Tsunade's Yearning

After much deliberation, Dongfang Mao finally set his sights on Tsunade's personal fortune.

Having inherited the Senju family wealth, Tsunade was clearly not as destitute as he had initially guessed. With time pressing, he could no longer afford to worry about a man's pride.

Besides, he wasn't even a man yet, just a fourteen-year-old boy. Was it really so excessive to ask a distant relative for some pocket money?

Thinking of this, Dongfang Mao's confidence suddenly surged.

"Ten million ryo? What are you planning to do?"

After settling the compensation with the innkeeper downstairs, Tsunade returned to her room and looked at Dongfang Mao, who was currently trying to squeeze gold out of her, with a suspicious gaze.

Although ten million ryo wasn't much to her—hardly enough to cover the cost of treating a few patients, and certainly less than what she had squandered in half a month at the largest casino in the Land of Fire—it was still a massive sum for an ordinary person. Why did Dongfang Mao suddenly need so much money?

"We've been drifting for a while now; it's time to find a place to settle down. I saw the back mountain of that village earlier, and the environment is quite nice—clear springs winding around rocks, deep forests, and birdsong. I've decided to set up camp there."

"That way, we'll have a new home. We can live together, and you can teach me ninjutsu during the day, while in the evenings, we can sit on the veranda and watch the sunset. If you ever feel bored, the casinos in Tsukimiura are just ten miles away, so it'll be convenient whenever you want to go."

Hearing Dongfang Mao's words, Tsunade was momentarily stunned. A picture of idyllic peace began to form in her mind, and just as the corners of her mouth began to lift involuntarily, Dongfang Mao suddenly changed his tone.

"However..."

"However, you're short on money, right?"

Watching Dongfang Mao rub his hands together with a fawning expression, Tsunade couldn't help but let out a soft huff.

Yet, her heart stirred.

Although she deeply disliked Dongfang Mao's association with those bandits, she had to admit that the picture he had painted for her was truly heart-fluttering.

Ever since she left Konoha, there was no such thing as a "home" for her in this world.

Before meeting Dongfang Mao, she had wandered the ninja world without a fixed residence. Though she appeared indifferent on the surface, she secretly longed for stability.

Wasn't what Dongfang Mao described exactly the life she had been yearning for?

As for those bandits, upon reflection, it wasn't such a big deal.

Moreover, by gathering them all together, wouldn't they be forming an entirely new village?

They would be the villagers, and Dongfang Mao would be the leader of the village.

She could lead Dongfang Mao to build the village of her dreams—a place without slaughter, without death, without conflicts of interest, and without political maneuvering!

At this thought, Tsunade's heart trembled involuntarily. She clenched her fists, focused her gaze on Dongfang Mao, and said with a solemn expression.

"Mao, ten million is a bit too little; it will hinder the construction of the village. How about this? I'll give you twenty... no, thirty million. You must build that village properly for me!"

Tsunade's words left Dongfang Mao momentarily stunned.

What village? Weren't they talking about a bandit camp?

Forget it, it didn't matter. A camp or a village, it was all the same as long as there was money!

"Don't worry, Sister Tsunade, I will definitely build the camp... the village, to perfection!"

Dongfang Mao forcibly suppressed his excitement, already silently calculating how much grain he could buy, how many weapons and armors he could procure, and how many people he could arm with those thirty million.

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, then rummaged through her belongings and produced a scroll, handing it to Dongfang Mao.

"Here, take it. The thirty million you need is inside."

Good heavens, it even came with a Space Scroll—a treasure!

Dongfang Mao's eyes lit up as he took the scroll, and he said to Tsunade, unable to contain his impatience.

"Then, Sister Tsunade, I'm off to recruit some craftsmen!"

Tsunade nodded, but then, feeling a bit uneasy, she called out to Dongfang Mao as he reached the door.

"Mao, you must strictly supervise those craftsmen! Don't let them cut corners!"

"Don't worry, Sister Tsunade!"

Dongfang Mao gave her a thumbs-up over his shoulder, then turned the corner and vanished into the hallway.

"Lady Tsunade, are we really going to settle down in the Land of Rice Fields?"

Shizune, who had been listening silently, looked at Tsunade—who still seemed lost in thought—and asked with curiosity once Dongfang Mao had left.

"That's right, Shizune. We are going to have a brand-new home here. And not just a home, but an entirely new village!"

Tsunade's face bloomed like the morning sun, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of her lips, her crystalline eyes filled with longing for the future.

After leaving the inn, Dongfang Mao made several inquiries and eventually tracked down a merchant from the Land of Iron who was passing through the Land of Rice Fields on his way to the Land of Fire and was currently staying in Tsukimiura.

The Land of Iron was a nation that revered the spirit of the samurai; there were no ninjas within its borders, and the country was protected by a collective of samurai.

At the same time, the country was rich in iron ore and possessed unique techniques and traditions in weapon forging, with its products occupying a significant share of the ninja world's arms trade.

If Dongfang Mao wanted to acquire a large quantity of weapons in a short amount of time, he had no choice but to seek out a merchant from the Land of Iron.

Arriving at the residence where the merchant was staying in Tsukimiura, Dongfang Mao did not waste words and got straight to the point.

After a servant relayed the message, an old man with white hair and a beard, yet looking in excellent spirits, walked out of the courtyard shortly after.

Upon seeing Dongfang Mao, the old man was stunned for a moment.

It was clear he had not expected the person coming to do business to be such a young face.

However, upholding the principle that a guest is a guest, he still asked with a kind smile on his face.

"Young man, I wonder what kind of business you wish to conduct with me?"

"I need a batch of standard-issue weapons and armor, and I would like to understand the pricing first."

Hearing what Dongfang Mao said, the old man understood that the other party was here to do business in earnest rather than to tease, and he immediately straightened his expression.

"This Humble One is Yoshikawa Yasuhisa. This is the product catalog; please take a look, honored guest."

The old man introduced himself immediately and then handed a small black booklet to Dongfang Mao.

Dongfang Mao nodded, took it, and began to examine it carefully.

"Spears: 6,000 ryo."

"Swords: 8,000 ryo."

Seeing this, Dongfang Mao nodded slightly. The prices Yoshikawa gave were quite fair, even a bit cheaper than the weapons he had purchased in the Land of Fire back then.

But then, when he looked at the armor catalog, the corners of his mouth twitched.

"Padded armor: 10,000 ryo; Leather armor: 30,000 ryo; Light iron armor: 80,000 ryo."

While feeling the pinch in his heart, Dongfang Mao began to calculate the quantities he needed.

Finally, gritting his teeth, he decided that if he was going to do this, he would spare no effort. He snapped the booklet shut and looked at Yoshikawa.

"I need 300 swords and 300 spears, 300 sets of padded armor, 100 sets of leather armor, and 50 sets of light iron armor. I wonder if Mr. Yoshikawa has enough stock here? Can I take delivery immediately?"