Naruto: Heaven Rewards Diligence

"Oh? Have you found Princess Koyuki Kazahana?"

In the Land of Waves, Shisui turned to his subordinate with a calm but focused expression.

As Umbrella's influence expanded, the limitations of the Land of Waves were becoming increasingly clear. Its territory was small, and its strategic value was minimal.

Though it was located on the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire, the Land of Waves had only a single bridge connecting it to the outside world. Its seclusion kept it safe from most shinobi activity, but it was still too close to Kirigakure for comfort.

That was why Naruto and Shisui had decided to relocate Umbrella's core operations to a more suitable base. Their gaze was fixed on two targets: the Land of Tea and the Land of Snow.

The Land of Tea, isolated by oceans and largely untouched by the conflicts of the great nations, offered vast territory and fertile trade routes. Its strength lay in commerce, providing nearly thirty percent of the grain supply across the continent.

For Umbrella, this was an opportunity too great to ignore. Establishing a base there would not only expand their reach but also give them control over the lifeline of food in the shinobi world. After all, ninja were still people—they needed to eat, and armies could not march without provisions.

Naruto was determined: the Land of Tea would become Umbrella's granary.

And since the Land of Tea lacked its own shinobi village, it would be relatively easy for Shisui and the others to secure it.

The Land of Snow, however, was a different case. Naruto had suggested targeting it not for territory, but for its technology—the Chakra Armor developed by Yukigakure.

The last intelligence reports indicated that the armor was incomplete. But now that development was nearly finished, it was time to harvest the results.

To avoid waste, they had delayed until now. But with their growing manpower, Umbrella could finally make its move.

Finding Princess Koyuki was key to legitimizing their takeover. In this world, bloodlines carried weight, and the right to rule often depended on lineage. That was why her uncle, Doto Kazahana, had schemed for years to usurp the throne—and why her supporters, with Umbrella's aid, could restore it to her.

Doto had ambition, but no legitimacy. He had hoped to use Chakra Armor to elevate the Land of Snow into a great power. But lacking funds, he turned to the so-called "treasure" of the country—only to find it was nothing more than a geothermal energy source. His end was inevitable.

Shisui flipped through the report in his hands.

"Fūka Koyuki… daughter of the former Daimyo, driven into exile by her uncle. Currently using the alias Fujikaze Yukie, and already making a name for herself as an actress."

He smiled faintly.

"The darkest place is always beneath the lamp. Who would have thought the daughter of a Daimyo would be hiding in plain sight as an actress? Even Doto himself likely has no idea."

His attention shifted.

"And what of Zabuza? He hasn't been attending meetings lately."

The one who replied was Hyūga Asahi, Shisui's assistant.

"Lord Zabuza has been training tirelessly. It seems that with the Uchiha making such rapid progress, he feels a sense of pressure."

Asahi had once been conflicted about working with the Uchiha. He had even considered reporting everything to Konoha. But the longer he stayed, the more his doubts faded. Life here was far freer than within the Hyūga Clan, without its suffocating traditions.

What Umbrella valued most was ability. Everyone worked hard, and even Zabuza—the feared Demon of the Mist—was no exception.

The stories about him were infamous: killing all his classmates during the Kirigakure graduation exam, later becoming a rogue ninja after attempting to assassinate the Mizukage. His brutality was legendary.

Yet after working alongside him, Asahi discovered that Zabuza wasn't the cold-blooded monster people imagined.

Beneath his harsh exterior, he was a man who acted for a reason. His massacre during the graduation exam had been an act of rebellion against the Bloody Mist policy. And though it had forced Kirigakure to change its methods, the village never truly reformed. Under Obito's manipulation, the cycle of bloodshed continued until Zabuza's failed coup.

Meanwhile, within Umbrella, the Uchiha were thriving.

Izumi had matured, her strength stabilizing at the Kage level. Yu had reached a quasi-Kage standard. Even the younger Uchiha, driven by grief and hatred, were awakening their Sharingan earlier than expected, their strength climbing rapidly.

Naruto, aware of the danger such hatred posed, had arranged for counselors to guide the young Uchiha, ensuring they wouldn't lose themselves to darkness.

Very few members of the Uchiha Clan who awaken the Sharingan could be called "normal." In truth, there were many individuals across the shinobi world who would be considered unstable. If such behavior were placed in the world of Naruto's past life, it would be classified as psychological illness.

That was why Naruto became the first to introduce the concept of a psychologist into the shinobi world, though for now, it existed only within Umbrella.

To train the first generation of psychologists, Naruto personally lectured through dozens of Shadow Clones, laying down the foundation for the field.

Within Umbrella, all core members were required to regularly attend sessions at the counseling center. Combined with the Umbrella ideology, this ensured that members developed firm convictions and an unwavering zeal for the organization's cause.

They weren't necessarily "normal" by conventional standards—but their fanaticism was exactly what Naruto required. It made them willing to sacrifice themselves without hesitation for the sake of the whole.

Naruto truly believed that psychology was indispensable in the shinobi world, and yet almost no one had ever considered it.

To most, wasn't killing simply part of being a shinobi?

Take Uchiha Itachi as an example. He was easily manipulated by Hiruzen and Danzo, convinced that his choices were righteous while quietly tormenting himself, speaking only with Shisui about his doubts.

That alone was a sign of deep psychological distress. And with the rapid awakening of his Sharingan, how could he not be mentally burdened?

Perhaps later he came to realize the flaws in his decisions, but once the arrow was loosed, there was no pulling it back. He chose instead to carry the weight alone, pinning all his hopes on Sasuke.

And Itachi was far from the only one. The shinobi world was filled with those broken by trauma and ideology. Uchiha Madara, no matter how great his vision, was warped by obsession.

Obito's state was even worse, his entire mind consumed by grief and delusion. Nagato was transformed entirely after Yahiko's death, abandoning his ideals for despair.

Even those hailed as leaders weren't exempt—what of Hiruzen Sarutobi, blinded by his compromises? Or Danzo, whose paranoia and ruthlessness twisted his every action?

If one had to name someone who was truly "normal," with upright values and clear judgment, it would probably be Jiraiya.

He followed his own path of ninshū, saw politics for what they were, and never chased power for its own sake. Aside from his notorious flaw as a shameless pervert, Jiraiya remained one of the most admirable shinobi of his time.

...

TN:

⚒️ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin