Chương 33: The Plan

Jubei had no fixed place of residence, he never had in the past, nor did he now. Even though he was currently the city defense captain of Dehashi Port, he still changed his lodging every single day. Not even his subordinates in the Chashan Gang could find his whereabouts before he took the initiative to appear. Just endure a little longer... just a little bit longer. Those Konoha shinobi would leave soon enough; they had only come for an escort mission. Even as he thought this, he still felt a lingering unease.

Because someone from the Wasabi Family had approached the Konoha shinobi, and that shinobi had paid them a visit in return. This was not a good omen, but now was not the time to make a move. Jubei felt a pang of regret. Wagasuke Yuma had wanted him to assassinate Wasabi Jirocho a long time ago, but back then, Wasabi Jirocho had been keeping a low profile. Even if discontent burned within him, Jirocho had stayed obediently quiet and taken no action. He could not rashly strike against Konoha shinobi.

Nor could he simply sit back and do nothing. In that case... Jubei made up his mind. The next day, Shuji woke up early and once again took a walk through the town. Only when the sunlight dispersed the last traces of thin mist and bathed the port in a dazzling golden glow did Shuji return to the inn. Hiroyama Makoto was already waiting anxiously; the moment he saw Shuji, it was as if he were seeing his savior, repeatedly urging: "Captain Shuji! Great news!

The port authorities have relented, and my goods can be loaded onto the ship today! Could I bother you and your team..." Having received their assent, the cloth merchant immediately arranged for his workers. He wanted nothing more than to leave Dehashi Port as soon as possible. The docks were as noisy and bustling as ever. Hiroyama Makoto's hands carefully hauled the tightly wrapped, valuable fabrics out of the warehouse and loaded them onto the cargo ship anchored at the berth.

Those rogue-like guards merely watched on as before, but the three shinobi could tell that the guards' eyes were not fixed on the high-priced cargo, but on their ninja squad. Shuji walked forward with steady strides, heading straight toward Hiroyama Makoto, who was speaking in low tones with a port official. Anko caught his drift instantly, following half a step behind him with a casual demeanor. The two figures blended into the narrow passageway flanked by bustling dockworkers and stacked crates.

At that exact instant, the guards watching from a distance unconsciously focused their gazes. Now! Itachi, who had been sitting quietly atop a cargo crate, raised his head as if inadvertently. Crimson double-tomoe flashed momentarily under the sunlight, casting silent ripples through the unfocused pupils of the guards. It was merely a moment's daze.

By the time their vision refocused, Shuji was already standing beside Hiroyama Makoto, pointing at the cargo ship and speaking, while Anko stood beside him with her arms crossed. Two of them? Where was that kid? One guard subconsciously turned his head to search, only to see the black-haired boy wearing a forehead protector still sitting quietly in the same spot, his calm gaze resting on the busy workers. Relieved, the guard assumed his eyes had simply played tricks on him.

Relying on the cover provided by Itachi and Anko, Shuji left behind a clone and slipped away unnoticed, making his way swiftly toward the Wasabi Family estate. The fact that the port authorities had allowed Hiroyama Makoto to depart ahead of schedule today indicated that they had grown vigilant. In that case, he needed to accelerate their plan. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The rear courtyard of the Wasabi estate remained tranquil.

Tsunade leaned casually against the veranda corridor, holding a plain white sake dish as she gazed at the shifting light and shadow in the garden, lost in thought. A crisp scent of alcohol mingled with the morning breeze, carrying a touch of lazy desolation. Wasabi Jirocho sat respectfully a short distance away.

"Jirocho, someone's looking for you," Lady Tsunade remarked casually. The head of the Wasabi Family started slightly, then quickly stood up and left. Passing through the winding corridor, he indeed found Shuji waiting at the courtyard entrance. Refraining from speaking at the entrance, he guided Shuji once again into the reception room.

"I'll get straight to the point, Mr. Wasabi," Shuji began.

"Have you realized the true purpose behind the Chashan Gang's existence?" Jirocho did not answer directly. Instead, he said, "My family originally formed from local fishermen and street vendors in Dehashi Port, banding together to defend against rogue ronin raids. The Wasabi Family has always been responsible solely for affairs within Dehashi Port. As for anything else... Dehashi Port has rarely suffered from shinobi incursions, which is thanks to Konoha.

