Rinjin lay motionless on the corridor outside the bedroom, as still as a statue.
Inside the bedroom, the battle had already begun.
Three hired shinobi were locked in combat with two members of the assassination squad.
Due to the presence of their employer, the hired shinobi refrained from using large-scale destructive jutsu.
The three of them surrounded their employer, remaining vigilant against the elusive blades of the Mist in the dense fog.
Sparks flew amidst the white mist, accompanied by occasional muffled grunts.
Outside the bedroom, at the end of the corridor, three more figures dressed as assassination squad members darted forward, heading straight for the bedroom.
They were coming!
He sensed it!
Two distinct chakra signatures pressed closely together, rushing toward the bedroom.
Just as the three figures passed by Rinjin, about to storm into the bedroom, Rinjin's toes twitched slightly, lightly tapping the seemingly unconscious hired shinobi lying beside him.
In the next instant, Rinjin and the hired shinobi sprang into action simultaneously, attacking the enemies from behind.
Unlike his ally, Rinjin didn't draw a kunai. Instead, he grabbed Fuguki Suikazan's shoulder with his bare hand while forming a one-handed seal with the other.
Meanwhile, in the underground chambers of Yugakure:
A clone of Rinjin, already transformed into the appearance of Fuguki Suikazan, held onto the corpse of the bodyguard he had replaced.
Both the clone's and the original's palms glowed with the same Flying Thunder God seal:
"Go wherever you want to go."
Flying Thunder God: Mutual Rotation Technique!
In an instant, Rinjin and Fuguki Suikazan's figures blurred for a fraction of a millisecond.
To the assassination squad from Kirigakure, it appeared as though Fuguki Suikazan had swiftly drawn Samehada and sliced the bodyguard behind him clean in two.
Little did they know, the real Fuguki Suikazan had already been swapped out. What stood before them now was merely Rinjin's shadow clone in disguise.
The real Fuguki Suikazan and Rinjin's original body had appeared in Yugakure's underground base.
As Fuguki Suikazan experienced a dizzying shift in his surroundings, he instinctively drew Samehada and swung it at Rinjin.
A sharp screech echoed through the air as sparks flew.
Rinjin casually extended his hand, stopping Samehada's jagged spikes with ease.
Seeing this, Fuguki Suikazan's expression twisted in shock.
"His bare hand... stopped Samehada! What kind of monster is this?!"
Half a second of hesitation was all it took. Rinjin used his free hand to push Samehada aside and, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, drove a hand blade straight into Fuguki Suikazan's heart.
"Heh, standing this close and still dazing off? Do you even know the meaning of 'death'?"
With a slight twist of his hand, Rinjin pulled his blood-soaked arm free.
Fuguki Suikazan's pupils dilated, his face frozen in shock and disbelief as blood gushed from the wound in his chest like a fountain.
After casually wiping his hand clean, Rinjin picked up Samehada from beside Fuguki Suikazan's lifeless body.
Zzzzt!
Sparks flew once again as countless barbs on Samehada's hilt rose, clearly resisting Rinjin's grip.
It seemed the blade had no intention of letting Rinjin wield it.
Unfazed, Rinjin chuckled, recalling the stubborn Two-Tails he had encountered before.
"Heh, another tough nut to crack."
But now wasn't the time to wrestle with Samehada. Leaving a few Flying Thunder God seals on the blade, Rinjin formed a hand seal.
In an instant, his body began to transform.
The threads of Earth Grudge Fear grew rapidly under the nourishment of chakra.
In no time, Rinjin's lean, toned physique morphed into a round, burly frame.
His height shot up from just over 180 cm to nearly 230 cm.
After all, Fuguki Suikazan was only around fifteen or sixteen years old at this point. If he had lived to adulthood, his height could have easily reached 250 cm.
Unfortunately, he would never have the chance to grow any taller.
As the black threads of Earth Grudge Fear wriggled, Rinjin's once-handsome face became plump and round, shifting from an egg shape to a pear shape.
Pulling a mirror from the corner, Rinjin meticulously examined the differences between himself and Fuguki Suikazan.
It didn't take long for him to find the final discrepancy—his teeth.
Kirigakure shinobi were all peculiar in their own way, and most of them sported sharp, jagged teeth.
With no other choice, Rinjin grabbed a file and began grinding his teeth down.
Before long, a counterfeit Fuguki Suikazan, complete with two small buns on his head, a burly frame, and a mouth full of sharp teeth, stood ready.
Nearby, Samehada tilted its hilt, the skull-shaped decoration on its handle staring dumbly at Rinjin, as if utterly bewildered.
It couldn't comprehend how this individual had transformed into its former master right before its eyes.
Meanwhile, back at the wealthy man's residence, the hired shinobi lay dead. Members of the unnamed assassination squad had fled Yugakure with the rich man's severed head.
They intended to deliver the valuable trophy to their village and complete their mission.
On the return ship, Rinjin, taking advantage of a bathroom break, swapped places with his shadow clone once more.
Since Samehada refused to cooperate, he carried a fake version of the blade, planning to deal with the unruly sword once he settled back in Kirigakure.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to Fuguki Suikazan's naturally cautious and reserved personality, Rinjin easily blended into Kirigakure.
After completing the mission and collecting the meager reward, Rinjin followed Fuguki Suikazan's habits, finding a local izakaya to enjoy a drink.
Feigning a slightly tipsy demeanor, he staggered home, never showing a hint of urgency or unease. He acted as if he were Fuguki Suikazan himself.
Through long-term observation, Rinjin had mastered every aspect of Fuguki Suikazan's daily routine, down to the smallest details—like his habit of placing a sheet of paper on the toilet seat to avoid splashes.
Of course, this often led to clogged toilets in his home.
Such attention to detail, Rinjin believed, was the hallmark of a top-tier infiltrator.
Back at home, Rinjin didn't rush to deal with Samehada. Instead, he maintained his facade, sleeping in until noon and visiting the izakaya in the afternoons.
Although he couldn't confirm whether ANBU agents were secretly monitoring him, Rinjin knew better than to risk breaking character.
Over a week passed in this manner.
In the unimpressive Mizukage Office, the masked ANBU captain dutifully reported his findings.
"Mizukage-sama, the assassination mission targeting the wealthy man from the Land of Tea—mission code 14-231—has been thoroughly investigated by the assassination squad over the past week. No irregularities were found."
Hearing this, the Third Mizukage, standing by the window with his back to the ANBU captain, nodded indifferently.
"Have the sleeper agents at the exchange stations reduce their mission acceptance frequency. In three months, I want everyone back in the village."
The ANBU captain frowned slightly, lowering his voice respectfully.
"Mizukage-sama, what about the shinobi still on missions at that time?"
"Three months isn't enough time for them?"
The Mizukage's voice was cold, devoid of any warmth.
The ANBU captain shuddered, nodding emphatically.
"Understood, Mizukage-sama!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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