Beneath the canopy of a large tent, the core members of the Ash Organization gathered, listening intently to Fuma Goro's report on the mission from Kikyo Castle.
"What exactly is this mission?" Hane Genma asked, breaking the silence.
Fuma Goro replied, "The daimyo of Kikyo Castle, Date Toyosaka, has tasked us with assassinating the current daimyo of Reito Castle as swiftly as possible. He even wants us to wipe out the daimyo's entire clan, if feasible."
The weight of the mission settled over the group, plunging them into a momentary silence.
Chihori, the shinobi skilled in the Hanemiya Clan's summoning techniques, glanced around before asking softly, "Is there a problem with that?"
"There's a slight issue," Fuma Goro admitted.
Uchiha Nanami stepped in to elaborate. "A daimyo issuing such an order is highly unusual—almost unheard of. Under normal circumstances, he'd command us to neutralize or eliminate Reito Castle's shinobi, stripping the daimyo of his wings and claws."
"Once the enemy's forces are disarmed," she continued, "Kikyo Castle's daimyo would deploy his secular military to take down the opposing daimyo. Without shinobi, Reito Castle would be defenseless, and Kikyo's side, backed by ninja, would hold an unassailable advantage. Any subsequent military action, even if not a complete victory, would incur minimal losses."
"Then why go through such a convoluted process? Isn't that just making things harder than they need to be?" Chihori asked.
Uchiha Nanami shrugged. "It's a political understanding. No daimyo wants to become a direct target for shinobi. Ordering an assassination breaks that unspoken rule. Shinobi are known for scalping, gutting, or ripping out hearts—far too gruesome for the refined tastes of a noble daimyo. Their lives aren't like those of common folk."
She spread her hands. "A daimyo sending shinobi to assassinate another daimyo violates this tacit agreement. It's indirectly signing their own death warrant, as it goes against the collective interests of their class. This roundabout approach, though unnecessary, creates a buffer between the daimyo's neck and the shinobi's blade."
Chihori nodded slowly. "So we've been given an assignment that defies common sense?"
Fuma Goro confirmed with a nod. "I suspect even if we complete this mission, we'll be cast aside as scapegoats. Kikyo Castle's daimyo clearly doesn't want to bear the stigma of hiring shinobi to assassinate another daimyo."
Genma mulled it over before speaking. "Why do we have a chance to become Kikyo Castle's official shinobi force? Because their previous ninja faction was wiped out. So… why were those shinobi eradicated, and by whom?"
No one answered, but an unsettling possibility hung in the air.
Those shinobi might have been saddled with some fabricated crime and presented as the "culprits" to take the fall. Worse, their destruction could have been Kikyo Castle's own doing—a purge to "clean house."
It wasn't surprising they thought so poorly of the daimyo. Human hearts were often corrupt, especially those of political figures.
"Did you accept the mission?" Genma asked Fuma Goro.
"I did," Goro replied. "No matter the daimyo's intentions, I couldn't refuse in that situation."
Genma nodded. It made sense. They'd just signed on as Kikyo Castle's hired shinobi; rejecting the first mission would signal a lack of commitment.
"I also gathered some intel while in Kikyo Castle," Goro added. "Over a century ago, this region was called Kawagenkoku. After a period of war, it fractured into five territories, each led by a powerful daimyo claiming to be the rightful ruler of Kawagenkoku. They've been at odds ever since. Now, three of those five factions have been eliminated. Only Kikyo Castle and Reito Castle remain as the last vestiges of Kawagenkoku's daimyo."
The more they heard, the more it seemed Kikyo's daimyo was up to no good.
Genma scoffed inwardly. Kawagenkoku or not, this land will soon belong to the Land of Fire. Does Kikyo's daimyo really think he can restore some grand legacy? Still, the shared "gen" in Kawagenkoku and his former clan name, Hanemiya, felt like a curious twist of fate.
"So, what do we do?" Fuma Goro asked, drawing everyone's eyes to Genma.
Genma fell silent, piecing together the implications. After a moment, he spoke. "We're rogue shinobi, and they're the 'benevolent' daimyo who took us in. By the world's standards, we can't betray their kindness or seize their nest without a justifiable reason."
Unlike a daimyo, Genma cared little for political "understandings." But he refused to be a pawn in someone else's game.
"Do we… have any bodies?" he asked abruptly.
The question caught them off guard, but Fuma Goro nodded. "When we cleared the battlefield, we collected some shinobi corpses from the Tsugawa Clan's village. Just in case."
It sounded morbid—keeping bodies for what? But Genma didn't press. Those corpses might prove useful.
"Good," he said. "We'll take the mission. Let's head to Reito Castle and at least see what their daimyo looks like."
Fuma Goro and the others exchanged glances, sensing that Genma wasn't just unfazed—he seemed almost eager.
Uchiha Nanami rolled her eyes inwardly. Internal? Since when did you start acting like you belong here?
Meanwhile, in Kikyo Castle's tenshu keep, Date Toyosaka, the daimyo, was in high spirits.
Compared to his nephew, Date Kamaya, whom Genma had met before, Toyosaka perfectly embodied every stereotype of an aloof, self-important noble. To put it bluntly, he struck Genma as half man, half pig.
At the top of the tenshu, Toyosaka sat in the highest seat, a low table before him laden with exquisite delicacies. Kamaya stood attentively at his side.
"This new batch of shinobi seems competent enough?" Toyosaka remarked.
"They still need to be tested," Kamaya replied cautiously. "We'll know more once we receive their report. If their performance matches their claims, they're likely capable. The Fuma Clan does have some reputation in the shinobi world."
Kamaya knew next to nothing about the Fuma, but that didn't stop him from briefing someone even less informed.
Toyosaka chuckled. "Heh, they're just stray dogs begging for scraps. Let them bark, and I'll toss them a few bones. Once they've eaten, they'll bite whoever I point them at."
"They show some promise… good. I hope they complete the mission smoothly."
Kamaya hesitated before speaking. "My lord, if they're competent, won't that make cleaning up afterward difficult? And if we pull this off a second time, it'll be hard to maintain credibility with the outside world."
Toyosaka waved dismissively. "As long as it's passably convincing, it's fine. I'll pin the blame on the 'culprits' as needed. As for credibility… it hardly matters anymore. Do you know why?"
Kamaya thought for a moment. "Because once this is done, you'll be the sole daimyo of Kawagenkoku."
"Exactly!" Toyosaka laughed. "And as for tying up loose ends, there's no issue. You don't know the true origins of the shinobi I've hired."
"Or how sharp their fangs will be."
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