"Alright, Hokage-sama…"
Nara Shikaku stood there helplessly, already regretting why he chose this exact moment to come looking for Uchiha Ren.
Since serious matters were about to be discussed, there was no way Tsunade and Uchiha Hikaru could stay.
"Hokage-sama, don't forget—you promised to train with me this afternoon!"
"Ren, you're coming with me to watch the moon tonight!"
"Hmph!" (in perfect sync)
Ren watched the two "little ancestors" leave, rubbing his temples.
Troublesome.
But manageable.
Tsunade was just a kid—admiration mixed with a bit of rebelliousness.
Easy to handle.
As for Hikaru—
Strong, yes.
But at heart, still just a tsundere Uchiha girl.
Ren dismissed both of them completely.
"Alright, Shikaku," he said, turning back. "What's so urgent?"
He paused.
Shikaku was… holding back laughter.
A few coughs later, the Nara regained composure and straightened up, as if nothing had happened.
Clearly—
His workload wasn't heavy enough.
It needed to increase.
"Lord Hokage, I'll keep it brief," Shikaku said seriously. "Konoha will face a food shortage next year."
"…What?"
Ren slammed the table.
"Are those grain merchants trying something again?!"
"How many times have I said this—this isn't the era of Senju Hashirama or Senju Tobirama anymore!"
"With scum like that—kill first, ask later!"
"If the Daimyo has a problem, I'll go 'talk' to him personally!"
"Lord Hokage… it's not them this time."
Shikaku hesitated.
"…Well, not entirely. They will hoard grain and drive prices up."
"But the main issue is—there simply isn't enough grain."
Floods in the south.
Droughts in the north.
And now—
Plague.
Even in a fertile land like the Land of Fire, nature remained untouchable.
Even Hashirama couldn't fight natural disasters.
"According to our intelligence," Shikaku continued, "grain yields have dropped significantly."
"Prices will surge next year. Possibly for two to three years."
"Merchants will exploit it—but the shortage itself is real."
Ren frowned.
Industrialization.
It always came at a cost.
And agriculture—
Was paying it.
Konoha's growth had been explosive.
Factories.
Trade systems.
Expansion.
But food production?
Lagging behind.
Even with fertilizers and improved crops—
It wasn't enough.
Konoha's scale demanded more.
Much more.
"…We need to shift the burden," Ren muttered.
He thought.
Strategies.
History.
"What about buying from outside?"
"Or… just taking it."
Shikaku's eyes flickered.
"…The Land of Rice Fields?"
Ren's eyes lit up.
Perfect.
Fertile land.
Massive production.
And—
No strong ninja village.
"Shikaku… that land is being wasted."
"No one understands farming better than I do."
Shikaku said nothing.
Not a word.
Farming?
Since when do ninja farm?
"We eliminate resistance," Shikaku said calmly. "Then buy off the rest."
Ren nodded.
Good.
He had learned well.
"But…" Shikaku added, "Konoha doesn't have the funds."
"…What?"
Ren blinked.
"No money?"
Shikaku smiled bitterly.
"Too many new factories."
"Too much expansion."
"Subsidies to Sunagakure."
"Konoha United Fruit Company investments."
"Trade system rollout."
"And the Ponzi scheme…"
"Everything needs capital."
Ren sighed.
Konoha wasn't poor.
But it was stretched thin.
Too much growth.
Too fast.
Like starving for years—
Then overeating.
One wrong move—
Collapse.
"…Fine. I get it."
Still—
The grain issue remained.
Unresolved.
"The industrial faction has approached us," Shikaku added. "They want to invest."
Ren paused.
The industrialists…
Natural allies.
They hated the Daimyo.
Hated the nobles.
Wanted expansion.
Power.
Change.
And recently—
The Daimyo was growing restless.
Rumors spread.
A "New Konoha."
A rival ninja village.
Funded.
Armed.
Supported.
If it happened—
Civil war.
And Konoha would bleed.
Even allies might betray them.
That was the ninja world.
"Bring them in," Ren decided.
"Tell them—we have a major deal."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Shikaku left.
Moments later—
Tsunade and Hikaru returned.
Both pouting.
Clearly—
They had just finished another clash.
Evenly matched in spirit—
If not in strength.
Ren worked a bit longer—
Then slipped out.
—
Training ground.
"Rules," Ren said lazily from the grass. "No hitting the face. No hair-pulling. No tearing clothes."
Tsunade and Hikaru faced each other.
Battle ready.
But—
It wasn't even close.
Hikaru toyed with her.
Effortlessly.
Even without the Mangekyō Sharingan—
The gap was overwhelming.
"Tsunade… can you no longer dance?"
"Hate the fate of having no Sharingan!"
"The Uchiha are invincible!"
She laughed.
Just like Uchiha Madara.
Wild.
Unrestrained.
"This is what Ren needs—power."
"You're too weak."
One final strike.
Clean.
Decisive.
Tsunade fell.
Tears welled—
But didn't fall.
For the first time—
She had been crushed by someone her "age."
"…One day, I'll beat you."
She stood.
Defiant.
"I'll be waiting."
Ren stepped in.
Ending the match.
This was good.
Tsunade needed a goal.
She had talent.
Status.
Privilege.
Too comfortable.
Now—
She had motivation.
They trained all afternoon.
And Tsunade improved rapidly.
That night—
She returned home.
Found Uzumaki Mito.
"I want to get stronger."
Mito smiled.
Proud.
Until—
She heard why.
"…For Uchiha Ren?"
Her expression darkened.
Rage surged.
She grabbed her cane.
"That damn Uchiha—!"
But Tsunade stopped her.
"I don't have time."
"I need to train."
Mito froze.
Then sighed.
"…Fine."
"At least you're serious now."
She pulled out a scroll.
"Your grandmother has developed a new sealing technique."
"Strength of a Hundred Seal."
"It's incomplete—but with your talent…"
"…Can it beat Hikaru?"
Mito's eyes sharpened.
"…Against the Uchiha, I have better methods."
She unrolled another scroll.
Large characters written across it:
"Eliminate the Inherently Evil Uchiha!"
"This," Mito said calmly, "was left by Senju Tobirama."
"Combat techniques."
"Counter-strategies."
"Psychological warfare."
"For fighting the Uchiha."
Tsunade's eyes lit up.
"Good!"
"I'll learn this!"
"Second Grandpa—long live!!!"
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