Hualing's Opportunity

Beyond the six strongest major nations of the Shinobi World,

there were also some small countries: the Land of Grass, the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Iron, the Land of Rivers, the Land of Waves, and so on.

Though some were nominally countries, they were really just small shinobi villages occupying a patch of land.

As national highways were built between the various countries, transportation everywhere became more convenient.

These small villages also saw some development, and their old ways of life changed somewhat.

Lockfront Village was one such village. They specialized in gathering intelligence and decrypting it.

Now that the Shinobi World was at peace and technology had advanced, their business gradually dried up.

After the highways were established, they began selling the various clothes and props they had once made for disguises.

Thanks to their fine craftsmanship, Lockfront Village was doing fairly well.

"Hello, customer. Here is the mask you ordered."

Hualing handed the green-faced, fanged mask in her hand to the three customers standing before her.

This kind was used for rituals and needed to be painted with all sorts of patterns.

They were generally used in large quantities. A single ritual required hundreds or even thousands of them.

After the ritual, the masks had to be burned, making them consumable goods. Sales were fairly decent.

Hualing now ran a small shop that made all kinds of ritual supplies.

On top of that, her status as a chunin entitled her to subsidies, so she lived a fairly comfortable life.

The three customers before her had come through Lockfront Village to order a batch of masks.

They had specifically requested that Hualing make them.

Today, the customers had come to inspect the samples Hualing had made.

"Konoha has been really lively lately. The Hyuga Clan's heir, Hyuga