Originally a civilian from the Land of Rain, he stumbled upon a ninja scroll by chance, setting him on the path of a shinobi. Among rogue ninjas, he was somewhat well-known. Though he trained diligently, his strength only reached the level of a chūnin. Yet, among rogue ninjas who only bullied ordinary people, he was considered formidable.
However, having once witnessed real ninja combat by accident, he never grew complacent and continued pushing forward. With only two jutsu at his disposal, his progress seemed limited. Lacking any special bloodline, his chakra reserves were pitifully small, yet he still managed to reach chūnin level.
He had assumed he would eventually die at the hands of a real ninja during a mercenary mission—a common fate for rogue ninjas. Shinobi from hidden villages and rogue ninjas lived in entirely different worlds; even those from minor villages were far beyond their reach.
But before he could meet such an end, news arrived that the Land of Rain had fallen. He rushed back immediately, only to find the country ravaged by earth-shattering ninjutsu. A single stray technique could have killed him. The gap between major villages and himself was painfully clear. All that remained were ruins and weeping survivors.
He didn't join the fight against the invading shinobi. Instead, he participated in rescue efforts. He knew he'd only be cannon fodder in battle, so he chose to do something more meaningful. His fear of death was also a factor.
When the war ended, they became refugees in the wilderness. It was only with the help of Rain shinobi that they returned to the city. Initially, he planned to leave and resume his life as a rogue ninja. But upon hearing that the Land of Rain was recruiting soldiers—and that the army offered jutsu in exchange for merit—Ki no signed up without hesitation. He had always wanted new techniques.
Life after enlisting felt like a dream.
All kinds of jutsu could be exchanged for merit, which was earned through daily performance, missions, or drills. So far, no missions or drills had been assigned, but just by excelling in daily tasks, he had already earned the Substitution Technique—a lifesaving skill! He still couldn't believe how easily he'd obtained it.
But why had he joined the Money Corps of all units?!
Ki no inwardly wailed.
In the Rain Corps, almost everyone had the Three Basic Jutsu. In the Money Corps, he was the only one with the Substitution Technique. The main issue was their commander, Kakuzu, who was… hard to describe. At first, he'd kill anyone who rubbed him the wrong way, scaring off many potential recruits. Ki no had no choice—the Rain Corps was full, so he'd gritted his teeth and joined the Money Corps.
Later, Kakuzu stopped the killings. Rumor had it he'd reached his "quota," which eased tensions. After outlining their daily training, Kakuzu vanished from the barracks, leaving them to their own devices.
What kind of commander is this irresponsible?!
He'd also heard that those who bribed Kakuzu received private training.
Typical of the Money Corps.
Everything revolved around money.
If Ki no had any spare cash—instead of just barely covering his monthly expenses—he'd have paid for training too.
This is absurd.
He wondered if reporting Kakuzu to the daimyo would help, but he'd probably end up dead. The Money Corps was a nightmare.
While training, Ki no suddenly heard a shout:
"Ki no!"
"Here!"
He sprinted to the other side of the barracks, where a jōnin was calling out names one by one. Nine people, including him, were summoned—the Rain Corps' last two jōnin and six chūnin.
The caller was Nakima, the right-hand man of the Rain Corps commander, Hanzo the Salamander. Nakima wore a flak jacket over a bodysuit, a man in his thirties with gray-white hair. His most distinctive feature was the two tear-like marks under his eyes.
"By order of the daimyo, the nine of you will now learn this sealing barrier technique with me."
He unrolled a scroll.
Ki no's face lit up with joy. A new jutsu without spending merit?! How could he not be thrilled?
Thank you, Land of Rain. Thank you, Lord An.
He didn't know if "An" was a full name or a title, but it was because of him that the Land of Rain had found hope for the future.
"We will give it our all," the nine ninjas declared, kneeling in unison.
In a high-rise building, Kin, Hanzo, and Kakuzu watched the solemn group through a window.
"Once they master the technique, we can move," Kin said.
Destruction was always an option, but to ensure no one escaped, they needed a complete lockdown. Preventing any chance of flight was the priority.
"Also, Kakuzu."
Kin rubbed his temples in exasperation.
"You're slacking off."
Compared to the Rain Corps, which trained vigorously, only half of the Money Corps was actively practicing. The other half was still in their barracks.
"I'm doing my best," Kakuzu retorted shamelessly.
His unit had three or four newcomers who surpassed even the Rain shinobi in strength.
Kin's expression darkened further.
He knew the Money Corps had skilled members, but most were experienced rogue ninjas who only lacked jutsu variety. Kakuzu had simply handed them techniques—how could that compare to the Rain Corps' structured training?
"After this mission, you're confined to quarters for half a month. If this continues, don't blame me for being harsh."
Kin's voice was icy.
None of his subordinates were as reliable as Hyuga Kiyoshi. He didn't expect Kakuzu to train elites, but at least maintain basic discipline.
"Fine."
Kakuzu glanced at Kin, not daring to challenge his authority. The power gap was too wide.
Hanzo smirked, clearly enjoying Kakuzu's scolding.
Serves him right.
Kakuzu had only joined Kin for money, and though he now respected his strength, his greed was insatiable.
Kakuzu shot Hanzo a glare.
This old bastard.
Wait, that insult might include himself.
I'll teach him a lesson later.
There was still that "drill" Kin had mentioned—once the soldiers had basic training, the two units could compete.
Perfect chance to put Hanzo in his place.
"Enough."
Kin noticed their animosity but couldn't care less. As long as they didn't kill each other, it was fine.
"I'll scout Kusagakure first. Notify me once they've mastered the technique."
Darkness swallowed Kin's figure.
...
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(End of Chapter)