Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure had spent a fortune to bring tailed beasts back to their villages. The massive financial drain had left them obsessed with finding ways to make money. After acquiring the tailed beasts, their primary task was to research how to control them.
Jinchūriki were merely containers, they wanted to figure out how to utilize these expensive assets in warfare.
Thus, for the next few years, none of the villages had the heart to engage in war.
As for how to control the tailed beasts, everyone was fumbling in the dark. No one could laugh at anyone else, as even Konoha and Sunagakure couldn't claim to have fully mastered the method of controlling tailed beasts.
At best, they had managed to seal the tailed beasts within their bodies to prevent them from causing chaos. Actually controlling or utilizing them was still far beyond their capabilities.
At the time, Uzumaki Mito ability to sense malice using the Nine-Tails' chakra was considered quite impressive.
Back then, no one had yet proposed the idea of taming tailed beasts with love.
"It's… kind of funny."
This was Kagura evaluation of Kushina claim that tailed beasts could be tamed with love.
Whether it was Mito or Kushina, when had their love ever been directed at the Nine-Tails?
It all went to their husbands, didn't it?
Poor Nine-Tails not only received no love but also had to endure their displays of affection from inside their stomachs.
While single people could choose to avoid such scenes, the Nine-Tails had no escape. It was bound there, forced to watch whether it wanted to or not—truly pitiful.
Peace was the fundamental prerequisite for the development of each village economy, education, and technology. It was precisely this peace that allowed Kagura to steadily carry out her money-making plans.
Kagura posted the job recruitment notice on the outer wall of her divination shop, and the promise of "more work, more pay" was highly attractive.
In no time, a long line of ninja formed outside the shop for interviews.
Tobirama, along with Kagami and Danzo, had just returned from patrolling the village and happened to pass by the shop. The sea of people outside startled them.
"Is there some kind of lottery going on?" Danzo asked suspiciously, craning his neck to look. In Konoha, only shop lotteries could attract such a crowd.
"Uh, I asked around. Apparently, it's for job interviews" Kagami said.
His efficiency was remarkable, while Tobirama and Danzo were still observing, he had already quietly inquired with someone in line.
Tobirama gave an approving look to his student. A person ability, character, and efficiency could often be seen in small actions, and Kagami was precisely the kind of meticulous and proactive individual who would make a great assistant.
Looking at the shop name—Divination for Fortune—Danzo usually aloof face showed a hint of confusion. He turned to Kagami and asked.
"Is the divination business really that booming? They're even hiring through interviews now?"
Kagami chuckled but didn't correct him, instead glancing at Tobirama.
Tobirama expression was peculiar. He crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on the woman bustling at the entrance. Her smile was a bit too dazzling, and for some reason, it irritated him.
He felt conflicted.
On one hand, he thought Kagura factory might affect the one in the village and hoped it would fail quickly.
On the other hand, he wished for Kagura factory to thrive, allowing her to fulfill her dream of becoming a wealthy woman.
It was as if two little figures were arguing in his mind, going back and forth, giving him a headache.
"Tsk"
Tobirama pursed his lips and turned away before the students could see him, leaving the scene.
....
A few days later, Tobirama heard the news about the steadily increasing production at the Kagura Factory. He learned this information from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Many retired kunoichi from the Sarutobi clan, who were skilled in fire-style jutsu, worked at the Kagura factory, forming the backbone of the workforce.
"They're really enjoying it. They leave early and come back late every day. I've heard from many clan members that some don't even cook at home anymore—they eat all three meals at the factory. Kagura-san takes care of everything, practically offering room and board..."
"Hmm?"
That sounds like a good thing, so why does Hiruzen seem so troubled?
"Even my mother has started working at the factory. She comes home later than my father and I..."
Tobirama instantly understood Hiruzen frustration.
The housewives, who had always taken care of the household, had collectively left for work, leaving the men and children struggling to adjust.
They were used to coming home to a warm meal, and this sudden change was hard to swallow.
"Please, Tobirama-sensei, do something about Kagura-san. If this continues, I'm afraid the men of Konoha might revolt."
Revolt?
Tobirama snorted. With him around, no one would dare to rebel—well, except maybe Madara Uchiha.
After listening to countless complaints from men, a month quickly passed.
Just as Tobirama was about to lose his patience from being bombarded with their grievances, the tide suddenly turned.
Those who had been whining to him fell silent the moment they saw the women paychecks, and some even wished they could abandon their ninja status and join the factory workforce.
"These guys!" Tobirama muttered in frustration. Money really did change everything.
Indeed, dreams and ideals were just empty words. The only thing that truly mattered was cold, hard cash.
Tobirama suddenly realized that Kagura had a unique talent for making money—something even he couldn't match. Standing by the back window of his office, he looked out at the not-too-distant clearing where trees were being cut down.
