Iwasa carefully sized up the five-person group around Musen, sorting through his memory for any relevant intelligence. Relaxation spread through him at first.
Despite all five wearing red-cloud cloaks, they appeared to be nobodies. At least as far as Iwasa knew, there was no record of them.
But that sense of ease didn't last long. At that moment, a strange-looking middle-aged figure entered the black-market lobby. This "person" with an odd exterior was, of course, Hiruko – the puppet belonging to Sasori.
Seeing him, Iwasa's once-calm face turned solemn. He recognized this newcomer as the famed puppet-master prodigy from Sunagakure: Sasori of the Red Sand.
Rumor had it Sasori had recently been running missions in black markets near the Land of Earth, but to think he'd actually come this far into the country, all the way to the black market Iwasa managed…
Then, after Sasori came in, Iwasa spotted a second familiar face: a blond youth who wasn't just anyone – it was Deidara, once responsible for multiple terror incidents across Iwagakure and the Land of Earth.
As soon as he saw Deidara, Iwasa's expression shifted from seriousness to outright gravity. From what he knew, Deidara had been active in various black markets in the Land of Earth lately, yet he hadn't expected Deidara and Sasori to arrive here together.
And yet another strong presence appeared!
In the next moment, Iwasa saw a striking, red-haired young woman, also wearing a red-cloud cloak, step into the hall. He recognized her face immediately.
Though he'd never met her, he knew perfectly well who she was. This young woman was none other than the assistant of that legendary black-market mercenary widely regarded as the strongest in the ninja world – Uzumaki Senshi. And the young woman herself was Uzumaki Karin.
Seeing Karin, Iwasa, who was seated behind the counter, got a bit fidgety. This situation was clearly more extraordinary than he'd first thought. Then, at that instant, a far heavier presence arrived.
Without a second's delay, Iwasa leapt up from his seat, all wide-eyed with astonishment – because the one who'd just walked into the black-market hall was the man whose prestige loomed like a mountain above all black-market shinobi, an unreachable legend: Lord Uzumaki Senshi – the greatest mercenary in the black market.
The moment Senshi entered the lobby, Iwasa and the other employees rose in unison. Then Iwasa bowed and spoke with profound respect:
"On behalf of everyone at this Land of Earth black market, I salute the legendary mercenary of the ninja world – Lord Uzumaki Senshi!"
As soon as he said it, all other staff in the lobby bowed as well.
A big name casts a big shadow. At this point, Senshi's stature in the ninja world, particularly in the black markets, had soared to unprecedented heights. Hence, this kind of reception was no exaggeration.
Watching this, Senshi rubbed his chin. The scene gave him a slight sense of déjà vu – was someone about to step forward and ask him to demonstrate a bit of power, not because they doubted him but to open everyone's eyes?
Thankfully, things didn't veer into the absurd. Right then, Iwasa stepped up politely and asked:
"Lord Senshi, is there any special purpose to your visit to our black market?"
Instead of answering directly, Senshi simply held out one hand.
Iwasa paused for a moment, then smiled and declared,
"Indeed, at any black market in the ninja world, Lord Senshi stands at the pinnacle, able to cover the skies with a single hand, stirring clouds and summoning rain!"
Senshi: (O_O)???
Iwasa's over-the-top words left Senshi briefly dumbfounded. Holding out his hand was meant as a business gesture: With his mercenary group present, the black market stood to gain immense commission revenue.
Meanwhile, him extending "one hand" was a hint that he wanted half of those commission fees. Yes, fifty percent sounded huge, but if they tackled enough missions, even the remaining fifty percent would be more than enough for Iwasa to gorge on.
Senshi didn't plan to waste time. Bluntly, he said:
1. "First, my mercenary group and I plan to do missions here for a while."
2. "Second, half of this black market's commission fees go to me and my people."
3. "Third, if that's unacceptable, we'll just head elsewhere."
His words were concise and straightforward.
