After bidding a friendly farewell to the Root members, Rinjin casually walked out of the secretive organization, tossing the weighty money pouch in his hand with a satisfied grin.
Emerging above ground, Rinjin realized he had been taken to the southernmost part of Konoha, atop the Hokage Rock.
Unlike the lively scene it would become in later years, the Hokage Rock now bore only the faces of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the current Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As the faint light of dawn began to spread across the eastern sky, Rinjin stretched lazily, a contented smile on his face.
Kagami's situation has been arranged, Danzo's been taught a lesson, Mito Uzumaki has been thanked, and the Flying Raijin seals have been placed.
Everything is in order. Now, let time ferment this fine brew of plans.
Picking his nose idly, Rinjin strolled leisurely back to the Konoha guesthouse.
Opening the door to his room, he was greeted by a refreshing fragrance that wafted through the air.
To his surprise, someone was lying on his bed.
It was Ayawai, dressed in sleepwear that revealed her delicate shoulders. She lay sprawled on his bed, fast asleep.
Perhaps it was the sound of the door opening or the bright morning sunlight streaming in, but Ayawai's long eyelashes fluttered, and her beautiful eyes slowly opened.
"Ah~" She stretched languidly, her ample chest bouncing slightly. Leaning against the bed, she gave Rinjin a teasing smile.
"My, my, Lord Lemuyi, you seem to be living quite the carefree life. Out on a little date with your lovers?"
Rinjin pouted and nodded nonchalantly, his face devoid of expression. "You guessed it. I went to see Kagami-chan and Danzo-chan last night."
"Two of them?!" Ayawai gasped, covering her mouth in mock surprise, her face lighting up with curiosity. "Did they get jealous?"
"Of course! They fought like crazy!" Rinjin dramatically covered his face, as if to hide the smirk tugging at his lips. "My backyard's on fire. Tragic, really."
Hearing this, Ayawai's eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned in for more gossip. "So… which one do you like more?"
Rinjin sighed theatrically, feigning deep distress. "I want Kagami-chan's heart, but I also want Danzo-chan's wealth. It's such a dilemma!"
"But, hey, I stirred the pot last night. Hehe, nothing I enjoy more than watching women fight!"
Ayawai's face instantly turned cold, but then, as if struck by an idea, she quickly replaced it with a seductive smile.
"Lemuyi, forget about Kagami and Danzo. I just found a powerful ninjutsu scroll. Let's study it together tonight."
Rinjin didn't hesitate, nodding eagerly as he looked into Ayawai's sparkling eyes.
---
Night fell quickly.
Rinjin stood outside Ayawai's door, clutching a blanket and practically vibrating with excitement.
Knock, knock, knock, knock…
His urgent knocking echoed, mirroring the impatience in his heart.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Look at you, so eager~" Ayawai's sultry voice floated through the door.
Moments later, the door opened, revealing Ayawai in her Kumogakure ninja attire, standing gracefully before Rinjin.
Seeing her, Rinjin rolled his eyes and extended his hand. "The scroll. Let me see it."
Instead of handing over the scroll, Ayawai reached out with her delicate hand, grabbing Rinjin's collar and chuckling softly. "Come in. Let's study it together~"
After closing the door behind him, Rinjin casually tossed the blanket onto the bed. Just as he was about to say something, a knock sounded at the door.
A slightly anxious voice called from outside, "Lady Ayawai, Lord Tsuchinobu requires your presence to discuss something urgent."
Ayawai's face immediately fell into a pout as she turned to Rinjin with a look of exaggerated grievance.
"Lemuyi, can you wait for me? When I'm back, we can study the scroll together under the covers."
Rinjin rolled his eyes again, waving her off impatiently. "Go, go. Just hurry back."
Ayawai's eyes lit up, and she nodded obediently, putting on an act of docility. As soon as she stepped outside and closed the door, however, her expression turned cold and serious.
She leaned toward the man who had knocked and whispered, "Keep an eye on him. Don't let his chakra leave your sensory range."
The man nodded enthusiastically, a determined look on his face.
Inside the room, Rinjin lay on the soft bed, a sly grin spreading across his face.
Study a scroll under the covers? Please. I've got a glow-in-the-dark watch—want to check that out instead?
With a cold chuckle, Rinjin formed a single hand seal.
"Flying Raijin: Mutual Rotation Technique!"
In less than a tenth of a second, Rinjin's body swapped places with a shadow clone he had stationed elsewhere in Konoha.
In the darkness, Rinjin closed his eyes, sensing Ayawai's location. His grin widened.
You fool. Your own ass has already betrayed you.
---
Meanwhile, in a room heavily guarded by Kumogakure ninjas within the Konoha guesthouse, Tsuchinobu, a high-ranking Kumogakure advisor and the core figure of the delegation, was meticulously inspecting every corner of the space.
As an elite jonin and skilled sensory ninja, he had already swept the room ten times.
In the first sweep, he found three listening devices. The second sweep revealed one more. By the third, there were none left.
Still, Tsuchinobu continued his inspections, unwilling to take any chances.
Soon, the small room was filled with seven or eight people, including the alluring Ayawai.
Tsuchinobu sat at the head of the group, his gaze sweeping over everyone as he carefully sensed their chakra.
"Good. Now that everyone's here, let's discuss today's matters," he began.
