Futures Trading Hall
"Doubled?" "Are we going to war or something?" "Move aside if you're not buying—10,000 ryo all in!" "…" Overnight, the trading hall turned into a noisy marketplace, packed with people and constant shouting.
Uchiha Ren and the Fire Daimyō had jointly pumped the market, doubling iron prices in a single night. The enthusiasm for futures was instantly ignited. What used to be a business only for nobles and big merchants was now accessible to everyone—even small vendors could join in with their savings.
The earliest entrants had already doubled their money. Word spread quickly, and people from all walks of life rushed into iron futures, drawn by the promise of easy profit.
"How is it rising this fast?" Kakuzu stared at the soaring prices, the red upward trend making him almost lose his mind with envy. White Fang's assets had already grown from over ten million to more than twenty million ryo.
Just imagining those profits made Kakuzu's heart pound. One night of earnings like that would take him months of bounty hunting.
Should I buy? His hands trembled, his heart beating faster. He hadn't even fully understood the manual White Fang gave him. What if he lost money?
This veteran ninja, shaped by old habits, still instinctively distrusted new things. Yet the price kept rising every moment, and people around him who didn't even understand futures were already making money.
Kakuzu scoffed inwardly. These people were exactly what the manual described—leeks, waiting to be harvested again and again.
But now those "leeks" were profiting, while he stood there hesitating. That realization hit him hard.
It's time to act. Start small. "I'm buying 100,000 ryo!" Kakuzu shoved through the crowd, cutting the line. Waiting even a second meant a higher cost.
Someone tried to protest, but a single cold glance from Kakuzu silenced them. Within minutes, the transaction was complete, and a finely crafted card was placed in his hand.
The moment he touched it, his heartbeat quickened. A strange sense of fear crept in. What if the price drops right after I buy?
He immediately looked up. The price was still rising. He let out a breath and returned to his seat, unable to focus on anything else.
That entire afternoon, Kakuzu did nothing but stare at the price as it slowly climbed. By the end of the day, it had risen another thirty percent.
Even Uchiha Ren would be surprised—the growth had already exceeded his expectations. What started as a scheme to target nobles had now drawn in ordinary civilians as well.
As evening came, Kakuzu's stomach growled. He realized how much time had passed. Looking back at the price, he saw that his investment had already gained thirty percent.
Three thousand ryo—earned just like that? So this is what it means when they say making money is as easy as breathing.
At first, he hadn't believed that phrase. Now he finally understood its meaning. The feeling was exhilarating.
Then regret hit him. Why didn't I invest more? If it were one million, that would be three hundred thousand profit. Ten million would be three million.
Kakuzu began calculating rapidly. A hundred million would yield thirty million. One billion would bring in three hundred million.
His heart pounded. The speed of making money like this was terrifying. But he shook his head—there was no way he would risk all his savings on something unfamiliar.
Still, earning three thousand ryo so easily was worth celebrating. Being a bounty hunter meant constant danger and effort. Compared to that, this felt effortless.
Tonight, he decided to treat himself. Normally he would just eat rice balls, caring only about efficiency. But today, he would splurge on a bowl of miso soup.
After eating, Kakuzu returned to the trading hall. It was even more crowded than before. There was no place to sit anymore—just a sea of people packed together.
The first thing he did was check the price. The moment he saw it, his breathing stopped. His pupils shrank in disbelief.
It had doubled again.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating. But the number didn't change. The price had really doubled.
That meant White Fang's assets had reached over forty million. Just from taking a break to eat, he had earned another twenty million.
Making money like breathing… Kakuzu realized he had completely underestimated that phrase. His perspective had been too small.
Regret flooded his mind. He had planned to invest more before leaving. Why did he hesitate? Why did he wait?
Another missed opportunity.
Now the same question returned—should he buy in again?
This was the nature of leeks. Hesitating, watching prices rise, unable to act decisively. Kakuzu clutched his money. Every coin had been earned with his life.
Someone shoved past him toward the line, clutching stacks of cash. Kakuzu recognized him—the weapon shop owner. Even he had entered the market.
"It rose again!" "Haha! Good thing I added more this afternoon!" Cheers echoed everywhere. Those who bought earlier were celebrating wildly.
But to Kakuzu, those cheers were unbearable. He had discovered futures first, received the manual first—yet others were earning more than him.
It felt unfair.
His mental defenses began to crack. A ninja's greatest strength—calmness—was slipping away. The noise, the rising prices, the constant stimulation made it impossible to think clearly.
He stepped outside to breathe. Away from the chaos, he forced himself to calm down.
He recalled the manual. "When others abandon, I take. When others take, I abandon." "When all die, I alone survive."
Suddenly, clarity struck. Someone must be manipulating the market. This surge was a trap designed to lure in leeks. The price would inevitably crash.
He had seen through it.
Sell. He needed to sell immediately before the crash came.
Kakuzu rushed back into the hall, pushing through the crowd again without queuing. Time was money—waiting could cost him everything.
"I want to sell." The staff looked at him in confusion. Sell now? At a time like this?
"Yes, sell." His tone was firm.
People nearby tried to laugh, but they held it in under Kakuzu's cold gaze.
"What are you looking at?" he snapped. "You leeks will be slaughtered when it crashes!"
Grabbing his money, Kakuzu strode out confidently.
These fools didn't understand futures at all.
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