At the Fire Capital, a meeting was underway.
The building hosting it had been sealed off completely—not because the city slept, but because what was being discussed inside could not be overheard.
Merchants from the Land of Iron sat along a long lacquered table, their expressions restrained but alert. Behind them stood samurai in full armour, hands resting close to their swords—not threatening, but unmistakably present.
At the opposite end stood Koji.
He wore formal attire bearing the Uchiha clan crest, the symbol clearly embroidered upon his chest. Akari stood slightly behind him, silent, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp, observing every shift in the room.
The Iron Country merchants did not place much faith in ninja beasts.To them, such creatures were unreliable—too wild to be trusted.
Yet there was a contradiction they could not ignore.
The Cat Clan were unrivalled geniuses in smelting and craftsmanship. Their work had earned the respect of samurai themselves, forcing the merchants to acknowledge them—not as beasts, but as merchants.
And now…
The Cat Clan had produced something new.
Something already circulating among the nobility.
Something valuable enough that every merchant present had chosen to attend this meeting, despite their doubts.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then one of the merchants finally broke the silence.
"You must understand," he said calmly, fingers tapping the table, "that Iron Country does not place much trust in ninja beasts."
A few others nodded in agreement.
Koji smiled faintly.
"That is understandable," he replied. "Trust is expensive. We are not here to ask for it."
That answer drew their full attention.
Koji stepped forward and placed several sealed blueprints onto the table. Akari slid them smoothly toward the merchants.
"What we are offering," Koji continued, "is not belief. It is profit."
The seals were broken.
As the papers were spread open, murmurs rippled through the room.
Vehicles.
Lightweight frames.Reinforced axles.Wheels designed not for war, but for roads.
"These are not carts," one merchant muttered. "They're… faster."
"They are designed for ordinary people," Koji said evenly."Merchants. Couriers. Civilians."
He tapped a specific section of the design.
"The wheel is where most of you failed."
The merchants stiffened slightly.
"Many attempted to copy our bicycles," Koji continued calmly."But you were stopped at three points—wheel construction, gear balance, and material quality."
The silence that followed was heavy.
"We use a processed material layered over iron," Koji explained."Flexible. Shock-absorbing. Durable. It reduces fatigue, increases speed, and remains stable even on uneven roads."
"Rubber," he said plainly.
A samurai frowned. "That material is rare."
"Only if you do not control the supply," Koji replied.
Then he turned another page.
"There will not be a single design."
Travel variants.
Cargo variants.
Passenger-focused builds.
"These are not luxuries," Koji said."They are for daily lives."
Now the room shifted.
This was no longer a novelty.
After a long discussion—numbers whispered, calculations scratched—the head merchant finally spoke.
"We will handle production and distribution," he said slowly."But such innovation demands a shared interest."
Koji waited.
"We propose thirty per cent of all profits from vehicle sales," the merchant continued,"across all territories, to go to Uchiha-affiliated merchants."
Akari's gaze sharpened.
"Our trade routes will be open to you," the merchant added."And these vehicles may be sold to other countries under joint banners."
Koji nodded once.
"One condition," he said.
The room stilled.
"All steel and refined components will be supplied exclusively by the Cat Clan," Koji stated."You may sell the vehicles wherever you wish. We will provide the designs. The materials remain ours."
The merchants exchanged glances.
Then the head merchant nodded.
"…Accepted."
The deal was sealed.
But Koji did not sit down.
"There is one more matter."
A small wooden box was placed on the table.
Inside were neatly wrapped packets and glass vials.
"These are medicines," Koji said."For fever.
Pain.
Infection.
First aid."
The samurai stiffened.
The merchants leaned forward instinctively.
"No chakra," Koji continued."No ninja requirement. For ordinary people."
The room fell silent.
"If this is real—" one merchant began.
"It is," Koji said calmly.
"How much?" another asked.
Koji closed the box.
"They will not be sold wholesale."
The merchants froze.
"These medicines will be sold only through Uchiha Cat Clan shops within the Land of Iron," Koji said."Fixed pricing. Controlled supply. No third-party distribution."
"And prescriptions?" someone asked carefully.
"None," Koji replied."But no resale."
The head merchant exhaled slowly and smiled thinly.
"You are not just selling goods," he said."You are reshaping markets."
Koji returned the smile.
"For that," he said,"We will require cooperation from merchants, from daimyo, and from nations. Iron Country stands at the centre of international trade."
He looked around the table.
"With your support, the Uchiha will no longer be confined to shinobi politics."
