C 27

Kakuzu finally agreed to Kain's proposal. The deal was beneficial to him and posed no risks. Even if complications arose, Kakuzu had the power to resolve them effortlessly. By cooperating with Kain's casino, Kakuzu was guaranteed a stable income. Even if no trouble occurred in a month, Kain promised him three million ryo. This condition improved Kakuzu's mood significantly. Although he wore a mask that concealed most of his face, his green eyes revealed a subtle satisfaction that both Kain and Aya could sense.

For Kain, the three million ryo per month was a small sum. As long as his casinos operated smoothly, that amount would be a mere fraction of the total earnings. More importantly, having a powerful ninja like Kakuzu, who was Kage-level in strength, at his disposal was invaluable. To ensure efficient communication, Kakuzu arranged for one of his subordinates to stay in the town. This way, if the casino needed his assistance, he could return within a day or two, barring any long-distance missions outside the Land of Fire.

In the early stages, Kain planned to open casinos in two key locations: The Town and Main Street. He had already scouted the locations and sent Aya to handle the preliminary preparations and recruitment. During the fifteen days Kain was away, his dessert factory had also made significant progress. They had successfully produced desserts that matched the flavors of the samples Kain had brought. The recipe and raw materials remained consistent, ensuring the quality of the products.

Kain was particularly pleased with the factory's performance, but he was aware that the raw material supply was limited. The first batch of chocolates was soon ready for distribution. Part of it would be sent to Kain's food store in Konoha, while the rest would be sold locally. The pricing matched that of Konoha's market, which wasn't cheap. Kain's business strategy was clear from the start: while most civilians would focus on basic necessities, there would always be those willing to spend extra on luxury items like sweets, allowing him to profit.

After handling matters in the ninja world, Kain returned to the Marvel world. There, his pharmaceutical wholesale and trading company had been operating smoothly in his absence. His sales team had secured three deals, bringing in the company's first substantial income. Furthermore, market research revealed a strong demand for medicines in several countries. If Kain's company could dominate those markets, the business could generate annual revenues of $500 to $600 million.

Kain encouraged his team to continue expanding, especially through aggressive recruitment efforts. He also took time to interview three potential assistants, eventually hiring one to act as his administrative assistant. This person would oversee daily operations and ensure that Kain's orders were executed promptly, freeing him up to focus on broader strategies.

Despite these successes, Kain still faced some challenges. He had not yet made contact with Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen, two key individuals he hoped to recruit into his growing network. Their current whereabouts remained unknown, and Kain wasn't sure if they were even in the United States.

During this time, Kain also arranged for the purchase of gambling machines and other equipment for his casinos. Since the equipment required some language modifications, the delivery took nearly half a month. In the interim, Kain focused on sourcing raw materials for his dessert factory and maintaining key relationships within his network.

Even with all these responsibilities, Kain found time to unwind. He fulfilled a promise to his friend Carl by finishing a video game they had started together. However, Carl quickly lost interest after completing it, pointing out that several new games had been released while they were still playing last year's titles.

For now, the Marvel world remained relatively stable. SHIELD was busy dealing with Hydra and other pressing matters, and their surveillance hadn't reached the point where they could monitor every individual across the country. Still, Kain was always cautious, especially about the possibility of being discovered by the Sorcerer Supreme. With the Time Stone in her possession, the Sorcerer Supreme could potentially see into multiple future timelines. Kain feared that if she became curious about his frequent disappearances, it could lead to unwanted scrutiny. While the threat of death wasn't immediate, the idea of having his biggest secret exposed was unnerving.

Despite these concerns, Kain continued to move between the two worlds, driven by the need to gain strength as quickly as possible. Compared to the ninja world, the Marvel universe was far more dangerous. Alien invasions, the looming threat of Thanos' snap, and even the well-meaning but often destructive actions of the Avengers made the Marvel world a constant source of tension for Kain. Even staying hidden in a remote part of the country wouldn't guarantee safety—especially not for someone living in New York, a frequent battleground for superhero conflicts.

Once Kain had all the necessary equipment, he returned to the ninja world to oversee the casino preparations. He brought the gambling machines and equipment to The Town and had them installed in the casino. Once the staff was fully recruited, the casino would be ready for business. However, Kain knew that security would be critical. Casinos attracted troublemakers, especially those who couldn't handle their losses, and Kain anticipated many would try to cause disruptions. He also needed a professional manager to oversee the casino's operations, but unfortunately, Konoha lacked experienced individuals in this area. Kain asked Aya to start looking for potential candidates.

In addition to managing the casino, Kain was also training the homeless teenagers he had recruited to work in his food factories. However, it would take at least four to five years before they could be entrusted with important tasks. "There are too few capable subordinates to recruit," Kain thought to himself. If possible, he would have liked to recruit skilled ninjas in future like Kimimaro and Haku. However, their loyalties and circumstances made that difficult.

Sighing, Kain considered his options. While some of his recruits had potential, they weren't yet reliable enough to be given major responsibilities. Aya was competent, but she wasn't someone who could handle everything. Kain was stuck in a situation where he had the money and the plans, but lacked the personnel to execute them efficiently.

Suddenly, Kain remembered someone: Yakushi Nono. Known as the "Wandering Nun" in the future, Nono possessed significant talent and ability. She could become one of Kain's most powerful allies—if he could recruit her before she fell under Danzo's influence and joined the Root organization. Based on her age, Nono would likely be around ten years old at this time.

Kain knew that Danzo had recently been involved in the war in the Land of Rain and hadn't yet begun expanding the Root. This gave Kain a window of opportunity. If Nono was currently attending Konoha's academy, Kain could discreetly inquire about her through Kushina, who was notoriously gullible and might not even realize she was being manipulated.

Determined to act quickly, Kain decided to return to Konoha. The sooner he found Yakushi Nono, the higher the chances of recruiting her before Danzo could. With this in mind, Kain set off on his journey, eager to secure another valuable piece in his ever-expanding network.