The familiar lottery wheel appeared in his mind once more.
[D-rank reward: 40%, C-rank reward: 50%, B-rank reward: 10%]
The wheel spun several times before slowly coming to a stop.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained a C-rank reward: C-rank ninjutsu, Fire Release: Dustless Bewildering Cover.]
Everything about the ninjutsu-its hand seals, chakra flow, and practical combat experience-flooded into Xuandou's memory, as though he had mastered it years ago.
Immediately afterward, the system's voice rang out again:
[Ding! Main quest issued: Blood for Blood.] [Quest description: Sunagakure ninja have brought devastating disaster upon the Land of Fire. It is time to teach them a lesson. Plunder five towns in the Land of Wind.] [Quest reward: Lottery draws ×1.]
Xuandou stared at the quest description, sinking into thought.
By all rights, Sunagakure's invasion force had already suffered crushing losses and would be unable to invade again anytime soon.
If he led his troops back to the village now, they would be greeted by the villagers' cheers and the Hokage's commendations. The clans would also receive generous rewards for their military achievements. Everyone would be happy.
But would those achievements be enough to make him the Uchiha Clan Head?
Probably... not quite.
"Plunder towns in the Land of Wind?"
He murmured to himself.
"That's not out of the question."
He stood and walked toward the troops, who were resting and regrouping.
Seeing their commander-in-chief approach, the ninja stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes toward him.
"Sunagakure's ninja have suffered heavy casualties. The Land of Wind's border has practically no defensive forces left."
"Since the Land of Wind wanted to bring suffering to our Land of Fire, we'll repay them with even greater cruelty!"
"Everyone, follow me into the Land of Wind!"
"Kill!!!"
Amid their roars, the troops geared up and set out, crossing the border into the Land of Rivers, which lay between the two countries.
With no ninja village of its own, this small country could only lower its head in silence and make way for the Konoha ninja passing through, just as it had always done for Sunagakure.
Three days later, the Land of Wind's border was close at hand.
Looking at the completely undefended town ahead, Xuandou raised his hand, his face expressionless.
"Do it. Treat their people exactly as Sunagakure treated ours!"
The Konoha ninja descended upon the town like ravenous beasts.
Cries and the sounds of things breaking soon rang out.
Xuandou was not surprised by how practiced his ninja looked.
In this era, hatred and plunder had long since become commonplace, especially when the other side had started the war.
So Xuandou's objective was to make the enemy suffer twice as much!
Suddenly, Xuandou's gaze shifted.
He saw Shisui walking toward him.
"Commander-in-chief!"
Xuandou waved a hand.
"No need to be so formal. Just call me Xuandou."
"Yes, Commander-in-chief!"
Somewhat speechless, Xuandou simply asked:
"Aren't you going to join the plundering? This makes money much faster than taking commissioned missions."
Shisui did not answer. Instead, he looked toward his comrades looting throughout the town. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Is it really right... to let them plunder like this?"
"Oh, what's wrong with it?"
Xuandou turned his head.
"Sunagakure struck first. We're just giving them back what they did to us."
Shisui did not seem satisfied with Xuandou's answer and continued asking:
"But will war really end if we keep taking revenge on each other like this?"
"No."
Xuandou answered bluntly.
"But as long as Konoha stays weak, our enemies will think they can invade the Land of Fire without paying a price. Then war will be even less likely to end."
Shisui looked thoughtful and said nothing more.
About an hour later, the town had been stripped bare.
By a rough count, the valuables they had taken were worth around one hundred million ryo.
"The Land of Wind really is poor."
Xuandou gave a soft scoff and waved his hand.
"On to the next town. Keep going!"
"Yeah-!"
The ninja, having tasted the rewards, responded excitedly.
Plundering without any risk brought in money far faster than doing missions.
After all, the enemy country had failed to mount any effective resistance.
As for ordinary soldiers and samurai, the powerful ninja did not even need to use ninjutsu against them!
And so came the second town, the third, the fourth...
