The weather grew colder by the day.
Snowflakes drifted through the sky.
A freezing wind carried grains of snow against the face of Eli, a Kumogakure jonin.
He tightened the pilling scarf around his neck and broke a ration pill in half.
Dirt from the past several days of surprise attacks still remained beneath his fingernails.
As he chewed, it ground between his molars, leaving a rusty taste in his mouth.
"Ugh—!"
"Damn it!"
"Ration pills again!"
"When are these miserable days finally going to end?!"
The sound of retching came from inside the tent.
It was a young Kumogakure genin named Atsui.
Eli licked his cracked lips and glanced toward Atsui without saying anything.
Ration pills could only ensure a shinobi didn't starve to death.
As for the taste—
From the day they were created, ration pills had been famous for being simple, practical, and utterly disgusting.
These damned days were genuinely too difficult.
Even Eli, an experienced jonin, was nearly vomiting from eating them.
Unfortunately, the situation was what it was.
If they didn't eat ration pills, they would go hungry.
It wasn't that the Third Raikage failed to understand the importance of logistics.
Kumogakure had simply suffered one disaster after another and then marched continuously without rest.
The fact that their supply lines could still provide ration pills was already an achievement.
Even the Third Raikage ate them.
At most, he received two oranges to change the flavor.
That was war.
Unbelievably harsh.
Come to think of it—
The massive conflict across the ninja world had already continued for an entire year.
Prices kept rising.
The merchants of the ninja world seemed to have reached an agreement among themselves.
They collectively raised their prices!
Those bastards truly dared do such things directly in front of the shinobi villages.
No one wanted to conduct business at a loss.
But profitable business—
Could genuinely make people risk their lives.
Even after the Third Raikage smashed one shameless merchant's head apart with a single punch, the rise in prices could not be stopped.
Suddenly, Atsui caught a strange and enticing fragrance.
The moment he lifted the tent flap, the rich aroma of roasted meat mixed with the mellow scent of miso soup rushed toward him.
In the distance, the lights of Konoha's camp glowed like warm golden orbs through the falling snow.
"It smells amazing…"
Atsui inhaled deeply.
Longing filled his eyes.
"Senior Eli, should we go acquire some supplies?"
"Don't cause trouble at a time like this."
Gurgle…
"Senior, you're tired of ration pills too, aren't you?"
"We're only going to find something to eat."
"It's not as though we're doing anything unforgivable."
Eli's stomach suddenly cramped.
Almost as if possessed, he nodded in agreement.
The two quietly slipped toward Konoha's camp.
Inside Konoha's tents—
The village was holding its lunchtime gathering.
Konoha's logistics units had constructed a small buffet restaurant inside the camp.
Unlike the cold, dry tents of Kumogakure, every Konoha tent was equipped with a large heating unit.
The machines operated at full power without pause, maintaining the interior temperature at twenty-five degrees.
"Damn, Senior!"
"Those Konoha bastards are genuinely rich!"
"Are all of them young masters from powerful clans?"
"How can their food be this good?!"
"They even have ice cream!"
Atsui stared at the countless dishes arranged across the serving trays.
A green light almost appeared in his eyes.
He wanted to charge inside immediately and devour everything.
Eli swallowed hard.
Clearly, he had not expected Konoha's food to be so luxurious.
Rather than coming to fight a war—
It looked more like they had come on holiday.
"Wait a while."
"We'll find an opportunity to slip inside and bring back as much as we can."
"Someone is infiltrating the camp!"
Before Eli could finish speaking, a Hyuga shinobi discovered the two suspicious figures.
One shout caused an enormous reaction.
Dozens of shinobi rushed out instantly and surrounded them from every direction.
The Konoha shinobi recognized their identities at once.
"Those two Cloud shinobi were sneaking around Konoha's camp!"
"They must be spies!"
"Don't let them escape!"
"Everyone, attack together!"
Atsui and Eli's expressions turned ugly.
They could not allow Konoha to capture them.
"Split up and run!"
"Right!"
"This is bad!"
"They're trying to escape!"
"Don't let them get away!"
"Capture them alive!"
The noise grew louder and louder.
Everyone began shouting that Kumogakure had sent spies.
More Konoha shinobi were drawn toward the commotion.
Not only that—
The shinobi of Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure also heard the disturbance inside Konoha's camp.
Especially those repeated shouts of—
"Capture the Kumogakure spies!"
Everyone immediately became excited.
There was gossip to watch!
"What happened?"
Uchiha Ren heard the commotion and hurried over.
By then, the area around Konoha's camp was already packed with spectators from the other four great villages.
