Infiltration - 1

[Sage Art: Chakra Sense Scan Jutsu]

After training for so long, Sasuke's normal sensory abilities have increased, even the range of his [Chakra Sense Scan Jutsu], but in sage mode, his scan range is 4 Km. Without scanning, he can still feel chakra far away, just like how naruto was able to sense 4th Ninja war has started, when he was in sage mode even though he was being confined on an island far away.

[Hmm, What's this? For a diamyo, he has only 40 shinobis. The rest are just normal soldiers. I should infiltrate and stay inside for as long as possible. Hikari is probably gonna come in a few days.]

Sasuke: Okay guys, I am infiltrate the castle. From now we are only talking through telepathy jutsu, just as we did when we pulled pranks.

Katsuki: Okay, But I am a little hungry.

Kaki: Me as well.

Sasuke: Let me infiltrate and I will feed you some food.

Sasuke unsealed a skin mask from a scroll.

Katsuki: What's this?

Sasuke: When Hikari comes then she might have Hyuga with her. I will not use the Transformation Jutsu. This mask is a further precausion. I will also put a special sealing tag on myself and you guys to completely hide our chakra. This sealing tag is special, they won't be able to see it even with their eyes. But it means we cannot use a large amount of chakra, if we use it then the tag will burn away so keep your chakra to lowest possible.

Kaki: How are you gonna infiltrate?

Sasuke: I am gonna find someone in the kitchen and essentially take their place.

Katsuki: Why kitchen?

Sasuke: You want to know? MUAHAHHAHAHA, I have got this plan and being in the kitchen is essential.

Kaki: What's the plan?

Sasuke: I will tell when the time comes. First let's find someone from the kitchen and take his/her place. I knock them out and send them to Mount Myoboku for the time being.

Sasuke got to work, he avoided the patrols and got inside the castle. The shinobis protecting the castle and the diamyo are from an unknown clan and clearly they do not have sensory abilities.

[Camouflage Jutsu]

[Mind Telepathy Jutsu]

Sasuke used [Camouflage Jutsu] and his body camouflaged according to his surrounding. It is the same Jutsu that Kakashi's opponent will use when he would be sent on the battle for Kanabi Bridge. He used [Mind Telepathy Jutsu] so that he can talk to his toads through his mind. His toads also knew this jutsu. He sneaked inside the kitchen while avoiding all the people. He saw that the food was being prepared for the diamyo.

[Katsuki Telepathy: Who are you gonna replace?]

[Kaki Telepathy: Do you even know how to cook?]

[Sasuke: Of course, I learned quite a few skills in the last 10 years. Do you think I could eat bugs cuisines for 10 years. I got fed up, so I would take some time to leave Mount Myoboku and I learned how to cook from a proper chef, who once used to cook for a diamyo but now runs a restaurant.]

Head of Kitchen: Okay people, hurry up. We can not leave our diamyo waiting.

[Katsuki Telepathy: That is probably the head of kitchen.]

[Sasuke: Ok. I am gonna replace him.]

[Kaki Telepathy: Are you sure?]

[Sasuke: I am, 100%.]

Head of Kitchen: Okay I will go call the servants so that we can plate all of these and get them moving to the dining room.

[Sasuke: Now is my chance.]

While the Kitchen head just left the kitchen to call for a servant, Sasuke put a kunai to his throat and stopped him from speaking. He then dragged him to a room that was empty, probably a store to keep food incredients.

Sasuke: I am gonna take my hands off your mouth, scream and you are dead. Nod if you understand.

Head of Kitchen: Nod, Nod

Sasuke: Okay, Now tell me the food schedules, whether there are any days fixed for special kinds of food, whether anyone has some special needs regarding foods etc. One by one, also about guards, when do they come, are you responsible for their food as well etc. Everything in order.

Head of Kitchen: Okay, Okay, Just do not kill me.

Head of Kitchen told Sasuke about everything that was asked. It took about 20 mins and then he was knocked out. Sasuke unclothed him and then summoned a small toad, the toad ate the Head of Kitchen and saved him in his belly.

Sasuke: Take him with you to Mount Myoboku, then keep him there for 3-4 days. Feed him something to keep him alive. After 4 days, release him in a land far away from here. I don't care where but release him outside the Land of Fire.

