"The supplies sent to Kirigakure have all sunk to the bottom of the sea. You won't get away with this."
Juzo Biwa then remembered that he was still on a mission. He turned around and saw that both ships on the sea had capsized and were slowly sinking.
"Damn it, you despicable Uchiha!"
"If you're temporarily homeless, why not join my organization? At least you'll have a place to stay," Aoki Tsuki suggested.
Juzo Biwa looked up and noticed the Forehead Protector hanging from Aoki Tsuki's waist.
" Amegakure? I remember your Land of Rain is quite chaotic, with countless forces formed by rogue ninja. What does this so-called organization do?"
"Our Land of Rain is the last refuge for rogue ninjas. No one cares what you've done in the past, as long as you complete your missions on time."
The rest of the time is very flexible; that's what our organization, 'Xiao', is all about."
"Akatsuki? That sounds like an assassination organization."
Aoki Tsuki nodded. "You guessed right, but our goal is to put an end to this terrible Shinobi World and let the light of dawn pierce through the darkness before daybreak."
War creates tragedy, tragedy breeds hatred, and hatred breeds new wars. This world should not be like this!
"Heh... judging from your Akatsuki, you don't seem like a very powerful organization. Such lofty dreams are destined to be unrealized," Juzo Biwa sneered.
"What's the difference between a person without dreams and a salted fish? Besides, even a salted fish can turn over one day..."
"Hmph, even if a salted fish flips over, it's still a salted fish." Juzo Biwa muttered, then added:
"But... it doesn't matter anyway. If this mission fails, the Fourth won't let me off the hook. I never planned to go back to that village anyway... it's good to have somewhere to go now."
"Haha... that's the right way to think. Our organization offers good benefits and doesn't impose any restrictions on members, so you can join with peace of mind."
Aoki Tsuki was very happy; being a headhunter felt great.
"I'm on a mission right now. You go to the Land of Rain first; someone will meet you there. By the way, my code name in the organization is ' Azure Dragon '."
Only then did he reveal his name.
"Um."
Juzo Biwa was not one to procrastinate. Once he made up his mind, he didn't hesitate and left with his Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder.
"Who was that person just now?" Konan asked as she walked over.
" Juzo Biwa, the user of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist of the Severing Sword: Decapitation. Oh, he just failed in his mission and has decided to defect."
" Kirigakure Ninja? Were you just recruiting him?"
Judging from how pleasantly the two of them were talking just now, it's highly likely that they've made it work.
"What else... Didn't you ask me to help the organization recruit talent? I've kept that in mind, and he's already agreed to join us in our important endeavors."
Go back and tell the leader to prepare to provide backup for him.
Konan looked at Aoki Tsuki in surprise. Had he managed to poach one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist Juzo Biwa Mist from Kirigakure in the time it took to eat a meal?
Whenever she could no longer tolerate the man's flaws, he always managed to make her continue to tolerate them in other ways.
"Okay, I understand."
"Let's go to Takumi Village and find Master Tesshin."
Meanwhile, news of the shipwreck at the dock had reached Takumi Village, causing widespread concern. The village leader, Miki, was gathering everyone to discuss countermeasures.
Someone said, "Lord Miki, this shipment was destined for Kirigakure. The accident happened when the ship left the dock."
Based on the division of responsibilities, this should be none of our business.
"That's true, but do you think Kirigakure will reason with us?" someone countered.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Which of the Five Great Shinobi Villages was reasonable?
The Kumogakure is domineering, the Iwagakure is ruthless, the Kirigakure is bloodthirsty, the Sunagakure is shameless, and the Konoha is two-faced.
"What are we going to do? Are we going to be asked to pay compensation? We're still owed half the amount."
"The people of Kirigakure are currently fighting with the people of Konoha. It's highly likely that Konoha sent people to do it. Damn it... couldn't they have chosen a better location? They had to do it right on our doorstep. We're really being killed."
"Ha... when have the Five Great Nations ever considered our interests?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, just in case the attacker hasn't left yet..."
Miki raised his hand to stop the discussion, saying, "At this point, there's no point in dwelling on these things. Just in case, tell everyone to hurry up and restock. We'll talk more after I've spoken with Kirigakure."
"That's the only way," everyone agreed.
"There's another matter. The Land of Iron is about to hold a ' Swordsmanship Master Tournament.' I discussed it with Master Tesshin, and we've decided to send one of our own people there as well."
As the united representative of many neutral countries, the Land of Iron is powerful, and even the Five Great Nations dare not underestimate it.
If the elder brother is holding an event, the younger brother can't refuse. In case we are ever bullied by the Five Great Nations, a word from the elder brother would be more useful than anything else.
"But our village doesn't have any pure samurai..."
"Yes, this is the age of ninjas now. Samurai have declined, and there are no young people left to follow this path."
