Coward

With the truth out, Yi had let go of all restraint. He shook his head lightly. "No one. It was my own idea."

"Why?"

"Why? You're asking me why?!"

Yi threw his head back and laughed. Then his expression twisted into a grimace. "My parents died on the battlefield fighting the Iwagakure Shinobi. My older brother—the only family I had—died by a Cloud Ninja's blade. I still remember what he looked like. Every night, he appears in my dreams, reminding me not to forget to avenge him, not to forget the blood our Sunagakure predecessors shed! And you! Now you're going to beg for peace! You're going to forgive those damned bastards! And you still ask me why?!"

"I'm the one asking you! Feel your Forehead Protector. Think of all the comrades who died on the battlefield. Do you deserve to call yourself a Sunagakure Shinobi?!"

Hoshino Maki watched Yi gesticulate wildly, on the verge of madness, without the slightest change in his expression.

"Are you done?"

Hoshino Maki's calm expression seemed to enrage Yi. He stared into Maki's eyes and bared his teeth in a grin. "You think you've already won, don't you?"

As he spoke, he tore open his clothes. Explosive Tags were plastered across his bare chest.

"Lord Hoshino, you won the war with Explosive Tags. Now dying to one would be a pretty interesting twist, wouldn't it?"

Yi's bloodshot eyes fixed on Hoshino Maki, who stood less than three meters away. The more expressionless Maki looked, the more Yi felt humiliated.

What kind of look was that?

No fear, no anger—just the way you'd look at some insignificant, pathetic worm.

"We'll die together!"

He shouted and brought his hands together to form Hand Seals.

But the scene he'd imagined never even had a chance to happen.

His arms were held in place by some invisible force. He strained with all his might, but his hands still couldn't move even a fraction closer.

"Th-this..."

Beads of sweat rolled down his temples. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, the madness in his eyes turning to terror. He couldn't get a full sentence out.

"Uncomfortable, being stuck like that?"

Hoshino Maki strolled over and peeled the Explosive Tags from Yi's chest one by one.

"Wondering why you can't move? It's just a little application of Chakra."

Hoshino Maki stacked the Explosive Tags together and tapped them against his palm. "That many tags must have cost you every last coin you had, huh?"

He finished speaking and ignored Yi's murderous glare. Instead, he sat down on the ground with his legs spread, gazing up at the stars.

The sky was so clear, and the layers of dunes on the horizon so stark. The desolate landscape stirred a sorrowful kind of beauty in the heart.

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

"I remember him. He was quiet, with choppy hair and a few freckles on his face, just like you. You two could've been made from the same mold."

"Don't you dare talk about my brother. You have no right!"

Hoshino Maki continued as if he hadn't heard him. "Did your brother ever tell you about his dream?"

Hoshino Maki got no answer, so he glanced at Yi. "He wanted to save up enough money to return to the village and open a restaurant. Then he'd find you a wife, watch you get married and have children, and help you raise them."

"I heard that from someone else. Your brother let it slip while talking in his sleep. Some people even mocked him for it, saying he was a coward with no dreams."

"What do you think?"

Hoshino Maki stood and walked up to Yi, then fastened his clothes.

"What do you think of your brother's dream? His future had no village in it, no honor as a ninja, not even... anything for himself."

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

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

Tears welled in Yi's eyes. He bit his lower lip until it bled, then snarled at Hoshino Maki through bloody spittle.

"I don't understand why you're so worked up. His future was all about you, and now you're going to destroy yourself with your own hands. So... who's the one insulting your brother?"

Yi said nothing. He only clenched his teeth.

"Honestly, I don't think he was a coward. He never deserted, never shirked his duties, and never got into arguments with his comrades. He was a decent, dutiful man. He just wanted to earn enough money to give you a comfortable life. What was wrong with that?"

"I hope everyone in Sunagakure, and even the whole Land of Wind, can live the way he imagined."

"But war alone can't make that happen. Sunagakure has been fighting nonstop. Has the village gotten any richer?"

"With this negotiation with the Cloud Ninja, we can give the village's old and young enough to eat and new clothes to wear. We can give our ninja fewer dangerous missions, because we're no longer short on money."

"More people like your brother will be able to live out their lives in peace, instead of risking their safety and taking jobs they don't want just to make ends meet."

When Hoshino Maki finished, he patted Yi on the shoulder and pulled the Explosive Tags from his clothes, offering them to him. "You can form Hand Seals now. Will you set these tags off, or sell them and return to the village to start a small business? Don't worry. I can revoke your status as a ninja."

Yi stared at the Explosive Tags held out to him, his expression complicated. He didn't take them right away.

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

It was the very image of a coward—the kind of person he'd once despised most.

Hoshino Maki tilted his head back. How many people and families like this were there in Sunagakure?

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

Konoha really was better. At least there, he could be a happy Medical Ninja without having to face tragedies like this every day. If this kept up, even the sea cucumber in his mouth would lose its flavor.

