasm is excellent. Many have even petitioned for me to open more factories," Kado said respectfully. Mashiro nodded in agreement. This was normal; the ninja world had always been dominated by ninjas, and the interests of ordinary people were severely neglected. Their ability to gain...

There aren't many ways to make money. You either become a farmer, a small merchant using your skills, or do some auxiliary work for ninjas, while also bearing the various risks brought about by ninja battles.

Now a place has emerged that can provide jobs for ordinary people, requiring little to no cost, and providing monthly income. This is the best possible place for ordinary people who have been struggling to make ends meet.

"We can put the factory expansion in the Land of Waves on hold for now. Next, we'll build factories in the Land of Fields, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Demons. I've already made arrangements with these three countries."

Then, Yukiori's affordable brand, Yunori, was launched as a pilot project in the Land of Waves, near the factory, to see how the workers responded to the purchase. If the response was positive, it would be expanded to the Land of Fields, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Demons.

The goods needed by the Cloud Weavers are inexpensive but of average quality, so they have the factories in the Land of Fields and the Land of Grass produce them.

Furthermore, the production plant of Hyougoya in the Land of Waves will be shut down, and all Hyougoya products will henceforth be produced in the factory in the Land of Demons.

"We'll take the equipment and some skilled workers from the Land of Waves with us," Mashiro said.

Kado pondered for a moment, understanding Mashiro's intention, and said, "Yes, I'll arrange it right away." "By the way, how's the deployment to the four great nations of Wind, Water, Thunder, and Earth going?" Mashiro asked.

"Reporting to you, sir, because they would provide tax revenue, none of the four ninja villages stopped the Yukiori family and the Hyogoya from setting up shop there. However, due to the local industries, their development has been extremely slow, and the profits have been unsatisfactory," Kado said with a sigh.

"Being ostracized is normal. If it weren't for the Hyuga clan's endorsement, the Yukiori clan and Hyougoya would probably have received the same treatment in Konoha. In a few days, I will have the daughters of the Fifth Kazekage and the Third Tsuchikage endorse us. We will take the opportunity to launch more events to give ordinary people a sense of participation. We should also be more humble towards other low-end competitors and make it clear to them that the Yukiori clan and Hyougoya only take the high-end route and will not take over their market."

"Of course, it doesn't matter in the Land of Wind, but don't go too far in the Land of Earth. The Third Tsuchikage is a tough nut to crack," Mashiro said.

"Yes, sir." Kado was incredibly excited. Successfully capturing the markets of the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth meant that even more money would flow into their hands.

"Once the factories in the Land of Fields and the Land of Grass are on track, and the Cloud Weaving family's business model has matured, we will push the Cloud Weaving family into the markets of the Five Great Nations. Leaving aside the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water, I want you to completely conquer the daily necessities and clothing markets of the other three countries," Mashiro said expressionlessly.

"No problem, sir." Despite some hesitation, Kado remained confident.

More markets mean more orders, more orders mean more jobs and more money, more jobs mean more labor, which in turn contributes to more markets, and more money leads to larger-scale production.

Daily necessities, clothing, snacks—this is just the first step. Mashiro will move on to the next step... "Kado, stockpile more land in the Land of Waves," Mashiro said with a smile.

"?" Even Kado couldn't understand what Mashiro meant this time. Land is always the cheapest thing.

"Alright, go and arrange things," Mashiro said without answering Gato's question. "Yes," Gato replied, unconcerned, and turned to leave.

“You’ve been here for a while now,” Mashiro said with a smile. No one responded.

“Have you ever heard of the Byakugan? I can see you very clearly,” Mashiro continued, still without moving.

"I saw the reflection in your ice mirror, Mizuki Haku." Mashiro said, turning to look at a screen behind her. A moment later, Haku slowly walked out from behind the screen.

"Is there something you want to ask me?" Mashiro asked, looking at Haku. Haku nodded first, then shook his head.

"You should know that Zabuza is wanted by the Water Village, right? Selling you to me was Zabuza's own idea; he was tired of the life of fighting."

He also hoped you could have a more stable and peaceful life. I promised him I could help him get out of his predicament of being hunted down and provide you with a better life, so he agreed to my conditions. "Mashiro said to Shiro.

"I know." Haku had already guessed this. She understood Zabuza and knew that he had largely agreed to Mashiro's request because of her. But just as she said, since it was Zabuza's wish, she would agree.

“I don’t blame you. Going to Konoha is a good thing for me, a chance to experience a new life,” Haku said softly. “Then why did you come to find me?” Haku asked.

“I wanted to ask when you were leaving so I could prepare in advance, and then I accidentally overheard your conversation with Lord Kado,” Bai said softly.

"So, what are your thoughts?" Mashiro asked softly, watching the sunset.

"You are a very gentle person. If ordinary people all had stable jobs, perhaps the ninja world could be at peace," he replied.

Bai, you are a very intelligent person, but you have misunderstood one thing. While ordinary people are indeed the foundation of stability in the world, whether or not peace can be achieved depends on their ability to manage it.

"It was the strategists who decided. Alright, you should go back now. I'll take you back to Konoha this morning," Zhen Bai said leisurely.

