The next morning, Hayashi awoke in his bed, but he lingered lazily in the soft bedding. After months of harsh survival, he had grown accustomed to comfort and declared he could enjoy another day of rest.
His idleness, however, deeply unsettled Minato. The young shinobi, who had seen the Daimyo Residence at four in the morning, felt ashamed. He had been waking early to train, yet the gap between him and his friend only seemed to widen.
The world of geniuses, Minato thought, was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Still, he recognized that this mission shouldn't be too dangerous; otherwise, their target would already have begun scouting.
Though still lying in bed, Hayashi could not drift back to sleep. He noticed a familiar figure enter the room.
Click.
"I'm back," Nawaki announced with excitement.
"Where did you run off to?" Hayashi asked, raising his head.
"…I went to gather some intelligence," Nawaki replied sheepishly.
Hayashi's gaze shifted to his pocket. "…And what's in there?"
Minato grinned as Nawaki furtively pulled out several booklets.
"These are the latest works of the most virtuous and artistic Jonin in the Land of Fire—Teacher Kura. They're only sold at the Daimyo Residence," Nawaki said proudly. "I lined up at four in the morning."
Hayashi paused, impressed despite himself. Nawaki's dedication rivaled Minato's early morning discipline.
Hayashi also wanted to improve his knowledge. He quickly retrieved a book and placed it in his scroll.
"By the way, did you notice anything unusual?" he asked.
"…Well, the street guards increased significantly while I was out," Nawaki reported after thinking for a moment.
Hayashi nodded. He had ensured that those affected by last night's genjutsu would retain no memories. Yet upon waking on the ground, they would realize something had gone wrong at the chamber of commerce and likely report it.
It didn't matter. The Daimyo Residence was vast; locating the four of them would be nearly impossible.
"Let's have breakfast first. I'll go call Mikoto," Hayashi said, washing up before stepping out.
Soon, breakfast arrived. Being in the capital of the Fire Country, the meal's refinement rivaled that of Konoha, leaving the team, accustomed to the harsh Land of Rain, feeling as if they had reached paradise.
"Let's review the situation," Hayashi said, taking a sip of porridge.
"I have the name and address of the chamber of commerce transporting food to the Land of Wind. Last night, I returned before investigating further," he explained.
"Our next step is to reach the chamber of commerce and confirm whether it is indeed our target."
"What if it is?" Minato asked.
"Sunagakure will always send someone to receive the supplies. Capture or eliminate them, and our mission is complete," Hayashi replied calmly.
"But there's one more thing," he added, standing. "The transaction involves the Guardian Ninja Twelve, twelve elite Jonin. We are not their match. After dealing with the Sand ninjas, we leave immediately."
"Yes, Captain!"
---
As Nawaki had noticed, the guards on the streets had increased. Their strength, however, barely qualified them as shinobi. Hayashi and the others approached the chamber of commerce with ease.
The previous night, Hayashi had not only obtained the name and address of the chamber but also its internal layout.
Why another chamber of commerce knew the interior so well suggested more than simple business rivalry. The chamber collaborated with the Land of Wind, making it a lucrative target. Even with powerful backers, some would take risks for profit—Daimyo or not.
Businessmen nowadays were cunning, sometimes rivaling ninja-level intelligence.
During daytime hours, the chamber of commerce's defenses would be minimal, as business required openness. Hayashi easily infiltrated the second floor.
The innermost room was unlocked. After having Minato and Nawaki wait outside, Hayashi entered. In the luxuriously decorated room, a middle-aged man sat at the center chair.
"This guest… what can I do for you?" the man asked cautiously, addressing the small figure before him.
Hayashi smiled. "I have something to discuss."
He gently closed the door, and with the man's surprised expression revealed, cast a genjutsu over him.
"Some time ago, did you sell a large quantity of food to the Land of Wind?" Hayashi asked, his tone firm.
Under the genjutsu, the man hesitated but answered truthfully.
"Was it the chamber's own plan, or did the Sand ninjas negotiate for it?" Hayashi pressed.
"…Neither. Ryūma-sama initiated it. We considered consulting the Daimyo due to the scale, but Ryūma-sama said he already had the Daimyo's consent."
"Who is Ryūma?"
"One of the Guardian Ninja Twelve, the Daimyo's most trusted guard."
Hayashi sensed additional hidden circumstances. Did the Daimyo truly know everything?
"And when is the next negotiation?" Hayashi asked finally.
"In three days… the Sand ninjas will return. The location is…"
Hayashi nodded, snapping his fingers. The man collapsed into a deep sleep. When he awoke, he would only remember dozing off from exhaustion.
That was all Hayashi needed: one Guardian Ninja Twelve, the timing and location of the next negotiation. The information was sufficient.
_______
Over 80 advance chapters are available on my Patreon.
Use the promo code "ZPHYR07" to enjoy a 50% discount.
Patreon link: Patreon.com/Zphyr
If you'd simply like to support my work, I'd truly appreciate it.
And wishing you a happy Christmas in advance ❤️🌲