Aburame Ryoma was not surprised either.
He had only said that to increase his bargaining power.
The intelligence alone showed that his target was a strong-willed person who could not be easily manipulated.
"You're looking for evidence that the Iron Fang Group colluded with Iwagakure, aren't you?"
Though it was a question, his tone was quite certain.
Aoki Tsuki's heart stirred. The man must have been here before and probably discovered some clues.
At this point in time, there seemed to be only one member of the Aburame clan in Root with such outstanding infiltration skills.
Aburame Ryoma.
"Are you offering to cooperate with us? Then you should go to Lord Hanzō. I'm just a Chunin."
"Heh... There's no need to sound me out. Haven't you already guessed what we want? We chose you because I saw the same dark qualities in you that we possess.
"Your talent is excellent, but you'll never get ahead in Amegakure. Even if you become Hanzō's guard, he'll never truly trust you.
"Let alone teach you important ninjutsu. We can provide all of that."
Root had many ways of dealing with enemies.
If they could kill someone, they did. If they couldn't, they bought them off. Those who would respond to neither were eliminated through schemes.
A target's usefulness was the only criterion.
Hanzō was one of their highest-priority targets, so Root knew very well what kind of man he was.
Aoki Tsuki wanted to become Hanzō's guard partly for safety and, of course, partly for ninjutsu.
Hanzō's signature techniques: Water Body Flicker, Explosive Flame Formation, Flying Scythe Slash, and Ibuse's poison.
Even if Aoki Tsuki acknowledged Hanzō as his adoptive father, Hanzō would never pass those on to him.
He planned to learn some conventional Water Release ninjutsu and knowledge relating to other attributes.
He couldn't rely on Water Release alone for the rest of his life. A Jonin was someone who had mastered at least two Chakra Nature Transformations.
He wanted to learn them all.
Now that someone from Root had come to him of his own accord, he wanted to give it a try, even knowing the risks were high. But a basic negotiating skill was not to appear too eager, no matter how badly he wanted something.
So he remained silent.
Aburame Ryoma smiled at that. Silence was an attitude in itself.
If he hadn't refused outright, there was a chance.
Ninja from small villages can never escape their own limitations. They'll sell their loyalty for a few basic ninjutsu, and ninjutsu is the one resource Konoha has in abundance.
He took a scroll from his clothing and tossed it to Aoki Tsuki.
"This is a token of our sincerity. Give it some thought. In a ninja's life, choices matter far more than hard work.
"Opportunities like this don't come often, and there aren't many ninja we consider worthy of one."
With that, his body turned into a mass of black insects that melted into the rainy night and vanished.
Aoki Tsuki put the scroll away without betraying any emotion.
Just after Aburame Ryoma left, Mieko, elsewhere, frowned.
"This chakra... It's strong! Who is the captain meeting with? Could it be someone from the Iron Fang Group?"
Unaware of the situation, she chose to keep her questions to herself.
As a sensory ninja, she often discovered little secrets. Selectively ignoring them was the way to survive in the long run.
"The captain must be under a lot of pressure right now!"
By now, the Yotaka Squad and their group could no longer maintain even a facade of cordiality. Both wanted to drive the other away from the daimyo.
That made it important to obtain evidence of the Iron Fang Group's collusion with Iwagakure.
Mieko knew that Jonin Shinonome had often sought the captain out for talks lately, probably to press him for progress.
I never thought surviving would get even harder after I became a Chunin. I hope they'll approve my transfer after this mission, Mieko thought silently.
The night passed without incident. After daybreak, Aoki Tsuki returned to his room.
He couldn't wait to open the scroll, and his heart immediately began to race.
"Bastard, you've really done your homework on me."
The scroll contained two basic ninjutsu: Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique and Lightning Release: Earth Flow.
The two techniques had been selected specifically to address his weaknesses and could greatly improve his actual combat strength.
In the Land of Rain, the Hidden Mist Technique's density, range, and duration would all increase severalfold.
If his swordsmanship could be concealed by the Hidden Mist Technique, its success rate would also rise greatly.
As for Lightning Release Ninjutsu, he didn't know a single one.
"Very sincere. I like it!"
Take a gamble, and a bicycle could become a motorcycle.
He couldn't keep currying favor with the village and waiting for handouts through round after round of scrutiny. Aburame Ryoma was right: even if he became a guard, he would still be on the periphery.
He might as well work part-time for Danzo first and get his hands on the benefits. Once he had made it, he could serve Hanzō full-time.
Neither of those two old bastards was any good, so he had no qualms about it.
Shioame's injuries had healed, so he wasn't needed on the day shift for now.
He rested for half the morning, then wandered around Kyoto in the afternoon and found a place to practice the two ninjutsu in secret. They weren't very difficult.
The Hidden Mist Technique in particular was only D-rank; he could get the hang of it in a few days.
Afraid the scroll had been tampered with, he burned it after memorizing its contents.
He couldn't use either technique openly, so he wasn't in a hurry.
Three days later, in the afternoon, Aoki Tsuki met Aburame Ryoma formally at a small inn.
It had been dark that night, and he hadn't been able to see clearly. Now he finally got a proper look.