The small nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke then undressed saved his special clothes, mask, weapons etc. in a scroll and put on the kitchen head's clothes. He then put his mask on and applied chakra on it and his face changed to the kitchen head's. The kitchen head was male, probably in his 40s, a little handsome but not too much, black hair, slight beard on his face. Lastly, he applied the special sealing tags on him and his toads.

Sasuke: How do I look?

Katsuki: Just like him.

Kaki: Change your voice as well.

Sasuke then changed his voice and after making sure that everything is alright, he came out of the room and went to call the servant. Then he took the responsibility of overlooking the servants and making sure that they do their job perfectly. The food was delivered in a room and placed on a long table with cushions around it in places where people would sit.

[Kitchen Head Sasuke]: Good, Now call the people for dinner. Make sure nobody messes up or you will be fired.

[Servants]: Hai!

Several minutes later the diamyo and other people came in. The diamyo was probably in his late 60s. Hayami also came in, she was same age as Sasuke and was a beautiful girl. She was followed by several maids and 1 maid stood out in particular. She was pretty as well and Sasuke knew when he scanned the castle that this maid has high chakra. Maybe a shinobi in disguise. Some shinobi also came in the room. The leaders sit with the diamyo, his ministers, Hayami and others. While other shinobi stood guard. 2 leaders were sitting and eating. Till now, Sasuke had no idea what clan they are from. Sasuke did his duties as a Kitchen head. After the VIPs have eaten it was time for servants and other people to eat. Of course, they won't eat in the dining area where all the people of high stature ate. They collected dishes and took them to the kitchen. Beside kitchen was a dining area for servants and people took turns to eat starting from the people having higher rank first.

 Sasuke decided to eat again.

[Katsuki Telepathy: Feed us as well. I am hungry.]

[Sasuke: Ok. Here and Kaki you as well. Be patient and eat slowly so that no one would know.]

[Kaki Telepathy: Thanks.]

Sasuke was feeding them while eating himself. He was sitting in a corner and his back was turned towards others so people can not see that he was feeding toads, who where hiding in his dress just in front of his chest.

After eating, he has to make sure all the other servants ate in shifts. After that all the utensils are cleaned and put away. There was a separate Kitchen head in charge of soldiers and other shinobis. The kitchen head he took the place of was in charge of VIPs. After he was done for the day, he went to his room. He laid down on the bed.

Sasuke: Sigh, I am tired.

Katsuki: Are you not gonna do anything else?

Kaki: yeah, I thought you would sneak out.

Sasuke: This is enough for today. I will do it tomorrow or gather information during the day as the kitchen head.

Knock, Knock

His room's door was knocked. Sasuke got up.

[Sasuke: Who is knocking at this hour?]

[Katsuki Telepathy: Can't you sense.]

[Sasuke: I could try but I do not want to burn the sealing tag by accidentally using too much chakra.]

[Kaki Telepathy: Hurry up. They are waiting.]

He got to the door and opened it. In front of the door was a maid, probably in her early 20s. 

Maid: Hidehiko-sama, I will be giving you company as you asked. So, please remember do not fire me. I need money for my family.

The maid said looking at the floor and trying to hold her tears.

[Sasuke: FUCK! THAT FUCKING KITCHEN HEAD WAS A HUMAN TRASH.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: Are you gonna mate?]

[Kaki Telepathy: I say you take what is offered to you.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: What did you say Kaki? Do you wanna die from my poison?]

[Kaki Telepathy: Sasuke is a man. A man should never say no to a woman who wants to get in his embrace herself. Also, try to poison me and I will burn you.]

[Sasuke: Both of you SHUT UP! Also, Katsuki and Kaki, for both of you my answer is no. I am a romanticist, I want to find a beautiful girl, fall in love with her slowly and then we can move forward. Even I have some lines that I would not cross.]

Sasuke: It is too late tonight. Go back.

Maid: But, But....You said....

Sasuke: I know what I said and I am sorry. My job is really stressful and may be I did what I did due to that. You do not need to worry about anything. As long as you do your work right, I will not fire you. Now go back, we have to wake up in the morning early and start again.

