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"Here they come, here they come," under the bright moonlight, the many merchants gathered around the izakaya saw Senba's figure appear and immediately swarmed him, chattering excitedly, drowning him in noise.

"Everyone!" Senba circulated his chakra slightly, his booming voice echoing in the empty room, instantly silencing the other clamor.

Looking at the small dog Inada, who was being hung from the beam by the crowd, Senba scanned the people in front of him. "According to the rules, our commissioned mission is complete. Someone needs to sign our document," he said, taking out the mission scroll from his bosom and placing it aside before walking backward.

The moment Senba disappeared, as the crowd looked at the mission scroll before them, the atmosphere instantly shifted from excitement to subtlety. Signing this name held a significant meaning; in a way, it was equivalent to the rights of a new guild leader. Suddenly, the crowd, which had been united in denouncing the small dog Inada, began to show cracks internally.

Senba was happy to see this. Otherwise, how would the izakaya's spoils of war legitimately fall into their hands? The word "plunder" sounded unpleasant, so it was better to passively accept gifts.

Things unfolded as Senba had predicted. As he sat on several large chests of gold and silver and discussed the treasured sword "Rain Cutter" with Yue, Iruka walked over with a strange expression, holding the mission scroll, followed by a middle-aged man.

"Senba, President Shirakawa has already signed the scroll. He said he has something he wants to discuss with you," Iruka said, then walked aside with a look of confusion, watching Senba. He felt that this mission, from beginning to end, seemed different from what he had learned in the ninja academy. He intended to see what Senba wanted to do.

"Oh, didn't acting President Shirakawa already sign the scroll? Is there something else?"

Senba handed "Rain Cutter" to Yue, whose eyes lit up, and turned to look at Shirakawa with a half-smile. The word "acting" made the latter's smile turn awkward.

Shirakawa wasn't foolish. He understood from the other's words that his signature seemed hasty. If Senba were to use the fact that he wasn't the official president and thus unqualified to sign, forcing them to find a new president, the crowd he had just managed to appease would likely overturn his decision immediately and accuse him of ulterior motives. He would then suffer the same fate as the small dog.

Thinking of this, he knew that this young man before him was different from the ninjas he had met before who only knew how to speak with their swords. A certain price would need to be paid. What would that price be?

At this moment, Senba sat with his legs crossed, his right hand resting on a chest, his fingertips tapping rhythmically on the wooden box, producing a crisp sound.

Seeing this, Shirakawa's eyes revealed a look of sudden realization. So that's how it is.

Half an hour later, in front of the izakaya, Senba, along with Iruka and Uchiha Yue, were bidding farewell to Shirakawa and his group.

"Lord Senba, you are truly accomplished at such a young age. We will commission missions to Konoha in the future. We hope to trouble Lord Senba then."

"It's nothing. Farewell, everyone."

Watching the three figures gradually disappear into the darkness, Shirakawa's face showed a look of emotion. Although he had been extorted, cooperating with a ninja with whom he could negotiate was better than one who resorted to violence at the slightest disagreement. After all, the gold and silver belonged to the merchant guild.

In this chaotic world, one should never overestimate the discipline of ninjas. They were also human, with spiritual and physiological needs, and these required money.

By the bonfire in Asakusa Town, Genma Shiranui watched Senba, who was distributing the spoils of war to everyone, and Iruka, who was frowning slightly. He finally sighed and called Iruka over. The two went to talk in a secluded area. As the lead Jonin, he should provide Iruka with some psychological counseling; otherwise, it would be bad if any resentment grew among them.

"Yue, since you've decided to take Rain Cutter, you'll have to give up most of your share of the spoils to compensate the three of us."

Senba said this to Uchiha Yue, who was admiring Rain Cutter with shining eyes, while also taking away more than half of the spoils next to her. Uchiha Yue didn't even glance at them.

"Wonderful! This Rain Cutter actually has a small amount of chakra-conducting metal mixed in. I was just worrying about not having a suitable weapon. Senba, I want to test my sword against you when we get back."

"What did you say!"

"Ahem, I misspoke. I meant spar, spar. Hehe."

Seeing Uchiha Yue's embarrassed expression, Senba glared at her. He merely looked at the two figures talking in the distance, his brow furrowed, and then took out a few meat buns to roast over the fire.

Food was the most important thing. After intense battles, one needed to replenish energy; otherwise, they would feel insecure. As for Iruka's thoughts, Senba believed Teacher Genma would guide him. Of course, if Iruka still couldn't accept it, then so be it. Life was like that; there were always moments of parting ways, even with close friends.

Senba, watching the buns gradually turn golden brown on the outside, was thinking about Kusagakure. He wondered if the Uzumaki mother and daughter had been rescued.

" Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique "

" Water Style: Thousand Water Needles "

" Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique "

A giant waterfall descended from the sky, engulfing the office building where Kusakage was located. Then, a dense mist covered the surroundings, disorienting the Kusagakure ninjas within, making them targets for countless water needles that turned them into hedgehogs.

"Mist ninjas, what do you want!"

A grass ball rolled out of the mist. Kusakage, with a grim expression and a hint of trembling in his voice, looked at the three Mist ninjas before him. He didn't know what he had done to provoke them to attack them across the Land of Fire.

After all, he was just an ordinary Jonin, but the power of their ninjutsu indicated they were Elite Jonin level ninjas.

However, the masked Mist ninja responded to Kusakage with an overwhelming barrage of Water Style jutsu, forcing him back into the mist.

An hour later, Kusakage, barely clinging to life, watched the Mist ninjas brazenly storm into his office building. They not only took the meager ninja scrolls and treasures but also roughly carried off two "blood bags," one of Kusagakure's foundations, on their shoulders. Without regard for their struggles, they vanished into the night.

"Pfft!" Unable to hold back a gasp, he immediately fell unconscious. A Special Jonin from the village rushed over to check on their Kage.

Then, a kunai silently pierced Kusakage's chest. Uprising was their favorite pastime.

Late in Konoha Year 51, unidentified assassins, suspected to be from Kirigakure, raided Kusagakure village, killing Kusakage and plundering important strategic materials. As for what those materials were, the ninjas of Kusagakure remained collectively silent.

Unaware of all this, Senba and the other three, after distributing the spoils, immediately rushed back to Konohagakure at full speed. Senba worried that things hadn't happened as expected, and Iruka, after being counseled, silently accepted his share of the spoils.

After a night of travel, the gates of Konoha appeared in their sight. A smile appeared on each of their faces.