The smaller nations were pushed to the absolute brink, like cornered beasts with no path of retreat. This was no longer a question of whether one could afford to eat; unless you chose total starvation, it was impossible to evade the meticulously designed traps these vultures had set.
It was only then that Hiruko felt a sudden jolt of clarity, realizing he had personally unleashed a capitalist monster far more terrifying than ten Tailed Beasts combined. This monster was greedy and ruthless, wantonly devouring the wealth and vitality of the world.
However, given the current momentum, Hiruko felt powerless to reverse the tide or halt the spreading disaster. After some deliberation, he shook his head with a mix of complex emotions. He had initially planned to use the power of the capitalist class to drive social reform; now that things had escalated to this point, he could only let nature take its course.
Still, Hiruko intended to intervene by force. Otherwise, the hands of these merchant giants would inevitably be soaked in the blood of the innocent. To these men, being barred from a chance to fill their coffers was a fate worse than death.
With a powerhouse like Hiruko presiding over the situation, even those with ill intent dared not move rashly. In this era of limited information, merchants required vast amounts of time and capital to coordinate a grand conspiracy—it was no easy task. Usually, they existed in a state of mutual suspicion and probing; after all, anyone who could become a merchant giant had a mind like a sieve, full of holes and hidden depths.
But with Hiruko at the helm, all problems seemed solvable. No one doubted his sincerity; he wouldn't cause such a massive upheaval just to screw everyone over. There were too many interest groups involved, with representatives from all Five Great Nations. If he truly tried to betray them, the entire world would hunt him down—a consequence even Hiruko couldn't stomach.
At the same time, no one doubted his strength as a leader. Although this operation was technically under the banner of the Land of Fire, everyone knew Hiruko was the true decision-maker for Konoha and the nation. Even the "Yellow Flash," Minato Namikaze, couldn't match his current influence.
Thus, the interests aligned perfectly. Everyone would feast together in this banquet of wealth.
Initially, the merchants gathered around Hiruko had to worry about competition from other guilds. But as more and more groups joined, they became the dominant force, acting with total impunity. The Five Great Nations offered no reaction. What could they say? Under Hiruko's influence, these merchants weren't targeting the big powers; they were focused entirely on the small nations.
Furthermore, these merchants were essentially the "white gloves" for the Five Great Nations. Why would the masters stop their gloves from gathering gold? They were lucky the nations weren't actively fanning the flames.
If this continues, god knows what the shinobi world will become, Hiruko thought, a primal fear prickling at his skin. The Pandora's Box was open; closing it was impossible. But even so, he couldn't let it worsen indefinitely.
Watching the reports of resistance from small nations trickling into Konoha's intelligence network, Hiruko knew he had to act.
The national leaders, blinded by greed, roared in indignation: "What is wrong with these people from the Land of Sky? How dare they question our unified pricing policy!"
One of them grabbed an intelligence report. Apparently, on the territory of the Land of Sky, the populace was furious with the unified prices imposed by the Great Nations. These self-proclaimed "Sky Ninjas" had even clashed violently with the merchants.
This wasn't an isolated case. Small nations were weak, but under such crushing exploitation, they were bound to protest even if they couldn't win. Aside from the small countries directly aided by Konoha, who could withstand such inflated prices?
The leaders were particularly incensed because they believed Shinno, the leader of the Sky remnants, was intentionally sabotaging their "wealth game." The Land of Sky became the primary target of their collective ire simply because they were the first to be caught resisting.
The Mist diplomat spoke first: "Eliminate them! Kill them! Kill them all!"
Mei Terumi (acting on Yagura's behalf) barked her agreement: "Yes! Cut them down! Who do they think they are, blocking our path?"
Envoys from the other nations chimed in. Hiruko massaged his temples and turned to the Stone diplomat. "What is your stance?"
"Without a doubt, this interferes with our free trade. This trend cannot be allowed to grow!!! This is no longer a simple village skirmish; we must strike with a heavy fist!"
Hiruko looked at the Stone envoy, thinking: You honest-looking fellow... you look the most reliable but you're actually the most ruthless.
Under the expectant gazes of the global shinobi representatives, Hiruko made the call: "Since everyone is in agreement, we shall initiate sanctions against the Land of Sky."
