The First Great Shinobi War had consumed the ninja world for over a week, and already the landscape of the continent was transforming under the weight of unprecedented conflict. What had begun as declarations between the great villages had metastasized into a sprawling web of violence that engulfed neutral territories and minor nations caught between the ambitions of their larger neighbors.
Kusagakure, positioned strategically between the Land of Fire and Land of Earth, had become a crossroads of death. The Hidden Grass Village found itself hosting battles they never sought, their fields trampled by foreign armies, their forests burned by techniques meant for enemy forces. The great powers had tacitly agreed to spare their own homelands the devastation of war—better to let smaller nations bear the scars of their conflicts.
In the rocky hills and mountain passes where Iwagakure forces clashed with Konoha's northwestern front, the earth itself seemed to groan under the assault. Uchiha fire techniques carved molten furrows through stone fortifications while Akimichi clan members smashed through barriers with raw physical force. The Nara used the abundant shadows of the rocky terrain to trap entire squads, while Sarutobi multi-element techniques adapted fluidly to the ever-shifting battlefield conditions.
To the northeast, where Kumogakure's lightning-fast forces probed through the Land of Hot Water toward Grass Country, the Hyūga clan's Byakugan proved invaluable against opponents who could move faster than the eye could follow. Inuzuka tracking teams and their canine partners pursued infiltrators through dense forests, while Yamanaka mind techniques disabled key enemy commanders before they could coordinate devastating lightning-based assaults.
The Second Hokage himself had taken the field against the Raikage, their legendary battle already becoming whispered about in both camps. When titans clashed, the very landscape bore witness to their power.
But wars created opportunities alongside destruction, and both major and minor villages scrambled to recruit any available forces. Bounties appeared on mission boards like wildflowers after rain—some posted by the great villages seeking specific targets, others by smaller nations desperate for any advantage they could buy.
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Deep within the fortified mining complex that served as the Twelve Kizuki's base of operations, Kenji examined a stack of recruitment letters with cold calculation. The communication rings hummed with intelligence flowing between his scattered operatives, allowing him to track the war's progression with remarkable accuracy.
Rui entered the main chamber, his pale features schooled into impassivity, but a subtle tension radiated from him as he approached Kenji. He stopped at a respectful distance, bowing low before speaking, his soft voice carefully modulated. "Lord Muzan, the recruitment offers continue to arrive. Iwagakure has posted several bounties specifically requesting our organization."
Kenji scanned through the bounties, his presence a chilling weight in the underground chamber. He held up a specific notice bearing Kirigakure's seal. The reward was substantial, but the target was key.
*Kamizuru Clan Elite Scouts - Capture Alive Preferred*
Rui leaned forward cautiously to read the notice, careful not to intrude upon Kenji's space. "Lord Muzan, the Kamizuru clan... I've heard they are similar to Konoha's Aburame, but use bees."
"More than similar," Kenji corrected, his voice a low command that made Rui straighten instinctively. "They were Aburame rivals before the village system." *And useful pawns to secure our reputation now.*
*Rokuro,* Kenji projected through the ring network, his mental voice an icy command that resonated with absolute authority. *Report immediately.*
The response came instantly, laced with palpable deference and urgency. *At once, Lord Muzan!*
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Rokuro arrived not with his usual dramatic flair, but with swift, silent purpose. He materialized from the shadows near the entrance and immediately dropped to one knee, head bowed. The predatory energy he usually radiated was tightly leashed, replaced by focused obedience. His crimson eyes remained fixed respectfully on the floor before Kenji. "Lord Muzan. I await your command."
Kenji didn't acknowledge the kneeling posture; it was expected. "The Kamizuru clan," he stated, the words carrying the weight of an edict. "Bee-users. Kirigakure wants them captured alive. They are elite scouts for Iwagakure."
Rokuro absorbed the details, crystalline blood shimmering at his fingertips. "Bee-users… *interesting*, Lord Muzan. Their swarms could complicate direct strikes," he mused, flexing his hands as razor-edged links began to coil around his forearms. "But insects mean little when I can shred the very air around them. A *whirlwind of chains* will clear the pests, and once exposed…" He kept his tone respectful, devoid of the low chuckle he might have used elsewhere. "My Blood Chains excel at *restraint*. I will ensnare them alive—securely bound, Lord Muzan. I will not fail you."
"You won't be working alone," Kenji continued, his gaze piercing even as Rokuro kept his head lowered. "Enmu is operating near the Land of Hot Water border. He will assist."
Through the ring network, Kenji projected the mission details and Enmu's location. The Lower One's response was immediate, saturated with reverence and a hint of nervous excitement.
*Lord Muzan! The bee-whisperers... Their dreams must be fascinating. Filled with the collective consciousness of their hives... Yes, Lord Muzan. I understand. I will serve your will perfectly, Lord Muzan. I will not disappoint you.*
"Your mission parameters," Kenji addressed both demons through the rings, his mental voice brooking no dissent. "Primary objective: capture at least one Kamizuru clan member alive and bring them here. Secondary: eliminate or capture additional members *only* if it does not compromise the primary goal. Tertiary: gather intelligence on their contracts and allegiances."
Rokuro's drums rotated silently. "Lord Muzan, any particular member we should prioritize?"
"Elder clan members if possible—they have greater knowledge. But do not jeopardize the primary objective for a specific target."
"Timeline, Lord Muzan?" Rokuro asked, his entire posture radiating readiness to obey instantly.
"Move now. Today's intelligence is worthless tomorrow. Meet Enmu at the designated coordinates. Establish surveillance. Execute when conditions are optimal."
Kenji's psychic presence intensified, a palpable wave of cold authority washing over both demons, even through the ring. "Remember—we want them functional, not broken. Dead Kamizuru are worthless. Use the *minimum* necessary force for capture. Fail in this, and you will answer to me."
*Understood, Lord Muzan!* Rokuro's mental voice was sharp, almost frantic with the need to comply.
*Yes, Lord Muzan! Minimum force. Alive and functional. It will be done exactly as you command, Lord Muzan!* Enmu's thought-voice trembled with earnest fear of failure.
"One additional command," Kenji added as Rokuro prepared to depart. "If you encounter recruitment attempts, maintain our mercenary cover. We are neutral contractors interested only in profitable contracts. Reveal *nothing* beyond what is necessary for this mission."
Rokuro bowed his head lower, his voice tight with the gravity of the order. "Yes, Lord Muzan. We will be invisible ghosts in their war, Lord Muzan."
The Lower Four demon bowed formally again, deeper this time, before melting back into shadow, his departure marked by deference rather than drama. Through the communication network, Kenji could sense both demons coordinating their approach, Enmu's strategic mind meshing with Rokuro's tactics, but both minds were tightly focused on one thing: absolute obedience to Lord Muzan's will.
*This will please Lord Muzan,* Enmu's voice drifted through the link, filled with a desperate hope. *Their hive minds... such unique vulnerabilities... We *must* succeed perfectly for Lord Muzan.*
Kenji settled back, the reports on Kamizuru techniques spread before him. The air around him still thrummed with the residual fear and reverence of his departing servants. The war above was chaos, but here, his command was absolute.