Chapter 108: This Old Official Has Been Wronged!!!
Hidden Sand Village.
Inside the new Hatake Clan grounds.
A certain white-haired fellow was stepping out of his house.
"Yo, Third Grandpa, off for another stroll?"
At that moment.
The Hatake Clan's sole grand-uncle and elder was hobbling down the main street, leaning on his cane.
Hearing the familiar voice behind him,
he answered without turning around.
"I'm not going for a stroll! I'm heading to work!"
"???"
"Grandpa, quit joking. At your age you should be resting at home; what job could you possibly do?"
The old man spun around, glanced at him, and instantly grew dejected.
"If I don't work, will you support me?"
"Sure… it's just one extra—"
"Then cash in that Youth Regimen for me!"
Before the white-haired youth could finish, the old man shot back.
"…"
"Grandpa, then you'd better hustle harder."
[Are you kidding? The Youth Regimen is way beyond the Hatake Clan's current budget—we'd need three whole years to save up for it!]
After saying that, the white-haired lad tried to leave.
Then… "Waaah, Sakumo! I watched you grow up… how can you make me wait another three bitter years? I might not even last that long!"
The more he spoke, the louder the old man wailed.
"Sakumo, when they put you in that coffin I personally nailed it shut—tears and snot everywhere!"
Hatake Sakumo: "…"
"So every last one of those nails was your handiwork, Grandpa?"
"Er… I was afraid someone might steal your corpse! Who knew you weren't actually dead!"
"Right! Who could've guessed I wasn't dead—not even me… and I woke up in Hidden Sand Village!"
When he saw Kiko stab him, he'd been dumbfounded.
He'd never imagined dying like that.
But then he realized he wasn't completely gone.
He could still faintly hear voices—like… [Kakashi's hunting for my secret stash…]
Gah!!!
Wait till he gets back from school today; another beating's coming!
And… [Kakashi beside the coffin: the Hatake Clan runs fine with or without me!]
Gah!!!
Stupid academy, only letting him come home on weekends!
And then… [All right, Kiko, dispel your jutsu. I've healed Sakumo's wound; he'll wake soon!]
Next thing he knew, he was awake—but couldn't get out.
The coffin lid was studded with nails.
Finally… the Hatake compound erupted into chaos. After calming Grandpa down, Sakumo set off to do what was now his job.
Grocery shopping!
House-husband Sakumo logged back in.
Hmm… Kiko said she wanted something sweet… let's grab some sand pears—make sand-pear chicken wings.
---
"I'm home!"
Kakashi pushed open the front door as usual.
"Welcome back! Dinner'll be ready soon,"
the same familiar head poked out from the kitchen.
"Mm."
After a few days at school to cool off, Kakashi had mostly accepted the situation.
Just a bit mortified—[Argh, if only I hadn't let Obito see that stuff!]
"Yo, son's home! How's school life?"
Hearing the voice from downstairs, Miya Kiko opened her door and spotted Kakashi.
"Mother."
"The campus is huge! My classmates are crazy strong—I'm learning tons!"
"Haha, told you Hidden Sand's academy is the real deal. That Leaf place…"
"Day-care centers teach more than that!"
At her words Kakashi and Sakumo exchanged glances and could only force smiles.
Because it was true.
Still, Sakumo had lived in Konoha so long—and trained there himself—so he tried to defend it.
"Hidden Sand's school is great, but Konoha's fine too. At least kids get free time to train on their own. Kakashi got so strong by practicing in his spare hours, right?"
Kakashi: "…"
"???"
When Kakashi didn't back him up, Sakumo fell silent.
"Kakashi?"
"Er… Father."
"Where do you rank in class?"
"…can't crack the top ten…"
Hatake Sakumo: "!!!"
"They're that strong?"
"Yeah. There's a green-suited Kappa freak—taijutsu monster—he can one-shot me before I even react…"
"And four blonde powerhouses; one has a dragon seal on her forehead, dragons coil around her body and auto-guard when you attack."
