After leaving the Kitahara estate, Takuya turned around and glanced at the brightly lit, slightly chaotic mansion behind him.
He then looked up at the full moon, unconsciously raising a hand and making a grasping motion toward it.
Only at that moment—
Did an excited smile finally break across his face.
11 million!
That was the amount of Trade Points he now had on hand. After deducting costs, he had earned a full 10 million on this deal alone!
There was a strange feeling stirring inside him.
Not just from the huge profit.
The entire process had been thoroughly enjoyable—especially watching those men get obsessed over his jars, thrilled when they pulled powerful items.
"Feels a bit like when I used to design games," he said with a pleased expression. "Letting customers feel joy from spending money—using money to change their fate. It's... honestly kinda great."
Some people genuinely enjoy "ethical scamming."
Like mischievous kids pulling pranks that don't truly hurt anyone.
Takuya was exactly that kind of person.
As a kid, he'd pulled countless harmless but hilarious pranks. And once he got into game design, he poured himself into crafting "fun."
Bottom line—
This made him more determined than ever to keep selling jars.
So next...
He glanced at the quiet moonlit street.
This town actually wasn't small. It belonged to the Land of Fire, with tall walls like Konoha to defend against wild beasts. And of course, Kitahara wasn't the only wealthy family here—just the biggest one.
But—
Takuya wasn't in a hurry to find the next mark.
With over 10 million Trade Points in his account, that unease from being in a strange new world had finally eased up.
So now—
He wanted a place to rest and unwind.
"A mysterious merchant like me staying in a regular inn? Way too low-class," Takuya muttered as he searched through the system. "I remember there was a super practical travel tool… Found it!"
The Door Without a Room.
A space-time gadget from Doraemon's world.
Stick it on any wall, and it opens a portal to a custom private room in another dimension. Once you remove the door from inside, it vanishes from the outside too.
Basically—
It creates a personal pocket dimension apartment!
Price: 2.3 million Trade Points.
"Of course," Takuya muttered, confirming his hunch.
Unlike ridiculously OP items like time machines or teleportation booths, this kind of magic-but-limited-use utility tool wasn't outrageously expensive.
The system priced things based strictly on function.
So—
"Bought!"
Flush with cash, Takuya didn't hesitate to splurge on comfort and safety.
After all, what's the point of making money if you don't enjoy it?
Beyond saving what he needed, being overly stingy would just make his money worthless.
After purchasing, he found a secluded wall, placed the door, opened it—then grinned in surprise at the interior. Fully furnished with modern furniture, microwave, washing machine, water heater—basically a deluxe studio apartment.
He almost felt like he was back in the modern world.
"Yeah... gotta keep making money."
Takuya took the door off from the inside, then treated himself to a gourmet meal from the Food Wars world. The explosion of flavor on his tongue washed away the loneliness of eating alone.
And while he enjoyed himself—
His presence had left many others wide awake through the night.
Tsunade and Shizune were rushing back to Konoha overnight. Meanwhile, Kitahara Yūki, after dismissing and warning his confused guards, locked the mansion's doors.
Time to open jars!
Though old, Kitahara Yūki still held absolute authority in his household.
So he insisted on opening every jar personally.
His two sons could only watch longingly from the side.
Tier-two jars included item descriptions—
So there was no risk of using something wrong.
Kitahara opened them slowly, carefully sorting everything. One-use items to one side, potions to another, weapons and tools separately—and anything that instantly boosted his strength, like Experience Orbs, he used without hesitation.
His eldest son, Kitahara Kyōta, was green with envy.
While the younger son, Kitahara Ryōta, stood respectfully with his head lowered the entire time.
At last—
Every jar had been opened.
Aside from a few low-value money items, nearly all were useful.
Among them—
The most valuable were the Elixirs of Life.
He pulled three full bottles.
Each one could extend life by an entire month.
Kitahara Yūki slowly closed his eyes. After a long pause, he opened them sharply and looked at his two sons.
"Kyōta. Ryōta. You are not to tell anyone about this. It concerns the future prosperity of the Kitahara family."
"Yes!" both sons shuddered.
They saw the killing intent in their father's eyes.
If they leaked anything—
Even they wouldn't be spared.
"Kyōta." Kitahara Yūki's voice turned commanding. "Take some of the items and sell them on the ninja black market. Get the highest price possible. Ryōta—you're coming with me to the capital."
Both sons looked shocked.
But—
Their reactions meant very different things.
One was crushed.
The other—overjoyed.
Until now, it had always been the eldest son, Kyōta, who got to accompany their father to the capital. Ryōta was left managing business here.
Now it was reversed.
Kitahara Yūki didn't say it directly—but the message couldn't be clearer.
His favor had shifted from the first son to the second.
Kyōta opened his mouth—but said nothing. He just clenched his fists and lowered his head, afraid his father would see the resentment in his eyes.
Kitahara Yūki, however, had already moved on.
He clutched the badge in his hand.
In his mind, that mysterious figure—Takuya—refused to fade.
Excitement, anxiety, fear—all of it still surged in his chest.
He wasn't naive enough to think he was the only customer.
There were surely others wealthier and more powerful than the Kitahara family.
So—
He had to move fast.
After all, he knew perfectly well that the Fire Daimyō's father-in-law was gravely ill. Even Tsunade couldn't keep him alive much longer—rumor said he wouldn't last the winter.
That—
Was his chance!