Miki said, "Everyone, please help me find someone suitable. Anyone who's reasonably good will do. The most important thing is their attitude. That's all for today, everyone can leave."
As the crowd dispersed in twos and threes, the room quieted down a bit. Just as Miki was about to go back and compose a letter to Kirigakure, someone came to report.
"Lord Miki, someone outside has asked Master Tesshin to forge ninja tools."
Miki waved his hand impatiently, "Reject it. I'm swamped right now, I don't have time to do anything else. This is a matter of life and death for the village."
"This... sir, these two guests don't seem like ordinary people; they look like they're not short of money."
He was just a gatekeeper, and people immediately slipped him a tip of ten thousand taels of silver.
Why didn't you say so sooner? Please come in.
Miki's attitude changed drastically, Takumi Village now provides the most considerate service and attitude to every wealthy guest.
A short while later, a man and a woman walked in through the door.
The man had a long sword at his waist, exuding a free and unrestrained air, while the woman was like a rare orchid in a secluded valley, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through one's heart.
That's definitely a big client!
"I am Miki, the leader of Takumi Village. I heard that you two distinguished guests are here to have Master Tesshin forge ninja tools?"
Aoki Tsuki nodded and said, "That's right. I've heard that Master Tesshin is highly skilled and his ninja tools are incredibly powerful. We came here this time to have one of our ninja tools custom-made by him."
As long as it meets our requirements, the price is negotiable.
Upon hearing this, Miki was even more delighted. "Master Tesshin is the most skilled ninja craftsman in terms of forging techniques besides our Takumi Village's founder, Seimei. Please feel free to make any requests... Please follow me, both of you."
The three of them walked deeper into the village, the clanging and banging of metalwork filling the air as every household was casting metal.
Miki glanced at the long sword at Aoki Tsuki's waist and asked curiously, "Sir, is that sword you're carrying a standard weapon from the Land of Iron's Master Craftsmen's Workshop?"
"Yes, good knives are hard to find, so we'll just have to make do."
"Indeed. When I traveled through the Land of Iron, I saw many samurai. Judging from your physique, you must be a master swordsman."
Samurai emphasize training for explosive power; when their muscles are taut, they exude immense tension.
This master may appear relaxed at first glance, but once he launches an attack, it's like a thunderclap from a flat surface, with terrifying power.
"Hahaha... I wouldn't dare call myself a master, but in terms of swordsmanship, I've certainly never met an opponent."
Miki's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He knew there was some exaggeration in the words, but based on his experience, this young man was definitely not weak.
"Our village has a collection of several fine knives. Take a look and see if any of them interest you; consider it a gift from the village to you."
"How could I possibly accept this?"
Aoki Tsuki thought the other person was trying to get close to him to sell him knives, but he didn't expect them to give them away for free.
This action truly caused him to have a mental breakdown.
Miki replied, "Our Takumi Village is famous throughout the major countries for forging weapons. Countless people come seeking swords and blades, and for a master like you..."
We would each give a knife as a token of our appreciation.
"I see..."
During their conversation, they arrived at the outside of a courtyard. Miki told the two to wait outside while he went in to deliver a message. After a while, he came out.
"Please come in, both of you. Master Tesshin is inside; I won't disturb you any longer."
After finishing his Miki wisely left.
Aoki Tsuki and Konan finally met Master Tesshin, a burly old man with a rugged face and short brown hair, who was sitting in the house drinking tea.
"You must be Master Tesshin. I've heard of your name for a long time and have long admired you..."
Tesshin waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, enough with the nonsense. Just tell me, what ninja tools do you want cleaned? Any special requests?"
"Uh... I'm going out for a smoke, you guys chat."
Aoki Tsuki turned and left the house. If Konan wanted him to know, she would have told him already.
Seeing how self-aware Aoki Tsuki, Konan nodded secretly. This man actually had quite a few good points; perhaps she had been too demanding.
He took out a black stick from his person and handed it to Master Tesshin.
Master Tesshin initially paid little attention, but the more he looked, the more surprised he became. After a series of tests, his mouth dropped open.
"What... is this? Even the highest-grade minerals couldn't achieve this level of Chakra conduction efficiency..."
Konan didn't offer an explanation, but instead said, "I want to create a Chakra amplification device that can expand the range of Chakra diffusion, allowing it to be received by this black rod at a greater distance."
"How far?"
"The farther the better, at least more than ten kilometers."
Master Tesshin fell silent upon hearing this. He had studied ninja tools for decades and had seen all sorts of bizarre requests.
This is the first time I've ever seen something that focuses on a single distance.
The customer says it's ten kilometers, but their actual expectations are probably several times higher to satisfy them.
"Of all the metals I know, there is probably only one that can meet your requirements. This metal is called Lightning-Patterned Black Steel, which is formed from Black Iron Ore that has been refined by lightning over many years."
"They can only be found occasionally in the Thunder God Mountain of the Land of Iron, it's all down to luck."