Using the Earth Release: Fish in Earth Reflection Technique, Yōkō moved stealthily underground with the maid's corpse, leaving the Office of the Chief Treasurer.
In an alley within the capital, Yōkō found the White Ram squad using a prearranged code signal.
Seeing the Squadron Leader throw down a corpse, White Ram hurried forward to inspect it. After checking, he said, "It's a ninja. There are many signs of training on the body. Their skill was decent, at least Chūnin level."
Yōkō said, "I plan to use the hydroelectric plant's foundation-laying ceremony to lure the target nobles outside the capital city. The current problem is that not only are we and the Sand ninjas in the capital, but there are also Iwa-nin spies. Ōnoki places extreme importance on intelligence and has spies deployed all over the ninja world. After the hydro plant appears, the Land of Rivers will no longer rely on coal from the Land of Earth. I've gathered intelligence that the Iwa-nin spies in the capital plan to sabotage the foundation-laying ceremony, which would also ruin my plan. White Ram, your task is to find the Iwa-nin spies, notify me, and I will eliminate them."
"Squadron Leader, our squad can handle eliminating the Iwa-nin. You should focus on completing the foundation-laying ceremony."
Having seen those Iwa-nin spies in his previous life, Yōkō knew they were quite skilled. He said, "The Iwa-nin spies cannot be left alone, or they will sabotage our plan. But we also cannot kill all of them, or there will be no one to create chaos, and we'll lose our chance to fish in troubled waters."
White Ram nodded repeatedly. Since some Iwa-nin needed to be left alive, it was better for the Squadron Leader to control the extent himself.
When Yōkō returned to the Office of the Chief Treasurer, he saw Koishi Chisa was exhausted and had fallen into a deep sleep.
Yōkō thought to himself, Chisa is tired too. Let's call it a night for now.
Over the next few days, Yōkō spent his days busy with the hydro plant blueprints and construction plan, and his nights appreciating Koishi Chisa switching between intellectual beauty and wild beauty.
On the day before the foundation-laying ceremony, Yōkō went with the White Ram squad to the coal-fired power plant outside the capital.
The power plant had shut down due to the lack of coal; the chimneys and cooling towers no longer belched smoke.
Walking through the power plant, Yōkō felt this world was deeply fragmented.
It had both the supernatural abilities of ninjas and scientific products like electrical appliances and wiring.
With the plant shut down, many artisans had returned home, leaving only the core artisans and workers.
Yōkō and the White Ram squad moved through the dormitories one by one and, based on White Ram's intelligence, killed four Iwa-nin spies.
Yōkō said, "The remaining Iwa-nin spies are just enough to create chaos without completely ruining our plan. Let's go. Tomorrow is our opportunity to complete the mission. Assassinating disobedient nobles is one of Root's highest-level tasks. We can never be too careful. Spending half a month is normal, don't you think, White Ram?"
White Ram nodded perfunctorily. 'Spending some time'? More like being helplessly obsessed with the girl with glasses!
He had even heard gossip in the capital: the Daimyō's sister, Chief Treasurer Koishi Chisa, was infatuated with the newly appointed Kawauchi no Kami.
The capital's residents were speculating that the Daimyō's sister might be getting married.
The next morning, the foundation-laying ceremony began.
Many nobles from the capital attended. Yōkō, as the Kawauchi no Kami, had specifically invited the assassination targets, the Left Imperial Guard General and the Master of the Empress's Household.
Koishi Chisa wore a form-fitting gown and glasses, standing at the rostrum explaining the importance of the hydroelectric plant.
The wind from the river canyon blew, tousling the ends of her hair.
A strand drifted across her eyes. Koishi Chisa raised her slender hand and gently brushed it aside.
Yōkō felt a pang of regret.
After today, they might never meet again.
If they did meet again, he hoped it would be to protect her.
Life was always full of regrets, especially for a ninja, and even more so for a Root ninja like Yōkō who operated in the shadows.
Suddenly, four Iwa-nin spies among the artisans jumped up.
"Kill the Kawauchi no Kami! How dare he stop using the Land of Earth's coal! The Kawauchi no Kami must die!"
"Earth Release: Rock Iron Gun Technique!"
Rocks shot forth, heading straight for Yōkō.
Koishi Chisa beside him moved quickly. Her slender frame contained surprising strength.
She drew her thin sword, stepped in front of Yōkō, and with several swift strokes, shattered the incoming rocks.
Yōkō thought, If Koishi Chisa were truly as weak as she appeared on the surface, she wouldn't have been able to last over an hour last night, now would she?
Seeing the rocks shattered, Koishi Chisa breathed a sigh of relief. She turned, intending to grab Kōji and take him away, only to find Kōji had disappeared.
She quickly looked around and saw Kōji putting on a mask.
That mask...
Root?
No... the mask bore the insignia of Amegakure.
Amegakure ANBU?
Yōkō and the White Ram squad had preemptively carved the insignia on their mask foreheads, disguising themselves as Rain ANBU.
Yōkō had informed White Ram of the two nobles' defensive strength. White Ram and his squad members precisely allocated the number of explosive tags.
The Sand ninja guards received special attention.
Yōkō, holding his sword, used the Body Flicker Technique to charge into the thick smoke.
When the smoke cleared, both the Left Imperial Guard General and the Master of the Empress's Household had their throats slit by a ninjato, blood spraying.
Yōkō waved his hand. "Retreat! Back to the Land of Rain!"
He had barely left when he heard a tearful voice behind him.
"Kōji! Who are you really? Don't go!"
Yōkō didn't slow down. Koishi Chisa abandoned the foundation-laying ceremony and desperately chased after him.
White Ram noticed that Fox Squadron Leader's speed had decreased slightly.
With the Squadron Leader's ability, he shouldn't be this slow while traveling, especially during an escape.
Yōkō glanced back from time to time, watching Koishi Chisa chasing after him with all her might.
Only when he saw her legs grow weak, having reached her limit, did Yōkō stop.
He said to White Ram, "Take the squad and go ahead. I'll deal with this loose end."
White Ram glanced back at the Chief Treasurer Koishi Chisa chasing them, then turned and left.
Women are so pitiful. They never know if a man's feelings for them are genuine.
In that regard, the women of the Aburame Clan have an advantage. You can tell a man's sincerity from the Parasitic Destruction Insects.
A man's mouth can lie, but the insects' hormones don't.
If a man changes his heart, the insects will show a physiological aversion.
White Ram suddenly thought of Aburame Chima.
Her insects and his lived in perfect symbiosis. Sometimes even he couldn't tell which insects were his and which were Chima's.
Who can really understand matters of the heart? He used to find Chima so annoying, yet after her death, he frequently thought of her.
Yōkō stood by the riverbank, waiting for Koishi Chisa to arrive.
They stood facing each other across the river.
Tears hung at the corners of Koishi Chisa's eyes; they were red-rimmed, as if she wore pink eyeshadow.
Clenching her fists, panting heavily, she asked, "Kōji! Who are you really? Why did you lie to me?"
Yōkō didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "Miss Chisa, there is one thing I did not lie to you about. The hydro plant blueprints are real. The construction plan is real. The fact that the hydro plant can generate electricity using the Land of Rivers' unique canyon rivers is also real. Protect the hydro plant well. Consider it my final gift to you. Goodbye, Miss Chisa."
Yōkō raised his hand, formed the hand seals for the Body Flicker Technique, and vanished.
***
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