Hatake Sakumo: "???"
"Plus other bloodline users—every one of them has a stronger physique than me…"
Hatake Sakumo: "!!!"
Hearing this, Sakumo lapsed into silence.
At last he spoke.
"Finish dinner—then more training!"
Kakashi: "???!!!"
---
In the Kazekage's office.
"Kazekage-sama, more spies are slipping in every day. Do we keep handling it the old way?"
Ebizo was briefing Kazekage Saito on recent events.
Ever since Hidden Sand Village took a stroll through the Land of Fire…
the entire Ninja World exploded.
After all, the power they'd displayed was overwhelming.
Whether it was the blitz-speed assault… or the fact that every soldier was coated in gold dust!!!
Look at that!!!
What does "coated in gold dust" mean?!
What the hell does "coated in gold dust" mean?!
When Leaf spies sent that intel home, everyone fell silent.
They're that rich?
Two thousand troops!
All wrapped in gold dust!
Filthy stinking rich!
We need more recon, deeper infiltration—spare no effort!
And so…
More and more people slipped into Hidden Sand.
Though the village had solid anti-spy measures…
…numbers were numbers.
Not that numbers mattered—Saito could ferret out every last one.
But this time the riffraff came too. Before, only elite cultivated spies showed up—every one a prodigy; recruit one, profit one.
Now, to grab intel faster, every village slapped out bounties: anyone who could verify solid intel on Hidden Sand gets rewarded.
Which meant the place swarmed with every type of scum—rogue Ninja, drunks, gamblers, beggars… you name it.
It left Hidden Sand mortified; catching them was pointless, yet locking them up just let them lounge around for free.
After Ebizo finished and Saito skimmed the latest captured-spy reports…
"Have the Interrogation Unit squeeze them dry; execute the worst."
"Yes, sir."
"Move the Rain Trade City stockpiles. Tell Kakuzu to drill his legions."
"Yes, sir."
"Send someone to the Capital of Wind; our Daimyo should be catching on."
Yes.
---
Capital of Wind.
Within the Daimyo's Mansion.
These past few years the daimyo had lived quite comfortably.
With no more Ninja demanding payment, even the missions from the Land of Wind were passed to other countries.
He could still collect a tidy referral fee to fatten his private coffers.
He was, in short, delighted beyond measure.
Morning.
The daimyo of the Land of Wind rose as usual, waited on by maids.
He ate a simple, unassuming breakfast, expecting another simple, unassuming day.
Until... 'What! You say those paupers in Hidden Sand Village fight with gold dust!'
Listening to this intelligence from—he couldn't recall which concubine's younger brother.
The daimyo was stunned.
'You're not lying? Those Ninja who can't even get missions have gold dust?'
'Brother-in—ah, no, Lord Daimyo, every word is true! The news is everywhere...'
'They say Hidden Sand Village captured the Land of Fire's outpost in half a day, and what they used to bind the Konoha Ninja wasn't rope—it was gold dust! Rumor says there were over a thousand of them!'
'That many!'
Hearing that thousands had been trussed up with gold dust, the daimyo's eyes sparkled with stars.
If only all of that were mine.
Seeing the daimyo's expression, how could this cheap brother-in-law not know what he was thinking?
'Lord Daimyo, for Hidden Sand Village to possess such wealth yet not present it to you is outright rebellion!'
'Exactly!'
'Those wretched Ninja, sitting on so much money!'
Hearing this, the brother-in-law grinned with glee.
After all, if the daimyo profited, he could skim a little for himself.
Though the daimyo was tight-fisted—once coins slipped into his purse they rarely crawled back out—still...
They could first crawl into mine!
'But...'
While the brother-in-law fantasized, the daimyo's sudden swerve nearly gave him whiplash.
'But... in principle... this daimyo has no authority to command Hidden Sand Village, and now that they're economically independent, there's simply no pretext!'
