Sudden Change

But Lord Zhixin hadn't expected the bandit chief he looked down on to put on an act right in front of him. He waved a hand. "Forget it. Just watch your mouth from now on. You must step up your guard for the next while! Especially those slaves in the cells—make sure they're watched carefully! We may have to rely on them to save our lives when the time comes."

"Does Lord Zhixin mean... if Konoha's ninjas come looking for trouble, we should threaten them with those hostages?"

"Exactly. Since those civilians posted a mission, they must have mentioned the hostages. And to ensure the mission is completed, Konoha's ninjas will have to abide by its rules.

"If we're unlucky enough to have Konoha's ninjas show up, we can only stall for time and contact the other Consortium ninjas nearby for support. So you must guard the cells well. Your lives depend on it. If Konoha's ninjas rescue the hostages, I'll have no choice but to leave on my own. You'll be on your own!" Zhixin emphasized his instructions sternly, even going so far as to threaten the man.

Hearing this, Nawaki nodded in secret. It seemed Zhixin wasn't a complete fool. His plan had pinpointed the weakness of ninjas. A squad without stealth capabilities could easily expose itself and fall into the trap. But against Nawaki, a top-notch spy, his scheme would never succeed.

"With your strength as a jonin, my lord, you should be able to stand against Konoha's ninjas. Why..." the bandit chief asked ingratiatingly.

Zhixin sighed. "For a B-Rank Mission like this, Konoha will definitely send a jonin to lead the team. I have the chakra reserves and physical ability of a jonin, but when I left the village, I was only a Chunin, so I learned just a handful of C-Rank jutsu. I can't bring a jonin's strength to bear at all. For years, I've been searching for scrolls containing jutsu above B-Rank, but techniques of that caliber are closely guarded secrets of each village and rarely leave their hands. If I run into a jonin, I definitely won't be a match for them."

"I heard that Lord Baran of the Consortium is a rogue ninja of jonin rank. Why don't you..."

Before the bandit chief could finish, Zhixin cut him off brusquely. "Hmph! Baran wants me to work under him, but he doesn't understand who came first! Besides, he's a rogue ninja from Kumogakure, so he's probably good at Lightning Release Ninjutsu. He might not even know the Wind Release Ninjutsu I need. How could I swear allegiance to him? Once I find the right jutsu, I'll defeat him and teach him how to respect his elders!"

"Zhixin looks to be in his thirties or forties. From the way he talks, that rogue ninja Baran from Kumogakure is at most thirty. He must be quite a talent. Why did he abandon his village? Could it have something to do with that incident? Is he a remnant of those people? I have to look into him!" A cold glint flashed in Nawaki's eyes.

"But..."

The bandit chief tried to persuade him again, but Zhixin waved him off. "Enough. These matters are beyond you. Just follow my orders and keep those hostages safe! If there's nothing else, leave. I need to rest!"

"Yes, my lord. I'll take my leave." Knowing Zhixin's temper, the bandit chief could only give up dejectedly before exiting the room.

Nawaki felt that he'd been incredibly lucky this time. He'd planned to capture someone and force them to reveal information, but instead, he'd happened to overhear the secret conversation between this Sunagakure rogue ninja and the bandit chief. He'd not only learned about the bandit camp, but also made an unexpected discovery.

He'd probably have a hard time finding any more useful information now. Zhixin might be talkative, but he wasn't the sort to talk to himself. So Nawaki followed the bandit chief out of the courtyard.

Just as they were nearing the entrance, the bandit chief suddenly stopped and turned around to spit. "Pah! All you do is boast about your strength! You're already thinking about running before you've even met the enemy! And you pretend to be so high and mighty? 'Lord Ninja'—you just got lucky! All you do is hide in the courtyard and look at flowers. If Lord Baran hadn't told me to, I'd never come see you! Go spend the rest of your life alone with your flowers and plants!" His face was full of contempt and mockery. He was nothing like the obsequious man from before.

Startled by the bandit chief, Nawaki had overheard his complaints and couldn't help but laugh to himself. So the bandit chief had already been bought off by Baran. No wonder he'd spoken up for him earlier. And who would've thought that the seemingly rough Zhixin was a flower lover? Was it because flowers and plants couldn't grow in the Land of Wind?

But when Nawaki heard that Zhixin liked to look at flowers without being disturbed, an idea struck him. Maybe this was an opportunity. Why did he have to rescue the hostages or deal with the bandits first? This rogue ninja seemed to be the strongest person in the camp, but he was also its biggest weakness!

If Nawaki did the opposite of what they expected and secretly captured Zhixin, then used Object Transformation to take his form and imitate his chakra signature, he could replace him. Not only would he gain control of the camp, but he'd also have a huge advantage in the operation to come!

Nawaki's heart pounded with excitement at his sudden idea.

But if he failed, he might put the others on their guard and alert them to his presence! Should he go back and discuss it with Torifu Akimichi and the others? No—he couldn't let this opportunity slip away! Even if he raised the alarm, he could still figure out a way to make up for it. But if his plan succeeded, the benefits would be enormous!

Once he'd made up his mind, Nawaki watched the bandit chief leave the courtyard, then silently used Object Transformation to take on his appearance. He strolled back the way he'd come.

Zhixin gazed at the garden in a daze and murmured, "Idiot, can you see this? You said you loved flowers and plants most, but the Land of Wind isn't suited to growing them. I've made your wish come true now... but..."

The sound of footsteps nearby jolted Zhixin out of his reverie. His eyes sharpened as he turned toward the sound. When he saw the bandit chief, who had left only a short while ago, he relaxed a little. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless there was a good reason?"

The bandit chief's face was pale as he hurried toward him. "Lord Zhixin! This is bad! We found Konoha ninjas at the entrance to the camp!"

In his panic, the bandit chief slipped just as he reached Zhixin and nearly fell against him.

Zhixin grabbed his arm and asked urgently, "Have they attacked? And is everything all right near the cells?"

"They're already inside!" the bandit chief replied with a strange smile.

"What?" Faced with the bandit chief's bizarre expression, Zhixin immediately grew wary and tried to pull away.

But the other man held both his hands fast. At the same time, Zhixin's chakra began pouring out of him uncontrollably through their joined hands, like a breached dam. In just a moment, he'd lost a third of his chakra reserves. Yet the other man's hands seemed to have taken root in him like a plant. He could barely feel any force, but he couldn't break free.