Within just three days, Ocean’s Heart—the jewelry brand founded by Tsunade and Kitazawa—had become the hottest name in the Capital of the Land of Fire.

Word spread like wildfire among the aristocracy.

They were living in the Daimyo’s residence for the time being, and every day, waves of noblewomen came calling. Each visit had the same purpose—they all wanted the dazzling necklace worn by the Daimyo’s Wife.

Even if they couldn’t have that exact one, a similar piece would do.

Kitazawa’s response never changed:

“Please attend the auction this Saturday. After that, we’ll discuss your commission.”

And so, anticipation built until Saturday finally arrived.

The Daimyo’s Wife had generously offered them the grand courtyard behind the castle for the event.

It wasn’t pure charity—the noblewoman herself had basked in endless admiration all week. Every lady who saw her gushed over the necklace, their compliments laced with envy.

She had never felt such exquisite satisfaction: to be envied, admired, and set apart.

After all, prestige—not beauty—was the true luxury that the wealthy paid for.

“They’re truly insane,” Tsunade muttered, watching the courtyard overflow with elegantly dressed noblewomen chatting and laughing under the hanging lanterns.

“They’ve got too much time and too much money,” Kitazawa replied lightly. “Of course they’d come.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

In the shinobi world, beyond the chaos of jutsu and warfare, the Land of Fire still functioned as a traditional feudal state—layered with hierarchy and pride.

With the Daimyo’s Wife leading by example, attendance became not just a trend but a social obligation.

Skipping the event, especially one hosted on the Daimyo’s estate, would’ve been seen as a grave insult.

Even the Daimyo himself showed up briefly—a gesture that spoke volumes about Tsunade’s influence.

“After this auction, Ocean’s Heart will be flooded with orders,” Tsunade said, smiling broadly, her eyes practically glinting with ryo signs.

Kitazawa chuckled. “Not too many, I hope. Scarcity creates value. If everyone can have one, it won’t be worth anything.”

Tsunade pouted. “What a waste. Think of all the money we could be making!”

He shrugged. “Exclusivity keeps the prices high. And the Hyuga artisans crafting the pieces already have their hands full.”

Tsunade sighed dramatically. “Still feels like a tragedy to my wallet.”

Kitazawa laughed. “We can always expand. When we return to Konoha, I’ll send someone to open a permanent branch here.”

He paused, then added, “Do you have anyone in mind to manage it?”

Tsunade tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Rina’s too busy. Maybe… let the Hyuga Clan handle it. They’re reliable—and discreet.”

“That works,” Kitazawa said, then suddenly remembered something.

Honoka Uzumaki.

She was still alive somewhere in this world—a red-haired sealing prodigy researching summoning beasts on the Forgotten Island, far out in the Land of the Sea.

In the original timeline, she’d died during a failed experiment. But that hadn’t happened yet.

Perhaps I should take Karin there someday, he thought quietly. It might be worth it.

By nine o’clock, the auction began.

The necklace on display wasn’t identical to the Daimyo’s Wife’s, but it was no less breathtaking, gold and crystal intertwined, shimmering like captured moonlight.

The bidding began immediately, a chorus of voices rising and falling in waves.

“Ten million!”

“Twenty million!”

“Thirty—no, forty million!”

The prices climbed rapidly.

Tsunade leaned forward in excitement, eyes glued to the scene. “How high do you think it’ll go?”

Kitazawa smiled. “If the competition’s fierce, maybe a hundred million.”

She blinked. “One hundred million? You’re dreaming. No one’s that reckless.”

He didn’t reply—just smirked knowingly.

For a ninja, a hundred million ryo was an almost mythical sum. Even Asuma’s bounty on the black market was barely thirty-five million.

As for Jiraiya—after decades of dangerous missions, his total lifetime earnings probably didn’t exceed six hundred million ryo. And that was a Sannin and a Successful author.

Half an hour later, only three noblewomen remained in the running—each one from among the Capital’s most powerful families, and none of them on friendly terms.

Tsunade held her breath, her pulse quickening as bids leapt back and forth like kunai.

Fifty-five million… sixty… seventy— seventy-five…

Her fists clenched. She felt more nervous than during her first S-rank mission.

Finally, the bidding ended.

Eighty million ryo.

“Eighty… million…” Tsunade’s voice trembled. Then her eyes sparkled. “So much money!”

