At dawn, Neji stood on the terrace of Listening to Rain Pavilion, gazing at the gradually brightening eastern sky. Though he had not slept all night, there was not the slightest hint of fatigue in his eyes. Instead, they gleamed with a certain resolute light.
"Young Master Neji." The old servant called softly from outside the door. "Lord Akita and Lord Tetsusai have arrived."
"Please let them in."
Old Akita strode in quickly with the aid of his cane, Tetsusai following close behind. At the sight of the traces of battle in the courtyard, the old man's single eye suddenly contracted. "So someone really did come last night..."
"Three Chunin, disguised as ANBU," Neji said calmly. "They were probably spies sent by some faction."
Tetsusai crouched to inspect the scorched marks on the ground and sucked in a sharp breath. "You took down three Chunin by yourself?"
Rather than answer directly, Neji took a bamboo scroll from his sleeve and spread it across the tea table. "These are the Ninja Talisman Hall's accounts for last month. Net profit: eight hundred and thirty thousand ryo. And these are the acquisition offers from three ninja tool stores in the capital..." He produced another gilt-edged document. "Every one of them has offered more than twenty million ryo."
Old Akita's hand trembled slightly. "That much..."
"Wealth needs power to protect it." Neji's voice abruptly turned as sharp as a blade. "The Ninja Talismans we developed have already shaken the major clans' monopoly on ninjutsu. Last night was only the beginning. There will be more open attacks and hidden schemes to come."
Tetsusai clenched his fists. "Then what should we do? Cut our prices and beg for mercy? Or..."
"Quite the opposite." Neji's gaze burned brightly. "I want the Ninja Talisman Hall to become an