Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 21 The City Lord's Steward

The next day, before the morning mist had even dissipated, the team had already set off.

The caravan's wagons crunched over the stones on the road.

Perhaps it was because of yesterday's conversation, but Ryuji Ida deliberately positioned the convoy about 100 meters behind the Takigakure squad, maintaining contact without getting too close.

Aburame Shisei didn't follow the ninja squad. Instead, he crossed his legs and leaned against the carriage. The carriage didn't have tires, and the road was uneven, so it bounced around whenever it encountered a pothole or a pebble.

The group went first, and Ono Yuuki kept glancing back, muttering, "What's wrong with that merchant? Why is he so far away?"

Actually, he really wanted to ask, why doesn't Takikawa-san walk with them?

Naoto, seemingly understanding but not quite, said, "Maybe it's because he's not our employer, and we're just passing by, so we want to avoid suspicion."

"Mind your own business and focus on your vigilance," Captain Yoshisuke interrupted their conversation at the front of the group.

Although Yu Nu Zhicheng was far away from them in the carriage, the parasitic insects had already spread out, and the movements within a one-kilometer radius were all within his perception range.

Not to mention his excellent mental strength and ability to read lips, he could hear everything the team was saying.

"It turns out that Naoto just looks stupid; he's not completely clueless about human relationships."

Since last night, Ryuji Ida has been making plans. He has considered hiring the Takishinobi Squad, but only if they are truly capable of helping him overcome his difficulties.

So even though the other party repeatedly hinted, he pretended not to understand, waiting for them to resolve the City Lord's Mansion incident before hiring them.

If it doesn't work, or if someone in the team is injured, he will have to think about other options.

This consideration also determined how much merchandise he would sell next, and the strength of the ninjas he would hire.

Aburame Zhicheng was not surprised by his thinking. It is only natural for a businessman to seek profit and avoid harm, and to choose to protect himself when he senses danger.

As noon approached, the outline of a city appeared on the horizon ahead.

The major cities of Taki no Kyu are mostly built on mountains, and this city is no exception.

The gray-black city wall winds along the mountainside, with towering gate towers and the patrolling guards on the wall faintly visible.

The city is surrounded by vast farmlands and manors. It is springtime and summer, and the crops have just been planted. In addition, there was a rain yesterday, so everything is lush and green.

When they were about three miles from the city gate, an old man in a gray robe was waiting at a fork in the road with two servants.

The old man was about sixty years old, with gray hair that was neatly combed, and a respectful smile on his face. The servants behind him had their heads bowed and their hands tucked into their sleeves.

"Excuse me, are you ninja masters from Takigakure?" the old man stepped forward and bowed.

Yoshisuke stopped and scrutinized the other person: "Who are you?"

"I am the steward of the city lord's mansion, and my surname is Matsumoto."

The old man bowed again: "The city lord ordered me to greet you all here. However... I may have to trouble you to postpone your visit to the city lord's mansion."

Ono Yuuki asked in confusion, "Why? Didn't the mission assignment say...?"

Butler Matsumoto replied with a wry smile, "I am truly ashamed to say that the lord's mansion is currently... occupied by those wandering ninjas. Going there rashly could very well cause a backlash. Therefore, the lord sent me ahead of time to take you all to a manor outside the city for temporary rest."

He paused, then continued, "That manor originally belonged to the city lord, but it has now been occupied by a group of wandering samurai who are inciting the tenant farmers to rebel. The city lord's intention is that you all resolve the manor issue first, and then he will send someone with a letter to discuss how to deal with the wandering ninjas in the manor."

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent for a few seconds.

On the surface, Aburame Zhicheng maintained a gentle smile, but inwardly he sneered, thinking, "Good idea to solve the manor problem first."

Ryuji Ida's caravan happened to be nearby and overheard the conversation.

His expression changed slightly, then he nodded apologetically to Aburame Shicheng, before waving to the servants to begin tidying up the goods on the carriage—a signal that he was about to leave.

Sure enough, as soon as Matsumoto finished speaking, Ryuji Ida quickly walked over with his son.

"Esteemed ninjas, now that we're near the city, I won't bother you any longer. I need to contact some familiar merchants and minor nobles to see if we can sell some of our goods. Let's part ways here."

Kisuke watched him, and seeing that he still didn't make any other move, he finally nodded and said, "Okay."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir!" Ryuji Ida thanked him repeatedly, then turned to Shisei Aburame: "Lord Takikawa, thank you for taking care of me along the way. I will definitely come to thank you again after I have finished dealing with my business matters."

Aburame Shisei jumped down from the carriage and nodded: "Take care, Mr. Ida."

Ryuji Ida led the caravan away hastily, heading towards the market area on the other side of the city. He walked quickly, without looking back, as if a ferocious beast was behind him.

Ono Yuki watched their departing figures and muttered, "They ran really fast..."

"That's how smart people are," Kisuke said calmly, his gaze sharpening as he swept over Matsumoto, the butler. "Lead the way."

Butler Matsumoto's smile remained unchanged as he bowed and led the way.

On the other side of the caravan, after the carriages had driven far away, Keita asked his father, "Father, why didn't we go with Brother Takikawa? Also, didn't you think highly of him before?"

He was indeed optimistic; otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly met with him last night and said those things. But optimism is one thing, reality is another.

He said, "Son, it's okay for people to lose a little credibility and goodwill when they're in danger. We're businessmen, and we can't put ourselves in danger. Let those ninjas handle their own affairs. Only after they've resolved that can we talk to them about the cooperative employment mission."

"As for Takikawa Hide, I just have a feeling. Your father has seen many ninjas, but compared to other ninjas, this Lord Takikawa Hide has a relaxed attitude that is different from other ninjas. You could even say that he is completely without caution."

"I hadn't noticed it before, but after these ninjas appeared, I observed the contrast. You know what it felt like to me? It was like everyone else was a taut bowstring, while his was loose."

"I can't tell if he's really that good, but I can sense that he has an incredibly strong inner strength."

He felt his judgment was correct. A person who didn't care about any external dangers was either ignorant and fearless, or he was powerful enough to be unafraid of any external risks.