Kaji had left home early, as usual, after his daily training. The sun hadn't fully risen yet, and the crisp morning air carried the scent of fresh bread and spices from the food district. It was there that he spotted Might Duy, the "Eternal Genin," as enthusiastic as ever, even in the face of rising prices.
"Well, well, look who we have here—the eternal genin! Unfortunately, prices have gone up again!" the shopkeeper sneered, a man with a sharp smile and calculating eyes.
Duy laughed as if the jab were part of his routine. "Hahaha! Youth also grows! No matter—have a good day, Mr. Shopkeeper!" And off he went, bags swinging, his energy unshaken.
Kaji watched in silence, his brow furrowed. Something didn't smell right—and it wasn't just the fish.
Approaching the counter, he ordered vegetables and fruit, then casually asked:
"I heard prices have increased?"
The shopkeeper suddenly paled, swallowing hard. "O-oh, no, no, Jonin-sir! The prices are the same!"
But Kaji had already heard enough. His icy gaze cut through the man like a blade. This wasn't just inflation—it was manipulation.
Within minutes, an Anbu was summoned. Konoha's police force swept through the food district, and the truth came to light: a network of nobles from neighboring countries had been inflating prices to exploit rookie shinobi, those who relied on meager earnings.
The operation was swift and ruthless. Corrupt merchants were exposed, nobles exiled, and order restored—with an iron fist, if necessary.
Kaji sighed as the market finally settled. It had all started with an offhand comment, a foolish taunt. But in Konoha, even the simplest words could dig deep chasms—or reveal those willing to taint them with greed.
"Who would've thought…" he mused, turning his back on the now-peaceful district. "The price of honesty never changes."
At 16 years old, Shikaji Nara Sarutobi had lived through three relatively peaceful years—at least, peaceful for those under the protection of their villages. The same could not be said for the less fortunate minor shinobi caught in the crossfire.
The cold and shadow wars among the smaller nations raged on. Suna, confident of an easy victory, was caught off guard when the Land of Waves' samurai, backed by technological advancements and steady supply lines, pushed the Land of Grass into retreat. Though Grass was under Suna's banner, they refrained from deploying their samurai, fearing retaliation from Konoha.
This hesitation played right into Konoha's plans. Suna overspent, and according to Konoha's high command, they had already lost funding from their Daimyo and were crippled economically. The Land of Grass was on the verge of surrender—until the Fire Daimyo made a decisive move. He forced Grass to station its samurai along the Wind Country's borders, attacking anyone who dared to cross.
Unsurprisingly, a pro-Konoha Daimyo rose to power in the Land of Grass, facilitating this shift. The Land of Wind found itself cornered, and the Hidden Sand Village was buried in billions of Ryo in debt.
Meanwhile, the conflict between the Land of Hot Water and Takigakure took a brutal turn. After losing their food supply, they relied on aid from Iwa and Kumo—but Konoha's elite shinobi intercepted most shipments. What began as a war of interests turned into pure hatred between the two minor nations, spiraling beyond Iwa and Kumo's control, with skirmishes even spilling into their territories.
With Iwa and Kumo losing interest, both the Land of Hot Water and Takigakure were desperate for food—and Konoha seized the opportunity. The Fire Country began selling overpriced supplies, reaping massive profits. The Fire Daimyo even granted Hiruzen's request for a 20% cut to prepare for future wars, eliminating the need for emergency funds later.
Konoha withdrew its sabotage units—just as Kiri entered the fray with the same strategy. The only difference? Konoha leaked intel about Kiri's swordsmen operating in Kumo and Iwa's lands, enraging the Raikage and Tsuchikage.
For now, Konoha remained at ease, amused by the chaos consuming its rivals.
In a desperate bid for resources, Suna officially declared war on the Land of Rain. Seeing an opportunity, Kumo and Iwa sent military operations into Rain, pushing Amegakure to its limits. In a fit of rage, Hanzo declared war on all five major nations.
Shikaji's Current Situation
Now stationed as an advanced guard for Konoha's supreme command post, Shikaji watched as the world burned around him.
Despite Ame's efforts to sow chaos among the great nations and relieve pressure, Konoha simply fortified its position with 10,000 shinobi, refusing to engage. Suna, unable to invade buffer nations without clashing with samurai forces, ignored Hanzo's provocations and focused on conquering its side of Rain.
Kumo and Iwa were stuck in an odd stalemate—though they were opportunistic, they couldn't strike Konoha directly, as the war between Takigakure and the Land of Hot Water still raged. Worse, they now attacked any foreign shinobi found in their territories.
Seizing the moment, Iwa attacked the Land of Wind, and Kumo retaliated against Iwa, leaving only Konoha and Kiri as silent observers. The world had descended into chaos once more.
Hanzo, realizing Konoha had no interest in fighting him, left them alone—for now. Konoha's stance was simple: "Your country is poor, your village is weak. Stay quiet, and we'll stay quiet."
But Hanzo, drunk on his own power, refused to back down. He sent 5,000 Ame shinobi to wage guerrilla warfare against Konoha.
In response, only one man stood before them—the Third Hokage himself.
Hiruzen Sarutobi annihilated over 3,000 Ame-nin, forcing Hanzo to retreat like a whipped dog.
And once again, the world remembered why Sarutobi Hiruzen was hailed as the "God of Shinobi" of this era.
Currently, Danzo was conducting covert operations in the Land of Water. Shikaji's earlier warning had long unsettled him—Kiri shinobi were rarely seen, and he suspected something deeper was at play.
And he was right.
The Third Mizukage was struggling to unite the village, as the powerful clans now ruled in their own self-interest. Kirigakure's feeble attempts to scavenge scraps from past wars had failed, further eroding the Mizukage's authority and breeding distrust and instability within his rule.
Sabotage operations targeting their fishing vessels, theft of supply shipments bound for neighboring islands—over the past three years, these incidents had left Kiri paranoid and weakened.
All evidence pointed to Kumo shinobi, leading Kiri to believe this was retaliation for their earlier interference in the minor nations' conflicts.
Assassinations of high-ranking officials only deepened the resentment. The current Kirigakure was seething with hatred toward Kumogakure—yet they still hadn't declared war.
Because true unification had not yet been achieved.
And in the shadows, Danzo watched… waiting.