Noble Ogawa's face, worn by excessive drinking and womanizing, was full of disdain.
As nobles, even when faced with the Kage of a village, they would offer only a haughty show of courtesy.
Why would he take a squad of three Genin led by a Jonin seriously?
This world belonged to the nobles!
He was about to continue tearing at the little girl's clothes when Mukai suddenly moved.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Flash Earth Flow Technique!"
As Mukai formed Hand Seals, the two Shinobi World supercapacitors on his wrists were drained in an instant.
Combined with his own Chakra, he unleashed a Lightning Release: Earth Flow containing the Chakra energy of three B-rank Ninjutsu.
Mukai's Lightning Release was completely different from the standard Lightning Release: Earth Flow.
Using a precisely controlled, ultra-high current, he formed a continuous, ultra-high-voltage electric field across the ground surrounding Noble Ogawa.
The current wasn't strong, but the voltage was extremely high.
Seeing Mukai suddenly use Ninjutsu, the samurai and wandering ninja Noble Ogawa had hired naturally didn't stand idle.
Some drew their swords and moved toward the carriage, while others advanced to intercept the Sand ninja.
Then something unexpected happened.
An electric arc suddenly appeared between their legs, and they all collapsed, convulsing before losing consciousness.
Ignorance was terrifying.
Running around inside a high-voltage electric field?
Didn't they know about step voltage?
A difference in electrical potential would form between their legs, turning their bodies into conductors and causing an electrical discharge.
At a time like this, they should have hopped on one leg or stood still, dear!
The carriage wheels were wooden and relatively insulating, and the carriage itself was high off the ground. That was why it had escaped damage.
With a single Ninjutsu, Mukai had taken down all of Noble Ogawa's guards.
"Y-you want to become a missing-nin?
"If you lay one finger on me, there won't be a place for you anywhere in the Shinobi World!
"I-I'm a great noble of the Land of Rivers. D-don't come any closer!"
Noble Ogawa, his clothes in disarray, watched Mukai approach with a smile and backed away in terror.
Pakura could tell that Mukai had held back.
His Lightning Release had only knocked the ninja and guards unconscious, without killing them outright.
Moreover, Noble Ogawa himself had not been attacked in the carriage, which meant there was still room to salvage the situation.
He reached out and placed a hand on Mukai's shoulder.
"Mukai, this man is a noble. You can't touch him.
"Otherwise, becoming a missing-nin really will be your only option.
"You only injured his guards, so the village will apologize to him at most.
"I can take responsibility as the Jonin leading the squad.
"Then they can give you a token punishment and let it pass.
"But if you hurt a noble, even the daimyo of the Land of Wind won't be able to protect you!"
Meanwhile, Shisō flashed in front of Mukai, his muscles swelling as he immediately activated the first level of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method:
"Captain Mukai, let me do it!
"I can entrust Shira to you without worry. Let me bear the guilt of killing this scum!"
Of course, Mukai wouldn't be that reckless.
When he wasn't yet strong enough to overturn the table, he couldn't disregard the rules by which the world operated.
But if he left this disgusting fellow alone, his thoughts would never be at ease!
The man could even bring himself to do that to a child. How was he any different from a beast?
Sasori, standing with the group, was already clutching the scroll for his improved Crow puppet.
He really was a true friend. Even knowing that Mukai would be condemned by the world, Sasori would stand firmly at his side.
As for Shisō and Pakura, their thinking was still rooted in the belief that nobles were supreme.
Whether they tried to dissuade Mukai or offered to sacrifice themselves and act in his place, it showed that the issue was only one of beliefs. In their hearts, they were still on his side.
Beliefs could be corrected over time. As long as their hearts were in the right place, they were still steadfast good comrades!
Mukai was gratified!
He shook his head and reassured the worried Pakura and Shisō, who wanted to take his place.
"Teacher Pakura, Shisō, do you think I'm that reckless?
"Don't worry. I'm just going over to check on the frightened Lord Noble Ogawa."
As he spoke, he walked up to Noble Ogawa with a smile and grinned.
"There's only been a slight misunderstanding between us. Surely you won't stop me from taking this little girl away, Lord Noble Ogawa, right?"
Without waiting for the trembling Noble Ogawa to answer, Mukai wrapped the terrified little girl in clothing and picked her up.
As soon as he turned around, he heard Noble Ogawa hurriedly say behind him:
"Yes, yes, it was all a misunderstanding. As long as you let me go, I won't cause you any trouble."
Mukai supported the still-trembling little girl with his left arm and stretched his right hand out behind him.
With a crackle, a meter-long, high-voltage electric arc knocked Noble Ogawa unconscious.
"Sorry, I don't believe a word you say."
Noble Ogawa was staring venomously at Mukai's back.
He was just about to congratulate himself on surviving and consider how he would deal with this little Sand ninja later when the sudden electric arc knocked him out.
Mukai also pressed his fingers against the back of the little girl's neck and gently knocked her unconscious with a tiny electric current.
He was becoming more and more proficient at controlling his Lightning Release.
"Mukai, what are you...?"
The turn of events had come so quickly that even Pakura was caught off guard.
Before she could stop him, Mukai had already knocked the detestable Noble Ogawa unconscious.
With the deed done, Pakura said fiercely:
"Since it's come to this, there's no other way. Let me burn these people and the carriage to ashes!
"With no one left to testify, it'll be hard to trace it back to us!"
As she spoke, Pakura had already formed bright yellow, high-temperature flames in her hands.
"Stop!
"Teacher Pakura, wait a moment. They've only been knocked out. They aren't dead yet!"
With that, Mukai handed the unconscious little girl in his arms to her.
Pakura dispersed the fireballs in her hands and took the little girl, looking puzzled.
"Once they wake up, they'll still go to the village and complain!
"You're too naive. These nobles are no good.
"Even if you didn't kill him, you ruined his fun like this. He'll definitely slander and suppress you in all sorts of ways.
"He might even put a bounty on you on the black market!
"Listen to me. Destroying the bodies and wiping out the evidence is the safest course!"
Mukai slapped his forehead.
He could understand Shisō offering to do it for him.
But Teacher Pakura, weren't you the one who had been urging me to appease him just now?
How did you become the most extreme one now?
The corner of Mukai's mouth twitched, and he pointed at Sasori.
"Teacher Pakura, if a noble disappears without a trace, we'll come under suspicion even if we were only passing through.
"Don't worry. Sasori has a secret technique that uses an ultra-fine needle controlled with Chakra Threads.
"It seals away a portion of someone's memories inside their brain, without leaving any external injury anyone can detect.
"If we seal away their memories of this period, they won't even know whether they've seen us. Wouldn't that be safer?"
In response to Pakura's questioning look, Sasori snorted.
"Hmph. You always find ways to make trouble for me.
"Teacher Pakura, Mukai isn't bluffing. I have studied this technique. I can seal away at least two days' worth of memories at a time."
Sasori's technique was naturally derived from the Mind Sensing Confusion Technique he had developed while researching Human Puppets.
In the original timeline, he had used that technique to control Kabuto Yakushi so Kabuto could safely serve as his spy.
Only after seeing that Mukai had a proper way to handle the matter did Pakura relax.
Sasori used Chakra Threads to control a needle as fine as a hair,
Only half a centimeter long, and used the technique on each person in turn.
Once he was finished, the group quickly left the scene with the little girl.
By evening, they had reached a town on the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire. Mukai suddenly said:
"Teacher Pakura, it's getting late. How about we stay in this town for the night?"