Wooden vines spiraled and climbed, forming a spiral mask on Yōkō's face, identical to Tobi's.
After disguising himself as Tobi, Yōkō's body sank into the ground and disappeared.
Let Sarutobi Kanenosuke rest for a while. These black pots here in the Land of Rivers will be carried by Tobi.
After all, you all consider Konoha your enemy. You must all really want to kill Mitokado Homura, right?
I, Yōkō, am a warm-hearted person. I can't bear to see others anxious. I'll help you get your wish. Remember to come and give thanks when the time comes.
Two kilometers outside the capital of the Land of Rivers.
Mitokado Koshi and Mitokado Nozomi, along with three Guardian Ninja, had left the city to welcome his father.
Mitokado Nozomi, originally Utatane Nozomi, was Utatane Koharu's daughter. After marrying Mitokado Koshi, she changed her name to Mitokado Nozomi.
Mitokado Nozomi said, "After Father concludes his mission with the Land of Rivers, he'll be able to return to the village after leaving us, right?"
"Yes, on this trip, Father has met with the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools, the Land of Hot Water, and the Land of Grass, making a huge circle around the Land of Fire. For Konoha's sake, Father has worked too hard."
The two stood on the bank of the river valley, feeling sorry for their father.
Unbeknownst to them, a wooden, spiral mask slowly emerged from the edge of the valley cliff, listening clearly to their entire conversation.
The Ephemeral Technique was truly a divine technique.
Black and White Zetsu used the Ephemeral Technique to gather intelligence across the ninja world, becoming the masterminds behind the scenes.
Yōkō, using the Ephemeral Technique, could follow their example and play the same dark game.
Soon, a group of people appeared in the distance.
Mitokado Homura, along with four assistants, used the Body Flicker Technique to land in front of Mitokado Koshi.
"Koshi, Nozomi, I haven't seen you for half a year."
Mitokado Homura looked at his son and daughter-in-law, his heart filled with joy.
It was a pity that Nozomi still wasn't pregnant. If only they could have given him a grandson early.
Among their group, Akimichi Torifu, who had retired early, already had a grandson. The other high-level advisors, who worked tirelessly, had relatively few children.
The stronger the ninja, the more hidden injuries they accumulated, and the harder it was to have children.
They all knew a secret: their teacher, the Second Hokage, was such a powerful ninja who invented so many forbidden and secret techniques, yet even he couldn't solve his own infertility problem.
"Father, was the journey smooth?"
"Smooth, and yet not smooth."
Mitokado Homura waved his hand, signaling the assistants and the other Guardian Ninja to leave. Only the family of three remained on the riverbank.
Mitokado Homura walked forward a few steps, stood at the bank, and looked down at the torrential river water in the deep valley.
Yōkō's heart tightened, and he almost acted prematurely.
Had Mitokado Homura discovered something? Or was he simply enjoying the view of the river valley?
Mitokado Homura looked down at the river and said, "The smooth part is that I successfully reassured the Daimyō of the three affiliated nations."
"Including the Daimyō of the Land of Grass, they all pledged their unwavering loyalty, promising not to doubt Konoha's strength because of the consecutive deaths of three Guardian Ninja Captains."
"To be honest, the Shimura clan's ninja are becoming weaker with each generation."
"At the village's founding, the Shimura clan was the fifth-ranked ninja clan. After the Senju, Uchiha, Hyūga, and Sarutobi, came the Shimura clan."
"Now, the Shimura clan can't even protect a Daimyō properly, causing so much trouble."
Mitokado Nozomi said, "Although the Shimura clan's strength has declined, it was a close call but ultimately safe. All the Daimyō will continue to assign missions to Konoha."
Mitokado Homura smiled and said, "Nozomi, the problem isn't as simple as it seems on the surface."
"The Shimura clan messed up the Guardian Ninja mission."
