Only the Kunai Was Real

Outside Bumper Guard Road's Capital City, several ninjas stood in the forest, gazing at the distant city.

Clown slid down from Hyuga River's back. Everyone had traveled at full speed along the way, striving to return to the Capital City before the Grand Minister discovered that something had gone wrong with the Guardian Ninja.

Looking up at the full moon, Clown said, "Today is the Moon Viewing Festival. On this night that makes people feel complete, we can all have our wishes fulfilled."

Clown told one of the Guardian Ninja, "Go find the Song and Dance Merchant Guild. Tell all the dance troupes, circuses, fireworks troupes, and the like to perform in the streets and liven up the Capital City."

The Guardian Ninja accepted Bumper Guard General's token and swiftly departed.

Uzumaki Shinmen and Haneina, whose combat strength was weaker, waited outside the city. The others put on masks and infiltrated it together.

Hyuga River, familiar with the Capital City's layout, led the way while the others followed behind, quickly making their way toward the Grand Council Hall.

The Grand Council Hall was Bumper Guard Road's highest administrative official residence.

Clown said, "Grand Minister Jiu Hui is extremely diligent. At this hour, he must be in the Grand Council Hall, nowhere else."

The Grand Council Hall was not large. Its main structure consisted of three successive courtyards, each quite spacious and surrounded by official residences.

Hyuga River was the first to vault inside, with the others following. After taking barely more than a dozen steps, they suddenly spotted two masked ninjas.

One of the masked ninjas drew a standard short blade and charged at Hyuga River. The other retreated two steps and took out a signal flare from his ninja tool pouch.

However, just as he pulled the signal flare from his ninja tool pouch, a kunai suddenly pierced his back and plunged straight into his heart.

Minato twisted the kunai, tearing apart his heart.

The other masked ninja was immobilized by Hyuga River's pressure-point technique and swiftly killed.

Hyuga River was registered as a Special Jonin. He had not returned to Konoha for many years, and his strength was that of a genuine Jonin.

Minato removed the dead man's mask and saw an ordinary face.

Yet the corpse's mouth was open, its tongue exposed.

Several yin and yang lines formed a cursed seal upon that tongue.

Hyuga River's hand trembled. That cursed seal... wasn't it the Tongue Root Curse Seal of Disaster Severance used by Root ninjas?

After the Uzumaki Clan was exterminated, many of its Sealing Techniques had been lost. Among them, the Tongue Root Curse Seal of Disaster Severance had become one of Root's prized possessions.

This Sealing Technique ensured that Root ninjas would never reveal any of Root's secrets. It was Danzo's means of controlling Root ninjas.

The Hyuga Clan often served as reconnaissance and intelligence ninjas, so they had gathered a great deal of information, including the identifying traits of Root ninjas.

In that instant, countless thoughts ran through Hyuga River's mind.

Bumper Guard Road's Grand Minister had suddenly made his move, reopening the matter of the Hyuga Clan's land ownership.

This struck directly at the Hyuga Clan's weak point. The Byakugan was the Hyuga Clan's foundation, while their land was proof of their noble status.

"I don't know whether these Root ninjas are here on an ordinary mission or have already taken the Grand Minister's side," Hyuga River said. "Minato, could I ask you to speak with Advisor Takeoto for me, and have her refuse Bumper Guard Road's demands?"

Minato glanced at Clown at the very back and raised his chin, signaling for Hyuga River to speak to Bumper Guard General himself.

Hyuga River merely shook his head slightly.

As Bumper Guard General's Guardian Ninja, and with him about to become the captain of the Guardian Ninja, there were some things the clan could say to Bumper Guard General. But as a Guardian Ninja, he had to stand firmly on Bumper Guard General's side. Otherwise, his status as a Guardian Ninja would cease to hold.

Minato found himself in a difficult position as well.

Senju Takeoto had only just become a Kyoto Advisor. Whether she refused Bumper Guard Road's demand or refused the Hyuga Clan's request, either choice would put her in an awkward position.

He only said, "Let's wait and see. We'll finish tonight's mission first."

The group continued infiltrating the Grand Council Hall.

They went directly into the third courtyard and immediately saw the Grand Council Hall's main hall.

Several masked ninjas suddenly appeared in the courtyard. The Grand Minister's martial guards and guard ninjas swarmed in, intending to kill the intruders and protect the Grand Minister.

Before they knew, it was one thing. But now that they knew the Grand Minister's guard ninjas were from Root, Hyuga River and Minato could not kill fellow Konoha ninjas. They could only find a way to restrain them.

The Root ninjas fought desperately, and the Grand Minister's martial guards did the same. The courtyard descended into chaos, but that chaos did not affect the main hall behind them.

Drawing on his vast Chakra reserves, Minato created more than a dozen Shadow Clones, instantly opening a gap and sending Clown inside.

Clown walked slowly into the main hall and saw a warm scene.

Between two long rows of candle stands, Grand Minister Jiu Hui was watching a child practice writing.

The child was even younger than Clown, only three or four years old.

"Heh heh, Uncle Jiu Hui, are you already so eager to teach my little brother how to write?"

Grand Minister Jiu Hui ignored Clown and said, "Write properly. Don't get distracted."

How could the child possibly avoid being distracted? The doors stood wide open, and outside in the courtyard, ninjas, martial guards, and samurai were clashing noisily. His brother's figure was there too, and it all frightened him.

Jiu Hui raised his hand and struck the child's knuckles with a bamboo switch, signaling for him to focus on writing.

Only after seeing the child continue writing did Jiu Hui turn to Clown, who was approaching. "You are already useless. I have an obligation to ensure the Bumper Guard Clan's succession and prosperity."

"Ha, hahaha, hahahaha! You have an obligation to ensure the Bumper Guard Clan's succession?" Clown seemed to have heard something utterly ridiculous.

"Uncle, you taught me to purge my desires and focus on learning state affairs, yet you keep over a hundred dancing girls in your home.

"You taught me to be diligent, frugal, and self-disciplined, yet you yourself indulged in rare delicacies.

"You taught me to guard against ninjas, yet you colluded with Konoha Village's higher-ups to seek military power.

"Now, let me show you some things I learned on my own. They're far more useful than what you taught me."

Clown took the unicycle off his back, mounted it, and wobbled toward Grand Minister Jiu Hui.

He also took out three kunai and juggled them through the air.

"Uncle, I recently came to understand a truth. The most useful thing in the Land of Fire is still the kunai. Everything else is empty—only kunai are real.

"What the Daimyo or the Hokage does is nothing more than use their own methods to control kunai, to control military force.

"Whoever holds the kunai is the true ruler.

"Don't you agree?"

Grand Minister Jiu Hui froze. Was this still the nephew he had raised?

It seemed this nephew had taught himself many things during his wanderings.

The two assassins lying in ambush at the side of the main hall suddenly rushed out and charged at Clown.

For his own safety, the Grand Minister had set up multiple precautions. Unfortunately, Bumper Guard General now had Minato Namikaze, who was far stronger than these wandering ninjas.

Minato appeared in time and intercepted the two assassins.

When Minato turned his head, he saw a sight that startled him.

Clown threw the kunai with practiced skill. The three kunai pierced Grand Minister Jiu Hui's throat with unerring accuracy.