Kirigakure's Gambit
The Seven Village Summit was going to be pathetic compared to the Yuexi Peninsula conference.
Yagura knew it. Everyone knew it.
The previous summit—the real one—had taken over a year to prepare. Nearly a million people attended. Merchants, nobles, civilians, street vendors—everyone came to gamble, trade, and watch the World's Greatest Ninja Tournament.
Two money-printing machines: real estate speculation and tournament betting.
Sunagakure had made a fortune.
One month of prep. A thousand ninja. Maybe.
(Even if each one carries 100,000 ryō, that's... what? 100 million total? Pathetic.)
And Kirigakure was broke.
Konoha had promised to reimburse their war expenses. Billions of ryō. Enough to rebuild the village twice over.
What they'd actually paid: 500 million ryō upfront. 15,000 chakra pills.
Then Konoha lost.
And those promises? Gone.
The Kaguya rebellion. The Watermelon Mountain coup. Back-to-back disasters that drained what little reserves remained.
Yagura's treasury was empty.
But he couldn't let the other villages know that.
So he scraped together every last ryō. Repaired the harbor. Fixed the streets. Made everything look presentable.
(If they think we're weak, they'll devour us.)
The Merchant's Wisdom
"Lord Mizukage."
Sakai Yasushi—one of the Land of Water's wealthiest grain merchants—bowed respectfully.
Yagura had summoned him. Along with every other major trader in the country.
"We need to make money from this summit," Yagura said bluntly. "How?"
"Three ways, Lord Mizukage."
He held up a finger.
"First: borrow money."
Yagura frowned. "From whom?"
"Sunagakure." Sakai's smile widened. "They won the war. Plundered Konoha's treasury. The Fire Eight Pillars Trading Company alone lost billions. Jinghang's sitting on a mountain of cash."
"And he'll just... give it to us?"
"Not give. Loan." Sakai leaned forward. "40 to 60 billion ryō. Spread over ten, twenty years. Low interest."
"That's—" Yagura's eyes widened. "—that's insane. Why would he agree?"
Sakai's expression turned shrewd.
"Because you're going to sell him something he wants."
"Think about it, Lord Mizukage. Kirigakure sits across the strait from Yuexi Peninsula. A massive ninja village. A constant threat." Sakai gestured. "Jinghang just won a war. He's rich. Powerful. But he's also tired. He doesn't want to fight us next."
Yagura's mind raced.
"—pledge absolute loyalty. Political support. Follow Sunagakure's lead in everything." Sakai nodded. "He'll pay for our compliance. 40 to 60 billion? That's nothing compared to what another war would cost him."
Yagura felt something he hadn't felt in months.
Trade and Services
"Second—" Sakai held up another finger. "—trade."
"We already trade—"
"Not enough." Sakai shook his head. "Your policies are too conservative, Lord Mizukage. You're trying to be self-sufficient. Growing grain on islands. It's inefficient."
He pulled out a ledger.
"The war drove up grain prices across the continent. Dramatically. And the Land of Water just had two years of bumper harvests." His eyes gleamed. "We're sitting on a fortune in surplus grain and fruit."
"So we sell it?"
"We flood the market." Sakai grinned. "Grain. Dried fruit. Fresh produce. All of it. Kirigakure handles the shipping—escort missions, security contracts. Within three years, your finances recover completely."
Yagura nodded slowly.
Sakai's smile turned... suggestive.
"Yuexi Peninsula built its fortune on gambling. You can't compete with that." Sakai gestured toward the harbor. "But the Land of Water has something they don't."
Sakai stood. Walked to the window.
"Look at our islands, Lord Mizukage. Crystal-clear water. White sand beaches. Exotic seafood. Fresh fruit." He turned back. "And Kirigakure's women are famous across the ninja world for their grace and beauty."
Yagura's eyes narrowed.
"You're suggesting—"
"—a vacation destination." Sakai's voice was smooth. "Relax your laws. Open entertainment districts. Market Kirigakure as a place where warriors can rest. Recover. Enjoy themselves."
He gestured toward the harbor.
"A thousand elite ninja are about to arrive. Men who've been fighting for over a year. Stressed. Exhausted. Wealthy." His smile was knowing. "Give them what they want, and they'll empty their wallets. Then they'll go home and tell their friends. Word spreads. Tourism explodes."