The Maid was shocked. She was new and it has only been a few weeks since she started, She knew the man before her has already put his hands on many other maids. Hell, he calls some to his room time to time. Those who satisfy him, get promoted easily. There were some who do not want to offer their bodies to him and he threatens and forces them. Many tried to save themselves from his evil clutches but none succeeded. She was told by many others to just think of it as bad karma and do it, and pray he does not take a liking to her and does not call her to his room again. She was only above average in looks so chances of her getting called again were low. Those who are pretty among the maids can not say no to him and so they have to periodically serve him whenever he demands. But he also never let go of new maids so every maid, who has worked in the castle for longer than 2-3 months has served him at least once. They might have to serve him more times if he likes them in his bed, even if they are not too much pretty as some maids were prostitutes before and know how to satisfy men and what they like.

Maid: You..You..Promise?

Sasuke: I promise so go now.

When the maid heard that she could not believe, then she decided to walk away rapidly before he changes his mind.

Sasuke closed the door.

[Sasuke: THAT HUMAN TRASH! I CAN SEE IT CLEARLY, THERE IS NO WAY THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE CALLED A MAID TO HIS ROOM. HE NEEDS TO PAY. I am cancelling the summoning, both of you go back for today. Also, Kaki, I want you to eat him and show him the inside of your burning stomach.]

[Kaki Telepathy: Hey, Even I have standards. If he was a proper shinobi then I would have eaten him but frankly I only eat those who I acknowledge as prey or strong.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: Don't worry Sasuke, I will go back and torture him with poison. Trash like him needs to die.]

[Sasuke: Ok. See you guys tomorrow.]

...

Like this, Sasuke performed his duties and gathered information. After every 2 days, a maid would come to his room in the night. Some reluctantly and a few whole heartedly. The few that came in by themselves were the ones that the kitchen head promoted in his kitchen or recommended for other higher positions in the castle. Sasuke had to find excuses to turn them away each time. Even the pretty ones that came, he had to turn them away. 3 weeks like this went by and it became known that the lecher kitchen head's dick does not stand up anymore. Many females rejoiced that God had answered their prayers. What the kitchen head was doing was like an open secret among servants and some low class soldiers so now people would look at him weirdly, some with joy in their eyes, probably those who were jealous of the kitchen head and some with pity, probably others like him, who used their position to sleep with other female servants. Sasuke also found out that the other people in the castle who do the same thing as the kitchen head he replaced, sometimes exchanged the females they sleep with. They would do it for favours or if a head of a certain department likes a female servant in another department, then he would talk with his compatriot and exchange the one he liked with someone he became bore of.

[Sasuke: IS THIS A DIAMYO'S CASTLE OR A BROTHEL? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? THE SERVANTS ARE LIVING MORE LIKE TRASH NOBLES AND THE DIAMYO HIMSELF IS GOOD. HELL, EVEN HIS GRAND DAUGHTER HAYAMI AND MOST OF HIS MINISTERS ARE GOOD PEOPLE, ONLY A FEW MINISTERS ARE CORRUPT.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: SASUKE, LET'S POISON THESE HUMAN TRASH.]

[Kaki Telepathy: I DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE WEAKLINGS BUT TELL ME IF YOU WANT TO BURN SOMEONE. I WILL TURN THEM TO ASHES.]

[Sasuke: LOOK OVER THERE, THOSE FEMALE AND MALE SERVANTS WOULD DANCE FROM JOY AS SOON AS I TURN MY FACE AROUND. I DID NOT EVEN DO ANYTHING BUT THE WOMEN LOOK AT ME BOTH WITH JOY AND AS IF I AM A HUMAN TRASH WHO GOT WHAT HE DESERVED. FUCK! I REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN HUMILIATED LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. KATSUKI! THAT TRASH ISN'T DEAD YET IS HE.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: No, I torture him with poison and then we heal him as you asked.]

[Sasuke: GOOD, MAKE SURE HE REALLY SUFFER. I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF POISON YOU USE BUT MAKE HIM SUFFER AND KEEP HIM ALIVE.]

[Katsuki Telepathy: I recently used a poison that makes him think he is burning, even though he isn't. The pain is so high that he spams and cry. He has been asking for forgiveness each time. Of course, even if you say to let him go I won't accept now. From what I have seen, he needs to suffer more.]