Iwasa, as manager of this black market, was certainly no fool. If Senshi and his group stayed there, who knew how many missions they'd complete? Given their formidable efficiency, even awarding them fifty percent of the fees would still bring the black market massive profits.
But Iwasa didn't dare agree on the spot. He was just the on-site manager, not the actual power behind the market. Plus, if his black market's revenue ballooned, other black markets would suffer – and the person in charge of commission fees had some authority, but not total.
After carefully picking his words, Iwasa replied:
"Lord Senshi, I personally find your proposal entirely agreeable. However, we have rigid regulations we cannot violate, which apply to all black market managers. Nonetheless, I still want to show you the utmost sincerity and secure you maximum benefits."
At this, Senshi gave Iwasa a more approachable look. It seemed there truly were levels even among black-market managers.
Iwasa was obviously more capable than that near-disaster of a manager from the Land of Lightning who almost ended up on a rooftop. Besides, that "fifty percent" he'd mentioned was just sky-high opening talk anyway.
Normally, a mercenary has to pay fees to the black market – they don't get paid by the black market. But because of Senshi's terrifying mission capacity, he could negotiate from a position of strength.
In a casual tone, Senshi asked, "All right then, let's hear what you can offer by way of sincerity."
Iwasa let out a slight sigh of relief. From his perspective, Senshi and his group were veritable gold mines. If they kept working from his black market, his performance might shoot to the skies.
Moments earlier, he worried Senshi might simply walk away. Now that Senshi had offered him a chance to show sincerity, he naturally wouldn't miss it.
So Iwasa paused to phrase it properly, then laid out his plan:
1. "Lord Senshi, as long as you and your group stay at this black market for over a month, we'll waive all commission fees for you entirely."
2. "Furthermore, we'll publicize widely so that prospective clients throughout the Land of Earth and beyond will learn you're undertaking missions here, ensuring that they come to this black market to post tasks."
3. "Under my current authority, I can only promise you a ten-percent share of the market's commission fees, but I'll do my utmost to lobby the higher-ups to raise that to thirty percent. How does that sound?"
This was no empty promise – each item offered real gains. Waiving their commission fees effectively boosted Senshi's profits.
Then came free publicity, enabling them to expand their influence faster, presumably creating pressure on Iwagakure sooner.
And finally, Iwasa would directly share a portion of the black market's cut with them, pushing for the total from one-tenth to perhaps three-tenths. With enough clients, that could be astronomically high.
Seeing such earnestness, Senshi patted Iwasa's shoulder: "All right, we'll do it your way."
Overjoyed, Iwasa said gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Senshi, for your understanding."
While Senshi and Iwasa confirmed their agreement, Sasori, Deidara, Karin, and Musen's five-person squad all stood there open-mouthed, gazing at Senshi. They each had the same thought: Can you really do that?!
They'd never have guessed a mercenary could not only avoid paying black-market fees but also enjoy a stack of extra benefits.
If they hadn't witnessed it personally, they'd never have pictured such an advanced tactic.
Actually, it made sense: even Kakuzu – despite having the most years of service in this domain – had never discovered such a method. If not for the happenstance of him picking up a certain assistant, he'd still be working alone, without these new ways of operating.
Meanwhile, Iwasa and his people began making preparations. Karin trotted over to Senshi, her little face brimming with sincerity, and said, "Senshi, you're incredible! You talked him into it so smoothly that he's actually thanking you!"
Without missing a beat, Senshi flicked Karin on the head and said sternly, "Rubbish! This is a mutually beneficial deal between me and Manager Iwasa. A perfect win-win! There's victory everywhere you look – we're both making a killing, got it?"
Karin cheekily stuck out her tongue. A "perfect win-win?" More like Iwasa's been sweet-talked into submission.
As for Musen, he was keen on copying this himself: "Next time I go to a black market, I'll just march over to the manager, slam a hand down, and say I'm negotiating from a position of strength. I'm in the red-cloud cloak, so they won't try to bully me."
