Chap 54 Evening banquet
Hello! First of all a little explanation. I've been so busy for a week that today was the first time I've been able to sit at the PC in three days. I'm going to be pretty busy for a month, but I'll try to keep putting out chapters. That's all, let's go with the story!
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The banquet began and it was unexpectedly… silent.
In general, the guests exchanged pleasantries, rumors and thoughts to make the celebration more lively and social. They will take the opportunity to look for new partners to discuss possible business or collaborations and they would even take a look at the singles present to try to weigh the benefits of a possible political marriage.
But today it was not the case and the reason is simple.
Speak? If I talk, I'm not eating!
If it wasn't for the many years of etiquette they were used to, their food intake would have skyrocketed. The only thing that wasn't up to par was the drinks, which were all too ordinary.
Hizo and Miki were a bit stunned at the scene. Technically, the banquet was an unprecedented success, but… why were the nobles acting like starving beggars who have been given some food by a hostel?
Even the genin bodyguards of these nobles were a bit speechless.
They had never seen their customers act like this!
Hell, even the ROOT in the shadows didn't quite understand the situation!
"This will complicate Danzo-sama's plans a bit.
"Any news on the targets?"
"They're still in the room they were assigned, but they've somehow kept us from knowing what they're talking about." Do they suspect something?
"Hardly possible, more likely they want to prevent the gossipy servants from eavesdropping on them.
"When do we act?"
"Let's put on our costumes and wait a few more minutes." If they don't decide to leave, Team C will deal with the genin from the other villages while Team A and B will move to deal with them. Ignore the nobles, but if they get in our way, kill them.
-Yes!
...Meanwhile, in Tony's team room...
"Hey Tony! Are you sure this is necessary? —Tayuya yelled annoyed by her new outfit — I can always kill them without having to go through so much trouble!
Tayuya had dressed in a yellow kimono with maple leaf patterns, she had done her hair, painted her nails, and Anko had lightly made her up.
"Don't say that, you're great! —Anko said as she tried to contain her laughter.
—Beautiful… —Karin looked enviously at Tayuya's figure and then at herself secretly. Despite wearing a lavender kimono with orchid patterns, she still felt a bit inferior in some ways.
It doesn't matter, she could still grow!
—I've already repeated it several times, it's part of the plan —Tony secretly appreciated Tayuya's fixed appearance— You and Karin will go up on stage to pretend to play a piece of music. You will use your flute to genjutsu everyone at the banquet and bring them under control. In this way, we can prevent the Danzo ninjas from slaughtering them like chickens. Karin will stay by your side to avoid ambushes and so you can cover each other's backs.
Tony was really impressed, Tayuya usually didn't care too much about her appearance as long as she could move around comfortably, but it turned out that she was a hidden gem. Even he forgot to breathe for a few seconds when he saw her.
When Tayuya saw her reaction, she somehow secretly felt proud. Under Orochimaru's gaze, things like femininity were superfluous and only her power would allow him to have a better position. So despite her usual gruff attitude, she actually felt a bit uncomfortable and insecure on that specific front.
"Perhaps…should I ask that snake woman for some advice?" Her, she considered to herself.
But thinking about it, Anko didn't seem to have any man after her…
Maybe Karin would be a better choice?
Tayuya suddenly shook her head, what the hell was she thinking?
"So she should start with me?" Anka asked.
"Did you disperse the snakes?" —After Tony saw Anko nod, she continued— Leave then, try to eliminate the furthest group as quickly as possible. If you're not clear, just try to poison them with the poison you showed me. Join us when you're done.
—Understood —Anko left the room and went to the bathrooms to divert attention.
—Come on, we can't let the "special" guests get impatient.
The team arrived at the banquet soon after and those present only realized their presence when they went up to the small stage that had been previously prepared for the background band. The eyes of many lit up when they saw Tayuya and Karin.
Of course, the cutlery and chopsticks did not stop at any time.
—Good evening everyone, I hope you are enjoying the dishes I prepared for tonight —Tony spoke aloud— For the greater enjoyment of all present, my companion will play a piece of music on the flute, since some scholars affirm that the taste of food can be enhanced with the right environment. So without further ado, let's listen to it." Immediately afterwards, he got off the stage.
Maybe Tayuya wasn't too happy with the plan, but it didn't affect her ability to act too much. She made a small curtsey and brought the flute to her bright lips. The sound of the flute began to spread around and many of the music-savvy guests were gratified by the mastery shown at such a young age.
Tayuya was not only good at playing the flute because of her sound techniques, but she was also talented at it. She didn't immediately start the genjutsu, she started with slow notes and only when both the rhythm and the volume increased a bit and it covered all the surroundings, she began to circulate the chakra.
Tony had secretly slipped out of everyone's sight and created several chocolate clones, to which he gave some kunai and scrolls, which scattered in different directions. He secretly spied on the members of RAÍZ and indeed, shortly after the music started, many of them made release stamps as a precaution against the possibility of falling into an illusion. Seeing that nothing was actually happening, they just kept listening while coldly watching.
The moment Tayuya played the first notes of the genjutsu, the clones moved in unison to stab the hidden ninja that had been momentarily stunned, killing as many as possible.
A single stab and before the body even hit the ground, it was sealed in a storage scroll to keep it as fresh as possible, eliminating the possibility of any seals going into action upon death.
Anko appeared next to Tony almost at the same time.
"Tch, it looks like I haven't managed to take them all out yet," Anko complained.
"How many are left alive?" Tony asked.
-Three of them. I managed to kill almost all the jonin, but one luckily evaded me and took two chunin with him." Then he added, "They are all poisoned. The chunin will not survive more than a few minutes and the jonin will need to stop within an hour to treat the poison. I have several snakes monitoring their movements.
"Okay, let's go get him after we finish off the rest," Tony agreed.
Even with genjutsu and ambush, seven of the ROOT ninja managed to save themselves in the nick of time.
"It seems you already knew of our presence," spoke one of them, perhaps a leader?
—If you expect him to be an MC who talks nonsense, then you're very wrong —Tony answered not wanting to talk to a brainwashed person. —Step back a bit, Anko —he asked as he clasped his hands.
Anko nodded and joined Karin to cover for Tayuya while she kept playing to control the nobles and genin.
"Gluttony: Spicy Swamp!"
He slammed his hands on the ground and a crack opened up, revealing a red substance that was easily recognizable by smell as chili tomato sauce and some unknown spices.
—Don't be fooled, it's more dangerous than it seems! —Yelled one of ROOT when he saw the apparently harmless attack— Jump!
This was unexpected for Tony. If he remembered correctly, the last time he used his ability to turn tomatoes into magma was against the sound twins. Because it seemed like they had information about it?
Perhaps Orochimaru and Danzo knew more than he expected from him?
If it weren't for the seal on his tongue, he would have tried to keep one or two alive for questioning. Anyway, he would have to try something else...
—Gluttony: Breath of En!
After his cheeks swelled, he blew out a large amount of smoke towards the ROOT members. The ninja's trained instincts screamed danger and death at the sight of the smoke, but before they could speak or launch a counter technique, they were covered by the smoke.
After the smoke cleared, there were no traces of the ninjas and all that was left behind were various types of edible mushrooms that fell by gravity into the spicy swamp that Tony had previously made appear.
"Looks like the nobles will be able to enjoy an extra dish tonight.