The Shopkeeper of Konoha

"I think he is suffering from PTSD," Unohana remarked as she emerged from the shadows after Hiruzen left.

"He is experiencing too many emotions. Grief, anger, regret, helplessness, and sadness. Maybe that is the reason he is acting so weirdly. Seriously, we need a therapist in Konoha, not just lobotomy maniacs," Aoto said.

"Oh, there are ones crazier than Mayuri?" Unohana expressed surprise that there were people with the same level of craziness as Mayuri.

"He is more cruel and deadly than that," Aoto clarified. Unohana was curious about these maniacs but didn't inquire further as she had other things on her mind at the moment.

"So, I will have to go around and kill people?" Unohana asked as she heard that she would be drafted.

"Not in the beginning. You might have to run around and catch some cats, kill some animals, and maybe escort some things around. So it is very easy for you," Aoto explained.

"Can I get to kill people?" Unohana inquired, her devilish side threatening to rise up.

"Yes, at times you will be asked to kill," Aoto assured her, which made her smile inwardly but didn't show it. After Hiruzen left, Aoto called for a meeting of all his employees and informed them of what Hiruzen had asked of him.

None of them seemed to care; in fact, some of them were happy to hear it. Corazon and Arya had always wanted to go out and experience the world on their own. Doing missions would give them a sense of the world. Aoto didn't anticipate this reaction. He was a home person to begin with, so going around wasn't in his rulebooks, but seeing that his friends were happy, he was relieved.

"So tomorrow, show up in his office and register yourself as a genin. Your missions will make you climb the ranks. Only Kisuke will have a lower number of missions than the others since he has a bigger responsibility," Aoto said.

"Hey, I am a helper of his; why am I being treated the same?" Tessai complained.

Aoto just shrugged his shoulders, as he didn't ask Hiruzen for more. If he did, it might have crossed some boundaries. Aoto knew why Hiruzen wanted this. Doing missions was a way to make them have a sense of belonging to Konoha.

At the moment, these friends of Aoto only belonged to him and not the village. They were powerful, and together they could create quite a ruckus, as Aoto had seen last time. With this order, he had divided the powers and also added to the main strength of Konoha. Even if Aoto didn't attack Danzo, he would still be asked to do so, but Danzo's incident just cemented the situation.

He didn't care what Hiruzen was cooking, as his days were numbered, and he was too old to bring about any major changes. Well, except for the Uchiha. Aoto wanted to see what Hiruzen would decide.

While this was happening in Konoha, something else was unfolding in Westeros. King Robert's arrival was almost imminent. Actually, it shouldn't have happened so early, as Jon Arryn was supposed to die much later. At least a year later if Aoto remembered correctly. However, for some reason, he died by accident while in one of his hunting parties and was buried.

Littlefinger and his side partner didn't need to play the long game to kill Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King. And since King Robert needed a trustworthy person, he took a long ride to Winterfell to try to convince Eddard Stark.

Aoto was surprised to hear about it when Arya spoke. The butterfly effect was too strong here, it seemed. They hadn't even settled down well, but his fast arrival would also help Aoto, as his new products would be sold just because the King would be there. Who could be a better marketing salesperson than the King himself?

And Aoto wanted to capitalize on him to make his products well-known in the Kingdom and beyond. The system hadn't given him a strict deadline for the number of products and the reach, so he could only do it to the best of his abilities. Due to Robert's arrival, Winterfell had already started to be redecorated.

Of course, Jon and Arya (future) wanted to help and make it to the highest standard possible in the given time. And suffice to say, when Eddard Stark saw the new hall, he was surprised to say the least. The once stone walls of the hall were now adorned with intricate wooden panels featuring traditional Japanese motifs. The deep, earthy tones of the wood perfectly complemented the starkness of Winterfell's surroundings.

The long wooden tables were set with low, cushioned seating reminiscent of tatami mats, replacing the usual Northern long benches. Overhead, paper lanterns in various shapes and sizes hung gracefully. Even the armor and weaponry displayed along the walls took on a new aesthetic. Swords and shields were adorned with intricate lacquerwork and delicate inlays, transforming them into works of art that seamlessly blended the Northern warrior tradition with the precision and craftsmanship of new kinds of weaponry.

"The sentinels surrounding granted you leave to enact such numerous alterations?" Eddard asked jokingly when he saw the newly decorated and clean hall. The cleanliness was what struck him the most. There was almost no bad smell, and everything looked pristine.

"Had to clean around a lot to make them allow us. And, of course, your patronage helped," Jon said.

"These novel fashions—do they pertain to your world?" Eddard asked.

"More or less," Jon replied.

"I like it," Eddard smiled and said.

"Don't like it too much; you won't be here for much time to enjoy the cold weather here," Arya sneaked in from behind and said.

"When did you sneak in?" Eddard didn't even realize when Arya had sneaked in.

"Just now. With magic, I can always make myself invisible," Arya said, proud of her skills.