Then Yagura laughed.
It was bitter. Exhausted.
But it was genuine.
"You're a genius, Sakai."
"I'm a businessman, Lord Mizukage." Sakai bowed. "And business is about giving people what they want."
Yagura moved fast.
Policies changed overnight. Trade restrictions lifted. Entertainment districts approved.
Sakai Yasushi was named Honorary Elder of Kirigakure—responsible for summit logistics.
And when the delegations arrived—
Six Kage. A thousand ninja. The largest gathering since the war began.
The fleet departed from Coin Harbor.
But before they left—
Jinghang put on a show.
Everyone gathered at the beach.
Jinghang stood at the water's edge. Hands in his pockets. Casual.
"Before we go—" His voice carried across the sand. "—I want to leave something behind."
He raised one hand.
The ocean trembled.
Two thousand iron spikes—the ship-blocking traps Kakuzu had buried during the battle—erupted from the seabed.
Water exploded. Spray filled the air.
The spikes flew toward shore. Slammed into the sand.
Jinghang's magnetism arranged them. Stacked them. Assembled them.
Into a towering monument.
Fifty feet tall. Made entirely of rusted iron spikes.
Kakashi: (He's... building a sculpture out of weapons.)
Kitsuchi: (Those are the traps that sank our ships—)
Pain: (A monument to his victory. How theatrical.)
Jinghang walked up to it. Placed one hand on the base.
"Let's call this—" His smile was sharp. "—the Sea-Suppressing Monument."
He looked back at the assembled Kage.
"I hope this harbor only deals in trade and wealth from now on." His voice was light. "And never again becomes a graveyard for ninja."
Everyone understood.
The beach was still littered with Kirigakure bones. Bodies they hadn't finished cleaning up.
And Jinghang had just built a fifty-foot reminder of their defeat.
Yagura's jaw clenched.
But he smiled. Bowed.
"A beautiful sentiment, Lord Kazekage."
Twelve days later, the fleet reached Kirigakure.
Shūshū Harbor—the village's largest port.
Yagura stood waiting. Smiling.
Behind him: two rows of the Iron-Blooded Youth Corps. Snow-white uniforms. Young. Proud.
(The only viable force we have left.)
"Welcome!" Yagura's voice was warm. "You've traveled far. Please—experience Kirigakure's hospitality!"
The moment the Kage stepped onto the dock—
Beautiful women in flowing silk emerged from the crowd. They surrounded the delegates. Smiling. Offering drinks.
Coconut juice. Fresh fruit. Sake.
Dancers moved through the crowd. Their movements were... suggestive.
Kakashi: (This is... different from the usual diplomatic reception.)
Kitsuchi: (Are those women—)
Ai: (I like this village.)
Jinghang accepted a coconut from a stunning brunette. Took a sip.
"Huh. Yagura's finally figured it out."
Tsunade elbowed him. "Figured what out?"
"How to make money." Jinghang's eyes gleamed. "He's selling pleasure."
While everyone was distracted—
A white figure slipped through the crowd.
It moved toward the docked ships. Specifically—the one flying Iwagakure's flag.
The figure paused at the gangplank.
Then merged with the ship's hull.
[Economic Desperation: Kiri's bankruptcy (500M received vs billions promised). Konoha's broken promises (war reimbursement never paid). Consecutive disasters (Kaguya rebellion + Watermelon Mountain coup = drained reserves). Yagura's facade (repairing harbor/streets to hide weakness).]
[Merchant Strategy: Sakai's three-part plan (loans, trade, services). Loan justification (40-60B = buying peace in southern seas). Trade opportunity (war-inflated grain prices + Kiri's surplus harvests). Service industry (vacation destination = adult entertainment for war-weary elite ninja).]
[Power Display: Monument construction (2,000 iron spikes from seabed). Psychological warfare (50-foot reminder of Kiri's defeat at Coin Harbor). Jinghang's theatricality (casual brutality + "never a graveyard again" speech). Yagura's submission (forced to smile and accept humiliation).]
[Infiltration Setup: White Zetsu's mission (gathering intelligence for Madara). Target selection (Iwagakure delegation specifically). Distraction timing (during welcome party chaos). Spy thriller tension (unnoticed infiltration while everyone celebrates).]
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