In the office.
Zabuza stood up, irritably tugging at the tie around his neck with an expression that screamed, "I've had enough of this."
"I'd rather go another three hundred rounds with Kakashi than manage these idiots and look at these damn reports."
"Hard work, Zabuza."
Naruto walked into the office with a smile and made himself comfortable on the plush leather sofa.
"It looks like you've adapted well; you've got the air of a CEO."
"Cut the crap."
Although Zabuza grumbled and complained, his physical actions were quite honest.
He sat back down in his chair, his posture still overbearing, but his hands didn't stop processing the documents.
His current complaining was more of a habitual tsundere trait.
For Zabuza, in this ninja world filled only with slaughter and betrayal, being able to personally govern a poor, chaotic country into an orderly state...
Seeing those civilians, who used to hide from him like rats, now look at him with awe and even adoration—
This sense of accomplishment held a fatal attraction for the man who had once failed in a coup to change the Hidden Mist.
To put it plainly, he had become addicted to being an official.
He took a thick ledger out of the safe and placed it on the coffee table in front of Naruto.
"This is the revenue report for the past few months."
A trace of unmaskable pride flickered in Zabuza's eyes.
"After deducting the final payment for that old man's bridge, as well as the money for civilian welfare, road repairs, and building schools as you requested—"
At this point, Zabuza paused.
Initially, he hadn't understood Naruto's methods at all.
In this dog-eat-dog world, a ruler only needed to squeeze value out of the civilians; why give back a significant portion of the profits to those weaklings?
Why even go through the thankless effort of repairing nearby roads?
But now, he seemed to understand a little.
Only a well-fed cow could produce more milk.
"The current net profit is—"
Zabuza blurted out an astronomical figure.
The room fell silent.
Hearing that number, Tsunade subconsciously touched her empty wallet, thought of Konoha's currently strained fiscal deficit, and suddenly felt that the world was quite surreal.
So... building things as a rogue ninja was more profitable than being a Hokage?
Naruto picked up the ledger and flipped through it quickly.
Every entry was clear and transparent, without any signs of trickery.
Although Zabuza had started as an assassin, he was indeed a capable hand at management and execution.
"Very good."
Naruto closed the ledger and nodded slightly.
Looking at the rising progress bar for the mission [Distributing Wealth for Justice] in his mind, along with the accumulated one B-rank and one C-rank treasure chest, Naruto showed a satisfied smile.
This was why he insisted on welfare, and even spent money on road repairs when there was nothing left to give.
It wasn't just to stimulate productivity, but also to boost his mission evaluation.
"However, let me correct one thing."
Naruto pushed the ledger back.
"I don't want a single cent of this money."
"Huh?"
Zabuza was stunned.
"You went through all this trouble, could it be you're really doing charity?"
"What I want are resources."
Naruto stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and pointed north.
"Steel, food, cloth—I want you to use this money to purchase these urgently needed supplies across the entire ninja world."
"Then, through sea transport, ship them continuously to the far north, the Land of Snow."
"I intend to establish a nation there, and the Land of Waves will be my logistics supply station from now on."
Zabuza looked at Naruto's back, the confusion in his eyes dissipating into a look of realization.
"Understood—but this is a bit troublesome."
Zabuza frowned, his fingers tapping the tabletop.
"Money isn't the issue; the issue is the routes and the people."
"Most routes to the far north are blocked by thick ice; ordinary merchant guilds don't dare take such orders."
"We can't exactly hold a knife to their throats and force them to risk their lives—"
After a period of being baptized by political affairs, the former Demon of the Bloody Mist had actually learned empathy.
Just then, the office door was pushed open gently.
"Um... if it's about that, you can leave it to me."
A gentle voice rang out.
Wearing a decent, gender-neutral uniform, Haku walked in, carrying an exquisite tea set.
"Naruto-sama, Zabuza-san."
Haku walked to the coffee table, skillfully pouring tea for everyone before reporting with a smile.
"During this time, I have been mainly responsible for port reception and business negotiations."
"As a result, I've met some experienced old captains and guild merchants. Although their prices aren't low, as long as the profit is sufficient, they have ways to open up the northern routes."
"So, if needed, we can assemble a fleet very quickly."
After speaking, Haku looked at Naruto with anticipation, like a puppy waiting for praise.
"Beautifully done, Haku."
A flash of admiration showed in Naruto's eyes as he naturally reached out and patted Haku's head.
"You've really been a huge help."
"Mhm~"
Haku squinted his eyes, showing a happy smile, as if this moment of praise was more important than anything.
"Tch—"
Seeing this, Zabuza turned his head away in slight annoyance and took a large gulp of tea.
That's the tool I spent so much effort cultivating—
Meanwhile, Karin's sense of crisis exploded as she stared fixedly at Haku.
"Who exactly is that woman! She just leaned in so naturally! Dammit! I want my head patted too!"
"Um—"
Suigetsu, who had been staring at Haku, suddenly blushed.
He approached awkwardly, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Beautiful lady, um... I am Suigetsu Hozuki of the Hozuki clan, from the Hidden Mist—"
"Ahem, anyway, can we get to know each other?"
Haku turned his head, looking at the blushing Suigetsu and the bristling Karin, then blinked and gave a smile even more pure than a girl's.
"Um... I think you might have a misunderstanding."
He pointed to his own face and said innocently.
"I'm a boy."
Silence.
Crack.
Suigetsu was petrified, standing in place like a stone statue, motionless.
Karin's jealous expression also turned into a blank stare.
Even Tsunade choked on her tea and started coughing.
"A—A boy?"
Suigetsu held his head in a breakdown, looking at Haku's delicate face and slender neck as if his worldview had collapsed.
"You're lying, right! How can someone so cute be a boy! Is my first love ending before it even began!"
"It's the truth."
Naruto calmly took a sip of tea, watching everyone's broken expressions.
Though he maintained a stoic face, his inner mischief was greatly satisfied.
"Alright, jokes aside."
Naruto put down his teacup, his expression turning serious again.
"Tayuya, Sakon and Ukon, Kidomaru, Jirobo."
"Here!"
The Sound Four, who had been guarding the door, immediately knelt on one knee.
"The four of you stay here."
Naruto ordered.
"Assist Zabuza in managing the Land of Waves."
"At the same time, I want you to establish an intelligence network centered on the Land of Waves covering the entire ninja world."
"I want to know the movements of the Five Great Nations, as well as news regarding precious Kekkei Genkai and other special items."
"Yes!"
The Sound Four accepted the command.