Visitors from Amegakure

Time continued to pass. In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had gone by, and the New Year was approaching.

According to the ninja who had returned to the village, the battle with Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning was gradually drawing to a close as well.

Rinto continued living at his own pace.

Setting aside his identity as an infiltrator, he was actually living quite well.

Other than eating and drinking every day, then forging at Uncle Ippongi's ninja tool shop after school, he had an abundance of free time. Taking advantage of it, Rinto had taken a good look around Konoha.

It had to be said that Konoha was indeed the largest ninja village. Not only was its population far greater than Amegakure's, its territory was more than four or five times larger as well.

It was precisely such a large population base that had created Konoha's enormous number of ninja, and none of it could be separated from its favorable climate and fertile soil.

At that thought, Rinto could not help remembering Mizuguma, who was still in Amegakure, and a smile unconsciously curled across his lips.

That guy Mizuguma was definitely rolling around in bed with his two wives right about now! Damn it, he should have introduced him to that fat widow selling orange soda at the entrance to the Kabuki District.

Whenever he thought about Mizuguma enjoying the Blessing of Multiple Wives, he felt a surge of envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Still, had Hanzo of the Salamander not replied to the letter he had sent last time?

No, more than half a year had already passed. It was about time they sent someone to support me, wasn't it?

With that thought, Rinto sighed inwardly, quickened his pace, and entered the classroom before class began.

Another boring day quickly passed.

At three-thirty in the afternoon, school ended right on schedule.

Rinto, whose mind was entirely occupied by Hanzo of the Salamander's reply, did not linger. He waved goodbye to Jiraiya, who was staying behind for extra lessons, and turned to leave the school gates.

When he returned to Uncle Ippongi's home, Aunt Kyoko was teaching Rie how to write. The moment Rie saw Rinto enter, she immediately clamored for her brother to carry her.

Kyoko stood nearby, watching Rinto spin the delighted Rie around in his arms, and her face instantly broke into a broad smile.

"Oh, right." Kyoko suddenly remembered something and pulled a thin letter from the desk drawer. "Rinto-kun, there's a letter for you."

Rinto's heart immediately tightened at those words.

There was no need to think about it. He knew this was a letter from Amegakure.

Without changing his expression, Rinto supported Rie behind the knees with one arm and accepted the letter with the other, nodding his thanks.

"Thank you, Aunt Kyoko."

"It's nothing." Kyoko waved her hand, the smile on her face unchanged.

Although Rinto knew Aunt Kyoko's true identity, and Kyoko also knew that Rinto was an infiltrator, the two still maintained calm, indifferent expressions without the slightest change.

After taking the letter, Rinto politely said goodbye to Aunt Kyoko with Rie in his arms and returned to his room.

He shut the door, sat down, pulled out the letter, and looked over its contents.

The letter was simple, signed by someone named Rain Frog.

It said that a four-person Dark Child squad had already arrived outside Konoha and needed Rinto to receive them.

Though it was vaguely worded, Rinto still gleaned some information between the lines.

This ninja called Rain Frog had arrived outside Konoha with three others. Perhaps Konoha's defenses were too tight, or perhaps those people simply were not capable enough. In any case, the four of them had failed to blend into Konoha, so they could only send a letter to Rinto and ask him to meet them.

"Heh. Useless trash." Rinto frowned, but instead of putting the letter away, he openly left it on the table.

"Brother, did someone from your village come?"

Rie, who knew quite a few characters, glanced at the letter on the table and asked curiously.

Rinto's stern expression softened. Smiling, he rubbed Rie's head.

"No, Rie."

After saying that, Rinto took out a brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the four words "one in the morning" on the envelope. He then left the room with Rie.

Inside the room, an Anbu wearing an Earth Dog mask leaped down from the ceiling beam and landed silently before the table. After quietly looking over the letter, he vanished without a sound once more.

In fact, the Anbu had already inspected the letter's contents before it ever reached Rinto.

Rinto took Rie on a stroll before returning home.

Inside, everything remained exactly as it had been when they left. The only difference was a bright red circle now marked in the lower-right corner of the letter on the table.

Rinto knew that Konoha had approved his activity at one in the morning tonight.

Late at night, Konoha was shrouded in darkness, quiet and peaceful.

In the silent room, a pair of bright eyes suddenly opened. Rinto rose, slowly and resolutely pulled on a black short-sleeved shirt, strapped on his Ninja Pouch, gently slid open the wooden door, and stepped outside.

As he strolled leisurely through Konoha's streets, Rinto kept calculating in his mind.

If the people Amegakure had sent were too stupid, he would deal with them directly. It would also be a good chance to show a bit of strength to the Konoha Anbu watching him.

