Killing Without Spilling Blood

"You want to kill the clan head?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? I mean that brat Lu Zeming!"

At that, several clan elders' eyes lit up.

"That could work. Tell us your plan."

Listening Yuhu took a sip of tea and said smugly, "I checked today. This village has barely thirty ninjas. Its strongest fighters—Ikeda Masato, Hayato, and Yuki Kamimai—were just sent to the Land of Fire to buy grain. They won't be back anytime soon. The rest are all lower- and mid-level ninjas. Once we kill Lu Zeming, we'll be the ones calling the shots!"

"Then we'll put my brother forward as village chief. I'm sure he won't refuse. We'll bring him around and gain a foothold of our own. Two birds with one stone!"

Everyone agreed the plan was workable.

Only one person raised a concern.

"The key is killing Lu Zeming, but we have no intelligence on him. I couldn't gauge his strength at the banquet either. What if..."

Listening Yuhu cut him off. "There is no what-if. He's seven years old. At most, he's a Special Jonin. Don't forget, I'm already halfway to Elite Jonin. With a few Chunin from the clan helping me, killing him won't be hard!"

"Good. That's what we'll do!"

Meanwhile, after finishing his lesson for the young ninjas, Lu Zeming returned to his office to plan the next day's work.

Kumi Uzumaki knocked and came in.

"The Mind-Listening Clan doesn't seem to have reached a decision!"

Lu Zeming kept working without looking up.

"Of course they haven't. My conditions would cut off those elders' income. Why would they agree?"

"You're not tempted? That's more than forty ninjas. If they joined us, our village would become much stronger!"

"Better to grow slowly than leave trouble waiting to happen."

"I don't know how your brain works. You're so young, yet you think things through more carefully than an adult like me!"

As she spoke, Kumi Uzumaki held her belly and slumped into a chair.

"Ugh, my stamina's getting worse, and the baby keeps kicking. I've fallen behind on so much work. If only I could get the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to take some of the load!"

"I don't have the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, but I do have a copy of the Four Symbols Seal!"

Lu Zeming pulled a scroll from his drawer and tossed it to her.

Kumi Uzumaki caught and hurriedly opened it. At the sight of the familiar Runes and sealing array, tears welled in her eyes.

"The Four Symbols Seal. It really is the Four Symbols Seal. You're just giving this to me?"

"Thanks for all your hard work lately. You've earned it!"

"Thank you!"

"As far as I know, it belonged to the Uzumaki in the first place!"

Kumi Uzumaki wiped away her tears and nodded solemnly.

"To see a relic of my lost homeland again... I could die happy now!"

"Study it well. One day, you might restore the Uzumaki to their former glory!"

"Yes! Thank you so much. I'll work hard!"

"Keep security tight over the next couple of days. Watch Listening Yuhu and the others in particular!"

The abrupt change of subject left Kumi Uzumaki stunned for a moment. Then something occurred to her, and her expression turned grave.

"You think they'll do something desperate? We should strike first!"

Lu Zeming shook his head, rejecting her suggestion.

"No rush. We need to catch them in the act. Besides, I want to see what Listening Yulong and Yuka choose to do!"

"All right, I understand. I'll make the arrangements!"

Kumi Uzumaki put away the scroll and hurried out of the office.

Lu Zeming stopped working and looked into the night, murmuring to himself.

"Don't let me down."

The next day, before dawn, someone knocked on Lu Zeming's door.

"Zeming, are you awake?"

It was Yuka's voice.

"Yes, I'm awake. Come in!"

Yuka pushed the door open. Grief and resolve filled her eyes, making her look like a stubborn little flower touched by frost.

"What brings you here so early?"

At his question, Yuka dropped to her knees with a thud.

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let my clanspeople come here. This is on me!"

Lu Zeming understood. How could the Mind-Listening Clan have kept its plot from Yuka, who could read minds?

"You know?"

"Yes. They mean to harm you!"

"I see. You did well. But I want to know what you've decided to do!"

Yuka raised her tear-streaked face and gazed at Lu Zeming for a long moment before bowing her head to the floor again.

"I'll kill them myself before they can act. Then I'll take my own life to atone!"

Lu Zeming nearly choked.

She's taking this far too hard. It barely has anything to do with her.

"Ahem. Have you forgotten our promise? Throwing your life away over a bunch of clowns isn't worth it!"

Yuka looked up at him again, her eyes filled with gratitude.

How could she forget their promise? She would follow him forever. Whatever hardships lay ahead, she would never give up—even if it meant standing against the whole world.

"But if I don't do that, I don't know how to stop them!"

After a moment's silence, Lu Zeming asked, "Have you told Listening Yulong?"

Yuka quickly shook her head. "No. I haven't told anyone. I came to you as soon as I found out!"

"Then tell Listening Yulong now."

"But..."

"Don't worry. Leave it to me!"

After leaving, Yuka went to Listening Yulong and told him everything she knew.

The news threw Listening Yulong into turmoil.

"Damn them! How dare they? How could they?"

"Clan head, what should we do?"

Listening Yulong's mind raced. He was a clever man, and he understood why Lu Zeming had sent Yuka to tell him.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, without even noticing.

The seconds ticked by. Listening Yulong knew he had to decide quickly, or the Mind-Listening Clan would face utter ruin.

For the first time, Listening Yulong felt the terrifying power contained in that small body.

It was not power on the battlefield, but the ability to read a situation and steer people's hearts.

Sometimes that kind of power was more frightening than killing outright. It could kill without spilling blood.

Listening Yulong secretly gathered the younger adults of the Mind-Listening Clan. The promise to divide clan property among households alone had made them staunch supporters of his.

The other conditions protected their interests too, directly or indirectly.

Starting at ten that morning, the other civilians in the temporary settlement began leaving one after another.

By the time Listening Yuhu and the others noticed something was wrong, there was no one else in sight.

The empty streets and tents were as quiet as a graveyard.

Even Listening Yuhu could tell that their plot had been exposed ahead of time.

"Damn it! It's a trap! Gather the clan and get ready to leave! Hurry!"

Listening Yuhu urged them on, but only thirty-odd clanspeople answered the call. More than half were ordinary people who had yet to awaken their abilities.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Rita and the others said they were fetching water. They'll be back soon!"

"Yūjin and the others went to buy things. They haven't come back yet!"

"Those were just excuses to leave. They've betrayed us! Forget them. Everyone else, follow me and run!"

The thirty-odd people grabbed their bags, pulled their carts, and rushed toward the edge of the village.

They had gone less than a hundred meters when a group blocked their way.

At its head stood Listening Yulong, accompanied by many of the Mind-Listening Clan's younger ninjas.

"Little brother, I'll call you that one last time. Surrender now, and I'll plead with the Lord for you!"

Listening Yuhu glared at his brother, his eyes blazing.

"You're no brother of mine! What Lord? That brat hasn't even grown up, and he dares call himself a Lord? Dream on if you think I'll surrender. You'll have to kill me first!"

Listening Yulong trembled and closed his eyes. Two tears slid down his cheeks.

When he opened his eyes again, they were cold and merciless.

"Kill!"