(Clarification: This book is completed by the author, but it only includes One Piece and Naruto since he didn't put new worlds due to his illness.)
— — — — — — —
"Is that... the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"Looks like it! Since when could the Flying Thunder God Technique teleport people? And not just a few, but this many at once?"
"Yeah!"
"You must be out of the loop! This move was developed by the Fourth Hokage. Back in the war, he used it to teleport an entire force of over 3,000 ninjas at once. Compared to that, this is nothing!"
"True, but the distance back then wasn't as far as this. I see the Daimyo among them, which means the Fourth Hokage must've just transported them all the way from the Fire Capital."
"That must be it. I also recognize several high-ranking officials from the Land of Fire. I saw some of them when I had a mission in the Fire Capital."
"The Fire Capital? That's at least 200 to 300 kilometers from Konoha! He teleported that many people over such a huge distance? Just how strong is the Fourth Hokage?!"
"Haha! Super strong, obviously! You know why Iwagakure surrendered to us back then? It's because they were terrified the Fourth Hokage would teleport our entire army straight into their village for a surprise attack."
"Wait, seriously?!"
"That explains a lot!"
"The Fourth Hokage is invincible!"
As the discussions grew louder, those who had participated in the previous war in the Land of Rain confirmed the story. The crowd erupted into cheers, their admiration and respect for Kaito skyrocketing.
Seeing this reaction, Kaito smiled and waved to them. He discreetly checked their affinity levels toward him and noticed that quite a few had reached the contract threshold.
"Looks like once this business is wrapped up, I should start recruiting these qualified individuals, along with those from the previous battlefield. Expanding our numbers and influence in the rogue stronghold is crucial."
He made a mental note. He had been too busy to deal with this earlier, and since shadow clones couldn't handle this particular task, he had to do it himself. Contracting two to three thousand people was no small feat—it would take time just to summon them in batches.
— — —
Meanwhile, the Daimyo and his entourage felt their vision blur. In an instant, their surroundings changed dramatically.
Looking around in shock, they saw that they were indeed in Konoha. The disbelief on their faces was evident.
"I recognize this place... This really is Konoha! We were just in the Fire Capital, over 200 kilometers away, and in the blink of an eye, we were teleported here? That's unbelievable!"
"The Fourth Hokage looks ridiculously young, but his power is terrifying!"
"With a technique like this, doesn't that mean he can appear anywhere he wants with a large force instantly?"
"Absolutely terrifying!"
"With a Hokage this powerful, I think we should consider increasing our investment in Konoha."
"Agreed! With such a strong Hokage leading, Konoha's rise is inevitable."
Their previous doubts and arrogance vanished, replaced by deep respect and caution toward Kaito. Even the highest-ranking officials secretly vowed not to make an enemy of this man—one wrong move, and their lives could be forfeit.
Not even their military could guarantee their safety against someone like him.
"Everyone, follow me! I've prepared a detailed miniature model of Konoha's reconstruction and expansion plans for your review."
"Once you've seen the plans, you can decide whether to invest in the overall project, specific districts, individual streets, or even particular buildings. The choice is yours!"
"Please, come this way!"
With that, Kaito led the still-dazed dignitaries into the Hokage Tower, guiding them to the conference hall on the third floor.
There, a massive urban development model was displayed prominently. Nara Shikayama and his team were already waiting, ready to present the plans.
As the investors took their seats, Shikayama and his team began explaining the intricate details of the reconstruction, from urban planning to architectural improvements. They also answered any questions the guests had.
Everything went smoothly. Soon enough, the investments started rolling in.
The Daimyo and other high-ranking nobles opted for a large-scale investment in the overall development, aiming for influence over Konoha's future.
Business tycoons focused on commercial areas, streets, and prime storefronts, securing valuable real estate.
Mid-tier nobles and officials invested in commercial districts, residential zones, and luxury estates, with some even pre-purchasing properties outright.
As the final investments were confirmed, an overwhelming flood of money poured into Konoha's treasury.
Once the numbers were tallied, Shikayama reported the final results to Kaito:
"Lord Fourth Hokage, the total investment amount comes to 44.3 billion ryo. The Daimyo alone has contributed 10 billion toward the overall project. The General has invested 5 billion..."
"The president of the Merchant Association has put in 500 million to purchase the front half of District One's main commercial street... and so on."
Hearing Shikayama's report, even though Kaito had been prepared for it, he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
"Haha! With this much funding, Konoha won't have to worry about money for a long time!"
