Three days after I signed a cease-fire treaty with Iwagakure, one of my intelligence agent sent back a gloomy news. It seemed that the Wind Daimyo do not want to pay for the pensions of the death because two of his concubines, who came for two large shinobi tribes blamed me for the provocation of this avoidable war.

I received this news from hell with my Yondaime. I spoke nothing to my Yondaime. I had to admit those two beautiful puppets made a point: it was my fault that I presented my weakness in front of my enemy.

I did not blame those shinobi tribes. If I was them, I would definitely pick this time to steal the intermediate joint spot between the political power and the military power.

I just afraid of one thing: How should I tell the brave souls just fought for this country that their Daimyo is considering abandoning them? I was too frightened to think about what a group of disappointed shinobi can do to this badly baffled country.

Akuira, you created me so that no desert-dwelling shinobi tribes would be erased only for a pool of sandy water.

Akuira, you created me because you believed I will stop desert-dwelling shinobi tribes from hurting each other.

Akuira, I failed you.

I failed you.

I never successes in making this desert fill with peace. I was always the reason for the human to fight, to drain their blood vessels, and to trample on the blossoms of life.

Why don't you take me with you, my naughty Akuira? It was you, my beloved Akuira! You put too many precious things in my hand, and everyone wants a piece of me.

I sat in front of a display cabinet in the comfort room next to the Holy Meeting Room. The senior council put some of Akuira's personal things in this display cabinet for them to lament and memorize his honorable life. I stared at Akuira's lute, and I remembered he was a great singer.

Then, I remembered his favorite song when he was still alive:

Oh, my friend, don't cry for me, no,
My soul is flying with the eagle.
Please help me to flame my torso,
Glorify it with a song without sorrow,
Make it light, make it bright, make it white.
And wind, wind will take it to my soul,
So that you will hear me sing outside your window.

I thought about this song again and again. I remembered the bright sparks in Akuira's eyes when he sings this song. I wept and I did not feel tears crawling on my face. The song reminds of the shinobi died for me.

Does Pakura rest in peace now?

Do the souls died for me rest in peace now?

How can they rest when their families are not taken good care?

But I also knew there was not a cent left in my pocket. The war and the search and rescue program for Sandaime ate all my cash and reserves. My shinobi fought for me voluntarily and they ate two meals, only barley, beans and water, per day. I wept again. I did not know how to pay back those brave souls. Wind mixed with sand and gravel pounded the window next to me. I thought it was the angry shout of my shinobi at the first second. Then, I laughed at myself.

I know you are here. I heard my Yondaime's beautiful low voice.

I am sorry. I should stay with you. I replied, tried hard to hide my tears and my sobbing voice.

Never mind. Everything will be all right. My Yondaime spoke softly.

The next day, all the seniors went out to visit my ally tribes, except the three largest one. They came back with a huge amount of loans, which most of them were usurious loans. The principle and the interest of these loans added up to an enormous number that no tribe leaders in the desert, including the Daimyo, wanted me to go bankrupted. Some tribes really wanted to withdraw their principle from me when they hear the total number of loan I got. However, they already signed a contact, which written they had to pay my half of their principle if they wanted to withdraw the principle before the due day for the principle. So most of them just crossed fingers and hoped I did not bankrupt at the next day.

My huge liability discouraged the three largest shinobi tribes a lot. It was just too risky to replace me at that moment. If they replaced me and sat at my position when I had such huge liability, they had to choose between whether paying all of my debts or paying none of my debts. I knew they did not have enough money to pay all the debts; and they did have the gut to offend most of the other shinobi tribes together at the same time. They still had options to pay some of the tribes but not the others, but which tribes should be paid are just too difficult to decide.

So, my domestic competitors would give me a breath until I paid all of the loans.

My Yondaime paid the pensions with the loans. The rest of the loans became my capital. The capital I needed to do some filthy, illegal but enjoyable business.

Even though I signed a cease-fire with Iwagakure, the war did not simply end. The war between me and the Iwagakure was just the prelude of a series of invasions and robs that plagued the whole continent. I did not remember when Konohagakure joined this mess, but I was so glad that bastard was fighting with Iwagakure. To me, there was nothing better than two dangerous rivals that are next to me bleeding to death. I am a monster and I never deny that fact.
The Land of Fire loved to starve his rivals to death because he was the main exporter of grain and rice. This time, it tried to starve the Land of Earth to death. Everyone knows not all land are created equal. Although the Land of Earth have its name as "Earth", most of his soil is fill with clay, which contains too much moisture that rots plants' roots.

Why are you coming?

Iwagakure asked me. He was covered with blood, dirt and ash. He supported himself with the trunk of a willow tree, which was blackened by fire and smoke.

I did not answer but walked towards him.

What are you trying to do?

Iwagakure took out a Kunai and held it tight. He stared at me. I knew he thought I am going to stab him between his ribs. I gave him a taunting smile. He became even more nervous and prepared to strike me between my eyes.

Sunagakure, we just ceased fire. You do not want your young men bleed again, do you?

Iwagakure asked me slowly. I preferred him add some more threaten tone but he was too tried to do that. I was disappointed, every disappointed. I thought he would last a little longer.

I knocked Iwagakure to the ground and pointed him with the Kunai snatched from him. He struggled but a loud rumbling noise from his stomach made him freeze. I burst into nasty loud laughter while his face turned plum red. I wiped his face clean with my long sleeve and kissed his cheek.

Are you hungery?

I asked with a seductive voice. I did not know I made Iwagakure think about popular folk tales of evil foxes at that moment until he told me.
I left Iwagakure with a new signed contact about smuggling rice and grain from the Land of Fire to him and he would pay me 4 times higher than the market price (of the Land of Fire) for those grains.

YOU EVIL FILTHY RICH MERCHANT!

I heard Iwagakure shouted at me. He did not have the strength to give me a punch, although both he and I knew he wanted to.

YOU DIRTY UGLY SHEEPISH ROBBER!

I shouted back.

I agreed with most of Iwagakure's description. I was evil and filthy; and I definitely a merchant. However, I was never a rich one. I was never rich enough to satisfy the greediness of human's heart.