What a big black dog

At night, Bieshu Feifan quietly left his ready-made son's home.

He made his way toward Itadori Daiji's home address.

Although this was the capital of the Land of Wind, its defenses were nowhere near those of the major ninja villages.

The streets were patrolled by samurai without chakra, or even just household guards from the various families.

There were Shinobi too, but most were concentrated around the daimyo's residence and the homes of his royal relatives.

Defenses like these were truly abysmal.

Even without Shinobi, using only ordinary soldiers, Bieshu Feifan could think of nine ways to breach this city.

Following his ready-made son's account, Bieshu Feifan soon found Itadori Daiji's residence.

It was a mansion, with a clan crest hanging at the entrance and samurai patrolling the grounds twenty-four hours a day.

After scouting for several hours, Bieshu Feifan's brows gradually knitted together. This would be difficult.

But Bieshu Feifan was in no hurry. Since it was difficult, he would wait until the man left the city.

Bieshu Feifan had plenty of time, anyway.

That wait lasted a dozen days or so.

Every day, Itadori Daiji either swaggered around the city or went drinking and carousing with his guards.

He always had at least one Shinobi at his side, and showed no sign of leaving the city.

Bieshu Feifan was in no hurry, continuing to train while waiting for an opportunity.

Fortunately, his ready-made son had given him plenty of gold and silver earlier, and Itadori Daiji had not come to trouble the man again lately.

Several more days passed. Rather than good news about Itadori Daiji, when Bieshu Feifan went out late one night, he discovered that someone had left a message at the spot where he frequently watched Itadori Daiji.

Bieshu Feifan instantly went on alert. He decisively abandoned that night's surveillance, quickly turning to leave.

Someone had noticed his presence and had even left a Konoha code.

It was a sign Konoha ninja used to contact one another, quietly carved into the best spot for watching Itadori Daiji's home.

Cold sweat poured off Bieshu Feifan. He had no idea whether someone had truly discovered him or was fishing for a response.

Either way, he could no longer stay in this city.

Bieshu Feifan headed straight for the city gate.

Before he could leave the city, he spotted someone in a relatively quiet alley.

Through his Byakugan, he saw a figure racing toward him.

Apparently, it was not a Sunagakure Shinobi, or they would have been shouting by now.

But whoever it was, Bieshu Feifan wanted no contact with them.

He immediately used the Transformation Technique to become a middle-aged man with a typical Land of Wind appearance, then quickly vanished into the alley.

Yet through his Byakugan, he saw that figure continue running toward Bieshu Feifan.

Bieshu Feifan frowned. They had locked onto him.

But the other party was not from the Hyuga Clan, and there were no insects nearby.

Just as Bieshu Feifan was about to go all out and rush out of the capital in one burst, he turned, only to find a large black dog blocking his path.

A summoning beast?

Bieshu Feifan immediately drew a kunai. Nothing was going right tonight.

Just as Bieshu Feifan was about to attack, the large dog blocking his way spoke.

"Kid, I'm a ninja dog from Konoha."

It actually spoke?

Bieshu Feifan was still astonished when he heard it say it was a ninja dog from Konoha.

Bieshu Feifan immediately thought of the Inuzuka Clan, but dared not let his guard down.

Bieshu Feifan quickly formed a hand seal. Genjutsu: Hypnosis.

Although the ninja dog blocking his way took precautions, it still fell for the technique.

Its body tilted, and it was about to fall.

At that instant, Bieshu Feifan pushed hard with both legs, trying to leap over the big black dog and escape.

But just as he reached the space above its head, a large foot came at him from below.

Startled, Bieshu Feifan twisted in midair, deflected the kick from the side, then landed steadily.

Now, a person dressed in black stood beside the large dog.

The man reached out and touched it. The big black dog instantly woke, then silently bared its teeth at Bieshu Feifan.

Clearly, it was unhappy about having fallen for the genjutsu.

Bieshu Feifan's expression turned grave. The man who had been far away moments earlier had appeared beside the dog in an instant.

Was that the Substitution Technique, or some more advanced Space-Time Ninjutsu?

The man had moved too quickly for Bieshu Feifan to see clearly.

He stroked the big black dog's head, waited for it to settle down, then looked at Bieshu Feifan.

"Not bad."

Bieshu Feifan did not answer. The man was not angry and continued:

"Good judgment, too. If you were still trying to run now, you'd be dead."

Bieshu Feifan still said nothing, but his eyes remained fixed on the man and dog before him as cold sweat poured off him.

