This Monk Has a Friend

"Could I have a word with you, Tazuna?"

"What is it, Kichi?"

"Actually, I've been thinking a lot lately. Could I withdraw from the bridge construction?"

On the bridge in the Land of Waves, Li Chuan watched as bridge workers came one after another to resign from Tazuna, the corner of his lips gradually lifting into an imperceptible smile.

After taking a day off yesterday, Tazuna had gathered the workers who had originally been building the bridge with him and resumed work today. Kakashi was still recovering and resting at Tazuna's home.

Naruto and Sasuke had also begun their tree-climbing Chakra control training.

Sakura, whose Chakra control was exceptionally high, was assigned to protect Tazuna alongside the idle Li Chuan.

However, not long after work began, the workers started coming to Tazuna one by one to resign. During the time Tazuna had been away, they had all received threats from Gato.

If they dared to build the bridge with Tazuna, they would face Gato's punishment—perhaps even be killed along with their families.

Though helpless and angry, Tazuna still let them all leave. In the end, he was the only one left insisting on continuing the bridge.

"How could they do this? If they give up on building the bridge, they'll be ruled by Gato forever."

Watching the workers leave one after another, Sakura could not help feeling indignant on Tazuna's behalf.

Li Chuan smiled.

"Actually, it's understandable. From their perspective, once the bridge in the Land of Waves is completed, the country will indeed break free of Gato's rule, and they will be able to live better lives.

"But if they and their families are killed before that happens, then no matter how wonderful the future may be, it will have nothing to do with them.

"The fact that they had the courage to step forward and help build the bridge before this was already commendable."

"Yes. But even if I'm the only one left, I'll definitely finish this bridge. I won't let Gato's scheme succeed!"

Having heard Li Chuan's words, Tazuna spoke with a resolute gaze.

He understood the workers who had resigned very well. They had been helping to build the bridge entirely voluntarily, without asking for a single coin, so he did not lecture them or try to persuade them otherwise. He simply let them all leave.

"Mr. Tazuna, if you don't mind, this humble monk may be able to help a little."

Li Chuan walked straight over to Tazuna.

Tazuna quickly waved his hands at that.

"No need. I'm already deeply grateful that you're protecting me. Asking you to help me work as well would be far too much."

He thought Li Chuan meant to replace the workers and help build the bridge, so he immediately refused.

Taking advantage of the little monk's kindness and having Li Chuan protect him for free already made him feel guilty. Asking him to do hard labor building the bridge for free as well would truly weigh too heavily on his conscience.

"No, Mr. Tazuna, you misunderstand. By helping, this humble monk means that I have a friend with quite a few bridge workers under him. If needed, I can have him bring them over to lend a hand."

Li Chuan explained with a smile.

At first, delight appeared on Tazuna's face. Then he let out a sigh.

"Forget it. I have no way to pay them for building the bridge."

All his savings had been spent on posting the escort mission in Konoha. Even if the little monk's friend was unafraid of Gato and willing to come, he simply could not afford to pay them.

After thinking for a moment, Li Chuan said, "That shouldn't be a problem. My friend is a businessman. Once the bridge is finished, if you let his merchant caravan have priority in trading here in the Land of Waves, he should agree."

If Tazuna built the bridge and freed the Land of Waves from Gato's rule, he would become the nation's hero—the man held in the highest regard by its people.

With Tazuna's help, the merchant caravans under Li Chuan could rapidly expand throughout the entire Land of Waves.

The Land of Waves might currently be dirt poor, with cheap laborers all over the streets holding signs in search of work and money.

But in truth, if Gato had not restricted the Land of Waves' trade and even forbidden its people from fishing, this island nation would never have been poor with the resources it possessed.

Entering a nation that was in ruins and filled with cheap labor, his merchant caravans would undoubtedly make a fortune.

Then, if he swallowed up Gato's shipping company as well, and handled things properly, he could eventually become the true ruler behind the Land of Waves and turn this island nation into his base in this world.

The Land of Waves' location was ideal. Other than being near the Land of Fire, it had no connection to the Lands of Lightning, Wind, or Earth. The Land of Water lay across the sea, far away.

It was an excellent place for a base. If ninjas from other countries wanted to deal with him, they would first have to get past the Land of Fire.

And if the Land of Fire wanted to deal with him, he was the Prince of the Land of Fire, of exalted status. As long as he did not commit treason or attack Konoha Village, that would never be a problem.

"If that's the case, then that would be wonderful!"

Tazuna stepped forward and grabbed Li Chuan's hand, his eyes brimming with tears as he spoke excitedly.

He had been worried whether any merchant caravans would be willing to offend Gato and come to this poor country even if the bridge was truly completed. If no caravans came to trade, their recovery would still take a very long time.

Yet the little monk's friend was not only willing to help build the bridge, but also willing to come trade and stimulate their economy. What a good person.

"Since Mr. Tazuna thinks it will work, I'll write him a letter."

As he spoke, Li Chuan took out a pen and paper from the Sealing Scroll and quickly wrote a letter. Then he bit his finger and summoned a small bird, handing the letter to it.

"Deliver this letter to Matsukawa."

The summoning beasts of the Fire Temple were Scouting Birds. They had no combat ability, but they were extraordinarily fast and excelled at delivering letters.

Before Li Chuan set out on his travels, Chiriku had him sign a contract with these summoning beasts, saying that he could use Scouting Birds to notify him if anything happened. In practice, however, Li Chuan mostly used them to communicate with Kino and Matsukawa.

Matsukawa was the servant Li Chuan had initially told Kino to select from among the household staff for his business sense. Publicly, he was also the owner of Chuan Ji.

Near noon, Li Chuan and Sakura escorted Tazuna to the town by the shore to buy groceries.

Of all the shops in town, seven or eight out of ten had already closed. Only a scattered few selling basic necessities remained open, and even those had very limited varieties and quantities of goods.

Adults wearing placards around their necks could be seen everywhere on the streets, along with orphans in tattered clothes, gaunt and emaciated from hunger.

"Maybe I could open an orphanage too!"

During the years Gato had ruled the Land of Waves, countless people had either starved to death or been killed for resisting, leaving behind a great many orphans. Taking in those children and raising them properly would provide him with a group of loyal subordinates.

He had no need to use those children for experiments like Orochimaru, nor did he need them to become exceptionally powerful ninjas.

Once they had grown strong enough, he only needed to assign them to major towns to protect the safety of shops and merchant caravans.

They could also be used to pass along intelligence later obtained by the various shops.