NA: I apologize for not uploading any chapters last week, but my sleep schedule for the past few months has been a disaster.
During the day I've been busy with work and writing at night. It's a tough schedule, but I enjoyed writing. Besides, I didn't want to let my Patreon subscribers down.
But not sleeping properly has been affecting me, so I decided to get proper sleep last week and haven't written any chapters. I only managed to post chapters on Patreon that I had saved.
I don't know how long I can keep writing like this, but I'll keep trying.
If you'd like to support my work, you can do so on Patreon/GOATXXI or by sharing my stories in various groups to reach more readers.
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Tsunami walked through the market while buying various things for lunch for her family and their guests.
And although for Team 7 it was nothing out of the ordinary, the sight of a full market was unheard of for Tsunami after so many years, and he let the three young people know when they asked him, confused, why he had tears in his eyes.
In comparison to now, a few days ago when Gato still ruled the country there were very few products in the markets and only a few could bring 3 meals a day to their homes, while most families only eat 2 or even one meal a day.
Wanting to know how there were now so many products for sale just a few days after Gato was expelled, Tsunami asked around at the stalls.
The answer he received was simple.
There was a special store in the city, called 'Senbon Torii', which was supplying the market and many other businesses throughout the country with many products for them to sell.
As long as they pay the cost price, they can make a small profit.
It wasn't a huge amount of money, but it was a lot for them, as they previously had empty pockets at the end of the month.
Not only was there little to sell and few customers, but Gato's subordinates were also asking for money every month.
Although they needed the money and did not want to pay, they had to do so or they would be killed otherwise.
With Gato governing the country, no one would give them justice.
Tsunami asked more about this store since she thought she had heard that name before, to which the woman who sold her vegetables told her with a big smile about the generous act of this store of giving away money and various products.
Tazuna's daughter suddenly remembered hearing that a few days ago, but since it wasn't believable, she quickly forgot about it.
And with the news of Gato's expulsion from the country, he paid less attention to that rumor.
But it seems he was wrong.
The vegetable vendor enthusiastically told him how she, her children, her friends, and many other people had received money and many free products, and she cried a little as she remembered that she and her children had not eaten for days, but that the appearance of this generous store had saved them.
Tsunami and the two women in the group listened and were moved by the woman's story, unable to imagine and understand what she and her family had experienced.
Only Naruto could understand what the woman and her family had gone through, getting lost in the memories of that time when he had been expelled from the orphanage.
If old Teuchi weren't around, the blond would have gone to bed on an empty stomach many times.
"Do you know who owns this store?" Sakura asked curiously.
And she wasn't the only one, as her classmates and Tsunami were also curious about the person behind this generous act.
Unfortunately for the group's curiosity, the vegetable vendor shook her head.
"We don't know"
"But Mrs. Mikita must know," said the vegetable vendor, referring to the country's new ruler, as she wiped away her tears.
Curious, the group asked her why she thought that, and the woman answered them.
From the first day that the children, the elderly, and the women of the country received the generosity of this store, many were afraid that it would be destroyed and erased by Gato.
But fortunately none of that happened.
In contrast, Gato's thugs began to be killed or arrested, with the former Daimyo appearing soon after and announcing that Gato had been banished from the country to everyone's surprise and delight.
At that time, most people suspected that the Daimyo was behind this generous shop, and they confirmed it with what happened next.
Mikita, the daughter of the former Daimyo and the country's new ruler, announced that the free products received from the 'Senbon Torii' store will be temporary, therefore, the population must quickly find a way to earn income before that happens.
With this announcement, it was basically confirmed that the 'Senbon Torii' store and the country's new ruler had a relationship.
There are even rumors that the owner of the 'Senbon Torii' shop is Mrs. Mikita's fiancé, so his generosity was a way to help his future wife's country.
These latest rumors weren't of much interest to Tsunami and the group, but they too thought that the person behind this generous shop had some connection to the country's new ruler.
Tsunami wanted to know more and asked the young people from team 7 to accompany her, to which the 3 young people agreed.
They had come to protect the woman while she bought things for lunch and dinner, and then they had to take her back.
But since they also had an interest in the matter, they agreed with the woman and accompanied her.
Soon, the group learned many things.
The country's new leader was recruiting a huge number of people for various jobs, such as administrative work, public cleaning, law enforcement, and so on.
With most of the unemployed who were previously in the country now working, the country was recovering.
And since they had announced that the free products received at the 'Senbon Torii' store would not last forever, the entire population immediately began registering for jobs.
Suddenly…
"Oh, sorry!" said Naruto when he suddenly bumped into someone and almost knocked her to the ground.
"¡Naruto!"
"Watch where you're going!" Sakura shouted, leaving Naruto with no way to defend himself.
Besides the fact that it was Sakura who was scolding him, he himself had to accept that he was distracted and looking the other way while walking.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked as she stepped forward and looked at the young woman.
'She's beautiful!' Sakura shouted internally, acknowledging the beauty of the young woman in front of her.
"Alright"
"No harm was done," the young woman said, giving a beautiful smile.
The young woman's smile not only made Sakura blush, but also Naruto behind her.
Although the blond man was in love with his pink-haired companion, that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the beauty of another woman.
But the blond boy immediately shook his head and reminded himself that he was in love with Sakura.
The young woman quickly said goodbye to the group and they continued on their way, unaware that she watched them from a distance until she lost sight of them.
Haku had recognized the young people of team 7 and guessed the woman's identity based on the information she had received when she and her master had taken the assassination mission.
And although they were enemies after the previous confrontation, Haku did not attack or follow them.
Besides not liking to fight, the young woman had received orders from Zabuza to keep a low profile until he recovered.
After all, at this moment the man was vulnerable and it was a bad idea to attract the enemy's attention.
Even though the mission's employer had disappeared, Haku knew that they were still enemies and that this peace was only temporary.
The young woman knew the man she had followed since childhood, so she knew he was furious about his previous defeat.
It was inevitable that they would face each other again, and Haku did not want to hasten the confrontation when his master was vulnerable.
Turning around, the young woman continued on her way back to the lair where she and Zabuza were hiding.
He had come to the city on Zabuza's orders to look for news about Gato's expulsion from the country, but he found nothing more than what was already publicly known.
But fortunately his journey was not in vain, as he found a stall in the market selling herbs he needed for his teacher's treatment.
Even if it meant spending a little money, she preferred that to spending time in the forest searching on her own.
.
.
.
In an office of the newly constructed building that will serve as the country's government headquarters, Kozue reviewed various documents and signed projects that will be beneficial for the country.
From the protection of private property to the lax regulation for the use of farmland and fishing in the island's maritime zone.
And every so often, the office door would open and a shadow clone would enter.
Leaving other documents on the table, he took the documents that had already been reviewed and that should be filed.
Kozue had received news of the meeting between the 3 members of team 7 and Haku in the city, but she didn't attach any importance to it.
Unless they confront each other, he ordered that they not disturb him.
Of course, his work was interrupted anyway by news from the capital.