If these Dark Children were extremely crafty, then he would help them "infiltrate" Konoha.

Rinto was not worried that overly clever people would disrupt his plans. On the contrary, experienced Dark Children would make it easier for him to gain Hanzo of the Salamander's trust.

Ever since he had transmigrated to this world, he had never underestimated anyone in it. The one he was most wary of was neither the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, nor Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage-in-waiting, but Hanzo of the Salamander.

For someone to lead Amegakure through survival in this chaotic age, neither his ability nor his intelligence could be underestimated.

A clever Dark Child would make it easier for him to control Hanzo of the Salamander.

People who liked to doubt would never let down their guard around anyone. But what about two people? Three?

When most smart people kept repeating the same thing, even the most suspicious person would gradually lower their guard.

Rinto thought, I don't want to become a chief strategist like Chen Gong. I'd rather muddle through like Jia Xu!

With all sorts of random thoughts running through his head, Rinto left the village without obstruction and headed toward the meeting point.

He crossed a stream and entered the dense forest outside Konoha.

Suddenly, a black figure appeared behind Rinto, pressing a Kunai gleaming with cold light against his neck.

"Kid, it's not good to wander around in the middle of the night!" a man's teasing voice rang out.

Rinto froze, sighing faintly to himself. He was even more disappointed in the Dark Children Hanzo of the Salamander had sent.

In the dead of night, a seven-year-old child was wandering through the woods. God, didn't they find that suspicious at all?

Even if they knew I'm a Dark Child, an undercover agent, they still shouldn't have approached me so recklessly!

He sighed inwardly, but his expression remained calm.

"I'm Zhu Kangping. I'm looking for Rain Frog." Rinto's composed voice carried far through the silent forest.

Behind him, the shadow did not move. The sharp Kunai remained against Rinto's neck.

"How do you prove your identity?"

"There's an Amegakure forehead protector in my pouch." Rinto remained perfectly still as he answered evenly.

The Ninja Pouch was opened, and a brand-new Rain Ninja forehead protector appeared in the shadow's hand.

"Fine!" The Kunai against Rinto's neck was slowly withdrawn.

At that moment, the sharp Kunai suddenly changed direction and sliced directly across Rinto's arm.

The next second, his sleeve tore and blood seeped out. The teasing yet cruel voice sounded again. "Sorry, this is to guard against Transformation Jutsu. Heh~"

Rinto curled his lips and spread his hands indifferently, praising them against his conscience. "It's fine. You really are quite professional."

In truth, Rinto was already cursing them out in his head.

Asshole, I wore short sleeves today and deliberately left my forearms exposed, yet this bastard just had to cut my upper arm.

That shirt cost me two hundred ryo! You bastard! You're finished!

After confirming his true identity, the shadow escorted Rinto into the depths of the forest.

After winding through countless twists and turns, they arrived at a hidden cave.

A campfire burned inside the cave. Three adult men dressed in civilian clothes sat around it, and when Rinto entered, their gazes all turned toward him.

"Zhu Kangping, I've heard much about you." The young man seated farthest inside spoke.

His face was utterly unremarkable. His eyes were neither too large nor too small, his nose neither too large nor too small, and one corner of his neither-too-large-nor-too-small mouth curled upward in a faintly contemptuous smile.

Overall, if this guy didn't smile, he had the makings of an excellent Dark Child.

Rinto knew this guy.

His name was Rain Frog, a Dark Child of Amegakure. In the past, he had mainly gathered intelligence at the Bounty Exchange. He was also one of the few Dark Children who had survived after Amegakure's intelligence organization was attacked.

Rain Frog sat before the campfire, with large and small bags of luggage piled beside him. He narrowed his eyes as he studied Rinto from a short distance away, the smile on his lips growing ever more pronounced.

He knew Zhu Kangping.

More precisely, most of Amegakure's ninja had heard of the little brat.

After all, he was Lord Hanzō's disciple!

As the leader of Amegakure and the man known as the God of Shinobi, Hanzo of the Salamander was deeply beloved by the Rain Ninja.

And the more these Rain Ninja adored Hanzo of the Salamander, the more they loathed Zhu Kangping, this little brat who had stumbled into such absurd luck.

For no other reason than that Rinto was Hanzō's disciple.

But now, this little brat had fallen from favor.

Thinking of this, Rain Frog sneered inwardly. Putting on the manner of an elder, he casually ordered, "Hei-kun, we called you here because there are some tasks we need you to complete."

"Yes, sir." Rinto looked timid.

Seeing Rinto's cowardly appearance, the contemptuous smile on Rain Frog's lips deepened.

"First, draw Konoha's Defense Map. Then arrange four identities for us. Finally, tell me all the intelligence you've gathered recently."

