"The healthy development of the Land of Lightning requires one thing above all—bandit suppression."
Neji took a slow sip of his tea, speaking as though discussing weather rather than national reform.
Bandits, in every era, served as convenient training targets for fresh Genin.
No matter how many times the great villages purged them, they always returned.
Thus emerged a strange cycle: every year, ninja would suppress bandits, and yet every year, bandits would flourish once more.
Mabui stared at Neji incredulously. She tapped her finger against her forehead, half-helpless and half-annoyed.
"The development of the Land of Lightning? Neji, that's not something ninja should interfere with."
"I know." Neji nodded calmly. "Traditionally, the daimyo rules the country and ninja obey. But traditions only bind those without power. Now that I'm in this position, Kumogakure cannot continue living in old frameworks. Some things must change."
Mabui's eyes sharpened instantly.
"Neji… your thoughts are getting dangerous. If anyone hears you saying things like this—"
He raised his hand, interrupting her gently.
"Mabui, relax. Everything I do is for Kumogakure and for the Land of Lightning. Nothing more."
A brief silence followed. Then Neji asked slowly, almost casually:
"Mabui… do you think I could become a daimyo?"
"…Huh?"
For a moment, Mabui's mind went blank. Then she frowned and answered honestly:
"The position of daimyo is hereditary. It would be nearly impossible for you to become one. Of course… when it comes to the next daimyo, perhaps something could be arranged."
Her answer was far gentler than Neji expected.
Ninja usually had firm lines they would never cross.
If Neji had spoken of eliminating the daimyo, they would brand him a traitor without hesitation.
But suggesting a replacement—a chosen ruler rather than a hereditary one—was something ninja found ridiculous, but not inherently unacceptable.
In principle, there was no difference between the two.
The daimyo was just a symbol.
For ninja, it didn't matter who held the title, as long as they benefited.
Of course, Neji wasn't talking about the daimyo of one country.
He was thinking of the future—
the daimyo of the whole ninja world.
The Emperor.
But mindset shifts couldn't be rushed. So Neji dropped the topic and moved on.
"To ensure the Land of Lightning becomes stable long-term, we must first eliminate the bandits. But that is only the first step."
Mabui raised an eyebrow. "There's more?"
"Yes. After suppressing bandits, we need to rebuild the roads."
"…Road construction?"
"Correct. And not small roads. I plan to build major routes connecting every city."
Mabui sighed, already reaching for her documents.
"Fine, I'll prepare the paperwork. The daimyo will have to pay for the commission."
"Good."
Neji watched her writing diligently before turning his gaze out the window.
The road to reform was long—long and brutally difficult.
After bandits and roads came the most important part of his plan: economic reform.
Ninja produced nothing.
They only earned money by completing missions.
As long as the economic lifeline was controlled by the daimyo, ninja would forever live under the daimyo's thumb.
This illness needed treatment—complete, irreversible treatment.
Once Kumogakure seized economic control of the Land of Lightning,
they would overthrow the daimyo without a single drop of blood spilled.
---
Meanwhile, in the Land of Hot Springs
"Lady Tsunade… I feel like someone's following us. Is it the creditors from the Land of Fire again?"
Shizune clutched Tonton tightly, eyes darting around nervously.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Relax. The Land of Hot Springs is a vassal of the Land of Lightning now. Debt collectors from the Land of Fire wouldn't dare chase us this far."
It wasn't Tsunade's first time escaping debt.
Whenever she traveled, she would gamble carelessly at border towns until her debts piled up like mountains.
Then she would flee—sometimes back to Fire Country, sometimes to neutral countries.
In the past, she could escape easily. The Land of Fire was powerful; creditors hesitated to pursue too aggressively.
But recently, Tsunade had realized something painful:
She had been blacklisted by every gambling circle within the Land of Fire.
Her "bad luck" reputation preceded her everywhere.
So this time, she headed north—toward the Land of Lightning.
Though Tsunade was detached from worldly affairs, she wasn't blind.
She knew the major changes in the ninja world:
Uchiha rebels left Konoha and joined Kumogakure.
Kumogakure rose rapidly, surpassing the Five Great Nations after winning the ninja war.
The Land of Lightning now stood at the top.
Tsunade believed her fortunes would turn if she gambled under a land blessed with such overwhelming momentum.
Then she froze mid-step.
"Shizune… someone is following us."
Without warning, Tsunade grabbed a stone and hurled it behind her.
BOOM.
The stone blew a hole through a large tree.
An ANBU tumbled out, rolling across the ground.
"Lady Tsunade!"
"A Konoha ninja?" Tsunade frowned, clearly displeased.
The ANBU knelt respectfully.
"I come bearing a personal letter from the two elders."
Tsunade took it, scanned it—and her eyes narrowed.
Two simple messages:
Sarutobi Hiruzen is dead.
Killed by Orochimaru.
All past matters should be forgiven.
And…
Konoha needs a leader.
