"Lin Qing, heed this order!"
The Land of Wind's envoy unfurled the scroll in his hand.
"You seized a city and killed officials, violating the laws of the Land of Wind. You should have been punished, but in consideration of your defeat of the Sky Ninja Legion and this being your first offense, you will be forgiven if you return Gelin City within three days. Otherwise—"
"Enough with the 'otherwise.'"
Lin Qing waved a hand, showing no intention of listening further.
He gave Rasa and the other Sunagakure ninja at the doorway a slight nod and gestured for them to wait a moment before turning his gaze back to the envoy who had come to "deliver the order."
"Are those words your own, or the feudal lord's?"
The envoy puffed out his chest. He had intended to say, "The feudal lord's will is my will," to project strength—a standard negotiating tactic.
But when Lin Qing's gaze fell on him, the envoy shuddered for no reason.
Lin Qing gave a soft laugh. "Legend has it that there was once a country called Han. It would send envoys to other nations, and once those envoys arrived, they would rack their brains trying to get the locals to kill them, so Han would have a legitimate reason to send troops.
"There was also a country called Yan. They sent an envoy named Jing Ke to assassinate the leader of an enemy nation, carrying out a decapitation strategy.
"Mr. Envoy."
Hermit Purple appeared and hooked a kunai from Sasuke's waist, flinging it out. With a thunk, it landed on the table before the Land of Wind's envoy.
"Which kind are you?"
Had he come to die so the Land of Wind's feudal lord could send troops?
Or had he come to assassinate Lin Qing?