On this restless night, Tsunade and the others were not the only ones witnessing Kakuzu's "technique." Many outsiders resided in Guda Village, some of whom were ninjas or samurais.
They were either staying in inns or private lodgings. Due to the curfew, they couldn't go outside, but they could still stand by their windows or even climb onto rooftops to observe.
This was precisely why Haruto Saito had Kakuzu put on this act!
Since Kakuzu was already shrouded in mystery, those who saw this event would naturally assume it was his doing. Even if someone investigated, the trail would lead back to Kakuzu, and uncovering his true identity would be extremely difficult.
Haruto himself still had to remain hidden!
The perimeter walls were completed!
They were merely basic walls for now. If upgraded to the next level, they would rise to a height of forty meters. However, the cost of upgrading was substantial—each kilometer required five thousand reputation points, meaning a total of one hundred thousand points for the entire twenty-kilometer perimeter!
Haruto wasn't planning to upgrade them just yet.
There was no need!
It would be an unnecessary drain on his reputation points. He would enhance them only when the situation demanded it.
With the walls completed, Haruto and Kakuzu moved to the northern outskirts of the village, where an open space lay.
Previously, this had been barren land outside the village limits, but the newly built walls had enclosed not only Guda Village but also a vast surrounding area. Now, this land was part of Haruto's planned settlement expansion.
Upon reaching the site, Kakuzu resumed his theatrics, while Haruto, hidden in the shadows below the hill, accessed his construction interface and selected "Palace Construction."
The cost of building an initial-level palace was a hefty two hundred thousand reputation points. This was due to its formidable defensive capabilities and endurance, boasting powerful sealing protections.
However, thanks to his earlier acquisition of the Village Card, Haruto had received a special reward:
He could build the first palace for free!
He confirmed the construction!
RUMBLE!
A vast area spanning nearly ten thousand square meters erupted as a grand palace complex emerged from the earth. The structure consisted of five interconnected buildings: a cylindrical central tower, two standard towers, and two large two-story buildings, forming an imposing palace compound!
The cylindrical central tower was the tallest, soaring to twenty-eight floors—nearly ninety meters high!
The tremors ceased.
The construction was complete!
Tonight's tasks were done. The rest of the village expansion wouldn't rely solely on reputation points. Instead, Haruto planned to recruit workers and settlers to build the ordinary structures within the village.
Haruto stepped inside the palace and began arranging its interiors.
While the exterior was complete, the interior lacked furnishings. Fortunately, the system allowed him to furnish rooms instantly at a minimal cost—only one hundred reputation points per fully furnished room!
These furnishings were indistinguishable from real furniture.
However, there was a catch: they could not leave the influence of the village monument, or they would vanish.
Meanwhile, back at the northern residence of the command center…
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru stood on the rooftop, watching with their spyglasses. Nearby, Root ninjas were also observing from various vantage points.
"This isn't an Earth Release technique!" Jiraiya suddenly declared. "Earth Release can create walls, but it can't instantly generate such a complex structure! This palace even has wooden frameworks—it's not purely stone or earth-based."
"Summoning technique?" Tsunade speculated.
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
If it were a summoning technique, it would explain everything! While the sheer scale of the palace was unprecedented for a summoning jutsu, there was historical precedence.
For instance, her grandfather, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—renowned as the God of Shinobi—could summon massive structures like the Five-Layer Rashomon, an immense defensive gate with extraordinary resilience.
Though Tsunade had deduced a possible answer, one question remained: Could a summoned structure stay in this world indefinitely?
A while later…
Haruto returned to the northern residence. He had sent Kakuzu back to rest, as he was no longer needed for the night. Besides, he wanted to minimize any direct interaction between Kakuzu and Tsunade.
As soon as Haruto entered the courtyard, Tsunade and the others immediately appeared around him.
"Brat, what kind of jutsu was that?" Tsunade asked directly.
"It's that guy's summoning technique!" Haruto responded naturally, grinning. "Impressive, right? When I first saw it, I was even more shocked than you."
He deliberately kept the explanation vague.
In truth, calling it a summoning technique wasn't entirely wrong!
Functionally, it closely resembled summoning, and the village monument's influence resembled a large-scale barrier or sealing formation. Even if the secret was eventually exposed, he could justify it using shinobi logic.
His status as a genius could make even the seemingly impossible appear reasonable!
"Let's go check it out!" Haruto called out, leading Tsunade and the others toward the new palace, bringing some Root ninjas along as well.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu and Fubuki Ryuuno remained behind at the northern residence. The village had just experienced internal strife, and they were needed to maintain order.
Late into the night, within the newly built palace…
The group stood on the upper floors of the main tower, looking out at the village illuminated under the night sky.
"Well? We've explored it all, seen everything…" Haruto smiled. "Time to rest, right? We can stay here for the night. Although it's still a bit empty, I believe that soon, many people will fill these halls!"
"Alright, I'm off to bed!" Jiraiya stretched, then walked off.
Orochimaru remained silent and left as well.
The Root ninjas also dispersed—some to rest, while others remained outside on guard duty.
During the tour, Tsunade had already picked a fully furnished room arranged by Haruto. She vanished with a teleporting flicker.
...
Inside a grand bedroom, exquisitely decorated…
Tsunade appeared out of thin air.
"That brat is definitely hiding something. I'll figure it out! Just how much chakra would it take to summon such an enormous structure…" she muttered, voicing her suspicions.
She walked toward the plush bed.
Suddenly!
A figure appeared behind her, grabbed her, and playfully tossed her onto the bed before pouncing on her.
"Brat! Get off me! Quit fooling around… Damn it… You little—! Mmmph!" Tsunade initially struggled, but her resistance gradually weakened as Haruto pinned her down and showered her with kisses.
His hands roamed mischievously beneath her robes.
"Brat!" Tsunade suddenly lashed out, punching Haruto hard.
He was sent flying!
Literally!
Haruto crashed against the far wall with a loud thud, nearly coughing up blood.
Tsunade sat up on the bed, grumbling while straightening her disheveled clothes.
Haruto wiped his lips, a smirk forming as he locked eyes with her. Getting back on his feet, he teleported back to the bed in an instant, pinning her down again…
Tonight, Haruto was unusually bold.
After all, he was already fourteen!
Surely, Tsunade could accept that now?