The sun set, then rose again.
And with it came a world-shaking announcement from the Raikage's tower.
War had been declared on Konoha.
With the order given, waves of Kumogakure ninja surged out of the village, rushing to the front lines like a force long prepared.
At the same time, Lord Raikage the Third issued the highest state of alert: all commercial activity was halted, every household ordered indoors, and ANBU took over distribution of supplies.
The clans of Kumogakure welcomed the decision with open arms.
After all, with war looming, iron—an unshakable hard currency—would be easier to sell than ever.
Yet the Third Raikage didn't buy their stock at inflated prices. He brushed them off, claiming the village still had reserves.
Still, the clans remained confident, simply waiting for the day Lord Raikage gave the word.
A day later, a Konoha spokesperson publicly condemned Kumogakure for breaking the rules of engagement. Large numbers of Konoha ninja, headbands gleaming, mobilized to the front.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Hot Water, the price of raw iron at local shops soared—from 400,000 ryo to 600,000 ryo per ton.
But that didn't stop anyone. The wealthy and the daimyōs swarmed the market like sharks scenting blood.
Carriages packed with goods came and went nonstop.
Eager.
Those with pockets full of cash were ravenous for a slice of the wartime profit.
They were certain—this war would make them rich.
In the Land of Hot Water, the two forces clashed violently. Even distant observers were dragged into the crossfire.
Put simply: anyone caught spying on the battlefield—off with their heads.
The dying sun burned red, smeared in blood.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, in Yugakure, the celebration had only just begun.
Countless tycoons decked out in gold and jewels flocked to the red light district, tossing fistfuls of ryo into the air.
They roared with laughter, arms around dancers, drinking wine by the barrel and gorging on meat like it flowed in rivers.
The sky darkened.
The revelry reached its peak.
At the edge of the village, countless gaunt figures stepped out of their wind-leaking shacks, wandering like the walking dead.
They lurked in the shadows, eyes locked on the buckets overflowing with food scraps and alcohol-soaked leftovers, Adam's apples bobbing with longing.
Hungry.
Even if it was slop, even if it was pig feed—it looked better than anything they'd tasted.
Stomachs growled. Eyes glowed green with desperation. Yet still, they dared not move.
Because guarding those scraps were hulking brutes with whips—attack dogs, enforcers, nightmares made flesh.
In the darkest alley, a child in a filthy, tattered linen shirt clung tightly to his equally emaciated mother.
"Mom... why won't they let us have even a little?"
The woman, dirty and reeking, had tears shimmering in her eyes. She pulled the child close, her voice soft.
"They're just... afraid we'll get hurt if we rush in.
Wait a little longer, my child. Just a little longer."
The boy nodded obediently, burying his dirty face into her arms.
The most humble woman, reduced to dust, dared not speak the truth—afraid that hatred would push her son into a death he couldn't escape.
All she had left was her love.
Beneath the brilliant lights of Yugakure—one of the richest villages in the shinobi world—an endless darkness still festered.
...
High above in the black sky, Reiji sat lazily atop a massive blade of iron sand, one leg dangling, his face expressionless as he looked down at Yugakure.
In his mind, the low murmur of Kitty's voice echoed.
"Reiji, are you feeling sad?"
At the question, Reiji raised an eyebrow, smiled faintly, and slowly shook his head.
"Why would I feel sad over those who treat their own kind like outsiders?"
"But... I can still feel it," Kitty mumbled softly. "Your mood feels heavy."
"No need to worry. I'm just a little excited."
As he spoke, Reiji's grin stretched wider, revealing rows of gleaming white teeth.
"I'm waiting—waiting for this beautiful bubble to burst.
No... I want to pop it myself. Let it explode into a dazzling rainbow!"
His tone grew more twisted. In his eyes, the whites faded as black slowly crept over his pupils, consuming them completely.
But in the next instant, the blackness jolted back like it had been electrocuted, and his eyes returned to normal.
Reiji chuckled softly, covering his forehead with one hand, muttering to himself,
"Just sit down and shut up, you spineless coward.
Can't handle it, so you break down, lose control, spiral into hysteria?
And you think you can compete with me?
I'm the guy carrying everything—and I'm still sprinting!"
His arrogant voice was swept away by the howling wind...
When he turned back, the darkness had swallowed everything.
...
By the next morning, the revelers were still asleep, and the starving had crawled back into their shacks.
Then came the shockwave—a piece of news that seemed to sprout wings and spread across the entire shinobi world.
Raw iron prices had dropped!
Back to the original 50,000 ryo per ton. Unlimited supply. Take as much as you want.
In an instant, countless people were yanked out of their hangovers by cold, trembling hands.
What followed was stunned silence—and then chaos.
Alongside this came another bombshell: both the Fire and Lightning countries had simultaneously agreed to cease hostilities over their Tailed Beasts.
The world was shaken. It felt like the sky itself was falling.
All eyes turned toward a small, unremarkable shop in Yugakure, deep in the Land of Hot Water.
Tensions simmered beneath the surface.
The exchange offices were swamped.
Reiji had already slashed half the hired shinobi after raising prices—those who remained were either scared witless or unnervingly calm.
A bounty was placed: 100 million ryo to shut the shop down.
But soon, the employers backed off.
Because the exchange offices had quietly sold their information to the shop.
What followed was a string of mysterious disappearances—wealthy merchants vanishing, daimyōs of minor nations stripped of their power.
The outrage simmering among the elites suddenly went silent.
They attempted to stage a boycott, but it had little effect.
They tried using their hoarded iron to wage a price war, but the shop didn't budge.
After all, they were the ones bleeding.
Then, they realized something terrifying.
This shop had been immovable during the price hike.
And now that prices had plummeted—it was still unshakable.
Their fury, envy, hatred, frustration, and panic—all of it got shoved deep down.
For a moment, the entire shinobi world fell into a state of fear. A massive powder keg, needing only the tiniest spark to erupt.
...
In Konoha, at Reiji's home.
He sat calmly on the corridor, sipping tea with ease.
Of course, he knew everything.
This unnerving silence—it was his design.
And now, all that remained was to fan the flames just enough...
So the explosion would hit exactly where he wanted.
Precision detonation.