Take Him Away

Based on the reports sent back during this time, the profits had been quite good. Although the blind boxes had not exploded in popularity as expected, the movie had earned considerably more than the previous one.

Grasswood in particular... it seemed its reputation had finally spread this time.

This kind of lighthearted, funny story with a touch of romance had unexpectedly become hugely popular.

Perhaps it was also because the war had only just ended!

Everyone longed for happiness deep down.

As for the blind boxes... perhaps the price was too high, and without the internet to build hype, not many people were buying them.

Kusana looked at the message sent back by the manager of a shop in some remote town in the Land of Fire: Boss, I think, maybe... I found the fat sheep you mentioned!!

"..."

The amount earned by this tiny town actually accounted for nearly half of the total?!

And it had all come from one person...

One had to know that when Mujie went out last time, he had not only secured the market in the Land of Fire, but also the market in the neighboring Land of Earth.

Although they had not covered the entire Land of Fire or Land of Earth—not even half of either country—the market this time had expanded enormously compared to the original "Gambling Shadow"!

So aside from a fat sheep, there probably was no one else so absurdly wealthy.

Of course, it might also have been because not many people had made purchases there, which was why that location's performance stood out so much.

Kusana sighed emotionally. "Come to think of it... Advisor Mujie is actually pretty good."

Only—

As he read further down.

He fell silent again.

He frowned slightly. "Why are the earnings in the Land of Grass so high too? Especially the blind boxes... they're even higher than in some major cities in the Land of Fire."

As soon as he said that.

Kana hesitated for a moment before quietly saying, "Maybe... perhaps it's because of Lord Jiraiya and Advisor Mujie!"

"???"

"Th-they... heard that Teacher Ooki had released exclusive blind-box merchandise, and they got really excited. They've been pulling blind boxes at the shop all this time, and they seem to have drawn a lot of attention." Kana's face reddened slightly, but her voice remained quiet. "Lord Jiraiya... wants to draw every type of figure from the Three Great Sage Princesses and collect a complete set. As for Advisor Mujie..."

Before she could finish.

Kusana's eyelid twitched, and he seemed to understand.

The Three Great Sage Princesses.

They were the Frog Woman, Snake Woman, and Slug Woman.

Although there were only three of them... if divided by clothing, poses, seasons, and rarity, each Sage Princess had many different versions.

Collecting them all was not easy.

"So Mujie wants to collect all three Sage Princesses too?"

"No, he wants everything!"

"???"

"He wants to collect every female character figure from Teacher Ooki's published books!"

"..."

So the real fat sheep was in the Land of Grass?!

"Orange light! Orange light! Orange light! Give it to me!"

"I want purple light! Purple light! Give me a swimsuit Snake Woman! Then I'll complete the summer series."

This was a blind-box shop somewhere in the Land of Grass.

At this moment.

A crowd had gathered around them, curiously watching the two men whose faces were flushed and whose eyes had turned fierce from drawing boxes.

How many days had it been?

Those two were still drawing blind boxes here?!

And the shop manager... was holding a microphone and shouting, "Purple light! Purple light! This Mr. Mu... is temporarily ahead by one point! Traveler from the Land of Fire, what are you waiting for? Another hundred boxes? Maybe the next one will be the figure you've been hoping for?"

He was gleefully stirring things up.

They had somehow started competing over blind boxes... and if it were not for that guy, perhaps neither of them would have gone this crazy!

The people around them were getting excited as well, constantly cheering them on.

Not far away, the three children were also watching with speechless expressions.

Yahiko in particular covered his face, seeming to find it utterly embarrassing.

"This old man... do you know how many buns that much money could buy?" Yahiko sighed, looking miserable. "And he spent it all here! Isn't that way too wasteful?!"

As soon as he finished.

"..."

Nagato and Konan sympathetically patted Yahiko.

Then Nagato... frowned slightly as he looked at Jiraiya inside.

Sure enough.

Just like Teacher Amang and Mom had said.

This Konoha Sannin... was no good. Following him would make it easy to go astray!

"Don't worry. I already told Sister Kana what you asked me to say." Konan whispered. "I'm sure Sister Kana will tell Teacher Amang before long."

As soon as she said that.

Yahiko immediately came back to his senses and stopped looking sad. Lowering his voice, he said, "It won't expose me, right? If Father finds out... I'll definitely get beaten again."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine."

"Father is actually pretty good. Other than acting a little strange sometimes, he's good the rest of the time. It's just that Wu Wei came to discuss something with me the day before yesterday..." Yahiko sighed. "If there were any other way, I wouldn't want to do this either. But Wu Wei said only Teacher Amang could handle Father Mujitsu."

