Fifteen years old?
When he heard Bi's words, Biwa Jūzō froze. His not-so-large eyes widened as he stared hard at Bi, blurting out:
"Hey, hey! Bi, you're not messing with me, are you? A fifteen-year-old jōnin—that's nothing unusual, no big deal. But you're saying a fifteen-year-old brat took down Hanzō of the Salamander? That's got to be a joke..."
"That's not what I said."
Bi cut him off with a frown, unflinching as he met Jūzō's glare. "What I said is that in the records the Koeda Clan submitted, it clearly states that Koeda Kyoichi is only fifteen this year. As for whether he killed Hanzō of the Salamander... that wasn't my claim."
"It was mine."
Masakazu, the sixty-something elder of the Kirigumo clan, replied. Looking at his two much younger deputies, his voice rang firm:
"It was I who said Koeda Kyoichi slew Hanzō of the Salamander. And my intelligence comes directly from the village. I'll say it again—whether it's true or false, once we meet the Koeda Clan ourselves, we'll have our answer."
The weight of his words silenced Bi and Biwa Jūzō.
Geniuses though they were, when facing Masakazu—a man counted among Kirigakure's true powerhouses—they knew to hold their tongues with proper respect.
Once both quieted down, Masakazu continued:
"Now, what I need from you is this: assuming this intelligence is true, do you think we ought to go out and greet the Koeda Clan?"
At this, Bi lowered his gaze, seriously contemplating.
"I'll go see for myself."
Biwa Jūzō was the first to respond, not even sparing a glance at Bi's sidelong look. He spoke plainly:
"I don't care what plans you or Bi have, Clan Head Masakazu. If this Koeda Kyoichi really did kill Hanzō of the Salamander, then I absolutely have to meet him myself—to see whether he's truly that strong!"
"Jūzō, you'd better not cause trouble!"
Masakazu's face darkened.
He knew all too well what kind of men made up the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—warmongers, bloodthirsty maniacs, every last one. In that band of lunatics, Biwa Jūzō was actually considered the even-tempered one. It was precisely for that reason the Fourth Mizukage had plucked him out to serve as Masakazu's deputy.
So Masakazu gave only a stern warning, not a prohibition.
"Don't worry, Clan Head Masakazu, I promise I won't cause trouble."
Jūzō agreed readily enough. Whether he truly took Masakazu's caution to heart, however, was another matter.
"Clan Head Masakazu, allow me and Jūzō-senpai to go and greet the Koeda Clan," Bi offered. "You are the envoy who represents Kirigakure. If you personally go out to welcome them, it might risk making the Koeda Clan think too highly of themselves. I believe this duty should fall to us, your deputies."
"Hm..."
Masakazu pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"You make a fair point, Bi. Very well—you and Jūzō will go and meet the Koeda Clan. Just make sure you keep an eye on him. Don't let him go too far. This acceptance of the Koeda Clan into our village was approved by both Elder Genji and the Mizukage himself—I don't want anything mishandled."
At this, Masakazu fixed Bi with a grave stare, speaking with emphasis.
"Understood."
Bi nodded earnestly. "If I let this go awry, I'd have no face left to return to Elder Genji."
Though only seventeen—several years younger than Biwa Jūzō—in Masakazu's eyes, Bi was far more steady and dependable. No doubt about it, he thought. Genji's personal disciple—reliable indeed.
But then—
"Grandfather, I want to go too."
The quiet girl who had stayed almost invisible since Bi and Jūzō arrived finally spoke up.
"Mei?"
Masakazu frowned, looking at his treasured granddaughter. "You—"
"Grandfather, I'm already a jōnin."
The girl cut him off, her striking jade-green eyes locking earnestly onto his. "I'm thirteen now, not a child anymore. I've already fought on the battlefield alongside Ao and Bi-senpai before."
"You little brat..."
Masakazu chuckled bitterly. "Even if you want to argue, at least let me finish first! Besides—I wasn't even about to forbid you from going..."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
The girl slipped her thanks in quick and smooth, leaving the old man's half-spoken words hanging in the air.
Only his beloved granddaughter could speak to him like this. Anyone else—not even the Mizukage—would dare.
"Bi, Jūzō, Mei—you three go. Bring the Koeda Clan here."
Masakazu gave the order.
Everything that needed saying was said. Everything better left unsaid—Bi was sharp enough to handle. With him there, any sudden development could be managed. And with Mei now apprenticed under Elder Genji, Bi would ensure her safety above all else.
Besides, as Mei had pointed out, she was already a jōnin. She could no longer be treated as an ordinary child.
Within minutes, Bi and Jūzō were ready. With a squad of armed shinobi, they set out to meet the Koeda Clan, who were already on their way to the hot spring inn.
They hadn't gone far before they spotted them—an impressively long procession, more than two hundred strong, their formation stretching out in a long column. At the head, several Kiri-nin led the way, alongside an elderly man about Masakazu's age.
And then—
"Kiri-nin?"
A quiet voice spoke behind them.
"Who's there?"
Startled, Bi, Jūzō, and the others instinctively drew weapons, eyes sharp as they turned toward the source.
"No need to be so tense, shinobi of the Kiri. I am not your enemy."
The voice came from nowhere.
A heartbeat later—
A lone figure suddenly stepped out of empty air, appearing before their eyes.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Koeda Kyoichi, a jōnin of the Koeda Clan."
Kyoichi spread his empty hands open, offering a simple introduction.
And yet—
Perhaps it was only their imagination, but after he finished speaking, several of the Kiri-nin's gazes shifted at once, their expressions changing.
More than that—among the three whose eyes changed, Kyoichi actually recognized two of them.
Though their appearances differed slightly from what he remembered, he knew them nonetheless.