Pingchuan Film and Television Company
"I'll play one last round with you," Aomizu said calmly, "but the necklace is absolutely unnecessary."
His tone was polite, yet resolute.
Whoever wanted that thing could have it. As far as he was concerned, it held no meaning worth risking further trouble.
Tsunade, however, paid little attention to his refusal. The moment she heard the words one last round, her eyes lit up with fierce determination. All fatigue and frustration vanished in an instant, replaced by a gambler's unyielding spirit.
"This time," she declared, slamming her hand onto the table, "I will win!"
Aomizu watched her with a faintly amused expression.
Great. Full of fighting spirit.
Unfortunately for her, spirit alone did not change destiny.
The dice rolled.
The cards fell.
And the result was exactly the same as every previous round.
Tsunade stared at the table, stunned.
Then she looked up sharply. "How could I lose again?! Did you cheat?!"
Aomizu didn't even bother replying.
He merely rolled his eyes and sighed silently.
Cheat against you?
If cheating were enough to overcome her catastrophically cursed luck, he would have done it ages ago. The problem was that Tsunade's gambling misfortune seemed to transcend logic, probability, and even chakra interference.
At this point, it felt less like bad luck and more like a fundamental law of the world.
"Fine," Tsunade said at last, grinding her teeth. "A bet's a bet."
She reached up, unfastened the necklace from her neck, and tossed it toward him.
"The necklace is yours."
Aomizu caught it instinctively, then immediately frowned.
"Lady Tsunade, there's really no need," he said, stepping forward and holding it out to her. "If I remember correctly, this necklace was left behind by the First Hokage. You should be the one to keep it."
Tsunade froze for a moment.
Aomizu continued evenly, "If you truly feel that you owe me something… I'd be more than happy to receive a different gift."
Before she could argue, he gently lifted the necklace and hung it back around her neck. His movements were careful and respectful, as if handling something sacred.
Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
No hesitation.
No lingering glance.
Tsunade stared at his retreating back, her fingers unconsciously curling around the necklace.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
The journey ended, and Aomizu and Tsunade finally returned to Konoha.
As protocol dictated, they first went to the Hokage Office to submit their mission report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage listened attentively, nodding occasionally as Tsunade explained the details. When the report concluded, Tsunade stretched lazily, waved, and left without ceremony.
Aomizu, however, remained.
Hiruzen noticed immediately.
"Is there something else on your mind, Aomizu?" he asked, taking a slow puff from his pipe.
"Yes," Aomizu replied without hesitation. "Third Hokage, I would like to establish a film and television company."
The words landed solidly in the room.
Hiruzen blinked.
"…A what?"
The ninja world wasn't entirely devoid of entertainment. There were novels, stage performances, and even rudimentary motion-picture devices powered by chakra.
But compared to Aomizu's previous life, the entire industry was primitive—fragmented, niche, and painfully underdeveloped.
Aomizu had been a film enthusiast before coming to this world. He understood storytelling, pacing, visual spectacle, and emotional manipulation. More importantly, he knew what worked.
With Kakuzu's decades of accumulated wealth backing him, startup funds were a trivial concern.
The only real issue was permission.
Ninja were a profession, not monks. Side businesses were not forbidden. In fact, long after the Fourth Great Ninja War, Tenten herself would run a ninja tool shop in Konoha.
Aomizu's real objective, however, went deeper.
He wanted land.
Specifically, a centrally located plot in Konoha's busiest district—large enough to serve as both a company headquarters and a movie theater.
A cinema needed traffic.
And traffic meant power.
"Why the sudden desire to start a company?" Hiruzen asked, surprised but not displeased.
Aomizu lowered his gaze slightly.
"Third Hokage… you know that I grew up in the Orphanage."
Hiruzen's expression softened.
"I had nothing back then," Aomizu continued. "No strength. No resources. Now that I finally do, I want to give something back."
"Once the studio begins turning a profit, I plan to donate one-tenth of its monthly earnings to the Orphanage."
This time, there was no calculation behind the words.
It was genuine.
For years, the Konoha Orphanage had relied almost entirely on village subsidies—until Danzo intervened.
Once Root took control, funding came with a price.
Children were regularly selected, trained, and absorbed into Root's ranks.
Aomizu himself had nearly been taken.
Only chance—and timing—had saved him.
Back then, he hadn't been strong enough to interfere. So he buried the thought, waiting for the day he could act without fear.
Hiruzen nodded slowly, his gaze filled with quiet approval.
Remembering the Orphanage meant remembering the village.
That was the Will of Fire.
"Your request is approved," Hiruzen said at last. "There's a vacant plot in the central district. You may take it."
"Thank you," Aomizu said sincerely.
With the Hokage's approval, everything moved swiftly.
During the day, Aomizu worked at Konoha Hospital.
One Shadow Clone studied sealing techniques at the Senju compound.
Another managed contracts, staff, and logistics for the company.
A month later, Pingchuan Film and Television Company officially opened its doors.
By that time, the first film was already complete.
The speed was unprecedented—but Shadow Clones made it trivial. Fight choreography, special effects, and reshoots could be handled simultaneously, something unimaginable in his previous life.
On opening day, Aomizu invited Mikoto, Tsunade, and Kushina.
The cinema was packed.
When the credits rolled, the room erupted.
"That was incredible!" Kushina exclaimed. "When does the sequel come out?!"
Even Tsunade and Mikoto looked at him expectantly.
Aomizu had anticipated this reaction.
Entertainment in this world was starving. His films were nothing short of dimensional strikes.
"Part two is already in production," he said with a faint smile. "Please look forward to it."
"Then I'm definitely first in line!" Kushina declared.
The next day, the theater was full again.
The third day showed no signs of slowing.
Word spread beyond Konoha. Nobles, merchants, and travelers poured in.
Aomizu reinvested immediately.
He spent an enormous sum acquiring every major cinema in the Land of Fire.
Not partnerships.
Complete ownership.
Because these theaters were not just theaters.
They were relay points—nodes for long-distance chakra transmission, designed to extend Pain's operational range.
For that reason alone, they had to remain entirely under his control.
The cost nearly drained Kakuzu's lifetime savings.
But the returns were just as staggering.
Root Base
"Hiruzen has truly grown old."
Danzo Shimura's cold voice echoed through the underground chamber.
"He can no longer judge people. How could someone like Hirakawa Aomizu be fit to become Hokage?"
If Tsunade could see Hiruzen's intent, Danzo certainly could.
At first, he had been furious.
A mere orphan?
A nobody?
Who gave him the right?
So Danzo had marked Aomizu as an enemy.
He plotted, schemed, and waited for weakness.
Then the news arrived.
Aomizu had founded Pingchuan Film and Television Company.
Danzo sneered.
A ninja who chased profit was already disqualified in his eyes.
The realization filled him with delight.
Yet that joy was short-lived.
"What?" Danzo snapped.
"The Orphanage refuses to provide new recruits to Root?!"
"Have they lost their minds?!"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)