"My lord, I'm innocent! Takumi, hurry and find Lord Aburame!"
That idiot! The lord cursed inwardly, hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, and invited the girl in the kimono to rest at his residence.
"He's just a lunatic. Pay him no mind. This way, please."
Fortunately, Ikoma hadn't said anything he shouldn't have. Otherwise, the ninja would have had to act ahead of schedule.
"I feel like strangling him to death!" A nameless rage flared in Danzo's heart. His expression darkened as he squeezed his fingers hard.
Beside him, Mitokado Homura agreed. "You know, I feel the same way. This is the lucky fellow Lord Tobirama chose?"
"If he weren't, I'd have acted already. You have no idea how rude he was to Lord Tobirama back then... never mind."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, rather admired Ikoma. "As expected of someone Master Tobirama chose. He certainly has the right temperament."
The gears of fate kept turning. Even with a few unexpected changes, what was meant to come would still come.
That night, Yamanaka Kazuo's voice rang in the ears of every imperial warrior inside the armored fortress. He warned them urgently:
"Compatriots at Kongokaku Station, a runaway steam train is heading toward you at high speed. Hyuga Tieban discovered that it's full of Kabane, with no one left alive. Be ready to intercept it!"
Hiruzen and Danzo immediately sprang from their wooden beds and gathered at the city gate after a few uses of the Body Flicker Technique.
"Was this an accident or a plot?"
"There can't be that many accidents. Assume the worst. But first, we need to deal with this while guarding against anyone with malicious intentions inside the city."
"Could it be that girl? Trouble started as soon as she arrived. And according to the lord, she seems