Chapter 87

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'Our clan geniuses really have no worries about the clan, they worry more about the world and village!!'

"How should I answer your question..."

Not only Shisui but also the other clan members slowed down their eating; all ears and curious eyes turned towards Toshiro. Their intense curiosity made Toshiro feel a bit embarrassed, even though he hadn't yet answered.

"Shisui, you're a genius of the clan. Have you ever thought about how many secret medicines you've used or how much meat and vegetables you've consumed to become so strong?"

"No... but what does that have to do with the war?"

Toshiro's words puzzled not only Shisui but also Kirishima and the others nearby. According to their traditional beliefs and village propaganda, wars erupted due to the accumulation of mutual hatred.

"Shisui, from the moment a person is born, they consume the world's resources. An ordinary person will die of thirst without water for three days and will starve to death without food for seven days. Those with power, like nobles in the capital, can make a lot of money daily. They have countless slaves/workers to plow their fields and herd their animals, reaping the benefits."

"An ordinary person at the bottom also wants this 'good life', letting others work for them while they only enjoy the fruits of that labor. Those with power or resources suppress ordinary people to ensure their descendants live the same life for generations. Conflicts accumulate unknowingly, and one day, they erupt over trivial matters."

"So, Senpai, you mean wars break out over resources and ordinary people?" Shisui asked, still puzzled. The traditional beliefs and education he received made him view wars as conflicts between ninjas, not ordinary people.

"Shisui, war is not just about ninjas. Even if ninjas didn't exist, wars would still break out, driven by human greed and desire. As long as people crave power, wealth, beauty, and food, wars are inevitable."

Toshiro paused, reflecting on how these dynamics existed both in the ninja world and in his previous life. He continued, "It's not just about resources. The greed and desires in people's hearts drive them to war. As long as these desires exist, wars will continue."

Shisui, despite his intelligence, struggled to grasp the full meaning of Toshiro's words. It seemed to him that war was an inevitable part of human nature, something that couldn't be eradicated.

"These are not things a child your age should worry about. Focus on eating well and growing up. When you're older and stronger, you can use your own eyes to see the world and understand it better."

Seeing Shisui's distraction, Toshiro ruffled the boy's hair, bringing him back to the present. Such heavy thoughts were not meant for an eight-year-old. Even in Toshiro's previous life, great men had failed to prevent war.

After finishing his meal, Toshiro didn't dwell on the impact his words might have had on Shisui. He quickly cleaned his bowl and began preparing to treat the wounded clan members. There was still much work to be done.

Early the next morning, after a full day and night of rain, the weather finally cleared. The sky showed a hint of dawn. After a night of rest, the team had mostly recovered, except for a few, like Shisui. He had dark circles under his eyes and was absent-minded at breakfast, clearly troubled by Toshiro's remarks from the previous night.

"Toshiro, are you going alone this time?" Kirishima asked, noticing Toshiro wearing a large cloak with a hood.

"Yes, I'll go alone. Be careful, and if there's any emergency, send a signal. I'll come quickly," Toshiro replied. However, upon seeing Shisui in his sleep-deprived state, he changed his mind. "Shisui, come with me. It'll be good for you to see more."

Toshiro handed Shisui an identical cloak and motioned for him to put it on. Seeing the question in Shisui's eyes, Toshiro smiled mysteriously and said nothing. Asuka and Kirishima shared the same expression, leaving Shisui puzzled but compliant.

The large cloak looked comically oversized on Shisui, whose small figure made it appear even looser.

Once dressed, Toshiro handed Shisui a bottle of a special potion to apply and then led him towards an abandoned village. Shisui played the role of a subordinate well, following Toshiro without question despite his growing curiosity.

As they neared the abandoned village, Shisui felt eyes watching them, increasing his unease. The village, seemingly deserted, held hidden secrets beneath its desolate exterior. The probing eyes were just the beginning of the shock awaiting Shisui.

As they delved deeper, they reached the village center, where small 'shops' were open for business. Cloaked figures moved in and out of these shops, which sold a variety of items—antiques, food, weapons, medicinal materials, ninja tools, and even human beings.

Toshiro took Shisui to these shops, speaking with the owners and learning about the 'market,' giving Shisui a grim understanding of the lives of humans outside the Konoha village. The most expensive were pretty girls aged thirteen or fourteen, followed by young men, then older women, often with children, and lastly, the old and weak, who rarely survived the journey.

Shisui, deeply disturbed by this revelation, became increasingly silent, following Toshiro mechanically. After exploring the black market and identifying a few potential intelligence-gathering shops, Toshiro led Shisui into a modest shop, likely a local gathering spot for Grass NInja forces to collect supplies.

