Open the Gates! Free Trade!

Ignoring Uchiha Fugaku, who was still putting on a stubborn front, Uchiha Makoto packed his essentials and quietly headed for the Sand Ninja.

Whether it was leaving the front lines during the war to seize the Uzumaki Clan revenge plan, or propping up the four great ninja villages against Konoha, Uchiha Makoto had anticipated it all. He just hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Plans truly couldn't keep up with changes.

But fortunately, none of that was a problem.

Setting everything else aside, Umbrella's preparations alone were enough to help the Allied Shinobi Forces weather this crisis.

"Uchiha Makoto has been seriously injured and fallen unconscious. The Uchiha Clan has transferred him to a secure location..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned at the report that had just arrived, unable to determine the Uchiha Clan's intentions for the moment.

Of the Mangekyō Sharingan users he had met, aside from Madara Uchiha, the others had indeed shown obvious adverse effects after major battles. Uchiha Kagami had even told him about exhausting his ocular power.

But Uchiha Makoto's Susanoo was nearly on the same level as Madara Uchiha's. Could someone at that level still run out of ocular power?

Or were they trying to convey some sort of demand?

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a draw from his pipe, troubled. If Uchiha Makoto had not left the Mist Ninja front, then with him keeping those bloodthirsty Mist Ninja in check, Hiruzen could have dispatched the newly assembled ninja forces to support the Sand Ninja according to plan. Konoha's pressure would have been far lighter, and there would not have been so many battles like there were now.

"Hm? Pressure? So many battles?"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi considered it, he could not help but overthink it.

He quickly picked up the roster of Uchiha ninja forces supporting the Mist Ninja front and flipped through it.

"Uchiha... Here!"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi looked over the familiar and unfamiliar names, his brow furrowed deeply. Every one of them possessed the three-tomoe Sharingan!

"Does the Uchiha Clan intend to produce several more Mangekyō Sharingan through this war?"

After pondering for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured to the side. An Anbu appeared in an instant.

"The village's security still requires the Uchiha Clan. Do not include any Uchiha in the newly assembled ninja forces!"

"Uchiha Makoto..."

The Third Raikage stroked his chin, studying the intelligence before him thoughtfully.

"Lord Raikage, should we take this chance to launch a surprise attack on Konoha's defenses at the Mist Ninja front?"

A Cloud Ninja commander asked, clearly tempted. After all, the ninja forces that had encircled Uchiha Makoto had suffered grievous losses at his hands. This was the perfect chance for revenge!

"No rush!"

The Third Raikage shook his head, a hint of cunning appearing on his resolute face.

"How many people have we lost? The Rock Ninja should be the ones in a hurry!"

"Oh, right. How are those defective ninja tools the Golden Consortium gave the Rock Ninja doing now?"

The Third Raikage turned to his secretary.

The Raikage's secretary promptly answered, "They have already begun to show results. The ninja forces supporting the Sand Ninja under the Four-Tails jinchūriki, Rōshi, have already suffered some casualties!"

"According to intelligence, the remaining ones have now been distributed to Rock Ninja on the front lines!"

The Third Raikage clicked his tongue in amazement.

"For the sake of the village, those honest fools from the Hagoromo Clan really had to come up with such a wicked scheme!"

"They're all great contributors to the village!"

As he spoke, the Third Raikage looked toward the location on the map where the Rock Ninja and Konoha were fighting.

Fight!

When it's over, we Cloud Ninja will help collect your corpses!

Especially that Uchiha Makoto. There was nothing more suitable than using that old fossil Ōnoki's Dust Release to deal with him!

"Elder Genji, what should we do now?!"

An elder of the Yuki Clan looked at the rioting ninjas below the Water Shadow Building and turned to Genji in panic.

The Third Mizukage was from their clan, and thanks to that connection, almost none of their clan members had participated in the operation to encircle Uchiha Makoto.

Now that the Third Mizukage was seriously injured and unconscious, with Konoha's ninja forces right at their doorstep, those ninjas who had lost family members chose to riot in their despair!

"Have Utakata serve as the interim Mizukage. He will help you suppress them!"

After a moment of contemplation, Genji named the only person capable of holding everything down.

Aside from people like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the Mist Ninja had practically sent however many people they had—and lost just as many!

The dozen or so who returned were either severely wounded or mentally shaken and in need of rest, leaving the upper ranks of the Mist Ninja with almost no control over the lower ranks!

"We can only put forward a powerful interim Mizukage to suppress them! If that Kaguya Clan girl takes office, she may insist on continuing the fight. Utakata is our only choice!"

"You will handle this matter. There must not be a single mistake!"

Genji spoke solemnly. The Mist Ninja could not withstand any further turmoil now!

"Understood!"

The Yuki Clan elder nodded heavily. He clearly knew as well that the Mist Ninja's current situation could not afford the slightest mishap!

"What the hell is going on, Kitsuchi?!"

Ōnoki was utterly livid!

After giving the Rock Ninja higher-ups a pep talk, he had investigated the ninja tool issue Rōshi mentioned. To make the inspection easier, he had selected one or two members from different squads to use the ninja tools in their possession.

As a result, half the ninja tools had malfunctioned in the very first round!

"Kitsuchi! You have always been responsible for procuring ninja tools. Shouldn't you give me an explanation?!"

Ōnoki stared at Kitsuchi, his tone ruthlessly harsh without the slightest concealment!

"Father, I..."

"Address me by my title while on duty!"

"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage!"

At Ōnoki's rebuke, Kitsuchi's burly body involuntarily tensed. Beads of sweat the size of beans dripped continuously from the tip of his nose to the floor.

"Lord Tsuchikage, I checked the purchase records. These were not procured by me! They were material aid you brought back from the Golden Consortium!"

"Hm?"

Ōnoki froze for a moment, then gave a cold laugh, disappointment filling his gaze as he looked at Kitsuchi.

"Before returning, I inspected the Golden Consortium's material aid. Their aid met the standards!"

"Kitsuchi, dozens of casualties have been caused because of you, yet you still try to shirk responsibility!"

"You have utterly disappointed me!"

Hearing Ōnoki say this, Kitsuchi ignored the gazes of everyone present and dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Father, the Golden Consortium's material aid came in more than one batch!"

"These defective goods must have been the Raikage's doing!"

"The Golden Consortium is, after all, an industry of his Land of Lightning. If the Raikage made a demand, the Golden Consortium would never refuse!"

Kitsuchi knelt before Ōnoki and blurted out all his suspicions in one breath.

"Bastard! You still dare to argue!"

Hearing this, Ōnoki raised his hand as if to strike Kitsuchi, but Akatsuchi hurriedly grabbed him.

"Lord Tsuchikage, please give Kitsuchi a chance to capture the true culprit and redeem himself!"

"The front lines still need him!"

The other higher-ups nearby also stepped in to dissuade him. Ōnoki took the out and spared Kitsuchi.

What they did not know was that the culprit they spoke of had already arrived at the gates of the Sand Ninja encampment.

"Open the gates! Free trade!"