[Year 52, Sunagakure, a week later]
— Souei Matsuri —
Souei and Sasori walked through the streets of Sunagakure side by side. As a newly minted clan head, part of his new responsibilities involve visits to the estates and homes of various high-ranking shinobi and the other shinobi clans as a way to boost relationships and perhaps form alliances.
It had been a month since their return, yet progress in their investigation into Rylan's list of names had been frustratingly slow. He had used these visits as a chance to gain information of the various clan heads themselves, but despite that, all they had were false promises and fake smiles as these nobles tried to suck up to the new Matsuri clan head.
He stifled a sigh at that. He knew what he was getting into when he accepted the position, but thinking it and facing it were two entirely different things.
Today's target was Ichirai Okkotsu. The Okkotsu clan was neither prestigious nor militaristically powerful. Their wealth had come from mining operations scattered across the Land of Wind, and their influence within the village was modest. Yet, Ichirai was a Jonin and a member of the Shinobi Council and held a seat in the Kazekage's inner circle.
However, certain rumors had propped up recently saying that Ichirai had been growing dissatisfied for reasons unknown. This rumor alone was enough for Souei to follow through, which was why he chose the clan to visit next.
The Okkotsu estate was located on the southwestern edge of the village, a walled compound of modest size compared to the tall curtain walls of the Matsuri estate. A single guard awaited them at the gate, bowing respectfully as they approached.
"Good afternoon, Souei-sama. Yumi-sama has been expecting you. Please allow me to escort you inside."
Souei gave a curt nod, following the guard.
The path leading to the estate's main buildings was a simple cobbled walkway bordered by neatly trimmed bushes. No flowers adorned the grounds, nor were there gardens to speak of. For a clan that relied on trade and mining wealth, there was a clear lack in decorations nor embellishments.
"This place is dreadfully bland," Sasori muttered under his breath, careful to keep his voice low enough that the guard wouldn't hear.
Souei glanced at his nephew. "You're not wrong," he replied quietly.
The guard led them to a building situated in the upper-right corner of the estate. Inside, the hallways were equally unremarkable, lined only with lanterns that hung on even intervals. For a clan of supposed standing, the lack of effort to display wealth or prestige was unusual, and very suspicious.
Souei knew how clans worked. They always try their best to flaunt their wealth whenever they can, either through extravagant decorations like vases or paintings. The Matsuri Clan was the same way. It was very important to enact a certain image as nobles of a shinobi village.
They arrived at a set of double doors. "Yumi-sama is waiting for you inside." The guard bowed before taking his leave. Souei met Sasori's eyes as he shrugged. It seems his nephew had noticed the same thing.
They stepped through the doors into a surprisingly well-decorated living room. The space was elegant but not extravagant. The walls were lined with dark wooden paneling, and the floor was covered by a finely woven rug of muted red and gold. Simple yet tasteful vases adorned the corners, and the furniture was upholstered in deep burgundy colors.
Yumi Okkotsu rose from a sofa as they entered. She was a lean woman in her thirties, dressed in a purple yukata tied with a black obi. Her brown hair was neatly pinned back, done in braids that went just above her back. Souei met her gaze, and noticed the concealed caution behind her yellow eyes.
Souei recalled any information he had about her. 'Yumi Okkotsu, previously Yumi Hatsumei, daughter of a civilian merchant who married into the clan. She's very rarely seen outside the estate and is not a shinobi herself.'
Souei inclined his head in greeting. "Yumi-san, thank you for meeting with us. I am Souei Matsuri, recently appointed head of the Matsuri clan. This is Sasori, my nephew and heir until I have children of my own."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Yumi said with a polite smile, bowing slightly. "Please, have a seat. My husband is away at the frontlines, so I am here as his representative."
Souei nodded, settling into one of the sofas across from her. Sasori sat beside him, his expression carefully neutral.
The conversation began with polite small talk. Souei asked about the state of the village and how the war had affected daily life. Yumi responded with simple, but measured words. Civilian she may be, but she certainly have gotten used to the intrigue that's expected from Shinobi clans.
Her demeanor was friendly and polite, though Souei noticed she was clearly guarded. She mentioned her son, Yoru Okkotsu, who is currently studying at the academy and is the top of his class.
It was Sasori who subtly shifted the topic, "And how fares your clan, Yumi-san? Surely managing such an operation during these times is no small feat."
The change in Yumi's demeanor was immediate. Her polite smile faltered, and her posture stiffened ever so slightly. "The Okkotsu clan is managing as best we can," she said, her tone clipped.
Souei leaned forward, seizing the moment. "I couldn't help but notice the absence of decorations throughout your estate. It's… unusual for a clan to forgo presenting their wealth. Is your clan facing difficulties, perhaps?"
Yumi's eyes widened, and for a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve.
"If you're facing any problems," Souei continued, "perhaps I might be of help? As a new clan head, forging alliances is one of my priorities."
Sasori chimed in. "The Matsuri clan has its strengths. We would be honored to offer assistance if needed."
Yumi hesitated, glancing between the two of them. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders sagging as she relented.
