Chapter 51: Unexpected Harvest
Swoosh!
Just as Tonbo Tobitake was enduring the monk-like nagging torture of Anko Mitarashi, Hayama Shirakumo emerged from the dark forest path.
He held his katana in hand, and seeing the group chatting while surveying the surrounding scene, he guessed that his teammates had already finished their battle.
Clang!
He sheathed the katana back into the scabbard on his back.
"The Captain is here," Tonbo noted.
Anko put her hands on her hips and turned around to see Hayama, finally stopping her non-stop chatter.
"Are you injured, Captain?"
"I'm fine. What about you guys? Where are the enemies?" Hayama looked around in confusion, seeing no enemy corpses. He wondered if they had escaped, which caused him to frown.
"This guy used a sealing jutsu to pack them away," Anko said, pointing at Tonbo.
She actually admired this quite a bit. Though collecting the bodies looked simple just now, that was a sealing jutsu—not something an average person could learn. Even as a former student of Orochimaru, she had given up after studying them for a while. Even the mark on her neck had required the Third Hokage's help to seal.
Tonbo asked, "Captain, where is your opponent's body? I've already read the memories of the others; yours is the only one left."
"My apologies. The enemy was powerful and the battle was too intense—he was dismembered. I doubt your Mind Reading Technique will work now," Hayama sighed. The opponent was a ninja from a Great Nation with extraordinary methods; his newly created Vacuum Sword was hard to control, and he had accidentally sliced the man into eighteen pieces.
"I see. That's alright. In that case, I will report the intelligence I gathered just now."
The others perked up their ears.
"According to the memories I read, these people are indeed from Kumogakure. They are two important sub-squads tasked with striking the trade route between the Land of Iron and the Land of Fire. These people received orders to ambush caravans trading with the Land of Fire, and they've been doing this for some time. There are two other elite squads, making a total of four elite teams operating. Based on the current situation, the enemy seems to realize Konoha is preparing to strike back. They plan to perform a final blockade and then return to the Land of Lightning, leaving a complete mess for Konoha to clean up."
Itachi Uchiha mused, "In other words, this attack might be their last?"
"It's possible."
"Does that mean we've basically finished the mission Lord Third gave us?" Anko asked excitedly. This was an S-rank mission; completing it meant a lot of pocket change, which translated to a long supply of three-colored dango. Completing it in just a few days was perfect beyond words. She just wished this guy's mouth was as sweet as Itachi's. She seemed to have completely forgotten that it was Itachi who delivered the verbal stabs.
"No. It could also be a trap, a feint to lure us into a false sense of security. We cannot relax. We must continue patrolling the border and send the intelligence back to Konoha. This trade route is vital; we cannot be careless. If possible... Tonbo, find the other two teams. We'll slaughter them," Hayama declared as the Captain. His steady side was on full display, showing absolutely no emotion toward the ninjas of another nation.
"Understood. Let's pack up and go meet the caravan leader. We should showcase Konoha's strength and spread the word to put the Land of Iron's merchant convoys at ease," Tonbo suggested. Over the years, he had learned more than just ninjutsu. Even if he wasn't an expert, he had studied other fields. Such things were important for a "politician." To be a qualified "worker" and live a stable life, he had to understand the psychology of those above him to consolidate his position.
"Yes, Tonbo makes a good point. We'll talk to them first, then go hunt down the other two enemy squads." Hayama nodded.
Itachi Uchiha took everything in. His opinion of Tonbo Tobitake rose once again. Truly a ninja praised by the Third Hokage for his Will of Fire; he always thought of what was most beneficial for Konoha. He felt he still had a long way to go.
"Lord, perhaps we should leave quickly. If those Konoha fellows lose, we're dead." A guard had been waiting for a long time. Listening to the intermittent sounds of clashing blades from the forest, the psychological pressure felt like an invisible sledgehammer slowly crushing him.
The other guards felt the same. From what they saw earlier, their strength wasn't enough to retreat safely under the enemy's assault. Now was the best time to run.
The bearded noble frowned. The guard's words weren't entirely baseless, but even if they ran, they wouldn't get far; the enemy's strength would definitely allow them to catch up. These guards were just afraid of death and wanted to escape. He wished he had hired Konoha ninjas from the start—look at them, four people taking on over a dozen and fighting so gallantly. But if Konoha lost...
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
Just then, there was movement in the forest beside the road. All the guards immediately gripped their swords, staring tensely at the shadows. When they saw the Konoha forehead protectors, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The bearded noble's eyes lit up. Since the four Konoha ninjas had emerged, it meant the enemies had been driven off. He hopped down from the carriage and rushed to meet them, a smile like he was greeting a VIP plastered on his face. "Our thanks to the Great Ninjas of Konoha for dealing with those wandering bandits! We are truly grateful."
"It was no trouble. These Kumo ninjas dared to run wild on the borders of the Land of Fire; they got what they deserved. You can rest easy from now on. Konoha has already sent reinforcements to the border; no one will dare touch you again," Hayama Shirakumo said.
Kumo?
The bearded man's face soured upon hearing this. So it was those guys. Land of Lightning, to think they would do such a thing. Many of the Land of Iron's merchant guilds had a lot of trade with the Land of Lightning; now, just to target Konoha, they were hitting the Land of Iron over the head. When he got back, he would definitely mobilize the merchant guild's power to suppress the Land of Lightning's trade prices and show them who's boss.
"Thank you. I will recommend Konoha ninjas to my colleagues in the Land of Iron. You are safe and reliable." The bearded noble didn't say anything about giving Konoha specific benefits—that wouldn't fit his status as a merchant.
Despite that, Hayama's eyes brightened. He hadn't expected an unexpected harvest. Tonbo felt the same. A Hidden Village is a military mercenary organization; seventy percent of its operating funds come from commissions. If this man followed through, it could bring significant revenue to Konoha. If they achieved that, it would count as another great merit, which they could exchange for new ninjutsu to further their growth.
Having achieved their goal and gained an extra bonus, the four chatted with the noble for a while before bidding farewell and vanishing to track the remaining two enemy squads.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"Sigh... Konoha. If only they had come earlier." After the ninjas left, the noble looked at the dead men and horses around him and felt like weeping. A heavy loss. He admired Konoha's strength, but that didn't mean he didn't resent them for arriving so late. It was just his merchant instincts that prevented him from showing it earlier.
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