Shinobi World Bounty Order

Two days later, under the cover of darkness, Kisame Hoshigaki and Ringo Ameyuri quietly returned to Kirigakure.

This trip to the Land of Artisans to procure supplies, while moonlighting as fake bandits, was carried out under the secret orders of the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura.

Kirigakure's economy was not affluent, and strategic supplies were a dire necessity. Faced with such a predicament, Karatachi Yagura had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure, yet he still cared about his reputation, so he selected the personnel for the mission from the Anbu.

They left by night, and they returned by night.

Avoiding the village's night patrols, the two slipped into the Mizukage's office. The candlelight was dim, and Karatachi Yagura was still processing official documents.

The position of the big boss of Kirigakure was much like that of the big boss of Sunagakure; it was not only backbreaking work but also offered no real perks to skim off the top.

The baby-faced Karatachi Yagura set down the documents in his hand and, by the light of the candle, scrutinized the two kneeling before him. He said with relief, "I thought it would take another two days. I didn't expect you to return so quickly.

How did it go? What were the results?

By the way, where are the others? Are they still in the Land of Artisans? I have told you many times, do not be too greedy. Know when to stop; this kind of thing cannot be done often."

Seeing no one else, Karatachi Yagura assumed there had been too much loot, and that Kisame Hoshigaki and his companion had been sent back first with the spoils.

The two were sweating profusely, filled with immense dread. They did not know how to broach the subject; the boss was in such high spirits, and now they had to tell him the mission was a failure and the entire unit had been wiped out?

Seeing them remain silent, Karatachi Yagura grew suspicious. He looked closer and was horrified to discover the Kubikiribōchō and Samehada on their backs.

His expression shifted violently. To become one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was an honor in Kirigakure second only to becoming the Mizukage.

Ever since the first generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Biwa Juzo and the others had never been separated from their blades. The fact that their swords had been brought back by others meant something that went without saying.

Suppressing the rage welling up within him, Karatachi Yagura dug his fingernails into his palms. His voice was low as he asked, "What happened?"

The storm was about to break. The two dared not hide the truth any longer. Bowing their heads, they replied, "The captain and the others were unfortunately killed in action. Only we survived..."

"I knew it... I knew it...

They must have been too greedy, targeting a merchant caravan from the Land of Lightning or perhaps Konoha, and were then killed in defeat.

They didn't even stop to think. Konoha and the Land of Lightning are so far from the Land of Artisans; how could they not have dispatched a large contingent of ninja to escort their military supplies?"

Karatachi Yagura was a relatively gentlemanly person; he did not lash out in a rage but instead muttered incessantly, voicing his guesses with a pained heart.

It pains me so! That was the village's money! With the current tense situation in the Shinobi World, not only is the money gone, but three elite jonin are also dead. What a massive loss this is.

His heart ached.

"Mizukage-sama."

Ringo Ameyuri raised her head to observe Karatachi Yagura. Seeing that he had no intention of killing them, she argued, "The captain and the others only robbed some small merchant caravans..."

"Then how could the entire unit have been wiped out!" Karatachi Yagura asked with a stern face. If they didn't rob Konoha or Kumogakure, could it have been the Land of Earth?

"It happened like this..."

Ringo Ameyuri knew more than Kisame Hoshigaki. She recounted everything, starting from when Kaguya Taiga encountered Rasa, all the way to Rasa chasing them to the inn and killing Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki...

"Bring me the Samehada to look at," Karatachi Yagura commanded with a frown.

Kisame Hoshigaki was reluctant, but he still obediently unslung the Samehada from his back and handed it to Karatachi Yagura.

By the candlelight, Karatachi Yagura examined the Samehada. Sure enough, there was a wound a foot long. Suppressing the consciousness of the Samehada, he probed it with a bit of chakra, confirming that a nail clipper remained inside.

"Is this Himura Kenshin you speak of truly that powerful? Like the White Fang of the Leaf of the past?" Karatachi Yagura asked, clutching his forehead in agony.

How could it not pain him? The first time he had the idea to go out and plunder, he had barely taken action before being "helped" by a sudden Kage-level powerhouse.

