Wrangling

Water appeared out of thin air, instantly condensing into shape.

Before him, a huge, ferocious water dragon appeared and slammed toward him.

Not far away, Rain Frog's eyes were filled with the satisfaction of avenging a great wrong as his hands formed seals.

Normally, although this battle had ended in an instant, as a Dark Child—especially a cautious undercover agent—Rain Frog should have left immediately instead of staying behind to watch Rinto.

But at this moment, Rain Frog no longer wanted to think that much.

He only wanted to watch—to watch Rinto be torn apart by the water dragon, dyeing the entire dragon crimson; to watch Rinto struggle helplessly in the water, unable to live or die.

"Die, you cursed brat! I'll tear you to pieces!"

Rain Frog roared through gritted teeth, his blood-red eyes filled with a cruel, savage grin.

Seeing the Water Dragon Bullet about to crash into Rinto, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hidden in the shadows, could no longer sit still.

Rinto could not die. This guy still had plenty of use!

With that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately formed hand seals at a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch.

"Earth Release: Earth—"

Suddenly, Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, the ninjutsu he had only half-cast coming to an abrupt halt.

He... he saw that Rinto was actually smiling!

Then, Rinto's relaxed and cheerful voice rang out.

"Now that you've seen the ninjutsu, it's time to take a look at taijutsu!"

The instant he finished speaking.

With a violent boom, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the ground beneath his feet tremble fiercely. In an instant, his pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Rinto bent his knees slightly and took on a sprinting stance. The next second, the ground beneath his feet split open into a semicircular crater three meters wide, while Rinto's figure vanished.

In an instant, the oncoming water dragon exploded into splashing droplets that scattered through the sky.

The next second, Rain Frog's head exploded instantly in the shadows where he had been hiding, blossoms of blood bursting open.

Watching this scene, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his scalp go numb.

This guy was practically a humanoid beast.

Was this how a ninja fought?

Even the samurai of the Land of Iron were not this simple and brutal!

Subconsciously, he recalled the Second Raikage, whom he had crossed blades with not long ago.

Rinto's fighting style was far too similar to the Raikage's!

Simple, brutal, and possessing an indescribable aesthetic of violence.

Coming back to his senses, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as his gaze swiftly swept the area. At last, behind Rain Frog's slowly collapsing corpse, he found Rinto.

Dark steel particles slowly writhed over his hand, wrapping around his fist.

At his feet, pale brain matter mixed with blood had splattered everywhere—across the green leaves, the tree trunks, and the ground, densely scattered in uneven patches, like peach blossoms fallen overnight.

"Even peach blossoms seem sorrowful in the rushing wind, specks of red flying like rain."

His quiet sigh gradually faded into the wind.

The Anbu hidden among the trees all looked as though they had seen a ghost, staring at each other in dismay.

Among them, Earth Dog, wearing a dog-head mask, felt a chill run down his back. When he reached back to touch it, he found that even the hood draped over him had been soaked through with cold sweat.

I... I didn't offend this monster, did I? I... I probably didn't!

But does watching him take a dump count as offending him?

Mother of—what kind of monster did Lord Hiruzen tell me to monitor?! I'm scared to death!

At that moment, Earth Dog, who had been carrying out surveillance duty all this time, felt that the whole world was conspiring against him.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi, burdened by Earth Dog's resentment, took out a scroll and spread it across a tree branch, updating Rinto's intelligence.

Name: Sakuta Rinto

Identity: Amegakure undercover agent

Intelligence: S (both strategic planning and battlefield judgment are S)

Total Chakra: Approximately equivalent to an ordinary Chunin

Kekkei Genkai: Magnet Release

Specialized ninja tool: Senbon

Ninjutsu: B (Chunin)

Taijutsu: A+ (elite Jonin, extremely dangerous; taijutsu combat is not recommended)

Genjutsu: Unknown

Overall evaluation: B+

His ninjutsu's destructive power is average, but his battlefield judgment is extremely sharp, and his strength, speed, and explosive power are exceptional.

Role: Aide, adviser, close-range bodyguard. His role overlaps somewhat with the Akimichi Clan and Nara Clan.

After updating Rinto's intelligence, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly rolled up the scroll, tucked it into his robes, and leaped down from his hiding place.

In the distance, Rinto stood with his hands hanging at his sides, expressionlessly gazing at the cold moon. A breeze swept past, and leaves danced through the air.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked toward Rinto, quietly praising him in his heart.

