The Wolf Squad.
This elite ninja unit served directly under County Magistrate Morimura. It consisted of five individuals—all rogue ninja who had defected from various villages. The team's composition was formidable: one elite Jōnin, one standard Jōnin, and three experienced Chūnin.
For a remote provincial town, such a lineup was excessively extravagant.
Thanks to the Wolf Squad's protection, the area under Magistrate Morimura's control was unusually peaceful. Bandits and petty criminals rarely survived long enough to pose a threat—they were hunted down before they could even draw their weapons.
But while that brought peace on the surface, to the common people, there was little difference between dying to bandits or being bled dry by excessive taxation.
The five rogue ninja followed Magistrate Morimura for two very specific reasons:
Money. And the future.
To keep them loyal, Morimura paid them handsomely—generous monthly stipends, access to fine wine, women, and luxurious accommodations. Most importantly, he never sent them on dangerous missions.
After all, how much danger could there be in a sleepy, snow-covered county?
Working for Morimura was a far better deal than wandering the land, scraping by on meager bounties while constantly being hunted by bounty hunters or ANBU squads.
As for their future, the Wolf Squad believed Morimura's ambitions extended far beyond the position of county magistrate. He kept only a modest portion of the region's wealth for himself. The rest was carefully packaged and regularly sent to the residence of the Daimyō of the Land of Water.
That kind of "sensible" tribute would surely earn Morimura favor in high places. It was only a matter of time before he was promoted and transferred to a prosperous city.
By following Morimura now, the Wolf Squad believed they were securing power and status for the future.
---
The squad's leader—nicknamed Evil Wolf—glanced back at the carriage trailing behind them. Inside was a chest filled with gold, silver, and dazzling jewelry. Next to it sat four alluring women, each with a distinct charm and origin.
Evil Wolf grinned.
> "Looks like the boss is getting promoted soon," he said. "This kind of show? I just hope the guy in Luoxue Village doesn't let us down."
One of the younger members leaned forward. "Boss, what if those samurai were exaggerating? Maybe that kid's nothing special."
Evil Wolf shrugged. "Could be. Samurai don't know jack about real strength."
Everyone laughed. Among ninja, mocking samurai had become something of a sport.
Truthfully, this trip wasn't just a show of goodwill. It was a test—to see whether Logan, the man who had crippled the two tax-collecting warriors, was worth their attention.
The fourth squad member asked, "Boss, what if the guy from Luoxue Village refuses Magistrate Morimura's offer?"
"Refuses?"
Evil Wolf chuckled and patted the chest beside him.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Gold and silver," the fourth brother answered.
"Nope," Evil Wolf said, "it's the magistrate's goodwill."
Then he tapped the sword at his waist.
"And this?"
"…The magistrate's face?"
Evil Wolf grinned wider. "Now you're catching on."
He gave the fourth member a light smack on the back of the head and added, "The sword is a sword, but it represents the magistrate's blade. If that kid has a brain, he'll take the money and come quietly. If not, he can apologize, pay up, and leave the village."
> "But if he acts shameless…"
Evil Wolf let the thought hang, smiling ominously. The others chuckled with anticipation.
It had been a while since they'd drawn blood.
---
By the time the Wolf Squad's horse-drawn carriage reached Luoxue Village, five days had passed. It was late afternoon—nearly dinnertime. Smoke rose from chimneys, and the village glowed faintly under the snowy haze.
Since Logan had driven off the two tax collectors, the villagers had been left in peace. They ate well for several days. Even though it was still a poor place, there was a sense of warmth returning to the atmosphere.
"Whoa—" Lao Wu, the fifth member, tugged the reins and brought the carriage to a stop.
Evil Wolf stepped out first, wrinkling his nose at the bitter wind and the smell of soot and livestock that clung to poor winter villages.
He spat on the frozen dirt.
> "So this is it? Where is everyone? Third brother, make some noise and drag our 'master' out."
The third member, a silent, cold-looking man, nodded and stepped forward.
He formed hand seals without hesitation.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
A barrage of fiery orbs shot from his mouth and slammed into a nearby home.
BOOM!
Flames roared to life.
Screams rang out as a family stumbled out of the burning building in a panic.
Before they could escape further, Third Brother stood before them, blade drawn.
> "Get back inside," he said coldly.
The terrified family turned and retreated back into the inferno, choosing the fire over the sword.
The flames intensified, and black smoke curled into the sky. The peaceful village was instantly thrown into chaos.
People ran from their homes, shouting, "Fire! Fire!"
Evil Wolf grinned.
He had always loved a bit of chaos. Nothing like a good fire to get the blood pumping.
Villagers gathered in confusion, trying to put out the flames, but each time someone got close, one of the four brothers would strike them down or shove them aside.
The old men trembled. The children screamed. Fear had returned to Luoxue.
Evil Wolf casually leaned back against the carriage and waved cheerfully at the crowd.
> "Hey there, folks! My name's Evil Wolf. I'm one of the county magistrate's loyal guards."
> "A little while back, two of our warriors were beaten up here. I heard it was by some strong guy?"
> "The magistrate—benevolent as always—has decided to forgive the matter. He even wants to invite that man back to the magistrate's residence as a guest of honor!"
> "So? Who's it gonna be?"
As he spoke, he gestured to the fourth brother.
The man opened the wooden box, revealing piles of glittering treasure.
Then he pulled back the carriage curtain to reveal two of the women—both foreign beauties, elegant and seductive in their own unique way.
The villagers of Luoxue had never seen such wealth. The shimmer of the jewels and the allure of the women left them momentarily stunned.
But then—a loud crash echoed through the village. The burning house finally collapsed in on itself, the flames still roaring.
The villagers remembered who these men were: murderers who burned a family alive without hesitation.
The old village chief stepped forward, trembling.
"Sir… If you're looking for Doctor Logan… he stepped out. We don't know when he'll return."
"Is that so?"
The wolf shrugged. "No problem. We'll stick around for a day or two and wait. In the meantime, let's talk about something else."
"…Something else?"
"Don't look so nervous," Evil Wolf said, chuckling. "Nothing too serious. Just your heating tax."
Relief spread through the crowd.
Paying taxes, at least, they were familiar with.
After Logan had returned the stolen tax grain, every household had eaten well. But the people were still frugal. Each family had saved up enough grain to make up for last month's dues.
A few villagers began moving to collect their goods when—
Thud!
A scream cut through the cold air.
A kunai had pierced the shoulder of a young man in the crowd.
Everyone turned to see Evil Wolf still holding his hand in the throwing position.
> "I don't like it when people walk away while I'm still talking," he said with a mocking smile. "It's rude."
"Sir," the village chief said quickly, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the ground, "do you have… further instructions?"
"Of course."
Evil Wolf raised his hand and began counting on his fingers.
> "First, because we had to make this trip out here, you owe us travel expenses."
> "Second, since you were late on your payment, that means a penalty fee."
> "Third, you assaulted the tax collectors. That's obstruction of duty, so you get a fine."
> "Finally, since we're here already, we might as well collect this month's tax, too."
He held up his hand, fingers spread.
> "Add it all up—travel expenses, penalty, fine, and two months' tax…"
> "You now owe five times the original amount."
He grinned at the villagers, who stood frozen in disbelief.
> "If each household pays five times the heating tax by tonight," he said warmly, "we'll consider the matter settled."
pàtreøn (Gk31)