At that, Rinto nodded like a pecking chick.

"Understood, Lord Rain Frog. But I'd first like to know Sakuta Mizuguma's current situation."

"Shut up!" Rain Frog's expression abruptly turned stern.

"That is not something you are qualified to ask about!"

This was his usual tactic for controlling subordinates: first put on a kind and approachable front, then seize any opportunity to immediately put them in their place, and finally soothe them with a few nice words.

By this point, he had long since regarded Rinto as one of his subordinates.

And with subordinates, one had to balance kindness with authority.

Not to mention that he had no information about Mizuguma— even if he did, he would not tell him.

Rinto, however, was not intimidated by Rain Frog's attitude.

Instead, he narrowed his eyes and watched Rain Frog's every movement intently.

He was judging—judging whether Rain Frog actually knew anything about Mizuguma, whether this man still had any value left, and what he himself should do next.

Unfortunately, from the looks of it, Rain Frog either knew nothing at all about Mizuguma or simply had no intention of telling him.

With that in mind, Rinto decided to play along a little longer. His face immediately took on a stubborn expression.

"Tell me about Teacher Mizuguma!"

Seeing Rinto's agitated expression, Rain Frog's interest in Sakuta Mizuguma was immediately piqued, and he sneered inwardly.

Heh~ This kid was pretty loyal!

Still, that was something he could make good use of—make this brat work hard for him!

"Once you write down Konoha's intelligence, I'll have someone send over Sakuta Mizuguma's information immediately."

"Hah?!"

Rinto's face filled with fury.

"What? You don't have any news about Teacher Mizuguma?! Hanzo of the Salamander promised that your people would bring it!"

"You damn brat!" Rain Frog suddenly roared.

"How dare you call Lord Hanzō by his full name! Where are your manners?"

Rain Frog rebuked him without mercy, just like those thoroughly detestable corporate executives.

Rinto said nothing, merely staring at Rain Frog with a stubborn look on his face.

He had figured it out. This Rain Frog knew absolutely nothing about Mizuguma.

If he did, then this man, who loved putting on airs and acting important, would definitely have dangled Mizuguma's information in front of him.

Yet throughout this entire conversation, the man had not brought it up even once. He knew nothing, one hundred percent.

At that thought, Rinto's face immediately fell, and he muttered under his breath.

"Bastard. What a waste of my acting."

Rain Frog had no idea that Rinto had already sentenced him to death in his mind. Instead, he brought out his mature theory for managing subordinates.

Since he had already reprimanded the brat, it was time to offer him a little reward and make him work hard to earn merit.

With that in mind, Rain Frog's expression softened. He once again put on a pleasant face and reached into his luggage, pulling out a thick stack of banknotes and an envelope.

"Here, Hei-kun. Didn't you apply for activity funds? Here, take these five thousand ryo."

As he spoke, he put on a generous act, pulled a five-thousand-ryo note from the stack, and handed it to Rinto along with the envelope.

Rinto did not bother pretending anymore. He curled his lips speechlessly, his face full of disdain, and accepted the five thousand ryo.

What the hell, was he handing out alms to beggars?

Sure enough, there was no money to be made following Hanzo of the Salamander!

Seeing the contempt on Rinto's face, Rain Frog felt even more contemptuous himself.

"Alright, quit looking so miserable. Take the five thousand ryo and buy yourself some candy. What does a child need so much money for? The envelope contains a handwritten letter from Lord Hanzō. Read it now."

Hearing that, Rinto felt his blood surge to his head.

This guy really never shut up!

Just as Rinto and Rain Frog met up, seven or eight figures in black robes and animal masks had surrounded the area outside the cave so tightly that not even water could pass through.

In the darkness at the deepest part of the cave, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched everything unfolding beside the campfire with great interest.

If his guess was correct, Rinto would probably arrange for these four people to enter Konoha.

Naturally, that was also what he wanted to see.

As the foremost hidden village among the Five Great Nations, Konohagakure could not avoid being infiltrated by Dark Children.

But if those Dark Children could be secretly brought under control, then one could turn oneself from the open into the shadows. Not only could they control the outflow of intelligence, they could also use the Dark Children to accomplish their own goals.

The reason Hiruzen Sarutobi believed Rinto would place these four people in the village was simple: these four were idiots.

Perhaps because he had dealt with Rinto too often, Hiruzen Sarutobi's standards had risen considerably. Looking at the Dark Children sent by Amegakure now, he found them childish and laughable.

At that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled faintly.

Unless something unexpected happened, with Rinto's intelligence, he would surely be able to manipulate these four with ease!

Unfortunately, he had guessed wrong again. Rinto had never intended to let these four leave the cave, much less enter Konoha.