After leaving a Flying Thunder God marker, Shuji continued following that Kusagakure squad, attempting to glean more information.
This squad proceeded for a distance. One young Kusagakure shinobi seemed unable to suppress his irritation and spat quietly.
"What a hassle. Just a chūnin-level deserter, yet so difficult to subdue."
"Orders are to capture, not kill. With such constraints, encountering accidents is normal," an older Kusagakure shinobi responded.
"Capture, capture, always capture. Lately all the orders are this troublesome," others began complaining. "Not just our village's people. Even other villages' rogue ninja can only be captured. How long must we keep capturing? And we cannot exchange them at bounty stations for money like before. We can only send them to Hozuki Castle."
"Enough," the squad leader-type Kusagakure shinobi stopped the internal grumbling. "We are shinobi. Executing the village's orders is sufficient. Say nothing more."
Shuji pondered thoughtfully. Capture alive, prohibition on killing—this itself was quite interesting. It meant Kusagakure's objective was not merely intelligence.
In the shinobi world, death never represented the only method of keeping secrets, often not even the most effective. Since not for intelligence, then for something else.
For money? Hozuki Castle might receive some subsidies for holding transferred prisoners, but actively capturing rogue ninja not only incurred high costs but also risked provoking other shinobi villages by touching sensitive figures, which they would view as provocation.
This also contradicted Kusagakure's consistent diplomatic stance. Better to directly kill them and send bodies to underground bounty stations.
Then it was for the shinobi themselves.
Where did a shinobi's inherent value lie? First, unique secret techniques or kekkei genkai they mastered. Second, their physical being itself.
As life forms containing chakra, shinobi themselves constituted resources. They could serve as excellent experimental materials, ritual sacrifices, or even fuel for powering special ninja tools. The possibilities were numerous.
Combined with this Kusagakure squad mentioning that Karin's mother had not been sent to Hozuki Castle, Shuji developed certain suspicions about Kusagakure's objectives.
This squad's knowledge was limited. They provided no further valuable conversation. They returned to an ordinary shinobi residential area and dispersed to rest.
Shuji followed to this location but could extract no deeper intelligence from other Kusagakure shinobi's mouths. He only further confirmed that Kusagakure indeed had multiple squads simultaneously executing such tasks recently.
At this point, leads ended. Shuji decided against continuing investigation, instead sensing the Flying Thunder God formula at the quarters and choosing to return.
Upon returning to the quarters, Shuji dismissed his shadow clone and confirmed no new situations had occurred inside.
He stepped out of his room. Anko immediately approached.
"Captain, how is the situation?"
Chōji and Izumo confirmed their surroundings were secure and also gathered nearby on alert.
Shuji said, "Some discoveries, but Kusagakure's core objective remains unclear."
"What is certain is they have recently been mass-capturing rogue ninja and wandering shinobi. Their actions are frequent and highly abnormal."
The three's expressions grew somewhat grave.
Regular shinobi villages would move against rogue ninja, sometimes also against wandering shinobi, but mass capture was too abnormal.
Kusagakure was too close to Konoha. Their abnormal actions could hardly avoid affecting Konoha.
Shuji said, "Stop for tonight. Rest first. Tomorrow we will see how Kusagakure responds to the invitation."
"The primary mission remains completing the Chūnin Exam invitation."
While Shuji's squad temporarily held position, deep within Kusagakure, in a chamber hidden underground, the village's high-level meeting was underway. This location was not among those conspicuous buildings at the village center but somewhere more concealed.
Hayami, the jōnin who had received Shuji during the day, respectfully stood at a lower position, reporting detailed circumstances of his contact with the Konoha envoy.
"Joint Chūnin Selection Exam? They want to use our young people to display their power again?" One elder immediately understood the situation.
As a shinobi village within Konoha's sphere of influence, having experienced this numerous times, they had gained experience. So-called joint exams were merely Konoha's geniuses beating up small nations' shinobi for various nations' daimyo to observe.
For small shinobi villages, dispatching outstanding, promising genin meant they might be targeted by the Root. Sending mediocre ones brought disgrace to their village.
Regardless of choice, substantial gains were difficult to achieve.
Another high-ranking figure said, "Konoha's objectives matter little. What matters is we cannot refuse. Refusing Konoha's invitation without cause will only invite unnecessary suspicion and attention. At this stage, we must avoid any complications."
Kusagakure's leader, Tsurukawa, nodded slightly, agreeing with the latter's assessment. "Mm, correct. Konoha is busy hosting exams. Their attention will be drawn to internal affairs. For us, this actually represents an opportunity."
"Hayami, tomorrow morning, formally respond to Konoha's envoy that Kusagakure agrees to participate in this Chūnin Exam."
