Time passed quickly; more than a week had gone by since Hayato last reported the news. The ninjas patrolling the village had found no suspicious individuals, and there were no signs of the barrier being breached. Many believed the assassin targeting Kawakaze had already given up.
Kawakaze himself seemed indifferent—if this continued, he feared he might forget the threat altogether. Life in Konohagakure remained unchanged by the situation.
"Boss, one order of raw beef liver and one order of monkfish liver," a tall man wearing a mask with green pupils requested as he sat down in the restaurant. It was past the usual meal hours, and the restaurant was quiet, with only a few scattered customers.
"Okay, just a moment," the boss replied, unperturbed by the man's peculiar order. He prided himself on having whatever his customers needed, as long as it was in stock.
The tall man glanced around, noting there were no ninjas in the restaurant wearing Konoha forehead protectors. He exhaled softly in relief. It had taken considerable effort to infiltrate Konoha, and for now, it appeared he was safe. His past experience with infiltration served him well; without it, this mission would have been much harder.
"You don't look like someone from the village," the boss remarked, bringing a tray over and striking up a conversation. Business was slow, and idle chatter filled the time.
"Good guess. I'm here in Konoha to see if there's any business worth pursuing," the tall man replied calmly, his demeanor steady. His green eyes, however, stayed locked on the boss, unblinking and watchful. If the boss made any sudden or unusual moves, he was prepared to act immediately.
He had come to Konoha for a deal worth 350 million ryo, a mission he couldn't afford to fail. His previous embarrassment in Konoha as a young man was a scar on his pride, a mistake he swore never to repeat. While he projected confidence to others, no one knew the deep sorrow and frustration he carried in private.
This time, he would not falter. He vowed to rise where he once fell. If not for the need to repair the damage to his own heart from his past mistakes, he would have returned to Konoha much earlier.
Decades had passed, and now, armed with mastery of the powerful Earth Grudge Fear Technique, his strength was unparalleled. The humiliations of his youth would not be repeated.
Never again! I swear!
"Then you've come at the right time. We have many opportunities in Konoha."
The boss spoke with pride, his smile genuine and full of confidence. Konoha had every reason to boast. After the Second Shinobi World War, it had received the largest reparations, its high-end combat power was unmatched, and its internal environment was harmonious. Among the five major ninja villages, Konoha stood unrivaled in strength—across all aspects.
"Then I'll take your kind words."
"With two Gods of Shinobi, Konoha does seem more prosperous than the other villages."
The tall man's response aligned perfectly with the boss's sentiments, boosting the boss's vanity further.
"That's right. Lord Kawakaze even ate at my restaurant," the boss added with a hint of pride. Everyone in Konoha knew that Kawakaze rarely dined out, and the few places he chose were renowned for their excellent craftsmanship. However, sharing this fact with an outsider felt like a wasted effort.
"Really?"
"Lord Kawakaze must have a very grand entourage when he goes out," the tall man remarked, feigning curiosity to subtly gather information about Kawakaze's escort.
"You're joking, sir."
"Lord Kawakaze doesn't need any pomp. Everyone in Konoha knows him."
The boss shook his head, looking at the tall man with a slight air of disdain. "Even when I heard someone was planning to assassinate him a while ago, I didn't see any guards."
What a clueless foreigner, the boss thought. He doesn't even know something so obvious.
"I see. I thought important people were always surrounded by others when they went out."
The tall man snorted with derision, though a flicker of satisfaction crossed his mind. The leak of such information didn't bother him; it was entirely expected. If information like this couldn't be obtained, Konoha's intelligence department might as well shut down.
Kawakaze Hatake, you are about to pay the price for your arrogance, he thought.
"That's for other people. Lord Kawakaze is not like that," the boss replied. "Besides, there's no need. The assassin hasn't dared to show up after so many days. He must have been too scared to come back."
The boss chuckled, clearly amused by the thought. If he realized the very man he mocked was sitting right in front of him, he might not have laughed so freely. Seemingly not content with his previous statement, the boss added:
"Back then, there was also a fool who tried to assassinate Lord First, but he fled in shame. I heard he couldn't even touch the hem of Lord First's garment! It's truly hilarious."
The tall man's eyes twitched involuntarily at these words. The urge to unleash Ninjutsu and send this reckless boss straight to the Pure Land burned within him. The insult struck painfully close to home, rubbing salt directly into his old wounds.
"That person really was a bit presumptuous," the tall man said, suppressing his indignation. He couldn't afford to jeopardize everything over a fleeting moment of anger.
He grudgingly admitted that his younger self had been naïve. Yet, much of the blame lay with the despicable politicians of Takigakure, whose schemes had set him on that ill-fated path. The memory rekindled his fury, and his eyes hardened.
"Boss," someone called out suddenly as a new customer entered the shop.
"I'm coming," the boss answered loudly, hurrying off to serve them.
He really had to thank the customer for coming in. Otherwise, if the conversation continued like this, it was doubtful whether his life would be spared.
"Who's to say it isn't so?"
"Enjoy your meal. I'll be busy over there."
The boss said nothing else to provoke the tall man.
"Okay, I'll taste your cooking."
Despite their unpleasant conversation, the tall man still pretended to be friendly.
"Enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything." The boss hurriedly left after saying this, seemingly afraid the new customer would grow impatient.
"Okay, you go ahead."
The tall man watched the boss leave, took a few deep breaths, and then picked up his chopsticks. He quickly finished the two modestly sized dishes. It was fortunate for both of them that the boss didn't return to chat during that time.
After finishing his meal and sitting for a while, the tall man got up to pay and leave.
"Come again next time," the boss called earnestly after him.
The tall man didn't even turn his head, merely waving an outstretched arm. He thought to himself that this shabby restaurant was somewhere he definitely wouldn't return.
Walking along the streets of Konoha, the tall man wandered aimlessly. He paused to look at the Hokage Rock, staring at the head between the pillars for a long, contemplative moment. Passing by the Hokage Building, he took a few distant glances but didn't dare linger.
...
After a long time, he chose a hotel that looked relatively run-down. The shop was indeed shabby, but the owner carried an air of arrogance, as if he didn't care whether guests stayed or not.
The tall man didn't mind; in fact, he was pleased. At least the owner wouldn't pay attention to his movements. Deciding to stay there before getting down to business, he checked into a simple room.
Once inside, he lay on the bed and lightly tapped his temple. Killing Kawakaze Hatake in Konoha required meticulous planning. Attempting to kill him in public was unrealistic. Even if he could overpower him, he couldn't withstand the many ninja in Konoha.
The urgent task was to find a way to lure him out. As he thought this through, a clear plan began to form. He would create a disturbance to draw Kawakaze out. Then, using absolute strength, he would take Kawakaze's head and claim the 350 million ryo reward.
Thinking about the potential success of his plan, he couldn't help but smile.