With Kakashi's cover, Mufasa entered Konoha smoothly.
The two of them didn't bother with the gate, instead jumping over the fence with ease.
As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Konoha had a protective barrier—a powerful sensory jutsu that should have alerted the village to intruders the moment they crossed it.
So why weren't they detected?
Simple. The password hadn't been changed in decades.
From Madara Uchiha to Obito Uchiha, any Uchiha who wanted to enter Konoha had always come and gone as they pleased. Some traditions never die.
Kakashi led Mufasa to a secret meeting with Tsunade.
For reasons beyond Kakashi's understanding, he arranged for the meeting to take place in a love hotel.
The moment they stepped inside, Mufasa took in the room's décor—a round water bed, a yoga ball, a hanging sling…
…
…
Oops.
He knew nothing.
When Tsunade entered, she froze in place.
"Huh? When the hell did Konoha get a place like this?" she muttered, scanning the room with suspicion.
"I'm shutting it down."
Mufasa quickly stepped in front of her.
"Ninjas are people too," he reasoned. "They have needs. They live on the edge of life and death every day. It's normal to seek a little… excitement."
"Relax."
"Be tolerant."
After much persuasion, Tsunade relented, rolling her eyes.
Mufasa, once again, was a man of the people.
Tsunade scoffed. "Hmph, if they want excitement, why not just gamble?"
Mufasa smirked. "Why not open a casino in the village?"
Tsunade shot him a sharp glare. "We're shinobi, not criminals. We fight against vice—gambling, crime, and corruption. We can't destroy the village's reputation."
Mufasa nodded. "Right, right."
But the atmosphere of the room was too much to handle.
They ended up moving their discussion to the rooftop.
Sitting side by side on the ridge, Mufasa turned to Tsunade.
"You really should change your barrier's password."
Tsunade sighed. "There are too many people in the village. It's too much of a hassle."
Mufasa deadpanned. "It's a security risk. Anyone can just waltz in."
Tsunade hummed in thought, then shifted the conversation. "About what you said before… Can you really build a proper defense system for Konoha?"
"Of course." Mufasa's gaze was steady. "If you want it, I'll give it to you."
A gust of wind blew.
Tsunade rolled up her sleeves.
"Idiot. Don't say things like that in a place like this!" she snapped, throwing a punch at him.
Mufasa barely dodged. "Hey, I was being serious!"
With the tension diffused, it was time to talk business.
Tsunade exhaled. "I'll be direct. Even though the Sai incident was Danzo's doing, Konoha was still at fault. We stole from you."
Mufasa lazily gestured to the direction of the former Uchiha compound—now Konoha's newest weapons factory.
"You literally built your factory across from my shop."
Tsunade grimaced. "Yeah… about that."
Mufasa chuckled. "You didn't need to steal anything. If you had just asked, I would've given you the full schematics—including blueprints for the equipment."
"…For a price, of course."
Tsunade blinked, completely caught off guard.
She had expected negotiations, maybe even some taunts. She hadn't expected him to be so straightforward.
"You're serious?" she asked.
Mufasa nodded. "Very."
In truth, the Sand's technology had advanced rapidly. Basic kunai and shuriken manufacturing could be outsourced. The Sand was now producing weapons with higher value—tanks, aircraft, body armor, transport units.
Besides, Konoha using his equipment still benefited him. The more they used, the more energy he gained. Expanding production, expanding markets—it was a win-win situation.
Why wouldn't he do it?
Tsunade had always thought of herself as open-minded.
But this? This was beyond her.
She felt genuinely moved.
With Konoha backed by Mufasa's technology, she could finally make real, independent decisions. No more waiting on the daimyo. No more relying on outdated systems.
Feeling overwhelmed with excitement, she grabbed Mufasa and pulled him into a sudden embrace.
Mufasa was caught off guard.
He barely had time to react before—
—his lungs burned.
—his ribs ached.
—he regretted having normal human lung capacity.
Once Tsunade realized what she had done, she panicked and instinctively punched him across the rooftop.
Mufasa gasped for air. "Woman… you're insane…"
Tsunade coughed. "Ahem. So, about the equipment… You'd really sell to us? No hidden conditions?"
"Of course, there are conditions."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Like what?"
Mufasa stretched his limbs. "I want to build a railway connecting the Land of Wind to the Land of Rivers."
Tsunade froze.
"…That's huge."
She crossed her arms. "You're not asking us to send troops for you, are you?"
"Because if you are, let me be clear—it's not happening."
"The Land of Rivers has a delicate relationship with the Land of Fire. We can't interfere."