Bai bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

I heard from Nagato that Akatsuki has already collected the Six-Tails, and the time has long since come for what I promised Konan.

Now we can start making some plans. Let's first make Nagato lose his Rinnegan. Then, we'll have Nagato lead the Six Paths of Pain to the Hidden Lightning Village to capture the Eight-Tails, and then…

Mashiro pondered, then disappeared into the shadows.

The next day, Mashiro, accompanied by Haku, set off for Konoha.

Mashiro did not use the Shadow Legion, and it took her two whole days to finally arrive in Konoha. But after arriving in Konoha, Mashiro first informed Tsunade, and then took Haku to her villa.

“Choose one of the empty rooms, and you’ll be staying there.” Mashiro showed Haku around all the remaining empty rooms. In the end, Haku chose the third room on the east side of the third floor, next to Yugito’s room.

"Here's your key. There's money in the cabinet in your room. You can wander around Konoha and buy whatever you need." Mashiro handed the key to Haku and said. Haku took the key, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Lord Mashiro, what should I do?"

"For now, you just need to sit quietly in the warm bed every day. In a while, there will be some experiments that will require your cooperation. After the experiments, you can work as a waitress in one of my shops," Mashiro said.

An experiment? A waiter? Bai was a little confused, but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, sir."

Bai didn't pay attention to "warming the bed," assuming it meant going to sleep.

At that moment, Yugito suddenly came out of the room and happened to see Mashiro and Shiro. Then she silently went back into the room and closed the door.

Chapter 77: Hinata and Hanabi

Mashiro always has all sorts of things going on, Hinata needs to carry out all sorts of missions, and Hanabi is still attending classes at the Ninja Academy, so for a long time only Temari, Tayuya, and Yugito are in the villa.

They were aware of each other's existence, but since Shouhan and Duoyu were on the second floor and Yukito was on the third floor, and they usually went out at different times, they didn't communicate much. When they occasionally met, they would just greet each other.

Temari and Tayuya believe that Yugito is another of Mashiro's maids, while Yugito believes that Temari and Tayuya, like her, are prisoners captured by Mashiro.

Mashiro was naturally aware of this situation. Since Haku had moved in, and Hinata and Hanabi were also in the villa, she decided to have everyone get together for a meal so they could all get to know each other.

So, when it was time for dinner, Hinata, Hikaru, Temari, Tayuya, Yugito, Haku, and Mashiro herself—everyone in the villa—gathered in the living room.

The long table in the living room was filled with delicious food that Mashiro had sent over.

When they took their seats, Mashiro sat in the main seat, with Hinata and Hanabi sitting to Mashiro's right as her sisters, and Tehan and Tayuya as her attendants.

The maids, by all accounts, were not entitled to sit, but due to other special circumstances, the two of them sat to Mashiro's left, while Yukito and Shiro sat to each other, one on the left and one on the right, and each was separated from the person next to them by one seat.

Judging from their seating arrangement, it's clear they weren't actually close. They were only able to sit together for a meal because of Mashiro. So Mashiro planned to take this opportunity to improve their relationship. Although she wouldn't dare say they'd become close, at least they wouldn't be like strangers anymore.

"The main reason I called everyone out today is to introduce our newest member to the villa. Shiro, why don't you introduce yourself?" Shiro said softly.

Haku is a very intelligent person, and since Mashiro had given her a hint beforehand, Haku knew exactly what to say.

She said gently, "Greetings everyone. My name is Mizuki Shiro, and I am a student of Mashiro-sama. Since I just came to Konoha from the Land of Waves, I don't know much about Konoha. Please feel free to guide me."

After Bai finished speaking, he bowed slightly.

"Welcome, Shiro." Hinata and Hanabi clapped softly.

There were no Xin people present, and they quickly understood what Bai meant.

Then, Shouhan stood up and said with a smile, "Since Miss Shiro has started, let me introduce myself as well. My name is Shouhan, and I come from the Sand Village. Due to some accidents, I was imprisoned along with my two younger brothers. Later, we were rescued by Lady Mashiro, and I am very grateful to her! So, instead of returning to the Sand Village, I voluntarily stayed to take care of her."

After Shouhan sat down, Tayuya stood up immediately and said nervously, "I am Tayuya from Otogakure. Like Shouhan, I was also saved by Mashiro-sama for some reason. Since I had nowhere to go, I voluntarily stayed by Mashiro-sama's side."

After Tayuya sat down, Hinata was about to get up when Hanabi stopped her.

Mashiro smiled and glanced at Hanabi, then said, "Shiro, these are my two younger sisters, Hinata and Hanabi. They are both quite busy, so you may not have many opportunities to meet each other."

Upon hearing this, Bai smiled gently at Tian and Hanabi.

Finally, Yugito stood up and said, "My name is Yugito Nii. I am a ninja from Kumogakure and the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails. Like the two ladies before me, I was unexpectedly saved by Mashiro. Mashiro has given me a lot of help, and I am very grateful to her. I will be staying here for a while, and I hope we can get along well."

After she finished speaking, Mashiro smiled gently and said, "If you have time, you can try to get to know each other. As future sisters, you should have common topics to discuss."