"Zabuza, you haven't forgotten your dream of becoming Mizukage, have you?"
"I wouldn't dare forget!"
Perhaps thinking of Sakuragi Hanamichi, who had died in his arms and shared his dream of changing Kirigakure by becoming Mizukage, the tough man Zabuza's voice choked up.
"I wouldn't dare forget even if I died! But... I'm a rogue ninja now. Today, I couldn't even beat three kids."
"It's fine. I'll help you fulfill that dream!"
Zabuza suddenly raised his head. A mental imprint had already been deeply buried in his heart: the person before him could help him accomplish all of it.
But.
"How?"
Naruto—
No, Uzumaki Duoyu smiled confidently. This was exactly what he was best at.
However, seeing the other person, Naruto asked, "Do you trust him?"
Following Naruto's gaze, Zabuza looked at Haku.
"This is the person I trust most, and my most useful tool."
A tool?
Naruto frowned at that.
That wouldn't do. He was going to become Mizukage, yet he still called his subordinate a tool?
That would make the little brothers feel so disheartened.
Look at that old Hokage, always talking about the Will of Fire.
Compared to him.
There was at least a hundred Kakashis' worth of difference between Zabuza and the old Hokage.
Looking at Zabuza, who was controlled by genjutsu and had completely opened his heart to him without any guard, Naruto asked deliberately.
"Would he die for you?"
"Yes." Zabuza answered without hesitation.
"What about you? Would you die for him?"
"...Yes." After hesitating for only an instant, Zabuza responded.
So that was it.
"Looks like I misunderstood you. You two are the best partners. Since that's the case, I won't separate the two of you. He'll also be a great help on your path to becoming Mizukage."
Seeing that the genjutsu's control was nearly complete, Naruto extended his palm, preparing to modify him.
"For what comes next, just don't resist."
His eyes shifted into Rinnegan, and Yin-Yang Release emerged.
The modification began.
For Zabuza to become Mizukage, strength was an indispensable part.
First, he needed enough Chakra.
Compared to an ordinary person, Zabuza's body could contain far more Chakra—three million in total.
But Naruto chose to give him only one million.
The first reason was—
As a ninja village, Kirigakure surely had all kinds of detection methods. They were extremely familiar with Zabuza as an ordinary person, and his upper limit was right there, so Naruto couldn't give him too much.
The second reason was that there was no need.
Zabuza was going to become Mizukage, not attack Kirigakure.
One million Chakra, combined with a recovery rate of 5% per hour, already counted as Super Kage.
It was more than enough.
Next came Chakra Attributes.
Zabuza already possessed Water Chakra, so Naruto copied over a portion of his own experience.
Although Zabuza lacked Naruto's absurd attribute values and various passives.
Even so.
At this moment, Zabuza was already the strongest Water Release ninja in the entire ninja world, aside from Naruto and his clones.
To make him stand out in the competition for Mizukage, Naruto also equipped Zabuza with Earth and Fire Chakra.
He raised both types of Chakra to the same level as Zabuza's Water Chakra.
With that, the Zabuza clone's modification was complete.
After Zabuza came Haku.
It was much the same as Zabuza.
One million Chakra, with his existing Wind and Water Chakra Attribute experience maxed out.
The unexpected bonus was Haku's Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release. Naruto maxed out Haku's Ice Release experience as well.
With that, the two members of the "Mizukage Contest" team had been modified.
After being modified, Zabuza felt the terrifying Chakra contained within his body.
As well as the countless usage experiences of three different release techniques that had appeared in his mind.
His heart surged with excitement.
Now, strength would no longer be an obstacle.
It was just his identity.
"My identity is a problem. I'm still a rogue ninja. With that identity, let alone becoming Mizukage, even returning to Kirigakure would be quite difficult." Zabuza was still somewhat troubled.
He was a tough man and a man of iron and blood. He had no head for delicate scheming.
Seeing his reaction, Naruto silently praised himself: Very good.
The modification had been extremely successful.
Up to this point, this Zabuza still believed he was Zabuza, rather than a modified clone created by Naruto, retaining all of his original personality while being under Naruto's control.
"The identity problem is easy to solve."
A rogue ninja was merely a matter of wording.
When Kirigakure no longer considered you a rogue ninja, then you weren't a rogue ninja.
Did he think Naruto's words in the previous chapter had been pointless?
No, that was the direction for the upcoming propaganda.
That's right, Naruto was preparing to enter the cultural entertainment industry.
With a focus on the media sector.
Weren't there three pillars of American hegemony: guns, money, and loudspeakers?
Compared to the first two, the third infiltrated everywhere without exception.
Former U.S. President Eisenhower had said: Spending one dollar on propaganda was equivalent to spending five dollars on national defense.
Kissinger had said: The power of one free radio station was equivalent to twenty divisions.
They had all been so blunt about it.
A great man had also once said, "If you don't seize the heights of public opinion, the enemy will."
If the enemy seized it, even reason would become unreasonable.
It seemed this world knew very little about such matters, and its regulation was terrifyingly lax.
So Naruto was planning to play around with loudspeakers.
What a coincidence.
The game had a pamphlet function that allowed custom designs. The images were exquisite, the paper quality was excellent.
And it was cheap too, costing only one tael per sheet.
Perfect for printing newspapers!
Thinking of this, Naruto responded, "Next, I'll assign you an assistant. He'll become your strategist and help you fulfill your dream of becoming Mizukage!"
"Now, you have only one task."
"What?" Zabuza was somewhat confused.
"Kill Gato and become the Hero of the Land of Waves."
"Then Gato's assets will become your startup capital, as well as the publicity funds for your campaign to become Mizukage."
Apparently envisioning a certain scene, Naruto smiled. "So, to become Mizukage, go kill Gato and become the Hero of the Land of Waves first!"
The scene shifted, and Naruto returned using Flying Thunder God.
Taking advantage of this gap, he quietly summarized this trip.
He had helped Zabuza grow stronger and aided him in fulfilling his dream of becoming Mizukage.
Please call him Uzumaki Duoyu.
But this was only the first one.
Next, there were still the Hokage, Tsuchikage, Kazekage, and Raikage—four Kage in total.
Uh.
As for Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto himself could take that position.
That left three Kage.
So far, he had no targets for those three positions, nor did he have any information.
Even Zabuza had been someone he encountered during a mission.
It almost made Naruto want to shout across the ninja world, "Who else has a dream?"
Unfortunately, he had to keep a low profile.
After having his clones keep an eye out for targets through the channel, Naruto sensed the direction of the three others.
Whoosh~
"Kakashi-sensei, I'm back~" Naruto ran out from behind a tree.
After glancing at Naruto, Sasuke stopped caring, while Sakura asked with concern.
"Naruto, why were you gone so long? Are you okay?"
"Nothing major. Just a little diarrhea. If I don't poop for a day, my whole body feels awful."
Sasuke and Sakura: Ugh~
"Alright, let's start training."
Kakashi interrupted Naruto's nonsense. "You've improved too quickly. Naruto and Sasuke, fight each other and let me see your current strength."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance.
"Okay!" ×2
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