The Konoha shinobi noticed Uchiha Ren and immediately opened a path.
"Hokage-sama, we captured two Kumogakure spies!"
"They were sneaking around suspiciously!"
"They must have been plotting against Konoha!"
"Eli, what are the two of you doing?!"
The Third Raikage stepped from the crowd and immediately recognized the Kumogakure jonin.
His already dark face became even darker.
The Five-Village Alliance was already fragile.
If Konoha found an excuse to cause trouble now, the matter would be no joke.
"No!"
"We meant no harm!"
"We only came looking for something to eat!"
Atsui shouted loudly.
Originally, he had been too ashamed to say it.
But damn it—
The matter had become far too serious!
Now even Konoha's Hokage had arrived.
Their own Raikage was here.
The Kazekage, Mizukage, and Tsuchikage had also come!
If they refused to tell the truth now, they would probably die miserably.
"Looking for food?"
"Does your Raikage not even provide meals?"
Mosa gloated from the side and quietly added fuel to the fire.
"The ration pills taste terrible…"
"I only…"
Atsui's voice became quieter and quieter.
"So that's what happened."
"It was only a misunderstanding."
"All this trouble over a little food…"
"Still, since you're already here, eat a meal in Konoha's dining tent."
Uchiha Ren waved dismissively.
He didn't care about their attempt to steal food.
Ever since Uchiha Ren took power, the treatment of Konoha's shinobi had improved repeatedly.
He knew perfectly well where his foundation lay.
Improving the army's meals was a key project.
Expecting starving shinobi with empty stomachs to risk their lives for you?
Surely no one believed that merely because they were a Kage, they could deduct their shinobi's food and still expect absolute obedience.
Uchiha Ren did not believe his personal charm was that overwhelming.
Besides—
Konoha was already extremely wealthy.
One foot had entered industrialization, and the other was nearly there.
The Land of Rice Fields also served as an enormous granary, guaranteeing Konoha's food supply.
If Konoha's shinobi were still forced to survive on ration pills and cold water like in the past—
There would be no justice in the world!
His title as Konoha's benevolent father was not meaningless.
"Is there anyone else who hasn't eaten enough?"
"Konoha will pay for today's meal!"
The Third Hokage, commander of the allied forces, announced that he was treating everyone.
Naturally, the shinobi of the other four great villages cheered loudly.
There was barely any oil in their stomachs.
Their conditions were not quite as miserable as Kumogakure's, but they were hardly good.
Most days, they ate rice balls and miso soup.
Their supply lines stretched too far.
Then there were those damned profiteering merchants.
Moreover, no one knew how long the war would continue.
Naturally, logistics had to save wherever possible.
Meanwhile—
Whenever mealtime arrived, waves of fragrance drifted from Konoha's camp.
Today, they finally had an opportunity to experience Konoha's food!
Eat Konoha into poverty!
A massive meal began.
"So warm…"
"What is happening inside your tents?"
"And this roasted meat is enormous!"
"Red bean rice!"
"I want red bean rice!"
"National treasure!"
"This is a national treasure!"
"Is this thing called iced cola?"
"Ice cream!"
"You have ice cream in winter!"
"…"
Endless exclamations of amazement filled the dining tent.
Then everyone began stuffing themselves without restraint.
The lunch lasted from eleven in the morning until two in the afternoon.
The kitchens continued bringing out food without pause.
Konoha's cooking staff never collapsed.
Instead—
The shinobi's stomachs reached their limits.
They had already spent an entire year away from home.
When was the last time they had eaten a feast of this level?
They couldn't remember.
The Third Raikage sat in a chair with his stomach protruding.
After eating and drinking his fill—
Ahem.
Warm air from a nearby heating device blew across him, making him increasingly sleepy.
His head became heavy.
His entire body relaxed.
He no longer wanted to do anything.
The Third Raikage had been under enormous pressure recently.
The moment he relaxed slightly, his will weakened considerably.
Ōnoki held a cup of ice cream.
He scooped a spoonful into his mouth and walked over to the Third Raikage.
Ice cream truly was delicious.
"Raikage, the situation is becoming dangerous."
"What happened?"
The Third Raikage had eaten too much.
His thoughts were sluggish, and he failed to understand Ōnoki's meaning.
"This is the Hokage's sugar-coated artillery shell."
Ōnoki frowned deeply.
Even the sweetness of the ice cream in his mouth seemed to fade.
During wartime, the conditions of the various shinobi villages were generally similar.
The better ones ate rice balls with miso soup and occasionally received some meat.
The worse ones, like Kumogakure, relied entirely on ration pills to save money.
