"This mission—you will act alone."
Shimura Danzo personally briefed Hoshishita Shu.
"The target is a Fire Country noble—Goshin Naoki."
"He opposes Konoha expanding its military strength."
"But every other village is increasing their forces."
"Intelligence shows the major villages are accelerating jinchūriki research."
Danzo's voice turned cold.
"Someone who keeps getting in the way like this… doesn't need to exist."
Shu lowered his head immediately.
"Understood. I will send him to join his ancestors."
Danzo added a crucial condition.
"You will carry out the assassination as a Sky Ninja."
"Konoha must never be exposed."
Shu replied firmly.
"Understood."
Assassinating a noble from one's own country was a filthy mission even by Root standards.
If Konoha's involvement were exposed, it would cause enormous political trouble.
"You have three days."
"After that, you will lead another mission."
Danzo turned away.
"Go."
Shu vanished instantly with the Body Flicker Technique.
Infiltrating the Daimyō Capital
Back at his quarters, Shu grabbed the Wood Release scroll and left Konoha alone.
He traveled overnight.
At midnight, he arrived at the Fire Country capital, where the Daimyō resided.
Using the identity of a merchant from the Land of the Moon, he checked into an inn.
At 7 AM the next morning, he began reconnaissance.
Using the Transformation Jutsu with multiple identities, he investigated:
The security around Goshin Naoki
Patrol routes
Terrain around the mansion
Possible escape routes
Potential interception points
The capital was the political and economic center of the entire country.
Besides large numbers of samurai, there were also shinobi stationed there.
Some were:
Ninja hired by nobles
Retainers of the Daimyō
Shinobi from Hiruzen Sarutobi's Konoha
For Shu, all of them could become obstacles.
Especially Konoha ninja.
Those might include jōnin-level fighters.
So Shu spent the entire day preparing.
Night Assassination
When night fell, Shu ate his fill and transformed into a ragged beggar.
He moved toward the noble's estate.
An hour later, Goshin Naoki returned home under escort by six samurai.
Shu didn't attack on the road.
Even if he succeeded quickly, the noise would attract too much attention.
Instead—
He infiltrated after the target returned home.
Under cover of darkness, Shu slipped into the estate.
He already knew the layout perfectly.
Soon he reached the courtyard outside Naoki's bedroom.
Security:
2 guards outside the courtyard
2 on the roof
4 at the bedroom door
Inside the room—
Naoki was playing with two women.
Two senbon flew from the darkness.
Whoosh!
Both courtyard guards were struck cleanly in the throat.
Before they collapsed, Shu's shadow clones caught them and snapped their necks.
Crack.
Then—
The courtyard gate exploded open.
Two shadow clones rushed inside.
"Who's there?!"
"Assassin!"
"Careful—it's a ninja!"
Shouts and screams erupted instantly.
The Target
Inside the bedroom, Naoki froze in terror.
His excitement vanished instantly.
The two women screamed.
Naoki scrambled toward a secret escape chamber.
The passage led to an escape route.
But just as he opened the door—
Shu appeared behind him.
He grabbed Naoki by the hair and lifted him.
"Y-you… who are you?!"
"You dare kill me?! The Fire Country won't spare you!"
Shu chuckled softly.
"Spare me?"
Naoki's eyes widened, frantic.
"You… you're Konoha!"
Shu didn't confirm.
He only spoke calmly, like a man reading a verdict.
"Recently, some of your political statements were… inappropriate."
"Unfortunately, words can't be taken back."
"So the only option is to send you to the Pure Land."
"As for the Daimyō…"
"Without solid evidence, do you think he'd accuse Konoha over your death?"
"And besides—"
"This will look like an enemy plot meant to drive a wedge between Konoha and the capital."
Naoki tried to scream.
But Shu twisted his neck.
Crack.
Dead.
The two women had already fled the bedroom and heard nothing.
Shu stepped outside.
Samurai reinforcements were arriving.
He leapt onto the roof and escaped with the Body Flicker Technique.
The samurai pursued wildly.
Soon the news spread through the streets:
"Goshin Naoki has been assassinated!"
Unexpected Pursuers
At a street food stall nearby, three Konoha ninja were eating when the chase passed overhead.
They heard the commotion.
"Sky Ninja… assassination…"
They exchanged glances.
The squad leader instantly moved.
Dan Katō leapt onto the roof.
His two teammates followed.
Under moonlight, the three rapidly closed the distance.
Soon they overtook the samurai.
Shu glanced back.
His eye twitched.
That guy looked familiar.
Blue hair.
Dan Katō.
Dangerous.
Shu's heartbeat sped up slightly.
He didn't know whether Dan already had his signature technique—
But he had to assume the worst.
After all, Shu was disguised as a Sky Ninja.
If he got killed by the Spirit Transformation Technique, the irony would be unbearable.
The Trap
Shu suddenly changed direction and dove into a dark alley.
Inside the alley—
His body split into three.
Two shadow clones.
One real body.
One clone continued fleeing.
The second prepared a jutsu.
Meanwhile, Shu pressed himself against the wall and slipped downward.
Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique.
He sank into the ground at the base of the alley wall, erasing his presence in an instant.
Dan and his team arrived moments later.
But instead of rushing in—
They threw a flash bomb.
The alley lit up like daylight.
The fleeing clone flinched.
The prepared clone completed its hand seals.
It inhaled and unleashed a blast of wind.
Wind Release — Great Breakthrough!
Dan and his teammates jumped into the alley—
Only to be blasted backward midair by the violent wind.
The flash faded.
The clone lunged forward.
Blade flashing toward Dan.
CLANG!
Sparks exploded.
Dan blocked with a kunai.
But his face changed.
He was sent flying backward.
That blade—
Was incredibly heavy.
"Captain!"
The two Konoha ninja were shocked.
Dan Katō was a jōnin.
Yet he'd been blown away in a single clash.
Dan flipped midair and landed smoothly.
"Be careful!"
"His strength is enormous!"
At that moment, the clone finished clashing with the other two.
One took a slash.
The other got kicked.
Then the clone itself was kicked away—
But when it hit the ground—
POOF!
Smoke burst.
A clone.
The two ninja froze.
"Even his clone is this strong…"
"Three against one and still even…"
Dan suddenly raised a hand.
"Stop chasing."
"I'll pursue him using the Spirit Transformation Technique."
His soul-travel technique could track the enemy far faster than physical pursuit.
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