Plan

Maruboshi Kosuke listened in silence, then slowly exhaled a breath. "Your deduction... is highly plausible. If the lord is truly involved, this is no simple criminal case. It implicates a local official of the Land of Fire, which exceeds our authority and scope as ninja to handle."

"According to the agreement between Konoha and the Land of Fire, as well as village regulations, we must immediately suspend the investigation, report the situation back to the village, and leave the decision to the Third Hokage. We'll also need to negotiate with the capital of the Land of Fire and obtain the Daimyo's authorization. Acting on our own would cause massive political trouble."

"Senior, so our next step is to return directly to the village?" Shinichi asked.

Maruboshi Kosuke pondered for a moment. "I originally planned, even if the mission was ostensibly complete, to visit the nearby village and meet the client, but..."

He shifted his tone and looked at Shinichi. "Shinichi, what do you think?"

"Leave the city immediately." Shinichi's answer was without hesitation. "And we must act hurried and anxious, as if we've sensed some major upheaval. Once outside the city, head straight toward the village."

"Oh?" Maruboshi Kosuke didn't interrupt, signaling him to continue.

"They might have initially wanted to use that excuse to send us off and be done with it. But from the moment I stepped into the Lord's Mansion, the steward's repeated and covert observations suggest that I likely possess some 'trait' they consider extremely important. His repeated confirmations mean they may have changed their original plan—from seeing us off to keeping us here."

Shinichi's analysis was calm and clear. "They're probably mobilizing people and setting traps right now. What we need to do is disrupt their rhythm and actively break out of the encirclement they're weaving. As long as we appear hurried and suspicious, hastily leaving the city, it's likely to force them to act early and intercept us outside."

"Luring the snake out of its hole?" Maruboshi Kosuke immediately grasped his intent.

"Right." Shinichi nodded. "As long as they make the first move against us, no matter who they are, morality and law will be on our side. A Konoha ninja attacking a local official without cause is a grave crime. Conversely, a local official or their forces attacking a Konoha ninja on a mission without cause is equally an unforgivable grave crime."

Although the Daimyo is the nominal supreme ruler of the Land of Fire, Konohagakure holds an extremely transcendent position within the Land of Fire, wielding substantive and absolute military power. (Note)

Looking back at the Great Ninja Wars, each was directly initiated and led by the ninja villages of each country. During the wars, local officials and administrative systems of each country could only passively cooperate, their duties mostly relegated to governing and handling aftermath in newly acquired territories after the war.

For example, in the later Third Great Ninja War, Sunagakure directly declared war on Konoha on the pretext of the Kazekage's disappearance, without even formally notifying the Land of Wind's Daimyo.

This incident greatly infuriated that Daimyo, but after the war, he could only use "Sunagakure's unfavorable war situation" as an excuse to cut some funding as a symbolic punishment.

Even earlier, at the first Five Kage Summit, the founding Kage of the five great ninja villages openly discussed the division of territories and distribution of interests among the countries, showing their power and independence.

He further clarified the key point: "Konoha ninja are officially appointed military personnel of the state. Even if suspected of a crime, local administrative officials have no right to detain or dispose of them privately. They must go through formal channels and negotiate with Konoha."

"Only when a ninja is formally declared a rogue ninja by Konoha can local officials, after receiving authorization, cooperate with Konoha to capture them. If they attack us first, they're handing us a legitimate reason to fight back and investigate deeper."

The state and the ninja village have long existed in a delicate and complex symbiotic state. Their jurisdictions often overlap, and their philosophies frequently clash, yet on the practical mutual benefit of "I give you funds and administrative convenience, you give me military force and security," they formed a peculiar balance and coexistence.

From this derived a set of unspoken but mutually understood rules: you have no right to arbitrarily dispose of my ninja, and I do not directly interfere in your administrative affairs... These, together, constitute the unique "One Country, One Village" system of the ninja world.

If your side oversteps its authority without cause, then morality and law stand on our side.

Maruboshi Kosuke looked at this junior who thought meticulously and was adept at using the rules, a glint of approval flashing in his eyes.

This was indeed a clever strategy under the current complex situation, one that could both avoid procedural risks and break the deadlock with a countermeasure.

But he didn't immediately agree. Instead, he pondered and raised concerns: "The plan is good, but there are a few problems. First, according to village rules, this matter has clearly exceeded the scope of our current mission. Second, the risk is unpredictable; we don't know exactly how many people they have or their strength."

"Even if we end up with morality and law overwhelmingly on our side, the village may not be pleased with us stirring up extra trouble. They might think we're meddling and provoking incidents. Also, the Daimyo-sama, even if he doesn't pursue it openly, will inevitably be displeased that Konoha ninja caused an incident within his jurisdiction."

Shinichi's expression remained unchanged as he calmly replied, "Senior, I've been prepared for danger ever since I decided to become a ninja. I also have a bit of selfishness here—I don't want my first mission to end so anticlimactically, without clarity."

"And those children..."

He paused for a moment. "Their families are still waiting for them to come home. As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, we shouldn't give up."

No wonder he's the heir to the Will of Fire personally appointed by the Third Hokage!

Maruboshi Kosuke sighed inwardly.

Shinichi continued his analysis, his words clear and logical. "Senior, this isn't meddling either. As Konoha ninja, we have the duty to maintain border stability and guard against infiltration by unknown forces. Now, an unidentified organization has infiltrated the Land of Fire's border and may have even turned a city lord—this is precisely our responsibility."

"Finally, the Daimyo-sama may not care about the disappearance of some commoner children, but he will never tolerate his own officials slipping out of his control and secretly engaging in schemes he knows nothing about."

"Good!" Maruboshi Kosuke made an immediate decision. "We'll do as you say. Let's leave the city now."

That night, by a riverbank near a forest, the moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, leaving only the sound of flowing water.

Shinichi and Maruboshi Kosuke, hurrying along, suddenly stopped—from the shadows of the trees ahead, over a dozen figures in black robes emerged silently, forming a semicircle to block their path.

"Konoha ninja, why leave in such haste? It makes this lord seem like a poor host." The leader pulled back his hood, revealing Nakimachi's lord, Kurokawa Yasumasa.

Shinichi didn't respond. His gaze swept over the uniform emblem on the black robes: an outer circle with an inner triangle, rough lines, the color dark red like dried blood.

This pattern? The Jashin Cult?

"Saint Son-sama, we... meet again." Elder Takahashi stepped forward slowly, his gaze beneath the hood locked onto Shinichi, his eyes burning with undisguised fervor and craving, as if looking at a rare treasure.

"Please don't resist. If you are willing to comply, this old man can promise to let your companion... die intact."

His tone was flat, yet carried an air of condescending certainty.

Right, they're just two Genin after all.

But the moment his words fell—

Shinichi's hand at his side moved almost imperceptibly, forming a minimal hand sign.

The next instant, BOOM!!!

The previously calm river erupted violently, countless streams of water surging forth like a rolling tide, rising into a sky-covering wave of overwhelming force, crashing down with a deafening roar upon the group of black-robed figures on the shore!

Elder Takahashi's pupils contracted sharply.

This is Konoha's...

Genin!?