"During the negotiations today, Konoha's stance was extremely firm. Of the conditions we proposed, they only agreed to the third one—sealing techniques. And even then, they're only willing to exchange two types.
"Additionally, they want to extend the peace treaty from five years to twenty. What are your thoughts?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a burly man with blue hair stood up, shaking his head solemnly.
"Lord Tsuchinobu, Konoha has no intention of negotiating with us in good faith. I investigated today—they've signed massive supply contracts with the Land of Fields and the Land of Iron. They've also already signed a peace treaty with the Land of Wind."
"And what do you suggest?" Tsuchinobu asked, his expression unreadable.
"Withdraw!" the man declared decisively. "Return to inform Lord Raikage and prepare for war! The Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Water will surely seize the opportunity to strike at Konoha as well!"
Tsuchinobu rubbed his fingers together in thought. Waging war against the Land of Fire was no small matter.
At present, Kumogakure's two tailed beasts were not yet combat-ready. The Eight-Tails' jinchūriki was unstable, and the Two-Tails often wandered off unpredictably.
Starting a war under these circumstances would be unwise.
As the room fell into silence, Ayawai, who had already discussed this with Tsuchinobu, spoke up.
"Kidnap someone from Konoha. Force them to make concessions," she said, her voice crisp and cold.
"Who?" Tsuchinobu asked, playing along.
"Tsunade, the Princess of Konoha. The granddaughter of Hashirama Senju," Ayawai declared firmly.
Her suggestion immediately sparked interest among the group, who turned their eyes to Tsuchinobu, waiting for his decision.
Many of them had considered this idea, but only Ayawai or Tsuchinobu could propose it outright. If it succeeded, they would all share the glory. If it failed, the proposer would bear the blame.
Politics was a dirty game, after all.
"And how do we do it?" Tsuchinobu asked again, though he already knew the answer.
"Tomorrow night, send a team of no more than five elite jonin to infiltrate the Senju compound. Quietly abduct the Princess of Konoha and hide nearby. Then feign ignorance during negotiations and stall for time.
"Konoha will surely be more anxious than we are. Even if they suspect us, they'll have no evidence," Ayawai explained, her reasoning flawless in its bandit-like logic.
The group's enthusiasm grew. Successfully kidnapping Tsunade would secure the delegation's greatest achievement, and for many of them, that meant a chance to earn the right to host the Two-Tails.
Ayawai, however, had her own plans.
Lemuyi, Rinjin, the spy Konoha sent to Kumogakure… I'll use the blade Konoha handed me to cut into Konoha's flesh.
---
Later that night, Ayawai returned to her room, moving quickly. Opening the door, she saw Rinjin curled up with a blanket, sound asleep.
Relieved, she let her guard down.
What she didn't know was that Rinjin didn't need sleep.
Squatting beside him, she gazed at his peaceful profile. Her delicate hand reached out to gently stroke his face, a sweet smile spreading as her eyes filled with tenderness.
Rinjin, leave Konoha. Kumogakure is your true home.
---
Meanwhile, in the quiet of the night, a shadowy figure appeared outside Kagami Uchiha's courtyard.
"Open up! FBI! Room inspection!"
The obnoxious shouting and rapid knocking echoed loudly, followed by a chorus of angry shouts from the neighbors.
Kagami, dressed in sleepwear, opened the courtyard gate with a resigned expression. "Keep it down! You're going to wake my son!"
Without needing to confirm his identity, Kagami knew there was only one person in Konoha who could be this much of a nuisance.
Rinjin slipped inside in a flash, closing the door behind him as if he owned the place.
"My bad, my bad. Waking up our son was totally my fault!"
Kagami's face darkened immediately. "He's my son, not yours."
"Same difference. We're practically family!" Rinjin slung an arm around Kagami's shoulder, dragging him inside like it was his own home.
Kagami, exasperated, blocked Rinjin's path. "Rinjin, we're close, but you can't just barge into my house and head straight for my bedroom. My wife's asleep in there! What do you want this time?"
"Good news!" Rinjin grinned, quickly recounting everything he had overheard from the Kumogakure delegation.
Kagami's expression turned serious as he listened. Grabbing Rinjin by the shoulders, he leaned in urgently. "Why are you telling me this? Go report it to Hiruzen!"
Rinjin rolled his eyes. "Look at you, always thinking about reporting. This is a golden opportunity for the Uchiha clan. A huge one. Don't you see?"
Kagami frowned in confusion. "Opportunity?"
Rinjin smirked. "When Kumogakure tries to kidnap Tsunade, the Uchiha clan can step in and save the day. Imagine the goodwill you'll earn from the Senju remnants and the villagers. It's the perfect chance to improve your clan's image."
Kagami hesitated, then nodded in understanding. "Alright. When the kidnapping happens, I'll make my move and stop them."
"Not 'them.' 'Us.' If I'm part of the kidnapping team, remember to 'accidentally' knock me out," Rinjin instructed.
Kagami nodded solemnly. "Anything else I should keep in mind?"
"Yeah," Rinjin said, patting Kagami's shoulder. "Make it as flashy as possible. Once the Anbu arrive, hand everything over to them and step back. Stay low-key and humble. People like humble guys. Oh, and if anyone asks, just say you were patrolling as part of the Konoha Police Force."
Kagami's eyes lit up with understanding. Grateful, he gave Rinjin a firm nod.
Rinjin, unimpressed, held out his hand. "A bargain at one million ryō!"