Kitazawa chuckled. “You’re the Hokage, remember? Try to look a little more dignified.”

Tsunade ignored him, too busy imagining the sound of coins clinking.

Her ten percent cut alone came to eight million ryo—enough to keep her entertained in the casino for months.

And this was just their first auction.

“If I think too much about this,” she muttered, fanning herself dramatically, “being a ninja starts to feel pointless.”

“How’s it pointless?” Kitazawa said, glancing at the sky. “In the end, this world only respects strength.”

His tone was calm, but his words carried a quiet conviction.

When the Akatsuki’s Eye of the Moon Plan began—when gods and monsters descended—wealth would mean nothing. Power alone would decide survival.

With true strength, he could simply take what others offered willingly.

Tsunade studied him curiously. “You’re far too grounded for your age. Most men would be drunk on the thought of that kind of money.”

“I prefer chasing power over riches,” Kitazawa said simply.

He couldn’t exactly tell her he’d seen worlds beyond hers—and beings beyond comprehension.

Tsunade folded her arms. “Then why do you always say you’ll ‘keep my winnings safe’? Just hand them over.”

“That’s impossible,” he replied evenly, meeting her gaze.

Tsunade glared. “I’m your sensei!”

He smiled. “And I’m the one holding the money. Now, Hokage-sama, if you’re done arguing, we’ve got work to do.”

He gestured toward the courtyard. “Start making a list of which noblewomen want custom pieces.”

Tsunade puffed out her cheeks. “This brat… he doesn’t fear me at all.”

Still, she followed him.

The two spent the rest of the night surrounded by glowing lanterns and endless chatter, attending to each client one by one.

By the time the last noblewoman left, the moon was high—and Ocean’s Heart had officially taken the Capital by storm.

Kitazawa glanced at the bank passbook, the corners of his mouth lifting in quiet satisfaction.

Even in a world where strength ruled above all else, money still held undeniable power.

After all, not every shinobi could walk the path of invincibility.

And for this particular eighty million ryo—he hadn’t even broken a sweat.

All the raw materials came from the ocean, and aside from paying wages to the Hyuga artisans and the Gato Shipping Company, it was pure profit.

He couldn’t help but wonder what Hiashi’s face would look like when he saw this much revenue. Maybe it would finally convince him to assign more people to their jewelry division.

“Let me see!” Tsunade leaned forward, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

She never held onto money for long—it always found its way to a casino table. The woman didn’t even have savings, just an impressive stack of IOUs.

This, however, was different. Eighty million ryo was the most she’d ever handled at once.

Kitazawa turned the passbook around for her to see—then smoothly slipped it out of reach just as she reached for it.

“Really?” Tsunade gave him a blank look. “That’s how little you trust me?”

“Trust has nothing to do with it,” Kitazawa said, deftly changing the subject. “We’ve been in the Capital for a week. When are we heading back?”

“Tomorrow.” Her answer came fast—but before he could nod, she grinned mischievously. “You’re coming with me to the casino tonight!”

Kitazawa sighed. “You just earned eight million ryo. You’re planning to lose it all in one night?”

“What are you saying?” Tsunade puffed up her chest confidently and gave him a light punch. “I’m going to turn that eight million into eighty million!”

Of course, reality had other plans.

Hours later…

Crunch.

Tsunade’s sandal ground a pebble into dust as she stalked down the road, seething from yet another catastrophic loss.

Kitazawa’s eyelid twitched. Those high heels could probably kill a man if she stepped on him with intent.

He wisely said nothing and followed silently back to the Daimyo’s residence.

“Wake me up tomorrow,” she snapped, slamming the door to her room behind her.

He smirked faintly. “Yes, Lady Tsunade.”

The next morning

After breakfast, they bid farewell to the Daimyo and his wife, then departed the capital.

Since Tsunade had already enjoyed her “vacation,” they traveled at an easy, steady pace, reaching Konoha by nightfall.

At the gates, Tsunade stopped and turned to him. “When are you planning to go to Otogakure?”

“Give me a week,” Kitazawa said after a short pause.

“Alright.” Her tone softened slightly. “Just remember—your safety comes first. If Orochimaru escapes this time, there’ll be another chance.”

Before he could respond, she turned and disappeared into her home, leaving him standing in the moonlight.

