Ghost Ninja Trio

A misty spring rain fell from the hazy morning sky, pattering onto the ground and gathering into countless tiny streams that flowed swiftly across the earth. Along an ancient road carpeted in cherry blossoms, countless pink cherry trees grew in neat rows on either side. The blue stone steps of the old road were also strewn with blossoms, which flowed rapidly through the cracks between the stones with the rainwater. The fragrance of flowers mingled with the scent of rain and filled the entire mountainside.

Amid the drizzling rain, "Tap! Tap!" the intermittent sound of footsteps on blue stone slabs rang out. A carriage gradually emerged from the distance through the misty rain, slowly making its way along the ancient blue-stone road.

It was a rather strange sight in this ninja world, because ninjas could travel far faster than carriages. Yet it was also perfectly ordinary, because although ninjas ran rampant throughout the world, they were still only a minority compared to the total population.

Ordinary daimyo and nobles relied on carriages when they traveled, so carriages were nothing unusual in this world. What was strange was the person driving this one.

At the front of the carriage sat a burly Middle-aged Man with a face full of stubble. He looked vicious and wore a red shirt, with two tachi strapped to his back. Most importantly, a white ninja tool bag hung from his waist. His attire clearly marked him as a ninja, yet he wore no forehead protector. He appeared to be a Rogue Ninja.

A ninja driving a carriage was quite a rare sight in this world. At that moment, a somewhat gloomy voice came from inside the carriage. "Third brother, hurry up. We don't have that much time!"

"Lao Er is right. Fighting those escort ninjas has consumed too much of our strength. What we need to do now isn't travel leisurely, but pick up the pace. After all, we used up too much stamina fighting those escort ninjas. Although a carriage is far slower than a ninja, every bit of time we can buy counts. Lao Er and I need to recover our stamina and Chakra faster! That daimyo will definitely hire ninjas to pursue us. It'll be troublesome if he hires ninjas from the Five Great Nations!" Another voice came from within the carriage.

"Got it, Big Brother, Second brother." The fierce-looking burly Middle-aged Man answered, then quickened the carriage's pace. Inside, two men sat cross-legged. One was somewhat fat, with a face full of flesh and very small eyes. He looked sinister and gloomy. He was the man who had spoken first, the one called Second brother.

The other was an ordinary-looking Middle-aged Man with a calm expression. Yet the savage scar on his face and the occasional flash of brutality in his eyes made it clear that he was nothing like the tranquil person he appeared to be.

Judging by appearances alone, these Two People and the burly man driving outside did not look like good men. And indeed, they were not. They were three vicious Rogue Ninjas who specialized in kidnapping people. They were often hired by daimyo or High-Level officials to persecute political opponents or important figures from enemy countries, and sometimes killed Rogue Ninjas from small Ninja Villages for bounties.

All three possessed Jonin-level strength. However, they could not compare to the Jonin of the Five Great Nations. Still, with their ruthless methods and seasoned conduct, they had gained some renown in the Ninja World. They were known as the Ghost Ninja Trio, and the brutality of their methods filled many people with inexplicable terror.

However, the three only wandered among small countries. Before powerful nations or even great nations, they were not worth mentioning. They were quite clever, never provoking ninjas from medium-sized countries or great nations, and rarely accepting the underground missions issued by those countries. That was why they had survived peacefully until now and lived rather comfortably.

This time, they had accepted employment from the daimyo of a small country called the Land of Mountains to kidnap the daughter of the daimyo of the rival Cherry Blossom Country—the Princess of Cherry Blossom Country.

Cherry Blossom Country was also a small nation. True to its name, it was a country blanketed in cherry blossoms, with beautiful cherry trees planted everywhere. The country was quite stable as well, and its resources and economy ranked among the best of the small nations. As a result, many countries eyed it greedily.

Great nations had wars between great nations, whose scale and numbers were far beyond anything small or medium-sized countries could compare with. These were called Ninja World Wars. Small countries also fought wars against one another. Though vastly different from the so-called Ninja World Wars, war was cruel no matter what, and many people died.

Cherry Blossom Country also had a Ninja Village, but it was very small, and the quality of its ninjas varied greatly. Their combat strength was not worth mentioning compared to the Five Great Nations; even the Ninja Villages of many small countries were stronger than theirs. A country with a developed economy and abundant resources but no matching national strength was, in this ninja world, guilty simply for possessing treasure.

Because this country had rarely been drawn into war in the past, the daimyo and many High-Level officials believed there was no need to develop its Ninja Village. Developing one required enormous expenditure, and being a ninja was itself a dangerous profession. The powerful strength of ninjas was simply beyond the restraint of a small country like Cherry Blossom Country, and it could very well shatter the nation's long-standing stability. It was precisely because of these concerns that Cherry Blossom Country rarely spent money developing its Ninja Village.

Cherry Blossom Country's Ninja Village had been established long ago, at the end of the chaotic era, in imitation of other countries. Now, it merely served to maintain public order and national stability. Using it to wage war against the ninjas of other countries was simply impossible. It was like comparing police to the military in a Previous Life—there was no comparison at all.

But in recent years, as the country's abundant resources were developed—especially natural resources such as iron, ore, and timber, which could be used to make Ninja tools and farming implements—countless merchants began moving into the country. Its breathtaking scenery also created abundant tourism resources, attracting countless wealthy people who came by reputation. Coupled with the crisscrossing rivers and lakes within the country, its plentiful waterways, and its fishing resources, the nation began to grow rich. Its economy developed as if mounted on a rocket, even surpassing many medium-sized countries. How could a country so rich in resources and economically prosperous, yet militarily weak, not attract the covetous eyes of other nations?

Quite a few medium-sized countries, and even some great nations, had begun watching this country. However, if medium-sized countries or stronger nations started a war, it could easily trigger a chain reaction, and there were too many concerns involved. That was why they had not acted yet. In the eyes of those countries, wars between small nations were merely minor squabbles. There were so many countries in this world that conflicts broke out between them almost every day, without affecting the overall situation.

At that moment, besides the two men, there was also a beautiful Young Girl in the corner of the carriage, her hands bound and her mouth sealed. She was the daughter of the daimyo of Cherry Blossom Country—the Princess of Cherry Blossom Country, Goto Yurika.