The first two main antagonists of the Land of Waves arc, Zabuza Momochi and Haku, weren't exactly wealthy, but they were far from destitute.
Zabuza had been frantically accepting high-paying assassination missions to fund his eventual coup against the puppet Fourth Mizukage (controlled by Obito). He surely had built up a decent war chest.
However, the individual who truly interested Shen Mo in the entire Land of Waves plot was Gato—the notorious shipping magnate and self-proclaimed "biggest businessman in the world."
Gato was the epitome of a low-tier villain: arrogant, unable to assess power differentials, and surrounded by laughably ineffective thugs. He'd somehow managed to amass immense wealth while lacking the basic shrewdness or guard detail necessary to survive the ninja world.
It's a mystery how that man has survived this long, Shen Mo mused.
Regardless, the opportunity for profit was too good to pass up.
"It seems the encounter with Zabuza Momochi is scheduled for the first day of their itinerary."
Shen Mo, currently enjoying his tour with the surprisingly cheerful Tsunade, decided against a direct physical intervention. Instead, he utilized the Remote Viewing Magic ability within his system, easily locking onto Sasuke's membership badge as a psychic beacon.
After visualizing the distant scene, Shen Mo continued his leisurely stroll with Tsunade, feigning indifference.
In the Land of Waves, Naruto and Sasuke had already dispatched the first wave of assassins sent by Gato.
The difference from the original timeline was palpable. Sasuke, empowered and confident, performed flawlessly.
But even Naruto, who had initially been shocked into immobility during his first brush with death in the canon, delivered a solid, highly positive performance. Shen Mo's earlier words about being a future king had successfully planted a necessary seed of courage.
As for Sakura... She's mastered the Art of Standing Perfectly Still, Shen Mo sighed internally, watching her from afar. She lacked the Chakra, the financial capital, and the foundation for training, making her the least profitable "player" to invest in.
Rin Nohara, however, performed with the quiet professionalism expected of a veteran from the Third Great Ninja War. Though not a powerhouse, she was keenly perceptive and served as a silent, efficient backup, causing Kakashi no issues.
The team had now entered the Land of Waves proper.
"Damn it, Sasuke! Leave me one! I still haven't tested the full critical hit power of the Justice Gauntlets yet!" Naruto complained, pumping his fist.
"You're too slow," Sasuke retorted coolly.
"Agh, next time, I won't let you hog the spotlight!"
Rin stayed close to Kakashi, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons when she smiled. "Hehe, Kakashi-sensei... your students remind me so much of our own team, back in the day." Despite being chronologically the same age as the Genin, she consciously adopted the role of an older sibling, delighting Kakashi.
Shen Mo watched the scene with genuine enjoyment, savoring the feeling of watching a familiar story unfold with exhilarating, unexpected twists.
Suddenly, Zabuza Momochi revealed himself, perched in the forest ahead.
The Missing-nin was a commanding figure: short black hair, his torso bare and crisscrossed with dense, skillful muscle, the enormous Kubikiribōchō (Decapitating Carving Knife) resting on his back. His face, partially obscured by bandages, exuded an aura of efficient danger. Even the "super cute kid" Haku, whom Shen Mo could vaguely sense nearby, must have been impressed by this man's pure martial presence.
Zabuza's eyes, focused intently on Kakashi, betrayed a vicious anticipation.
"Hmph," the bandaged mouth curved into a predatory grin. "Looks like I found myself a decent fight... huh!?"
A sudden, sharp killing intent flared directly behind him. Zabuza's battle-honed reflexes instantly took over, causing him to leap away just as a flash of blue chakra energy whistled past his neck.
It was Sasuke, wielding the enhanced, razor-sharp Azure Sword, the Qingfeng.
"You ran away," Sasuke stated coolly, perched on the tree branch where Zabuza had just been. He looked down at the Kirigakure ninja. "You look different from the reports I read."
"This brat..." Zabuza reached for the hilt of his massive greatsword, his thin eyes narrowing in shock. How did he get behind me without a sound? And that speed... What kind of monsters had Konoha produced in this generation?
"Damn it, Sasuke, you stole the spotlight again!" Naruto yelled, shaking his fist and charging at Zabuza. "This time, he's mine!"
"Just an ordinary little br—"
Zabuza drew his greatsword, positioning it to intercept Naruto. He planned to grab the boy and use him as a hostage or psychological leverage, expecting a clumsy attack.
Naruto's right hand, encased in the Critical Hit Gauntlet, connected with the flat of the greatsword.
CRACK!
There was a muffled roar, a flash of light radiating from the gauntlet, and an explosive surge of displaced air. Zabuza felt an unexpectedly powerful kinetic force smash into his extended arm.
The greatsword, and the veteran ninja holding it, flew backward and slammed into a thick tree trunk with a violent impact.
Critical Hit!
Naruto stared at his own fist, his eyes wide with disbelief. The power of the Critical Hit Gauntlet! He hadn't even aimed for a weak point, yet it felt incredible!
Shen Mo was silently celebrating. This was the true magic of the game: making combat feel so satisfying that "players" were driven to spend more. Pay-to-Win was always about maximizing the user's dopamine rush.
Zabuza, however, was not enjoying the experience. His wrist was numb, and his entire core trembled. That child's strength... If that punch had landed on his head, he'd be spinning like a top.
"Am I facing Konoha's Monster Squad?"
"You are Zabuza Momochi, the Missing-nin from Kirigakure, correct?"
Kakashi walked forward slowly, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. He glanced at the dented gauntlet on Naruto's hand and sighed with a mixture of weariness and pride.
The punch Zabuza received was likely 200% of Naruto's enhanced base strength.
"Copy Ninja Kakashi," Zabuza stated, righting himself and resting the huge sword on his shoulder. "I never imagined the famed veteran would be reduced to babysitting Genin children."
"Babysitting? No, no, no," Kakashi corrected, shaking his head. "I am merely the team leader. And judging by your capabilities, I think you'll make an excellent practical lesson for them."
"Ah?" Zabuza's eyes narrowed dangerously, realizing he was being utterly dismissed.