"Pfft—!"
Uzumaki Jun wiped the tea he had just spat out, licked his lips, put down his cup, and stared expressionlessly at Uzumaki Hibiki, who had once again been sprayed with tea. He asked calmly, "You... what did you say?"
"..."
Uzumaki Hibiki seemed used to it by now. He casually wiped his face and used a small Wind Release: Drying Technique to dry the damp notes in his hand. "Those Kiri-nin are planning to cause trouble."
"Oh?" Uzumaki Jun became curious. "How do they plan to do that?"
Not only was their chakra sealed, but the entire country of Uzushio was also covered in surveillance. Where did they get the confidence to think they could escape?
This was an inescapable net!
Even if they only had to deal with Uzushio's shadow clone swarm tactics, it would be enough to give them a hard time. Yet they were still thinking about escaping? Was it...
Because the teachers' lectures were too boring, or because they hadn't been given enough homework?
"They plan to take Yōya's family hostage to force Uzushio to let them go," Uzumaki Hibiki said, adjusting his glasses with a hint of disdain. "Should we arrest them now?"
These were a bunch of idiots, thinking they could take hostages in Uzushio?
Didn't they know that Lord Jun knew space-time ninjutsu?
They'd probably be dealt with before they could even draw their blades. Honestly, Lord Jun was too kind. He should have just eliminated them back then. Why wait until now?
"How did you find out?" Uzumaki Jun stroked his chin, looking at Uzumaki Hibiki curiously. "If I remember correctly, the surveillance doesn't have audio capabilities yet."
The Telescope Technique was only good for spying, and even then, it couldn't pick up sound.
Besides...
They hadn't installed surveillance in the Kiri-nin's dormitory because it wasn't necessary.
Shinobi without chakra were basically sitting ducks.
There was no need to waste chakra crystals on them.
"A Kiri-nin secretly reported it to the patrolling officers at the labor camp last night," Uzumaki Hibiki said. "Since it was late, the clan head told us not to act rashly and to ask you what to do."
"A Kiri-nin secretly reported it?" Uzumaki Jun was stunned. "What can I do? For something like this, we should just round them all up and assign them 24/7 exams for a week!"
Tests on Uzushio's constitution and moral education. Fail, and they'd have to copy the test a hundred times!
By then, they probably wouldn't have the energy to think about anything else.
"..."
Uzumaki Hibiki ignored Lord Jun's nonsense. "Should we send shinobi to arrest them now?"
"No, wait." Uzumaki Jun suddenly had a brilliant idea and narrowed his eyes. "Who was the one who reported it?"
A jōnin with no sense of shinobi ethics—how disgraceful. Had he been moved by Uzushio's education, repented, and decided to contribute to Uzushio's development?
"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the wielder of Samehada—Hoshigaki Fuguki," Uzumaki Hibiki said.
"..."
No wonder. It was this traitor!
Uzumaki Jun was speechless. If he hadn't interfered, this guy would have been selling secrets to enemy nations in a few years before getting beaten to death by Kisame.
He had thought it was someone who had been enlightened by Uzushio's ideology.
But no...
It was Hoshigaki Fuguki...
Uzumaki Jun smirked coldly and said to Uzumaki Hibiki, "Don't arrest them yet."
"I just had an idea!"
Why had he kept Yōya back then?
Wasn't it so that defectors from other villages would know there was a country that might take them in?
After all, a lot of shinobi in the world were quite talented...
It would be a shame to just kill them off. They should be reeducated with Uzushio's ideology so they could contribute to the world. So...
Letting them die without squeezing out every last bit of their value would be a waste.
But now...
"It's time to spread Uzushio's reputation for mercy," Uzumaki Jun muttered, narrowing his eyes.
As for what would happen to Kirigakure?
A bunch of poor people—no need to care about them!
Right now, two of their swords were in Uzushio—one in the research lab, being studied to see if they could breed more Samehada, and the other...
In the slaughterhouse...
A village that couldn't even scrape together a few billion had nothing to fear!
"Let Hoshigaki Fuguki stay undercover," Uzumaki Jun said with a smile. "Make sure he doesn't get caught."
Otherwise...
If he got beaten to death, Uzushio couldn't be blamed!
"Lord Jun, are you planning to..." Uzumaki Hibiki looked at Uzumaki Jun in confusion. "Uzushio can't take in a traitor like this. It could cause problems."
Hoshigaki Fuguki wasn't like Yōya.
No matter what, he was a high-ranking member of Kirigakure, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. If word got out that he had betrayed Kirigakure for Uzushio, Kirigakure wouldn't let it slide. And...
It would damage Uzushio's reputation.
After all...
Recruiting defectors from other villages was a big taboo!
"Do you think, with all the bloodline limits Uzushio has collected over the years, we can still avoid suspicion?" Uzumaki Jun looked at Uzumaki Hibiki. "It's only because most eyes are on Amegakure right now that no one has noticed anything unusual about Uzushio."
"Once the war ends and the world returns to peace, once nations start interacting again, Uzushio's secrets will eventually be exposed."
After all...
Isolationism wasn't sustainable!
"But Hoshigaki Fuguki is still different from those clans," Uzumaki Hibiki shook his head. "He would never truly submit to Uzushio."
"It's fine. We'll just treat him like a pig," Uzumaki Jun waved his hand. He was just keeping him around as a figurehead. As for letting him remain a shinobi?
Sorry...
Uzushio only had the military!
Then, he stopped paying attention to Uzumaki Hibiki.
He knew what Uzumaki Hibiki was thinking. Most people in Uzushio felt the same way. Because of Uzushio's thriving development, they were afraid that one accident could ruin everything, so they acted even more cautiously. But...
They didn't realize that no matter which country it was, the only way to secure peace and stability was through strength!
So, sooner or later, Uzushio would have to show its strength to the entire shinobi world. It was just...
A matter of finding the right justification.
After all, Uzushio was a country that followed reason. It wouldn't attack other nations without cause.
"Taking Yōya's family hostage, huh?" Uzumaki Jun narrowed his eyes. "Have you told Yōya yet?"
"No," Uzumaki Hibiki shook his head. "The clan head told us to keep it secret for now."
"In that case," Uzumaki Jun smiled faintly. "What do you think about Uzushio's festival in a few days?"
"??" Uzumaki Hibiki looked at Uzumaki Jun in confusion.
"The hostage situation!" Uzumaki Jun sighed helplessly. "During the festival, everyone will let their guard down. If they act then, their chances of success will definitely increase."
"..."
Was he helping the Kiri-nin refine their plan??
Uzumaki Hibiki stared speechlessly at Lord Jun...
What... what was Lord Jun planning this time?
"Then, have the nearby patrol officers retreat," Uzumaki Jun narrowed his eyes and pointed at the map of Uzushio on the table. "Take this route. It's close to the sea and sparsely populated—perfect for escaping."
Let Hoshigaki Fuguki lead the Kiri-nin on a wild chase, and then Uzushio could put on an annual spectacle!
Theme: A Nation of Mercy and Hope!
It doesn't matter if you're a defector—as long as you're a citizen of Uzushio, you will be protected!
With this, Uzushio's reputation would probably reach new heights!
At this point...
Uzumaki Hibiki stopped talking. He just listened quietly to Uzumaki Jun's words, feeling a sudden pity for the Kiri-nin...
Though he didn't know what Lord Jun was planning, with even their escape route provided by him...
What else could they even do??
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