Land of Mountains — Hidden Flame Village.
"Sign it."
"As long as you do, Konoha will help you through this crisis."
The village leader stared at the agreement in front of him, his expression grim.
He knew—
This single decision would determine the fate of his entire village.
This was extortion.
Blatant.
Shameless.
And yet…
They needed the money.
Desperately.
The interest was outrageous.
The conditions—harsh.
This was Konoha's response to their recent actions.
A warning.
Cross Konoha—
And pay the price.
After a long silence—
He picked up the pen.
Signed.
Because when your body is on fire—
You don't care whether the water comes from a river…
Or something far worse.
As long as the flames are extinguished.
Across the shinobi world—
The same scene repeated.
Again.
And again.
Sunagakure.
Under the scorching sun, Third Kazekage (Rasa) wiped the sweat from his brow.
Before him lay piles of refined gold sand.
A morning's worth of labor.
He smiled faintly.
Finally—
He found shade, opened his water flask, and took out the meal his wife had prepared.
But before he could eat—
ANBU arrived.
He read the report.
Konoha…
Had destroyed the explosive tag market.
"…I understand. You may leave."
Once alone—
He slammed his fist into the rock beside him.
Crack.
Jealousy.
Raw.
Burning.
Konoha had devoured the entire market.
Chewed it.
Swallowed it whole.
And profited immensely.
Meanwhile—
He toiled in the desert.
Day after day.
And still couldn't earn a fraction of what Konoha made in one move.
But there was nothing he could do.
No technology.
No infrastructure.
No supply chain.
Entering that market now—
Would only lead to losses.
And provoke Konoha.
Iwagakure.
Ōnoki stared at the report in silence.
His spirit visibly dimmed.
Konoha had gained yet another source of funding.
And he—
Was still stuck in place.
Studying Ren's writings.
Trying to understand.
Trying to replicate.
Use ninjutsu and technology to drive productivity.
Factories.
Trade.
Industry.
He had ideas.
He truly did.
But—
No money.
Funds had already been diverted into the Ponzi project.
The village was struggling.
Even the leadership was beginning to question him.
Where had all the money gone?
And yet—
He couldn't explain.
Because of the agreement.
Absolute secrecy.
Now—
If he tried to divert even more funds into industry—
They would revolt.
Ōnoki closed his eyes.
Then—
Opened them again.
The answer…
Was already written.
In Ren's ideology.
If the poor couldn't pay—
Then take from the rich.
Just a small step beyond morality—
And the world would open up.
His hand tightened around his blade.
"…Just a little longer."
"Once the plan succeeds…"
"Everything will change."
Kumogakure.
Third Raikage smashed the table in front of him.
"Damn it!!"
"Konoha made money again!"
"Please calm down, Raikage-sama!" the finance minister said quickly.
Then—
Smiling.
"We've also made over one billion this time."
"Between returns and referral bonuses…"
"Should we reinvest?"
The Raikage didn't hesitate.
"Of course!"
"Next year's Daimyo funding—put it all in too!"
"We need to surpass Konoha!"
"Understood!"
Time passed.
One month later.
Underground Laboratory, Uchiha Compound.
"Are you sure this sealing technique can capture Black Zetsu?"
Uchiha Ren frowned.
"We only get one chance."
"If it escapes… it'll disappear again."
Tobirama snorted.
"This is my life's work over the past months."
"It incorporates the essence of Uzumaki sealing techniques."
"Instead of worrying about the technique…"
"You should worry whether you can even learn it."
Ren clicked his tongue.
"Who are you looking down on?"
He glanced at the complex formula.
…Yeah.
This was going to hurt.
But he couldn't back down.
Not now.
"Hmph. If you fail," Tobirama said calmly, "I might consider teaching you."
"Keep dreaming."
Ren rolled his eyes.
But that wasn't why he came.
He took out a scroll.
Opened it carefully.
A shimmering barrier formed—
Inside it—
Something wriggled.
Sticky.
Dark.
Trying to break free—
Only to be burned back by the talisman attached.
"Take a look," Ren said. "A fragment of the Mōryō's soul."
Tobirama's expression changed.
"Mōryō… the demon sealed by the priestess of the Land of Demons?"
"Where did you get this?"
"That thing is dangerous."
"Relax," Ren waved it off. "Just a fragment. The main body is sealed."
"I had ANBU extract it using Yamanaka techniques."
Tobirama stared at him.
"…What are you planning now?"
Ren grinned.
"Mōryō claims to have an infinite puppet army."
"Exaggeration, of course."
"But they regenerate quickly using its chakra."
Tobirama narrowed his eyes.
"You want me to control that army."
"Correct."
Ren snapped his fingers.
"No reward, though."
"And be careful—this thing can manipulate minds."
"If you get brainwashed, I'm not cleaning up your mess."
"Hmph. Worry about yourself."
Tobirama shot back.
But his expression had already grown cautious.
Ren activated his eyes.
His pupils shifted—
Into a Mangekyō pattern.
A surge of power filled the room.
The fragment—
Immediately shrank.
Trembling.
Terrified.
"See?" Ren smirked. "It's already traumatized."
"Enough," Tobirama snapped. "Stop showing off your Sharingan."
He looked at the trembling fragment with disdain.
"Pathetic."
"Afraid of mere Mangekyō power."
"I despise creatures like this."
Ren snorted.
"You're just jealous of the Sharingan."
Tobirama's face twitched.
"I've killed dozens of Uchiha!"
"Even one with the Mangekyō!"
"The Senju are their natural enemies!"
Ren leaned forward slightly.
"Oh really?"
"Then I'll release your control right now."
"Uchiha Madara is at the arcade in Konoha."
"Go repeat that in front of him."
Silence.
Tobirama froze.
"…I—of course I would!"
"I'll show him the power of the Flying Thunder God!"
Ren laughed.
"Stubbornness is your last defense."
Tobirama bristled—
But before he could react—
Ren formed a hand sign.
The Edo Tensei bindings activated.
Silence.
"Relax," Ren said casually.
"No need to get worked up."
"If you're jealous, just admit it."
"No one will laugh at you."
"In this world—who doesn't want the Sharingan?"
Tobirama shook his head repeatedly.
"I'm not jealous."
"Others might be."
"But not me."
Ren stared at him—
Then slowly smiled.
The air—
Filled with unmistakable amusement.
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