Food is Important Because It's Scarce.

Kirigakure.

Isolated overseas, it was a village home to numerous ninja clans.

A meeting had been specially convened to warn them, prompted by the situation regarding Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The suggestion that they must not become like Konoha sparked an immediate argument.

The internal conflicts between the clans in Kirigakure were even more severe than those in Konoha.

There were many powerful kekkei genkai clans, such as the Hozuki Clan and the Kaguya Clan.

In the end, they reached a consensus.

As they were currently digesting the spoils of war from the Land of Whirlpools, there was no need for them to join the conflict now.

They would wait until the other nations had exhausted each other, then enter the fray to reap the rewards.

Iwagakure.

Onoki mocked Sarutobi Hiruzen mercilessly.

He spread word of the results of his past battles with Sarutobi Hiruzen, boasting of how he had defeated him with Dust Release.

This served to bolster his own reputation.

[Sarutobi Hiruzen is attempting to fuse three, or even five, chakra natures to create a kekkei genkai that surpasses Dust Release.]

Iwagakure maintained restraint in its overall military posture.

No ninja army appeared on the battlefield.

However, those who could survive until the Fourth Ninja World War were always looking to profit as the third party.

Over these past few years, the pressure exerted on Iwagakure by the Third Raikage had far exceeded that of Sarutobi Hiruzen, his defeated foe.

They were also wary of Kirigakure.

His teacher, the Second Tsuchikage Mu, had perished together with the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, during the First Ninja World War.

The two villages shared a deep-seated hatred.

Three days later.

The Senju Clan arrived at the battlefield in the Land of Fields.

At this time, the strength of the Senju Clan had been bolstered.

Senju Nawaki utilized the properties of the Bloodline Completion System to separate all the materials in his possession, integrating them into the bodies of the Senju ninjas to complete and enhance their innate talents.

After this operation, the Senju Clan boasted thirty jonin and over a hundred chunin.

Regrettably, due to his fear of Uchiha Madara, he did not continue to help others awaken Wood Release, but for the time being, this was sufficient.

This was the force the Senju Clan had brought to the Land of Fields.

At the Senju Clan's encampment.

The structures Senju Tojian had built using Wood Release were exceptionally useful.

At the very center was a large conference room, just large enough to accommodate the thirty-plus jonin of the Senju Clan.

Senju Nawaki sat at the head of the table, with two massive maps hanging behind him.

One was a map of the Ninja World, and the other was a detailed map of the Land of Fields.

Everyone present wore a grim expression, ready to erupt at any moment; only Senju Nawaki, using a finger transformed by the Wood Human Technique, tapped against the table without making a sound.

"This is truly outrageous. The Daimyo of the Land of Fields did not even come in person, sending only a lowly diplomat instead."

Senju Tojian's face was filled with indignation, as if he had suffered some great insult, though a flash of embarrassment also crossed his features.

In the past, when he came alone to deliver the Senju Clan's orders, the Daimyo of the Land of Fields would always fawn over him.

Now that their clan head, Senju Nawaki, had arrived, the Daimyo of the Land of Fields had failed to greet him.

Although they had long anticipated the attitude of the Land of Fields, they were still furious.

According to the agreement between the Land of Fields and the Senju Clan, the former would prepare half of their grain for the Senju Clan to dispose of.

This was the compensation for the Senju Clan improving their land and environment.

The Senju Clan would also hand over half of the profits from the grain sales to the Land of Fields.

This was equivalent to taking nearly thirty percent of the grain.

Now, the Land of Fields had betrayed this covenant.

"Clan Head, according to the intelligence we have gathered.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fields is currently hosting envoys from Konoha Village—specifically, ninjas from the Sarutobi Clan and the Ino-Shika-Cho families.

They have already reached a deal to sell seventy percent of this year's grain to Konoha Village at a low price."

Senju Zuoren narrowed his eyes and replied in a low voice.

He felt nothing but disdain for the actions of the Daimyo of the Land of Fields.

The Land of Fields had only achieved its current prosperity under the protection of the Senju Clan.

Yet now, they had turned around to bite the hand that fed them, denying the Senju Clan even the most basic shred of decency by stabbing them in the back at this critical moment to pledge their loyalty to the Sarutobi Clan.

Having previously considered pleading on behalf of the Land of Fields, he now abandoned the thought entirely.

"When a dog finds a new master, it turns to bite the old one."

Senju Nawaki shook his head, his eyes filled with a sharp, cold intensity.

A frigid aura swept over everyone present.

They couldn't help but sit up straight, falling silent to listen to Senju Nawaki's orders.

"The Land of Fields has six major grain-producing regions. We aren't going there for the grain, but to establish our authority."

"In those six locations, the ninjas stationed are from Konoha Village. Focus your attacks specifically on the ninjas of the Ino-Shika-Cho families."

Senju Nawaki straightened his expression as he issued the command.

He drew a large 'X' across the granary locations marked on the massive map of the Land of Fields.

The order was peculiar; the focus was to be on the Ino-Shika-Cho ninjas rather than those of the Sarutobi Clan.

On one hand, this would sow discord between the two parties.

On the other, the corpses of the Ino-Shika-Cho ninjas could be used to extract rare, singular chakra attribute orbs, which would be beneficial for the growth of the Senju Clan.

Since they chose to be the lapdogs of the Sarutobi Clan, they would have to pay the price.

"Clan Leader, what about the grain? Should we bring it back?" Senju Tojian asked, looking up.

In the eyes of the older generation, grain was the most vital resource.

"No, destroy it on the spot. The less grain there is, the greater the leverage the Senju Clan holds."

Senju Nawaki shook his head.

Scarcity was a key attribute of grain.

"Understood!"

Though some ninjas harbored doubts, they executed Senju Nawaki's orders without hesitation.

All the ninjas at the Senju Camp began to organize their gear, ready to show the Land of Fields the cost of betraying the Senju Clan.

No one could protect the Land of Fields for betraying the Senju Clan and seizing what rightfully belonged to them.

One day later.

The six major grain-producing regions of the Land of Fields were destroyed in succession.

The grain that had been prepared for transfer to Konoha was completely incinerated.

The Sarutobi Clan and the Ino-Shika-Cho families reacted quickly, gathering the remaining grain to prepare for transport to Konoha Village.

This grain, originally intended for the Land of Fields' own consumption, was now being plundered by Konoha.

The Daimyo and the citizens of the Land of Fields were left with only a meager ration, forced to tighten their belts for the coming year. This was the price of defecting to the Sarutobi Family, and their hearts were filled with immense bitterness.

Regret began to set in, but it was already too late; having boarded a pirate ship, they could only sail until the end.

They remained anxious, wondering if the Senju Clan's retaliation was truly as simple as this.