"Makoto, since you've already decided—"
"As an ally of the Akatsuki Ninja Village, my Uzumaki Clan will never let you fight alone!"
After witnessing the overwhelming war budget prepared by Uchiha Makoto, Vortex Shinji no longer hesitated. The Uzumaki Clan would march alongside Akatsuki when the war began. The alliance was not just sealed by words—it was backed by 3.68 billion ryo of friendship.
The Uzumaki were not the kind of people to take someone's money and then stay out of the fight.
After Shinji's departure, Uchiha Makoto called another visitor to remain behind—Uchiha Setsuna.
"Setsuna," Makoto said calmly, "since Konoha refuses to approve of this war, I have nothing more to say. I only hope that when the time comes, Konoha won't interfere."
Uchiha Setsuna's expression was uneasy. Whatever Akatsuki's true purpose was, they had always justified their actions under noble banners—like "Seeking justice for the fallen Chūnin."
Now that the Uzumaki had decided to march with them, Konoha's hesitation became even more glaring.
"Makoto, I'm sorry," Setsuna replied heavily. "I can't decide for Konoha. After all, the First Hokage—Lord Hashirama—is still the leader. But rest assured, if the war does break out and your Akatsuki Village finds itself in danger, my Uchiha Clan will support you. Even if Konoha does not send troops, the Uchiha will send their own men."
His voice carried quiet shame. The Senju Clan still held power in Konoha; the Uchiha were far from dominant. He couldn't guarantee official help—but he could promise their clan's blades.
Makoto gave a faint smile. "Your words reassure me. But the clan might not get that chance. This battle will be ours alone—a battle for Akatsuki's honor."
He paused, his voice turning colder. "The whole ninja world keeps spreading rumors that Akatsuki is merely Konoha's puppet. I intend to crush that idea completely."
With that, Makoto rose and handed Setsuna a small folded note. As the man opened it, only one line was written:
> "Beware of Senju Tobirama."
Setsuna's expression froze, but Makoto was already gone.
---
The Mobilization
After the diplomatic games ended, Akatsuki Village began its final war mobilization.
Uchiha Makoto sat in his office, the lamplight flickering over the list in his hand—a roster of 3,652 shinobi. It represented one-third of Akatsuki's total strength. That was as far as he could go without leaving the village defenseless.
Even with his growing prestige, he could not order every ninja to the front. The village still needed garrison forces, guards, and police.
He exhaled slowly. This is the limit…
The slogans on the walls—"First battle, decisive battle. One victory, one empire."—sounded glorious, but they were dangerous. The "quick victory" faction was, in truth, the "surrender early" faction.
A knock broke the silence.
"Lord Kage," said Kazuma, stepping in with a stack of papers. "Combat supplies have been distributed to every unit—exploding tags, kunai, shuriken. And this—" he hesitated, "—is the budget for the operation. The total estimate stands at twenty-one billion ryo."
Makoto glanced at the figures. Even for decades later, such a sum could fund a full-scale shinobi war. At this time, it was equivalent to burning gold for victory.
If the First Raikage of the Hidden Cloud ever learned that Makoto was ready to spend twenty-one billion to fight him, he might well write a private letter saying:
> "Lord Kage, I was wrong. Let's settle this peacefully. Give me ten billion, and I'll handle it quietly."
Of course, that was a joke—mostly.
---
The Reluctant Treasurer
Kazuma's face was pale. "Lord Kage… with all respect, this war doesn't seem necessary. Especially these expenditures. The exploding tags alone…"
He trailed off, trembling. Watching so much money vanish was agony.
Makoto glanced up, eyes sharp. "Is there still a chance to stop now?"
Kazuma fell silent.
The answer was already written across the entire village.
Public sentiment had boiled over. Posters and banners filled the streets, shouting:
> "The Hidden Cloud insults our fallen comrades!"
"If they won't apologize—then fight!"
"Long live the Akatsuki Ninja Village!"
"Long live Lord Kage!"
"Everything for the Will of Light!"
The entire population, shinobi and civilians alike, had entered a state of feverish patriotism. The ANBU worked hand in hand with protesters, amplifying the movement by covering the streets with fiery slogans.
Merchants joined the tide, handing out free food and water to protesters—while cleverly promoting their own shops. The atmosphere was not one of dread before war but of celebration.
Workers in Akatsuki's factories worked overtime. Orders poured in from across the region. The village-owned enterprises—now tied directly to Makoto's economic policies—thrived like never before.
And so, paradoxically, the closer the war came, the richer and busier the village became.
The Akatsuki Village's economy, infused with fresh investment, entered a boom. Businessmen from nearby nations rushed in to open shops and build factories. It was as if war had become an economic festival.
But Makoto knew this prosperity rested on one fragile condition—victory.
If they lost, everything would collapse.
The villagers believed in their alliance with Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan. They believed Akatsuki would win. The clans knew it too: they couldn't retreat.
