Don't Hire Rogue Ninja!!

"Quite a few people in the Tokugawa family coveted the head of the family's position. They definitely didn't want to see my youngest son return safely to Kusagakure. I kept the escort's destination secret, thinking that fewer people knowing would mean greater safety. I never expected the news to get out anyway."

Takayama Tokugawa let out a helpless sigh, still shaken by what had happened.

We only survived this time because we were lucky.

If we hadn't hired a powerful team of ninja, not only would my youngest son have died—the rogue ninja might have killed me, too.

"I see."

Yugito nodded slowly. First, she pulled Neji aside to discuss the matter. Then she went to Takayama Tokugawa.

"Mr. Tokugawa, you have two choices. First, we end the mission here and go our separate ways. We'll return to Kumogakure, and you'll go back to Kusagakure. Second, you pay an additional two hundred thousand ryo, and we continue escorting you to Kusagakure."

Takayama Tokugawa pondered for a moment, then nodded with a pained expression. "All right. Thank you for your help, Ninja Lord."

The original fee was seventy thousand ryo. With the additional two hundred thousand, that made two hundred and seventy thousand ryo.

That was no small sum.

The Tokugawa family's annual profits from trade were less than two million ryo.

But money could always be earned again.

No matter what, he had to get his youngest son safely to Kusagakure.

With the escort mission settled, everyone began rounding up the scattered horses and clearing the battlefield.

More than fifty guards had been killed or wounded in the battle.

Takayama Tokugawa stared at the corpses littering the ground, looking utterly stricken.

It wasn't that he begrudged the money for their families' compensation.

The Tokugawa family had invested tremendous resources in training these guards. They were loyal retainers, and every one of them who died was one fewer the family had.

Neji went over to him. "Mr. Tokugawa, after such a fierce battle, everyone's exhausted, both physically and mentally. Let them rest a little longer. We'll set out tomorrow at noon."

"Ah, look at me. I was so caught up in worrying about our losses that I forgot about everyone else. I'll give the orders right away."

Takayama Tokugawa slapped his forehead and hurriedly ordered the caravan to slaughter the injured horses and serve a better meal.

Late that night.

A shadow slipped out of a tent and headed for a nearby thicket. He pulled a carrier pigeon from his clothing and released it.

The pigeon flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

But just as it reached the treetops, it suddenly let out a cry and dropped to the ground.

The shadow abruptly realized something. His expression changed.

Instead of returning to the caravan, he ran frantically deeper into the woods.

He had gone only a few meters when his legs snapped a wire hidden in the grass. Two kunai shot out of the thicket. With a thud, the shadow fell to the ground, dead on the spot.

Neji and Takayama Tokugawa emerged from the shadows.

Staring at the corpse on the ground, Takayama Tokugawa asked in surprise, "Neji, was he the traitor in our group?"

The rogue ninja had gone straight for the carriage carrying Mrs. Tokugawa and the youngest son. They could only have done that with detailed information obtained in advance.

"If he wasn't the traitor, then who was?"

Neji spoke nonchalantly as he dismantled the traps he had set.

By the time Neji had finished, Takayama Tokugawa had already examined the corpse. His face had turned as pale as paper.

Neji looked at him. "I assume you've figured out who was behind those rogue ninja."

"He was my..." Takayama Tokugawa was drenched in sweat.

Neji raised a hand to cut him off. He had no interest in hearing the rest.

The Tokugawa family's infighting was about power and money. Whoever was behind this had to be one of the family's leaders.

"Mr. Tokugawa, I'm afraid you'll need to prepare another two hundred thousand ryo."

"Neji, what do you mean?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Takayama Tokugawa heard hurried footsteps nearby.

Another Neji came running out of the woods, carrying a sack over his shoulder.

Neji smiled at the Lightning Release Clone. "Thanks for your effort."

The Lightning Release Clone gave him a thumbs-up. "I've got this. Don't worry."

Neji dispelled the Lightning Release Clone, and a flood of memories poured into his mind.

After absorbing them, Neji rubbed his temples, then dumped the corpse out of the sack.

"Mr. Tokugawa, do you think this man's life is worth two hundred thousand ryo?"

"It really was him?!"

A few hours earlier, in a hidden valley in the Land of Frost.

After the Iwagakure rogue ninja had led the attack on the caravan, their employer hadn't left. He had waited at the scene.

The employer was no stranger. He was Takayama Tokugawa's cousin, Masaharu Tokugawa.

Takayama Tokugawa was nearly fifty. Once his youngest son was dead, the family's leaders would force him to step down. Then Masaharu would become head of the family, just as everyone expected.

As darkness deepened, Masaharu Tokugawa grew increasingly impatient. Every so often, he peered toward the valley entrance, hoping to see the Iwagakure rogue ninja return victorious.

After an unknown length of time, hurried footsteps sounded. Someone was racing toward him.

Masaharu Tokugawa was overjoyed and hurried out of the valley.

The Iwagakure rogue ninja came into view, but to his surprise, only the squad leader had returned alive. The other nine were dead.

Masaharu Tokugawa sensed trouble and demanded, "Why are you the only one who came back?"

"Hmph." The Iwagakure rogue ninja sneered. "Everyone else is dead. You really screwed me over, you bastard."

"They're all dead?"

Masaharu Tokugawa's expression darkened. The squad leader had fled back in such a sorry state; there was no need to ask whether the mission had failed.

"Damn it. How could a C-Rank mission have two jonin?"

The Iwagakure rogue ninja cursed as he eyed Masaharu Tokugawa menacingly, making him squirm under his gaze.

"W-what are you going to do?" Masaharu Tokugawa stammered.

Whoosh!

A flash of cold steel— the short blade in the Iwagakure rogue ninja's hand plunged into Masaharu Tokugawa's chest.

"You... You..."

Clutching his bloodied chest, Masaharu Tokugawa stammered, unable to get out a single complete sentence.

The Iwagakure rogue ninja stabbed two more holes in his chest. "Here's some advice: don't hire rogue ninja in your next life."

Clap! Clap!

Neji's clone applauded. "That's good advice."

"?"

The Iwagakure rogue ninja turned toward the valley entrance, his expression darkening. Neji was emerging from the shadows, a kunai gleaming sharply in his hand.

The brat had actually followed him here?!

A vicious glint appeared in the Iwagakure rogue ninja's eyes.

Since the kid wouldn't stop chasing him, he had no choice but to kill him.

There was no point wasting time talking. In an instant, they both charged at each other.

The Lightning Release Clone formed Hand Seals rapidly with his left hand and slashed at the Iwagakure rogue ninja with the kunai in his right.

The kunai struck the stone fist, ringing out sharply.

Brilliant blue lightning burst forth.

Lightning Release: Chidori Blade.

The Lightning Release Clone had roughly the same amount of chakra as the Iwagakure rogue ninja.

But lightning beat earth, giving Neji the advantage.

Crackling arcs of electricity filled the air. A few seconds later, the lightning shattered the Iwagakure rogue ninja's stone fist and rapidly spread up his arm.

"Gah!!"

The agony of the lightning coursing through his body twisted the Iwagakure rogue ninja's face into a grimace. His paralyzed body couldn't make a sound.

His strength vanished in an instant, and the fear of death gripped him.

The Lightning Release Clone gave him no time to dwell on his terror. He slid sideways in a quick step, and the kunai in his hand easily cut the man's throat.