Chapter 36: Hunger Marketing
Facing a tight encirclement by more than a dozen Kirigakure ANBU, Yami still wore that harmless, almost naive smile. In his mind, however, more than a dozen escape plans had already flashed by.
"Honorable shinobi," he said, feigning panic as he wiped sweat from his forehead—sweat that didn't actually exist.
"I'm just a traveling peddler scraping by on delivery jobs. Now that the war's barely over, I thought supplies in the Land of Water would be scarce, so I took a risk and came to try my luck."
The Kirigakure shinobi leading the group narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over Yami.
"At a sensitive time like this, what legitimate trader would dare come alone to the Land of Water?"
"Aiya, my lord, you don't know the hardships," Yami sighed, his acting impeccable as he put on a look of misery.
"The big caravans all say this route is too dangerous. Their shipping fees are outrageous. A small-time merchant like me can only work harder and do it myself."
As he spoke, he deftly opened his pack. A dazzling assortment of small goods immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Look—these are all everyday items. Combs, mirrors, needles and thread, soap… Which of these looks dangerous?"
Among the Kirigakure squad, a young kunoichi's gaze lingered on a finely crafted wooden comb.
Yami caught the detail instantly and launched into an enthusiastic pitch.
"Excellent taste, my lady! This is made from sandalwood unique to the Land of Fire. No static when you comb your hair, and it even carries a natural fragrance. If you like it, I'll give it to you—how about that?"
He offered the comb with a broad smile, while letting just the right hint of reluctance show on his face, perfectly portraying the shrewdness of a small-time merchant.
"Enough nonsense," the leader barked.
But his tone was no longer as hard as before.
Seizing the opening, Yami immediately pulled out an exquisite porcelain jar from his pack.
"My lords, you're often out on missions, and the climate here in the Land of Water—with its sea breeze and strong sun—can be rough. Your hair looks a bit dry and damaged. Take a look at this hair oil, a specialty from the Land of Fire, specially made to repair and nourish hair."
Like a seasoned salesman, he talked up an ordinary bottle of hair oil until it sounded miraculous—something that could restore one's hair to perfect condition overnight.
Several of the Mist ninja listened, visibly intrigued. Even the squad leader subconsciously reached up and touched his own hair.
Seeing the tension ease, Yami immediately pressed his advantage.
"You've all worked hard on duty, my lords. Please take these little items as a token of my respect. I only ask that you grant me some convenience and allow me to enter the town to do a bit of small business."
He enunciated the words small business clearly—subtly signaling that he was here only to make money and absolutely not to stir up trouble.
The jōnin looked over the assorted knickknacks. Finding nothing suspicious, he finally waved his hand.
"Go on in. But you're not allowed inside the village proper—only the surrounding towns. If we discover any suspicious behavior…"
He made a swift throat-cutting gesture.
"Understood, understood. I know the rules," Yami replied with repeated nods, wisely refraining from reclaiming the samples he had already given away.
Passing the checkpoint without issue, Yami strolled leisurely into a small town on the outskirts of Kirigakure with his goods in tow.
The town was more prosperous than he'd expected. Perhaps due to its geography, the range of merchandise was extremely narrow—mostly seafood-based handicrafts and various aquatic products.
"So the Land of Water really does have a closed-off commercial ecosystem," Yami mused inwardly, keenly aware that this was a business opportunity.
He chose a street corner near the town center, set up his stall, and arranged his wares neatly.
At first, many people stopped to look out of curiosity, but no one stepped forward to buy.
Yami wasn't in a hurry. He took out an elegant folding mirror and casually began tidying his hair, occasionally dipping a finger into a small jar beside him to apply a bit of oil to his scalp.
Naturally, this caught the attention of a few young passersby.
"Um… how much is that mirror?" a cheerful-looking young woman asked first.
"Excellent taste, miss!" Yami instantly switched to a professional smile.
"This is a premium item, freshly made in the Land of Artisans. The reflection is crystal clear, and the key feature is that it's compact and foldable—perfect for carrying around. Since it's my first day open, everything's twenty percent off."
Like a seasoned salesman from another world, Yami spoke smoothly and persuasively.
The people of the Land of Water had never seen anything like this. Not only did they buy the folding mirror, but they also picked up combs and small accessories along with it.
With the first sale breaking the ice, more curious townsfolk soon gathered around his stall.
"Boss, how much is this… Special oil?"
"Do you have other styles of that sandalwood comb?"
"Is everything discounted?"
Yami handled it all with ease—fair prices, occasional freebies, and a perfectly polished merchant's demeanor.
To young men and women, he praised their youth and beauty.
To middle-aged women, he praised their diligence and household management.
Even cold-faced shinobi passing by were talked into buying a few so-called "travel essentials."
By the end of the day, Yami's purse was pleasantly heavy. As he packed up, he deliberately raised his voice to the crowd:
"Great business today! I'll be here again tomorrow. Don't miss it, everyone—rain or shine, I'll be waiting right here!"
The words were meant not only for customers, but also for the Kirigakure shinobi watching from the shadows.
After closing shop, Yami checked into a shabby inn in town. The room was simple, but perfectly suited to a small-time peddler.
As he counted his earnings, he was delighted to find that—even with discounts—today's profit far exceeded that of a standard mission.
The next morning, the moment he set up his stall, several familiar faces from the day before were already waiting nearby.
"Boss, that stuff works pretty well. I'll take another bottle."
"How many do you have left? I want two more."
"And me too!"
Yami was secretly thrilled, but on the surface he put on a look of mild surprise.
"Thank you all for your support! Since this is my first time here, my stock is a bit limited…"
He deliberately created a sense of scarcity, prompting people to rush their purchases. By the time his inventory ran low, he even began limiting quantities per customer, while bundling other small goods as half-gifts.
In less than half a day, everything sold out. Business was booming.
To those who hadn't managed to buy anything, he reassured them that there was no need to worry. He would be traveling back and forth and would bring the next batch with him. If necessary, he could even offer special-order purchases.
After selling out, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he made a show of buying large quantities of local specialties from the Land of Water, preparing to resell them in the Land of Fire. He haggled loudly the whole time—every inch the stereotypical merchant.
And of course, he didn't forget his real objective. Even if it was just during casual shopping, the moment he activated Kagura Mind's Eye, a wealth of information flowed silently into his grasp.