Matsuyama Castle

"These possibilities certainly exist, so we can treat all targets as enemies in this operation."

Shuichi concluded, "The worst-case scenario is that the Miyazaki Clan is colluding with other ninja villages, and the so-called rescue mission is just a trap to kill Konoha Ninjas."

"But the probability of that is extremely small. If any clues are left unchecked, it will definitely provoke a large-scale retaliation from Konoha. You'd better remain vigilant."

After discussion, the group realized that due to a severe lack of intelligence, they had few options for action.

It's impossible to search for someone in complete darkness in unfamiliar territory, so the only target available is the lord of Matsuyama Castle. Let's find out what's going on with the mission that caused the Jonin squad to disappear.

"The person who commissioned the mission was identified as a suspect, and upon arriving in Matsuyama Castle, we apprehended him as quickly as possible."

Shuichi had no intention of being polite to these nobles. The rule that ninjas don't attack ordinary people didn't apply in special circumstances, or rather, it had never been an ironclad rule.

As long as no one knows about this behavior, it's as if it never happened...

Matsuyama Castle, a historic city, exudes an air of vicissitudes with its towering, mottled city walls.

It was already nighttime, but the city was still brightly lit, and pedestrians were constantly coming and going on the streets. After all, the daytime temperature in the southern region was too high, so the nighttime was the best time to go out.

The castle, located in the center, is about three stories high. Its white, exquisitely decorated walls with upturned eaves seem to gleam in the moonlight, creating a striking contrast with the lower bungalows on the outer perimeter.

In a room on the top floor of the castle, Miyazaki Kazuhiko was in a very bad mood lately. He felt as if he had fallen into some kind of conspiracy.

Although he was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with the exploitation by the Daimyo's Mansion, he certainly wouldn't dare to openly oppose the Land of Fire. At most, he would secretly sell some resources to other countries.

Because they offered a higher price, and their family's income was tax-free.

But now he deeply regrets it; his wife has been kidnapped by an unknown force.

He initially thought it was the work of some local homeless people who were envious of the Miyazaki Clan's increasingly extravagant lifestyle in the past two years and thus became greedy for money.

It wasn't until the hired elite Konoha squad arrived and still made no move that he realized things were getting serious.

Although he didn't have a deep relationship with this first wife—after all, his marriage to the Fire Princess was for the survival of his family—her status was undeniable.

After the Third Shinobi War, Konoha became renowned throughout the surrounding countries, and even the southern regions far from the war were aware of its power. The Land of Fire had defeated four enemies single-handedly.

The loss of Jonin -level combat power during peacetime will undoubtedly attract Konoha's serious attention.

"Hopefully, the investigation team sent by Konoha will be more reasonable... Sigh..." Miyazaki Kazuhiko sighed inwardly.

He hired many skilled fighters to ensure his own safety, but he had no intention of fighting against Konoha; he only wanted to protect himself in this chaotic world.

Just as he was agonizing over how to deal with the investigation from Konoha, four dark figures were rapidly approaching Matsuyama Castle, easily circumventing the weakest point in its defenses.

Without pausing, he leaped into the air, lightly tapping the city wall with his feet, and with a few "whoosh" sounds, he had already flipped into the city, completely unnoticed by the ordinary soldiers.

After nearly four days of travel, the Konoha Squad successfully arrived at their first destination. Under Shuichi's arrangement, they had a good rest while still some distance away and were able to carry out their infiltration operation at night.

Shuichi squinted as he surveyed the ancient city. The houses were compactly arranged, and most were constructed of brick and stone, perhaps due to the humid climate, somewhat resembling the Land of Water.

Without a word, he made a hand gesture, Hyuga Akiha behind him immediately obeyed, "Byakugan!"

"A total of five locations showed chakra reactions, and judging from the intensity, they should all Chunin, but the strength varies..."

"Judging from their positions, the target is likely in the very center of the protective perimeter; there are a total of three people in that room."