Ignoring a clerk trying to sell him a young woman, Toshiro handed a seal scroll to a middle-aged man smoking in the shop. The man, in a black kimono with a sad face, had chakra levels close to a chuunin, or special jounin.

Toshiro reflected on the tragedy of these citizens in chaotic regions. The young woman, with a baby in her arms, couldn't survive without turning herself into a commodity, hoping for protection in exchange for her beauty. Without this desperate measure, she and her child might not survive the month, becoming another tragic story in a war-torn land. Toshiro felt helpless, unable to aid her.

"Stay back for now, Kohji!"

"Yes, sir!"

Seeing the seal scroll thrown by Toshiro, the middle-aged man with a weathered face dismissed the clerk, who had been pestering Toshiro since he entered the store. He knew that if Toshiro brought out something like this, it wasn't a small deal.

He picked up the scroll, ready to open it on the spot, but after looking at Toshiro, he decided to walk to the back of the shop.

"Shisui, you stay outside!"

"Um!"

Without further hesitation, Toshiro followed the shopkeeper to the back room. The contents of the scroll were not suitable for public display, and even if the shopkeeper hadn't moved to a private area, Toshiro would have insisted.

"Unseal!"

The shopkeeper led Toshiro to an empty room with a huge table and unsealed the scroll, revealing its contents.

"What's this..."

Despite being prepared, the shopkeeper couldn't control the twitching of his eyes when he saw what was inside. He had seen a lot in the black market, but the items Toshiro brought were particularly troublesome.

While the medicines on the table were in high demand in this war-torn era, the three corpses of Iwa ninja were problematic. One could bring the wrath of the Iwa Ninja if not handled carefully.

"These three corpses..."

The shopkeeper's tone revealed his reluctance to deal with such troublesome goods, though he didn't say it outright. Toshiro, anticipating this reaction, suggested he take a closer look before making a decision.

After examining the corpses more closely, the shopkeeper's expression grew more complicated. He realized the strength of this guest, who had appeared just as the black market was winding down. This was not someone they could afford to offend.

"So, are you interested in doing business this time?"

The shopkeeper gritted his teeth, understanding that while the transaction might bring trouble, it could also be very profitable. Human trafficking and other markets couldn't compare to the value of two Iwa Ninja Jonin and one Special Jonin corpse. If handled carefully to avoid any information leaks, the rewards would be significant.

He then inspected the twenty bottles of medicine Toshiro brought. Though he had some doubts, he kept them to himself.

"These three corpses are worth 8 million ryos in total, and the medicines, though only about half a bottle each, are priced at 2 million ryos."

After a brief pause, he added, "If you have more medicines, our shop would be interested in buying them."

"Okay! But I need to buy some goods that are in short supply. I need 600 exploding tags. Can you provide them?"

Toshiro didn't respond to the request for more medicines. Though he was dissatisfied with the offered price, he focused on the business at hand.

"Alright! Give me ten minutes to get them ready."

While providing 600 exploding tags required some tinkering in the market operations, it wasn't a major issue.

"Then convert the rest into cash."

"No problem!"

...

Ten minutes later, Toshiro, having completed the transaction, left the black market with Shisui, who was still in a daze.

"hmm?"

A few steps out of the abandoned village, Toshiro sensed he was being watched. He threw several shurikens, hearing a faint groan and the sound of retreating footsteps. He wasn't surprised. In a place like this, spies from every village were a given, especially after a major transaction.

Choosing a weak store for the transaction was a strategic decision due to its relatively clean origin. The goods he sold were sensitive, and if discovered by the village, the consequences would be severe. The corpses of hostile Jonin were supposed to be handed over to the village, but the reward was minimal compared to the risks.

Reflecting on the rising prices and inflation, Toshiro lamented that the two Jonin and one Special Jonin corpse were only worth 8 million ryos. He recalled that in the original story, Asuma was worth a full 35 million ryos. The large-scale ninja wars had made it increasingly difficult to profit from dead bodies.

The medicines he sold were empty bottles he collected and canned with the help of his sister. He shipped them in small quantities to avoid attention, pretending they were battlefield captures. He never returned to the same black market twice, fearing the village might trace his activities.

"What do you think?" Toshiro asked Shisui as they walked back to their team, curious about Shisui's reaction to the black market.

"I think we need to work harder to protect our village and friends, ensuring nothing like this happens in Konoha!"

Shisui's emotional response caught Toshiro off guard because he had anticipated something different.

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