"O–Our clan has been facing hardships lately," she admitted with a small gulp. "The Okkotsu clan owns several mines, which have always been our primary source of income. Iron, silver, and gold were our main trades, but most of the mines dried up about two years ago."
She glanced toward the window, her expression somber. "My husband insisted we keep it a secret. He said we would be seen as weak if anyone found out. He promised to find a solution, but then the war began, and we never had the chance to approach the Kazekage for support."
Yumi's hands clenched in her lap as she continued. "We've been forced to sell much of what we owned. It started with items in storage—vases, old furniture—but eventually, we had to part with more valuable possessions. Chandeliers, paintings… even some members of our staff. And now, well…" She gestured toward the window, her voice trailing off.
Souei followed her gaze, his mind piecing together the puzzle. 'They had only one guard at the gates. They have little to no servants to tend to their gardens. With most of their members out in the frontlines, it's no wonder we barely saw anyone.'
"I see," Souei said thoughtfully. "It must be difficult to shoulder such a burden by yourself. The situation is certainly far more precocious than I thought it would be."
Yumi nodded. "My husband believes we can recover once the war is over. But until then, we must endure."
The Okkotsu clan's declining funds, their chance of recovery thwarted by the war, Ichirai's recent dissatisfaction in the council.
'Any one of these would make for a good motive. With all three, I won't be surprised if Ichirai got desperate.' Souei eyed a picture by a table that had the man himself along with his wife and son. 'Especially considering that he has the future to think of,'
Gazing at the woman sitting across from him, Souei paused. The one thing he's uncertain about is how much Yumi truly knew. Did she tell Souei everything, or was there something else underneath that she kept to herself? If his gut feeling was right and Ichirai was responsible for all of this, how much did he tell his wife, if at all?
"I appreciate your honesty, Yumi-sama," Souei said, his tone carefully measured. "If there is any way the Matsuri clan can assist, please do not hesitate to reach out."
"Thank you, Souei-sama," Yumi said softly.
As they departed the estate, Souei met Sasori's gaze and gave a small nod. A quick understanding passed between them both.
…
— Rasa —
Rasa walked through the narrow tunnel, taking a second to adjust himself to the low lighting. He scanned the dirt walls, noting the subtle imprints of activity. There were patterns in the dust, scuffs on the ground, faint marks left by hasty hands or hurried feet.
The tunnel was clearly well-used. Footprints tracked through in both directions, meaning that the tunnel was also used for their escape. Rasa frowned at that. Rylan's Anbu must have already scoured these tunnels numerous times. He didn't know what exactly he was looking for, but while Souei was busy meeting the heads of the clans, he needed to busy himself doing something.
He continued along the winding paths, brushing his hand amongst the dirt walls. There was something here. Something innately familiar but he couldn't put exactly what it was. He must have been at least two kilometers deep into the tunnel when he felt it.
There was gold nearby.
Rasa stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention to the source. The sensation was strongest to his left, where there was just another unassuming dirt wall. Yet he could feel the abundance of gold hidden just beyond it.
'What is this?'
Realization dawned on him. Quickly going through hand signs, he turned the dirt wall into mud and tore it down. He kept digging and digging until he found it. Right there, another path was revealed to him. 'This must be why the Anbu squad who chased after the attackers missed them completely.'
Gold dust burst from the two gourds he kept at his waist as they coiled around him, ready for anything. He took a step into the new tunnel with his guard up.
The air in this new path felt different. It was colder, damper. Rasa continued forward, until the tunnel opened into a vast cavern. His eyes widened slightly at the sight.
It didn't take long for him to find out just where he was. 'This is a gold mine. No wonder I sensed a lot of it.'
Numerous unmined ores could be seen dotting the interior of the cavern. He walked past it all and eventually appeared outside, a few miles away from the village. The area looked like a mining operation used to operate in the vicinity, but it seems it was abandoned recently. There were wooden walls and towers that were hastily torn down and never properly cleaned up. A few other tools and objects half sunken in the sand that were left to the dust.
That thought put a frown on Rasa's face. From what he could sense, they were still sitting on a few tons of gold here, so why the hell was this mine abandoned?
'Unless it was deliberate. They couldn't afford witnesses, so they had this mine rumored to have dried out. When the miners left, they used this as a staging ground, digging through and connecting the mine to the tunnels beneath the hospital. This was a planned operation. One that took months in the making.' Rasa realized.
But it also gave a large clue. 'Whoever sanctioned this mine to no longer be used must be the culprit. I'll bring this to Souei. He should have access to the records of the village's operations.'
…
AN: Hello guys! Big surprise chapter for MOS. I know it's been a year since this was last updated, and that was my bad. Truly, the writer's block I had when I was working on this screwed me up too much to the point I had to create another novel. But that ended up being detrimental since my muse went to Fairy Tail and Skyrim instead.
But that's ended now (hopefully). I will be starting to update these fics once again, so expect some more chapters coming for Marionette of Suna and Dark Swordsman as Skyrim is reaching the last arc.
Make sure to check out my P-Word, since big changes are coming to it. For starters, free users have some benefits to gain as well.
Politics is a pretty big thing in Naruto. With the whole Hyuga affair and Five Kage meeting all happening due to politicking from certain factions. You better believe I'll be taking part in it as well.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!