Outside, the Fire Capital went on as usual.
But within those walls, something fundamental had shifted.
Trade had changed.
And the Uchiha had quietly placed their hands upon it.
At Konoha Village
The atmosphere within Konoha was hurried and tense.
Every clan compound was alive with activity as shinobi prepared the necessities for the war scheduled to begin the following day.
Supply scrolls were checked, weapons inspected, and final arrangements made under the watchful eyes of clan elders.
Earlier that morning, the village higher-ups had made an announcement.
An agreement had been reached with the merchant guilds.
For the next ten years, free trade would be permitted within Konoha. Merchants would be required to pay only fifty per cent of the taxes and charges they previously bore, and the village would no longer interfere in their internal trade operations.
The impact was immediate.
With the announcement came confirmation that the prices of war supplies would be restored to their original rates.
Across the village, relief spread quietly.
From clan shinobi to civilian workers and jōnin alike, many let out long-held breaths. For days, the rising cost of supplies had become a growing nightmare—each increase heavier than the last.
Now, at last, stability had returned.
And for that, the clans and shinobi were genuinely grateful.
At the Uchiha Clan Compound
Within the Uchiha compound, Fugaku stood facing the gathered force.
Fifty jōnin stood in disciplined formation before him. Elder Setsuna stood at his side, his presence steady and commanding.
Fugaku had expected support.
But not to this extent.
He glanced briefly toward Setsuna, understanding now that Hawk had not held back. The message was clear.
The Grand Elder had proven it once again—he was Uchiha to the core.
Fugaku allowed himself a small smile.
It was one of quiet gratitude.
The Grand Elder looked at Fugaku and spoke calmly.
"These jōnin will form the core combat squads," he said."The chūnin and genin sent by Hawk will follow their respective jōnin in battle."
He paused briefly.
"You may choose five leaders and divide them into five teams."
Fugaku nodded.
"Thank you, Grand Elder," he said respectfully.
Then his gaze shifted.
In Elder Setsuna's hand were several black-coloured pills.
"…And what are those?" Fugaku asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"These are energy fasting pills," the Grand Elder replied."They have been researched and refined by us."
He met Fugaku's eyes.
"They are twice as effective as the fasting pills currently issued by the village."
Fugaku stiffened.
"Twice?" he repeated, shocked.
Then instinctively, he said,"Elder… why was this not shared earlier? If we sell these to the village—"
His words stopped.
Elder Setsuna was smiling.
But it was not a happy smile.
"These pills require rare and costly materials," Setsuna said evenly."We can barely produce enough to support our own clan."
His gaze hardened.
"And if you believe we will hand over the production method to the village," he continued coldly,"You are mistaken."
Fugaku fell silent.
"Hawk will use these resources himself," Setsuna said."They will not be given to other factions."
The words were final.
Realising his mistake, Fugaku lowered his head slightly.
"…I understand," he said."Thank you, Grand Elder."
The pills were taken.
And with them, Fugaku finally understood—
The Uchiha were no longer fighting with shared strength.
They were fighting with their own.
The Grand Elder gestured, calling five individuals forward.
He spoke quietly to them, issuing brief instructions. Each of them nodded in understanding before dispersing. Only after that did Elder Setsuna turn and leave the courtyard.
Fugaku remained behind, still studying the pills in his hand.
Outside the courtyard, Uchiha Uzuku waited.
When the Grand Elder approached, Uzuku bowed lightly.
"Grand Elder," he said,Toyoma has already sent the medicine to Koji. He developed a version specifically for civilians."
Setsuna paused.
Uzuku continued,"Koji believes the effects are strong enough to be demonstrated publicly. He wishes to request a meeting with the Fire Daimyo—to display the medicine's effectiveness through the Fire Capital and introduce it to other countries."
He hesitated briefly.
"He also asks whether the Uchiha would be willing to collaborate directly with the Daimyo."
The Grand Elder listened in silence.
He had already seen the effects of the medicine on Uchiha civilians. He knew its value—not just for health, but for influence.
Such a thing would not go unnoticed by nobles.
Nor by a Daimyo.
After a moment, Setsuna spoke.
"…I understand."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"This will interest the Daimyo," he said calmly."And the Fire Capital's nobles will not ignore something that benefits both the people and trade."
He looked at Uzuku.
"Tell Koji this," Setsuna continued."If he wishes to move forward, he must prepare a controlled demonstration. No exaggeration. No shortcuts."
A brief pause.
"As for the Daimyo—"
Setsuna's eyes narrowed.
"I will decide how that meeting happens."