Chapter 244: If You Play Dirty, I Play Hard
Outside Asuka Castle.
A tall Cloud ninja descended from the sky, landing in a secluded corner.
Beside him, a figure slowly emerged from the wooden wall, his head enveloped in a large pitcher plant-like structure. It was Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu chuckled sinisterly. "It seems the plan is proceeding smoothly."
Something seemed to writhe beneath the skin of the Cloud ninja. A moment later, he transformed into another person wearing a mask. Even his height and body type had changed significantly.
This was the Wood Release: Transformation Technique—one of the hardest transformations to see through because it possessed a physical form.
Yotsuki Teru (Kaguya), wearing the white bone mask, asked, "Have the traces of Genjutsu been cleaned up?"
Black Zetsu replied, "Don't worry. Including the Daimyo and the few 'confidants' we sent him, everything was implanted into their subconscious. The traces were already faint, and after some time, they become almost impossible to detect. From now on, what they see, hear, and react to will be real. It has nothing to do with Genjutsu anymore. However... whether what they perceive is the truth is another matter entirely... Hehehe."
Teru asked, "Yotsuki Dana is about to enter the capital. He is suspected to have powerful sensory abilities. Will we be okay like this?"
Black Zetsu laughed again. "He discovered two of my clones before. I've already figured it out. Yotsuki Dana's sensory ability targets outlines and shapes. He can find us inside trees or underground. But when we and my clones walk the streets of this city like normal people, as long as we don't do anything suspicious, it's impossible for him to distinguish us from the hundreds of thousands of people living here."
"So, let's hide right under his nose. Hehehe, it will be very hard to spot us."
As Black Zetsu chuckled, their bodies writhed again, undergoing drastic changes in height and build.
Teru transformed into a cold-faced woman with a high ponytail, while Black Zetsu turned into a muscular man with a scar on his face.
There were many types of sensory techniques: Byakugan, Red Eye, scent tracking by ninja dogs... As long as you found the right method, no sensory jutsu was flawless.
"Next, let's walk through this city as mercenary ninja."
Land of Lightning Capital, South Gate.
A long queue had formed at the gate, filled with people waiting to enter the city.
Although the turmoil had reduced the number of traveling merchants, the gate-guarding samurai, freed from the restraint of their leader Takero Osawa, had started setting up checkpoints to extort money, artificially creating the queue.
Aside from Takero Osawa, anyone else capable of restraining them was either dead or too busy saving their own skin.
"Samurai-sama... really, it's just some vegetables and mountain goods collected from the village to sell in the city. If we wait any longer, the vegetables will wilt and won't sell for a good price."
A short samurai with a crooked sword walked over impatiently with a swagger. He lifted the cloth covering the cart, revealing the goods inside. Indeed, as the farmer said, it was just fresh vegetables and mushrooms.
Farmers like this rarely carried money when entering the city. You had to wait until they sold their goods and were leaving to squeeze any profit out of them. However, it was uncertain which gate this guy would exit from.
But this cart of goods was worth a little something. He could confiscate it to improve the meals for his brothers.
"You dare bring this trash into the capital?! Who are you looking down on?! These things aren't allowed in the city! Confiscated! Next time, use your eyes, or you'll regret it!"
The farmer sweated profusely but was unwilling to leave. He stammered, "Samurai-sama... please let me go... I won't sell them... I'll just push them back..."
The samurai's face twisted into a ferocious scowl. He placed his hand on his sword hilt as if to draw it. "Huh?! Do you not understand human language? You've got guts!"
The farmer squeezed his eyes shut in terror, but he didn't hear the sound of a sword being drawn.
Instead, a figure suddenly appeared.
The farmer opened his eyes and saw someone incredibly tall—much taller than anyone he had ever seen, towering a full head over the samurai.
Without even looking at the farmer, the newcomer addressed the samurai. "Why is there a traffic jam ahead?"
Startled by the sudden appearance, the samurai looked up. However, the dazzling sunlight obscured the stranger's face.
The massive height difference made the short samurai feel inadequate, even though the stranger hadn't done anything yet.
"Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?! Believe it or not, I'll cut you down!"
The stranger paused for a moment, then grabbed the samurai by the collar and lifted him into the air until they were at eye level. He pointed a finger at his forehead protector.
Only then, free from the glare of the sun, did the short samurai see the stranger's face—and the symbol on his forehead protector.
A chill soaked him to the bone.
"Are samurai this arrogant nowadays? Daring to speak to a Cloud ninja like that..."
The short samurai struggled and squirmed, his voice trembling. "Ninja-sama... this lowly one didn't see clearly just now... Um... letting them through immediately! Immediately!"
Dana tossed the samurai aside.
More and more Cloud ninja appeared around him. The sight terrified the few samurai into silence like cicadas in winter.
"Take over all city gates. Assign a squad to each gate. Samurai willing to stay can stay; those unwilling are dismissed."
"YES SIR!!" Countless ninja responded and dispersed.
Dana pushed his "Pulse" Vision to the limit.
He was going to forcefully take over the entire capital of the Land of Lightning.
The enemy wanted to play dirty? He wouldn't be led by the nose.
You play dirty, I play hard!
North Gate.
"Who are you people?! This is under General Nakao's jurisdiction! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Cloud business. Idlers, get lost!"
"Let me see who dares tell my men to get... Ah... it's Ninja-sama. What are your orders?"
Inside the Capital, Yamazaki Estate.
"Master! I saw it clearly! They're all wearing Cloud forehead protectors! The Cloud ninja have returned!"
The head of the Yamazaki Family exclaimed excitedly, "Really?!"
"Absolutely true. They've taken over all the city gates and chased away the original guards."
The Yamazaki head hurriedly ordered:
"Prepare the carriage! I'm going to find the Cloud ninja!"
A servant asked, "Master, are you going to protest?"
Smack!
The master slapped the servant across the face. "Protest?! Are you insane?! I'm going to find a way to invite a few Cloud ninja to guard our home! We can't live like this anymore! We need Cloud protection!"
The nobles and officials had been driven to neurasthenia by the series of assassinations and chaos. Take the Yamazaki family, for example.
Nobles of similar rank had been wiped out before the new Daimyo even ascended—their graves were already growing grass. The Yamazaki family survived by siding with Jun'en Furuya. They even had a clan uncle in a high position within the Daimyo's court. They thought they were about to rise to prominence.
But now, the uncle was gone, Furuya was gone, and every day brought news of another retainer or noble being assassinated. The master was terrified by every rustle of the wind. The messenger he sent to the Cloud Village to hire help hadn't returned.
Hearing that the Cloud had come to take over the capital, he raised both hands in approval!
The Blue Sky has arrived!
He didn't care about clinging to the new Daimyo's leg anymore, nor about picking sides. He just wanted his family to survive!
Asuka Castle.
In the assembly hall, Raihara Yukihiro asked nervously, "Are they here? Have the scouts returned?"
A servant ran in frantically.
"Daimyo-sama! Just as you said, the Cloud people are here! They... they controlled all the city gates and will be at Asuka Castle any moment..."
Yukihiro felt a surge of anger, quickly overtaken by panic. He scrambled up and said, "Quick! Help me back to the top floor!"
Just then, the doors to the assembly hall were blasted open, shattering Yukihiro's psychological defenses.
Yotsuki Dana strode in, leading his men.
Two samurai guarding the door instinctively tried to block them, but before Dana even moved, his subordinates rushed in and subdued them.
"Daimyo-dono, don't be in such a hurry to leave."