The current turmoil is merely caused by petty villains seeking to stir up trouble for profit, and Dehashi Port has no stomach for their greed." So the Wasabi Family represents the local faction of Dehashi Port. In that case, by contrast...

"The Wagasuke Family doesn't seem to share that view," Shuji noted.

"The people of the Wagasuke Family are outsiders; they care only for money." The middle-aged man lowered his eyelids slightly.

"They were originally relatives of the Daimyo's chief elder's wife. They are not like us."

"Mr. Wasabi, I assume you have evidence that the Chashan Gang was never actually wiped out?"

"Of course!" A sharp glint flashed in Jirocho's eyes.

"Everything is prepared." Shuji lightly tapped his fingers on the tabletop and said slowly, "Are you willing to disclose this matter to the people of Dehashi Port? Is the Wasabi Family willing to submit an official report of recent events to the Daimyo?" The man couldn't help but frown. Submit a report to the Daimyo? What purpose would that serve? All of this had been tacitly allowed by the Daimyo in the first place.

Though the young shinobi before him acted remarkably mature, was he ultimately still incapable of grasping the overly complex politics of the adult world...? Shuji smiled faintly and said, "The Daimyo of the Land of Tea has never authorized a bandit gang to serve as the guards of Dehashi Port, nor has he ever consented to a bandit leader becoming the city defense captain responsible for town security."

"They won't recognize this evidence," the family head intended to explain the consequences of doing so.

"In fact..."

"Yes, he might even reprimand you, accusing you of being narrow-minded, and take the opportunity to crack down on the Wasabi Family," the teenage Jonin said calmly.

"That is... if Konoha weren't involved." The reception room fell into a sudden silence. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting distinct interplay of light and shadow across Shuji's youthful face.

Meeting Jirocho's uncertain and startled gaze, he spoke word by word with absolute clarity:"You need only state in your petition to the Daimyo:'Under the investigation assisted by the shinobi squad dispatched by Konohagakure on an escort mission, it has been conclusively established that the Chashan Gang bandits who originally inhabited Wild Tea Slope were never truly eliminated.

The Wagasuke Family, perhaps overly eager for credit or deliberately deceived by the Chashan Gang's leader Jubei, misjudged the situation and recruited these ruthless brigands as Dehashi Port's defense guards. This has caused the port's order to crumble and drawn widespread grievances from merchants and travelers alike. We respectfully beseech the Daimyo to thoroughly investigate, set matters right, and appease the populace.'"

Wasabi Jirocho's confusion, doubt, and subtle trace of slight dissolved instantly like thin ice dropped into boiling water, replaced by a near-shocked realization! He drew a sharp breath, involuntarily straightening his posture, and shook his head with conviction: "You... Shuji-kun, you do not act like a typical shinobi." He marveled, "To devise such a strategy at your age is truly worthy of admiration." The Daimyo of the Land of Tea had no wish to enter into direct conflict with Konoha.

Establishing a hidden village was, at its core, a project that would be beneficial if successful, but ultimately disposable if it failed. Shuji's words highlighted this exact point, allowing Jirocho to snap back to reality. Why did he make such a judgment? First, the Heishizhong relied on the Chashan Gang to gather funds. If a nation's financial backing were truly all-in, there would be no need to resort to such an unseemly method.

Second, the manner in which the Chashan Gang was legalized was fraught with plausible deniability, which signified that the Land of Tea itself wished to leave room for retreat. That is to say, until this project could actually succeed, the Land of Tea would only offer limited assistance; ultimately, the Heishizhong had to pull it off on their own. On the surface, the Land of Tea still needed to maintain an attitude of plausible deniability.

Under this assessment, the fastest way to gather intelligence on the lurking Heishizhong was to dismantle their cash-generating tool; the Chashan Gang, and force the Heishizhong to step into the light. Could they strike directly? Yes, but the risk was high. If the Wasabi Family took the lead and the Konoha shinobi merely corroborated Jirocho's testimony as witnesses, the Heishizhong's guard wouldn't immediately skyrocket. Thus, Shuji asked once more, "Is the Wasabi Family willing to step forward?"

Jirocho's expression turned serious.

"This is the very reason for my family's existence. Just tell me what needs to be done.