Kitazawa smiled faintly and opened his own door. “I’m home!”

A flash of movement—a soft fragrance—and Kurenai was suddenly in his arms.

“You were gone too long,” she murmured, voice half-complaint, half-relief.

Kitazawa chuckled and kissed her without a word.

Their lips met, gentle at first, then deepened into a long, lingering exchange that neither wanted to end.

When they finally broke apart, Kurenai’s cheeks were flushed, her breath uneven. “Why so long this time?”

“Promoting the jewelry line took more effort than expected,” he said, guiding her toward the living room. “Guess how much the first necklace sold for?”

She thought for a moment. “Thirty million?”

He smiled. “Eighty.”

Kurenai’s eyes widened. She instinctively sat down—on his lap. “Eighty million?!”

“They’re noblewomen,” he explained, laughing softly. “They don’t buy jewelry—they buy reputation.”

“We’re rich!” she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek. Her excitement was almost childlike.

Then, a beat later, she blinked, a dazed look crossing her face. “Eighty million… that’s eighty S-rank missions. No wonder Tsunade became your partner on this.”

Kitazawa chuckled. “It’s not all ours. And remember—money is fleeting. Strength is what lasts.”

Kurenai smiled faintly and nodded. “Right…”

He leaned in closer, voice low. “Now then, why don’t I test your progress?”

Before she could react, he swept her into his arms and carried her toward the bathroom.

Kurenai gave a playful glare. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe,” he murmured against her ear, “but I’m thorough.”

The “training session” lasted two hours.

By the end of it, Kurenai was completely spent—too tired to walk—and Kitazawa carried her back to bed with a satisfied grin.

Monday—the second week of summer vacation.

After breakfast, Kitazawa headed to the Ninja Academy.

Kurenai, unsurprisingly, was still fast asleep.

“Kitazawa-sensei!”

Hyuga Hinata’s eyes lit up as soon as she spotted him.

“Kitazawa-sensei, we missed you!” Naruto shouted, waving frantically.

“Yeah!” Ino ran up eagerly. “Kitazawa-sensei, did you go on a mission this week?”

Soon, Shikamaru, Choji, Yakumo, and Shino surrounded him too.

Only Sasuke and Sakura were missing—likely off training with Kakashi and Kosuke on their summer program.

Kitazawa smiled. “I did go on a mission, yes.”

He reached out and patted Ino’s head. “Alright, everyone—keep training. I’ll check your progress in a bit.”

“Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!”

Naruto, Ino, and the others cheered in unison before returning to their practice with renewed energy.

Kitazawa watched them fondly, hands in his pockets.

The Academy grounds were lively again—full of laughter, shouts, and determination.

After a week of dealing with nobles, auctions, and high-society politics… this, at least, felt real.

Three glowing lines of text suddenly appeared before Kitazawa’s eyes.

[Current Mission: Train five medical ninja to master Limb Regeneration.]

[Mission Reward: Master-level Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation.]

[Host has completed the mission—reward issued.]

Kitazawa’s eyes flickered. So Shizune finally mastered the Limb Regeneration technique…

He clenched his fist, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

With Master-level Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation, he could now accelerate his progress toward Ninja Art Creation Rebirth—Strength of a Hundred Seal.

Even refining the forbidden medical technique Body Activation would now take far less time.

More importantly, with Shizune officially able to teach limb regeneration, he no longer needed to supervise the medical ninja training classes at Konoha Hospital.

He could finally redirect his focus entirely toward his own Ninjutsu development.

Kitazawa exhaled softly, clearing his mind, and turned his gaze back toward the training field.

Most of the students didn’t need much guidance at this stage.

But then his eyes fell on Naruto.

The boy’s Wind Release: Shuriken had become remarkably polished—enough that it was time to move him to the next stage.

Kitazawa considered his options.

So far, he had taught Naruto three foundational Wind Release techniques: Violent Wind Palm, Great Breakthrough, and Shuriken Technique—each designed to strengthen his mid- and long-range combat.

For now, that was enough.

To advance further, Naruto would need to deepen his control over Wind Chakra itself—something that would take both time and maturity.

In close combat, however, Naruto had two solid foundations:

One was the Taijutsu training he received from Might Guy.

The other was Samehada, the sentient sword Kitazawa had entrusted to him.

