Chapter 106: Temptation (Double Length Chapter)
"Famous?"
The chūnin's face twitched slightly.
If this kept up, they might actually become famous—after all, he'd heard of missions being specifically assigned to jōnin, but this was the first time he'd ever seen a mission explicitly designated for a genin squad.
Yōhei had already opened the scroll. The three of them leaned in close, heads nearly touching, as they read through the mission briefing together.
"Another escort mission?" Yōhei frowned. "And it's to the Daimyō's capital again? What the hell—twenty days for the mission duration?"
Confused, he turned to Taichi, instinctively looking to him for insight.
What insight could Taichi give?
This was the first time he was seeing it as well.
The mission was simple on paper: escort a visiting official from the Daimyō's residence back to Kyoto.
But something about it felt off.
Normally, escort missions were handled by the same team both ways. So why had the ninja who escorted the official to Konoha vanished? And why was this task being assigned to a genin team without a supervising jōnin?
No matter how he looked at it, something wasn't right.
And when Taichi thought back to their recent mission involving the Daimyō's residence, a vague suspicion began to take shape—still hazy, still elusive, but unmistakably unsettling.
"There's one more thing, Matsushita Taichi," the chūnin added.
"After reviewing the mission scroll, the Hokage orders you to report to the Hokage's office immediately."
That snapped Yōhei and Saori's attention away from the mission and straight onto Taichi.
Two pairs of curious eyes locked onto him, their meaning painfully obvious:
What did you do this time—and why didn't you tell us?
Taichi shook his head helplessly, signaling that he was just as clueless as they were.
The chūnin, having delivered his message, didn't linger. He turned and left briskly—clearly a busy man with no time to spare.
"Then I'll head to the Hokage's office," Taichi said after a brief pause.
"You two go prepare supplies. Let's regroup here at noon."
With that agreed, he turned and headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
---
Knock, knock, knock.
Taichi rapped on the office door.
"Come in."
He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the desk where Hiruzen Sarutobi sat buried in paperwork. The quiet room was filled only with the soft rustle of turning pages and the faint tap of a pipe being lit.
This early and already drowning in documents…
Taichi couldn't help thinking irreverently. How much time does the Third even have left to train? Just how much of his strength remains?
His thoughts wandered freely—but his mouth behaved.
"Hokage-sama," Taichi said earnestly,
"you should really smoke less. It's bad for your health. Lady Tsunade specifically told me to remind you."
"Pff—!"
"Cough, cough!"
"Tsunade?" Hiruzen waved away the smoke, amusement flickering in his eyes as he looked at Taichi.
"She wouldn't be that considerate."
Taichi scratched his head awkwardly, clearly caught.
"Teacher Tsunade does care about you… at least a little."
He didn't quite believe his own words—but Hiruzen smiled anyway.
"So," Taichi continued,
"you summoned me, Hokage-sama. Is something wrong?"
The smile faded.
Hiruzen studied the boy before him with sharp, measuring eyes.
An exceptional child, he thought.
Skill, mindset, and the Will of Fire—he has it all.
And precisely because of that, this mission was perfectly suited for him.
"Taichi," Hiruzen said slowly,
"tell me—what do you think of this mission?"
"What do you see behind it?"
Taichi's heart skipped a beat.
Fragments of information he'd gathered over time suddenly snapped together—the Daimyō's half-veiled attempts at recruitment during the previous mission, this escort assignment involving a Daimyō official, and the Hokage's pointed warning just now.
After a brief pause, he chose his words carefully.
"The escort target is an official from the Daimyō's residence, yet the mission deliberately assigns a squad without a jōnin leader… That alone is highly irregular."
"Correct."
Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe and retrieved a document stamped Classified from a drawer.
"According to ANBU intelligence, this official is a trusted confidant of the finance minister you encountered at the last banquet."
His gaze sharpened meaningfully.
"The Daimyō has taken an interest in you. This time, he personally requested that your team handle the mission."
Taichi's pupils constricted.
The hazy thread in his mind finally snapped into focus.
So this is it—an opportunity being manufactured for contact.
He clenched his fist instinctively.
"So this is—"
"An opportunity to turn the tables."
Hiruzen's voice dropped, heavy with intent.
"We also need to understand the Daimyō's true intentions toward Konoha."
The elderly Hokage stepped forward, placing a weathered hand on Taichi's shoulder.
"Are you willing to accept this special assignment?"
Taichi's breathing faltered.
So it really was a spy mission.
Spy work was far more dangerous than it sounded. Ever since Nonō—after leaving Root—had stopped hiding her past from him, Taichi had come to truly understand how brutal that life could be.
The endless mind games with enemies.
The constant tension of maintaining a cover.
Being surrounded by danger on all sides, every moment a test of nerve.
She had lived through all of it—and told him everything.
Yet when Taichi thought of the rapidly rising prices, of the looming possibility of war, he found himself understanding Nonō's determination to protect the orphanage back then.
He drew a slow, steady breath and straightened.
"Please issue your orders, Hokage-sama."
"Good."
Hiruzen smiled, clearly satisfied.
"Remember—just act naturally. If the Daimyō extends an olive branch—"
The pipe tapped lightly against the desk.
"Let it fall on a branch we've already prepared."
---
As Taichi left the Hokage's office, he narrowed his eyes toward the direction of the mission hall.
Yōhei and Saori's smiling faces rose unbidden in his mind.
His clenched fist slowly relaxed.
Some burdens… can only be carried alone.
---
After returning home to prepare weapons, tools, and supplies, it was already close to noon. Taichi didn't linger—locking his door, he headed straight for the mission hall to regroup.
He was mentally prepared.
This mission might involve little actual combat, but for him, its danger rivaled—perhaps even exceeded—that of a fierce battle.
---
Yōhei and Saori were already waiting outside the mission hall.
After regrouping, the three wasted no time and followed the mission scroll's instructions to the inn where the Daimyō's official was staying—Noda Sō.
Konoha truly lived up to its reputation as the most powerful and prosperous ninja village. Even its inns were built with a unique sense of style.
Standing before the building, Taichi glanced around in confusion. There wasn't a single sign indicating it was an official inn. If not for the address matching the mission scroll, he would've assumed it was simply a large, upscale lodging house.
Then again, he'd passed this place countless times during training. If there were anything remarkable about it, he would've noticed long ago.
Which only highlighted a strange truth—
For such a large village, Konoha didn't even have a dedicated facility for hosting foreign envoys.
A political system barely forty years old—immature, unfinished…
Yet within that immaturity, the first hints of decay had already begun to show.
Noda Sō was exactly the type who looked sharp and capable at first glance.
When Taichi and the others arrived, he had already packed and was waiting with his subordinates.
Seeing the three genin, Noda Sō greeted them warmly—no hint of condescension due to their age, nor any arrogance from his status as a Daimyō official.
He stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"I'll be in your care for the remainder of our journey, honored shinobi."
The gesture was smooth, natural—like this was simply how he treated people.
In that moment, Taichi knew:
Noda Sō is not someone to take lightly.
The envoy group consisted of ten people in total.
Aside from Noda Sō, there were two clerks, four servants, and three guards.
Taichi's eyes swept over them quickly, assessing.
Only the three guards showed any real fighting capability. The rest were barely sturdier than ordinary civilians.
This really is going to be a long escort.
---
They departed together, a finely decorated carriage already waiting outside.
Noda Sō climbed in without ceremony. Everyone else followed on foot.
Leaving Konoha behind, the group moved slowly along the official road through the forest, heading toward Kyoto.
"Taichi, at this pace, how long is this going to take?"
Yōhei complained before even half a day had passed.
"Did you forget the mission duration?" Taichi shot him a sideways glance.
"Did you really think they gave us that much time just so you could sightsee?"
Only then did Yōhei remember how surprised he'd been by the mission length.
"So it's because the envoy moves like a snail…"
Saori, overhearing them, walked over and tried to comfort him.
"At this speed, I'd say we'll reach Kyoto in seven or eight days at most. It shouldn't drag on for the full twenty."
"Hope so…" Yōhei muttered gloomily.
He'd wanted real combat experience—not this slow, boring assignment. At this point, training at home would've been more exciting.
"You both know Shadow Clone now," Taichi suggested.
"Split one off—one trains, one stays alert. That way you won't waste time."
"But only one. More than that and you won't hold up."
"Oh right!" Yōhei's eyes lit up.
He quickly formed seals, producing a shadow clone.
Pointing proudly, he ordered, "You keep watch. I'll train!"
The clone didn't even spare him a glance.
It sprinted straight into the forest, its voice drifting back from afar:
"Only an idiot stands guard. I'm training. Go ahead—dispel me if you dare!"
"…?!"
Yōhei froze.
So did Taichi and Saori.
"Taichi… can Shadow Clones really do that?" Saori asked hesitantly.
"Well…" Taichi scratched his head.
"Shadow Clones share the same mindset as the original. If Yōhei hates guard duty, I guess the clone does too."
His own clones were always obedient—apparently, this was a Yōhei problem.
Yōhei watched his clone disappear, veins bulging on his forehead. He raised his hands several times to dispel it—but stopped himself each time.
That clone held half his chakra. Dispelling it now would be a huge loss.
---
The commotion caught the envoy's attention.
Watching shinobi casually split into copies, reading books while walking, or vanishing into the woods to train, the group could only stare in awe—envy plain in their eyes.
"Why don't you make a clone to train too, Taichi?" Saori asked.
Taichi chuckled.
"I already did. You just didn't notice."
He winked mischievously.
"Care to guess—am I the original, or a clone?"
---
The small episode didn't disrupt the journey.
After all, this was only a C-rank mission, deep within the Fire Country's heartland.
Two days passed without incident.
Yet during those two days, Noda Sō repeatedly—and deliberately—approached Taichi.
Sometimes he chatted about daily life. Sometimes he spoke of the Fire Country's current state.
Like tonight.
As the group camped for the evening, Noda Sō approached Taichi from behind and asked casually:
"Taichi-kun, how is life in Konoha? I hear you grew up an orphan?"
Taichi stirred the campfire, not turning around.
His chakra sensing, however, was fully extended—he could clearly feel Noda Sō's gaze, fixed on his face, searching for the slightest reaction.
"Konoha is wonderful," Taichi replied with a sincere smile.
"Everyone treats me like family—my teachers, my captain, my teammates. I've been very well cared for."
Third time in two days, Taichi noted silently.
I'm an orphan, not living off your rice. At least come up with something new.
The probing only intensified.
On the third day, during a midday break while Yōhei and Saori were on patrol, Noda Sō gestured at the roadside wildflowers and sighed.
"These flowers are beautiful—but left in the wild, they live and die on their own. If planted in the Daimyō's gardens, they'd receive far better care."
Taichi pretended not to hear the implication.
"Care has its merits," he replied calmly,
"but it comes at the cost of freedom."
---
By the fifth day, the envoy planned to rest in a small city near Kyoto.
Noda Sō sent a guard ahead to announce their arrival.
When the city lord learned that a Daimyō envoy was coming, the entire city was thrown into motion. This was close to Kyoto—where the Daimyō's authority weighed heaviest.
The city lord led his officials out of the gates to welcome them.
As the envoy arrived, Noda Sō transformed.
Gone was the affable official. He basked in flattery, accepted bribes discreetly—and Taichi saw every bit of it.
Entering the city, the lord led the way. Noda Sō sat at the carriage's edge, Taichi and the others guarding him.
Suddenly, Noda Sō spoke.
"I merely borrow the Daimyō's prestige, and even a city lord fawns over me like this. Imagine if I held true power—wouldn't they be lining up every day to curry favor?"
Yōhei and Saori didn't understand what he was getting at, offering only awkward smiles.
Taichi, however, understood perfectly.
A demonstration of power.
So he deliberately showed a thoughtful expression.
Noda Sō's heart leapt.
Finally—he's starting to get it.
---
That night, the city lord hosted a lavish banquet.
Lights blazed. Music flowed. Dishes piled high. Graceful maids wove between tables, serving wine and food.
For the first time, Taichi's team was seated close to Noda Sō, experiencing this "hospitality" firsthand.
As the drinks flowed, restraint vanished.
Noda Sō grew openly lecherous, his hands wandering over the servant in his lap, who blushed and gasped softly.
For Yōhei and Saori, it was overwhelming.
For Taichi… even more so.
All three sat red-faced, unsure whether to stay or flee. Yōhei stole glances at the maid beside him, his heart pounding wildly.
"Haha! Looks like our esteemed shinobi are still children—not quite used to the pleasures of the world!"
Noda Sō laughed, prompting uproarious laughter from the others.
The laughter cut like knives.
Then—
"Enough!"
Noda Sō slammed his voice down, silencing the room instantly.
"These are Konoha's honored shinobi! How dare you mock them!"
The sudden shift left the room frozen. Even the servant in his arms turned pale.
Noda Sō smiled with satisfaction at the silence—then softened, bowing apologetically to Taichi and the others.
The officials followed suit, offering solemn apologies.
Flustered, Taichi and his team stood and returned the courtesy.
The banquet resumed—but now, Noda Sō sat unmistakably at its center, authority radiating from him.
Taichi sipped his drink quietly, hiding an amused glint behind the cup.
Power. Wealth. Beauty.
They really are pulling out all the stops.
Yet—
Seeing Yōhei and Saori's unease, Taichi sighed inwardly.
I'll need to talk to them later.
They can't afford to lose themselves to temptation.
---