The Senju founded the village.
You, its last heir, must return and become Hokage.
Tsunade silently tore the letter to pieces.
"Tsunade-sama?!" the ANBU panicked.
"Become Hokage? I wouldn't take that position if you begged me. Shizune, let's go."
She strode off without hesitation.
Shizune followed, tears stinging her eyes.
She knew Tsunade's pain—
her brother and lover dead,
her clan scattered,
her heart shattered.
How could anyone expect her to return?
But Tsunade was over forty now.
She couldn't keep drifting forever.
If not Konoha…
where else could she go?
---
Back in Kumogakure
"The bandits are gone, but the daimyo approved only half the budget. Road construction has to stop," Mabui reported.
"And if we push forward, we'll deplete the village reserves."
Money.
The eternal enemy.
Ninja might wield extraordinary power, but without money, even the greatest jutsu meant nothing.
Exploding tags cost money.
Kunai cost money.
Even missions existed for the sake of money.
The Five Great Nations fought endless wars for—
money.
Neji wanted Kumogakure to rise beyond all others.
But without capital, it was impossible.
In the end, everything—wars, disputes, ancient hatred—
all boiled down to money.
Except the feud between Asura and Indra.
But those two, Neji thought, simply had something wrong with their heads.
"Village reserves are off limits," Neji said firmly. "I'll solve the money problem myself."
He leaned back, rubbing his temples.
The daimyo's stipend was too small.
Reserves couldn't be touched.
Even the best housewife couldn't cook without rice.
Mabui hesitated, wanting to persuade him to drop his grand reforms and stick to tradition.
But then—
"I know where to get the money," Neji said suddenly.
"Where?" Mabui blinked.
Neji smirked.
"From those who have money, of course. The people of the Land of Lightning are already poor. There's nothing left to squeeze. So… we'll take it from the nobles."
"…Eh?"
Mabui froze.
Ninja taking money from nobles?
Unthinkable.
Unheard of.
Unacceptable.
But was it wrong?
Nobles exploited civilians and merchants freely.
Daimyo exploited ninja endlessly.
During war, ninja risked their lives, civilians suffered,
and nobles lived luxuriously.
Look at Sunagakure—
nearly destroyed by its daimyo's mismanagement.
Nobles grew richer.
Ninja suffered.
And instead of fighting the daimyo, they ignited the Third Ninja War.
Ridiculous.
Pathetic.
Mabui felt her worldview wobbling.
Before she could respond—
"Neji, I'm coming in!" a cheerful voice called.
Yugito slipped in through the window and immediately clung to Neji's back.
Her ample curves pressed against him shamelessly.
"Yugito!" Neji hissed. "Not in the office!"
"What? Mabui is one of us." Yugito grinned.
Mabui looked away, pretending not to hear.
Neji sighed with exhaustion. Yugito had endless energy, while he was running the entire Land of Lightning like a man possessed.
"Mabui, think about what I said. Tomorrow, bring me a list of nobles to target."
After dismissing her, Neji turned to Yugito—who promptly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Kumogakure just opened a new hot spring." She winked. "Let's go. Work is easier after relaxing."
"Yugito…" Neji sighed. "I'm buried in paperwork."
"Then tonight?" she whispered sultrily.
Neji rubbed his waist, trying not to cry.
He needed rest, not death.
"Yugito, be serious. I actually need your help."
"Oh?" She straightened slightly.
"I'm opening a trade route from the Land of Lightning to the Land of Water. To do that, I need the eastern seas cleared of pirates. I want you to lead the operation."
"You're trying to get rid of me, aren't you?" Yugito narrowed her eyes.
"Of course not," Neji said smoothly. "I trust you the most."
"…Hmm."
Then she smirked.
"Fine. But you owe me a hot spring date later."
"After I finish my work," Neji conceded.
---
That Night – Shiraishi Town
Shiraishi Town contained the largest casino in the Land of Lightning, controlled by the local lord, Kobayashi Koji.
He held noble rank, a private army, elite ninja, and immense wealth.
After dinner, drunk and confident, Koji strutted toward his bedroom with a young woman on his arm.
"A memorable night awaits," he said, flicking on the light.
Then he froze.
Three figures were already sitting on his sofa.
A young man with featureless white eyes, twirling a kunai casually.
Two girls beside him—one around seventeen, one barely twelve—with glowing red eyes filled with killing intent.
The woman at Koji's side fainted instantly under the younger girl's genjutsu.
Koji staggered backward.
"W-Who are you?!"
"Hyuga Neji," the young man replied calmly.
Koji stiffened.
The most feared name in the Land of Lightning.
"N-Neji-kun, attacking a noble is punishable by death. Aren't you afraid of the daimyo's wrath?"
Neji smiled faintly.
"There is only one Hyuga Neji in the Land of Lightning. And if the daimyo has a problem…"
His Byakugan flared—
"…he can take it up with me."
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