Maybe after this storm, everyone's greed-fogged brains will clear up a bit, Hiruko mused.
Shinno looked down at the fallen Grass merchant, his brow furrowed. Behind him, the citizens of the Land of Sky were cheering. They swarmed the merchant's wagons, stripping them of every grain of rice in minutes. Even the horses, the merchant's clothes, and his weapons were scavenged.
The natural environment of the Sky territory was currently abysmal. Once Shinno and his ninjas left, wild beasts would smell the blood and finish the job, leaving no trace behind in the primeval forest.
One Sky ninja found the courage to whisper, "Lord Shinno, is this wise? These are merchants from the Great Nations."
Shinno knew he had blundered in a moment of impulse. But those merchants had hiked prices to dozens—even hundreds—of times their original value. Who could endure it?
Shinno, who had dealt with Dark Chakra for years, was naturally irritable. He had only resurfaced to make a living for his people, but finding this kind of "market" made his blood boil. He had killed the arrogant Grass merchants, screaming, "Buy or don't buy! I've never seen a merchant so damn insolent!"
These slain merchants weren't important figures. A truly prominent merchant would be doing business in the safety of the big cities, not trekking to a barren wasteland for meager margins. The Land of Fire's ecology was well-preserved; the forests were full of monsters that even ninjas feared.
But they were Grass merchants, and the Land of Grass was Konoha's "little brother." Grass itself wasn't scary; the Leaf was. Everyone knew Grass and Leaf were practically one and the same now. Under the unwritten rules of the Five Villages, if the Sky Ninjas initiated conflict during peacetime, the Land of Grass would demand an investigation—and Konoha would provide the investigators.
Once the Leaf intervened, there would be no easy way out.
Shinno's expression was volatile yet calculated. Without his hard, decisive nature, he could never have led his people through such harsh conditions or kept them hidden under Konoha's nose for so long. He had partnered with Danzo, so he understood the weight of killing these men.
His gaze sharpened. This wasn't how he wanted to start, and his supplies were low, but since it had happened, he might as well make a grand show of it.
His original plan was to reclaim the Land of Sky as a foundation. To others, it was worthless land, but it was their land. To take it back, a confrontation with Konoha was inevitable. He didn't care how many lives it cost.
Since Hiruko took power, millet prices had soared. Naturally, the residents of the Sky territory were resentful. If Shinno stood up for them, he would win their absolute loyalty. He didn't actually care for the commoners, but he knew the Sky population was his labor base. Why not seize the opportunity?
"Kill them all!"
Hearing the order, the subordinates were thrilled, though a few looked worried. They remembered Shinno's teachings: the Five Villages were powerful.
"Your decisiveness is refreshing, My Lord!"
"I've been sick of the Five Villages for a long time!"
Shinno knew a full-scale war was premature. "We make an enemy of Grass, but not yet of the Leaf. Konoha isn't the center of the world; they have powerful rivals. We should look to the Cloud or the Stone for an alliance."
The subordinates understood. Shinno's ambition was to rule the world—a dream as vast as Hiruko's. Without that ambition, he couldn't have spent years in a cold, damp underground base.
But he was also a strategist. Cloud and Stone hated the Leaf. They had suffered at Hiruko's hands during the war. If the Sky Ninjas struck the Leaf and Sand now, the Cloud and Stone would be delighted. Diplomatically, they would likely protect the Sky to spite Konoha. As for the Mist, they were only good for assassinations. Even if the Mist tried to move, as long as one major power vetoed the resolution in a Three-to-Two vote, Konoha's hands would be tied.
Of course, Konoha had under-the-table methods. They could force Suna to act. But the Land of Sky wasn't a soft target. With the Zero-Tails and the Aircraft Carrier, they had the leverage to fight back.
"Most people in this world respect the strong and bully the weak," Shinno explained to his men. "If we show enough strength, even Konoha will hesitate. That young Hokage, Minato Namikaze, won't be foolish enough to charge straight into our territory."
With the attitude settled, a two-day bloodbath began. Against real ninjas, the merchants of Grass, Demons, and Fire were helpless. Their weapons and guards were toys to shinobi. In a single wave, the once-arrogant men were reduced to scrap and bone.
The declaration was total.
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