[Sasuke: GOOD KEEP DOING IT. FUCK! THAT SERVANT THAT JUST PASSED US, SNICKERED AT ME. I REALLY FUCKING WANT TO KILL THAT SERVANT EVEN THOUGH I KNOW HE IS INNOCENT. FUCK! FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUCCCCKKK. WHEN IS THAT FUCKING HIKARI GONNA COME? IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 3 WEEKS.]

...

After a week of suffering more, the Hikari's convoy entered the town. Like before, people were standing on the sides and the carriages were passing on the road. The carriages were surrounded from both sides by shinobis and samurais. The protectors were walking alongside the carriages and keeping a close watch on their respective sides. The convoy entered the castle and the carriages stopped in front of the inner gate of castle, that leads to the main castle. Hayami with her maid were standing inside the inner courtyard. Hayami was waiting but her older cousin did not disembark, she thought she was being humiliated right now and her cousin was showing her power. But a shinobi came running to her and knelt.

Shinobi: I am sorry, Hayami-sama that you have to wait. Hikari-sama is not in this convoy and will enter in 1 hour.

Hayami: What do you mean not in this convoy?

Shinobi: This is a convoy to bait any potential enemies who have bad intentions towards Hikari-sama, she will come in 1 hour and secretly.

Hayami got a little irritated and angry at that. This could be considered a show of power.

Hayami: Why was I or my maid not informed?

Shinobi: Hikari-sama said, to fool your enemies, you have to fool your allies first.

[Hayami-inner-thought: She is showing her power right now and I am not clear with this demonstration whether I am the enemy or the ally.]

Hayami: Then I am going back to the castle. Let the castle's servant that takes care of everything know.

Shinobi: Ha!

Hayami left with to her room with irritation.

...

[Inside Hayami's room]

Hayami: She has not come with good intentions.

Maid: It is as you say Hayami-sama. I think she wants to get this territory as the rumours say.

Hayami: I hope not. She used to be very kind when I was young. I hope she is the same.

To Hayami, Hikari was like an older sister when she was young so even now she hopes that Hikari has not changed a lot. She remember when she was 7, Hikari was kind to her. But when she met after a few years, Hikari wasn't as kind as before. It has been 6 years since she and her grand father have met her as Hikari was busy with her conquest.

...

[Somewhere on a higher floor of castle]

Sasuke was looking at the convoy through the window.

Sasuke: Same old trick.

Katsuki: Why don't you sense her? She might be in the town.

Sasuke: I don't want to waste my sealing tag. It is not that easy to make.

Kaki: Once she come, will I get to fight?

Sasuke: No, we won't fight straight away. Just have patience.

...

In the town, In a restaurant, 4 people were sitting on a table and eating.

Hikari: Normal folks food is good as well.

Akira: Hikari-sama, please, don't talk like that people might realise that you are a noble.

Usually, Hikari would come before or several days after the appointed date and directly enter any castle/accommodation of her own territory or the territory of her enemy. She has been in the carriages of the convoy less than 40 times in 10 years. Even when she moves stealthily, she would have more than 20 escorts, 3 with her and Akira and rest would pose as merchants travelling to the same direction. Or she will become part of a real merchant group with her escorts, who would be working as disguised merchants in the real merchant group. That is how she would travel, but she found a really powerful shinobi 3 years ago and was able to hire him. Ever since then, she does not need 20 or 30 escorts. She has trust that this shinobi is equal to 50 may be 100 shinobis. That is why she is sitting in the restaurant and enjoying food without any fear.

Hikari: Okay, let's go to the castle.

...

Hikari entered the castle with her group. It was already 4 pm.

Maid: I will call Hayami-sama.

Hikari: No need, I will meet her and my grand father at the dinner. Just show me my lodging.

Maid: As you wish. Please follow me.

Hikari: Also, give both of these shinobis separate rooms but adjacent to mine.

Maid: Understood. Please this way.

The maid showed them to their rooms. Hikari entered her room with Akira and closed the door.

Hikari: Finally, I can rest easy now that I am inside the castle.

Akira: If you were that worried why didn't you come to the castle earlier?

Hikari: I wanted to make sure whether we were really followed or not. I mean the 4 of us that came later.

Akira: Why?