What a composed young man. Even after eliminating a powerful enemy, he remained unruffled by glory or disgrace!

"Rinto-kun, well done."

The moment he finished speaking, Rinto gave an embarrassed smile. Like a deflated balloon, he plopped onto the ground and shouted without a shred of dignity.

"Uncle, why did you take so long? My neck is sore from holding that pose."

Hearing that, the tiny bit of appreciation in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart vanished like smoke. Speechless, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Damn it, the atmosphere! The atmosphere! The atmosphere! Give my admiration back!

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that he had truly been blind.

The moment this guy opened his mouth, any touching or passionate atmosphere disappeared, leaving behind nothing but absurdity.

Mother of—how did the Jashin Cult and Amegakure raise such an unreliable thing? His neck is sore? I squatted in that tree for half the day and didn't complain about my legs going numb!

Rolling his eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked past Rinto with a helpless expression and crouched beside Rain Frog's corpse.

Seeing this, Rinto immediately scampered over to Hiruzen Sarutobi's side, rubbing his little hands together rapidly, his heart filled with excitement.

Looting a corpse! Tathagata Buddha, Jade Emperor, bless me!

This humble one isn't greedy. I don't need Frostmourne or Ashbringer. Just let some extra gold drop for me!

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea that Rinto had mentally returned to Lordaeron. He simply reached out toward Rain Frog's corpse.

"Wait!"

Rinto suddenly cried out from the side, startling Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Captain Hiruzen, shouldn't you... burn some incense first?" Rinto asked weakly.

Hearing Rinto's nonsensical words, Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted heavily and rolled his eyes.

Ignoring Rinto, he continued reaching for Rain Frog's corpse.

"Wait!" The startled cry rang out again.

"What are you doing now?!" Sarutobi asked irritably.

"Well... how about washing your hands first? I'm afraid your hands are bad luck!"

"Get lost!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Rinto flying with a kick, then searched the corpse with a dark expression.

Soon, a large pile of miscellaneous items appeared before Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Loose change, scrolls, a ninja tool pouch, Kunai, Explosive Tags, and more.

At that moment, Rinto once again crouched beside Hiruzen Sarutobi with a sly grin.

"Uncle, let's make a deal. I get the money, and you get the corpse, equipment, and intelligence. How about it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing. He picked out a scroll from the scattered odds and ends and slowly spread it across the ground.

After studying it carefully for a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out a brush and ink, tracing along the lines on the scroll.

Soon, an intricate and mysterious pattern appeared on the ground.

Hiruzen Sarutobi extended his right hand and used his thumb to smear a trace of blood from Rain Frog's body.

"Seal, release!"

Boom! A cloud of white smoke burst forth.

Once the smoke dispersed, Rinto instinctively looked toward where the scroll had been.

A huge assortment of items had been neatly arranged there.

Bundles upon bundles of Explosive Tags, Shuriken and Kunai strung together with iron wire. Rinto even spotted several Fuma Shuriken as tall as half a person.

Mother of—this stuff is genuine contraband!

Not to mention the incredibly powerful Fuma Shuriken, the Explosive Tags alone were enough to cause a massive disaster.

And among those weapons sat a black briefcase.

Even from far away, Rinto could smell the scent of money.

Though his heart itched terribly, Rinto remained honestly where he was, completely still.

He could haggle with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and he could badmouth Shimura Danzō right in front of the Second Hokage, but at a time like this, he could not make the slightest move.

Although he had killed the man himself, not much of the loot truly belonged to him.

After all, no one knew whether Hanzo of the Salamander had passed important intelligence to Rinto through some inconspicuous item.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not dare gamble on it, and Rinto was unwilling to make the Konoha High Council suspicious.

Seeing Rinto drooling over the loot yet still obediently staying put, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally relaxed.

Although Rinto was unreliable in small matters, when it came to major issues of principle, he was clearer-headed than anyone.

Sarutobi did not want to fall out with Rinto over spoils.

In his heart, Sakuta Rinto was already someone he had decided would become a citizen of Konoha.

After putting away the ninja tools and Explosive Tags, Hiruzen Sarutobi carried the briefcase over to Rinto.

With a soft click, the black briefcase opened.

The next second, a riot of colorful bills entered both their eyes.

"Holy shit! Money!" Rinto grinned so widely that drool streamed from the corner of his mouth.

"Quick, Uncle Hiruzen, hurry up and count how much there is!" Rinto's eyes shone as he repeatedly urged Hiruzen Sarutobi to count the money.

