Aftermath

Naruto paid no attention to the turmoil in Zabuza's heart and continued, "Keep carrying out the compensation plan. Expand its scope and increase the payouts."

"I want 'the Gato Corporation has changed owners and is doing charity' to become the only topic of conversation among the common people of the Land of Waves in the shortest possible time."

"As for the higher-ups in other overseas countries..." Naruto paused briefly. "Remove them one by one according to your own plans and pace. Make it clean and decisive."

"Make them understand that obedience will bring them greater benefits than they had under Gato, while resistance leads only to death. You should be quite good at that, shouldn't you?"

At his words, Zabuza revealed an almost feral yet excited smile.

This kind of purge-and-intimidation assignment was indeed where he excelled most.

"Hmph. Don't worry. Dealing with this trash isn't worth your personal concern."

"Good." Naruto nodded. "The next priority is to completely take over and consolidate every industry Gato left behind, especially the shipping routes and warehouses. List every ongoing and upcoming transaction, assess which ones can be kept and which must be terminated immediately. As for the people responsible... you know what to do."

"Of course," Zabuza answered in a low voice.

"Also," Naruto said, putting away the scroll and looking at Zabuza, "the name Gato Shipping can no longer be used. Starting today, the company will be renamed Dawn Shipping."

"Dawn... Shipping?" Zabuza repeated softly, pondering the meaning behind the name.

"Dawn..."

At the side, Haku softly recited the new name Naruto had chosen.

A faint glimmer seemed to flash through his eyes.

It truly was a name that carried hope.

"Lastly..." Naruto said slowly, "go meet the daimyo of the Land of Waves as Dawn Shipping's representative. Tell him about the current situation and that Dawn Shipping will replace Gato Shipping in all its rights and interests within the Land of Waves."

In fact, Gato had previously used enormous sums of money to bribe and buy off the daimyo of the Land of Waves.

That was how he had obtained so many privileges and been able to run rampant throughout the Land of Waves.

Even if the daimyo was unwilling, he had no way to resist.

After all, this weak, impoverished little country had no ninja village of its own, and even military forces like samurai could not contend with Gato's former power.

Zabuza looked somewhat surprised. "You intend to interfere in the internal affairs of the Land of Waves? Don't tell me you want to... begin with the Land of Waves and gradually carry out your plan to unify the Shinobi World?"

He recalled the grand goal Naruto had revealed before.

"First control this small country, use it as a springboard, and then influence the Hidden Mist and even the world?"

Naruto, however, wore a rather strange expression and asked in return, "What are you talking about? I'm a Konoha ninja."

"As long as I want to, the greatest obstacle to becoming Hokage is nothing more than time. Why take the long way around and start with the Land of Waves?"

"Then this is..." Zabuza did not know how to respond for a moment.

"Gradually controlling the Land of Waves in Dawn Shipping's name is only so that, when I truly begin unification in the future, I can incorporate it into my territory with a single document, saving unnecessary trouble and resistance later." Naruto spoke casually. "From beginning to end, the focus has only ever been Konoha."

This had merely been a move he had casually arranged during the Land of Waves mission he inevitably experienced in every cycle.

Beyond that, there was the Gato Shipping company he had long planned to seize.

As one of the world's wealthiest men, Gato employed only a small number of ninja and rarely dealt with the major ninja villages. At the same time, he bribed daimyos, which had shaped his arrogant, overbearing character and behavior.

If Naruto had not obtained information on everyone within the company through repeated cycles, it would have been easy for an ordinary ninja village to kill Gato.

But it would have been difficult for any of them to seamlessly take control of such an enormous Gato Corporation in a short time.

And the reason for taking control of Gato's company was not merely money. Its true value went far beyond that.

It was a company that controlled maritime trade routes spanning multiple countries.

It controlled things that truly mattered in the Shinobi World, including logistics, trade, passenger transport, finance, and more.

In the Shinobi World, it was the main artery through which supplies moved between nations.

Even if problems arose within Gato's company, all they needed to do was have those puppets step forward again to renew contracts and redistribute benefits.

No one would notice that the future Dawn Shipping had become connected to Konoha's ninja village.

Once Naruto took control of Konoha, he could use it to secretly transport weapons, supplies, and personnel by sea to any reachable coastline or port, supporting future wars or reforms and cutting off enemy nations' maritime supply lines.

Of course, this was mainly aimed at the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water.

After all, affairs at sea could not interfere with countries like the Land of Wind or the Land of Earth.

Zabuza felt a wave of embarrassment, and his heart was once again deeply shaken.

So Naruto had long regarded becoming Hokage as nothing more than an inevitable stop along the way?

And his ultimate goal...

Zabuza's thoughts shifted once more. Perhaps, for this boy, reaching the top of Konoha truly was only a matter of time.

"I understand." Zabuza's expression turned solemn. "I'll personally go meet the daimyo of the Land of Waves."

"The daimyo of the Land of Waves was already Gato's puppet. He's not only greedy but cowardly... Apply a little pressure, and he'll submit. Also, I suspect one of Gato's higher-ups will quietly contact the daimyo within the next few days. Keep an eye out."

Once even a minor change was made, it could cause considerable changes to the future outcome.

Yet it was still possible to reasonably predict the results using the intelligence gathered before, unless too many changes had already been made.

"Don't worry. I'm good at this sort of negotiation."

A cold smile curled across Zabuza's lips. He was clearly quite confident.

Naruto nodded, skillfully took a scroll from a nearby cabinet, added his own jutsu formula to it, and tossed it to Zabuza. "I won't come looking for you on my own in the future. If you need to contact me, use this scroll."

Finally, Naruto left his Flying Thunder God marks on Zabuza and Haku respectively. Within a certain range, he could directly sense them and teleport to their sides.

After handing over the current matters, Naruto did not linger any longer. With a flicker, he vanished from Zabuza's base.

A day later, at the daimyo's residence in the Land of Waves.

In stark contrast to the dilapidated houses where the commoners of the Land of Waves lived, the daimyo's residence was magnificently built.

Nobles dressed in extravagant clothing moved through the courtyards in twos and threes, chatting and laughing quietly.

Servant girls kept their heads lowered as they carried all kinds of delicacies through the corridors with light steps.

Everything within the daimyo's residence was completely different from the impoverished towns and villages outside, forming a stark contrast.

Though it was clearly the same country, it felt like two separate worlds.

Momochi Zabuza's tall figure stood out sharply here.

The terrifying Kubikiribōchō on his back drew fearful looks from the nobles along the way.

Zabuza ignored it all. Led by an attendant, he entered the daimyo's reception room without a word.

This was not the first time he had entered this place.

The last time, he had stood in a corner as Gato's accompanying guard, coldly watching the fat daimyo fawn over Gato.

But this time, Zabuza had come in his own name.