Ye Tong vs. Asuma (Part One)
Dusk settled over the land, and the evening lights came on.
In Konoha, the eastern wing of the Land of Water delegation's lodgings was brightly lit.
Sōji called the ANBU members to his room, spread a blank sheet of paper over the low table, and wrote down five names in order.
Ye Tong for the first match, Wolf Demon for the second, White Hannya for the third, Hozuki Mangetsu for the fourth, and himself for the last.
There was practically nothing to discuss about the lineup. Whoever he wrote down would fight.
"The five of us, best of five. As long as we win the first three matches, there'll be no need to fight the last two."
Arms folded across his chest, Wolf Demon tilted his head as he studied the list, grinning to reveal two rows of gleaming white teeth.
Beside him, Ye Tong nodded quietly. White Hannya bowed slightly in acknowledgment, while Mangetsu said nothing, merely setting a peeled orange on the corner of the table.
After assigning their tasks, Sōji opened the door and stood in the courtyard for a while. The night breeze swept over the dry landscape garden, stirring a string of delicate chimes from the bronze bells.
Over the next few days, the Land of Fire's daimyo and nobles hosted banquets every night to entertain their honored guests from the Land of Water.
The banquets were held in the waterside pavilion in the palace's eastern gardens. Scarlet koi filled the lake, and the music of strings and flutes continued through the night.
Fujiwara Yoshimasa traded toasts with the Land of Fire's daimyo, while Fujiwara Munekage spent an entire night in private talks with several wealthy grain merchants from the Land of Fire in a side hall.
Quye Masato