I've Contracted Konoha's Entire Landscaping

Kakashi looked at the thick stack of "hush money" in his hands and fell into deep philosophical contemplation.

Who was he? Where was he? What was he doing?

He wasn't leading genin at all. He was clearly leading a mobile ATM!

Sen's "architectural miracle" quickly spread among Konoha's civilian population.

One person told ten, ten told a hundred.

In the end, word even reached the Hokage Building.

That day, Sen was lying on the roof of his house, basking in the sun while considering whether he should buy a few plots of land and officially enter the real estate business.

Several civil servants wearing Konoha Logistics Department uniforms respectfully knocked on his door.

"Lord Sen! We're from the village committee, and we have something we'd like to ask your help with!"

The leader was a bespectacled, shrewd-looking middle-aged man.

Rubbing his hands together, he wore a wide smile, looking exactly like a client begging someone to take on a project.

"Hasn't the village recently been carrying out the 'Beautiful Konoha' initiative? We want to plant two rows of cherry blossom trees along the main roads to improve the scenery."

"But as you know, ordinary saplings grow too slowly. Without ten years or so, they simply won't take shape."

"So... we'd like to pay a hefty sum to hire you, a Wood Release master, to help accelerate their growth."

Sen grinned when he heard that.

This was a great job.

Not only could he openly use Wood Release in the village without sneaking around.

He could also take the opportunity to plant his Divine Tree chakra in every corner of Konoha.

Wouldn't the entire village then become part of his surveillance range?

Most importantly, he would get paid!

"Easy enough."

Sen patted his chest, looking as though the matter was already settled.

"As for the price... just pay whatever you think is fair. It's all for the village's development. I'm not doing this for money—I'm doing it for the fun of it."

Though he said that, the abacus in his heart was already clattering away.

From that day onward.

Konoha Village's whole vibe went completely off the rails.

Sen led Team 7—mainly Naruto, the free laborer—and launched his "Grand Greening Renovation" project.

On the village's main street.

Sen found a comfortable step, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.

"Naruto, go toss one cherry blossom seed into every hole in those two rows."

"Yeah! Got it, big bro!" Naruto replied energetically.

Once Naruto had finished scattering the seeds.

Sen did not even raise his eyelids. He merely stomped lightly.

"Crack, crack..."

Accompanied by a teeth-grating sound of growth.

Two neat rows of cherry blossom saplings burst from the ground at a visible speed, shooting rapidly upward.

In less than ten minutes, they had grown into towering trees that required two people to wrap their arms around.

Then, with a soft pop, the cherry blossoms across both rows bloomed at once.

Pink petals spread like rosy clouds, dyeing the entire street into a dreamy sea of color.

Passing villagers and shinobi stared at the miraculous sight, too stunned to close their mouths.

"My god! What kind of ninjutsu is this? It's so beautiful!"

"I feel like I can breathe more easily!"

But that was not all.

After growing the cherry trees, Sen wandered beneath Hokage Rock.

He looked at the four enormous statues and thought they looked a little ugly standing there so bare.

So he casually waved his hand.

"Wood Release: Parasitic Vine Technique!"

Countless emerald-green ivy vines burst from cracks in the stone.

As if alive, they rapidly climbed and spread, covering the entire backdrop of Hokage Rock in vibrant greenery.

He even mischievously grew a... green hat woven from flowers atop the First Hokage's statue.

Under his renovations, all of Konoha Village became as beautiful as a fairyland.

The once-monotonous streets had become avenues of cherry blossoms that bloomed all year round.

The once-barren open spaces had become public parks fragrant with fruit.

Even the village moat was filled with strange lotus flowers capable of purifying the water.

The villagers' happiness soared.

And Sen's reputation among the common people reached an unprecedented peak.

No longer did they call him a "monster." Instead, they respectfully addressed him as "Lord Sen," or even "the First Hokage reborn."

Their fanaticism even showed faint signs of surpassing their reverence for the Third Hokage.

The old Third Hokage could only laugh helplessly and turn a blind eye.

After all, while the kid did not do proper shinobi work, he really was remarkably good at infrastructure.

Night fell.

Sen lay atop the roof of his luxurious three-story mansion, which he had built with Wood Release.

Beneath him was a soft lawn—also grown with Wood Release—and chilled fruit juice sat beside him.

Yet as he looked at the several sacks in his room, stuffed full of banknotes piled like mountains, he could not feel happy at all.

He let out a long sigh, his eyes carrying a trace of irritation.

"I've made enough money. Even if I eat barbecue every day for the rest of my life, I still won't be able to spend it all."

"But this life is boring as hell."

Sen opened his system panel.

[Divine Tree Origin Level: Lv19]

Ever since he had absorbed those twenty Root death warriors last time.

His level had remained stuck here, neither rising nor falling.

Relying on sunlight alone, his leveling speed was far too slow.

The skill [Life Drain] was the true shortcut to leveling up.

But the village had been so peaceful lately that there was not even a thief around.

Where was he supposed to find "hostile targets" to kill?

Was he really supposed to slaughter wild animals in the Forest of Death?

That would be far too beneath him, and horribly inefficient besides.

"No. I can't keep lazing around like this."

Sen sat up from the lawn, his gaze sharpening.

"If things stay this peaceful, forget surviving until the finale—my bones will rust."

He needed battle.

He needed blood.

He needed the life force of enemies to nourish his hungry Divine Tree!

"Looks like I need to find a way to get Kakashi to take on some more challenging missions."

Rubbing his chin, Sen began plotting how to reasonably throw his lazy little team onto a battlefield.

Just then.

"Big bro! Big bro, this is bad!"

Naruto's frantic voice came from downstairs.

He charged onto the roof like a little cannonball, holding an emergency mission scroll that had just been issued.

"Look, look! Old Man Hokage finally assigned us a C-rank mission!"

Naruto was flushed with excitement as he handed the scroll to Sen.

"We're escorting a bridge builder named Dazna to the Land of Waves!"

Sen took the scroll. When he saw the words "Land of Waves," an extremely dangerous curve slowly rose at the corner of his mouth.

The Land of Waves?

Wasn't that Momochi Zabuza and Haku's home turf?

Just when he was sleepy, someone brought him a pillow.

"Perfect."

Sen rose to his feet and rolled his neck, his bones cracking loudly.

"Finally, I can go out... and stretch my legs."