Jōnin Shinonome's face darkened. He waved a hand. "We'll talk when we get back."
As he passed Aoki Tsuki, Shinonome said, "Go back and resume your watch. Make sure you stay on high alert."
"Understood."
Though Shinonome hadn't said it outright, Aoki Tsuki knew he was clearly holding him responsible for what had happened. Aoki Tsuki had been in charge of the watch, yet the enemy had slipped through the defenses and reached the daimyō.
The other members of Shinonome's squad all glanced at Aoki Tsuki with contempt.
Aoki Tsuki knew he was in the wrong and had already prepared himself for this. He showed no anger, nor did he intend to explain himself.
Whatever task the leader assigned him, he had to do it. If he did it poorly, that meant there was a problem with his ability.
Say the project was difficult and they were short-handed?
No one would listen to that.
He had to prove himself through action. Otherwise, not only would this mission fail to earn him any credit, it would also become a blemish on his record.
In fact, even if he had known the enemy might come through the water, there was nothing he could have done.
Was he supposed to wear a diving mask and crouch underwater every day? Wouldn't he rot from soaking?
He couldn't scatter poison in the water either. It was the daimyō's private property, and it was home to some valuable ornamental fish and the like.
Aoki Tsuki returned to his post and resumed his watch. Inside, a furious argument was underway.
"Captain Shinonome, your people were responsible for the outer perimeter this time, yet the enemy broke through all the way here and nearly assassinated the daimyō.
"If we hadn't fought with our lives to stop them, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Just as I thought... young people can't be relied on."
Yotaka made no attempt to conceal the mockery in his voice.
The daimyō's expression was also grim. He had already thought Aoki Tsuki's squad was too young and unreliable.
Amegakure had only sent them to fob him off and didn't care about his safety.
Sure enough, something had gone wrong.
Shinonome immediately countered, "The enemy used highly professional infiltration methods. We can't simply place the blame on one side. Besides, isn't protecting the daimyō precisely your responsibility?"
"Hmph, I don't need you to remind me of my responsibilities. One of our squad members was injured because of this.
"I suspect the enemy will make another move. To avoid compromising the daimyō's safety, we'd better switch shifts."
"Yotaka has a point. The enemy mostly attacks at night. Captain Shinonome, your squad is strong, so I'd feel more at ease with you on the night shift," the daimyō chimed in.
That was out of the question.
Shinonome's job wasn't just to protect the daimyō. He also had to keep close watch on which factions had dealings with him, and most of those visitors came during the day.
If they switched to the night shift, a ninja faction from the Land of Rain might take the opportunity to contact the daimyō and obtain official authorization from him to act.
That would pose an enormous threat to Amegakure and Lord Hanzō.
They could never allow a second Iron Fang Group to emerge.
"Lord Daimyō, our personnel were indeed lax in their defense this time. I've already given them strict orders to tighten their watch. In addition, starting tomorrow, I'll assign a hidden lookout to assist with the defense.
"As for the shifts, both sides are accustomed to their own schedules. If we change them abruptly and everyone has trouble adjusting, it could affect their performance and have serious consequences."
Trouble adjusting, my ass!
Would a ninja really be affected by a change in schedule?
Yotaka was speechless. That excuse was truly lame.
"Well..."
The daimyō hesitated. The assassination attempt had left him rather frightened. "I suppose that's all we can do."
"I hope you really can detect the enemy in advance. Don't leave us to clean up your mess every time."
Yotaka delivered the taunt, then turned and left the room with his squad.
Shinonome left the room as well. After returning to his squad's room, he began discussing their next course of action.
"Captain, the enemy moved discreetly, used professional methods, and wasn't weak. They're probably from another village. There's no way Aoki Tsuki's squad could have stopped them," Shioame said seriously.
"I know. The two Chunin on their squad are both rookies who were only recently promoted. They lack experience, so I intend to assign you as a hidden lookout."
"I don't mind, but in that case, the daytime surveillance..."
"Put the daytime work on hold for now. Finding the enemy hiding in the shadows is more important."
"Yes, sir."
Meanwhile, Aoki Tsuki returned to his squad and saw the grave expressions on everyone's faces. He spoke up:
"The enemy escaped underwater. The daimyō should be fine. This was probably another warning."
Next time, they might get serious.
"Then what do we do?" Mieko asked anxiously.
Aoki Tsuki thought for a moment. "We definitely can't keep them out forever. A thief can strike any day, but you can't guard against one every day. They're even stronger than we are."
Since the enemy's target was the daimyō, they only needed to keep an eye on him.
Patrols and watches could only deal with ordinary petty thieves.
"I've decided on the following changes. First, we'll reduce the patrol area and monitor everything within a hundred meters of the daimyō's residence.
"The four of us will each take one of the four cardinal directions and watch our respective surroundings."
Yotaka's squad was responsible for the inner layer, protecting the daimyō at close range.
They would form the second defensive perimeter. The two perimeters would be concentric circles, allowing them to respond quickly to any disturbance.
For a ninja, a hundred meters took only two breaths to cover.
