บท 78: Chapter 78: The New Gatō

"He's gone; it's some kind of space-time ninjutsu." With his vast experience, Kakuzu quickly deduced what Aoba had done.

Konan landed quietly, but she didn't say anything immediately. Just moments ago, she had retrieved the paper shuriken she'd sent out, only to find a message written on one of the sheets.

The message was brief but conveyed a lot.

Shocked, Konan no longer had the mind to recruit anyone.

"Let's go," she said.

Elsewhere, Aoba appeared with Zabuza and Haku at the location where they'd fought earlier that day.

Taking out a vial of medicine, Aoba held it up.

"Now, we can talk."

Half an hour later, Aoba left, leaving Zabuza and Haku deep in thought.

Of the group, only Karin noticed Aoba had left camp the previous night. After that, their journey continued without incident.

Zabuza didn't reappear, and any bandits they encountered along the way were quickly dealt with by the three young ninja.

About two weeks later, they arrived safely in the Land of Waves.

"Well then, Mr. Tazuna, as per our contract, our escort mission is complete. We'll be parting ways here."

Tazuna opened his mouth to speak but couldn't argue. According to the contract, he'd only hired the Konoha ninja to escort him back to the Land of Waves, not to protect him during the bridge's construction.

Initially, he'd hoped that during the trip, he could convince these Konoha ninja to continue guarding the Land of Waves for free.

However, every time he tried steering the conversation in that direction, Aoba's cold gaze stopped him.

That jonin was on a completely different level from the three innocent children. Tazuna even feared that if he pushed too hard, Aoba might just bury him somewhere along the road.

Meanwhile, in the Land of Waves, in Gatō's mansion…

Gatō was terrified, looking at the rogue ninja who seemed to have lost his mind. Nearly everyone in his residence was dead.

The ninja and samurai he'd paid so much to hire hadn't even managed to put up a fight against the rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist.

"You… you… you're breaking our agreement! Ninjas aren't supposed to harm their employers! You…"

"You don't understand the meaning of 'rogue ninja,' do you?" Zabuza replied, leaving Gatō speechless. He'd investigated this rogue's background and knew he was notorious for flouting traditional ninja norms.

"Don't kill me! I have money. I'll pay whatever you want. I…"

"Gatō-san, I think you misunderstand me. I'm not here to kill you. In fact, I'm here to apply for a new job. From now on, I'll be your guard. Your only guard. What do you think?"

Gatō was stunned. As a businessman, he understood immediately what Zabuza was implying. Unfortunately, at a time like this, his wealth meant nothing.

"No problem. I'll pay you the highest wage."

"Good. But I think there's a flaw in your business strategy, Gatō-san. Why insist on stopping the bridge's construction in the Land of Waves?"

When Aoba first read about the Land of Waves mission in the original series, he'd found it hard not to scoff. He never understood why Gatō feared the bridge's completion so much.

Based on the story, Gatō had overwhelming military strength compared to the people of the Land of Waves.

If Aoba were Gatō, he would have let the people build the bridge and then taken control of it.

Controlling a bridge was much easier and more profitable than controlling an entire sea route. Plus, allowing the Land of Waves access to more trade options would ultimately be like fattening livestock for slaughter.

Soon, the people of the Land of Waves noticed a change: Gatō's men stopped interfering with the bridge construction. The project progressed rapidly, but as it was crowdfunded by commoners, funds soon ran out.

Just when it seemed impossible to proceed, Gatō reappeared. But this time, he presented himself not as a destructive force but as a business partner.

Yes, Gatō was rebranding himself. Though it was in name only, he had, technically, "cleaned up" his image. The people of the Land of Waves were shocked to learn that Gatō had made a deal with the daimyo of the Land of Waves, making him an official investor in the bridge.

The people didn't know whether to accept or reject his involvement. On the one hand, Gatō's past actions were unforgivable. On the other, they couldn't afford to refuse him, either.

The day after his public announcement, Gatō poured substantial funds into the project. Better equipment, higher wages, and improved welfare.

Soon, the first worker joined Gatō's construction company, followed by another and another.

Within days, the original team building the bridge, funded by donations, transformed into Gatō's construction workers.

Faced with no other options, Tazuna, the bridge's original engineer, had no choice but to join as well.

Gatō might have spent a considerable amount upfront, but he could already see the return on his investment in the near future.

Gatō felt as if he'd opened the door to a new world. The only downside was that he was now merely a puppet for certain powers.

Back in Konoha, Aoba officially began his break, expanding his lab.

With the financial backing of the Gatō Group, Aoba could finally work without restrictions. He bought all the high-end equipment he needed in one go, expanding the lab to triple its original size.

Meanwhile, Sakura's training began in earnest.

"You need to understand that Tsunade isn't only Konoha's best medical ninja. She's also one of the strongest fighters. Medical ninjutsu combined with sealing techniques can be as powerful as any other jutsu."

"The reason so few take this path is that it requires specific talents: exceptional chakra control and a strong aptitude for theoretical learning."

"Medical ninjutsu requires precise chakra control, while sealing techniques need extensive theoretical knowledge. You're one of the few in Konoha who possesses both qualities."

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