NOVEL WEB Chapter 74: CHAPTER 74
c74 – Killing Thousands of People
The black market is a notorious and shadowy extension of the Bounty Exchange System in the shinobi world. Rooted in the Gold Exchange (Kugikin) established during the Warring States Period and maintained in secrecy since, it has evolved into a dark nexus of criminal activity: a place for issuing assassination bounties, trading forbidden jutsu, illicit information, rare ninja tools, and even human lives.
The Bounty Exchange Houses serve as intermediaries.neutral third parties that manage contracts. In principle, anyone can post or accept missions here. But in practice, the cost of issuing a contract is so high especially for targets like active-duty jonin or daimyō officials that only criminal syndicates, underground nobles, or corrupt faction leaders can afford it.
Thus, while it's theoretically true that anyone can issue a mission, the reality is that only a select few have the resources to do so, whereas any capable shinobi or mercenary can accept one if they know where to look.
The black market survives not in spite of, but because of, the tacit approval of the Five Great Nations and their hidden villages. The elemental nations maintain an unspoken agreement to allow the existence of these markets as a way to offload dangerous elements, gather intelligence, and manage rogue ninja populations indirectly. Konoha, Iwa, Suna, and even Kiri have, at one point, utilized this network to place discreet bounties or acquire forbidden knowledge through proxies.
For an average civilian or even a genin, accessing a black market linked to the gold exchange would be nearly impossible. But for Uchiha Gen, whose mastery of genjutsu and interrogation rivals even Kurenai Yuhi and the Yamanaka Clan, uncovering such information was trivial.
He focused his search on Baishi Town, a border outpost located north of Baijing City. Though small, it was notorious as a rest point for wandering samurai, freelance ninja (nukenin), and criminal ronin the ideal place for black market access.
At exactly midnight, in a shadowy corner of Baishi Town, a dingy tavern called Scarlet Dream opened discreetly. Known only to a handful of insiders, it operated under a false front. One of Gen's shadow clones, cloaked in black, entered through the front without attracting attention.
After handing over a modest bribe an unspoken prerequisite for all business in the underworld he was ushered through a secret back passage concealed beneath the bar's tatami flooring.
The Scarlet Dream Tavern was only one of several concealed entrances feeding into the black market. Other passageways were scattered throughout Baishi Town: sewers, storage cellars, and false wells that connected to this hidden hub like a chakra network.
The shadow clone followed the winding underground tunnel for about five minutes, before the tight walls opened into a vast, dimly lit forest hollow. There, glowing lights shimmered faintly through the trees. As he stepped out, Gen was greeted by a hidden street, almost a village unto itself.
Shops lined both sides, mostly crude wooden structures. Unlike standard stores with bold signboards, here each door was marked only with hand-painted kanji like "Implants," "Poisons," "Cursed Seals," or "Genjutsu Scrolls." The secrecy and ambiguity of the place made it clear: this was not for amateurs.
Wandering casually, Gen pretended to be a naïve upstart: unfamiliar with local etiquette, exuding false arrogance, and deliberately flashing a pouch full of ryo. It was a classic bait tactic, one even Jiraiya might have used during espionage missions.
Sure enough, he drew attention quick glances from stall owners, murmurs behind masks, and shadowy figures quietly tailing him. Some vendors even sent messengers to approach him with offers of "rare scrolls" or "lost Uchiha relics."
However, not everyone took the bait. Many black market veterans knew that "acting weak" is the oldest shinobi trick in the scroll. They had seen too many missing-nin wiped out by someone pretending to be a rookie. Only those blinded by greed or armed with overwhelming confidence dared pursue a target like that.
After about thirty minutes, Gen's clone had assessed the local power dynamics and attracted as many opportunists as he needed. His genjutsu-sensory perception had already logged their chakra signatures, weapons loadouts, and escape routes.
His purpose was complete.
With practiced subtlety, the clone exited through one of the unmonitored side passages, disappearing into the dark veins of the black market just as quietly as he had arrived.
By the time they exited Baishi Town and entered a dense forest along the city's outskirts, several impatient bounty seekers finally lost their composure. Without a word, they launched an ambush, hoping to eliminate the target before others could intervene.
Among the attackers were missing-nin and rogue samurai. The shinobi flanked both sides of the woods, unleashing a barrage of kunai and shuriken enhanced with chakra flow, a technique reminiscent of Asuma Sarutobi's trench knives. Meanwhile, the samurai emerged from both sides, wielding chakra-infused katana glowing with bluish light, a rare but documented skill among high-ranking Land of Iron swordsmen, and initiated a swift, coordinated charge.
Encircled and assaulted from multiple directions, Uchiha Gen would have been killed instantly if he were truly a child or simply feigning strength.
"Doton: Doryūheki!" – Earth Style: Earth Wall!
In a calm voice, Gen dropped the ryo case and weaved the hand seals. Chakra surged into the ground as four defensive earth walls erupted in a square formation. The front and rear were thick and sturdy, while the sides were narrower optimized not for symmetry but for utility. The walls effectively intercepted the incoming projectiles.
The rising barriers startled his attackers. The use of multi-directional Earth Release, a technique requiring both chakra control and spatial awareness, was a red flag this was no ordinary genin. Still, greed clouded reason, and they pressed forward.
Two samurai, channeling more chakra into their blades an advanced form of chakra flow practiced by Mifune's disciples accelerated their charge. With synchronized horizontal slashes, they cleaved through the frontal barrier in an instant. Their gazes then snapped toward their prey
—only to lock eyes with scarlet Sharingan, spinning with dual tomoe.