"Danzo's plan was to send Hatake Sakumo to the Land of Grass, engineer a mission failure, and then pin the loss of the Land of Grass mission on Hatake Sakumo."
"However, Hatake Sakumo's abilities were too strong, and the plan failed."
"The responsibility for the Land of Grass Daimyō's distrust of Konoha still lies with the Shimura clan."
"Hatake Sakumo performed too well, yet the Land of Grass's predicament remains."
"What I fear is that if the Guardian Ninja Captain, Shimura Kōko, dies too, the problem will erupt again."
The confusion in Mitokado Nozomi's eyes disappeared. So that was it.
Konoha's White Fang's overwhelming success on this mission was also a problem for Father and the others.
Mitokado Koshi thought for a moment and said, "Father, since the Land of Grass Daimyō's attitude has reversed and he trusts Konoha again, can we attribute the credit to your diplomatic mission, to prevent Hatake Sakumo from gaining another major achievement?"
Mitokado Homura nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of approval. "Indeed. I am already working on that. Koshi, your thinking is excellent. You already understand what matters for Konoha's overall situation."
Nozomi was very happy to hear her father praise her husband.
Hearing this, Yōkō thought, Disgusting. Truly disgusting.
Mitokado Homura continued, "Koshi, you must be careful here as well. Whoever is targeting the Shimura clan's Guardian Ninja might also come after you and Nozomi."
"The position of Guardian Ninja Captain is the most lucrative in Konoha, as it controls mission distribution for a small country."
"Many people are eyeing this position."
"The Sarutobi clan holds the Captain position in the Land of Fire and Land of Hot Water. The Ino–Shika–Chō trio holds it in the Land of Whirlpools. The Shimura clan holds it in the Land of Grass. And we hold it in the Land of Rivers."
"This order is being disrupted due to the Shimura clan's decline."
"This is our foundation. We cannot afford to lose it."
Hearing that someone might attack them, Mitokado Koshi's voice was full of worry. "Father, the Land of Rivers Daimyō falls in and out of consciousness. The unconscious periods are getting longer."
"I can't find the cause."
"I suspect this matter is related to Sunagakure."
"Iwagakure covets the Land of Grass's mission share, even going so far as to send a Jinchūriki into the Land of Grass. I suspect Sunagakure might also take desperate measures. They covet the Land of Rivers' mission share."
Mitokado Koshi lowered his voice. "Father, I suspect the Daimyō might be poisoned."
Mitokado Homura's expression changed instantly, turning stern.
The poisoning of a Daimyō was a major event.
Yōkō thought, So that's it. The Daimyō's coma caused Chisa to lose power, and the reason was actually Sunagakure's restlessness.
Sunagakure isn't as bold as Iwagakure. Iwagakure directly sent elites into the Land of Grass, while Sunagakure is testing Konoha's reaction with poison first.
Mitokado Homura felt a sense of belated fear.
The Shimura clan was, after all, a major clan, with many Jōnin for Danzo to squander.
He and Utatane Koharu each had one son and one daughter.
A son and daughter-in-law could only die once.
Mitokado Homura said, "Koshi, it seems it's time to teach you that technique."
"The Second Hokage-sensei taught me that technique. It requires a lot of money. I told you to find a way to get the funds. How much have you saved up now?"
Yōkō's eyes shifted slightly. What secret technique was Mitokado Homura going to teach his son? It sounds powerful enough that Homura believes it can solve the current threat.
Yōkō's heart itched with curiosity.
Mitokado Koshi said, "Father, I currently have 112 million Ryo. I wonder if that's enough?"
Yōkō was stunned.
How much?
112 million Ryo?
How much was Sarutobi Hiruzen's head even worth?
This money is enough to buy Sarutobi Hiruzen's life!
So, the real fat rats in Konoha are you father and son!
You are truly greedy, truly daring, and truly capable of embezzling!
"112 million Ryo... that's a bit low," Mitokado Homura said after some thought. "Koshi, you've been the Land of Rivers Daimyō's Guardian Ninja for about four years now."
