With time short and worried that someone might come, Aoki Tsuki had no choice but to resort to torture. As it happened, he had Senbon on him.
He drove them into Ryōsuke's fingers one by one, torturing him with the needles.
The fingers were connected to the heart, and even with alcohol dulling the pain, Ryōsuke couldn't bear it.
He soon came clean.
The izakaya was just an entrance. Inside was a huge underground facility, one of the Iron Fang Group's important bases.
Three elite squads and some ordinary members were stationed there, handling missions in the Kyoto area, such as serving as Guardian Ninja around the daimyō.
Their duties also included gathering important supplies. Those supplies were currently stored in a warehouse in southern Nagano City and would be shipped out today, bound for the Izushi Mine.
The Izushi Mine lay northeast of the Land of Rain, near the Land of Grass, which was currently becoming a battlefield for Iwagakure and Konoha.
Could these supplies be meant for Iwagakure?
This unexpected piece of important intelligence made Aoki Tsuki, who had originally planned to leave immediately, change his mind.
He needed to take a look at the warehouse.
Having obtained the key intelligence, Aoki Tsuki wrapped up the corpse and took it away. He tidied the house a little, making it look as though its owner had gone out on business.
Aoki Tsuki slipped into hiding outside the warehouse in the south of the city.
Guards stood at the warehouse gates, and security was tight. He didn't intend to sneak inside, instead waiting patiently nearby.
Moving the supplies would hardly go unnoticed.
At the Iron Fang Group's base, the Giant Rhinoceros Squad was assembling. They were responsible for escorting the supplies today.
"What's going on? Why isn't Ryōsuke here yet?"
"Captain, he was drinking with Hanashōmaru until nearly dawn last night before he went home. He's probably asleep right now. Don't worry, he's fast enough to catch up with us in no time."
"That bastard just can't kick that rotten habit. Send someone to hurry him along. We'll leave first, so we don't delay the mission."
Captain Giant Lizard waved a hand and led the way toward the warehouse.
"Yes, Captain."
The squad member acknowledged the order, then turned to the person beside him. "Yukiya, go to Ryōsuke's house and remind him not to forget the mission."
"Yes."
After receiving the order, Yukiya wasted no time. He reached Ryōsuke's house moments later and searched around, but found no one.
"Strange, where did he go? Did he go to Hanashōmaru's house?"
So Yukiya turned around and went to Hanashōmaru's house.
Hanashōmaru was baffled when he heard what had happened. After he and Ryōsuke parted ways yesterday, they had definitely gone home separately.
Having just returned from an escort mission, Hanashōmaru was immediately on his guard. Though they had been careful on their way back last night, it never hurt to be cautious.
"You go back first. I'll handle this."
After Yukiya left, Hanashōmaru immediately got fully dressed and went to inspect Ryōsuke's house. He did find a few traces.
"Could someone from Amegakure really have followed us here? You've got to be kidding!"
After turning it over in his mind, Hanashōmaru decided to report it to Captain Yotaka. They couldn't overlook any possibility.
Near the warehouse, Aoki Tsuki waited patiently for half an hour.
A group slowly emerged from within, pulling carts loaded with crates out of the city, accompanied by a ninja squad.
Aoki Tsuki followed their trail from a distance for a while and found that the group was indeed heading northeast.
Once he had confirmed that, he immediately raced toward Kyoto.
This intelligence is valuable. Jonin Shinonome should be very pleased. As for the village...
Given Jonin Shinonome's style, he would most likely claim all the credit for himself and downplay Aoki Tsuki's role.
But if Aoki Tsuki bypassed Shinonome and sent the information directly to the village, he would likely gain a reputation for reporting over his superior's head, make an enemy for no reason, and displease the higher-ups as well.
How stupid. Why should I put the village first? I should maximize my own benefits.
Thoughts flashed through Aoki Tsuki's mind, and he thought of Aburame Ryoma.
I just don't know how he's progressing.
His exact plan would depend on the situation. If Root hadn't obtained the communication scrolls between the Iron Fang Group and Iwagakure, he could only report it honestly.
After racing along for much of the day, he finally approached Kyoto.
The forest's edge lay ahead. Once he reached the main road, it was only a short distance to Kyoto.
Just as he approached the edge of the forest.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Over a dozen Shuriken flew straight at him.
Clang, clang, clang...
"Hmph, so I was found after all?"
Aoki Tsuki didn't think he had been particularly discreet. He wasn't a professional intelligence operative, after all, and many of the scenes he thought he had handled properly had too many flaws.
"So it was you. I thought I was being paranoid."
Hanashōmaru recognized Aoki Tsuki at a glance and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had informed Captain Yotaka of his discovery, and Yotaka had immediately gathered the squad members again.
Two stayed behind to guard the base, while he and Captain Yotaka pursued their target, finally intercepting him here.
Nagano City lay to the north. Whether their target returned to Amegakure or Kyoto with the intelligence, he would have to pass through here.