Naruto had already absorbed most of Guy’s teachings—though the Eight Gates remained out of reach for now.

As for Samehada… it was time to make better use of it.

“Naruto.”

Kitazawa’s calm voice broke through the sounds of training.

“Kitazawa-sensei!”

Naruto came running over with boundless energy—and Samehada came bouncing behind him, wriggling happily like a giant blue shark-puppy.

“You can stop Wind Release training for now,” Kitazawa said, drawing Zangetsu from his back. “From today, we’ll focus on Kenjutsu.”

He spun the sword in one smooth arc. “Pick up Samehada. I’ll teach you the basics of Leaf Style Swordsmanship.”

At those words, Samehada vibrated with excitement, practically leaping into Naruto’s hands.

Because Naruto rarely used Kenjutsu, Samehada had been gathering dust—and it hated being idle.

This training would finally give it purpose again.

Kitazawa smiled faintly. “Good. Let’s begin.”

That day, he didn’t interfere much with the others—he only guided Naruto through the fundamentals, correcting his stance, swing, and chakra flow until the boy’s movements started to find rhythm.

By sunset, training ended—and Kitazawa’s mind had already moved on to his next task.

The next morning

Kitazawa walked through the bustling flower district of Konoha—but his destination wasn’t the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

It was the newly finished storefront of Ocean’s Heart, Konoha’s first luxury jewelry store.

It was the physical counterpart to their wildly successful Capital branch—handcrafted jewelry by Hyuga artisans.

After inspecting the layout and displays, Kitazawa nodded with approval. “It can open tomorrow. Just inform Lady Tsunade.”

The Konoha branch was more for prestige than profit.

The real income would still come from the flagship store in the Capital of the Land of Fire.

So he had no plans to attend the opening himself.

He had other priorities—like Otogakure.

Even though he already knew much about Orochimaru’s new village, he needed to investigate personally before reporting to Tsunade.

Kitazawa turned and made his next stop—the Hyuga compound.

“Kitazawa!”

Hiashi’s normally composed demeanor broke into a rare smile as he approached.

He’d already heard the news from the capital—that one of the Hyuga-crafted necklaces had sold for an astonishing eighty million ryo.

Even though the clan only received a tenth, the subsequent flood of orders promised a fortune unlike anything they’d ever seen.

“Clan Head Hiashi,” Kitazawa began smoothly, “I’d like to request additional personnel from the Hyuga clan.”

“No problem!” Hiashi said immediately, voice filled with pride. “However many you need—the Hyuga Clan will provide!”

“I plan to open an Ocean’s Heart branch in the capital as well,” Kitazawa continued. “Send twelve artisans there to assist.”

“Understood.” Hiashi’s smile widened. “I’ll have them depart by this afternoon.”

“For coordination, have them report to the head of the Finance Department,” Kitazawa said. With that, he turned and left, satisfied.

Hokage Building—ANBU Office.

Konan walked in silently, her eyes sharp and expression unreadable.

She hadn’t accompanied Kitazawa and Tsunade to the Capital earlier—Tsunade’s presense made stealth impossible.

Nor was she following Kitazawa to Otogakure now.

Instead, she had come to gather intelligence—to check on recent activities of the Gato Shipping Company and the Underwater Exploration Team.

The Land of Rain’s mineral survey she’d arranged earlier had already borne fruit: a silver mine had been located.

Kakuzu had been dispatched to oversee it personally.

Casually, Konan reached for a document on the table—one that summarized recent operations involving Kitazawa and Tsunade in the Capital.

She skimmed it—and froze.

Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

“Eighty… million ryo? For a necklace?” she muttered.

Were those noblewomen insane?

The sheer ease with which Kitazawa had acquired such wealth left her momentarily speechless.

But soon, the gears in her mind began to turn. Could the Land of Rain… replicate this model?

The idea was tempting.

However, after a moment’s thought, she shook her head.

The Land of Rain was impoverished, and even Hidden Rain Village often relied on Akatsuki funding just to stay afloat.

And above all—they didn’t have that necklace.

What kind of craftsmanship could possibly fetch such a price?

Konan’s eyes narrowed in quiet curiosity.

Perhaps it was time to see it with her own eyes.

“Looks like I’ll have to make a trip… to the Capital of the Land of Fire,” she murmured, folding the report and slipping it into her cloak.

——————

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