He wore black hooded clothing and dark glasses, with a purple fold-shaped paint mark at the corner of his mouth. That further confirmed his identity.
"Honored guest from Konoha, how do you propose we cooperate?" Aoki Tsuki spoke first.
Neither man intended to build a personal relationship. They were using each other and couldn't be bothered with pleasantries.
They got straight to the point.
"To demonstrate our capabilities, tell me about the difficulties you're currently facing. I'll assess the situation and provide whatever assistance is necessary."
Aburame Ryoma wanted to take a step back in order to advance and seize the initiative.
"Heh... Don't dress it up so nicely. I know what you're after, but our paths happen to align this time. I need conclusive evidence of the Iron Fang Group's collusion with Iwagakure to hand over to the village.
"That shouldn't be difficult for you, should it?"
When it came to intelligence gathering, Root was the one to look to. It had sunk its roots deep into not only Konoha but other villages as well.
Aburame Ryoma nodded. "Agreed. You'll have it within a week at the latest."
Seeing that, Aoki Tsuki hurried to make his own position clear.
"I hope we have a pleasant cooperation. If you ever have need of me, just say the word. As long as it doesn't interfere with my loyalty to Lord Hanzō, I won't shirk even a mountain of blades or a sea of fire."
Loyalty, my ass. If you were truly loyal, you wouldn't have come to meet me.
Aburame Ryoma didn't believe a single word Aoki Tsuki said.
He said, "I hope we have a pleasant cooperation too. After all, we have plenty of time ahead of us."
This was their first collaboration. It benefited both sides and was also a process of building trust.
Root had never set its sights on what was immediately before it, but on delivering a fatal blow at a critical moment.
"True, we have plenty of time ahead of us. Then it's settled. I'll wait for your good news."
With that, Aoki Tsuki turned and left without asking for any new ninjutsu, although he was eager to acquire broader, more advanced knowledge.
Danzo and Hanzō would cooperate again in the future. Given how cautious Danzo was, he would surely have a use for him.
As long as he handled things well, he would get those things sooner or later.
Over the next few days, Aoki Tsuki went out to scout every afternoon, keeping up appearances while familiarizing himself with his new ninjutsu.
He couldn't very well hole up in his room every day and then suddenly produce a piece of crucial intelligence.
That day, when he returned to his room at the residence, he found Jonin Shinonome sitting inside, waiting for him. His heart trembled in fright.
This guy hasn't discovered something, has he?
But what Shinonome said next put his worried heart at ease.
"You're back. Have you made any progress lately?"
He had come to press for progress.
"Mm, I have a lead. I found the Iron Fang Group's contact point in Kyoto. I've been following up on it these past few days, and I believe we'll have results soon."
Aoki Tsuki had indeed found the Iron Fang Group's contact point and had even slipped inside to look around, but he hadn't found anything.
It was merely the Iron Fang Group's office in Kyoto, used to accept commissioned assignments.
Jonin Shinonome was evidently not satisfied. "We can't wait passively. A ninja must learn to take the initiative, and there's an opportunity right now."
"What opportunity?"
Aoki Tsuki grew wary. There was nothing about Shinonome, inside or out, that suggested he was a good person.
In that respect, he was different from Satō Ichirō. Satō Ichirō was cold on the outside, but as long as someone demonstrated their value and earned his approval, he was easy enough to talk to.
Shinonome was the exact opposite. He dumped difficult, dangerous jobs on his subordinates and pressured them for the sake of earning credit.
People like him were the most common kind in Amegakure.
"Just today, the Iron Fang Group sent another squad to take over the rotation. The Yotaka Squad will be returning today.
"Follow them in secret, find their hidden core base, and bring the intelligence back."
Shinonome paused, then added with emphasis, "It would be best if you could infiltrate it and search for evidence of their collusion with Iwagakure."
He was a Chunin, and he was supposed to follow a group of Chunin and a Jonin?
"This... my lord..."
Shinonome raised a hand to stop Aoki Tsuki before he could finish and said:
"I know what you're worried about, but time waits for no one. For the village and for Lord Hanzō, some things are worth trying no matter how dangerous they are."
If it's so worth trying, why don't you go yourself?!
Aoki Tsuki grumbled inwardly.
There were hardly any good people in Amegakure. Everything was in service of Hanzō.
"Yes, sir. I will do everything in my power."
"Don't worry. If you pull this off, you'll get your share of the credit. I'll also recommend you for the guard unit. That's your dream, isn't it?" Shinonome said reassuringly.
"Yes. Thank you, my lord," Aoki Tsuki said, pretending to be grateful.
He hated his dream.
"Get ready. You may have to leave at any moment."
After giving that instruction, Shinonome left.
For something so important, he wasn't sending anyone from his own squad. Shioame in particular was a sensory ninja and better suited to tracking, yet Shinonome had chosen him instead.
I'll remember this.
Aoki Tsuki thought bitterly. This kind of black-hearted superior was the worst kind to run into.
"Looks like I have no choice but to go."
He had thought cooperating with Root would resolve the matter. Who could have expected this new development?
He wasn't a sensory ninja himself, so he couldn't possibly track a Jonin's squad. He had no choice but to bring Mieko along.