Chapter 29: Money and Knowledge

[Hi no Miyako — The Capital of the Land of Fire]

Naruto's memories of the Konoha bank still left a bitter taste.

The civilian council that controlled it had always been rigid — suffocatingly cautious. No matter how many missions he completed, no matter how many lives he risked or enemies he felled, they would not grant him the dignity of an account. Not him — the jinchūriki boy, the vessel of their unspoken fears.

Time and again, the answer had been the same: No.

So he had learned to carry his earnings in coin and notes, pressed cold into his palms. A quiet reminder that even in victory, the village's trust remained out of reach.

But here — Hi no Miyako was different.

The Bank of the Hidden Lands rose before him — solid, enduring. Its presence wasn't loud, wasn't grand. It moved beneath the surface, its branches spread through every hidden corner of the Land of Fire and beyond. It served not just nobles or merchants, but those who walked between shadows — shinobi, samurai, and envoys alike.

Naruto approached the polished counter, his sheathed chokutō steady at his left hip.

Blue eyes met the clerk's — calm, unwavering.

"I want to open an account."

The clerk's gaze flickered to the blade, then back to Naruto's face — no hesitation, no prejudice.

"Your name carries weight," the clerk replied softly. "Here, such matters are understood. You are not the first to seek sanctuary in coin."

The papers were handed over — fine parchment, ink prepared.

Naruto's fingers rested on the desk — this was more than currency. This was acknowledgment.

He sat at the heavy oak desk, the hush of the room broken only by the scratch of quills and rustle of paper.

"Identification," the clerk requested.

Naruto slid forth his shinobi registration scroll. The clerk examined the worn edges, the official seals — then nodded.

"Naruto Uzumaki. Your account will bear this name."

"How much will you deposit?"

Naruto glanced at the leather pouch beneath his cloak.

"Fifteen million ryō."

There was a flicker of surprise — the briefest widening of the clerk's eyes — then a respectful nod.

"An exceptional sum. Few walk alone with such coin."

The tally began, each note and coin measured with precision.

"Your funds will be secured and insured. You may access them through any branch of our network — even those within the hidden villages."

Naruto nodded once. From the pouch, he set aside 500,000 ryō for his personal use — the remainder, fifteen million ryō, was handed over with quiet finality.

The clerk stamped the final scroll and ledger with a sharp seal.

"Welcome to the Bank of the Hidden Lands, Naruto Uzumaki. Your wealth is now protected. It will follow you where the road leads."

Naruto rose, sword resting comfortably at his left hip.

He cast one last glance through the high-vaulted halls of the bank.

This was more than a deposit. This was a new footing in the world.

[Hi no Miyako — Evening — Streets of the Capital]

The moon now rising over Hi no Miyako, painting rooftops silver.

Naruto emerged from the cool corridors of the Bank of the Hidden Lands, steps light despite the long day. The crisp late evening air welcomed him — sharp, clean.

Fifteen million ryō secured.Five hundred thousand ryō in hand.And a future no longer bound to the civilian council's whims.

Freedom.

But the streets had shifted.

Merchants shuttered their stalls. Paper lanterns swayed in the breeze. Samurai patrols drifted past in pairs — their gazes sharp despite the hour. Beneath it all, subtle currents stirred — dark, unseen. Naruto knew the signs well enough.

He stood beneath an iron lantern for a moment — the familiar weight of his chokutō pressing at his left hip, hand resting lightly on the sheath.

Even after securing his funds and a place to rest, Naruto knew there was one more thing he needed before leaving the Capital.

Knowledge.

Not just any knowledge — but the kind whispered about in Konoha's darker corners. The kind not taught in the Academy, nor shared freely among clans.

Fūinjutsu.

His recent fights had shown him the limits of speed and strength alone. He needed more — versatility, surprise, efficiency.

And a shinobi who carried coin — and caution — could find such things in Hi no Miyako's shadowed streets.

By late evening, Naruto found himself in the lower quarter, beyond the wide merchant lanes. Here the roads narrowed, and lantern light grew scarce. The scent of ink, old scrolls, and faint chakra hung in the air.

He moved carefully — eyes beneath the hood of his cloak. His sword rested steady at his left hip, sheath silent against his side.

At last, he found it: a small shop half-hidden beneath a lacquered awning.

Kinmokusei Archives.

The sign was simple. The presence within — not.

A faint chakra ward pulsed over the doorframe. Old. Skilled.

Naruto entered without hesitation.

Inside, shelves rose tall and close, packed with scrolls and leather-bound tomes. A sharp-eyed elder sat behind the counter — gaze flicking briefly to Naruto's blade, then to the quiet weight of coin in his pouch.

"You seek something beyond the public ledgers," the elder said softly. Not a question. Naruto nodded once. "I need knowledge of body seals. Storage and summoning, primarily." The elder tilted his head — considering.

From beneath the counter, the elder drew a slim volume — its cover marked with a faded sigil of containment.

"Binding the Body: Advanced Storage and Personal Seals."

"High-grade techniques," the elder warned. "No refunds if you burn your flesh or your chakra coils attempting them."

Naruto's gaze didn't waver. He set down a stack of crisp bills — exact, no haggling.

The elder inclined his head — transaction complete.

With the book now secured within his travel pack — a quiet pulse of satisfaction ran through Naruto's mind.

Tomorrow, before leaving the Capital, he would study it. Learn it. Master it.

Seals on the arm.

Speed. Precision. Control.

Another tool for the battles ahead.

Turning down quieter streets, Naruto sought a place where the night could pass unnoticed.

The House of the Flame Willow soon stood before him — an old inn favored by merchants and wandering shinobi. Discreet. Safe enough.

At the desk, the weary clerk's eyes rose — wary at first, then respectful as they took in Naruto's bearing, the blade that marked a warrior.

"Room?"

"One night. No meals," Naruto replied, voice even.

A key was placed before him without further words.

"Third floor. No disturbances."

Naruto climbed the stairs in silence.

The room was small, clean — tatami mats, a simple desk, thick drapes. A place for sleep, not comfort.

He set down his pack, fingers brushing the sealed scroll of fūinjutsu books purchased earlier. Carefully, he placed them aside — to be studied soon.

His sword remained at his left hip — always drawn-ready, even here.

Only when all was settled did Naruto sit by the window — cloak drawn close around his shoulders, gaze lifting toward the city's starlit sky.

Tomorrow, he would return to Konoha.

But tonight — tonight was his own.

Steel earned.

Wealth secured.

Knowledge gained.A path chosen — still walked alone.

A single breath. A moment's pause.

Then his eyes closed — and he waited for dawn.