Hearing the daimyo's worry, the brother-in-law lapsed into thought.
For a moment the room fell silent.
One man schemed how to wring money out of Hidden Sand Village.
The other likewise schemed how to wring money out of Hidden Sand Village.
Until—'I've got it! Lord Daimyo, I have a plan!'
'What! You have a plan? Speak!'
'Lord Daimyo, let's change tack—Hidden Sand Village stands on the soil of the Land of Wind, and every inch of the Land of Wind is yours...'
'You could levy rent upon the Land of Wind itself!'
Listening to his cheap brother-in-law's scheme, the daimyo stared wide-eyed.
A genius!
An absolute genius!
'Excellent, excellent, excellent!'
When the daimyo roared with laughter, the brother-in-law pressed his advantage, ready to secure his share.
'Lord Daimyo, allow me to head an envoy to Hidden Sand Village and collect the rent in your name!'
'Hahaha—no!'
The laughing daimyo stopped short and flatly refused.
'Er... why, Lord Daimyo?'
'I don't trust you!'
'Ah... but I'm family!'
'No. You're just a greedy man. I can't trust you!'
'Guards—drag him out and behead him!'
'Aah!' The brother-in-law froze.
Am I not the hero who delivered the plan?
'Lord Daimyo! I served you! I gave you the scheme!'
He wailed, but the daimyo remained unmoved until the cries abruptly ceased.
'Hmph! Your eyes screamed greed. If you skimmed the money, what would be left for me!'
'Attendant!'
'Yes, Lord Daimyo!'
'Summon all ministers, and have Ogawa Otoji bring the samurai legion.'
'Understood!'
...An hour later.
In the conference hall of the Daimyo's Mansion.
Every minister had gathered.
On the dais the daimyo sat silent.
Below, the finance, foreign-affairs, and other ministers exchanged glances.
Once their silent signals were done, they lapsed into stillness.
They waited.
Clank, clank—
The sound of armor stormed in from outside.
Armored samurai poured in, surrounding the mansion.
And the conference hall.
Then a man entered, head high, clad in fine black lamellar edged with gold thread, the Land of Wind's crest upon his chest, layered black plates hanging to his thighs.
A lacquered helmet, huge cheek-guards pitch-black.
At his hip a Chakra-metal katana.
He passed the ministers, halted three paces from the daimyo, knelt on one knee.
'Ogawa Otoji greets Lord Daimyo.'
'Rise.'
'My thanks, Lord Daimyo.'
He stepped back three paces and stood, eyeing the ministers he had ignored.
With his backing arrived, the daimyo of the Land of Wind prepared to act.
'Ahem!'
The customary cough to seize attention.
'This daimyo is grieved!'
The ministers:???
'Among us lurks a parasite who bites the hand that feeds!'
The ministers:!!!
(We didn't bite anything!)
Those who truly had bitten now trembled inside.
Judging by the daimyo's mood, departure might be permanent.
The finance minister and others remained unruffled.
Ridiculous—
To bite the hand, you first had to be fed.
We never ate a coin of yours.
Seeing his broad hints ignored,
And those men still standing serene,
The daimyo's rage ignited.
'Insolence! I mean you—Sota Masato! (Finance minister, appeared ch. 31)'
Sota Masato:???!!!
At Sota Masato's bewildered face the daimyo cursed.
'Stop staring, I'm talking to you, you parasite—explain what in blazes is going on in Hidden Sand Village!'
Hearing it was about Hidden Sand Village, Sota Masato's heart lurched.
So the secret was out.
Yet he felt no panic; his new boss had foreseen it.
'Lord Daimyo, I am wronged!'
'Wronged? Fine—let's hear how!'
'Lord Daimyo, every tax season you grumbled the sum was too small and docked my pay, so...'
'I never saw a single coin!'
'This minister never ate anything!!!'
Daimyo:...
Other ministers:...
Loving Book So Far Check Out 40+ Chapters In Advanced At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FictionsTL