When dealing with a potential high-roller client, courtesy is a given.
Even if there was something fishy about their identity, as long as the mission was legitimate and the payout was tangible, you didn't hesitate. It wasn't just the Hidden Waterfall; any mid-to-small tier village in the ninja world would react the exact same way.
The only exception was the man in the bandana who had been shadowing Shibuki and was now sitting opposite Menma. From the very beginning, he had been eyeing Menma and Karin with scrutiny and defensiveness, as if they were his personal enemies.
This caused Menma to furrow his brow slightly.
However, the moment Shibuki introduced the Jonin, Menma kept a poker face while internally realizing exactly who he was dealing with.
'Oh, it's this guy!'
He was just a minor villain from a filler arc, so Menma didn't remember his face perfectly. But the moment the name was dropped, the memory triggered. Wasn't this the traitor who eventually defects and leads Rain or Hot Water ninjas back to invade his own village?
Looking at it that way, his hostility wasn't directed at Menma and Karin, but at the young Leader sitting next to him.
Menma kept these thoughts to himself and spoke with a bright smile.
"Haha, you're too kind, Lord Leader. I am Ippou, and this is Mikoto. We both serve under Lord Tsuchimikado. We're here because the Minister... or rather, the Daimyo himself has a mission for your village. We've preliminarily graded it as A-Rank, but it could easily escalate to S-Rank."
Even though he expected a "big ticket" item, hearing it directly from Menma made Shibuki's heart race.
It wasn't just about the mission quota; it was about building a bridge with the Fire Nation's elite.
For a ninja village, a steady stream of contracts is king. What use are one or two random jobs?
The village needed a long-term supply of resources. While the Land of Waterfalls supported its own village, that funding was limited. If the Hidden Waterfall wanted to develop further—or more accurately, return to its former glory—they needed comprehensive external support.
Plus, Shibuki had only recently taken the mantle of Leader. He needed a political win to prove himself. Securing a fixed contract share from the Fire Daimyo? That was definitely worth celebrating.
Beside him, Suien raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning slightly dangerous.
"Can you tell us the details first, Mr. Ippou?" Shibuki asked, trying to suppress his excitement and act calm.
"Heh, of course. It's a search and retrieval mission. Here is the list of targets. You don't need to find all of them, but the more you find, the higher the completion rating."
As he spoke, Menma pulled a scroll from his robe and tossed it directly to Shibuki.
Shibuki didn't flinch—or rather, he didn't believe anyone would dare attack the Leader right inside the Hidden Waterfall. He caught it backhanded and unrolled it.
The moment his eyes landed on the first name on the search list, the Waterfall Leader's gaze hardened.
"This...?"
A look of hesitation crossed his face.
"What's wrong? Is this beyond your village's capabilities?" Menma smiled casually, watching him with a calm expression.
"No, that's not it. The Hidden Waterfall can certainly handle it. It's just... completing it might be an issue. These events happened years ago. May I ask, is there a deadline?"
Shibuki paused, handing the scroll down to Suien while looking at Menma seriously.
"If it had just happened, why would we need to hire you? As for a time limit... well, the Daimyo and the Minister didn't specify, but sooner is obviously better. Let's say... within three months? You need to show at least some results by then to justify the contract. Don't you agree, Lord Leader?"
Menma held up three fingers, his tone light and breezy.
"We can pay half of the standard A-Rank fee upfront. The rest will be paid out based on your progress. We can raise the payment scale at any time. And remember, Lord Leader... this is just the first time. I think you catch my drift."
The implication between the lines was clear enough that even the inexperienced Shibuki caught it, let alone Suien.
This was a blatant lure. A dangling carrot.
Menma was getting better and better at this "empty promise" game—writing checks he couldn't cash. Why worry about being exposed? If they figured it out, he'd just bail.
Menma knew exactly what he was doing: fishing with a straight hook. He was confident the other side would take the bait willingly.
Sure enough.
As soon as Menma finished speaking, Shibuki became visibly excited. As a leader who had only taken office a year ago, he desperately needed a major political win to stabilize his position. He needed to justify his predecessor's trust. His resume was thin; he was basically Leader because he was the grandson of the former Chief and was well-liked.
Aside from that? In terms of strength, he was barely a Tokubetsu Jonin (Special Jonin). In terms of prestige? Errrr... It wasn't completely non-existent, but it was pretty close to zero.
As a result, his seat was shaky. Even the ninjas who supported him out of loyalty to the previous Leader were skeptical.
"Then we will—"
In his excitement, Shibuki was about to show his hand.
But right at that moment...
"The mission isn't impossible. However, I have a few questions. Would you mind answering them, Mr. Ippou?"
Suien, having scanned the scroll, narrowed his eyes and stared straight at Menma, his voice low and heavy.
He didn't care in the slightest that he had just interrupted his Leader.
Shibuki's expression changed, but he held his tongue. Naive as he was, he knew better than to air the village's dirty laundry in front of guests.