A boss's word is law, and when the boss leads by example, subordinates run themselves ragged to follow.
With the first Five-Year Plan finalized, it was fully entrusted to Elder Genshi and various departments for implementation.
Every government worker in the Mizukage Building, from the highest-ranking Mizukage and elders to the lowest-ranking clerks, was now trapped in a relentless cycle of overtime.
Some aspects of the plan required coordination with local departments at the grassroots level, while others could be implemented immediately.
One major move was selling off the Third Mizukage's war supplies to Sunagakure at the highest pre-war market prices, squeezing every last Ryo out of Rasa.
Yagura's exact words? "Bleed him dry."
The gold and silver from Sunagakure—well, mostly gold—were quickly funneled by Elder Genshi and the Finance Department into Kirigakure's many funding-hungry projects.
Among them, the flagship initiative personally backed by the Mizukage—the construction of the first inland waterway—immediately entered the preparatory stage as soon as the allocated funds hit the accounts.
After thorough deliberation, priority was given to the western trade route used for commerce with Konohagakure.
Sunagakure was poor and had little to exploit, so it didn't take long to wring it dry.
But Konoha? Now that was a VIP worth long-term investment!
With money in hand, obstacles melted away.
Several craftsmen from the former Artisans Village, now settled in Kirigakure's Blade-smithing Village, signed up to join the project's engineering team.
Time was tight, and the workload was massive.
The engineers immediately divided responsibilities, beginning with terrain and geological surveys along the route, drafting the first iteration of the bridge construction plans.
Meanwhile, recruitment, stone quarrying, and steel procurement were all set into motion simultaneously.
Additionally, a large sum of money was siphoned from the treasury into Konoha's pockets in exchange for a steady stream of much-needed resources for Kirigakure.
Every Ryo spent was accounted for—cattle, sheep, poultry, grains, fodder, timber, medicinal herbs—delivered directly to the village, visible to all.
The immediate effect? A noticeable drop in market prices for these goods, leading to a tangible improvement in people's daily lives.
With the bureaucratic workload reaching new heights, Yagura decided to offer more than just triple salaries—he added free meals and lodging.
When you have money, you can afford to be extravagant. (Ignore the Finance Department's glowing red eyes of disapproval.)
Yagura secured the rights to a building next to the Mizukage Office, called in Earth Release users to assist the renovation team, and paid extra for rush construction.
Too bad Kirigakure had plenty of Kekkei Genkai but no Lava Release—otherwise, they could've just produced quicklime on the spot.
In about a month, the transformation was complete.
The first floor became a cafeteria, while the upper floors were converted into dormitories.
Free meals and lodging saved workers from worrying about daily meals or commuting home—ensuring they spent every possible moment working in the office!
Work began at 8 AM, with a lunch break at 11:50 AM. A mandatory nap followed, with the afternoon shift starting at 2 PM and ending at 5:50 PM.
After dinner, overtime was self-managed—though, on average, everyone stayed until at least 10 PM.
At first, the promise of free meals and accommodations excited the Kirigakure staff.
Then reality hit them—they were just working longer hours.
They wanted to quit. They wanted to curse someone. They wanted out.
But the cafeteria food was too damn good.
They couldn't bring themselves to leave!
The variety was staggering—beef, lamb, pork, chicken, duck, goose, and an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits.
The first meal left them stunned.
The second and third meals...
By the second day, they realized this was just normal now.
For those raised in Kirigakure, where the daily diet consisted mostly of fish, this was almost surreal.
Even wealthier households typically only had fancier seafood on their tables—where did all this other food come from?!
"All of this was purchased from Konoha."
One of the supply department officials, following Elder Genshi, casually dropped the bombshell while eating.
A mouthful of rice, paired with tomato and egg stir-fry, followed by a sip of warm chicken soup.
Tears welled up in the eyes of the exhausted workers.
This food... they had personally ordered, step by step, from Konoha! Shipped across land and sea back to Kirigakure!
Realization dawned.
The Finance Department wept silently as they stuffed their mouths: "How much did all this cost us?! Dammit, Yagura, you money-burning tyrant!"
"Eat it! Every last bite! If anyone dares waste a single grain of rice, I'll fight you!"
The Finance Department, gripping their bowls like treasure: "We earned this! We deserve this!"
The Agriculture Department cried even harder: "Weren't these supposed to be allocated to us?!"
Yagura, holding his own meal, casually asked, "Didn't it end up in your stomachs?"
Under countless mixed gazes, he approached the cafeteria counter without hesitation.
He had invested so much effort into this cafeteria—how could he not eat here himself?
Besides, a big reason for setting this up was to improve employee welfare and morale.
And, well, there was a small selfish reason...
He wanted to eat good food.
Even in the Karatachi household, despite his personal insistence, he was only allowed to have two or three non-seafood meals per week.
He had never been fond of fish.
After transmigrating to this world? He downright hated it.
"Fish are adorable! Why not just pet them? Why do you have to eat them?!"
Setting his tray down, Yagura approached the counter.
"Auntie, I'll have a drumstick and roast duck. For vegetables, black fungus stir-fry and tomato egg, please."
Standard meal: two meats, two vegetables, one soup.
The cafeteria lady, seeing the Mizukage himself at her counter, beamed with pride.
"Got it! I saved the biggest drumstick just for you!"
Yagura, ever pragmatic, accepted the special treatment without hesitation.
"Thanks, Auntie."
Amid jealous stares from the other cafeteria workers, the cook happily served him.
To be hired in this kitchen was already a blessing.
The pay was ten times higher than what they used to make as odd-job workers. They even got free meals, and any leftovers could be taken home.
The chef's wages were double or triple theirs, but sadly, not everyone had the skill to wield the wok.
For cafeteria staff, the only hiring criterion was steady hands. Every portion was generous—no stingy servings allowed.
As Yagura walked off with his tray, one of the cafeteria workers hesitantly asked,
"Mizukage-sama, my relatives keep asking—are you still hiring?"
Yagura smiled, shaking his head. "Nope. We're full."
He had built this cafeteria for his office workers, not as a charity.
And every single job was already taken.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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