The conflict caused by Amegakure had merely been a fuse.
No one knew how long the war would truly continue.
Perhaps another year.
Two years.
Maybe three or four.
Perhaps even four or five years.
Now they had to eliminate the Sky Village.
Later, they still had to destroy Amegakure.
And Konoha's shadow had always stood behind Amegakure.
Defeating Amegakure would not be easy.
War.
Damned war.
Shinobi naturally valued endurance.
At worst, everyone would suffer together like they had during the First Shinobi World War.
Ration pills merely tasted terrible.
They could still be eaten as regular food.
They would not kill anyone.
But the situation was different now.
A corner of Konoha's heavenly palace had been torn open.
Damn it!
Konoha's shinobi were living this well?!
What would the shinobi of Iwagakure think?
Ōnoki had already questioned the kitchen staff.
Today's feast had only been an ordinary lunch for Konoha.
Everyone knew Konoha was powerful.
But no one had known it had already become this powerful.
Only six years had passed since the First Shinobi World War.
Yet the gap had already grown so enormous!
It was like an impassable chasm.
We risk our lives on the front lines while eating disgusting ration pills.
The scraps in Konoha's waste bins are better than our meals!
And you expect us to fight Konoha?
Fight my ass!
Perhaps we should simply escape to Konoha!
Konoha's permanent residency system had been created specifically for situations like this!
A profound sense of helplessness emerged inside Ōnoki.
It was the pain of knowing that even if he exhausted every ounce of effort—
He would never catch up.
The last time he had felt this way was many years earlier.
Back then, he had also faced Konoha.
He had faced that terrifying shinobi who resembled a demonic god from hell—
Uchiha Madara.
But now—
The situation had changed slightly.
Ōnoki did not fear a ninjutsu.
He did not fear Susanoo.
He feared that Konoha was leading in every possible field.
And not merely leading—
It was far ahead.
Ōnoki looked at the Third Raikage and explained every one of his concerns.
"Hmph."
"So, little dwarf, what do you intend to do?"
The Third Raikage snorted coldly.
Mockery filled his voice.
Back in Yugakure, this little dwarf had said almost the same thing.
The two of them had immediately formed an alliance.
But later—
Ōnoki had silently thrown himself into Konoha's arms for money.
The Third Raikage only had to remember it for rage to rise within him.
He wanted to punch Ōnoki in the face.
"We must restrain Konoha's development."
"We cannot allow it to expand so smoothly."
"If this continues, within only a few years, even if Konoha never attacks us directly, we will be unable to maintain our villages."
"People's hearts are already changing."
"I imagine many shinobi and villagers from Kumogakure have already fled to Konoha."
Ōnoki did not take offense at the Third Raikage's rudeness.
Iwagakure had wronged Kumogakure first.
"Raikage, Iwagakure is willing to provide support for Kumogakure's reconstruction in every field."
"At a time like this, I hope we can set aside past grievances and forget the unpleasant events between us."
Ōnoki's attitude was sincere.
He was willing to spend real money to support Kumogakure and repair the relationship between the two villages.
This concerned the future of both villages.
No matter how much Ōnoki hated parting with money, he had to compromise now.
"Hmph."
"If you knew this would happen, why did you act that way in the first place?"
"Before anything else, I will destroy the Sky Village."
The Third Raikage snorted.
That was effectively his agreement.
While Ōnoki and the Third Raikage were speaking, the Third Mizukage, Suitō, approached them.
His mood was also terrible.
One simple lunch had almost shattered his confidence.
The bloodline clans inside Kirigakure had been staring at Uchiha Ren with eyes practically dripping with longing.
Those traitors to the village!
They didn't even bother hiding it in front of him!
The shinobi of the Kaguya Clan were the worst.
They had placed their arms around the shoulders of Hyuga shinobi and chatted like close friends.
Then, in the blink of an eye, they had followed them straight into Uchiha Ren's tent.
They no longer even tried to avoid suspicion!
"Raikage. Tsuchikage."
"Would the two of you be interested in speaking privately?"
The Third Raikage and Ōnoki exchanged glances.
They immediately guessed his intentions and followed the Third Mizukage out of the tent.
"Konoha has become far too powerful."
"We cannot continue fighting among ourselves."
"…"
Suitō spoke with a dark expression.
He knew Konoha had changed greatly over the past several years.
Its strength had expanded rapidly.
But he had never imagined the gap between shinobi villages could become this enormous.
There was no justice in it!
"Exactly!"
"You're right!"
Faced with a Konoha as powerful as a monster—
The three Kage instinctively moved closer together.
Whatever grudges they held against one another—
They could no longer afford to care.