"Second, Mieko will use her sensory ability once every quarter hour. Remember, focus on the daimyō. There's no need to waste energy on the other directions."
Mieko immediately understood Aoki Tsuki's plan: no matter how many routes the enemy took, she would focus on just one.
In any case, the target was the daimyō, so she only needed to keep an eye on him.
"Third, if you notice anything unusual, don't try to fight. Send a signal immediately. If things look bad, run. Understood?"
The daimyō's close protection wasn't their concern. Their job was to keep watch.
"Understood!!!" the three replied in unison.
This time it was serious, unlike their old border patrols, where they worked three days and slacked off for two.
The following night, the squad carried out the new patrol plan throughout the night.
Though they were somewhat tired, the results were fairly good.
They quickly saw the benefits of the plan. They weren't far from one another and could support each other, which also made them feel safer.
After all, apart from the captain, none of the three squad members was particularly strong in combat.
Inside a hidden artificial rock cave, Shioame noticed the change in Aoki Tsuki's squad at once.
"Tch! These kids aren't stupid after all."
This would take some pressure off him as well.
The next two days passed without incident. Rather than relaxing, everyone grew even more tense.
The daimyō hadn't responded as expected, so the enemy was bound to strike again. And this time, they definitely wouldn't be as restrained as before.
That night, heavy rain fell, pattering against their cloaks.
The air was thick with mist, severely obstructing visibility.
The atmosphere inside the estate became unusually oppressive. Everyone seemed to sense something.
Time ticked by, minute by minute.
At some point, Aoki Tsuki suddenly opened his eyes. A ninja wearing an Iwagakure Forehead Protector had appeared opposite him.
At the same time, signals came from the other three directions too: the sounds of Explosive Tags detonating.
"I see. You couldn't infiltrate the place, so you decided to attack by force?"
Suddenly, the Iwagakure Ninja opposite him rapidly formed several Hand Seals.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Sharp stone spikes abruptly erupted from the ground within several meters. Their directions were completely random, making them impossible to dodge.
Pfft, pfft...
Several stone spikes pierced Aoki Tsuki's body from different angles. He turned into a pool of water that mingled with the rain around him.
"Just as the intelligence said? He's skilled in the Water Clone Technique and cautious by nature."
Aoki Tsuki appeared behind the Iwagakure Ninja and stabbed his blade through him. But there was no joy on his face. The sensation was wrong.
"This is... an Earth Substitution?"
Suddenly, the earth beneath his feet softened and began to swirl rapidly, threatening to suck him into the ground.
"Earth Release: Swirling Quicksand!"
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Sensing danger, Aoki Tsuki roared. A large burst of chakra erupted from the soles of his feet, forcibly breaking him free.
In a flash, he appeared more than ten meters away.
"Whew... Good thing I grinded the Body Flicker Technique up to mastery these past few months. Otherwise, I'd have been done for just now."
He couldn't tell whether his opponent was really an Iwagakure Ninja or a Konoha Ninja.
"Oh? What a fast Body Flicker Technique."
Jizō was inwardly startled. Judging by his mastery of the Body Flicker Technique alone, the enemy's speed had already reached the level of a Special Jōnin.
The intelligence also said the target excelled in swordsmanship, which meant his actual combat strength was no longer that of an ordinary Chunin.
No wonder he could kill Hachinosu. Looks like he does have some ability, Jizō judged inwardly.
Seeing that ninjutsu wasn't working, he decided to change tactics.
Rumble...
A stone wall rose in front of him. He then slammed a fist into the earthen wall, sending countless fragments flying at Aoki Tsuki.
Kunai in hand, Jizō charged at full speed under cover of the flying debris.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A wave of water rose to block the incoming debris. Aoki Tsuki looked up to see Jizō leaping into the air.
Whoosh...
Three kunai with Explosive Tags attached flew toward him. He hurriedly rolled to the side.
Boom, boom, boom...
Violent explosions rang out. Vast clouds of white smoke rose through the curtain of rain, enveloping the area.
Clang, clang, clang...
The two could only make out vague outlines of each other through the smoke, attacking by instinct.
Jizō relied on his Taijutsu and the advantage of having trained specifically to fight in such conditions. He was confident he could kill his enemy.
Aoki Tsuki remained calm as well. He was confident in his swordsmanship.
The Body Flicker Technique, combined with his breathing technique, made his blade strikes powerful and swift. His increased mental strength had also enhanced his ability to sense his surroundings.
Crack...
During one clash, Jizō saw Aoki Tsuki sever his kunai.
This kid is actually stronger than me...
It seemed his close-combat strategy wouldn't work either. Faced with Aoki Tsuki's kick straight at him, Jizō raised both arms and took it head-on.
Bang...
The instant he was sent flying, he rapidly formed Hand Seals. After landing, he slammed a hand against the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
The moment the earthen wall rose, he quickly stuck an Explosive Tag on it and jumped away.
Aoki Tsuki had just landed on the earthen wall when he saw a blinding flash erupt beneath his feet.
"This bastard!"
He had to admit, his opponent was very adept at combining Explosive Tags with Earth Release.