At his side, Lanyu and Lanwu eyed him oddly, feeling a vague sense of dread.
In the meantime, with Iwasa's cooperation, all tasks posted at that black market ended up in Senshi's group's hands.
Senshi himself didn't bother taking up tasks personally – the current batch wasn't even enough for his entire group to fill their teeth, let alone require his Wood Clones.
As his mercenaries dove into a frenzy of mission farming, Iwasa spread the word far and wide through the black market's channels.
Soon enough, the entire black market, plus the surrounding villages, towns, and other black markets, all heard that Senshi's group was tackling missions right here under Iwasa's management. This news spread like a whirlwind in every direction. As more time passed, prospective clients throughout the Land of Earth grew excited.
In one merchant guild, a stout boss paced his office in distress, his caravans having been robbed by bandits. He was out of ideas until a subordinate burst in anxiously: "Boss, great news! Lord Senshi and his mercenary team have come to the black market in the Land of Earth and are accepting jobs!"
"What?" The boss paused, then banged his desk, disbelief in his eyes. The subordinate wasted no time reiterating: "Yes, boss – Lord Senshi's at Iwasa's black market. Our stolen cargo can be rescued now!"
After confirming it, the boss demanded sternly, "Is that info reliable?"
"Completely, boss. Manager Iwasa of the black market announced it himself," the subordinate answered decisively. Hearing that, the boss's face lit up. "Hahaha! Just when I was at my wit's end, Lord Senshi and his mercenary group appear in the Land of Earth black market."
"Hurry up – let's get ready. We're heading straight to Iwasa's market to post a commission for Lord Senshi!"
Such conversations echoed all over the Land of Earth. Even those who'd have normally posted tasks at Iwagakure's mission office now left to chase after Senshi. This left the Iwa-nin baffled. At first, they didn't think it was a big deal, but after a single day, they were already panicking.
Tsuchikage's Office – Iwagakure.
Akatsuchi rushed in, panting, to find Onoki hovering at the window with his hands folded behind him. Seeing the Tsuchikage, Akatsuchi wore a worried expression: "Sensei, there's a problem!"
At the moment, Onoki was calmly levitating, turned away from Akatsuchi. In his eyes, his disciple had many strengths, but still lacked composure. With Onoki in charge, the village had remained stable; how bad could anything be? He asked what was wrong, and Akatsuchi explained precisely how the village was changing:
"Sensei – Lord Uzumaki Senshi has come to a Land of Earth black market! He's been taking an enormous number of tasks, and it's drastically cutting into the missions posted at our Iwa mission center."
At that point, Onoki cut him off: "I already knew Senshi had entered the Land of Earth. He's so influential in black markets that it's no wonder the mission center might see a little fluctuation at first. Don't fret. It'll go back to normal soon."
Onoki knew about Senshi's arrival. But since Senshi wasn't heading for Iwagakure itself, and the ninja world was relatively peaceful, he'd paid it no further heed.
Hearing Onoki's remark, Akatsuchi grumbled, "Sensei… but this time, it's a bit special…"
Onoki frowned. "Special how?"
Even Kurotsuchi, standing off to the side, focused on Akatsuchi. With no attempt to hide it, Akatsuchi answered everything: "This time, Senshi didn't come alone. He brought his entire mercenary group, and together they've been farming missions in the Land of Earth black market. My preliminary investigation says they're so efficient that a single black market's tasks aren't enough for them."
"Because they charge standard fees but deliver superior results, the clients who normally come to Iwa's mission center are all heading off to that black market to hire Senshi and his mercenaries instead."
For once, Onoki drifted down from his floating position, turned around, and looked at Akatsuchi with a heavier expression. After a moment, he asked, "How is the mission center now?"
Akatsuchi responded: "Ever since word spread that Senshi and his group are at that black market, the requests at our mission center have plummeted. And this is just day one. Now we're only getting about forty percent of what we usually get!"
"If it goes on like this, the mission center might be done for."
