The Second Deal

Shinbu Kosuke led the way, with Lu Zeming following behind. They chatted as they walked, like old friends who had not seen each other in years.

Lu Zeming learned a great deal from their conversation.

The Third Kusakage of Kusagakure was dead. To stop the Grass Flower Faction from unsealing the Box of Ultimate Bliss, he had sacrificed his life to seal it again, averting a catastrophe.

The news left Lu Zeming with a pang of sorrow.

The image of that little old man with the stooped back gradually merged with Kusagakure's towering statue.

He had deserved the title of Kusakage.

Lu Zeming thought again of the Box of Ultimate Bliss. Legend said it could grant the wish of whoever opened it, but in truth, it was an ultimate weapon from the era of the Sage of Six Paths.

The monster Gō was sealed inside it. Its special technique could turn those it swallowed into "companions." In the movie, a single Gō had overpowered Naruto.

Naruto had already learned Senjutsu by then, yet one Gō had still overwhelmed him. If the box had been allowed to keep transforming people, thousands upon thousands of Gō would have emerged. The consequences were unthinkable.

"What a bunch of muscle-brained terrorists."

After cursing them, Lu Zeming considered another question. The Grass Flower Faction would never have shown its trump card unless it had been driven into a corner. Had something happened to Konoha, which supported it?

As expected, the Nine-Tails had attacked Konoha. The Fourth Hokage had died in battle, the Third had returned to power, and Konoha had withdrawn across the board.

Unable to hold out alone, the Grass Flower Faction had fallen back on every front.

"We're about to wipe out the Grass Flower Faction. I can already see the dawn of peace!"

As Shinbu Kosuke spoke, his hand unconsciously reached toward the sun on the horizon, as though peace were close enough to touch.

Lu Zeming did not think so. The Land of Fire was the largest of the great nations. Even if it pulled back, it could not completely abandon its buffer with the Land of Earth.

A buffer had to accept what it was. It could not have peace, could not unite, and could not throw its lot entirely behind either the Land of Earth or the Land of Fire.

A certain peninsula next to the Flower Nation in his previous life was the best example.

Lu Zeming said none of this. He did not want to snuff out Shinbu Kosuke's hope.

He changed the subject. "By the way, how's Nameless? I haven't seen him in ages."

Shinbu Kosuke's steps faltered, and his tone turned distant.

"He grew tired of killing. He pulled some strings and transferred to Hozuki Castle as a guard."

Sure enough, events had a way of following their original course. Hozuki Castle's future warden had already arrived on his home turf.

As they spoke, they reached a bloodstained town. When Lu Zeming found Shinbu Teiichi, he was holding a feast for his guests in the lord's residence, clearly celebrating his recent victory.

Shinbu Teiichi was somewhat drunk, his words slurring.

"Well, if it isn't our little pharmacist! Come on, sit down. Wait—I remember now. You're not one of my men. What gives you the right to sit? From now on, I call the shots in the Land of Grass. Kneel and submit to me, or die!"

Some people were cautious to a fault before they gained power, terrified of making a wrong move. Once they had it, their true nature came out.

Shinbu Teiichi was worse than that. The Grass Flower Faction had not even been completely wiped out, yet he was already celebrating halfway through the fight, drunk on his own success.

Lu Zeming was no longer at the stage where even seeing a Genin meant he had to tread carefully.

"You need to sober up!" Lu Zeming strode toward Shinbu Teiichi.

Shinbu Teiichi's guards moved to stop him, but an invisible palm of Spiritual Power sent them flying.

The gust swept up the food and wine on the tables and hurled it into the crowd. Screams rang out all around.

Shinbu Teiichi landed on the floor with a thud. Not a trace of drunkenness remained on his face. He kicked his legs against the floor, trying to get away from Lu Zeming.

"Don't come closer! Stay away!"

Lu Zeming stepped forward and planted a foot on Shinbu Teiichi's chest. He formed a huge ball of water and slammed it into his face.

The blow left Shinbu Teiichi dizzy. He choked on the water and coughed repeatedly, a miserable sight.

Lu Zeming looked down at him with a smile.

"Sober yet?"

Shinbu Teiichi waved his hands frantically. "Cough, cough... Yes... cough... I'm sober!"

"Then can we talk business?"

"Yes! Right away!"

Lu Zeming turned and swept his gaze over the others in the hall.

"Didn't you hear? I'm discussing business with your boss. Get out!"

The guards hesitated.

Lu Zeming drew his blade and pressed its tip against Shinbu Teiichi's throat.

"Out!"

Shinbu Teiichi was nearly in tears. He hurriedly ordered all his men to leave.

Once they had gone, only Shinbu Teiichi and the few people Lu Zeming had brought remained in the once-bustling hall.

Kumi Uzumaki had watched the whole thing, her eyes shining.

She knew who Shinbu Teiichi was—one of the most powerful figures in the Land of Grass. Seeing him pinned beneath Lu Zeming's foot filled her with excitement.

Shinbu Kosuke, who had just left the hall, stared back toward it in shock.

Every time they met, Lu Zeming's strength had soared. He could no longer make sense of the young man who had just been chatting and laughing with him all the way here.

Inside the hall, Lu Zeming still had his foot on Shinbu Teiichi.

"You started pretending to be drunk the moment I arrived. What, were you trying to put me in my place?"

"I wouldn't dare! I lost my head for a moment. I'm a bastard!"

Shinbu Teiichi slapped himself twice to show his sincerity.

Lu Zeming gave a cold snort. "Besides the deal we agreed on, I want you to be my distributor."

"Distributor?"

Shinbu Teiichi looked baffled. He had never heard the word before.

Lu Zeming explained patiently, "I'm sure you know what the Super Soldier Pill is really worth. You need it to wage war, and other countries will too. I'll supply it to you for nine thousand a pill. Sell it to the Land of Earth or the Land of Fire—I don't care what you charge. Just pay me the supply price."

Shinbu Teiichi ran through the numbers, and his eyes changed.

Of course. Why didn't I think of that? The Super Soldier Pill is worth far more than nine thousand.

Shinbu Teiichi would bet anything that once the Super Soldier Pill reached the market, demand would far outstrip supply.

Even if he priced it at twenty thousand, people would buy it. That was a profit of eleven thousand per pill.

And how big was the market in the Land of Grass? The real market was the Five Great Nations.

If he sold Super Soldier Pills to the Five Great Nations, he would not just rake in money. He would rake in millions every day.

Shinbu Teiichi's heart raced, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"Do you... really mean that?"

"Of course. I never lie to my partners!"

"Good. I'll be your distributor. Ahem... Could you take your foot off me first?"

The two then settled the details of their partnership. By comparison, their original deal became almost an afterthought.

Lu Zeming tactfully said he wanted to trade for grain first this time. Shinbu Teiichi agreed without hesitation.

"We seized plenty of grain this time. We'll deliver it to you and learn the route while we're at it. That way, when we come to pick up stock in the future, we won't be going in blind!"

"Then here's to a good partnership!"

"To a good partnership!"