The Uchiha Had to Show Their Support!

Land of Rice Fields, Hyuga Village.

Shinichi summoned several Hyuga jonin and handed them a stack of prepared invitations.

"In half a month, the village will hold a distributors' conference."

"Take some people with you and deliver these invitations."

"Start with nearby Konoha in the Land of Fire, then go as far as the shinobi villages and clans in other countries."

The jonin took the invitations and picked their teams.

They leaped onto the treetops and left the village in different directions.

Inside the office at the Hokage Building in Konoha, Land of Fire.

Hyuga Village was closest to Konoha, so its invitation arrived first.

A thick pile of paperwork covered the desk, and Tobirama sat behind it, reviewing the documents.

A Hyuga jonin entered and handed Tobirama the invitation.

The Hyuga jonin did not leave. He stepped back half a pace and stood to one side, waiting.

Tobirama accepted the invitation and set it casually on his desk.

His pen kept moving, and he had not yet had time to look at it closely.

Someone pushed the door open.

Only then did Hashirama enter, yawning.

Hashirama walked up to the desk and immediately spotted the invitation.

Curious, he picked it up.

Hashirama opened the invitation and looked at its contents.

"A distributors' conference?"

He scratched his head and looked up at his younger brother behind the desk.

"Tobirama, what does 'distributor' mean?"

Tobirama stopped writing.

It was his first time seeing the word "distributor," too.

"I've never heard that term either."

Both brothers turned their eyes to the Hyuga jonin.

The Hyuga jonin began to explain.

"Lord Hokage."

"A single kunai currently sells for five thousand ryo on the market in the Land of Fire."

"Though the shinobi clans can make their own ninja tools at a somewhat lower cost, it is still a considerable expense."

"Hyuga Village has adopted a new manufacturing process to mass-produce ninja tools."

"We have greatly reduced our costs, to the point that they are even lower than what the clans spend making their own."

Hashirama listened, somewhat dazed.

The Hyuga jonin continued.

"Our clan leader said the Hyuga will sell ninja tools to distributors for less than it costs you to make them yourselves."

"Once the distributors receive the goods, they can sell them throughout the Shinobi World."

Tobirama raised his head.

"Lower than what the clans spend making their own?"

He stared intently at the Hyuga jonin.

"Then exactly how much are you selling them for?"

The Hyuga jonin shook his head rather than answering the question.

"Our clan leader instructed us not to disclose the exact prices yet."

"If you wish to know, you can come see for yourselves at the conference."

Hashirama suddenly burst out laughing.

He slapped the desk, making the paperwork jump.

"So that's it!"

"That kid Shinichi was short of ninja tools just a while ago. Who would have thought he'd not only have enough now, but even be able to sell them to others!"

Once Hashirama finished laughing, he set the invitation back on the desk.

He looked at his younger brother behind the desk and remarked casually.

"Last time Shinichi came to Konoha to buy ninja tools."

"You said Konoha had nothing to spare either and sent him back."

"Well, now that kid has set up his own workshop."

Hashirama grinned, growing happier as he spoke.

"If Konoha runs short of kunai and shuriken in the future."

"We can just buy them straight from the Hyuga!"

He genuinely meant it, without the slightest hint of mockery.

Tobirama sat in his chair, listening to his elder brother.

His expression darkened.

He had used an excuse to refuse the sale because he had not wanted the Hyuga to grow stronger.

Now the Hyuga were not only making their own tools, but even planning to sell them to the entire Shinobi World with great fanfare.

Tobirama stared coldly at the documents on his desk without a word, pointedly refusing to respond to Hashirama.

He raised his head and looked at the Hyuga jonin.

"Did you only deliver your Hyuga invitations to the Hokage Building?"

The Hyuga jonin shook his head.

"No."

"Besides you, Lord Hokage, the Uchiha, Sarutobi, Shimura, and each of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans have all been sent one."

Tobirama waved a hand.

"Understood. You may go back now."

The Hyuga jonin bowed, turned, and left the office.

The door closed, leaving only the two brothers in the room.

With a cold expression, Tobirama looked at the carefree Hashirama beside him.

"Brother, you're too naive."

Hashirama paused, then scratched his head.

"What's wrong?"

Tobirama tapped the invitation on the desk with a finger.

"The Hyuga didn't just send an invitation to the Hokage. Every clan received one."

"They're trying to bypass Konoha."

"And trade directly with the individual shinobi clans."

Even after hearing this, Hashirama still saw nothing wrong with it.

Tobirama frowned.

"Besides, Hyuga Village was only founded a little over a year ago."

"I don't believe a newly established village could have so many ninja tools to sell."

Tobirama stared at the invitation on his desk.

"I'll have to go see this conference."

Inside Madara's house in the Uchiha Clan Compound.

A clansman held the invitation from the Hyuga in both hands.

With his head lowered, he was reading its contents aloud to Madara.

After reading the last few words, the clansman placed the invitation on the table.

Seated in his chair, Madara gave a cold snort when he finished listening.

"That Hyuga kid certainly has plenty of tricks."

The clansman stepped back half a pace and continued his report.

"Lord Madara, the Hyuga are doing this on quite a scale."

"We aren't the only ones who received an invitation."

"The Senju, Sarutobi, and the other clans all received one as well."

Madara leaned back in his chair.

"When that scoundrel Tobirama receives this."

"I doubt he'll look very pleased."

Madara sneered and rose to his feet.

He walked over to the table and looked down at the invitation.

"This conference."

"I'll attend in person."

"The Uchiha have to show their support!"

Word that Madara would personally visit Hyuga Village soon spread throughout the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Several Uchiha clansmen gathered on a street corner, talking over one another.

One clansman folded his arms across his chest, recalling their transaction a few days earlier.

"Last time the Hyuga bought things from us, they paid thirty percent extra."

"Now that they're holding a conference, it's only right for us Uchiha to attend."

Another clansman nodded in agreement.

"The Hyuga bought a large portion of the ninja tools in our storehouse last time."

"I hear they're mass-producing ninja tools now, and the prices are low, too."

"We can buy some stock from the Hyuga and replenish our storehouse."

A young clansman nearby scoffed as he listened.

"The Senju were so high and mighty back then."

"They flat-out refused to sell ninja tools to the Hyuga."

"Now the Hyuga are holding a conference, and they've sent the Senju an invitation too."

"I'd like to see whether the Senju have the nerve to go to Hyuga Village this time."

The clansmen exchanged glances.

Imagining how the Senju might be embarrassed, they all laughed as they talked.

The Sarutobi, Shimura, and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans also received invitations from the Hyuga.

They heard that Lord Tobirama and Madara Uchiha would both attend in person.

The clan leaders wasted no time either, each selecting people from their clans and planning to join the trip to Hyuga Village.

Ninja tools were a shinobi's lifeline.

With the Hyuga planning to sell ninja tools in bulk, they all wanted to see just how good those tools really were.