Coward

The truth was out, and Yi completely let go. He shook his head lightly. "No one. It was my own idea."

"Why?"

"Why? You ask me why?!"

Yi threw his head back and laughed, his expression suddenly turning ferocious. "My parents died on the battlefield fighting Stone Ninja. My brother, my only kin, died by the blade of a Cloud Ninja. I still remember his horrific state. Every night he appears in my dreams, reminding me not to forget revenge, not to forget the blood shed by our Sand Ninja seniors! And you! You're going to seek peace now? You're going to forgive those damned mongrels! And you ask me why?!"

"I should be asking you! Touch your forehead protector, think of our comrades who died on the battlefield, do you deserve to be a Sand Ninja?!"

Hoshino Maki watched the other man gesticulate wildly, his appearance bordering on madness, his expression unchanged.

"Are you finished?"

Hoshino Maki's calm expression seemed to enrage Yi. He stared into Hoshino Maki's eyes, a grin splitting his lips. "You think you've already won?"

As he spoke, he tore open his tunic, revealing explosive tags plastered all over his bare chest.

"Lord Hoshino, you used explosive tags to win the war. Now to die by explosive tags is also quite an interesting turn of events, isn't it?"

Yi's bloodshot eyes fixed on Hoshino Maki, less than three meters away. The more expressionless the latter was, the more Yi felt insulted.

What kind of look was that?

No fear, no anger, just like looking at an insignificant worm.

"Let's die together!"

He roared, bringing his hands together in front of him to form a hand seal.

But the scene he envisioned never materialized.

His arms felt as if they were being restrained by an invisible force. He put all his strength into it, but his palms couldn't move any closer.

"This, this..."

Large beads of sweat trickled down his temples. His pupils constricted like needles, the madness in his eyes replaced by terror. He couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

"It's uncomfortable carrying these, isn't it?"

Hoshino Maki walked forward slowly and peeled off the explosive tags from Yi's chest, one by one.

"Curious why you can't move? It's just a simple application of chakra."

Hoshino Maki stacked the explosive tags together and clapped them in his palm. "So many explosive tags, you must have spent all your money, right?"

After speaking, Hoshino Maki didn't look at Yi's murderous gaze. Instead, he sat down on the ground with his legs spread, looking up at the stars.

The clear sky, coupled with the layered sand dunes on the horizon, created a desolate landscape that evoked a melancholic beauty in the heart.

"Your brother's name was Makoto, right?"

"I remember him. He was quiet, had short, choppy hair, and a few freckles on his face just like you. You two are truly carved from the same mold."

"Don't you dare mention my brother! You're not worthy!"

Hoshino Maki continued speaking to himself. "Did your brother ever tell you about his dream?"

Hoshino Maki didn't hear a reply. He glanced at Yi. "He wanted to save enough money to open a restaurant back in the village, then find you a wife, watch you get married and have children, and then help you raise them."

"I heard this from someone else. Your brother accidentally said it in his sleep. Some people even mocked him, calling him a coward with no dreams."

"What do you think?"

Hoshino Maki stood up and walked in front of Yi, tying his tunic.

"What do you think of your brother's dream? His future didn't include the village, the honor of being a ninja, or even... himself."

"He was a coward, wasn't he?"

"Shut up! You bastard! Don't you dare insult my brother!"

Yi's eyes welled up with tears. He bit his lower lip until it bled, foam mixed with blood escaping his mouth as he growled at Hoshino Maki.

"I don't understand why you're so agitated. His future was all about you. Now, you're about to destroy yourself with your own hands. So... who exactly is insulting your brother?"

Yi remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together.

"Honestly, I don't think he was a coward. He never deserted, never failed in his duties, never argued with his comrades. He was diligent and honest. He just wanted to earn more money to give you a life without worries. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"I hope everyone in Sunagakure, and even in the Land of Wind, can live the life he envisioned."

"But this kind of life can't be achieved solely through war. Sunagakure has been fighting constantly, has the village become prosperous?"

"With the negotiations with the Cloud Ninja this time, we can ensure the village's elders and children have enough to eat, can get new clothes, and ninjas can undertake fewer dangerous missions, because we are no longer short of money."

"More people like your brother can live their lives in peace, without having to abandon their safety to do jobs they don't want just to make a living."

After speaking, Hoshino Maki patted Yi's shoulder and handed him the explosive tags he was holding. "Now you can form the hand seal. Will you choose to detonate these explosive tags, or sell them and start a small business back in the village? Don't worry, I can nullify your ninja status."

Yi looked at the explosive tags offered to him with a complex expression, not taking them immediately.

After a long while, he slumped to the ground and burst into tears.

It was the look of a coward, something he had once despised the most.

Hoshino Maki looked up. How many people like him, families like his, were there in Sunagakure?

He didn't know, and he was afraid to find out.

Konoha is better. There, he could at least be a happy Medical Ninja, instead of facing these tragedies every day. If this keeps up, even the Sea Cucumbers in his mouth won't taste good anymore.