Shuichi whispered, "Leave the two strongest to me, the rest of you are in charge. Although this city is quite large, it's best not to make too much of a commotion."

"Then, disperse!"

Swoosh--

The four figures in the corner of the bungalow vanished instantly, turning into wisps of smoke and drifting into the castle not far ahead.

The Byakugan had already pinpointed the location of each enemy. Akiha led Itachi in one group, while Shisui, possessing Three-Tomoe and exceptional Genjutsu Shisui, acted alone.

Shuichi went straight for the two "not weak" guys. They needed information, not to kill, so he had to capture them alive.

In a corner behind the main gate of the castle, two middle-aged men with large noses and similar faces sat against the wall.

One of them, carrying a sake jug and reeking of alcohol, wore a bored expression. "Brother, what do you think about us pulling off a big heist? The Miyazaki family seems pretty rich. If we succeed once, we won't have to work for years!"

"Keep your voice down!" the other person said in a slightly serious tone, but without contradicting the other's suggestion. "We've only been here a short time. We need to figure out the situation before we can make a move. It would be troublesome if we attracted the attention of Konoha."

The man drinking curled his lip, thinking his elder brother was being too cautious. The Land of Tea further south didn't even have a ninja village; they could simply hide there. Jonin's strength was enough to establish themselves?

The elder brother didn't continue speaking. Although he was indeed tempted, his cautious nature had saved him from death many times before, and he couldn't afford to be careless in unfamiliar territory.

The employer has spent a lot of money to seek protection, so the other party must be facing considerable trouble. They won't go all out if they encounter an enemy they can't handle.

Hiss--

A barely perceptible sound came from the air; the younger brother, who was drinking, didn't hear it, but the older brother seemed to sense something.

After finding nothing unusual nearby, he immediately used his half-baked Sensory Ninjutsu to conduct reconnaissance.

"Watch out, ninjas are infiltrating through the back door..."

Whoosh--

Something seemed to glide quickly across the grass, and the next moment, several thin, dark snakes leaped into the air, surrounding the two and snapping at them.

The two self-proclaimed Jonin reacted quickly; even the younger brother, who had been drinking, jumped up with a "whoosh," while the older brother drew his long sword and slashed repeatedly, accurately severing three snake heads.

There wasn't enough room to move around in the corner, and they couldn't even see the attackers. They had to move to a place with a clear view as soon as possible.

Swish--

One person jumped into the air first, and as expected, an unexpected event occurred. A large number of Senbon poured out from the side and pierced his entire body, but the person being attacked immediately turned into a puddle of water and fell to the ground.

"Water Clone? Interesting, the skill level is not bad!"

Teasing voices came from the darkness. The two who remained saw several Kunai flying towards them. Before they could speak, they prepared to swing their swords to block them and then spread out to the sides.

Ding ding--

Sparks Qidian as metal clashed. The two brothers, their chakra already gathered at their feet, were about to unleash their Body Flicker Technique, but the more observant elder brother noticed black lines on the ground. "What's that?"

Swish!

A jet-black Kunai to the ground, following the previous attack and arriving between the two. Shuichi, smiling, appeared upside down in the air, calmly pressing down on their shoulders. "Where do you think you're going to escape to?"

A silent bolt of lightning exploded in the arena. The two who had failed in their spell not only suffered a backlash from their meridians, but their entire bodies were also paralyzed and unable to move. "Ahhh..."

With Shuichi flick of his finger, the Steel Wire attached to the Kunai became incredibly agile, floating up and instantly tightening, binding the two ninjas tightly.

The Steel Wire even cut into the flesh of his arm like a knife, leaving many thin red lines.

The Shadow Clone leaped out from the side, hands clasped together. Finding the enemy already knocked unconscious, it released the soundproofing Barrier. "His chakra isn't particularly strong, but his application of it far surpasses that of Chunin. It's not easy to hire a ninja of this caliber in a remote area!"