That was the site he had designated for the ninja academy.
Hashirama reputation had brought peace to the shinobi world, but no one knew how long that peace would last. It was an unspoken truth that the duration of this peace depended on Hashirama's lifespan.
If Hashirama were to pass away one day, no one could guarantee what kind of turmoil Konoha might face.
Protecting the village couldn't rely solely on one person's strength or reputation. More ninjas needed to be involved.
The shinobi who had survived the Warring States period were growing old, and fresh blood was urgently needed.
After discussing it with his brother, Tobirama proposed the idea of establishing a ninja academy.
The academy would accept students from the entire village, whether they were ordinary civilians or from prominent clans.
Children would be taught systematically by the academy instructors, learning how to become qualified ninjas, free from the constraints of their family backgrounds.
The graduates of this ninja academy would become the future backbone of Konoha, the strongest shield to protect the village.
At this point, Konoha was only a few years old. After the endless wars of the Warring States period, the village was in a state of rebuilding, with countless projects requiring funds.
The money from selling the tailed beasts had already been allocated to where it was needed, but in the face of future construction plans, those funds were a drop in the bucket.
"Maybe I should learn a thing or two from that little girl about making money" Tobirama mused, gazing at the empty plot of land where construction was about to begin.
"At the very least, I need to secure some funding for my jutsu research..."
.....
The high wages at the Explosive Tag Factory have spread throughout every corner of Konoha, making the entire village believe that Kagura is a reliable person, and their gratitude towards her has greatly increased.
Even the business of divining fortunes had improved significantly.
The money earned here could cover daily expenses, while in the warehouse on the second floor of the factory, explosive tags were piling up day by day.
Kagura could almost picture Konan sitting in front of her with countless boxes, each filled to the brim with ninja coins, one after another.
She told herself. "There are still several truckloads of ninja coins waiting for you, all yours. I'll take all your explosive tags—cash on delivery!"
After fifty years of hard work, she was about to become a wealthy woman overnight. She could wake up laughing from such a dream.
While she was lost in her fantasy of becoming rich, a tall figure walked into the shop. Looking up, she saw a face as cold as ice, exuding an icy aura.
"It's you?"
"It's me."
"What are you here for?"
The man avoided the question, hemming and hawing for a long time before finally stating his purpose.
"How can I make some quick money? I want to do some research."
Kagura was stunned at first, then amused, and finally couldn't hold back her laughter, letting it out directly.
This was something Tobirama had never done before, and it felt a bit embarrassing. His fair face flushed with a hint of pink.
"Stop laughing!" he said.
"Is this how you ask for a favor?" Kagura shot him a sidelong glance.
"Never mind, forget I asked."
Such an unstraightforward man!
"Do you really want to know?"
Tobirama frowned, his words contradicting his thoughts.
"No."
Tsk tsk, male pride is truly a strange thing.
"Come here" she beckoned with a finger. Tobirama approached suspiciously, only to hear Kagura whisper in his ear.
"Go make some gas masks, dress up some ninjas as merchants, and sell them to Amegakure. They're in desperate need of them right now."
"Gas masks? Amegakure?" Tobirama was half-convinced and half-doubting. He pressed her "Why would they need those things there?"
"Well… Hanzo the Salamander lives there. He's the one who'll collude with your dear student Danzo in the future. That guy is poisonous. Without gas masks, the people around him are likely to be poisoned to death. While they don't yet know about such a good thing, you'll definitely sell out if you go there. Trust me, I'm not lying to you."
"Danzo?"
"That's not important. What's important is Hanzo."
"…"
Although Kagura spoke with a straight face, Tobirama remained skeptical. But this woman claimed to be skilled in divination and seemed quite resourceful. Maybe…
Fine. Tobirama sighed.
Tomorrow, he'd convert one of the workshops in the ninja tool factory and have them produce some gas masks to sell.
"If they don't sell, I'm confiscating your explosive tag factory for public use!"
(ΩДΩ)!
"You're being unreasonable!"
That day, someone passed by the fortune-telling shop.
According to their later recollection, only Kagura and Tobirama were in the shop that day. Lord Tobirama must have done something to upset his little girlfriend, who jumped up like a spring-loaded rabbit and started hitting him on the head.
Surprisingly, Lord Tobirama didn't even try to dodge.
This story eventually made its way to Mito ears. While soothing her granddaughter, Mito remained unfazed and calmly remarked.
"It's just their way of flirting. No need to make a fuss."
And so, the gossip spread like wildfire once again, this time involving Mito and the First Hokage.
"The first Hokage peculiar hobby was getting beaten up by Lord Mito."
Everyone sighed.
"What a strange hobby, but that's the first Hokage for you!"
-_-||
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