"Talk! Where's Ryōsuke? What did you do to him?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you blocking my way?" Aoki Tsuki flatly denied it.
"Still trying to hide it? Don't think you're leaving here alive today. Attack!"
Yotaka had no interest in wasting words with Aoki Tsuki and led the attack. Even though Aoki Tsuki was only a Chunin, he didn't let his guard down in the slightest.
He ordered Hanashōmaru to attack with him.
Boom, boom, boom...
Aoki Tsuki flicked his hand, throwing kunai carrying Explosive Tags toward Yotaka Squad.
It bought him time.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"
He frantically converted a large amount of Chakra into thick mist, which spread over several hundred meters in the blink of an eye. From a distance, the whole patch of forest was shrouded in it.
Fortunately, they had ambushed him in the forest. If it had been open ground, he wouldn't have been able to escape at all.
"Damn it, that bastard's trying to escape in the confusion!" Yotaka warned loudly.
He and Aoki Tsuki had both served as guards on the night shift and saw each other often enough to be fairly familiar. They had even fought side by side against attackers.
He hadn't expected them to turn their weapons on each other so soon.
"Aoki Tsuki, that despicable bastard Shinonome sent you to follow us just to get you killed. You'd be better off joining us. The Iron Fang Group has always been fair.
"With your abilities, you could become a Jonin among us in no time. We'll eventually overthrow Hanzō's corrupt rule and become the Land of Rain's hope.
"You'll never get ahead in Amegakure."
Yotaka's words were just an ordinary psychological ploy; he didn't expect Aoki Tsuki to actually fall for it.
But then...
"Captain Yotaka, you don't sound very sincere. Don't think I don't know that you're actually..."
Before Aoki Tsuki could finish, a figure appeared before him at incredible speed.
"Found you!!"
Yotaka slashed Aoki Tsuki's throat with a Kunai.
Poof...
Aoki Tsuki's body turned into a puddle of clear water.
"A Water Clone? Damn it... Hanashōmaru, watch out!" Yotaka cried, cursing himself for falling for the enemy's ploy to lure him away.
From a distance, Hanashōmaru let out an angry roar. "You despicable bastard, I was ready for you!!"
Crack...
Hanashōmaru stared at the severed Kunai in his hand, his eyes full of shock.
Puchi...
The pain of a long blade piercing his body reminded him that the enemy was not only cunning, but unexpectedly strong.
I can't let this guy leave alive, or everyone...
Struggling to stay conscious, Hanashōmaru suddenly reached out and seized Aoki Tsuki's arms. He pushed off hard with both legs, and they both fell from the tree.
At the same time, he shouted, "Captain, do it, even if you get me too..."
"Damn it, you lunatic!"
Suspended in midair, Aoki Tsuki panicked. In his haste, he couldn't break free.
But Yotaka had already raced over and unleashed a ninjutsu.
"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear!"
Sharp, sturdy stone pillars immediately rose from the ground, threatening to skewer them both.
At the critical moment, Aoki Tsuki curled up and kicked Hanashōmaru in the stomach, forcing himself free and out of the Rock Pillar Spear's range.
Hanashōmaru, however, was pierced by several Rock Pillar Spears at once and died a gruesome death.
"Hanashōmaru!!"
Yotaka stared wide-eyed at the scene. To him, his subordinates were all tools, but after spending so long together, he had grown somewhat attached to them.
"Damn it, you bastard, I'll kill you!"
Yotaka directed all his rage at Aoki Tsuki. It was all that bastard's fault he had lost such a loyal subordinate.
Tch! Does he really think I can't deal with him? Using ninjutsu of another nature multiplies a ninja's Chakra consumption, but at this point, I can't worry about that. I need to finish this quickly.
Kyoto isn't far from here. Other ninja might be alerted, and the intelligence could leak.
With that thought, Yotaka rapidly formed Hand Seals.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Whoosh...
A tornado-like gale blew fiercely through the area, scattering the thick mist in an instant.
It swept away the leaves from the surrounding trees as well, leaving nowhere to hide.
Whoosh...
A figure amid the leaves raced away into the distance.
"Don't think you're getting away!"
Yotaka gave chase, flinging several Shuriken to cut off Aoki Tsuki's escape route.
Clang, clang, clang...
Aoki Tsuki swung his blade to block the Shuriken, but didn't slow down in the slightest, racing onward with his head down.
The two clashed head-on in midair.
What? This guy can actually keep up with my speed... Yotaka was slightly surprised.
Bang...
Aoki Tsuki came off worse in the exchange. Forcing down the pain in his body, he used the force of the impact to accelerate away again.
Jonin really are strong. His strength alone is a level above mine. All I can rely on is my speed.
Fortunately, he had constantly ground away at improving his speed. His Body Flicker Technique was his means of staying alive.
The two figures emerged from the forest one after the other, the chase continuing along the main road.