The man's strength left him unable to see any possibility of escape.

"Do you know how I found you?"

The man continued talking on his own.

"It was ramen. You smell like a ramen shop in Konoha. It's very faint, but Earth Black Maru picked it up."

As he spoke, he stroked the dog's head.

Earth Black Maru was his dog.

Hearing this, Bieshu Feifan gradually began to relax.

Whether the man was telling the truth or not, at least he was not hostile for the moment.

Still, Bieshu Feifan instinctively glanced at his ninja tool pouch.

Throughout his journey, this ninja tool pouch was the only thing that had stayed with him.

In Naruto, ramen really was good value for money, and he often ate it.

"How can you prove you're a Konoha Shinobi?"

At that, the man gave Bieshu Feifan another look.

"Heh, you're a cautious brat. But you should change back. I've seen your real face. I started investigating you when you began watching that Itadori Daiji."

Bieshu Feifan did not doubt his words. With the man's strength, there was no need to lie to him.

"What do you want with me?"

"Change back first."

The man very much disliked having Bieshu Feifan speak to him under a Transformation Technique.

Bieshu Feifan had no choice but to release the Transformation Technique and return to his original appearance.

Seeing Bieshu Feifan like this, the man studied him carefully for quite a while before frowning.

"Now that I see you up close, are you even ten?"

"Seven."

"Seven! What mission are you on? How could Konoha send a brat like you... Still, your skills aren't bad. Barely good enough."

"Sir, what do you want with me?"

Bieshu Feifan did not want to waste words with him.

He was already prepared. If the man dared try anything, he would make a big scene. His explosive tags were ready.

Even if it alerted the capital's Shinobi, he would take the man down with him.

Bieshu Feifan could commit himself to dying together with this man.

Perhaps sensing Bieshu Feifan's thoughts, the man's expression finally grew serious.

"Kid, I need your cooperation. I've received word that a shipment of supplies will leave the city in the next one to three days. Its destination is, naturally, the battlefield in the Land of Rain. I'm going to destroy those supplies."

"That's not my mission."

"I know, but I'm a Jōnin, and I have authority to command a Genin like you."

"Besides, kid, your mission has probably already fallen through, hasn't it?

"Konoha wouldn't send a brat on a mission alone. You haven't done much of anything lately.

"Any other questions, kid?"

Bieshu Feifan shook his head.

"No. But Lord Jōnin, can you lure that Itadori Daiji out of the city?"

"Oh, so he's your mission? The nephew of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind. Tsk, tsk.

"Kid, your teammates died on this mission, didn't they? What's your name?"

"Bieshu Feifan."

The man paused.

"Bieshu? What an odd surname. I imagine you've already recognized me. Just call me Inuzuka Clan Jonin."

"Then, Inuzuka Clan Jonin, can you get him out?"

Inuzuka Clan Jonin chuckled.

"Besides being one of the few Konoha ninja here, the reason I came to you is that Itadori Daiji will be escorting this shipment too. He just happens to be your mission target. Well? I'm not making things difficult for you, am I?"

Bieshu Feifan was startled by this. This Inuzuka seemed quite perceptive.

"Thank you, Inuzuka Clan Jonin."

Seeing Bieshu Feifan readily agree as soon as he heard Itadori Daiji would be coming along, the man involuntarily shook his head. What a pragmatic little brat.

But under the current circumstances, he truly could not find any other help, so he explained the arrangements to Bieshu Feifan.

Inuzuka Clan Jonin said a great deal, but Bieshu Feifan summed it up in one sentence:

Wait until they left the city, then charge straight in, kill them, and destroy the supplies.

Inuzuka Clan Jonin had not lied. In less than two days, Itadori Daiji indeed left the capital of the Land of Wind with a dozen or so ninja and over a hundred samurai.

Inuzuka and Bieshu Feifan had already followed them in secret, without a sound.

Bieshu Feifan had little respect for Inuzuka Clan Jonin's methods—or rather, the rules of the shinobi world.

Even with the capital left this undefended, none of the countries had killed the opposing daimyo.

If Bieshu Feifan had been in command, he would have sent an elite squad to slaughter the enemy daimyo long ago.

Why wait until the enemy left the city to act?

Watching the vast convoy, Bieshu Feifan kept his gaze fixed on Itadori Daiji.

This, too, was a resource for him to change the shinobi world.

Itadori Daiji would die a worthwhile death.