Loyalty!

Naruto strode upstairs toward Inari's room.

"Knock, knock." He tapped on the door. "Inari, let's talk."

"No!" a roar came from inside the room.

"You don't want anything to happen to your mother either, do you?" Naruto wasn't in a hurry. He knew Inari was highly emotional in the original story.

"Staying here is dangerous. We need to protect you, so we can't let the enemy know where you are." Naruto patiently explained.

A tiny voice came from inside. "So what..."

"What?"

"I said, so what!?" Inari shouted. "People who oppose Gato never get a happy ending anyway. So what if we die? Do you really think some hero is going to come save us?"

"Konoha has the strongest military force in the entire shinobi world. Do you think we can save your lives or not?" Naruto said angrily. It was one thing for Inari to throw a tantrum, but he was dragging his family into it too, going on and on about dying.

Can you speak like a normal person?

As a physician with a little knowledge of child psychology, Naruto determined that the patient needed correcting through the Personality Correction Fist Therapy.

"Do you want your mother to live?"

"No!"

"Then you don't want to live either?"

"I won't live, then! Can you get lost already!!" The voice from inside the room had taken on a faintly tearful tone.

Naruto smiled faintly and prepared to immediately infiltrate Inari's mental space and treat him to a Nine-Tails-brand fire dragon fruit.

He really hasn't been beaten enough.

"Naruto." Sakura came upstairs and called out to him, gesturing for her to persuade Inari.

"You're sure this will work?" Naruto lowered his voice. "That little brat is more stubborn than a bull."

Sakura said calmly, "You must have forgotten what lies at the heart of his troubles. His father is the key. Besides, you sound too rough and manly. Let me try."

"Oh, right." Naruto nodded, admitting that his talk-no-jutsu still needed more refinement.

Well, if even Sakura can't do it, we'll just knock him out and talk about it after we move.

He went downstairs and headed to Kakashi's room.

"Boss, you're awake?" Naruto hurriedly pushed Kakashi back down onto the floor bedding, stopping him from getting up.

Kakashi glanced at Naruto and Sasuke. "Good work. I heard about what happened just now. We should indeed move. Afterward, we'll find somewhere to train and improve your abilities further."

Kakashi was referring to Tree climbing training: continuously attaching Chakra to the soles of their feet so they could walk up trees.

"Got it, Boss. I'll go check out Gato's movements on the street first and scout the area."

"By yourself?" Sasuke, who was nearby, turned his head.

"Look after the boss, and guard the crystal while you're at it... I mean, guard the house." Naruto patted Sasuke on the shoulder.

Sasuke was clearly eager to give it a try. "I'll come with you. Sakura should be fine on her own."

"Sakura isn't some housewife who knows how to take care of people."

Sasuke stared blankly at him. Housewife? What was that supposed to mean?

I'm not a girl, am I?

Naruto quickly left the house.

The streets of the Land of Waves.

As a small country on the fringes, the Land of Waves had narrow streets. Old wooden houses, mainly gray and brown, stood on both sides of the flagstone roads, making the place look even more cramped.

Fishing gear hung beneath the eaves, while the smell of sweat and a faint fishy odor permeated the air.

Naruto found a conical hat and used it to cover his conspicuously long hair. He also changed into plain clothes, making himself indistinguishable from those around him.

Theft broke out on the streets from time to time. Thieves stole in broad daylight, while beggars slumped by the roadside, yet no one paid them any attention.

Everyone's face was marked by exhaustion and numbness.

"It doesn't seem much different from the original story." Naruto carefully observed his surroundings, trying to find some unusual clues.

At the same time, he began to put himself in another person's shoes.

If I had transmigrated into Gato, what would I do now?

Everyone knew Tazuna was the toughest bone to crack, so dealing with him had to be the top priority.

What about the other aspects? Zabuza was a huge liability. He would cut people down at the slightest disagreement, and one man like him was worth an entire mercenary army.

If I were Gato, I wouldn't bother with Zabuza right now. I'd just let him recover in peace.

Tsk, no, that's not right. If I were Gato, I'd run away right now. Picking a fight with the protagonist would be pure suicide, wouldn't it?

Hmm, that man's thought process was clearly abnormal.

As he was thinking, Naruto suddenly saw a large group of people marching toward him from ahead. From their clothing, they were clearly mercenaries.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed inwardly. Gato's coming for Tazuna already!

First, I'll lure them somewhere deserted, then treat them to some Nine-Tails-brand fire dragon fruit. Naruto immediately drew up a counterattack plan.

He decided to confirm their movements first.

In fact, Naruto's conical hat was rather large, and he himself was quite short. As a result, he failed to notice the flyers clutched in the mercenaries' hands...

The mercenaries began distributing flyers to the surrounding civilians in an orderly fashion.

"Hello. Please take a look at our presidential candidate for the Land of Waves." A man with a huge scar carved across his face spoke to someone beside him.

"Oh, oh..." The person nervously accepted the flyer. It bore the portrait of a man.

"Who is he?"

"He's the Land of Waves' next presidential candidate, Mr. Gato." A trace of reverence appeared on Scarface's face.

"Let me introduce Mr. Gato's principles."

"Many people believe that Mr. Gato is the root cause of the Land of Waves' chaos, but that isn't the case. The Land of Waves has been plagued by deep-seated problems for years. Corruption and graft are everywhere. Mr. Gato saw the suffering of the people and resolutely launched a revolution!"

"After all, how can you possibly govern well while surrounded by a bunch of vermin?"

"Besides, someone previously organized an armed resistance. That person was no ordinary citizen, so we had to strike hard!"

With that, he handed the passerby a small bag of grain.

"For those willing to follow Mr. Gato, there will be ample food and more than enough wages!"

"After all, giving money and food to the people at the top is bribery, but handing money and food directly to the masses is called a subsidy!"

Naruto silently listened to Scarface's grand speech, stunned to the point of being scorched inside and out.

What was any of this supposed to mean?

Was this the Springtime of the Land of Waves?!

Unable to hold back, Naruto stepped forward and asked, "May I ask who you are?"

Scarface immediately turned his head toward him. "Loyalty! We are the Presidential advisory group for Mr. Gato. Please give Mr. Gato your full support."

Naruto accepted the flyer. Gato's image on it looked spirited and triumphant.

"Right, I have a question." Naruto spoke slowly. "How many candidates are there in this presidential election?"

"Only Mr. Gato. Once the other candidates heard that Mr. Gato was running for president, they all chose to withdraw from the competition!"

"...Then what is the point of all this publicity?"

"Of course it's to let the general public know about Mr. Gato's principles." Scarface answered seriously.

"Mr. Gato says that although the presidency is already guaranteed, a president without the people's support is a rootless duckweed. Besides, the policy measures and laws enacted afterward will also require everyone's support."

Naruto felt his teeth ache a little. "I have to admit, that actually makes a damn amount of sense."