C 73

"I'm sorry, sir. Business has been busy recently, which caused a delay."

Kain apologized, acknowledging that he was two months late in delivering what Kirigakure urgently needed—medicines. Such a delay might have led to casualties. However, the Mist Shinobi representative remained composed, responding with understanding.

"It's alright," he said. "The stock you reserved at the Land of Waves pharmacy has sustained us until now. After this transaction, Mist Shinobi will need more supplies, especially medicine. It's been a while since we've restocked."

At present, Kain owned seven shipping vessels—three purchased and four built independently. Although steam-powered vessels were available, an industrial revolution had yet to take hold, making this mechanical advancement somewhat unusual. 

After confirming the transaction details, Kain prepared to load the shipment, with Mist Shinobi representatives overseeing the entire process. The value of this cargo exceeded 100 million ryo, and Mist Shinobi had sent a Jōnin and five Chūnin for protection, each concealing their identities by refraining from wearing their village forehead protectors.

As Kain surveyed the Mist Shinobi team, he noticed that the leader, a Jōnin, seemed eager to speak with him. Seizing an opportunity, Kain approached him directly.

"Is there something you'd like to discuss?" Kain asked.

The Mist Shinobi Jōnin looked momentarily surprised before nodding. "Was I that obvious? My apologies, Mr. Kain," he replied, lowering his voice and scanning his surroundings. 

"I am here not only to facilitate this transaction but also to make an additional request. Mist Shinobi requires more than just medicines."

Kirigakure's internal situation had worsened under the rule of the Third Mizukage, who had imposed increasingly cruel and restrictive policies. Among these was a brutal mandate that ninja, when captured, were to destroy their own brains to prevent enemy intelligence gathering. 

Furthermore, the Mizukage's regulations demanded ninja meet monthly quotas of completed missions. Failing to meet this quota forced them into high-risk assignments in enemy territories.

Even the Ninja Academy had seen a troubling shift in its policies. During the graduation exams, students were required to use actual weapons, and bouts continued even if one side was seriously injured. 

Students could even earn high marks for killing their opponents. These changes had alarmed the Terumi clan, a modest ninja clan with only a few Jōnin and Chūnin. Although small, they, too, were subject to the Mizukage's policies.

"Third Mizukage is no longer focused on the village's development," the Jōnin continued gravely. "The atmosphere in Kirigakure has become increasingly hostile, with ninja clashes escalating. There have been incidents where civilian merchants were nearly drawn into these conflicts."

Kain nodded, absorbing this new information. He hadn't anticipated that Kirigakure's political climate would deteriorate so drastically in the months since his last visit.

The Mist Shinobi Jōnin hesitated before continuing, "Mr. Kain, regarding our additional request—"

"Additional supplies?" Kain interrupted with a nod. "Of course. I am a businessman, after all. There's no reason for me to decline a mutually beneficial transaction."

After reassuring the Mist Shinobi Jōnin, Kain suggested a broader collaboration. "However, I believe we could go further with this partnership, shin-san. It's unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. We can establish diversified arrangements for added security."

They discussed various forms of collaboration, from artisan training to covert task assignments. Though Kain didn't fully trust Terumi Shin at first, he recognized the benefits of dealing with Kirigakure's influential clans. 

This alliance could pave the way for future recruitment within Mist Shinobi. Given the current turmoil in Kirigakure, Kain hoped to ally with the descendants of smaller Bloodline clans who might soon find themselves on the run.

After finalizing the deal, Kain shifted his focus to his operations in the Land of Waves. Here, he ran two factories. The first, a fresh food processing plant, offered the local fishing community a steady source of income. 

Though this venture yielded modest profits, it secured goodwill from the Land of Waves' inhabitants. In fact, more than 70% of local fishermen relied on Kain's business for their livelihood.

The pharmaceutical factory, however, was far more crucial. With fifty guards on-site and a workforce composed solely of locals, Kain had taken extensive measures to protect this operation. 

The factory's two head guards were individuals handpicked by Kain, each with families dependent on his goodwill—significantly reducing the likelihood of betrayal. Additionally, the manufacturing process depended on specialized chemical raw materials, making it nearly impossible for competitors to replicate his formulas.

Kain instructed his guards in firearms training, sparing no expense on ammunition. These forces were a fraction of his goal to recruit a thousand gun-wielding guards, but it was a promising start.

Handing a list of names to an associate at an underground gold exchange, Kain's Shadow Clone arranged for a bounty on several high-value targets. The transaction was substantial enough to catch the attention of the exchange's regional manager, who nodded in understanding.

"Quite the list, Mr. I see you harbor deep grievances against the Land of Fire," the manager remarked. "We've had our fair share of unusual requests, but the first two names on this list… well, those will be challenging."

He pointed to the names at the top: the Third Hokage and Danzo of Konoha Village. "Assassinating these two would be a monumental task," he cautioned. "Even if they venture outside the village, they're unlikely to be without substantial protection."

"Can you do it?"

"It's all about probabilities," the manager continued with a wry smile. "At 100 million ryo per target, this is the largest reward we've ever encountered. With stakes this high, the shadows of other villages might be tempted to intervene."

A bounty of this magnitude was unprecedented. During peacetime, Konoha received an annual budget of around 100 million ryo from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. Allocations to other villages were even less, with the Land of Lightning being a notable exception. 

If not for a lack of intelligence, the Kages of rival villages might very well mobilize elite ninja to hunt Konoha's leadership.

Kain's Shadow Clone responded, "Understood. Regular reconnaissance will follow." With that, the clone departed, dissolving into a cloud of smoke in a secluded area.

Receiving the clone's memories, Kain rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. "Though the odds are slim, it's still a calculated step."

His vengeance would not be limited to direct assassination attempts. Disguised as different individuals, his Shadow Clones placed additional bounties at underground exchanges in other countries. This time, the targets were Konoha's border strongholds. 

If each village eliminated three of Konoha's frontier outposts, Konoha would suffer considerable losses—losing up to a hundred ninja, a significant blow in peacetime.

This strategy would hurt Konoha and potentially delay any suspicions toward Kain himself. Instead, they might interpret these actions as a prelude to war. Shadows slain outside the battlefield included notable figures such as the Second Hokage, the Second Raikage, and several other prominent leaders across the Five Great Nations.

With each tactical decision, Kain inched closer to his objective, knowing well that in the complex landscape of the ninja world, revenge required patience and precision.

….

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