Inside the cargo ship's cabin.
Fuguki Suikazan and his four companions sat around a table.
On the table lay an unfurled scroll, detailing the target of their mission—a wealthy tycoon named Popi.
This individual, hailing from the Land of Tea, made his fortune through the tea trade. His wealth was immense, and he was always surrounded by an entourage of bodyguards.
It was estimated that he had over a hundred non-shinobi bodyguards, along with more than ten shinobi hired through bounty exchanges.
For most ninjas, this kind of mission would be extremely challenging.
However, for the assassins of Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village), who excelled in silent killing techniques, this mission posed no real difficulty.
Moreover, their team consisted of five members: one, a young but already renowned wielder of the Great Sword Samehada, a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and four seasoned assassination experts.
Like Kirigakure, the former Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) also had ninjas adept at silent killing.
Unfortunately, they had all been wiped out by Rinjin with a single Daytime Tiger.
While Fuguki Suikazan's team was discussing the details of their mission, Rinjin was upside down, clinging to the ceiling of the room below them, listening intently to their conversation.
As it turned out, Fuguki Suikazan's destination was none other than Yugakure (Hidden Hot Water Village) in the Land of Hot Water—a place Rinjin was very familiar with.
One had to admit, this village had an extraordinary tenacity for survival.
A few years ago, Rinjin had used his skills at steel gambling to bring the village to its knees, leaving its rooftops crowded with desperate people.
He had then led away most of the powerless and penniless residents.
Yet, against all odds, the village had flourished once more in just a few short years.
Its unique geographical position undoubtedly played a key role in its resurgence.
After learning of Kirigakure's assassination squad's plans, Rinjin didn't linger. He quickly formed a seal with one hand and vanished from the spot.
In Yugakure's underground base, Rinjin changed into a loose, comfortable robe with a cinched waist and leisurely strolled onto the streets.
Before long, he found his target—the wealthy tea tycoon Popi—at Yugakure's largest casino, The Fat Sheep Casino.
One glance was enough to leave Rinjin astonished. Popi sat at a dice table, surrounded on all sides by a dense crowd of bodyguards disguised as gamblers.
What a formation!
Forget kunai; even a gun couldn't penetrate this human wall.
Not only that, but Rinjin's keen senses detected at least a dozen watchful gazes scanning the area, ever alert to any threats near Popi.
Rinjin's eyes quickly swept over the scene without lingering on the tycoon. He casually exchanged some chips and took a seat at a nearby table.
He had no intention of interfering with Fuguki Suikazan's mission.
If his speculation was correct, Kirigakure might be backed by none other than the legendary Warring States-era powerhouse, Madara Uchiha.
If Madara was lurking in the shadows, then Black Zetsu was likely hiding even deeper, observing everything.
Thus, Rinjin's every move had to be meticulously calculated, utterly reasonable, and completely natural.
While he could theoretically confront Nagato and forcibly seize the Rinnegan...
But!
Such an approach would strip Rinjin of his greatest advantage.
If Madara was the shadow lurking in the darkness, biding his time, and Black Zetsu was the unblinking eye behind him,
Then Rinjin was the sly grin creeping behind Black Zetsu.
A hidden hand—like Garen in the bushes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
But once exposed, that hidden hand would become nothing more than a clumsy, fumbling one, losing its foresight and advantage.
As Rinjin pondered, the opportunity he had been waiting for finally arrived.
One of the five elite bodyguards closest to Popi left his post and headed to the restroom.
At the same time, Rinjin clutched his stomach, feigning an urgent need, and hurried towards the bathroom.
They met at the door and entered.
Shortly after, both Rinjin and the bodyguard exited the restroom, one after the other.
The bodyguard returned to his original position, while Rinjin calmly exchanged his chips, politely declined the suggestive invitation of a casino hostess, and disappeared into the crowd.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the bodyguard was no longer himself—it was now Rinjin in disguise.
For two consecutive days, Rinjin shadowed the wealthy tycoon as his bodyguard. On the third night,
Outside the tycoon's bedroom, Rinjin, having just taken over the night shift, leaned lazily against the doorframe with another bodyguard, casually chatting.
As their conversation dwindled and yawns grew more frequent, Rinjin's half-closed eyes suddenly sharpened.
They were here!
Gradually, the air filled with a colorless, odorless sedative gas.
One by one, the bodyguards in the hallway began to collapse, their falls accompanied by dull thuds.
"Something's not—"
Before the bodyguard opposite Rinjin could finish his sentence, his tongue went numb, and his body slumped to the floor. His closing eyes brimmed with unwillingness.
At that moment, Rinjin acted swiftly. He caught the collapsing bodyguard, produced a syringe filled with a stimulant as if by magic, and jabbed it into the man's neck.
The bodyguard shuddered violently and instantly regained consciousness.
"Keep quiet!"
Rinjin clamped a hand over the man's mouth and whispered urgently, speaking quickly.
"Listen, there's no time. Pretend to be unconscious and prepare to counterattack!"
The bodyguard's eyes lit up with understanding, and he nodded repeatedly.
Seeing this, Rinjin released him. The two of them collapsed to the floor, feigning unconsciousness.
Before long, two Kirigakure assassins clad in black silently appeared at the end of the hallway. They stepped over the sprawled bodyguards, making their way to the tycoon's bedroom door.
One of them nudged Rinjin and the other bodyguard aside with his foot, clearing the doorway. The leader of the assassination squad reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it.
The moment the door opened, seven or eight razor-sharp kunai shot out from within.
It turned out that the tycoon had not only stationed bodyguards in the hallway but had also placed his most skilled protectors inside his bedroom.
The battle erupted instantly.
The assassination squad, experienced as they were, reacted swiftly.
With a slight sidestep, they avoided the incoming kunai. Their hands were already forming seals.
"Hiding in Mist Technique," a low voice murmured from beneath a mask.
Thick mist billowed forth, quickly filling the hallway and seeping into the bedroom. Visibility plummeted.
At the same time, the remaining three members of the assassination squad emerged from the shadows.
Although the number of bodyguards inside the bedroom was unknown, in mist-filled combat, Kirigakure ninjas were unmatched.
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