Sunagakure, Kazekage's office
The third Kazekage, surrounded by his advisors, was looking at the report in front of him.
There was Raza, his student, Chiyo, her brother Ebizo, and a few others seated at the table.
"So those are the seals of that the Uzumaki put on the market, huh?"
After reviewing the report on the power and applications of each seal, he finally took a few of the seals and examined them.
In front of everyone, he put a finger on the explosive seal and activated it.
The people around him were surprised, but they were all seasoned ninjas; a mere explosive tag was no threat to them, so they just stayed seated, waiting.
His magnet release activated as he created a metallic ball around the tag.
Boom
Under everyone's eyes, the ball of exploded, sending the metallic dust flying everywhere.
"Impressive firepower for a mere tag, more powerful than the traditional ones, that could do a lot of damage, if used well. At least they are better than the regular ones."
The kazekage praised while the metallic dust flew back toward him.
"Yes, and this is just one of the products they sell, as you saw on the report, there are tags for fire, thunder, and the other elements. More importantly, they are cheaper than the ones we buy or make we can afford them,"
One of the advisors elaborated on his thinking
"Do you forget that the Uzumaki made them? Do you think that they forgot what we did to them during the last war, or did you forget what they did to us? To our people, and you want to help enrich them,"
The indignant voice of one of the advisors resounded in the room, prompting everyone to reconsider their stance. There is indeed a lot of resentment between them, and trusting the Uzumaki could be dangerous.
"So what do you propose that we do? You want us not to buy better and cheaper tags because we don't like them, don't forget that those shops have been opened all over the world, in every major village. I hope that you are not naive enough to think that the other villages will not buy them and use them against us in the next war."
"But we can't let them use us to enrich them,"
"Then what do you propose?"
"We should attack their businesses."
"..."
While the other advisors were busy fighting with each other, the other, like Chiho, Ebizo, and the Kazekage, were quickly realizing that the tags business of the Uzumaki would have an important role in the next war.
After a little back and forth, the Sunagakure council arrived at a decision.
"So this is clear, we will continue to buy the tags of the Uzumaki, and we will study them also, they will be useful in bridging the gap that Konohagakure has against us in sealing technique.
"Yes sir!"
In Iwagakure
"What do you think about that?" Onoki, young and still at his prime, said as he looked at the tags on his desk, tags of the Uzumaki Clan.
"This is impressive work, better than what we have, and with many more options,"
One of the advisors said
"Those tags can make a lot of difference in a fight if well used,"
"So you propose that we buy them, even though it means filling the coffers of our enemies,"
"We have always been behind Konoha in matters of logistics, lord Tsuchikage. You yourself always complain about how many more tags and weapons Konoha has, particularly in times of war."
He pointed at the tags "That is a way to reduce the gap,"
All the ninjas present knew that the first advisor was right.
One of the reasons of Konoha's superiority is the amount of quality weapons that they can afford, while the other villages had to fight for weapons of inferior quality.
"What if it is a trap?!" Another said
"If it is a trap it is probably against Konoha,"
Onoki said after a moment of reflection
"Those tags, will allow us to shorten the gap between us and Konoha, it must be their revenge against Konoha for betraying them,"
They nodded that the Uzumaki had been betrayed by Konoha after all, even though it was the other nation that had attacked; it was Konoha that had made it happen.
"Huh Hiruzen I bet you didn't plan that, huh Hiruzen," Onoki said as he reclined on his seat
"Send out people to the Uzumaki shop, we will place our order,"
He had made his decision
In Kumohakure
*So those are the news tags of the Uzumaki. Why can't we do the same thing," the third raikage questioned his people
"Because we do not have the technique, my Lord,"
"What do you mean we don't have the technique, didn't we get their sealing technique during the last war, we wasted so much manpower at that time and you are telling me that we don't have the technique,"
He roared, but his men just remained completely calm, already used to their lord's temper.
"We got a lot from the attack, but let's not kid ourselves, sir; they had more than enough time to destroy their most sensitive seals. We already talked about it, sir."
"Then tell me why they still can produce so many tags when we nearly exterminated them all,"
The burly man slammed his desk
But everyone remained silent after all they had no idea how the Uzumaki did that.
After all, sealing had always been a complex art; they don't have Akashi's abilities to produce a sealing box.
"No answer, so we are supposed to fund our enemies now if we don't want to be left behind."