Both Onoki and Kurotsuchi showed surprise at hearing the number. They realized Senshi's influence was far beyond what they had envisioned.
Onoki's face hardened, then he said to the two of them, "Let's keep an eye on things for another two days. We need to see what exactly Senshi's plotting. Also dispatch to that black market for a closer look. Maybe it's a short-lived hassle, and we'll be back to normal soon."
Even so, Onoki couldn't help a slight headache. He'd been Tsuchikage for many years, but never had he experienced something like this. All he could do was have Akatsuchi and the others keep an eye on the village's changes and figure out why Senshi had shown up in the Land of Earth.
That plan might not have been wrong in a normal situation, but with an unstoppable "cheat-level" figure like Senshi and his "cheat-level" allies competing directly, Iwa was bound to lose out.
On day one, the mission center's job count fell to about forty percent. By day three, it was practically deserted. Aside from a scattering of loyal folks still coming in, everyone else was flocking to Senshi's black market.
Inside the Tsuchikage's office, Onoki's face looked gloomier than ever. Initially, he had assumed the novelty would wear off, and that clients would trickle back to Iwa, but these two days proved the trouble far graver than he had guessed.
After a long silence, he asked Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi: "Any changes in the village or that black market?"
Akatsuchi, looking miserable, reported, "Sensei, practically no one is posting tasks at the village. Both village finances and shinobi incomes have taken a sharp hit these three days. The longer this goes on, the heavier the cost on us."
With no tasks, the shinobi make no wages, and the village can't collect a stable revenue. Under such conditions, Iwa's future growth was at risk. Over time, the village might not be able to fund itself.
Hearing that, Onoki frowned deeply. "All the clients who used to bring tasks here… are they all going to the black market now?" Akatsuchi nodded, "Yes, sensei."
Then Onoki turned to Kurotsuchi. "And what's the black market's situation?" She gave a slightly odd look. "Over there, Senshi brought along eight mercenary teammates, and they're churning through missions with insane speed. They charge standard fees, so an ever-larger crowd of clients is flocking to them. Plus… one of those eight is Deidara-nii."
At the mention of Deidara, Onoki flew into a rage: "That brat… in the past, he terrorized the Land of Earth and our village for his 'art.' But this time, he's colluding with outsiders to trip us up?! Outrageous!"
Still, though furious with Deidara, Onoki thought about how to solve the immediate crisis. Apart from Deidara, Iwa had no direct involvement with that group. They'd have to start with Deidara.
Thus he asked Kurotsuchi, "Have you spoken at all with that brat?" Kurotsuchi shook her head. "No, Grandpa. My time at the black market was short, and Deidara-nii was constantly out completing tasks. I never actually saw him. intelligence says he's spent these days at that black market doing mission after mission."
That seemed strange to Onoki. He knew Deidara was rarely interested in anything but "art." Even so, the question remained how to rescue the village from the crisis.
So Onoki ordered, "Put your usual village duties on pause and get in contact with Deidara. Figure out what Senshi wants. And see if there's any way to make them leave the Land of Earth to pester someone else."
Kurotsuchi nodded and left immediately to carry out the order. Indeed, the losses to the village were too great to delay.
…
Konohagakure – The Uchiha Clan Training Grounds
Compared to Onoki, Jiraiya felt considerably more at ease.
Konoha was doing great, so the village's affairs were hardly his worry. But he was rather vexed in his current role teaching Naruto and Sasuke.
Initially, he'd wanted to instruct them in ninjutsu, but after a few days of observation, he discovered that Naruto and Sasuke already knew more techniques than he did.
He had no ninjutsu left to show them. But after mulling it over, he realized he still possessed something worth teaching: a wealth of combat knowledge accumulated from myriad battles.
Naruto and Sasuke, for all their phenomenal potential at learning jutsu, might be missing certain things you only gain through extensive real-world fighting.