A sense of envy rose within Hoshino Maki.

"Sir."

"Hm?"

Hoshino Maki watched the ninja, who was wiping away tears as he stood up, awaiting his choice.

"Even though you've said so much, there will still be war, right?"

"That's right."

"Then I'll use these Explosive Tags and my life to fight for peace and the future of our village."

Hoshino Maki looked into his eyes. "Honestly, I suggest you return to the village. This was your brother's dream."

Yi shook his head. "A dream without my brother is incomplete. Since my brother's dream can no longer be realized, I will fight with all my might for my own dream."

"Your dream?"

"Yes. It's the kind of life you just described."

"What life? I forgot?"

Hoshino Maki clasped his hands behind his head and slowly walked down the sand dune.

"Ah? Sir, how could you forget?"

Yi followed, a little anxious.

"I'm not even worthy of being a Sand Ninja anymore, why would I remember those things?"

Hoshino Maki rolled his eyes and said irritably.

"Sir, your heart is too..."

"Too what?"

"Nothing, nothing."

Returning to his lodging, Hoshino Maki hung his cloak on the railing. From the shadows, a woman with a delicate figure emerged. "You really have a big heart. Aren't you afraid he'll actually detonate the Explosive Tags?"

Hoshino Maki didn't turn around and started to take off his jacket. "I've already wiped off the Chakra on them."

"You—you're really cautious. Yi's possessions are all gone. Also, is it rude to take off your clothes when a lady is present, Hoshino Maki!"

"Possessions can be earned again, but once a person is gone, they're truly gone. What's wrong with me taking off my clothes in my own room? Believe it or not, I'll shout that you assaulted me?"

Hoshino Maki said as he poured himself a cup of tea.

Pakura was so choked up she couldn't speak. Angrily, she stepped forward, snatched the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

"So hot! So hot!"

Hoshino Maki looked speechlessly at this foolish woman. Did she dedicate all her talent to her figure and ninjutsu?

Although he was complaining internally, he still poured her a cup of cold water.

Pakura took the water and gulped it down, then let out a long sigh.

"Right, did you find any clues from that ambushing ninja?"

Hoshino Maki felt someone following him as soon as he left the outpost, but seeing Pakura also following, he didn't make a move.

"No, he was just a mercenary, doing a job for money. However, his target wasn't you, but that kid named Yi."

Hoshino Maki narrowed his eyes, then shrugged as if nothing had happened. "Yi's enemy? That's not something I can handle."

"I think something's wrong. Who would spend money to kill a Genin?"

Pakura raised a question, but Hoshino Maki didn't answer. Instead, he touched his belt. "What does this have to do with me? Let's hurry and leave. It's so late, if we don't go now, I might really take off my clothes."

Pakura stretched her neck and said in a fierce but weak tone, "You think I'm afraid?"

"I'm afraid. I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself."

Seeing Hoshino Maki getting closer with a lecherous smile, Pakura snorted and then disappeared.

Hoshino Maki waited for a moment, then sat back down, his expression thoughtful.

Yi wasn't worth hiring an assassin for. Therefore, this was a move against him.

All his family members died on the battlefield. It could be said that his entire family sacrificed everything for the village. If the sole survivor attacked him, whether he killed the opponent or captured him, it would be a significant blow to his reputation.

People revered the strong, but also sympathized with the weak, especially those who became weak due to sacrifice.

Inducing the opponent to attack him, and having a mercenary as a second line of defense to ensure Yi died by his side.

The scheme was undeniably vicious.

The mastermind could be from within the country or abroad. Kumogakure, Iwagakure, even Danzo from Konoha were all suspects.

But to be able to pinpoint Yi so precisely meant it had to be someone very familiar with the internal workings of Sunagakure.

Thinking about it, Rasa, Chōjūrō, even Chiyo were all suspects.

Hoshino Maki leaned more towards Chōjūrō for the assassination attempt before negotiations.

The reason was simple: he lacked brains!

If Hoshino Maki had planned it, he would have chosen to assassinate during the journey to or from the Land of Rain, or perhaps even dared to assassinate the Fourth Raikage directly and frame Hoshino Maki.

The timing chosen by this mastermind, even if the assassination succeeded, would only cause internal strife in Sunagakure and collapse the hard-won stable situation. People like Chiyo and Rasa, who prioritized the village's interests above all else, would most likely not do this.

There was another crucial point: the Anbu, who had been responsible for security, did not intervene.

He had only told the outpost guards not to follow, but he hadn't given any orders to the Anbu. How could they have tacitly withdrawn their protection?

However, he had no concrete evidence for these thoughts, and it wasn't appropriate to tell Pakura, so he could only keep them to himself.

"Sigh~ these idiots really owe the desert a kowtow."

Hoshino Maki shook his head. This desert was a harsh land for most people, but for some, it was truly a blessed land.

5K completed, first round of recommendations, please support with more follow-up reads! (I'll try to post my favorite leader Mitei in the Easter egg chapter again)