INTERLUDE (4.2)

NADESHIKO VILLAGE

We continued to stare at the ceiling as the door shoji slid shut. We felt strange; a certain hollowness in our guts as the Kunoichi departed. The feeling we found was eerily distracting. Annoying. 

Depressing.

We did not enjoy it.

We turned off a few nerve bundles in our amygdala, utterly suppressing the unusual emotion. Our thoughts cleared and our breathing evened out. No longer distracted we could focus on more important things. We rose from the bloodstained futon, adjusting our garments as we made our way to the balcony outside.

"Tokiwa," we called. The woman had made a few adjustments to her approach to spying on us, but her attempts were, in our opinion, pitiful at best. For a few moments, the Kunoichi did not respond, possibly believing we were attempting to psyche her out. 

"I know you are there, Tokiwa," we said, utterly disillusioning her of the notion, "behind the rafters, peeping like a little pervert through that chink in the roofing. Come out, I need you to pass a message along."

A few more moments passed before the kunoichi flickered before us, her face flushed red in embarrassment.

"...What do you need?" she asked after a momentary pulse of hesitation. 

"Can you inform Lady Marika that I request an audience with her? It's rather urgent, you see."

"...Now?"

"Yes."

"...Understood," she replied before flickering out of sight.

"Is it time?" one of our blood clones asked, peeling off the wall. 

We nodded our head in response. 

"It is."

…

"Aren't you an impatient young man," Lady Marika tutted as we entered her room. 

"Time is of the essence, Lady Marika," we replied, sitting on a cushion across from her. "I believe you of all people should understand this. I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, now I need you to show some sincerity."

The woman stared at us in silence for a few moments. We stared back blandly as we awaited her reply.

"Very well," she said finally. She reached into her sleeves and pulled out two scrolls, tossing them to us. We caught both, our Sharingan surfacing as we quickly examined them for foul play. The first was a storage scroll containing all the weapons, explosives, and funding we requested. The other scroll was a regular one. We frowned as we had not requested it. 

"What is this?" we asked, instantly memorising the list of names and addresses in it.

"Your wedding gift," the Matriarch replied with a sigh. "It is a list of a few of our contacts spread out across the island nations; I reasoned you might find it valuable … You might not feel any attachment to her yet, but Shizuka is going to be the mother of your child. That makes us family, regardless of how… unorthodox the arrangement might be."

We looked up from the scroll at the woman, unsure of what to make of her gift. "...Thank you," we said in the end, pocketing the rather valuable scroll despite not needing it any longer. 

"I will be leaving now," we tell her. "Can't say when I will be back, but please have my facility ready as soon as possible. I would rather have it available when I need it than not."

"I will make that a priority," Lady Marika said with a chuckle. "After all, I have to make sure you don't up and leave after knocking my niece up. That would just be terrible."

We feigned a smile as we rose to our feet, finding the jab more annoying than it ought to be. We turned off another bundle of nerves in our amygdala, again suppressing a spark of emotion that ought not to be, before responding. "Funny you would think I would leave one of mine in your care without supervision direct supervision on my part."

"...What do you mean?"

We gestured to one of the blood clones flanking us. "Kaigo would be staying behind to watch over the mother. When my child is born she would take the role of one of its caretakers. I hope you don't have a problem with that?"

"...No. Not at all. I hope you make good use of your gift; it would be a shame if you got yourself killed before the child is born."

"I will… Well, since you are being so generous, I was hoping you would be tolerant of another request?"

The Matriarch stared suspiciously at us for a few moments before giving a nod. "Go ahead."

"Can you please have copies of this delivered to as many Shinobi Villages as possible. Discreetly," we said handing her a scroll.

Curious, Lady Marika opened the document before skimming through it. "Oh," she said with a frown. "Now I see why you are so hell-bent on getting yourself killed… Hmm, trying to get yourself a moral victory I see?"

"Not really," we replied. "I just find any foe would be easier to defeat if they are already haemorrhaging from within. There's a reason "Defeat-in-Detail" and "Divide-and-Conquer" are such popular military tactics after all.  Doubt Konoha would remain in one shape once that gets out. So, can it be done?"

"...I will try what I can," Lady Marika replied.

We smiled in response.

"Thank you… Aunty."

***

In the heart of Wave's now bustling commercial district, amidst the labyrinthine streets lined with wooden facades, stood a discreet yet imposing building. Haruki, the lanky lackey of the greatest man alive, stood silently across this miracle before resolutely marching in. It had quickly become something of a ritual to observe a moment of respectful silence before entering; some claimed they did this to reorient their minds for the world within. Others did this simply out of reverence to its owner.