Four towns in succession were stripped clean.
The troops carried more and more valuables, and everyone's face was filled with smiles.
Then their fifth target appeared before them.
Ahead was not a town, but a sizable city.
"Scorpion Sand City..."
Looking at the city before him, Xuandou knew it would certainly have some defensive forces.
Of course, they would not pose much of a threat to his ninja army.
Still, to be safe, Xuandou ordered everyone to rest for a while.
After all, even ninja, with their stronger constitutions, would grow tired from constant travel and plundering.
He gave orders to distribute specially made soldier pills and rest where they were for two hours.
In two hours, they would attack Scorpion Sand City!
Meanwhile, inside Scorpion Sand City.
"Sir! Bad news! A large force of Konoha ninja has appeared outside the city!"
A Sunagakure ninja rushed into the hall in a panic, shouting at the man in the seat of honor.
It was Iron Sand, who had fled back from the Land of Fire.
Over the past few days, he had barely managed to gather just over two hundred surviving troops, yet he still did not dare return to the village.
His thousand-strong army had lost nearly eighty percent of its men. He had no idea how to explain it to the village.
He had never expected to now hear that Konoha ninja had invaded the Land of Wind!
"Those damned Konoha ninja! How dare they!"
Iron Sand spoke viciously.
As far as he was concerned, Sunagakure had always been the one invading other countries.
Through three Shinobi World Wars, when had the Land of Wind ever been invaded by another country?
"This is outrageous!"
Iron Sand ground his teeth.
But considering that he had only about two hundred ninja under his command now, he also found himself at a loss.
"Send five envoys to negotiate with them."
Iron Sand finally gave his order.
"Take a hard line and probe their strength. Konoha is fighting on every front right now. They might not dare to break with us completely."
"Lord Xuandou, five Sunagakure ninja have arrived outside!"
Xuandou was somewhat surprised by the report.
"Oh? Instead of hiding from us, they actually dared to come to us?"
"Did they say what they were here for?"
"No. These Sunagakure ninja are very arrogant. They insist they'll only speak to the commander-in-chief."
Xuandou thought briefly, then nodded.
"Then bring them to see me."
Before long, the five Sunagakure ninja approached, escorted by Konoha ninja.
Their leader was tall and thin, with an arrogant expression. His gaze even held a trace of contempt as it swept over Xuandou.
"You're the leader of the Konoha ninja?"
Xuandou looked at him impassively and did not answer.
The man did not mind and continued in a lecturing tone:
"You Konoha ninja have invaded the Land of Wind without cause and plundered its towns. By order of Lord Iron Sand, Sunagakure's commander, I demand that you withdraw from our borders immediately and formally apologize to the Land of Wind. If you do so, Sunagakure may consider letting the matter rest."
The expressions of several nearby Konoha ninja had already darkened.
Xuandou laughed outright in anger.
"Demand? And apologize? If I remember correctly, Sunagakure invaded the Land of Fire first and slaughtered civilians first, didn't it?"
"How is that the same?!"
The tall, thin ninja raised his voice.
"Sunagakure's actions were a strategic advance against Konoha's military targets, whereas what you're doing now is an act of barbarity against the Land of Wind!"
"Konoha is currently fighting on both the Kumogakure and Kirigakure fronts. If Sunagakure launches an all-out counterattack as well, can you withstand it? Withdrawing now gives you a way out!"
"I see..."
Xuandou nodded, seemingly in thought.
"So you're here to beg Konoha to withdraw?"
The man opposite him frowned at that.
"What do you mean, beg? These are peace talks!"
Xuandou smiled and continued:
"All right, all right. If you say they're peace talks, they're peace talks. So what are your terms?"
The ninja's eyes shifted as he heard this, and he promptly said:
"Well, as for the terms, hand over all the wealth you've plundered in the Land of Wind, and Sunagakure will let the matter rest!"
Xuandou nodded, his gaze icy as he spoke:
"So this is your attitude toward peace talks?"