To be precise, the Land of Rivers was like the younger brother of the Land of Fire.
Situated between the prosperous Land of Fire and the barren Land of Wind, it naturally knew where to pledge its loyalty. The Land of Rivers depended on the Fire Daimyo's goodwill, making it clear who held the real power.
Mufasa had plans—to build a road leading into the Land of Rivers and secure access to its water resources. But it seemed that someone was standing in his way, preventing the deal from going through.
He simply chuckled when he heard this.
"Heh, don't worry about it. The Fire Daimyo and I are like brothers."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Since when? I don't remember you being buddy-buddy with the Fire Daimyo."
Instead of answering, Mufasa turned the question back on her. "I heard that Daimyo Yoshimitsu isn't even selling you ore and raw materials anymore."
Tsunade folded her arms, frustrated. "Yeah, and I have no idea how Danzo managed to piss him off. After we wrap things up here, I was planning to meet with the Daimyo and smooth things over."
Mufasa smirked knowingly. "It won't work. It'd be a waste of your time."
Tsunade frowned. "Why not?"
He leaned back against the rooftop, explaining with ease. "Konoha is tax-free in the Land of Fire, right?"
Tsunade nodded. "Yeah, so what?"
"That's exactly the problem. The Daimyo isn't making any money off Konoha's production. Meanwhile, Sand Ninja merchants, like myself, actually pay taxes. That means, even if Konoha starts producing goods, the Daimyo won't let you sell them freely—because the more you sell, the more money he loses. Would you let that happen if you were in his shoes?"
Tsunade paused, processing his words. The logic was frustratingly sound.
"Then we'll just start paying taxes too," she countered.
Mufasa shook his head. "That would be a disaster. If Konoha starts paying business taxes, that'll set a precedent. Other villages and traders will also have to start paying taxes, and before you know it, you'll be hit with import duties, customs fees, and increased costs of living. Your economy would tank."
Tsunade rubbed her temples, realizing the mess she was dealing with.
"Then what do you suggest?" she asked.
Mufasa grinned. "We sign an Original Equipment Manufacturer(OEM) contract. Konoha manufactures the goods, but we slap the Sand Ninja brand on them. We handle the selling, and you make money through processing fees."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "So that's why you were so eager to sell us the equipment. You wanted a cut of the profits."
Mufasa clutched his chest in mock betrayal. "How could you say that?! I'm just offering a mutually beneficial arrangement. Besides, this setup gives you access to a much bigger market. You could sell to the Land of Water, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Iron, the Land of Hot Springs, even the Land of the Moon."
He gestured toward the eastern side of the continent. "All these countries are rich and have growing economies. Unlike the Land of Wind, they're not locked behind deserts and wastelands. Konoha's in the perfect spot to be a manufacturing hub."
Tsunade's expression shifted. She was starting to see the potential.
"Damn," she muttered. "You actually thought this through."
Mufasa smirked. "Of course. I wouldn't have a brain this big if I didn't."
Tsunade playfully flicked his forehead. "Yeah, yeah. You're full of crap, but you make a good point. So, what do you need from Konoha in return?"
Mufasa's tone turned serious. "First, if the Land of Rivers or the Land of Fire requests Konoha to send troops against us, you don't. I don't want our people fighting each other. Konoha's shinobi will soon be handling production and sales for us. Losing them in pointless conflicts would be a waste."
Tsunade hesitated. "That might be tricky. The Land of Rivers isn't an issue, but if the Fire Daimyo gives an order, we can't exactly ignore it. Especially now that our relationship with him is strained, thanks to Danzo."
Mufasa thought for a moment. "I'll drop the equipment price by ten percent."
Tsunade's fingers tapped against her knee as she considered it. If the factory got up and running, the profits would be worth the concession.
"Alright. I'll see what I can do."
Mufasa nodded. "One more thing. Since we're working together long-term, we'll need smoother transportation. I'll build a road and railway connecting the Land of Wind directly to Konoha. That way, trade will be faster and more efficient."
Tsunade sighed, already sensing another price drop coming.
"This is going to be an issue with the Daimyo again."
Mufasa shrugged. "Another ten percent discount."
She crossed her arms, debating. "I still need to run it by the Daimyo."
Tsunade grinned. "Another ten percent."
Mufasa stared at her.
Tsunade stared back.
Tsunade sighed deeply. "You want that road, right?"
Mufasa looked up at the sky, feeling the imaginary pain in his wallet. "Damn it… there goes my twenty percent…"
_______________________________
Word count: 1623
Comment below on what you think so far.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.