Seeing that Rinto was still honestly crouching there, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt even more appreciation.

This guy really saves me trouble! If every Anbu had Rinto's sense, would I only have one son?

Wouldn't I be free at home every day, making babies with Biwako!

I've decided. When I get back, I'll discuss it with Biwako and raise another one. Uh... I'll call him Sarutobi Rinto!

Seeing Sarutobi standing there with a foolish look on his face, Rinto grew impatient.

This monkey—here I am suppressing my excited heart and trembling hands, waiting for you to count the money, and you're off daydreaming.

"Uncle Hiruzen! Uncle Hiruzen! It's so late already, hurry up and finish so you can go home and play with your wife!"

Hearing that, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened, and he immediately stomped the name Sarutobi Rinto into mush in his heart.

If I gave birth to something like this, I'd lose at least ten years off my life!

With a stern face and rolling eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out stack after stack of banknotes and carefully began counting.

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could finish, Rinto, who was extremely sensitive to money, had already roughly figured out the amount in the case.

It looked like a lot, but the denominations were generally small. Altogether, there were only around one hundred seventy or one hundred eighty thousand Ryo.

"Poor. So poor!" Rinto said with a face full of disdain.

"Stop counting, Uncle! There are two hundred thousand Ryo in total!

How about this? Including the four corpses and all these ninja tools, I'll count it as Six Hundred Thousand Ryo for you."

"What the hell? Six Hundred Thousand Ryo? Why don't you just rob me?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, then immediately cursed.

"You think I don't want to?" Rinto muttered under his breath, pulling a mercenary smile across his lips.

"Uncle, Six Hundred Thousand Ryo really isn't much.

Think about it! Without me, could you have gotten your hands on these four spies? No!

And don't think I don't know. Even if they're dead, you can still dig intelligence out of their heads.

And these Explosive Tags and Shuriken are all good stuff! Isn't there a war in the north? This stuff is in high demand!

Look, Six Hundred Thousand Ryo really isn't much!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi crossed his arms over his chest. His young face stretched long as he remained completely unmoved.

"No deal. At most, three hundred thousand Ryo."

"Huh?" Rinto dragged out the word, shaking his head so hard it nearly fell off.

"No, no. Five hundred fifty thousand at minimum!"

"Three hundred fifty thousand!"

"Even if the deal falls through, friendship remains. Five hundred thousand. This little brother won't make a profit, okay?"

"No! I brought the Anbu all this way to be your bodyguards. Four hundred thousand at most!"

Hearing that, Rinto rolled his eyes fiercely.

"If you hadn't brought that up, I would've forgotten! You squatted in the trees and watched a whole night of good entertainment. It's already generous of me not to charge you admission! Four hundred eighty thousand. Take it or leave it!"

"Squatting isn't tiring? Uncle's legs are numb from squatting!" Hiruzen Sarutobi craned his neck and shouted.

Not far away, Earth Dog, who was examining the corpses, watched his superior crouching on the ground like an idiot, shamelessly haggling with a little brat. He felt as if his entire world was collapsing.

Was this really the steady, reliable, stern, and serious Lord Hiruzen he knew?

People would believe he was some auntie selling salted fish at the village entrance.

Clearly, Earth Dog was not the only one thinking this.

The Anbu stationed around them on guard wore strange expressions beneath their animal masks, their different faces sharing the same look of disbelief.

In the end, Rinto still could not outdo the utterly shameless Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the deal was settled at four hundred thirty thousand Ryo.

Thinking about how that old bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi had cost him nearly two hundred thousand Ryo for nothing, Rinto's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Beside him, the victorious Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Rinto with immense satisfaction.

"You brat, instead of haggling with me, why not think about how you're going to deal with Hanzo of the Salamander?"

Hearing that, Rinto shot him a glance and snorted coldly.

"No need for you to worry. I'll just pretend I don't know anything about it and keep eating and drinking as usual."

With that, he got up, dusted off his pants, and headed back to the village.

Watching Rinto leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi happily hummed a tune. Looking around, he saw the Anbu under his command busily working in an orderly manner.

Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Hiruzen Sarutobi squatted down in front of the black briefcase again and happily began counting the cash.

After counting it once, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze slightly, and he hurriedly counted it again.

"Fuck, where did this 200,000 Ryo come from?! It was clearly only 170,000 Ryo! You bastard, you scammed me again!"

Having just put away his clothes and Weighted Gear, Rinto heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's agonized howl behind him. He could not help but grin, revealing a delighted smile.

"I'm outta here~"