Inside the cabin, when Gato finally regained his senses, he was drenched in a cold sweat. His eyes were no longer filled with arrogance, but with a primal, bone-deep terror and reverence for the mysterious figure before him.
Though the Temple of Nirvana was a relatively simple Genjutsu, to a commoner like Gato who possessed no chakra, it was nothing short of a "Divine Technique."
"My Lord!" The moment he was released from the illusionary world, Gato scrambled onto all fours and crawled to Menma's feet, his voice shaking with desperation.
"Gato is willing to serve you! I will do anything!" Gato looked up, his small eyes brimming with panic. He was terrified that if he proved to be of no use, he would be flayed alive where he knelt.
The Temple of Nirvana allows the victim to see their deepest, most intimate fears. For Gato, that fear was simple: 'Dying before spending his fortune.'
In the illusionary world, he had experienced countless cycles of reincarnation. He watched his Gato Company grow into a world-class financial conglomerate, only to meet a violent end time and time again—sometimes by accident, sometimes caught in the crossfire of a ninja war, and often by cold-blooded assassination.
He had lived through these horrors millions of times. While only moments had passed in the real world, to Gato, he had been trapped for over a year.
Menma had added his own "flavoring" to the visions as well, showing Gato how the high-and-mighty Daimyos and Nobles were slaughtered like cattle by powerful shinobi. By the time Gato emerged, his faith in the old world order had been utterly pulverized. His worldview—one where money and aristocratic blood ruled supreme—had been dismantled and replaced by the terrifying reality of shinobi power.
Menma nodded in satisfaction and placed his hand on top of Gato's head. Gato lowered his neck, tense with anticipation.
"Blood Contract Seal!"
As Menma's dark, oppressive chakra flooded Gato's brain, a black 'Manji' ritual mark manifested deep on the surface of Gato's tongue.
This was a curse seal Menma had developed in the Limited Tsukuyomi world. It was similar to Root's Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, but while Danzo's seal merely paralyzed the victim to prevent them from speaking, Menma's Blood Contract was far more ruthless. If the victim attempted to leak Menma's secrets, their brain would be instantly Liquified to prevent enemies from extracting information via memory reading.
However, Menma had refined the seal to act as a battery, storing a volume of chakra equivalent to a standard Genin. This significantly boosted the victim's physical constitution and stamina.
"I have need of your talent for wealth," Menma said, floating in the air and looking down at the kneeling merchant. "You will provide the funding for the Organization."
Feeling the subtle, newfound energy coursing through his veins, Gato's face lit up with shock and delight. He prostrated himself once more.
"Thank you for your grace, My Lord! Gato swears eternal loyalty!"
——————
Nightfall
The waves slapped rhythmically against the hull. Gato's office had been scrubbed clean; the bodies had been tossed into the sea, and the room had been converted into Menma's personal lounge for the duration of the voyage.
"My Lord, this is a top-tier tea from the Land of Tea, usually reserved for the Daimyo. May I prepare a cup for you?" Gato offered, hovering at the side like a devoted servant.
"Mm." Menma, still masked, reclined lazily on the leather sofa.
The Little Nine-Tails had crawled out from Menma's fur collar and was currently sitting on the coffee table, devouring a plate of sweets with abandon. Gato hurriedly offered more pastries, treating the small creature like a deity.
"Your primary task is to optimize the company's revenue and build a financial reserve for the Organization," Menma said, flipping through an ancient tome from Gato's collection while resting his cheek on his fist.
"Understood! It shall be done as you command!"
While the thought of handing over his profits pained Gato's greedy heart, he took solace in the power he had gained and his status within this shadow organization. In the future, he might even become the 'Nobility' of a new world.
"How long until the fleet reaches the Land of Lightning?" Menma asked, looking up.
"About five to six days, My Lord. It's the north-wind season, which will significantly increase our speed."
From the Land of Fire, the ships had to round the Land of Hot Springs and cross a massive bay to reach the Lightning Country's coastline. It wasn't an immense distance—roughly the same as the journey from Konoha to the Land of Hot Springs.
Menma did the mental math. A ninja traveling at top speed could cover the distance in a day or two, but for a wooden sailing ship even with the wind at its back, 18 knots (about 33 km/h) was the limit. The world was vast, but ninja speed made it seem small. Based on the travel times he recalled from the original history, this planet was likely similar in size to Earth, with a continental population of roughly three hundred million.
Menma stroked the Little Nine-Tails' head and added, "Beyond raising funds, your company must expand across the Five Great Nations and the smaller surrounding territories. You are to collect intelligence."
"What kind of intelligence, My Lord?" Gato inquired.
Menma thought for a moment. "Topography, city layouts, strategic passes, harbor conditions, population demographics, and the social friction between the nobility and the commoners. Everything."
"And... regarding the Hidden Villages?" Gato asked softly.
Menma didn't bother explaining that a commoner was ill-suited for spying on ninja strongholds. He simply replied, "I will have a separate intelligence cell handle the Hidden Villages."
"I see! Understood!" Gato bowed his head.
The Little Nine-Tails, wearing its tiny red-and-white kimono, sat on Menma's lap. It paused while holding a large piece of cake and looked up.
"By the way, what about the Cloud ninja's body?"
Menma realized he still had the corpse of the Cloud Envoy sealed within a storage scroll.
"Where is the nearest Bounty Station in the Land of Lightning?" Menma asked Gato.
Since he was passing through, he might as well see if he could trade the body for some extra cash. He also planned to pay a visit to the Hidden Cloud Village.
After all, he had some 'local specialties' from their home he wanted to return to them.