Buggy also had the title of a Tactician in the bandit business, but unlike Shikaku, his reputation was limited to a small area within ten miles and eight villages; outside, people wouldn't recognize him.
His bandit stronghold was wiped out by Konoha Ninja as if it were a game, and then he was escorted to the magistrate's office (Bugyo-sho), questioned briefly, and then began a life of endless servitude.
At first, he still had some hope, as that Female Ninja from Konoha seemed to have an intention to recruit him. He made up his mind that when the time came, he would stand firm and negotiate terms. However, after waiting for half a year, no one came to save him. He figured the other party had just said it casually and had long forgotten by now.
It's better to rely on oneself than on others. The endless labor would eventually kill him, so he decided to save himself—by escaping!
He found his trusted subordinate, Dong Feng, to discuss it, and then found a few other villagers, planning to create chaos in the prison and escape.
He hadn't even started to escape when Dong Feng betrayed him, selling him out.
Buggy was brutally beaten by the jailers. Just as the jailers were about to flay him and feed him to the dogs, they heard that a prominent figure was about to arrive, and the jailers immediately stopped what they were doing.
It wasn't that the prominent figure was merciful, but rather that this prominent figure enjoyed watching death matches. A wild dog-like character like Buggy was perfect to keep alive for the prominent figure's amusement.
Outside the prison, the prominent figure of the Land of Fire, Tan Go, the Chief Minister, second only to the Lord of the Land of Fire and above everyone else, arrived discreetly at this prison in an ox-cart.
Tan Go was fifty years old this year, wearing glasses, and appeared refined.
As the Chief Minister in charge of the Land of Fire's finances, he was the Lord of the Land of Fire's absolute confidant, often acting as the Lord of the Land of Fire's proxy.
Through his diligent management and clever mind, he had reached his current position, but he was not satisfied because there was still a power within this country—a group of individuals whom he considered crude, rude, disrespectful of hierarchy, yet possessed formidable military strength.
Those were the Ninja, the Konoha Village!
Tan Go's parents died in a Ninja skirmish, dying without any value. He could no longer remember his parents' faces, only that he wandered for a long time afterward, was taken in by the then Lord of the Land of Fire, became a page, and had done everything from serving tea and water to accompanying him in studies and even sleeping.
At that time, he didn't have much concept of Ninja. After reaching adulthood, Tan Go displayed extraordinary administrative abilities, and the Lord of the Land of Fire then retreated behind the scenes, entrusting all government affairs to Tan Go.
The three Great Wars of the Ninja World caused heavy casualties among the Ninja, and their battles also inflicted immense damage on the Land of Fire. The Ninja would leave after fighting, leaving Tan Go to clean up the mess of compensating civilians, repairing markets, rebuilding homes, and so on. Why?!
With new and old grievances, Tan Go had always disliked Konoha Village.
He secretly mined gold, bribed Ninja from smaller Ninja Villages, and even purchased Ninjutsu scrolls to train samurai loyal to the Lord of the Land of Fire using Ninja methods.
He had done many things in secret.
Tan Go knew that the Lord of the Land of Fire was using him by hiding behind the scenes. If things were to be exposed, the Lord of the Land of Fire would definitely throw him out to seek peace, and he didn't mind.
Seven Ninja followed Tan Go. Strictly speaking, they were subordinates of Kazuma, the radical Guardian Shinobi Twelve, from back then.
Kazuma was a radical who believed that the Hokage was an unnecessary existence and that Ninja, as tools, should be managed solely by the Lord of the Land of Fire. If the Lord of the Land of Fire wanted them to live, they lived; if the Lord of the Land of Fire wanted them to die, they died. Tools, after all, should be like that.
Kazuma's radical faction fought against the moderate faction led by Asuma, and the moderate faction won. The Lord of the Land of Fire, to appease Konoha Village and the Hokage, exiled Kazuma and his faction of Ninja. Now that things had gradually settled down, these Ninja had quietly returned to the Land of Fire.
Standing beside Tan Go was a Female Ninja named Fu Bu. This woman was originally a Special Jonin from Hidden Sand Village, secretly recruited by the Land of Fire with money. She experienced the civil war of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve, was then exiled, and has now returned.
Behind Fu Bu stood six Ninja, all from small Ninja Villages, incomparable to her, who came from Hidden Sand Village.
Tan Go came here today for entertainment and stress relief. Drawing the curtain, he sat behind it, clapped his hands gently, signaling that today's performance could begin.
The jailers pushed forward one by one the serious criminals. The frail ones were given a weapon, while the strong ones were made to fight empty-handed. They fought in pairs, and only the victor could proceed to the next round. The final victor would gain freedom.
Tan Go jokingly called his game an adult version of the Chunin Exams!
A bloody slaughter unfolded within the prison, with not many rules. To live was to win; to die was to lose.
The death match in the prison left Ino, who had quietly arrived, intending to forge a death record and leave, completely bewildered. Was this a martial arts competition? Why was it so lively?
"Perception!"
She quickly scanned the area.
There seemed to be a prominent figure behind the curtain, protected by seven Ninja in a circle, and thirty guard samurai on the outer perimeter.
Those who could use Ninjutsu were Ninja; those who couldn't use Ninjutsu but could use Chakra, and wielded samurai swords and ancient sword arts, were samurai. The distinction between the two was quite clear.
Perception ability is not Byakugan. Even with Byakugan, it's hard to tell strength if the opponent doesn't actively attack.
Ino only knew that the seven Ninja were much stronger than the thirty guard samurai; she couldn't perceive any other information.
What kind of prominent figure is this? Bringing out so many Ninja? It couldn't be the Lord of the Land of Fire, could it?
She grabbed a jailer, but even with her mind-reading ability, she couldn't extract any important information.
Seeing the scarred bandit Buggy fighting to the death with a strong prisoner, wielding a long spear, Ino felt uneasy.
Heaven knows, her original intention was to get Buggy out and set up a construction company. Without Buggy's construction knowledge, relying solely on Karin, this cooperation would lack sincerity.
Should she save this person now? If she saved him, would it involve this so-called prominent figure? In a daze, she truly felt a bit like killing an ambassador of a nation for a five-pound case.
Two little figures appeared in her mind: one told her to run, the farther the better; the other encouraged her to stir up trouble, the bigger the better. A prominent figure? It's the prominent figure she's going to mess with!
The two little figures fought wildly, and finally, the little figure named Reason won: stir up trouble! What's there to be afraid of? This isn't in the Village now. Besides, organizing such death matches in a prison, could that be a good person? At worst, it's just Steam Impurities Explosion to destroy the evidence.
"Bang" The smoke disappeared, and Ino transformed into an old man with a bandaged head and a cane.
She didn't know how prominent the prominent figure on the other side was, but involving national affairs, at this moment, only the Pot King could hold the fort. She had transformed into Danzo!
Ino formed the "Jin" hand seal, and nine Shadow Clones appeared.
The nine figures shifted, quickly transforming into nine Root Ninja wearing masks.
Ino waved her hand at the Shadow Clones: "Follow me—no, follow this old man!"
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!