Land of Iron

The Land of Iron was a special country. Long ago, the ninja had agreed that it would remain free from war with the other ninja nations, making it a neutral country. Ruled by samurai, it possessed its own culture, authority, and military strength.

"The scenery here is truly beautiful..." Kakuzu could not help but sigh. As the samurai's last sacred refuge, this place had preserved distinctive architecture and natural scenery.

"This isn't your first time here, is it? Why are you suddenly getting sentimental?" Ruri and Kakuzu stood atop a mountain peak. It had to be said, the Land of Iron's scenery really was beautiful.

"Maybe I never paid attention before."

"Before, you were either killing people or on your way to kill people. How would you have had the mind to admire the scenery?" Ruri sighed. The Land of Iron rarely saw war, so its landscapes had been well preserved. Other countries were not so fortunate. Even the Land of Waterfalls, which had seen the fewest wars, had once had nearly half its capital destroyed in a single battle.

Of course, Ruri would never admit that he had been responsible for that...

After hearing Ruri's words, Kakuzu paused. Only after a while did he say, "That's why peace is so wonderful."

???? Kakuzu, isn't your character setting completely wrong? Ruri tried pinching his own hand. When it hurt, he realized he was not dreaming. Kakuzu was a goddamn pacifist? Over the past few years, among all the ninja in the Land of Waterfalls, his hands had been stained with the most blood, yet now he was saying peace was wonderful?

"Big brother, isn't that true? It's easier to make money in peacetime. The Black Market Exchange is decent enough, but it's all bounties on human lives. If I could run a legitimate business, who would want to risk their life, licking blood off a blade just to make money? One life can be worth over ten million at most, or only a few hundred thousand at least. Running a single merchant ship can earn that much. It's not worth it. Besides, can you keep doing business in human lives for your whole life? When I get old, when my strength declines and my stamina fails, I'm afraid someone else will take my head for the bounty. That kind of life is too exhausting. If I could, I'd really like to destroy the Black Market Exchange." Kakuzu rarely wore such a thoughtful expression. Perhaps this was what he truly thought.

...Ruri really wanted to tell Kakuzu that he would still be doing this sort of business with great enthusiasm even in his nineties.

But on second thought, Ruri felt Kakuzu was right. Unless forced into it, who would risk their life on the edge of a blade? In the original story, Kakuzu had slaughtered Takigakure's entire upper echelon before defecting, then joined a terrorist organization. His identity could not be shown in public, and he could not conduct legitimate business, so he had no choice but to earn money through bounty missions from the Black Market Exchange.

For the first time, Ruri felt that training Kakuzu as the Second Takikage had not been a mistake. At the very least, his love of money could drive the village's commercial development!

As for destroying the Black Market Exchange... better forget that. It was Ruri's own enterprise and had made him quite a bit of money. Its scale was growing larger and larger, already giving him the feeling that it was becoming too big to control. It was also entangled with too many interests and forces, its connections deeply intertwined. It could not simply be shut down on a whim.

"Alright, enough sighing. Let's find somewhere to stay. Tomorrow is the Five Kage Summit. Rest up today and get ready to make a big move tomorrow!" Ruri pointed toward the city below. That was where tomorrow's Five Kage Summit would be held.

Naturally, no one came to welcome them. Even if the Five Kage themselves had arrived, no one would have greeted them. At this time, most samurai still hated ninja deeply, believing that the ninja's existence had left them with no place of their own. It would already be a blessing if they were not suddenly attacked in the streets.

Ruri and Kakuzu casually found an inn to stay at. After setting up their guard, they did not leave again.

"System, do you have any other missions?" Ruri finally had time to properly study the system and prepare some emergency measures for tomorrow's Five Kage Summit. There had been too many matters to deal with before, leaving him no time for the system. Being the leader of a village was truly busy!

[Yes. As the Village Leader System implies, the host can receive rewards for doing things that benefit the village's development.]

That "as the name implies" is way too broad, isn't it? Things that benefit the village's development... does that mean building irrigation works?

[For example, cultivating talent for the village, constructing irrigation works, increasing its reputation, and so on.]

Well, it really did mean building irrigation works... But those things could not be accomplished in a short time. Ruri wanted the previous kind of reward system, where becoming the Takikage earned him rewards. One Truth-Seeking Orb at a time, and after six times he would directly become the Sage of Six Paths. Wonderful, simply wonderful...

[There is also a Village Leader Achievement Module. The host's previous rewards were obtained through achievements. Such rewards can take effect immediately.]

Heh, this was it. This was good—the standard protagonist cheat. Ruri said happily, "Let me see what achievements I can complete."

[Bring about the Allied Shinobi Forces and enable the various ninja villages to coexist peacefully.]

[Seal Kaguya Otsutsuki and safeguard the world's origin.]

[Find a way for the nine Tailed Beasts to coexist peacefully with humans.]

Achievement after achievement left Ruri dazzled, yet not a single one could be completed immediately... Or rather, with his current strength, they would be very difficult to complete...

"Is there no way to rapidly increase my strength? Even if it can only last for one day..." Ruri wanted to participate in the Five Kage Summit in his most perfect state. Opportunities to show off before the Five Kage—especially Senju Hashirama—did not come often, so he had to cherish this one. One Truth-Seeking Orb was not shocking enough, and its duration was far too short.

The system fell silent for a while before speaking again.

[Considering that achievements are overly difficult, the lottery system has been activated. Each time the host completes an achievement, in addition to the inherent reward, the host will receive three lottery chances and may draw items that aid the village's development.]

A lottery? Lotteries were great! An SSR today, a Gilgamesh tomorrow—care to witness an incredibly lucky player's divine draws... Items that aided the village's development? What about ninjutsu? Kekkei Genkai? No secret techniques or forbidden techniques?

The faint joy that had just risen in him was instantly drowned in despair. Left with no choice, Ruri called for the draw amid that despair...

Maybe he could draw a saw that could restrain Hashirama's Wood Style...

[Ding... Congratulations, host. You have obtained a method for brewing grape wine.]

What the hell?? Was there something wrong with this lottery? Where was the promised roulette wheel? Even a nine-square grid would have been fine! It just gave him the result directly? Couldn't it at least make him salivate before failing to draw something good? What a wicked system...

The wine-brewing method entered Ruri's mind. He fell silent for a moment before deciding to continue drawing.

According to the brewing method, this grape wine surpassed every flavor in the Shinobi World. As long as Takigakure's villagers planted grapes well, leading them to prosperity and a comfortable life would not be a problem at all. And once he led the villagers to wealth, the village would develop as well. Wouldn't that earn system rewards? This was a virtuous cycle: keep drawing rewards to develop the village, gain rewards to increase his strength, use that strength to complete achievements, then gain more lottery chances from those achievements... Though that was all far in the future, Ruri could not help thinking further ahead.

[Ding... Congratulations, host. You have obtained a method for constructing a new-style waterwheel.]

A waterwheel—not bad. It could improve the efficiency of irrigating farmland...

[Ding... Congratulations, host. You have obtained Wood Style—Four-Pillar House Technique.]

Wood Style—not bad...

Holy shit? Wood Style?!