095 Dirty Deal
The situation in the ninja world had shifted drastically.
The Country of Wind stationed an army of 3,000 ninjas at the border of the Country of Fire, showing a clear readiness to attack at any moment.
In response, Akamichi Torifu, who was in charge of the frontier defense, led 2,000 Konoha shinobi to set up a defensive line on the border.
Both sides watched each other closely, but for seven days, no full-scale battle occurred. Instead, only small skirmishes between scouting teams took place.
Although there were some victories and defeats, these conflicts had little impact on the larger situation.
The fiercest battles erupted in the small countries between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind.
A fierce conflict also broke out between the Land of Tea and the Land of Rivers.
However, after Simu's destruction of the Land of Tea, where he wiped out seven Jōnin in one strike—almost two-thirds of their high-end combat force—the Land of Rivers gained the upper hand, nearly suppressing the Land of Tea.
But Sunagakure intervened, sending a large number of puppet ninjas to join the fray, quickly turning the tide in favor of the Land of Tea.
In response to requests for help, Akamichi Torifu sent several teams to support the Land of Rivers.
While the major powers' territories remained untouched, the small nations between them were torn apart by the ongoing war.
This is the harsh reality of war for smaller countries—not just the Land of Rivers and Land of Tea, but others as well.
Other countries, like the Land of Bears and the Land of Rain, have also started showing signs of unrest. However, for now, these developments have nothing to do with Simu.
Taking advantage of the past seven days, he secretly entered the Land of Wind.
As he looked around at the endless yellow sand swirling in the air, he sighed softly.
To his surprise, a large amount of sand blew into his mouth with the breeze.
"Bah! Bah! Bah!" Simu quickly adjusted his trench coat and hat, muttering under his breath,
"What a ghostly place."
No wonder the Land of Wind is always eager to launch attacks, he thought.
Living in this desolate place would be unbearable.
Simu was alone on this mission. Although Third Hokage had planned to send a sensory ninja with him, Simu preferred working alone for more freedom of movement.
He walked through the yellow sand, and he couldn't deny that navigating this environment for long was exhausting.
If it weren't for his Marine Admiral's incredible physique, he would have likely died of dehydration by now, given the speed and harsh conditions.
After nearly two hours of walking, Simu finally neared his destination.
Ahead of him was a huge rock rising out of the desert, so large that a town could easily be built on top of it!
Inside the massive boulder, there was a large supply of iron ore.
This discovery was a huge prize for the Country of Wind, and they quickly set up heavy security around it.
During the First and Second Ninja World Wars, the Country of Wind clashed with the Country of Fire several times over this mine.
Ultimately, the Country of Wind's natural ability to adapt to the desert terrain helped them secure control over it, and they named it Black Iron Town.
With the ongoing tension on the front lines, the atmosphere in Black Iron Town has been tense.
Ninja units frequently pass through to rest and reorganize before escorting new weapons to the front.
Meanwhile, thousands of miners work day and night in the mine.
The freshly mined iron ore is transported by cart to the smelter for processing.
Afterward, it's taken to the forge, where it's shaped into weapons and then delivered to the ninjas.
These weapons are then escorted by ninjas to the front lines.
Black Iron Town is guarded by a Jōnin named Rossi, the younger brother of the Third Kazekage, and Chiyo's apprentice.
As Chiyo's apprentice, Rossi is quite powerful.
At this moment, he sat cross-legged in his office, coldly eyeing the two Konoha ninjas before him.
"Are you serious?" Rossi asked, staring at the two with a piercing gaze.
"The Mitokado Clan has too many connections,"
Rossi said with a stern look.
"It's one thing for you to smuggle weapons from me during normal times, but look at the situation now. The Land of Fire and the Land of Wind are already at war. Do you really think I'll continue selling weapons to you?"
His tone was firm, with an unmistakable authority.
The Mitokado clan member from Konoha felt uneasy under Rossi's intense gaze.
If Master Mitokado Homura hadn't given a direct order, he would never have come to the Land of Wind at this time. It was a difficult situation.
Under Mitokado Homura's influence, the Mitokado family had been involved in smuggling weapons across the ninja world.
They bought weapons from the Black Iron Town in the Land of Wind and smuggled them to small countries through the Land of Demons.
The Mitokado Clan had also tampered with Konoha's armory.
They believed it was a waste to keep the weapons stockpiled without using them, so large quantities of equipment were being funneled to various countries, all with Mitokado Homura's silent approval.
