"No need, Foreman. We're already inside."
Uchiha Ran's calm voice drifted over with a faint smile. The moment he heard it, the Foreman shuddered, his face turning paler than if he were about to cry.
"H-Hokage-sama! This subordinate is at fault. My discipline was lax, allowing my underling to offend you. Please punish me, Hokage-sama!"
Cold sweat soaked his back. At this moment, he truly wanted to strangle that Junior Overseer.
Ran shook his head lightly.
"It's nothing. The young man followed proper procedures. I won't hold this against you."
Only then did the Foreman let out a long breath of relief.
"May I ask what brings Hokage-sama here so late at night?" the Foreman asked carefully, forcing a smile. Since Ran didn't seem angry, he relaxed a little. After all, this was the newly appointed Hokage—getting on good terms with him would only bring benefits.
"I heard Rasa was assigned to the mine," Ran said directly. "I want to see where he is."
The Foreman's eyes lit up.
"Of course, of course! He's right over there. I'll take you to him immediately."
Just as he was about to lead the way, Ran shook his head again.
"No need. I see him. I'll go ahead—follow behind."
"Yes, yes!" the Foreman replied without hesitation.
Ran, the Foreman, Itachi, and Shisui walked toward Rasa's position together.
Nearby, the Junior Overseer was sitting stiffly on a stone, trembling. He had already realized that the person from earlier was the Hokage—and that he had almost turned him away. It was a grave mistake.
Ran stopped in front of him but did not scold him. Instead, he patted the young man on the shoulder.
"Well done. In the future, no matter who comes here, make sure to verify their identity carefully."
The Junior Overseer froze, staring at Ran in disbelief. He never expected the Hokage to be so approachable—no punishment, only encouragement.
His face flushed with excitement.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Ran laughed softly.
"Keep it up. Do your job well."
Seeing this, the Foreman finally relaxed completely. Their Hokage truly had no intention of blaming the Junior Overseer, which only deepened his respect.
Ran then turned his gaze to Rasa.
Rasa was staring back at him with an expressionless face. A faint killing intent leaked out, but some invisible restraint forced him to suppress it. In the end, he ignored Ran entirely and continued working.
He raised both hands.
Golden sand surged up from the ground, gathering and compressing in midair. In moments, it formed bars of high-purity gold.
Even Ran was momentarily stunned.
Konoha's mines produced enormous wealth each year, but behind that wealth were countless dangers—cave-ins, collapses, and endless accidents.
Miners worked deep underground in darkness and dampness, inhaling dust day after day. Lung disease was common. Yet for the sake of profit, the village had no choice but to keep recruiting workers and expanding operations.
Konoha was rich in mineral resources, but it relied on massive manpower. This had always been a headache for the higher-ups.
Watching Rasa work, Ran's mind moved quickly.
If Rasa could stay here permanently, casualties would plummet. At the same time, Gaara might grow up normally instead of becoming twisted and unstable.
By this point in time, Gaara had only just become a jinchūriki, and his uncle Yashamaru was still alive—his only remaining source of warmth.
With Yashamaru around, Gaara might still have a chance.
As for this old man…
A cold glint flashed through Ran's eyes. Should he simply kill him, then use Edo Tensei and make him work for Konoha forever?
Just as the thought surfaced, a voice interrupted him.
"Hokage-sama, Elder Ebizo of Sunagakure has arrived with envoys and gifts."
"Oh?" Ran raised an eyebrow. It was the middle of the night—Hidden Sand Village really didn't care about timing.
After a brief pause, he nodded.
"Arrange accommodations for them first. Tell them we'll discuss matters tomorrow."
"Yes!"
The ANBU moved swiftly, arranging the best lodging in Konoha and conveying Ran's words verbatim.
Ebizo remained expressionless.
"Convey my thanks to Hokage-sama," he said calmly to Baki.
As he spoke, Baki—his face half-covered with white cloth—took out several pieces of high-quality gold from a storage scroll.
The ANBU immediately raised a hand.
"Sorry. We cannot accept this."
Before Baki could react, the ANBU vanished into the night.
Baki stood there in disbelief. That gold was worth at least a hundred thousand ryō—and they had refused it outright.
Ebizo narrowed his eyes and drew a sharp breath.
"This Fifth Hokage of Konoha is not simple. He's made his subordinates completely indifferent to money…"
Back at the mine, the ANBU reported everything in detail.
Ran listened, then looked at him with clear approval. He walked over to the pile of gold bars Rasa had produced and picked up two of them—far heavier than what Baki had offered.
"Well done," Ran said calmly. "Take these two gold bars. Distribute them among the brothers when you return."
He paused, then added, "Everyone who dealt with Sunagakure tonight may enter the Ninjutsu Library and select one A-rank ninjutsu. You performed well—I won't be stingy."
The ANBU knelt as one.
"We are willing to give our lives and loyalty to Hokage-sama!"
Ran's eyes gleamed, though his tone remained relaxed.
"We're all brothers. There's no need for this. Stick with me, and there will never be a shortage of benefits."
In this world, interests came first. Friendship might exist, but利益 was always the foundation.
Provide enough benefits, and you became the provider.
And everyone knew exactly how one should treat their provider.
Itachi was speechless.
Shisui fell into deep thought.
Both of them felt their respect for Uchiha Ran rise to a new level.
A-rank ninjutsu were not common goods—there were fewer than fifty in all of Konoha, most locked away in the village's archives. Without the Hokage's permission, most people would never see one in their lifetime.
Yet Ran had allowed them to choose freely.
That generosity was no small thing.
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