My Techniques are a bit off

Land of Rivers, Daimyo's Estate

"Who goes there?"

The samurai guard shouted, drawing his sword as he carefully moved through the eerily silent courtyard. His nerves were taut, his every sense heightened.

The intruder had to be a highly skilled ninja specializing in assassination. If not for his own heightened senses as a sensor-type samurai, he wouldn't have detected the faint chakra traces signaling an intruder.

Could it be an assassin sent by the rebels? Or perhaps—

His thoughts were cut short. A kunai silently pierced his throat. Before he could even collapse, the assailant caught his falling blade. Stumbling, the samurai tried to raise an alarm, but all it did was hasten his death. Within moments, he was lifeless.

Another group of samurai rushed toward the scene, only to meet the same fate. Their throats were slit by assassins lurking in the shadows, and their lifeless bodies crumpled silently to the ground.

Under the dim moonlight, the faint outline of standard-issue Konoha Anbu gear could be seen on the attackers.

The assassins moved seamlessly, eliminating the first waves of guards who responded to the initial disturbance. With their throats slit and their brains destroyed to prevent any potential survival, the assassins swiftly infiltrated deeper into the daimyo's quarters.

"You're cornered."

A ninja from the Land of Rivers, tasked with guarding the daimyo, pressed a kunai to one assassin's neck. With sharp eyes, he glanced at the two others flanking him.

"Does Konoha intend to break its alliance with the Land of Rivers? What are you—"

Two ink-black tigers leaped from the shadows, tearing the guard's throat.

Poof!

The guard's body dissolved into a straw dummy—a substitution jutsu. But before he could escape, a long, inky serpent coiled around his body from the eaves. It tightened mercilessly, crushing him. As he suffocated, the serpent snapped his neck.

The assassins skillfully severed his head, sealing it into a scroll before moving forward.

Within moments, they reached the daimyo's sleeping quarters. A muffled scream rang out briefly before silence fell once again.

The clouds covered the already dim moon, and the faint candlelight from within the room flickered out. Through the paper doors, the silhouette of an assassin could be seen, calmly marking something in a notebook before disappearing into the darkness.

And then—complete silence.

…

"A week after the assassination of the Land of Rivers daimyo and several high-ranking officials, rebel forces have captured over one-third of the country's territory..."

Link put down the newspaper, frowning slightly. He turned to the man across from him and asked, "If we enter the Land of Rivers now, we'll be dealing with more than just rebels, won't we?"

The man across from him, the son of the Land of Rivers daimyo, knelt on the tatami mat. Bowing deeply until his forehead nearly touched the ground, he said solemnly, "Regardless, I must return for the sake of my country and my people. I entrust my life to you."

Link raised an eyebrow. For the sake of your country and people?

This man was the very picture of privilege—a glutton and gambler who had spent his days idling in Tanzaku Town while his country fell apart. Now, with his family slaughtered and his homeland in chaos, he had suddenly decided to stake his life on reclaiming his position as daimyo.

Still, the man had arrived in Konoha under legitimate treaty terms and commissioned a high-stakes S-rank mission directly from the Third Hokage. As much as Link disliked it, he didn't have the option to refuse.

"Alright," Link said, his tone flat. "We leave tomorrow?"

"Yes, as soon as possible," the daimyo's son confirmed, bowing again. "Thank you for your assistance."

Despite his vices, the man was at least polite—a skill perhaps ingrained in the noble class.

"I'll excuse myself, then. I'll return tomorrow with my team to escort you," Link said, using a slightly more formal tone. After all, the man was a paying client, and at 1 million ryō, he was certainly worth a bit of courtesy.

As the daimyo's son gave him a warm, practiced smile, Link left the room. Outside, he exchanged a glance with the three samurai guards stationed at the door before vanishing into the night.

Wealthy nobles really are something else.

Link glanced back at the luxurious house. Even in a minor nation like the Land of Rivers, the daimyo's son could afford to live lavishly in exile, purchase property in Konoha, and pay a fortune for a high-ranking mission.

But the Land of Rivers' current state...

His brows furrowed. The country was in dire straits. The news he'd read earlier was already two days old. In addition to the rebels, various factions and opportunists were undoubtedly converging on the chaos.

Given the Land of Rivers' proximity to several nations, it was a prime target. Unlike the arid and resource-scarce Land of Wind, the Land of Rivers was fertile and abundant. Even in its most chaotic moments, some semblance of government had maintained order. Now, with the political center destroyed and rebels advancing unopposed, it had become a tempting prize.

The Land of Wind was too weak to intervene, and the Land of Rain was embroiled in its own turmoil. By process of elimination, the Land of Fire stood to gain the most from the Land of Rivers' instability.

Of course, it could also be the work of rogue groups or individuals.

In the ninja world, small nations like the Land of Rivers were constantly at risk of destruction. Powerful individuals like Sasori or Orochimaru could singlehandedly decimate entire countries.

But if the Land of Fire had orchestrated the daimyo's assassination, why would Konoha accept this mission?

An S-rank mission... I seem to have a knack for getting entangled with the Land of Rivers.

Link shook his head and used a body flicker to return home. Tomorrow's mission would undoubtedly involve combat. As an S-rank assignment, it wasn't one to take lightly.

~~~

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