"Fire Shadow-sama, this is the war preparation plan. If there are no issues, it can be signed and executed."
Inside the office, Uchiha Tomita respectfully handed over the finalized plan.
Uchiha Ren flipped through it casually.
He didn't care about tactics.
They had fought too many wars already.
The procedures were routine.
Predictable.
What mattered—
Was money.
War was just another way to burn it.
"Four and a half billion ryō…"
Ren let out a long breath.
Even though he was prepared—
It still hurt.
And this was only the beginning.
The real nightmare came later—
Attrition.
Lives lost.
Money burned endlessly.
Fortunately—
This war wouldn't last long.
Ren signed the document.
Funds could now be released.
But his mind wasn't on war.
It was on money.
On results.
On whether Nara Shikaku and Hyuga Takuma had succeeded.
He hadn't slept well in days.
Then—
ANBU arrived.
A letter.
From Shikaku .
Ren read it quickly.
Everything—
Was proceeding smoothly.
The Daimyō had agreed.
Only execution remained.
They requested ANBU support.
"…There might be a lot of killing."
Ren didn't hesitate.
Approved.
Against ordinary people—
Even one ANBU unit was overkill.
Authority meant nothing—
In front of violence.
With the Daimyō backing them—
Everything was justified.
Over the next month—
Letters flew back and forth.
Progress reports.
Updates.
Shikaku downplayed the difficulties.
But Ren could still see it—
This was messy.
Complicated.
The network of nobles and merchants—
Was deeply entangled.
Some even invoked the Uchiha name—
Old clients.
Trying to resist compliance.
Ren's response?
Simple.
"I only care about results."
"Not the method."
Shikaku understood immediately.
Kill if necessary.
Peace was preferred.
Profit was the goal.
But—
Some people refused to cooperate.
Then—
They died.
Clean.
Efficient.
Others hired bounty hunters.
Resisted violently.
For those—
Death wasn't enough.
Their entire family—
Was erased.
After more than a month—
Of negotiation.
Of bloodshed.
Of relentless pressure—
The Fire Country's iron trade channels—
Were unified.
Even—
Prices began to stabilize.
Ren was pleasantly surprised.
But he wasn't satisfied.
Not yet.
His eyes moved outward—
Toward the Land of Iron.
One of the largest iron producers in the ninja world.
Thirty percent of supply.
If he could control that—
It would be huge.
But Shikaku shut it down.
Too far.
Too complicated.
Domestic control was one thing.
Crossing borders?
Diplomacy.
Politics.
Limitations.
Even the Daimyō wouldn't support that.
Ren sighed.
Regretful—
But not discouraged.
If force didn't work—
Then lure them in.
Bring them into Fire Country's market.
Once inside—
They played by his rules.
Sitting back in his office—
Ren finally relaxed.
Preparation—
Complete.
Now—
He just needed the war to begin.
Spies were already sending reports.
Movements.
Mobilization.
Supplies.
Everything was aligning.
All that remained—
Was the spark.
Fire Country.
A bounty exchange.
A chaotic place.
Rogue ninja.
Fallen samurai.
Thieves.
Criminals of all kinds.
The door opened.
A man walked in.
Tall.
Strange.
Black robes.
His arms—
Stitched.
His eyes—
Dark green.
In his hand—
A severed head.
Kakuzu.
Silence fell instantly.
No one dared speak.
The head hit the counter.
Blood splattered.
The manager smiled nervously.
"Kakuzu-sama! Another successful mission!"
"As expected of a top bounty hunter!"
"Payment."
Kakuzu didn't care for praise.
Only money.
The identity was confirmed.
Payment delivered.
Six large boxes.
Each filled with cash.
He opened one.
Ten thousand ryō stacks—
Packed tight.
"Ah…"
"So beautiful…"
He inhaled deeply.
Satisfied.
Money—
Was everything.
Reliable.
Eternal.
He stored it away.
Picked another bounty.
Then left.
On the way—
He stopped by a weapon shop.
Loot needed selling.
Shuriken.
Kunai.
Explosive tags.
Even scraps—
Were money.
Kakuzu believed in efficiency.
In profit.
In squeezing value out of everything.
Inside the shop—
Conversation drifted.
"Have you heard? The iron market in Fire Country is changing."
"Some big shots launched something called 'futures'…"
"Sounds good—prices are more transparent now."
"You're thinking too small."
"People aren't hoarding iron anymore…"
"They're speculating futures."
"Yeah right. Iron prices already dropped since Konoha and Cloud signed peace."
"I doubt it'll work."
"Not necessarily…"
"This futures thing…"
"…could make huge money."
Kakuzu paused.
Negotiation halted.
"…What is iron futures?"
First time hearing it.
Normally—
He didn't care.
Weapons?
Tools?
Unnecessary.
Waste of money.
But then—
He heard it.
"Make huge money."
His eyes—
Lit up.
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