After defeating Zabuza, the rest of the journey went much more smoothly. The mist had cleared, danger no longer pressed against their necks, and their footsteps carried them with a lighter spirit. They regrouped with Andrew, who was calmly waiting in his gleaming supercar near the shoreline. From there, the team boarded a modest wooden boat bound for the Land of Waves.
The Land of Waves was a small nation surrounded entirely by the sea. Though geographically close to the mainland of the Fire Country, its isolation was apparent. Without a bridge to connect the two lands, boats were the only lifeline for trade and travel. This vulnerability was exactly why Cardo could strangle the entire nation's economy by obstructing the bridge's construction.
Onboard the ship, Naruto's blue eyes locked on the sealed scroll tied to Andrew's waist. His stare had been unwavering for several minutes now.
"Senior Andrew," Naruto finally blurted out, "what was that thing you were sitting on just now? You got to the beach way earlier than us! Can you use it like a permanent means of transportation?"
He spoke with his usual blunt curiosity. Though Naruto had no understanding of mechanics, the sleek machine had left a deep impression.
Rumors had circulated widely in the shinobi world about the Uchiha's mysterious "supercar." People whispered about its existence, but very few had ever seen it with their own eyes. Andrew usually only drove it in the sleepless city—Evernight City. The prototype completed was solely in his hands.
There was simply no way around it. Orochimaru's research had laid the foundation, but the ninja world's production capacity was far too primitive. Even after the Evernight City recruited civilians into factories, they could only manage basic production tasks. High-precision work required something far more specialized—like the Uchiha's Sharingan, capable of guiding subtle handwork with impossible accuracy.
But even then… how many Uchiha were there? And how many had awakened their Sharingan? Andrew, despite his confidence, understood there were limits to what a single clan could sustain.
That was why, three years ago, he had begun laying the foundation for a bold plan: the Rural Revitalization Project of Konoha.
This initiative wasn't born from selfless kindness. No matter how much he smiled on the outside, Andrew wasn't charitable enough to endlessly support Konoha for free. The Uchiha Group had its own goals.
One purpose was simple: to use Konoha's banner to collect resources across the continent. But the deeper motive was strategic—cultivating technical talents for the Chiba factory in Konohagakure.
Convincing established ninja clans to abandon Konoha entirely would be impossible. The Hokage family would never agree, and the clans themselves clung tightly to their roots. But Andrew's plan sidestepped the stigma.
Rather than defectors, these people were simply "working" in Evernight City. They didn't need to bear the shame of betraying Konoha, nor would they immediately attract the wrath of Konoha's leadership.
The first group Andrew tested this plan on were members of the Hyuga clan. With the Byakugan's piercing precision, they had natural advantages in research and fine-detailed production. The partnership wasn't chosen because of friendship—no, it was because training the Hyuga caused little commotion in public.
As the first batch of Hyuga graduates began thriving in Evernight City, they became advocates themselves, spreading the opportunity and luring others.
Konoha's economy, meanwhile, was shrinking. Small clans could no longer rely solely on missions from the village. Many were struggling to survive. With the promise of income and training, Andrew's plan looked like salvation.
Civilian ninjas, too, became a main recruitment target. Unlike clan shinobi, they had little backing and fewer reasons to remain bound to the village. The Rural Revitalization Plan provided their training resources—something Konoha could no longer afford.
Three years later, the investment was finally bearing fruit. The Evernight City brimmed with trained technical personnel from Konoha. But Andrew was cautious. He ensured that Konoha transplants were restricted to technical roles, not management. At the same time, he invested heavily in nurturing managerial talent from within the Uchiha. The balance had to remain intact.
The Third Hokage was not blind. He had long understood that Uchiha was poaching Konoha's people, draining its lifeblood. But even with that knowledge, his hands were tied.
Konoha's coffers were dry. No funds meant no way to keep people. Families that couldn't survive in the village would naturally look elsewhere. What could the Hokage do—force them to stay? If Konoha tried to imprison people, Uchiha would never stand by idly. And after all, the workers left voluntarily.
Andrew's cunning was undeniable. His plan had effectively hollowed out Konoha's strength under the guise of economic opportunity.
"Is it just a tool for transportation?" Andrew finally replied to Naruto with a faint smile. "You can think of it that way. But it's more accurate to call it a ninja tool. Transportation is only one of its functions."
Naruto's jaw dropped, awed by the idea that a vehicle could be considered a "ninja tool." Even Sasuke, though silent, was listening closely. The car wasn't just for speed. It carried weapons, ran on clean energy powered by a tailed beast sealed within—a fate the Three Tails could never have imagined.
Naruto opened his mouth again, clearly brimming with questions, but Tsunade—stern as ever—interrupted sharply. "Shh! We're approaching the Land of Waves. Don't speak carelessly. Cardo's men might be watching."
Naruto clamped his mouth shut, though his curiosity still burned.
Despite their victory over Zabuza, Tazuna's fear of Cardo lingered. Years of oppression couldn't be erased overnight. Team 7, though emboldened, respected their client's wishes.
When the boat docked and they finally reached Tazuna's home, a warm sight awaited them. A beautiful woman with flowing hair greeted them at the door, flanked by a group of village children wearing straw hats.
"Thank you for bringing my father home safely," she said, bowing deeply.
This was Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter. Her voice carried both gratitude and exhaustion.
Kakashi stepped forward immediately, his trademark eye-smile visible even under the mask. "No thanks are needed, ma'am. Protecting him was our duty."
He slipped into easy conversation with her, his casual charm making Tsunami smile despite her worries. Meanwhile, a little boy wearing a straw hat launched himself into Tazuna's arms.
"Grandpa! You're finally back!"
The child's name was Inari. He clung to his grandfather tightly, tears threatening to spill. The scene was tender, but also painful. Inari's innocence only highlighted how much Cardo's tyranny had stolen from the villagers.
Even Naruto, who usually laughed at everything, felt something stir in his chest. For the first time, he understood what it meant to fight for more than missions or pay.
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