"We'll have enough resources for reconstruction, expansion, research, education, and healthcare! We can finally push our reforms forward without financial constraints!"
Although the reforms had already started, the funding had mainly come from civilian investments and loans from the Uchiha. Now, those debts could finally be repaid.
As for the financial holes left behind by the Third Hokage's administration?
Those had already been accounted for. The Sarutobi and their allied clans would be working for the village to repay their debt. Konoha was merely covering for them temporarily.
"Indeed!"
Nara Shikayama nodded with a relieved smile.
Only he knew just how much pressure they had been under lately.
The execution of reforms and government affairs all fell on the shoulders of the administrative officials, with him leading them. These days, they had been working like crazy, exhausted beyond belief.
There were just too many areas that needed funding.
Kaito's reforms were massive, and the deadlines were tight.
But despite their exhaustion, they actually felt satisfied.
Because they could clearly see the benefits these reforms brought to Konoha.
At the same time, they also enjoyed the sense of power and accomplishment that came with their administrative roles.
A little fatigue was a small price to pay.
Compared to the Third Hokage, the Fourth was so much better.
"Since the investment contracts have been signed, your administration department should draft a financial expenditure plan as soon as possible. I want to hold a full high-level meeting tomorrow to discuss and finalize this plan. Make sure your department notifies all relevant sectors."
"This way, we can quickly decide how to allocate the funds."
"Once the money is received, we need to distribute it efficiently so that we're not left holding a pile of cash with no idea how to use it."
Kaito instructed Shikayama firmly.
"Understood!"
Shikayama responded immediately and quickly left to handle it.
At that moment, Tobirama, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"I must say, your administration department is doing a great job. It significantly reduces the Hokage's workload, allowing them to focus more on important matters like governance and training."
"More importantly, it ensures that the various clans see the benefits you bring while making the village run more smoothly. Problems can also be addressed more efficiently."
"Why didn't I think of doing this back then?"
"If I had established an administration department, maybe Hiruzen and the others wouldn't have been able to mess around so easily."
Tobirama had to admit that Kaito, despite his young age, had a natural understanding of governance, power structures, and the delicate balance of authority.
More importantly, he wasn't power-hungry or obsessed with control. He was willing to delegate power while maintaining the Hokage's authority and core interests.
That was truly impressive.
"It wouldn't have worked."
Kaito shook his head with a helpless smile. "Even if you had set up such a structure, as long as the Third Hokage wanted to, he and Danzo would have still found a way to gradually take control of the administration department's authority."
"Little by little, they would have pulled all the power back to themselves."
"At the end of the day, the Hokage's absolute control over the military forces ensures their power."
"But if you take away the Hokage's military power, their authority is severely weakened, and they could become nothing more than a puppet leader."
"That would create an even bigger problem—causing internal chaos and intensified power struggles."
"That would be even worse for the village's development."
"So while dividing power is important, having a wise and capable Hokage is equally crucial."
In his previous life, history had already proven this countless times.
Compared to the history of Earth, the political power struggles in the ninja world seemed rather immature.
Tobirama was momentarily stunned, then sighed and nodded. "That's true! Damn it, Hiruzen and the others truly deserve to die!"
He now fully realized how blind he had been back then, actually trusting those bastards.
Worse, he had been completely deceived by them.
Power was truly a poisonous drug.
Only someone like Kaito, who had absolute strength and little desire for power, could resist its corruption and lead effectively.
Later, Kaito arranged for the Daimyo and his people to tour Konoha for half a day before finally sending them back to the Land of Fire's capital.
"As for the investment funds, I expect you all to prepare them within five days."
"I will personally return to collect the funds. Is that a problem for anyone?"
Upon returning, Kaito immediately addressed the gathered investors.
The reason for the five-day deadline was simple—most of their money was already concentrated in the capital.
With the presence of gold exchange stations, gathering funds was much faster than traveling to the capital.
In fact, five days was even a generous buffer, allowing some people time to sell off assets or resources to gather enough funds.
"No problem!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
They were eager to finalize their investments as soon as possible so Konoha could begin construction, leading to faster profits.
At the same time, many merchants had already started thinking about how to get involved in the projects.
Whether it was providing construction workers, building materials, furniture, or electrical wires—there were countless opportunities to make money from this massive development project!
"Great! That settles it then! See you all in five days!"
Satisfied, Kaito nodded before teleporting away.
He left behind a group of impressed and contemplative investors.
.
.
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