Now that Konoha had suddenly gone to war, the shortage in their weapon reserves had become nakedly obvious.
If they couldn't quickly replenish their stock, the Mitokado Clan would likely face severe consequences from the Hokage's administration.
At this point, the only group capable of filling the gap in such a short time was the Mitokado family.
However, with the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind at war, things were complicated.
No matter how hard he tried, Rossi couldn't sell weapons to the generals or his fellow countrymen.
Just as Mitokado Suga was becoming increasingly anxious, Rossi spoke slowly, "If you want weapons now... add money."
A smile spread across Suga's face. "How much more?"
"This is the price to buy my brother's support," Rossi replied, opening his palms.
"At least five times the original price."
"Five times?!" Suga's teeth clenched in disbelief.
Their usual smuggling profits were only three times the cost. But now, Rossi was demanding five times that amount.
Rossi didn't mind; he slowly leaned back in his chair. "If you think it's too expensive, you don't have to buy."
But if the Mito family didn't buy, they might be discovered by the Hokage. Thinking about this, Suga gritted his teeth. "I'll buy."
After agreeing on the quantity and price, Suga left the office, leaving Rossi and another ninja behind.
"Master Rossi, are we really going to sell them weapons?" the ninja asked.
Rossi replied, "Of course, we'll sell!"
"Why wouldn't we sell if there's money to be made?" Rossi said.
"But..." The ninja hesitated.
Rossi smiled. "Do you remember the defective weapons from the last failed batch?"
The assistant's eyes suddenly lit up. "Ah, yes."
"Since they want to buy, let's sell them those," Rossi said.
"Understood."
The assistant immediately went to make the necessary arrangements.
He would feel guilty selling real weapons to Konoha, especially since many of their friends and family were in Sunagakure.
It would be bad if those weapons hurt them. But selling the defective ones?
That was no problem.
These weapons may appear flawless at first glance, but in reality, they will break after a few intense encounters.
For example, a few clashes with an enemy could cause them to shatter. When that happens, the Konoha Shinobi will regret their decision.
The assistant sneered.
Rossi then ordered, "Increase the mining pace."
The assistant hesitated. "But the miners only have six hours of rest. If we push them harder, they might not be able to handle it."
Rossi looked at him coldly and spoke without hesitation. "Cut their rest to four hours. If that's still not enough, add drugs to their food. It's a small price to pay to get weapons for the front lines."
"Understood."
Since the supervisor had given the order, the assistant couldn't argue.
As for the drugs Rossi mentioned, they were developed by the Sunagakure Research Institute.
After taking them, people become extremely excited, able to work nonstop without eating or drinking.
While it reduces their sanity, it's perfect for the miners, who are near exhaustion.
The effect lasts for five days, making it a good option to push these miners, who are close to collapse, to their limits.
Even though many of these miners are civilians from the Land of Wind, sacrifices are necessary for the final victory in the war.
Mito Suga felt a lot better after receiving a positive answer.
He stood on the edge of Black Iron Town, leaning against the city wall, looking out at the vast, barren desert below. "It's really desolate".
He rested his hands on the wall, and a Sand Shinobi nearby, noticing the token of Black Iron Town on him, didn't pay him much attention.
The wind blew across the land.
Suddenly, a black shadow appeared in the distance, cutting through the desert.
Suga rubbed his eyes and called out to a Sand Shinobi beside him, "Did you see that? There's a figure in the desert!"
The Sand Shinobi sneered. "A figure? In this weather?"
"Impossible. Anyone walking through the desert alone in these conditions would be courting death," he said, though he still glanced in the direction Mito had pointed.
The desert seemed empty.
"Are you kidding me?" the Sand Shinobi asked, looking at Mito with clear displeasure.
The hostility between their two countries was well-known, and it felt even stronger now that Mitokado Suga had made his claim.
Suga , however, was unfazed. He had clearly seen a figure appear in the desert just moments ago.
High above the sky, Simu had fully expanded his Observation Haki, covering the entire Black Iron Town.
"I didn't expect the Mitokado family to get involved with the Land of Winds,"
He had been one of the guards standing next to Mitokado Homura that night.
Thinking about it, it made sense why Mitokado had tried so hard to prevent the war from breaking out.
However, none of that mattered to Simu's mission this time. His only goal was to destroy the mine.
Suddenly, a flash of light pierced through the dust.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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