The villagers came to town

After resting for a few days, Uchiha Mu led a large group back toward the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation. This time, twenty-one members of the Uzumaki Clan, including Keiko Uzumaki and Uzumaki Shana, came along.

Since Uchiha Mu was easy to talk to and even offered them pointers, they quickly grew closer to him. They all decided he was nothing like an Uchiha. That was stereotyping for you.

Uchiha Mu did not mind, though. He knew exactly what his clansmen were like. After all that time, they had only managed to produce one normal person, Sasuke. They really had exhausted themselves. Of course, ordinary clansmen who had never awakened their eyes did not count.

As the ninja leading the group, Keiko Uzumaki was even more curious than the children. She often pulled the three little ones aside to ask about the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation. Unfortunately, the trio praised Uchiha Mu a little too extravagantly, leaving him rather stiff with embarrassment, especially with how often she looked his way.

The return journey took much longer than the trip out. They were traveling with twenty children, after all. Even geniuses could not handle being surrounded. They encountered some bandits along the way, whom the three little ones dealt with.

Only then did Uzumaki Shana realize that Uzumaki Men had held back against her earlier. That left her feeling rather frustrated.

"All right, start with tree climbing. Let me see how your chakra control is." During a break, Uchiha Mu clapped his hands to draw their attention. He was teaching everyone in the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation these days, after all. He knew all too well how to teach.

Once they understood the principle, they began climbing the trees. Only half passed. After looking at the other half, Uchiha Mu turned toward the nearby river. "Those who passed, try Water Walking."

In the end, only Uzumaki Shana passed the Water Walking test. Everyone else failed miserably. While some practiced Water Walking and the others climbed trees, Uchiha Mu beckoned Uzumaki Shana over and began teaching her Fire Nature Transformation.

Of course, instruction through genjutsu was essential. He let them experience the process once, taking them from knowing nothing to getting their first taste, before they worked through it step by step on their own.

"So that's how it works. It's so convenient." Uzumaki Shana envied the education the three little ones had received.

"You can call me teacher too. Everyone in my country calls me that." Uchiha Mu smiled and ruffled the little girl's hair.

"Teacher..." Uzumaki Shana lowered her head as she spoke, her face bright red.

"Master nature transformation first, then I'll teach you three jutsu." Just as Uchiha Mu finished speaking, the three little ones and Keiko Uzumaki returned.

Noticing Keiko Uzumaki's expression, Uchiha Mu asked, "Did you run into something?"

Keiko Uzumaki shook her head and sat beside him. "I used to think the clan was a cage, a shackle. I never realized it was actually a warm haven. We've already encountered three groups of bandits."

"The ninja villages have just been established, and that takes money. Usually, the daimyo funds the construction. Building a village from nothing costs quite a lot. The nobles certainly won't pay out of their own pockets, so who ends up footing the bill?"

"The commoners? Can't the ninja clans pay?"

"The ninja clans contribute some, but they're there to join the village. With Hashirama in Konoha, they probably haven't had to spend much, but the other four great nations are a different story."

"Ah..." Keiko Uzumaki let out a long sigh. It seemed there was nothing she could do.

"But Keiko, even if I can't change the Shinobi World, I'll let you see something different in the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation."

"You already have Hyuga Lingnai, yet you still came flirting with me." Keiko Uzumaki slowly rested her head on Uchiha Mu's shoulder.

"Yes, I really am being a little unfair to her." Uchiha Mu felt that things had strayed somewhat from his original goal. Still, looking at Keiko Uzumaki's face made him want to have Kushina Uzumaki call him Grandpa. How satisfying would that be?

Wait, there really will be a blond guy. The thought instantly soured Uchiha Mu's good mood.

They stopped and started along the way, keeping the Uzumaki children busy with travel and training. Whenever there was no river, Uchiha Mu's clone simply made one for them. Only then did they discover that Uchiha Mu had even more chakra than members of their Uzumaki Clan.

Once they entered the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation, they found things much better. At the very least, there were no bandits. Uchiha Mu had unleashed a major move not long ago, after all. Bandits were thieves, not idiots. They knew this was no place to make a living.

As they continued, a neat gravel road appeared, lined with trees on both sides. Horse-drawn carriages were already heading their way. Having weathered war and spies, the nation was now entering a period of prosperity.

Once merchants discovered how stable it was here, they wanted to come make money. The Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation was especially accommodating to merchants, unlike anywhere else. The other villages, being run by ninja, did not even have proper main roads, let alone roads this smooth.

The Uzumaki clansmen had never seen anything like it. They stared in wonder at the passing carriages, then looked pleadingly at Uchiha Mu when a sweet scent reached their noses.

Uchiha Mu bought sweets for all the children. They did not cost much. He was increasingly hoping Kakuzu would make faster progress, though he knew these things could not be rushed. Still, with his private funds dwindling, it was hard not to feel anxious.

Afterward, Uchiha Mu led them leisurely toward the Main City. Before long, someone dropped down from above. Hyuga Lingnai threw herself straight into his arms. "Mu, I missed you so much! Don't leave me all alone again..."

Before she could finish, Hyuga Lingnai noticed something off about Keiko Uzumaki's expression. Veins immediately bulged on her forehead as she looked at Uchiha Mu. "We'll have a proper talk at home. This Uzumaki sister should come too."

"Huh? Me?" Keiko Uzumaki pointed at herself.

"Yes. But if you don't want to, that's fine too."

"All right. I'll come," Keiko Uzumaki said through gritted teeth.

The three little ones had certainly had their eyes opened. Yucheng snorted. "Master's such a womanizer. His wife is so good to him."

"What do you know? It's normal for men to like women. Right, Men?" Yufeng, on the other hand, was full of admiration. Their master had actually found them two master's wives. He was amazing.

"What does liking women mean?" Uzumaki Men tilted his head and looked at him.

"Don't listen to him. He's a scumbag." Uzumaki Shana came over, took Uzumaki Men's hand, and led him away.

"Hah, scumbag. Stay single for the rest of your life, then." Yucheng hurried after them.

"But I'm only ten." Yufeng scratched his head. He was rather slow when it came to such things, though he did have feelings for Yucheng. The three of them spent every day together, after all.

After bringing the Uzumaki clansmen into the city, Uchiha Mu created a clone to take them to the Ninja Academy Dormitory. It had been prepared for orphans. His future policy was to "adopt" orphans from across the Shinobi World, after all, so he needed to make proper arrangements.

By then, the Uzumaki clansmen were having so much fun they had forgotten all about home. They had never seen streets this bustling, with people coming and going and so many goods for sale.

This was another of Uchiha Mu's policies: the ninja were paid for their work. Previously, there had been little to spend money on here. Now, the nation was renowned throughout the Shinobi World, and with bold merchants encouraging the more timid ones, it was becoming increasingly prosperous.

The ninja could also take escort missions, so the nation was not simply spending money without earning anything. That income, however, was nowhere near enough to cover its enormous expenses.

The Uzumaki clansmen looked pleadingly at Uchiha Mu. Seeing the children like that, he naturally had to oblige. "Men, Yufeng, Yucheng, take good care of them."

"Yes." The three little ones nodded in agreement. Only Yucheng grumbled inwardly that he was making them pay again. She barely had any money left herself; she had spent it all in the village.