The war machine was already rolling.
The public wouldn't allow retreat.
The merchants wouldn't allow retreat.
Even the young ninja, burning with patriotism, wouldn't allow retreat.
The Akatsuki Village was a tank fueled by money and pride, its engine roaring toward the battlefield.
---
The Bigger Picture
Makoto leaned back in his chair, eyes hard. "This battle is inevitable. But don't calculate it as a financial loss."
Kazuma blinked. "Not… a loss?"
Makoto's tone grew firm. "We're not just fighting over land or revenge. We're seizing the right to define this era."
He began outlining his reasoning, his voice calm yet filled with conviction.
"Through this war, we'll seize:
1. The power of declaration—the right to speak and be heard.
2. The cultural authority that Konoha monopolized.
3. The economic influence that will shape the entire Ninja World."
He gestured toward the window, where the lights of Akatsuki Village glimmered below.
"This war is an investment. A down payment for the future."
He went on, almost lecturing himself as much as Kazuma.
"History shows what's coming. In the era of Boruto, information technology dominates the world. Working backward from that, the seeds of that revolution are sown now. In ten to fifteen years, the Ninja World will experience its first Industrial Revolution."
He smiled faintly. "Do you see? This is our chance. Akatsuki can't remain a shadow of Konoha. We must step into the light—build the industries, control the resources, and export our ideology."
Kazuma stared, speechless.
Makoto's thoughts weren't those of an ordinary Kage. He wasn't just planning a war—he was planning a civilization.
---
The Vision
Makoto's tone sharpened.
"If we don't fight now, we'll never build that trust—never gain the leverage to dominate the future. How will we attract top ninjas, merchants, and engineers from across the world? How will we make the world buy our weapons, our tools, our culture?"
He stood up, his cloak rustling.
"How will we sign most-favored-nation treaties with the Lands of Lightning and Earth someday?"
He gave a cold laugh. "Do you think we'll get there by begging?"
Kazuma swallowed. "Lord Kage… your considerations are… far beyond what I imagined."
"Good," Makoto replied. "Then start imagining faster. You're my deputy. Throw away that old, narrow ninja mindset."
His eyes gleamed red for an instant. "The only way to solve everything at once is through war. When we win, everyone—ninja, merchants, nobles—will justify our victory for us."
Kazuma bowed deeply. "Understood, Lord Kage."
---
Preparation
After sending Kazuma away, Makoto turned his gaze to the map.
The Uzumaki Clan had already confirmed their readiness. Their forces waited for Akatsuki's signal.
That night, Makoto ordered the ANBU to deliver a massive shipment—hundreds of millions' worth of exploding tags—to the Uzumaki troops.
He didn't plan a direct head-on clash with the Hidden Cloud Village. Instead, he would fight a financial war—a battle of attrition fueled by endless ryo.
If Cloud shinobi charged, Akatsuki would meet them with a blinding storm of exploding tags, then fall back. Rinse and repeat.
The Cloud Village couldn't possibly match Akatsuki's financial endurance.
And even if Akatsuki suffered losses, their recovery capacity—their factories, their new education system, their young shinobi—was vastly superior.
In the ninja academy, three thousand new students trained daily. Makoto viewed them not as soldiers to waste, but as the foundation of the next era.
Many had written petitions in blood, begging to join the war. Makoto denied them all. "Not yet," he had said. "You will fight in the future that I win for you."
Their loyalty was precious—and irreplaceable.
---
The Night Before War
Summer, Year Three of Konoha.
When all preparations were complete, Uchiha Makoto finally declared a state of emergency across the Akatsuki Ninja Village.
In the name of its Kage, he issued a public ultimatum to the Hidden Cloud Village:
> "Given the Cloud's refusal to cooperate and its hostile stance, the Akatsuki Ninja Village hereby forms a special negotiation force—to demand justice for our two fallen Chūnin."
That night, no one in Akatsuki slept.
Bonfires blazed across training fields. Clans gathered beneath the moonlight—the Kaguya, Yuki, Kurama, and others—each holding their departure ceremonies.
Men and women dressed for battle. Even children, too young to fight, wore miniature armor.
Clan heads stood before ancestral shrines, bowing deeply to the blades of their forebears.
After prayers, the women stepped forward with black lacquered tea bowls, each filled with sake. They handed them to their departing warriors, saying softly:
> "Ichigo ichie—perhaps this is the only time we'll ever drink together."
The flames reflected off armor and tears alike.
Uchiha Makoto watched from the highest tower of the village. Beside him stood Uzumaki Tsubaki, her eyes fixed on the glowing horizon.
"War, huh?" Makoto murmured, watching his people march toward destiny.
The night wind carried the distant sound of drums, and for the first time, the Akatsuki Ninja Village truly felt alive.
Tomorrow, they would ride that flame into history.
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