The Konoha Mission Hall, always buzzing with activity, had never seen such chaos. As the central hub for missions and the core of Konoha's economy, this place was where most ninja came to earn their livelihood.
But now—the crowd was overwhelming. Ninjas pushed, shouted, and fought just to get a glance at the mission board.
In normal times, S-rank and A-rank missions were rare, often left for elite teams. Most Genin stuck to C-rank or the occasional D-rank missions, while Chūnin and Jōnin tackled the more serious B and A-ranks.
D-rank missions were often menial—pulling weeds, chasing lost cats. Even those were once ignored by experienced ninjas, deemed too unworthy of their skills.
But now?
Even the D-rank missions had been snatched up within minutes.
"No more missions? Even the C-ranks are gone?!"
"What about B-rank? D-rank? Anything?!"
"Ugh! I haven't taken a mission in days! How am I supposed to feed my family? I can't even afford a visit to the hot springs, let alone pay rent!"
"It's not that the village isn't assigning missions... it's that the missions are being taken instantly. Look around you—those guys? Sarutobi clan. And over there? All from major ninja clans. They're sweeping the board clean."
"Damn... if they've taken all the missions, what's left for the rest of us?!"
The mood in the hall was foul. Civilian ninjas, who relied on regular missions to support their families, now had no source of income. Many of them couldn't afford new equipment, much less training.
And worst of all—resentment was growing.
The ninja clans, once considered the village's foundation, were now seen as greedy and desperate, stripping away the few opportunities that had existed for the civilian class.
But the truth was, even the clans were hurting.
Many ninja families had lost access to village subsidies. With Uchiha Andrew tightening the budget to funnel funds into rural development and public infrastructure, the Sarutobi clan, in particular, had been hit hard.
Without clan support, even Jōnin had to fight for basic missions.
"We have no choice," muttered a Sarutobi elder. "The family coffers are empty. If we don't take missions, our people starve."
The result? A feeding frenzy.
But the number of missions was limited.
Civilian ninjas—especially those stuck at the Chūnin rank—were the first to suffer. Many of them had no powerful ninjutsu, no Kekkei Genkai, no high-level training. With no missions, they couldn't grow stronger. And with no strength, they couldn't compete.
It was a vicious cycle.
Back at the Hokage's office, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the commotion through his crystal ball, an expression of deep fatigue on his wrinkled face.
"When did it come to this?" he muttered. "Did Uchiha abandon the village? Or… did Danzo's schemes finally go too far?"
He had ruled for decades. Konoha had survived countless crises. But now, the cracks were deepening.
The village coffers were drying up.
Civil unrest was rising.
Trust between clans and civilians was deteriorating.
And perhaps worst of all—the economy was faltering.
Hiruzen had always thought his leadership was just and measured. But now, he could see the rot. Maybe it was his own small-minded decisions, his favoritism, or just the weight of old age. Either way, Konoha was not as stable as it seemed.
Just then, an Anbu appeared in the office, kneeling silently before presenting a scroll.
"Urgent report from the border."
Hiruzen opened it and read quickly. His eyes widened. The color drained from his face.
"Summon the elders. And Jiraiya—now!"
---
Within the hour, Konoha's top brass were assembled in the Hokage's office. Homura, Koharu, Shikaku Nara, and other advisors arrived promptly. The last to stroll in was Jiraiya, his white mane bouncing with every step.
"Huh? Andrew, you're here too?" Jiraiya blinked in surprise. "Didn't expect you to show."
Everyone had noticed that Uchiha Andrew had been distant lately. Though titled as an elder advisor, he rarely involved himself in political decisions, except when it came to village development funding. He had no interest in personal power or clan politics.
"I was summoned like the rest of you," Andrew said with a shrug. "No one's said anything yet, so I'm just waiting like everyone else."
His voice was calm, almost bored. But if anyone tried to seize the village's finances—or dared to move against him—they would find themselves facing the full power of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Even Konoha's most stubborn elders had learned not to provoke him lightly.
Hiruzen didn't waste time. He handed the scroll directly to Jiraiya.
"Cloud Shinobi and Rock Shinobi are officially at war."
The room fell silent.
"What?! They launched an undeclared attack?" Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Two Jinchūriki raided Iwagakure directly? Are they insane?!"
"Looks like the Fourth Raikage has lost patience," Shikaku muttered, walking toward the large map of the ninja world. He placed his hand on the region between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning.
"They don't border each other directly. There's an ocean... and a cluster of small nations—the Land of Grass, the Land of Fields, and more."
He paused and pointed again.
"All of them border the Land of Fire."
The implication hit everyone at once.
"If the war spreads... it's coming through our land."
"Those nations are too small to defend themselves. The battlefield will spill into Fire Country whether we like it or not."
And that was the worst-case scenario.
If the war dragged on, both Cloud and Rock Shinobi would turn to Konoha's lands for resources. The Fire Nation was fertile, wealthy, and largely untouched since the last war.
"If we're not careful, we'll be dragged in... by both sides."
That's what worried Hiruzen the most. He had tried to appease Cloud in the past, hoping to avoid conflict. But war had come anyway.
And now, Konoha was at its weakest.
They had money problems. Civil unrest. Fewer trained shinobi. Their supply lines were already stretched.
Andrew leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He didn't even glance at the others.
"This war has nothing to do with Uchiha. Or Konoha. So I'm not participating in this meeting."
The room turned toward him.
"What do you mean? We're all part of the village, are we not?" Homura asked sharply.
"Sure. But whenever I speak, I'm accused of manipulating the budget or leaking secrets. So I'll pass. You handle your own war council."
With that, Andrew stood up, brushed off his cloak, and turned toward the door.
"I have better things to do. Like making money."
---
Outside the office, Andrew's mind began racing.
War. Real war.
Most people would panic. But not him.
He had been preparing for this moment for years. With the right planning, war could be the greatest opportunity.
Demand for weapons, armor, and sealing tools would skyrocket.
Black market prices would rise.
Medical supplies, scrolls, chakra pills—all in short supply.
Transportation, mercenaries, smugglers... all would be needed.
And he had already invested in manufacturing and logistics, thanks to his rural revitalization plans.
"Let Konoha play politics. I'll play economics." Andrew muttered.
There was no better business than a war.
And no one—not even the Hokage—could stop him from profiting from it.
-------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
-----------------------------------------------------