"…Sigh. Gold is easy to find, but a true confidant is rare."
Uchiha Ren let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Tobirama, even though you've always been biased against the Uchiha, I used to believe you were a smart man. Someone who could understand what I'm trying to achieve… someone who could comprehend my ambition."
"But now it seems… you're no different from those mediocre shinobi in Konoha."
Senju Tobirama's face darkened to an ugly shade.
"I don't understand!" he snapped.
"Why are you so fixated on the Zero-Tails' destructive power? Is that all you see in it?"
"Does Konoha really need some half-baked artificial tailed beast to show off?"
His tone was sharp, but Ren simply looked at him with thinly veiled disdain.
"Then speak plainly," Tobirama growled. "Stop dancing around the point."
Ren smiled faintly.
"I've already told you—the Zero-Tails can absorb negative human emotions and convert them into chakra."
"I don't know which genius in the Hidden Sky Village came up with it, but I'd call it… brilliant."
"Chakra has always been a scarce resource. Even with the Nine-Tails, Konoha doesn't have enough."
"And now—human emotions themselves can become energy."
Tobirama's expression changed.
Something wasn't right.
"Negative emotions," he interrupted coldly. "That means hatred, anger, despair."
"Are you planning to create mass suffering like the Hidden Sky Village?"
Ren looked at him as if he were slow.
"This is exactly what makes the technology great."
"When you fully decode it, we can build 'mental relaxation facilities' on a large scale."
"This world is full of suffering."
"Konoha's workers accumulate resentment, jealousy, anger… all kinds of negative emotions."
"The Zero-Tails can absorb all of that—purify them."
He continued, voice steady.
"Especially factory workers. Once people get used to comfort, they forget hardship. Then they start complaining about work… even forgetting my contributions."
"But with regular 'mental cleansing'…"
"They'll wake up the next day refreshed. Ready to work."
Tobirama froze.
Ren wasn't done.
"And the Hokage Office staff—working overtime every day, building up frustration…"
"What if one day they snap and hang me from a streetlamp?"
"…Better to solve that in advance."
"Regular 'treatment' for them as well."
Ren rubbed his fingers together, a merchant's gesture.
"Think about it."
"They release stress."
"We generate chakra."
"We convert it into electricity."
"A perfect cycle."
"A flawless system."
In the dim light, his shadow stretched long behind him—
Like something monstrous.
Tobirama stared at him in disbelief.
"You… you…"
"…Are you even human?!"
This was beyond anything he had expected.
Even among Uchiha—
This was abnormal.
"This is slavery," Tobirama said hoarsely. "Do you even see the people of Konoha as human beings?"
Ren shrugged.
"How am I wrong?"
"If those negative emotions aren't released, do you know how dangerous that becomes?"
"I'm helping them."
"Cleansing their minds. Returning them to a pure state."
"A 'sage-like' mental condition."
"And they'll even pay for it."
Tobirama felt a chill.
For the first time—
He genuinely worried about Ren's future.
"I'm starting to think…" he muttered, "one day you really will be hanged—"
"Relax," Ren cut him off. "I'm not worried. Why are you?"
"I'm doing this for Konoha."
"Tobirama… your vision is too limited."
For once—
Tobirama didn't argue.
When it came to exploiting value…
He had to admit defeat.
"…But you do have a point," Ren added thoughtfully.
"When the time comes, I can just claim this technique was left behind by you."
Tobirama exploded.
"Bullshit! Don't pin that kind of thing on me!"
"My reputation is spotless!"
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"…You've been single your entire life. What reputation are you talking about?"
"That's not the point!!"
Tobirama was on the verge of losing control.
In the end—
Ren relented.
"Fine, fine."
"I'll let Kakuzu handle it later."
After all—
As long as there was profit—
Kakuzu would do anything.
And this project?
Pure profit.
—
"Then it's settled," Ren said, patting Tobirama's shoulder. "You handle the Zero-Tails' technical side."
"…Hmph. Understood."
Tobirama agreed reluctantly.
The truth was—
This project mattered.
Konoha couldn't rely on the Nine-Tails forever.
Buying chakra from shinobi wasn't sustainable.
Coal-based energy was too expensive.
So—
The Hidden Sky Village had to fall.
The only problem was—
How to justify attacking them.
Konoha had always maintained the image of peace.
Acting only in self-defense.
That legacy came from Senju Hashirama.
Breaking it—
Would invite resistance from Konoha's leadership.
Ren didn't care.
Principles were flexible.
But convincing everyone else?
That required strategy.
—
A few days later.
The high-level meeting began.
Ren sat at the head of the table, listening quietly.
Reports filled the room.
Budget disputes.
Education overspending.
Industrial expansion.
Railway costs.
Technology funding.
Everything—
Came down to money.
Orochimaru, attending his first meeting, watched in fascination.
Then joined the argument himself.
Construction projects always needed more funding.
The Finance Department fought back relentlessly.
The meeting dragged on.
For two hours.
Finally—
Ren spoke.
"Finished arguing?"
The room fell silent instantly.
"Good."
"Then I have something to announce."
"The Technology Department has developed a new product."
Every eye lit up.
A new product—
Meant profit.
Massive profit.
Ren placed several items on the table.
Grenades.
Landmines.
"This weapon replaces explosive tags."
"No chakra required."
"Easier to manufacture."
"Three to five times cheaper."
"And just as powerful."
Silence.
Then—
Excitement exploded.
They understood immediately.
This would destroy the explosive tag market.
Completely.
"In large-scale production, costs will drop even further," Ren continued calmly.
The implications were obvious.
Higher survival rates.
Greater firepower.
Unlimited supply.
"Everyone…"
Ren clasped his hands, scanning the room.
"I intend to destroy the explosive tag market."
"And let Konoha monopolize it."
The reaction was instant.
"Hyūga Clan is willing to invest!"
"Senju Clan will participate as well!"
"I'm in!"
"Count us in too!"
No one hesitated.
This wasn't just profit—
This was domination.
A monopoly.
A word they had learned from Ren.
And now—
They understood its meaning.
Ren smiled.
Konoha was becoming something new.
A beacon of the shinobi world.
And—
What kind of beacon didn't sell weapons?
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