They were only around eleven or twelve years old, plus they'd spent a lot of time studying jutsu – so presumably, their raw battle experience and other skill sets requiring time and seasoning were incomplete. And that was precisely Jiraiya's domain of expertise.
At that thought, his frustration lifted. In the Uchiha training grounds, Naruto and Sasuke were practicing on their own.
Seeing Jiraiya arrive, Naruto waved. "Hey, Pervy Sage, have you decided what to teach me and Sasuke yet?"
Sasuke also looked over, inwardly eager to learn from a Konoha legend. Although the matter of killing Itachi was no more, Sasuke now needed to grow stronger than ever for the sake of the Uchiha's vengeance.
Smiling, Jiraiya answered, "Naruto, Sasuke, you two know tons of jutsu. But ninjutsu alone isn't enough for a shinobi. You both need to improve in other fields as well, or you'll never become those truly strong, well-rounded ninja who can handle anything."
Naruto was baffled: "Pervy Sage, what else do we gotta learn?"
That was the perfect lead-in. Without hesitation, Jiraiya explained, "You need to hone intel-gathering, data analysis, battle planning… plus actual combat experience. Put simply, there's still a lot you can work on, and those just happen to be my strengths."
That gave both Naruto and Sasuke pause. Naruto internally grumbled: Gee, can't he be more like Sensei, teaching straightforward, powerful stuff? Analysis and planning sound like a real headache. Sasuke, on the other hand, took it more seriously. We definitely could improve in those areas. Even if it doesn't increase my raw combat skill immediately, it might come in handy later.
As the two sank into thought, Jiraiya chuckled. "So I'll start with what's most crucial – building genuine battle experience. Come on, Naruto, Sasuke, attack me. I'll spot your weaknesses in combat. Then afterward, I can show you how to correct them and share related tips."
Naruto beamed. "Why didn't you say so earlier, Pervy Sage? I was worried you'd make us do a bunch of complicated stuff." Glancing at Sasuke, he joked, "Ahem, Sasuke!"
Although Sasuke suspected that he and Naruto might not need training in "battle experience," they simply couldn't deny Jiraiya's enthusiasm. So they resolved to show what they'd got.
"Zzt, zzt, zzt!"
As Sasuke lunged at Jiraiya, brilliant arcs of lightning crackled around his body. Rushing in, he also manifested the so-called lightning armor, hailed as "the strongest shield."
Without a moment's delay, he bellowed and thrust forth his right hand – like four thunder-spears: "Four-Finger Nukite!"
Simultaneously, Naruto darted up, unleashing his signature: "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!" All of a sudden, an intense BGM seemed to ring out, and Jiraiya found himself besieged by Naruto's clones.
He was rather stunned. Their synergy and real combat instincts were much greater than he had assumed. Even as he marveled, Sasuke's blow came slicing in.
"Swish!"
Jiraiya easily dodged via Body Flicker, and Sasuke hadn't expected to land that single blow anyway.
The instant the strike missed, Naruto's clones swarmed Jiraiya from every angle. Although he swiftly reduced them to puffs of white smoke, Naruto and Sasuke's moves fit together seamlessly.
Whenever some clones vanished, Naruto simply conjured more – and by then, Sasuke had lunged in for another attack.
This time, Sasuke didn't hesitate, directly unleashing his full-power Thunder Punch. "Ora, ora, ora!"
He pummeled Jiraiya with a furious salvo of blows. Meanwhile, Naruto bombarded him with "Aura Spheres" from every side.
Sasuke's lightning-laced fists roared away; Naruto's wave of projectiles was equally unrelenting. "Muda, muda, muda!"
And in that moment, Jiraiya realized they needed hardly any guidance on synergy or combat experience.
In fact, these two, still so young, already fought like seasoned veterans. One had to wonder how they'd managed it. The explanation, naturally, was that Naruto and Sasuke had previously completed countless missions, forging their experience in real battles.
Jiraiya had intended to impart "battle knowledge," but he ended up merely serving as a rock-solid sparring partner for them.
~~~
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