Tetsuya sat there regaling Izuna with unofficial history, going from the blatant homoerotic tension between the brothers Hamura and Hagoromo to the love-hate relationship between Asura and Indra, then from that age of myth to the era of ninshu.
Perhaps Tetsuya's tales were so ridiculous that Izuna had become dazed listening to them. He actually offered no objections and simply sat there listening.
"I'm telling you, that old asshole, the Sage of Six Paths, played favorites. When it was time to choose his successor, he set a trial for his two sons.
"The trial was clearly meant for Asura and Indra individually. Indra followed the rules and completed it alone, while Asura only managed it with help from other people.
"By all rights, Asura should have been disqualified. But that old bastard turned around and said Indra didn't understand love or unity, and picked Asura in the end.
"Tell me, what the hell was that? Wasn't that old asshole being unreasonable?"
"Uh..."
Listening to Tetsuya spout off, even the usually calm and composed Izuna could not help speaking up.
"You may not be a ninja, Tetsuya, but you still practice using chakra. Isn't it a little inappropriate to talk about the Sage of Six Paths that way?"
"Oh, what's the big deal?"
Tetsuya waved dismissively, took a sip of tea, then spat out some tea leaves without the slightest regard for appearances.
"I'm just talking. Besides, that old asshole is already dead. What, is he going to come out of the Pure Land and beat me up?"
"Uh, the Sage of Six Paths really is in the Pure Land."
As a soul who had returned from the Pure Land, Izuna had never met the Sage of Six Paths, but he had heard from other souls there that the sage truly existed.
"Relax, I told you it's fine. If he really comes out to hit me, wouldn't that prove I was right and struck a nerve? If I'm wrong, what's he getting so worked up about?"
While the two chatted, Nakamura and Mikiko came downstairs, supporting each other.
Nakamura seemed drunk, but otherwise nothing appeared amiss.
Mikiko's makeup, however, was a little smudged, and there were red marks on her neck, as though Nakamura had done something to her.
Tetsuya and Izuna could both tell at a glance that Nakamura was under genjutsu. Though it was extremely subtle, even the most concealed genjutsu was laid bare before the Sharingan.
The marks on Mikiko were merely part of the disguise. After all, she had spent time alone in a room with a notorious playboy. It would have been strange if nothing had happened.
Tetsuya paid it no mind, however, and simply approached them with a smile.
"Did you both enjoy your food and drinks?"
Mikiko said nothing, while Nakamura spoke in a drunken slur.
"Ahahaha! Boss Chiba, your food and wine are outstanding. You deserve a reward."
At the mention of a reward, a guard who had been waiting by the entrance immediately hurried forward, took out a banknote, and placed it on the table.
After glancing at the amount on the note, Tetsuya's smile grew broader.
“My, my! Thank you for your generosity, young master Nakamura.”
"Hahaha, don't mention it. Good work deserves a reward."
Nakamura laughed heartily, looking every bit the lavish spender. After all, the Nakamura Family covered all his expenses.
“Young master Nakamura has had too much to drink. It's time he went back to rest.”
Mikiko spoke at just the right moment, signaling that it was time for Nakamura to leave.
Tetsuya smiled.
"Take care, both of you. Come again whenever you have time. Don't worry, I know the rules. No one else will hear about what happened in that room."
As he spoke, Tetsuya glanced at the red marks on Mikiko's neck. The guards lowered their heads as well. Not looking at things they should not see was a basic rule of their duty.
Mikiko, however, seemed to realize something. An odd look flashed through her eyes, but she quickly concealed it and left with Nakamura.
"Well, well. Quite the little game you're playing."
Watching Nakamura and Mikiko leave, Tetsuya shook his head.
Izuna folded his arms and said,
"It looks like they intend to take control of the Nakamura Family by controlling its young master. Their next step will probably be to help him succeed as family head."
"It's fine."
Tetsuya took an abacus from behind the counter and began fiddling with it.
"The Nakamura Family may have some standing in the Capital City, but at the end of the day, they're just a second-rate family."
Clack!
All the abacus beads slid back into place. Tetsuya looked at Izuna and said,
"This is the Capital City of the Land of Fire. It may lack plenty of things, but nobles and rich people aren't among them."
At most, a second-rate family could help the Land of Lightning or Kumogakure acquire some money or resources.
They could not change anything important. After all, the real power in the Land of Fire lay with the daimyo and the first-rate nobles close to him. A second-rate family counted for little.
Hanamichi 1-chome, the Capital City's most exclusive entertainment district.
At that moment, two masked ninja appeared before Mikiko in her room.
Both ninja were tall and well-built, and did not look like people from the Land of Fire. Though neither wore a forehead protector, it was easy enough to guess that they came from the Land of Lightning.
"Have you finished investigating that restaurant owner's background?"
"Yes, ma'am. We've completed the investigation."
"Report."
"The restaurant owner is named Chiba Tetsuya. He is the sole remaining scion of Konoha's Chiba Clan. Lacking the aptitude to become a ninja, he chose to go into business.
"He originally opened a ramen shop in Konoha. Once business began flourishing, he came to the Capital City to open a branch..."
The two ninja had investigated in great detail, tracing how Tetsuya had gradually grown his little ramen shop in Konoha into the largest restaurant in the Capital City of the Land of Fire.
After all, none of it was secret. They could learn it simply by asking any older resident of the Capital City.
"As for his staff, Chiba Tetsuya trained the cooks himself. Most of the others are locals he hired."
Mikiko's finely shaped brows furrowed slightly.
"The sole remaining scion of a fallen ninja clan, who went into business because he lacked the aptitude to become a ninja?"
"Yes, ma'am. We investigated, and the Chiba Clan was indeed one of the many clans that followed Hashirama Senju back then. After Hashirama Senju founded Konoha Shinobi Village, virtually all of them died.
"Only Chiba Tetsuya remained, unable to mold Chakra or become a ninja.
"Given the Chiba Clan's traditions, if Chiba Tetsuya had been able to train as a ninja, he would probably have died on the battlefield long ago."
Judging by the results of the investigation, this Chiba Tetsuya seemed to be an ordinary person, not even a ninja.
But her intuition told her there was more to Chiba Tetsuya than met the eye.
"No. I still think something is wrong here. Find an opportunity to test Chiba Tetsuya again and see whether he really is a ninja."
"Yes, ma'am!" both replied.
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