Morning in Konoha Village was supposed to be a peaceful time for ninja morning exercises and villagers buying groceries.
But today, the entrance to the Senju compound was packed so tightly that not even water could trickle through—the scene was even wilder than a buy-one-get-one-free sale at Ichiraku Ramen.
“Step right up and take a look!
Konoha’s very first ‘Five-Star’ Medical Rehabilitation Center is officially opening for investment and enrollment!
Personally authorized by Lady Tsunade of the Sannin and built with full effort by Master Financial Planner Hoshi!
Guaranteed to be Konoha’s finest elder-care institution.
Lady Tsunade will pop in periodically to visit patients.
Anyone suffering from war trauma or lingering chronic illnesses is welcome to sign up—” Hoshi stood on a makeshift wooden platform holding a megaphone.
His black hair fluttered in the wind, and he smiled like a Silicon Valley CEO who had just finished hustling investors.
Behind him, the once-abandoned Senju main gate now sported a massive sign painted in flashy pink paint: “Senju Royal Grove · Health & Rehab Villa No.
1.” “Damn, Konoha’s construction crews are way too slow, and no hospitality agency would take the job, so I had to do it all myself.
Don’t push, folks!
Sign up for a membership card now for a discount—buy two Palm Healing Jutsu packages, get one free!” As Hoshi talked up a storm, he secretly winced at his heavily drained Chakra.
In order to give this dilapidated estate a “high-end, opulent, and classy” visual makeover, he had literally released his Yin Seal last night, using medical jutsu and potions to forcibly revive the dead, precious trees in the yard, even using Monstrous Strength to trim the faster-growing trees.
“Has this brat gone mad for money?” Koharu Utatane muttered, blended into the crowd, gnashing her teeth.
“Though his ‘presentation slides’ really are impressively flashy,” Homura Mitokado murmured, staring at the renovation render drawings Hoshi was showing off, falling into deep thought.
Just as Hoshi was swamped collecting deposit payments until his hands hurt, a petite figure wrapped in a thick cloak, cradling a small pink pig, was shivering inside the crowd.
“Is…
is this really the Senju compound I know?” Shizune lifted a corner of her hood, staring at the flashy pink sign, completely petrified.
Tsunade had dispatched her overnight to “supervise” Hoshi, terrified that the boy would dig up the ancestral graves.
But looking at it now, Hoshi hadn’t dug up the ancestral graves—he had built a cash register right on top of them!
“Tonton, did we walk onto the wrong set?” Shizune looked down at the little pig in her arms.
Tonton responded in kind with a terrified “Oink!” Sharp-eyed Hoshi instantly spotted the familiar, meek figure in the crowd.
With a flicker of movement, he used the Body Flicker Jutsu to land directly in front of Shizune, startling her so badly she almost pulled off a Substitution on the spot.
“Yo, Shizune-nee!
What wind blew our ‘Chief Executive Secretary’ back here?” Hoshi grinned, snatching the luggage from Shizune’s hands.
“Is Master missing me?
Or did she gamble away her private stash again?” “Hoshi!
Explain to me what is up with this hideous pink sign!” Shizune pointed at the gate, her voice shaking.
“If Lady Tsunade sees this, she’ll use her Monstrous Strength to hammer you into the earth’s crust!” “Shizune-nee, this is called ‘marketing psychology.’ Pink represents life and healing, which effectively soothes post-war psychological trauma for injured ninja.” Hoshi spouted complete nonsense with a straight face as he led Shizune inside.
“Besides, Master’s aesthetic tastes…
are you sure she wouldn’t love this bold style?” Shizune stared at the yard.
The waist-deep weeds had been trimmed into neat heart shapes; several huge koi fish were actually swimming in the fountain; even the corridor pillars had banners stuck to them reading: *The Will of Fire Begins with Wellness.* “You…
you actually hired a construction crew?” Shizune gaped at several busy craftsmen, dumbfounded.
“No way, hiring people is way too expensive!” Hoshi lowered his voice, looking arrogant.
“I coaxed…
err, warmly invited Naruto.
When that kid heard he’d get all-you-can-eat Ichiraku Ramen just for working, he turned into a total workhorse helping me pull weeds and paint walls.
Young people nowadays are so easy to trick…
ah, I mean, so passionate.” “Achoo!
Who’s thinking of me?
Must be Sakura!
Sigh…
why are the noodles soggy?
Boss Ichiraku, can you add some soup for me?
I still want a large bowl of tonkotsu miso ramen after this!” Naruto wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, staring pleadingly at Old Man Ichiraku at the ramen stand in the distance as he looked at his bloated noodles.
Shizune was completely speechless.
She felt that during Hoshi’s two weeks back in Konoha, what evolved wasn’t his ninjutsu, but the bottomless depth of his black-hearted greed.
“Oh right, Shizune-nee, here’s Master’s cut.” Hoshi handed over a heavy box.
“Inside is the advance payment from the first batch of card-holding members.
After deducting renovation costs and Naruto’s meal expenses, there’s two million ryo left.” Shizune took the scroll, her hands trembling slightly.
Traveling with Tsunade for all these years, she had spent most of her time writing IOUs for creditors.
When had she ever seen money coming back *in*?
“Hoshi, be honest with me.
Did you rob Elder Danzo’s underground warehouse or the Third Hokage’s secret stash?” “Look at what you’re saying, I’m an honest doctor.” Hoshi touched his black hair, a hint of devious mischief flashing in his eyes.
“I just told the clan heads that if they didn’t reserve a spot in our ‘Wellness Center,’ when Master returns to the village, she might not have room on her schedule to treat them.
It’s called the ‘fan economy,’ get it?” Looking at Hoshi’s bright, sunny smile—which reeked of a shady merchant—Shizune suddenly felt that compared to those scheming elders, this twelve-year-old boy was the most dangerous existence in Konoha.
Not only could he cure your illness, but he could also drain your wallet empty.
“Err, Shizune-nee, don’t look at me like that.” Hoshi turned his head slightly guiltily.
“I’m doing this so Master can achieve financial freedom early and stop jumping out of windows every day.” Just then, Anbu from the Hokage’s office arrived using Body Flicker Jutsu in rapid succession.
“Hoshi!
Lord Hokage summons you!
Also…
the advisors said your sign severely damages the village’s appearance and ordered you to tear it down immediately!” Hoshi sighed, patting Shizune’s shoulder.
“Look, the old fogies can’t sit still anymore.
Shizune-nee, go rest in the back yard.
I’m going to the Hokage building to have an ‘in-depth conversation’ with the old man.” Watching Hoshi’s departing back, Shizune held Tonton, murmuring in dazed disbelief, “Lady Tsunade, what kind of monster did you release?
Was I fooled by his cute appearance before?
Or did the old men in Konoha corrupt him…” That day, Konoha’s top news wasn’t gossip about anyone’s romance, but rather how that black-haired boy, Hoshi, single-handedly made the lifeless Senju Clan take off on the spot in the scent of cold, hard cash: *Shock in Konoha: Someone Dared to Touch the Senju Estate?!*; *Senju Clan Grounds Turned into Retirement Home: The Third Hokage’s Visionary Foresight, or the Work of a Certain Someone’s Spell?*