For Haruki however, the office of the renowned business tycoon—and his direct superior—Jinrui Tanaka, was not a place one entered all willy-nilly. After all, one does not enter a dragon's lair, all willy-nilly. 

It was simply common sense not to.

The building's elegant architecture—a testament to the craftsmanship of the era—exuded an air of sophistication. A pair of sliding doors opened to welcome him into a world where tradition melded seamlessly with commerce. The tatami mat flooring felt cool beneath his socked feet, and the soft light filtering through shoji screens cast a serene glow on the space within. Paintings depicting sweeping landscapes adorned the walls, while a delicate bonsai tree graced a corner, its branches meticulously pruned.

Clerks and bookkeepers, dressed in attire that mirrored his master's sense of refinement, moved with grace as they attended to their tasks. The rhythmic sound of brushes meeting paper created a gentle backdrop, punctuated by the occasional rustling of sliding doors as clients entered and departed.

Haruki walked into the designated social space, separated by a beautifully adorned shoji screen. Apparently, just behind the paper screen—soundproofed by Fūinjutsu seals—his master hosted a meeting. The lanky lackey sat patiently, waiting until a stately group exited with Master Jinrui in tow. Noble guests—local lords—dignified in their traditional attire, exchanged respectful bows with the Shinobi-cum-business man before taking their leave.

"Come." Was all the boss said before disappearing back into the room.

Haruki rose, exhaling as he followed, shutting the Shoji behind himself. 

At a low wooden table, Jinrui Tanaka sat in his impeccably crafted kimono, a glaring symbol of his status. A calligraphy scroll hung behind him, its brushstrokes embodying the essence of harmony and success. By his side, a gold-glided typewriter rested atop a ledger, a subtle allusion to the Shinobi's impossible financial success.

Although a lacquered tea set occupied the centre of the low table—a clear invitation for the revered tea ceremony, a bridge between business and culture. A bridge that facilitated a delicate dance between tradition, commerce, and the cultivation of relationships that went beyond mere transactions—Haruki had no delusion of partaking in such a luxury at the moment. 

He was here to fulfil a much graver task.

"Boss," he said, extending a scroll to his superior.

Jinrui received the reports in his hand with a frown on his face. 

"...They turned us down?" he asked moments later as he rolled the scroll up, laying it gently on the table in front of him.

"Yes, boss," Haruki replied carefully. "Our contact in the Land of Water said the Water Daimyō's stance on non-intervention in foreign politics remains unchanged."

"Foreign politics!" The larger man scoffed. "We are asking for a partnership to stabilise the trade routes through his country and the fool spouts this bullshit? Forget him. Any update from the diplomatic team we sent to meet the new Mizukage? They ought to have finished grieving the fourth, no?"

"Yes, boss. Kento and his team should have reached Kiri, yes. Although they haven't sent any message back so I can't say for certain."

The boss chewed on the insides of his cheek as he digested the news.

"...So, in summary, because of this fool's cowardice, we are still stuck with only the Suisen-Benisu-Frost chain, the Sekai-Sabaku sea routes, and a handful of lanes in the Nagi sea? It's been three weeks and we still haven't made any progress out of these regions? That's poor form."

"...But boss," Haruki replied hesitantly, "we already have the majority of Gatō's assets, wouldn't it be better if we consolidate our gains rather can continue expanding."

Jinrui scoffed again in response. "Consolidate, he says? With the risk of important assets and routes falling into the grasp of our newfound competitors? We've already lost Yanwu and Sunafuki islands. Our access to the Glacier passage north and the dozens of lands beyond remains uncertain, nor we can't guarantee the security of our vessels should they attempt to venture into the Chiguri sea, and you are here suggesting we consolidate?"

"...I spoke out of turn boss. Forgive me."

Haruki winced as a tired sigh leaked from Jinrui's lips. "What about the agents from the Land of Fire? Have they started giving us any trouble yet?"

"No, sir. They still seem to be taking a wait-and-watch approach, sir. Although, we had some troublemakers harassing our ships docked at the Land of Noodle. Apparently, some local lord had been intending in filling the gap Gatō left behind after his demise and wasn't happy to hear we beat him to it. We could attempt to bring him as we did the one from Benisu?"

"Yes, do that. Just make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble. We can't afford distractions. Especially not now; the Chunin exams would be commencing in a month and a half. We need to be prepared to move the moment an opportunity presents itself. Understood?"

"Yes, boss!"