"In these four years, you have been diligent and haven't wasted your time, but you still haven't been decisive enough."
"I side with Sarutobi Hiruzen on everything precisely for the Sarutobi clan's explosive tags."
"The production and sale of explosive tags in Konoha are primarily monopolized by the Sarutobi clan. The market price is 10,000 Ryo per tag."
"An ordinary Genin might save for several months to afford three or five tags, to be used in a desperate life-or-death situation."
"The Sarutobi clan would never lower the price."
"The Uchiha clan is also skilled at making explosive tags, but the village has designated them as controlled military supplies and does not permit the Uchiha to sell them externally."
"The explosive tags produced by the Uchiha clan can only be used within their clan."
"Sarutobi Hiruzen previously promised me that I could purchase Sarutobi clan explosive tags at a low price."
"The Sarutobi clan is willing to sell me explosive tags for 5,000 Ryo each."
"I'll take the money you've saved to prepare enough explosive tags for you."
"Koshi, since Sunagakure is casting a covetous eye on the Land of Rivers, it's time to teach you that technique."
Mitokado Koshi was excited, his breathing heavy. "Father, is it the Second Hokage-sama's Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder Technique?"
"Yes," Mitokado Homura said. "Sarutobi Hiruzen's Five Elements Unrivalled Attack has no upper limit in power, as long as one has sufficient chakra."
"Although the Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder Technique is only an A-rank ninjutsu, as long as you have enough money to buy sufficient explosive tags, its power similarly has no upper limit."
In the valley, Yōkō listened, his heart trembling with fear.
So, the Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder Technique was passed to Mitokado Homura. Homura is quite cunning too; there's no intelligence about him inside or outside the village.
Mitokado Koshi said, "Father, the Land of Rivers' First Prince approached me, wanting to cooperate."
"He wants to deal with his aunt, the Chief Treasurer, Koishi Chisa."
"If the cooperation is successful and Koishi Chisa is eliminated, the First Prince will pay me a one-time reward of 30 million Ryo."
"Furthermore, I will be the one to assign guards for the three hydroelectric power plants."
"The guard mission payment is very high, equivalent to one A-rank mission settled weekly."
Mitokado Homura asked, "Such significant benefits? What does he want you to do?"
Mitokado Koshi said, "Father, the First Prince wants us to assassinate Koishi Chisa and her son."
"Koishi Chisa controls the three hydroelectric power plants and is the First Prince's greatest political rival."
Under the mask, Yōkō's eyes turned cold.
That so-called First Prince's ultimate goal is the three hydroelectric power plants.
Chisa is blocking the First Prince's path...
Mitokado Homura said, "This mission is simple. It's just killing a woman and a child. I think we can let—"
Mitokado Homura's words were cut short as he suddenly felt an extreme killing intent!
A figure leaped out from the valley cliff! Before he could even see clearly who it was, a kunai was already speeding towards Mitokado Homura's eye socket!
The four edges of the kunai were smooth as mirrors.
One of the edges reflected his son Mitokado Koshi's terrified face!
Poof!
A puff of white smoke appeared!
Yōkō was startled. With his current strength, his surprise attack had actually failed.
After the white smoke cleared, the kunai was stuck in a massive scroll.
At the critical moment, the large scroll had blocked the kunai.
Mitokado Homura, Mitokado Koshi, and his wife quickly jumped backward.
Both sides cautiously sized each other up.
Mitokado Homura saw the distinctive spiral mask and instantly recognized the attacker.
"Tobi!"
Yōkō, meanwhile, stared at Mitokado Homura's large scroll.
In the original story, during the Nine-Tails attack, there was a scene where Sarutobi Hiruzen led Konoha's forces against the Nine-Tails. Among them, the bespectacled Mitokado Homura held a massive scroll.
He wondered what trump card was hidden within that scroll...
***
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(Chapter End)