Hikari: If the 4 of us were followed then that means there is a mole somewhere in my protection duty. It could not be the 2 shinobis we came with as they could have killed us anytime so it have to be one among the other shinobis that came with the fake convoy.

Akira: You are suspicious of your own protection now? Why? Also, why do you think that the 2 who were with us are not traitors?

Hikari: You know why, Ryuga won't betray me. He loves me after all. Mugito Hatake came to us so that I would hire their clan. His clan had quite a big loss a few months back, his clan needs the support of a good diamyo, that is why I am sure he won't betray me. At least, not right now.

Akira: Why are you sure that Ryuga-sama won't betray you just because he has not killed you yet?

Hikari: Akira, you have seen his strength. He is equal to 50 shinobis easily and maybe 100. You know the moment he saw me he confessed his love and I have tested him ever since. You know I have also given him some missions that could be considered suicidal for other shinobis but he completed all of them. Even when I told him to hold the ambush of the Senju, Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi clans under that old man Asano Nagamasa, his only demand was that I would go on a date with him once he succeeds. After testing him so many times, even I believe right now that he really loves me and wants to marry me. If someone as suspicious and careful as me believes this, and if he really is a traitor, then either I don't have the same edge as I used to have and I should probably die or he is a really patient and amazing actor, who wants something else from me but what that is, he has not even let me get the idea about.

Akira: True, Ryuga-sama has only asked you on dates every time you assigned him a mission.

Hikari: Now then, what do you think about tonight's dinner? Should I break the news tonight?

Akira: Are you sure? your grand father is old and sick. Also, this territory rightfully belongs to Hayami-sama.

Hikari: I know. But If I want to become the only diamyo in the land of fire then I have to take this territory before any other diamyo does. You do know that even in other lands, fight between daimyos have become more intense. There are people like me in the other lands, who want to be the sole ruler of their land. Its best if I can win faster and secure the land of fire. Otherwise, a loser from that land could come to land of fire and defeat some weak diamyo and start here.

Akira: But still, they are your family.

Hikari: I am not gonna kill them. I am just gonna take this territory. Grand father is old anyway and Hayami does not know how to rule. Once I become the sole ruler then I will gift this territory back to them. I would be the diamyo of the land of fire, but even I can not rule this vast land alone, so I would probably assign territories to qualified people and they would be local diamyo and below me. In this hierarchical manner one could rule vast lands no matter how vast they are.

Akira: It is revolutionary thinking indeed, as right now each diamyo is considered equal in status. But would people really wanna be a diamyo under a greater diamyo? this concept itself is new.

Hikari: I know, they will rule the land in my place but they can make money from it. They just have to give tribute to me. A certain percentage of their annual income. I would say 20%-30%.

Akira: What? 20%-30%? That is high.

Hikari: Then we would set it based on the territory. The territories that have high annual income will give higher tax and the ones having lower income will give lower tax. We will get into details later. I won't be taking any other taxes from them. They can rule however they want as long as they don't put too many taxes on the people and do not become tyrants.

Akira: What if they point their swords against you?

Hikari: Of course, after I become the sole diamyo, for 5-15 years, I would be the sole ruler. In those 5 - 15 years, I will put in place a framework so that even if I assign those territories to others then I have enough surety that either they do not betray me or if they will, then I can take care of them.

Akira: Hikari-sama you are 26 this year. The wars are getting severe in the territories closer to the centre. Most of the diamyos of territories that border other lands have just recently started joining in the wars in the last 2 years. It could take decades before you can become the sole ruler.

Hikari: You are wrong, I am just 26 this year. I still have quite a lot of time. Also, You do know that one of our opponents, that bitch, is close to defeat. She had too many loses in shinobis, money and food. One last push, I need one last push and her territories will belong to me. If I get this territory as well then I will take a lead in the number of territories.

Akira: But when that diamyo loses then you won't be the only one eyeing her territories. Other diamyos will also try to take a piece of the pie. It will be a much more serious and bloody war.

Hikari: I know, that is why I haven't made the last move yet. I need to prepare and have insurance so that when I take that middle aged woman down then I would get the biggest piece of the pie.

Unbeknown to both of them, there was a squirrel listening to the conversation outside their window and out of their line of sight.