Yoru set down the copy of Make-Out Paradise in his hand and casually picked up the gold-edged invitation.
The envelope was high quality, as was the paper, and it even carried the fresh scent of vegetation unique to the Leaf Village forest.
It was just that the words written on it were a little disgusting.
"Promoting friendly exchanges between nations?"
Yoru could not help laughing as he looked at the sanctimonious bullshit on the letter.
The laughter left Ōnoki, sitting across from him, utterly baffled.
"Building a peaceful ninja world together?"
Yoru turned the paper over and over, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"That old monkey Hiruzen Sarutobi has skin thicker than the walls of our Iwagakure."
"So what do you mean, Brother Yoru?"
Ōnoki leaned closer, rubbing his hands together, his old face full of the excitement of someone eager to watch trouble unfold.
"That old monkey clearly wants to use us as a weapon and put on a monkey show for the daimyo."
"So... are we going or not?"
"Of course we're going. Why wouldn't we?"
Yoru casually tossed the invitation onto the table as if it were scrap paper used to wipe it down.
"They've delivered the invitation right to our doorstep. If we don't go, won't it make Iwagakure look afraid of Leaf Village?"
Yoru lifted his teacup and blew away the floating tea leaves.
Behind the rising steam, his pitch-black eyes glimmered with a cold light that saw through everything.
At a glance, he saw through Hiruzen Sarutobi's petty little scheme hidden in his pants.
He was short on money, short on people, and unable to keep control anymore.
So he wanted to parade his few newly sprouted little geniuses around, flex some muscle, and trick the daimyo into continuing to invest.
And while he