"Should we attack them,"
"I doubt they would be as careless as before, from what we know the people who take care of the sells are disposable tools from the underworld market,"
After raging for a few more seconds he sat down before finally giving his order
"Buy as many sealing tags as possible, but the moment you find an opportunity find out how they manage to produce so many tags, by any means necessary,"
Kirigakure
The third Mizukage was like the other large looking at the tags that he had received with attention.
But contrary to all the other great nations, the Uzumaki didn't open their shop there.
After all, it's not for nothing that the village ninja of this land is called the village of the blood mist for a reason.
They were still in discussion with the Daimyo of the land of water.
"This is the letter of the Daimyo," a messenger said as he handed a piece of paper to the mizukage
After reading it he passed it around
"The Daimyo has reached an Accord with the Uzumaki. They are going to open a shop in his capital, if we want to have access to the tags we will have to go through him,"
The third spat was another blatant way to suppress them.
The other remained silent. The situation between the Daimyos of the land and water and the Mizukage has always been tense; this is why they had to adopt the bloody most policy.
Having to go to the Daimyo to buy the tags of the Uzumaki was another move by Akashi to complicate the relationship between the two rulers.
Putting Kirigakure at an even greater disadvantage while getting closer to the Daimyo.
"Damn Uzumaki,"
In Konoha
The tension in the Hokage was palpable; the Hokage, his advisors, the head of the Anbu, and the head of the Mara clan were hunched over the report of the Anbu on the Uzumaki business.
"We should have tried harder to locate them," Hiruzen Salutoni, the Hokage of Konoha, said, torn between anger, regret, and resignation.
One of the pillars of Konoha's superiority was its logistical advantage over its opponents.
The ability to produce enough explosive tags in time of war, to produce sealing tags to transport weapons, and other tags with their knowledge in sealing jitsu at a low price.
It was due to their alliance with the Uzumaki in the past that they had reached that superiority, and they were reminded of it today.
"This is going to cause a lot of problems," the Mara patriarch said, calculating the problems that all that will cause.
"We need to make that stop while we can,"
Koharu said with a sigh
"Yes, we can't let that continue. This is an attack on Konoha."
"Do you have an idea Shikazumi,"
Hiruzen asked the Nara patriarch,
"We can just destroy them," Danzo interjected
"They have an agreement with the Daimyos of multiple nations, we can't just attack carelessly,"
"So what do you want to let that continue without doing anything,"
"They are retaliation against us for the attack on Uzushiogakure,"
"You mean for the attack that you organized,"
"You mean the one that you tacitly approved?"
"This isn't the moment for your dispute,"
Hours said seeing the Danzo and Hiruzen enter another fight
"I agree with advisors Danzo," the head of the Anbu said
"No matter what happened in the past or what we did, this is an attack on Konoha's interests. We should destroy those businesses in the other nation while they are still in infancy, master Hokage, or it will become a nightmare in the future."
Danzo smiled hearing the anmunhead agree with him
"If we are caught the Daimyos will be angry, that will be seen as an attack on their interest,"
"We are constantly infringing on their interest Hiruzen," Homura said they were all aware of the sabotage mission in the village
" Let my root take care of that. We will make it seem like the attacks are from another village. You don't need to worry, the other village will probably try to sabotage the boutiques opened in other nations too,"
It was another thing that they all knew would happen, in the ninja world assassination was all too common let alone sabotage
"I doubt this is going to be that easy, I read the dossier those shops already operate all over the world, and only one or two people are responsible," Shikazumi Nara said
"How is it possible for only two people to take care of that kind of business,"
They asked skeptics
"It is obviously just a front; those people are disposable, pieces that can be sacrificed. They have been careful. After what happened, it's natural."
"So how do we take care of that?" The anbu commander asked
"Like I said, let root take care of that!"
"Alright, Danzo you will be in charge of that, but don't let it affect Konoha,"
With that, the decision was made.
Later in the root headquarters
"Hiruzen I bet you didn't even imagine that I already know Akashi's location."
A day ago, Danzo's men were already in the land of hot water for a mission, encountered Akashi by chance, and reported it to Danzo.
"They are only three of them, those teams of the root should suffice. Unfortunately, they never stay in one place for long or I could send more men,"
"Doesn't matter once I get Akashi, I will have control of all the other Uzumaki, their techniques, their money, resources, and relation with the Daimyo, the title of Hokage will be in my hand, hahaha."