Chapter 131: Dark Shadows
Tonbo Tobitake and his team didn't care much about what Hagoromo Ken was thinking. As ninjas, as long as safety and mission completion were guaranteed, they were more than happy to take advantage of any perks offered.
It had to be said that along the way, Hagoromo Ken's hospitality had never ceased. They ate well, drank well, and didn't even have to walk. Any petty thieves or wandering ninjas they encountered were handled by the Hagoromo family's own guard detail. It was as if Ken was telling them: You only need to do your specific job—protecting the Hagoromo juniors during their trial.
Ken didn't even bother testing their strength to see if they were up to the task. To the Hagoromo Clan, money talked; Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, would never send incompetent ninjas to serve such a major client.
Throughout the journey, Tonbo and his team didn't just indulge in the luxury. They took turns on sentry duty. With the Byakugan, keen noses, and insects, the three subordinates provided different methods of perception, creating a comprehensive, all-encompassing detection web.
Among the three, aside from Inuzuka Kairo, who was quite active, the other two—Hyuga Ren and Aburame Shenra—were men of few words. None of them were "problem youths." All three were nineteen years old, just one year younger than Tonbo himself, and could be considered talented individuals in their own right.
As expected of those from Great Clans; their advantage over civilians is just too large, Tonbo thought.
Back when he watched the original series, he only saw the ninjas on screen and felt they were just "okay." In reality, being able to become a Chunin before the age of thirty in Konoha already marked one as a person of minor talent.
He pushed these thoughts aside and began to immerse himself in ninjutsu research. During this mission, he intended to complete his analysis of the Valley of the Resting Wind, mastering the patterns of the celestial phenomena within so he could eventually replicate them artificially. Of course, he hadn't seen the valley yet, so whether he could succeed would require a field inspection. According to the books, the hurricanes inside felt like a natural disaster; they shouldn't be too disappointing.
After two days, the convoy finally entered the Hagoromo Clan's territory.
The Hagoromo Clan.
It was a massive complex of buildings, featuring artificial mountains, lakes, pavilions, and towers. Interspersed among them were unique structures that gave the place a very distinct character.
In a large courtyard, several young people were engaged in a discussion.
"What do you think the strength of those Konoha ninjas is like?" someone asked curiously.
"If you ask me, there was no need to hire ninjas from some village. We can handle the trial of the Valley of the Resting Wind ourselves," one Hagoromo clansman said dismissively.
"But the trial is dangerous," another person said worriedly. "If someone runs out of stamina and there's no one to help, they'll be torn to shreds by the hurricanes inside!"
"We are aristocrats. If a problem can be solved with money, don't risk your life to show off. Our lives are much more precious than those of hired ninjas."
"That's true. Before, we lost to that Senju Clan. Now, even Konoha—which is stronger than the Senju—is filled with low-class people we can drive with money."
Someone said this with great pride, and everyone else deeply agreed.
Hagoromo Guest Area.
"You should rest first. I will notify you when the mission begins. Do not wander around, or you might be misunderstood as spies gathering intelligence," Hagoromo Ken told Tonbo's four-man squad.
As a business elite of the Hagoromo Clan, he believed that professional matters should be left to professional people. This philosophy was exactly why the Hagoromo Clan's companies were considered major corporations worldwide.
"Understood," Tonbo nodded. Hagoromo Ken then took his leave.
"Captain, this Hagoromo Clan... it feels even more luxurious than our own clan compounds!" Inuzuka Kairo looked at the surroundings, filled with green mountains and clear water. From every angle, it looked much better than the Inuzuka Clan's environment.
Hyuga Ren and Aburame Shenra didn't seem to feel much. One belonged to one of the greatest clans in the Land of Fire with deep foundations. The other's clan territory was mostly comprised of various forests and caves for raising insects, with little regard for architectural luxury. However, one could tell they were still a bit curious as they looked at the surrounding buildings—many of which featured styles not seen elsewhere in the Land of Fire, appearing to be a blend of architectural styles from various nations.
Tonbo nodded. "Setting everything else aside, this is the most comfortable mission I've ever been on."
That was the truth. Every previous mission had involved primitive conditions and sleeping on mountain tops. This time, the Hagoromo Clan had covered everything. It was comfortable, and he could feel their immense wealth. He thought about how hard he worked, and even with the occasional S-rank mission, he wouldn't dare spend money as lavishly as this.
"Get ready. According to the mission requirements, this task will take one month," Tonbo said.
"Understood!"
The Hagoromo family trial required the participants to endure one month inside the Valley of the Resting Wind. Their mission was to ensure that if any participant ran out of stamina, they would be rescued and brought out to rest. It sounded simple, but from Hagoromo Ken's attitude, the mission was anything but. If it were truly that easy, they could have hired any random ninjas; the Hagoromo Clan had even recruited some of their own. The fact that the mission specifically required a Jonin highlighted the actual difficulty—even though A-rank missions in Konoha can generally only be accepted by Jonin anyway.
Nightfall.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Several dark shadows darted out from the Hagoromo Clan's estate, gathering at a concealed location.
"How is it? Are the Hagoromo experts really mostly gone?" one shadow asked.
A shadow wearing a Grass Village rogue ninja headband (Slashed) replied, "Correct. According to our spy, the Hagoromo Clan places great importance on their cooperation with Lord Gato. The clan's top-tier combat power has been deployed, leaving only one or two behind."
"Excellent. Lord Gato is truly Lord Gato. With just a small trick, he forced their high-level fighters to move out. The Hagoromo Clan has lost the foundation of a Great Ninja Clan; they can't even see through such a simple tactic." The shadow wearing a Rain Village rogue ninja headband spoke with a voice full of killing intent.
"But they hired Konoha ninjas. The arrivals are a Konoha Jonin and three Chunin. Will that change the plan?" the Grass rogue ninja asked. Konoha was the strongest ninja village, and their Jonin were notoriously powerful; he felt an urge to retreat. In the Grass Village, there was an unwritten rule: if you encounter a ninja of the same rank from the Five Great Villages, you retreat. You only attack if you encounter those of a lower rank. Although he had been a Jonin in the Grass Village, he had little confidence against a Konoha Jonin.
"Tch, what are you afraid of? We aren't just a few people; we have several teams. Why should we fear a single squad?" The Rain rogue ninja looked at him with contempt.
So what if it was Konoha? Facing their superior numbers, they would die all the same. This time, to secure even greater profits, Mr. Gato had spent a fortune to hire many powerful ninjas.
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