A wave of envy rose in Hoshino Maki's heart.

"Lord..."

"Hmm?"

Hoshino Maki watched the ninja wipe away his tears and stand up, waiting to hear his choice.

"Even after everything you've said, there'll still be wars, won't there?"

"That's right."

"Then I'll use these Explosive Tags and my life to win peace and a future for the village."

Hoshino Maki looked him in the eyes. "Honestly, I'd recommend returning to the village. That was your brother's dream."

Yi shook his head. "A dream without my brother isn't complete. Since his dream can no longer come true, I'll give everything I have for my own."

"Your dream?"

"Yes. The kind of life you were just talking about."

"What kind of life? I've forgotten."

Hoshino Maki crossed his hands behind his head and sauntered down the dune.

"Huh? Lord, how could you forget?"

Yi hurried after him.

"I don't even deserve to call myself a Sunagakure Shinobi. Why would I remember any of that?"

Hoshino Maki rolled his eyes and replied sourly.

"Lord, you're so..."

"So what?"

"N-nothing."

"..."

Back at his quarters, Hoshino Maki hung his cloak over the railing. A shapely woman emerged from the shadows. "You really are fearless. Weren't you worried he'd set off those Explosive Tags?"

Hoshino Maki didn't turn around. He began taking off his jacket. "I'd already erased the Chakra on them."

"You... You're really cautious. Yi's lost everything he owned. And, also, isn't it a little rude to take your clothes off when there's a lady here? Hoshino Maki!"

"If he loses his belongings, he can earn them back. If he loses his life, he loses everything. What's wrong with taking my clothes off in my own room? Believe me, I can shout that you're assaulting me."

As he spoke, Hoshino Maki poured himself a cup of tea.

Pakura was so flustered she couldn't answer. She stormed over, snatched the cup from him, and downed it in one go.

"Hot! Hot!"

Hoshino Maki stared wordlessly at the foolish woman. Had she put all her talent into her figure and Ninjutsu?

He grumbled to himself, but still poured her a cup of cold water.

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

"By the way, did you find any clues on the ninja who ambushed him?"

Hoshino Maki had sensed someone following him as soon as he left the outpost, but when he saw Pakura following too, he hadn't made a move.

"No. Just a hired mercenary, doing a job for money. But his target wasn't you. It was that kid, Yi."

Hoshino Maki narrowed his eyes, then shrugged as if nothing had happened. "Someone Yi crossed? Then it's not something I need to worry about."

"I don't think that makes sense. Who would pay to kill a Genin?"

Pakura raised the question, but Hoshino Maki didn't answer. Instead, he put a hand on his belt. "What does that have to do with me? Hurry up and leave. It's so late that if you don't go now, I really will take my clothes off."

Pakura stretched her neck and put on a brave front. "You think I'm scared?"

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

As Hoshino Maki approached with a lecherous grin, Pakura gave a cold snort and vanished.

Hoshino Maki waited a moment, then sat back down, a thoughtful look on his face.

Yi wasn't worth spending a fortune to hire an assassin, so this was a move meant to target him.

All Yi's family had died on the battlefield. His entire family had given everything for the village. If its only surviving member attacked Hoshino Maki, whether Maki killed or captured him, it would deal a serious blow to his reputation.

People revered the strong, but they also sympathized with the weak—especially those who had become weak through their sacrifices.

They'd manipulated Yi into attacking him, then used the mercenary as a second safeguard to ensure Yi died at his side.

Whoever was behind it had been vicious indeed.

The mastermind could be from inside or outside the country. Kumogakure, Iwagakure, even Danzo of Konoha were all suspects.

But the fact that they'd pinpointed Yi in advance meant they had to know Sunagakure's inner workings well.

Thinking it over, Rasa, Chōjūrō, and even Chiyo were all suspects.

Still, when it came to the sort of person who'd arrange an assassination before negotiations, Hoshino Maki was more inclined to suspect Chōjūrō.

The reason was simple: he had no brains!

If Hoshino Maki had planned it, he would've chosen to strike in the Land of Rain or on the way back from the negotiations. If he'd been feeling especially bold, he might've assassinated the Fourth Raikage and framed Hoshino Maki.

But even if this mastermind's chosen moment had led to a successful assassination, all it would've done was plunge Sunagakure into Internal strife, shattering the stability they'd worked so hard to establish. Someone like Chiyo or Rasa, who put the village's interests first, probably wouldn't have done that.

There was one more crucial point: the Anbu, who'd always handled security, hadn't shown up.

He'd only told the guards at the outpost not to follow him. He hadn't given the Anbu any orders. So how had they all managed to withdraw protection in perfect unison?

But he had no concrete evidence for any of this, and it wouldn't be appropriate to tell Pakura. He could only keep it to himself.

"Sigh... Those fools should really go kneel and thank the desert."

Hoshino Maki shook his head. For most people, this desert was barren wasteland. But for some, it really was a blessed land.