As soon as he said that.

A burst of commotion seemed to come from ahead. The three looked up, and delighted smiles immediately appeared on their faces.

Teacher Amang was here!

Smack!

"What?"

Smack smack smack!

"I said, what are you doing?!" Mujie turned around irritably after his shoulder had been patted repeatedly. "I feel like I'm definitely getting orange light this time. If you pat away my luck, you'd better compen—"

Before he could finish.

Mujie blinked when he saw the smiling man in front of him.

Then.

His entire body shuddered, as if he had finally come to his senses. He said with an awkward laugh, "Chief, why are you here? Ah! It's getting late. I still need to go home and cook for the children."

"Stop lying. Your wife is clearly the one who cooks, and sometimes even that kid Wu Wei does it. You, as their father, can't do a thing!"

Kusana rolled his eyes and blocked him directly.

Mujie's clan was very small, so small that a single accident might wipe it out. There were only Mujie, Wu Wei, Mujie's wife, their family of three, and a few clan members.

Of course.

Most clans in the Land of Grass were like that. Even the clans of Wu Wei and Longzhi could already be considered large.

Looking at Mujie, who wore an embarrassed expression and seemed to want to argue, Kusana sighed inwardly. This guy... had truly rendered great service this time!

And he had only returned a few days ago.

Perhaps he should let him relax for a while?

Or reward him a little?!

After hesitating for a moment, Kusana lowered his voice. "If you wanted this kind of thing, you could've told me! My... factory still has them. I could've just given you the whole set. How could you get so addicted?"

However.

The moment he finished speaking.

Mujie immediately looked at Kusana in dissatisfaction. "Chief, you're insulting me! As an outstanding Grass ninja, how could I possibly get addicted? This isn't addiction. I'm just a little curious, that's all!"

Standing amid a pile of figures, he proudly raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle.

"What I want isn't the result. I'm simply enjoying this thrilling, suspenseful process."

"..."

Kusana stared at the proud-looking Mujie, then at the figures by Mujie's feet, and froze for a moment.

That was true.

A ninja!

How could he lack even this much self-control?

It was not like Tsunade... searching for emotional comfort.

Perhaps Mujie was merely relaxing a little!

Kusana nodded with a smile and patted Mujie on the shoulder. Just as he was about to say something.

Mujie suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "When can I pick them up? All of them? How about we do it on a dark and windy night? Oh, right, can I design one myself? Like one with less clothing... Don't worry, I guarantee I'll only keep it for my—"

Before he could finish.

Kusana's eyelid twitched. He stared speechlessly at the expectant Mujie beside him, then let out a long sigh and said earnestly, "Little Mu, I'm very disappointed in you!"

He waved his hand.

Several Land of Grass guards immediately sprang out.

"Take him away! Make it a thousand copies again this time. Let him out after he finishes copying them."

"???"

Before Mujie could react, several ninja immediately seized him.

"Chief, what are you doing?"

"Take him away! Take him away!"

"No! Chief, I was wrong! I can recite that thing backward after copying it so many times!"

"I've rendered service to the Land of Grass! I've bled for it! I only just got back! You can't treat me like this!"

However.

No one paid him any attention.

Before long.

He was taken away.

As for Jiraiya... he blinked as he watched the bizarre scene before him.

Hadn't they been having a pleasant conversation just now?

Why had that man been taken away again?

Could it be... that they had discovered he and Mujie bought books yesterday?!

At that thought, Jiraiya's heart tightened. As expected of Grass ninja! He had long heard that Grass ninja were exceptionally skilled at gathering intelligence, and today proved that it was true!

Not even a full day had passed, and they had already been caught.

Worried that he... Jiraiya might be arrested too, he immediately put away his figures. He sighed, raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle with a melancholy expression, and quickly said, "It's time to set out on my journey. The ninja world is still waiting for this sage to save it!"

He really had stayed in the Land of Grass for too long.

Unfortunately.

He still had not found Teacher Ooki. Perhaps he and Teacher Ooki... simply had no fate to meet!

However.

After taking only a few steps.

"Hey, hey, hey! Traveler from the Land of Fire, you haven't paid for those hundred boxes yet!"

"..."

Jiraiya heard that and reached into his pocket.

However.

A moment later.

His expression stiffened. Without stopping, under everyone's watchful eyes, he simply...

Ran off in a flash.

"???"

Leaving the dumbfounded shop manager behind, who hurriedly shouted, "Someone's pulling unpaid boxes!"