The sight of the Uchiha Clan's dojutsu triggered immediate panic. The two samurai recognized the danger but were a second too late. Their pupils dilated. Genjutsu: Sharingan activated, and both collapsed limp to the ground caught in an illusion before they could avert their gaze.
At that moment, four more rogue nin burst from the woods with weapons drawn. They moved in perfect formation, avoiding ninjutsu to minimize collateral damage to Gen's money pouch likely reinforced with chakra tags.
But Gen remained calm, his tomoe rotating slowly. He pivoted 360 degrees, and with a subtle pulse of chakra through his eyes, he cast a wide-area Sharingan genjutsu.
The illusion was not restricted to one target. As seen with Itachi's Genjutsu: Tsukuyomi and Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, Uchiha illusions can scale based on visual range and line of sight.
As each attacker made eye contact, the genjutsu hijacked their perception. Their five senses warped, and in a blur, they mistook one another for Uchiha Gen himself. Without hesitation, they struck at what they believed was their target embedding blades into their allies.
Though the injuries weren't fatal, the blood loss and trauma were significant. Their screams echoed through the woods, frightening the nocturnal wildlife into silence.
"The Uchiha are treacherous devils!" one missing-nin choked out, blood spewing from his mouth, disbelief in his eyes.
This behavior clashed with their image of the Uchiha noble, prideful, and aloof. They never imagined one would dirty their hands in the black market, disguising themselves to bait prey.
"Is the Uchiha clan not already the wealthiest in Konoha?"
"Ninjas were never bound by honor," Gen answered, his voice cold. "My clan simply adapts faster."
The remaining onlookers ninjas, mercenaries, and rogue swordsmen reconsidered. Hearing the screams and witnessing the illusion's effectiveness, many silently withdrew into the shadows.
But just as they turned to escape, Uchiha Gen's true body, hidden in a nearby canopy, acted.
"Genjutsu: Nirvana of Blood Naraku."
A modified illusion unique to Gen and reminiscent of the Shinten Kugutsu Juin no Jutsu of the Yamanaka spread through the air like falling ash.
"Are those... red feathers?" a rogue samurai muttered, dazed, reaching toward the floating crimson plumage.
The moment he touched one, he collapsed. The illusion dug deep into his subconscious, surfacing his worst fear. His expression twisted in silent horror.
"AAAAAARGH—!"
Shrill screams broke the midnight silence. The illusion struck dozens simultaneously, a cascade of mental collapses echoing across the forest.
"Humans are always so noisy," grumbled a young ape-like summoning beast roused from its den. Recently contracted to a minor rogue summoner, it had no power or confidence to face a threat of this scale, so it rolled over and tried to sleep again.
A few attackers adept in Kai (Genjutsu Dispel) freed themselves quickly. But before they could react, a silver-white sword launched from the treeline, expanding midair.
Chakra Blade: Moon Piercer an enhanced blade made with a special chakra-conductive alloy.
The blade sliced through multiple targets mid-sprint.
Pfft—!
One by one, attackers had their knees severed at the joint. Blood erupted, dyeing the snow crimson. Agonized screams filled the woods once more, as they writhed, crippled and vulnerable.
From the shadows emerged Uchiha Gen, cloaked in black, his Sharingan glowing like twin moons in the dark. He moved quickly, reaping souls and lifeforce from the downed, terrified bodies using the Soul-Soul Fruit's chakra conversion method he had refined.
Once finished, he summoned Zhurong, a modified chakra beast resembling a fiery ape, to incinerate the corpses and eliminate all traces.
Unlike the massacre at the Viper Gang's manor, where fire risked exposing innocent prisoners and civilians, this remote forest was perfect for cleansing bloodshed without consequence.
After sending his shadow clone to do one final sweep, Gen returned to his room at the White Rock Town inn, unbothered and unreadable.
In the weeks that followed, Gen began traveling from one black market to another across the Land of Fire, repeating his process. The bait remained the same: a rich fool, an easy target. And as always, greedy rogue nin fell for it.
A month later, whispers of a figure called the "Fishing Night Demon" spread throughout the underworld. Whether among missing-nin, rebels, samurai clans, or crime rings, the name instilled fear.
Soon, black cloaks became common attire in underground bazaars. Nine out of ten wore them, fearful of standing out and drawing the Fishing Night Demon's gaze.
Ironically, this fear improved black market security. Robberies declined. Conflicts decreased. But in truth, more than 200 enemies had fallen to Gen's illusion-and-blade combo—including several renowned jonin.
Peace, however, was temporary. Only after the Fishing Night Demon vanished six months later did the black market return to its lawless state.
One month after that, Gen received a summon via psychic beast courier—a rare technique once used by Orochimaru and later Sasuke to bypass long-range communication jutsu.
The message came from Orochimaru, stating the lab was complete and all equipment ready. Gen was to return immediately to receive it.
But Gen did not rush. The killing aura emanating from him had become so intense it needed to be reined in. Even Kakashi had once said, "Killing intent alone can freeze a man in his tracks." Gen's bloodlust now walked that line.
During this journey alone, over 900 individuals perished by Gen's hand. Factoring in his actions during the Third Great Ninja War, his confirmed kills exceeded 1,000.
Though not quite at Orochimaru's level—whose sheer presence paralyzed Sasuke and Sakura in the Forest of Death Gen's murderous aura was still enough to suppress lower-ranked shinobi and those without firm mental discipline.
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