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"Can you grill meat?"
"Uh…"
The Anbu ninja paused for a few seconds before nodding vigorously:
"Please rest assured, Advisor-sama. Grilling meat is my specialty. Just sit back and enjoy, Advisor-sama."
Under the skeptical gazes of his two colleagues, as well as Kazuki and Hinata, the Anbu ninja who took over the grilling task deftly flipped the meat, brushed on oil, and applied seasonings with such fluid motions that it was clear he was an expert.
'Well, damn—this guy's a pro!'
This worked out nicely; at least Kazuki could enjoy some hot food himself.
There's just something satisfying about ordering people around.
"You two—go hunt a wild deer for Advisor-sama. Freshly killed deer meat, sliced thin and seasoned, tastes perfect."
"…"
The other Anbu exchanged a deep glance with their colleague who was now dishing out orders before heading into the forest to hunt.
After a perfect day of eating grilled meat until their stomachs were stuffed, Kazuki returned to the village with Hinata.
Once back, Kazuki's first stop was the Hokage Tower to check the profiles of the Anbu team assigned to protect him today.
"Akimichi… No wonder."
He hadn't expected the guy grilling his meat to be from the Akimichi clan—it all made sense now!
The Akimichi weren't all experts, but most were masters at making grilled meat.
Though, an Akimichi who wasn't chubby?
That was a bit odd.
After all, the ninjas of this clan loved eating themselves plump—the fatter they were, the stronger they became.
Next time he went on a long trip, he'd make sure to bring this guy along.
A walking, mobile chef—saved him a ton of hassle.
As the Akatsuki's plan unfolded, Obito and Black Zetsu infiltrated the Land of Wind.
Together, they controlled a portion of Sunagakure's ninjas, preparing to give the Land of Water's daimyo a big "surprise" when he entered the Land of Wind.
The Land of Wind's daimyo was completely unaware, leisurely sightseeing with his entourage as they crossed into the Land of Wind's territory.
Not long after the Land of Water's daimyo and his group set foot in the Land of Wind, a team of Sunagakure ninjas approached them proactively.
"Honored guests, we were sent by Kazekage-sama to escort and protect the Land of Water's daimyo. Please follow us."
"Didn't expect the Kazekage to be so proactive. Looks like he's eager to mend ties between the village and the daimyo's mansion."
The Land of Water's daimyo assumed Rasa was trying to smooth over relations between Sunagakure and the daimyo, so he'd sent people ahead to welcome and ensure his safety.
"In that case, we'll rely on you all for the rest of the journey. Let's move."
Once they stepped into the Land of Wind, the landscape was nothing but endless yellow sand or barren desert as far as the eye could see—hardly scenery to linger over.
Coupled with the scorching weather, the Land of Water's daimyo only wanted to hurry to the daimyo's mansion to meet with the Land of Wind's daimyo.
Whether for a great nation or a small one, a daimyo's travel entourage was always bloated.
The procession numbered over a hundred people—guards, maids for daily service, personal attendants, and more.
Quite the spectacle.
Some of Sunagakure's ninjas stayed to join the daimyo's protection detail, while others spread out to monitor the surroundings, guarding against potential ambushes.
In theory, no one would dare target a daimyo, but you could never be sure some lunatic wouldn't try to assassinate one. Precautions and preparations were still necessary.
"Sir, there's a group lying in ambush ahead—likely desert bandits."
"Surround them and eliminate them."
The lead Sunagakure ninja's face darkened.
The Land of Water's daimyo glanced over in surprise:
"Didn't expect desert bandits to still roam the Land of Wind. Seems Sunagakure's management isn't quite up to par."
The lead Sunagakure ninja explained awkwardly:
"Due to some issues between the village and the daimyo's mansion, the number of ninjas in the village has been decreasing, which led to this situation.
Plus, the harsh environment in the Land of Wind pushes some desperate people to become desert bandits, much like the pirates on your seas."
"Hmph!!!"
The Land of Water's daimyo wasn't pleased with this.
The first half sounded fine, but the second half grated on his ears.
It felt like they were saying, "Sure, we've got desert bandits in the Land of Wind, but your Land of Water's no better—you've got pirates."
Annoyed, the daimyo let out a cold snort, ending the conversation.
Hearing the sounds of battle in the distance, the Land of Water's daimyo smirked disdainfully:
"Looks like your Sunagakure ninjas are only so-so, can't even handle a bunch of desert bandits. Since that's the case, let me lend you a hand."
"You lot—go take care of those desert bandits."
Wanting to salvage some pride while also taking a jab at Sunagakure, the Land of Water's daimyo gleefully sent out the ninjas protecting him, leaving only a few and some ordinary guards by his side.
In his view, what Sunagakure couldn't handle, Kirigakure's accompanying ninjas could easily deal with.
"Kill him!!!"
The daimyo never could've imagined that, right after he dispatched his ninjas, the Sunagakure ninjas who'd been so respectful moments ago suddenly went berserk and charged at him.
Have you all lost your minds?
"Trouble! Protect the daimyo!! Sunagakure's trying to assassinate him!!!"
The Sunagakure ninjas integrated into the escort team abruptly turned hostile, catching the Land of Water's entourage completely off guard.
"Ahh!!!"
A scream rang out as the Land of Water's daimyo's left arm flew high into the air. The sudden upheaval left everyone from the Land of Water stunned.
Fortunately, the ninjas staying by the daimyo's side reacted quickly, throwing themselves forward regardless of their own safety to intercept the attackers, shielding the daimyo behind them.
The show had begun.
Hidden in the shadows, Black Zetsu and Obito decisively withdrew from the Land of Wind.
Next up was Nagato's time to shine.
As long as Kirigakure held on tight, Yagura didn't back down, and the Land of Water's daimyo—now missing an arm and severely shaken—refused to let it go, a war between Kirigakure and Sunagakure was inevitable.
The Akatsuki didn't need to kill the Land of Water's daimyo. Killing him would make things even messier.
But whether a war would break out was uncertain.
If the daimyo died, his gaggle of sons would surely tear each other apart to claim his seat—who'd have the mind to push for war?
Only by keeping the daimyo alive—humiliated and alive—could the war erupt smoothly.
A fierce fight broke out as the controlled Sunagakure ninjas clashed with those protecting the daimyo.
No one else broke through the encirclement to target the Land of Water's daimyo.
"Quick, get me out of here! Protect me and leave—send a distress signal to Konoha. I'm seeking their protection!"
The sudden assassination nearly scared the daimyo's soul out of his body. Missing an arm, he barely even felt the pain.