"Yes!" Hayami bowed and acknowledged the order.
The elder who first spoke carried fervor in his eyes. "Hmph, let them be pleased for now! As long as this plan succeeds, Kusagakure will no longer need to bow and scrape."
"We will obtain power to change everything, allowing this land to completely escape the fate of becoming a battlefield!"
Tsurukawa's gaze swept over everyone present. Kusagakure internally maintained the long-standing militant "Grass Truth" faction and pacifist "Grass Flower" faction, but regarding this matter, both factions had rarely reached consensus.
They all yearned to change the village's fate of constantly serving as a buffer zone, passively enduring attacks.
And hope rested upon that legendary treasure—a ninja tool from the Sage of Six Paths' era containing power sufficient to alter the world: the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
It was sealed deep within Hozuki Castle under Kusagakure's jurisdiction.
Opening the Box of Ultimate Bliss required massive quantities of chakra plus enormous life energy as sacrifice.
At this moment, an intelligence-responsible shinobi hurriedly entered and reported quietly, "Lord Tsurukawa, elders, pursuit squads have sent word. They discovered the whereabouts of Kazuma, formerly a Guardian Shinobi heavily rewarded by the Land of Fire's daimyo. He also has a child with him."
One elder said, "Kazuma once served as the daimyo's Guardian Shinobi. His strength will not be weak. He certainly possesses excellent chakra. To capture him, we must act personally."
Tsurukawa finally ordered, "Accelerate all plans according to schedule. We must complete initial accumulation before Konoha's Chūnin Exam officially begins."
"Yes!" Deep, resolute responses echoed through the chamber.
The next morning, Hayami came to the guest quarters and informed Shuji of Kusagakure's decision to agree to participate in this Chūnin Exam.
Shuji expressed Konoha's gratitude on behalf of the village, his face revealing no abnormality. He then led his squad away from Kusagakure.
Before exiting Kusagakure's main gate, he sensed the Flying Thunder God marker he had left for Karin, confirming the location remained unchanged.
The squad proceeded forward. Shuji seemingly casually placed specially-crafted wooden piece markers at concealed corners using terrain cover at regular intervals. The distance between these marker points fell precisely within his effective transmission radius.
Just before formally crossing the border into the Land of Fire, Shuji stopped.
"Izumo, Chōji," he turned to the two squad members. "You two immediately take Kusagakure's reply and the report on their abnormal activities back to the village at top speed. Report directly to Lady Tsunade."
Once entering Land of Fire territory, safety increased dramatically. With Konoha's border outpost network, the message would certainly reach safely.
Then Shuji turned to Anko. "Anko, you stay. I have arrangements for you shortly."
Though unclear about Shuji's deployment purpose, Izumo and Chōji did not question it. These two trips had seen Shuji excellently complete village-assigned missions, even yielding extra gains. The Gate Guardian Duo now greatly admired their same-year classmate.
The Gate Guardian Duo acknowledged orders and departed, their figures quickly vanishing toward Konoha's direction.
"Shuji, what mission?" Anko asked, blinking.
"Last night in Kusagakure, I discovered two people who are Uzumaki clan survivors."
"Uzumaki clan?" Anko tilted her head, struggling to recall this somewhat unfamiliar term. "Oh! That clan very skilled at sealing techniques who was once the village's ally, but they seem to have already..."
"So what does Shuji want to do?"
"I intend to bring them back to the village."
"Huh?" The kunoichi did not immediately understand. "Bring back to the village? They are... two women?"
Her eyes could not help showing some suspicion. Though Shuji's conduct thus far did not suggest he was that type of person, specifically snatching people from another village to bring back was somewhat beyond her expectations.
"Captain..." She sighed with mock gravity and patted Shuji's shoulder. "You have finally reached that age."
Before the words finished, two fingers mercilessly attacked her cheeks, pinching and gently pulling outward.
"Ow ow ow! I was wrong! I was wrong, Captain!" Anko immediately raised her hands in surrender, begging for mercy through slurred speech. "Just joking! Absolutely joking!"
Shuji released his grip, expression blank. "They are mother and daughter. Snatching them has compassionate elements, but also elements of their inherent value." He did not hide his attitude.
Anko rubbed her cheeks. Though still not quite understanding, since Shuji had explained, she smiled. "Anyway, if Shuji decides this, there must be good reasons. So what do you need me to do?"
"Wait and stay hidden in this area for about two days. I will bring them out depending on circumstances."
"Understood!" Anko's figure flashed and vanished into the nearby dense forest, disappearing from sight.
After Anko left, Shuji closed his eyes to sense the Flying Thunder God marker. His figure abruptly vanished.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild