"Sir, do you need a porter?"
Yūsuke Miyake asked obsequiously, targeting two young men who looked affluent.
"No need," replied one of them, a black-haired youth, waving his hand dismissively.
"Then how about a guide? We're all natives of the Land of Artisans!"
"If you need any service, we can provide it!" Yūsuke's sharp eyes caught sight of the black staff covered in dark patterns on the youth's back.
"That shimmering golden hue—there's no mistaking it. This guy's a walking gold mine!" Yūsuke thought, screaming internally with excitement.
"No need," the black-haired youth repeated, shaking his head as he and the red-haired man beside him made their way through the crowd.
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Yūsuke quickly ran to the other side and pulled a confused Kento Naganuma aside. Before Kento could protest, Yūsuke blurted out a single sentence that silenced him.
"There's a big score! That black-haired kid might be a runaway rich kid, and that iron staff on his back? It's probably solid gold inside!"
"Really?! Are you sure you're not mistaken?" A greedy glint flashed in Kento Naganuma's eyes.
"Come on! You don't trust me? I could mix up the color of Sakura's obi from the pleasure quarter, but I'd never mistake the smooth, radiant texture of gold!" Yūsuke thumped his chest in assurance.
"Alright... so how do we split it?" Kento squinted his eyes.
"I found the mark, so seventy-thirty!"
"Hah! Dream on! With those little brats you've got for lackeys, what good are they? It should be seventy-thirty my way!" Kento retorted disdainfully.
Gritting his teeth, Yūsuke proposed, "Fine! Forty percent each, and the remaining twenty goes to whoever takes him down!"
"Deal!" Kento agreed after a moment's thought.
The two spat into their hands and slapped them together to seal the agreement.
The two youths who had disembarked in the Land of Artisans were, of course, Sōmi and Scorpion.
Initially, after their unexpected gains in the Land of Bears, they had planned to return directly to the Land of Wind. However, Scorpion couldn't resist examining the Samehada and the mysterious star they had acquired.
To his astonishment, Scorpion discovered that his usual methods for cutting metal were completely ineffective against Samehada.
Even in its sealed state, Samehada seemed to exhibit an instinctive biological response. Whether exposed to intense heat or sharp blades, its surface would bristle with spines, significantly increasing its hardness and rendering it impossible to reforge.
As for the peculiar star, Scorpion hadn't yet figured out how to incorporate it into his puppet creations.
In Sōmi's opinion, the people of the Land of Bears were courting death by using the star as a medium for Chakra cultivation.
Even if someone managed to master the so-called Mysterious Peacock Method, their strength would only reach the level of a Jōnin at best. Their only unique trait was the ability to fly.
However, even those who emerged as Jōnin after sacrificing countless lives had abnormally short lifespans—just like the male Hoshigakure ninja Sōmi had encountered, who was already nearing the end of his life.
The female ninja, Summer Star, had reached a higher level of the Mysterious Peacock Method, yet her life force remained relatively abundant. She could live for at least another ten years.
Could it be because of her hair color? After all, in the ninja world, the importance of bloodlines was undeniable.
As someone of civilian origin, Sōmi understood this deeply. Despite being hailed as a genius for his exceptional comprehension, the obstacles to further improving his strength were numerous.
The most pressing issue was his Chakra reserves. If only he had the bloodline of the "Chakra-tonnage" clans...
"Hey, Scorpion! Do you even know where we're going?" Sōmi asked as they walked along a tree-lined path. The surrounding fields were overgrown with weeds, seemingly abandoned for some time.
"No."
"Then why did you come to the Land of Artisans?" Sōmi rolled his eyes.
"I heard from my grandmother that the Land of Artisans has the finest metalworking techniques. They also have many secret methods that can imbue weapons and armor with unexpected properties."
"And the first step in weapon crafting is processing the metal. I'm sure the master blacksmiths here have dealt with many rare metals and have specialized workshops for handling them," Scorpion said confidently.
"Do you even know who the master blacksmiths are here?" Sōmi asked.
"No."
"Then why do you look so confident when you know absolutely nothing?" Sōmi sighed and continued walking.
Suddenly, Sōmi stopped, a smirk forming on his lips. "Our guides have arrived."
"Hey, kid! I suggest you hand over all your valuables if you know what's good for you! Otherwise..."
"Heh heh! You two have such fine skin. If we dress you up, I bet plenty of gentlemen at the pleasure quarter would love you!" A burly man suddenly emerged from the fields, blocking their path.
His chin was covered with a thick, bristling beard, and his eyes glistened with unrestrained greed as they locked onto the golden glint of the staff on Sōmi's back.
Crunch, crunch!
Within moments, over a dozen shirtless, muscular men surrounded them, flexing their massive fists.
The stench of sweat mixed with a strange sour odor filled the air, nearly overwhelming Sōmi and Scorpion.
Even Scorpion, usually indifferent, furrowed his brows in displeasure.
Whoosh!
The sharp sound of something cutting through the air rang out. Sōmi tilted his head to dodge an arrow that had been aimed directly at his face. The arrow embedded itself into a nearby dirt wall.
Sōmi glanced at the arrow's shaft. The material was ordinary, with no traces of Chakra. The sheer force behind it was surprising, leaving Sōmi momentarily impressed. This strength was no joke...
"Huh? Yūsuke, you cowardly rat! Trying to snipe from the shadows?!" Kento Naganuma roared angrily upon seeing the arrow.
Scanning the area, he finally spotted a figure hiding in an abandoned grass hut to the left. However, this figure looked more like a boy and lacked the sleazy demeanor of Yūsuke Miyake.
"Still, now's not the time to settle scores with that rat. This kid sure is lucky to have dodged that arrow..."
Kento thought to himself. Finishing off this kid was the priority. As for splitting the loot... what a joke. Everything these two had would naturally be his!
Just as Kento signaled his men to close in, he seemed to hear the devil's whisper.
"Leave the leader and the archer alive. Kill the rest..."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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