Is Heaven destroying my Kirigakure?

High-end combat power was already scarce, with only himself to rely on. Everything depended on mid-to-high-end combatants—the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the Ice Release, and the Shikotsumyaku.

Now, after one trip, three elite jonin were gone, along with over a dozen chunin. Both the people and the money were lost.

It pains me so!

After a moment of thought, Kisame Hoshigaki replied, "I have never seen the White Fang of the Leaf in action, but I have personally experienced his strength.

His swordsmanship is likely the strongest in the history of the Shinobi World. Without relying on chakra, he can rival a Kage-level powerhouse."

The baby-faced Karatachi Yagura was filled with both grief and rage. After a moment, he finally calmed down and asked, "You know of the Underground Bounty Station, right?"

Kisame Hoshigaki nodded: "I know."

The background of the Underground Bounty Station was immense; even Kakuzu dared not rob it, and not even Kishimoto dared to mention who the big boss behind it was. When Kirigakure ninja went out on missions, they would occasionally take on side jobs there.

Kisame Hoshigaki scoffed at such half-hearted behavior, but since everyone was doing it, he found it hard to stop them and could only choose not to participate or get involved with the others.

Karatachi Yagura crossed his hands and closed his eyes: "I still have 50 million ryo here. You will draw a portrait of this person and take this money.

Go to the Underground Bounty Station and issue a Shinobi World kill order. We cannot let this loss go unanswered."

"What kind of order?" Ringo Ameyuri's eyebrows twitched as she asked.

"A bounty order, of course!" Karatachi Yagura gritted his teeth, his heart aching so much he had misspoken.

Ringo Ameyuri stopped nitpicking and changed the subject, asking doubtfully: "Will 50 million be a bit low? Usually, elite jonin have a bounty of 20 million.

For a Kage-level powerhouse like this, it should at least start at 100 million."

Kisame Hoshigaki tilted his head and glanced at Ringo Ameyuri. You certainly know your stuff.

Karatachi Yagura clutched his chest. Don't say that. Every time you mention it, my heart aches.

Taking a breath, he said with a pained heart, "Fifty million is definitely not enough, but do we even have any spare money right now?

We can only try our luck and see if anyone gets lucky enough to kill that Himura Kenshin."

He couldn't just swallow this bitter pill, but sending people to hunt him down was impossible; that wouldn't be a pursuit, it would be a suicide mission. It was even more impossible for Yagura to go himself—what would happen to the administration of Kirigakure?

The only option was to find a way through the Underground Bounty Station.

Kisame hesitated for a moment before saying, "Lord Mizukage, actually, we brought back the bodies of the captains; they are just outside the village.

Perhaps we can use their corpses to scrape together some money."

Yagura: ...You won't even spare the dead?

But indeed, the dead were sometimes more useful than the living.

Yagura waved his hand to be left alone, dismissing the two: "Leave the ninja blades, then take their bodies to the Underground Bounty Station.

We will discuss your negligence after this matter is settled."

"Yes."

They had escaped a disaster; their lives were saved.

The two bowed their heads in acknowledgment and retreated from the Mizukage's office. Before leaving, Kisame glanced back at the great blade Samehada, filled with reluctance.

The candlelight flickered.

Inside the office, Yagura closed his eyes in contemplation. The death of three elite jonin from Kirigakure was undoubtedly a massive loss, and this matter could not be suppressed for long.

He needed a way to gloss over this incident, as well as a reasonable and logical excuse that wouldn't arouse suspicion, allowing Kirigakure ninjas to decisively abandon their missions if they encountered Himura Kenshin in the future.

It was difficult!

Yagura's questions would never be answered...

The Bloody Mist policy of Kirigakure had lasted for a long time. The Third Mizukage had participated in the First Five Kage Summit, but in all available records, aside from one photo where he looked exceptionally young, everything else was completely unknown—even his name.

According to an analysis of that single archived photo, the Third Mizukage had long since kicked the bucket.

Yagura looked very young, but his official profile stated he had a baby face and was actually quite old. Furthermore, whether or not he was the Mizukage had absolutely nothing to do with the Three-Tails.