CHAPTER 50

Assassination

The capital of the Land of Earth fell into an eerie stillness after dark. In the quiet, paper-filled office of the Tsuchi no Kuni Logistics Department, four tired-looking clerks sat slumped over their desks, seemingly asleep. In truth, each had silently fallen under the subtle grip of a Genjutsu: Sharingan Hypnosis, cast by Uchiha Fugaku. His crimson eyes had flickered just once in the shadows, and that had been enough.

They would awaken hours later with no recollection of the interrogation, convinced they'd simply passed out from exhaustion. Such was the finesse of Fugaku's Genjutsu—clean, quiet, and utterly untraceable.

In a flash of smoke, two Kage Bunshin dispelled in the center of the wide chamber. Fugaku and Hinata Ning reappeared in a hotel room miles away, returning to their real bodies with synchronized exhales.

Fugaku, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them slowly. His mind organized the fragments of information harvested through Genjutsu.

The team reassembled quietly around him, their tension visible in the dim light.

> "The intel is too thin," Fugaku said coldly. "They're low-level clerks—cogs. They don't even know when Minister Shiro Nagai will next visit the office. But there are details."

He unfurled a basic sketch of the department grounds.

> "There are at least four uniformed Iwagakure shinobi guarding the logistics department during the day. Their ranks weren't confirmed, but we should assume mid to high-level Tokubetsu Jōnin at minimum."

Mitarai Akimitsu frowned, arms crossed.

> "And hidden ones?"

> "There are certainly more," Fugaku replied. "A few of them were confident that surveillance continues into the night—presumably by Iwagakure's Kuroarashi unit. We have to assume ANBU-level shinobi are watching from the shadows."

Moonlight Hideichi stepped forward, visibly unsettled.

> "I checked the estates of the more influential clans. Almost all have accepted Iwagakure protection. They've hired Rock-nin under the guise of 'private security.' The elite are circling their wagons."

Hinata Ning, her Byakugan still flickering from recent use, added,

> "Konoha did the same. Before we left, a Kinkaku Unit detachment was assigned to the capital. Everyone's on edge after the Rain Country front escalated."

Mitarai Akimitsu nodded.

> "Iwagakure deployed reinforcements last week. The capital's crawling with them—undercover and otherwise."

Fugaku pressed his hand to the floor map.

> "We'll wait three days. Investigate every angle. We only get one strike. If we fail, they'll tighten security to the point of impossibility."

Everyone nodded. They all understood: If Shiro Nagai reached the daimyo with new supply deals in hand, the war effort would tip irrevocably.

For the next three days, the team split up, relying heavily on clones and stealth jutsu. Gekkō Hideichi, with his Transparent Escape Technique, proved invaluable—his ability to erase his chakra signature and become near-invisible even to sensory ninja allowed him to tail Shiro Nagai discreetly.

At last, they reconvened.

> "Only the western gate has thin defense," Fugaku said, tapping the map. "Iwagakure lies to the west, so the odds of an incursion from that direction are low. It's our best exit route."

He circled a spot on the map with charcoal.

> "Tomorrow, Nagai will leave the Logistics Hall with a small group and head to the palace. There's a moment—right at this intersection—where the crowd is thick. Civilians, vendors, nobles. Eyes everywhere. But it's the only place we can approach in the open."

Hinata Ning studied the map with sharp eyes.

> "Too exposed for a full frontal attack. What's the plan?"

> "Hideichi will infiltrate early and identify the real Nagai. Hinata, confirm using your Byakugan. No mistakes—we can't afford to hit a bunshin or body double."

> "Kiyokawa," Fugaku continued, "You'll create chaos. Send in the crows. I'll plant explosives ahead of time. Once the crowd breaks, we strike from within. Akimitsu and I will hit hard from opposite angles. The kill strike is Hideichi's."

The team nodded. It was dangerous. But clean.

—

The next afternoon, the team spread out across the district. Gekkō Hideichi vanished from the hotel at noon, activating Transparent Escape as he silently slipped into the shadows of the Logistics Department.

Fugaku, posing as a merchant, crouched by the street corner near the rendezvous point, casually placing two fūinjutsu-sealed explosive tags under the cobblestone. To an untrained eye, he was adjusting his sandals. One hard impact, and the seal would rupture.

A crow cawed overhead. The signal.

Hinata Ning's voice was low and urgent.

> "The decoy is a high-chakra Jonin impersonating Nagai. The real target is two meters behind, disguised as an aide. I confirm the chakra signature—it's a match."

On the rooftops, two Iwagakure Jōnin appeared, scanning the streets. Below them, a formation of twenty people emerged. Outer ring: eleven armed shinobi. Center: clerks and logistics officers. Among them, a man in ministerial robes—a stand-in.

But Hinata had seen through it. The real Nagai, unassuming in merchant garb, walked near the rear of the group.

Suddenly, the air filled with a sharp caw-caw-caw. Yamashiro Kiyokawa's summoned crows exploded from nearby buildings in a whirlwind of feathers and screeches, diving at the guards' eyes and hands.

"Enemy attack! Protect the VIP!"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"Doton: Doryūheki!"

Fireball and earth walls clashed in chaos. Crows dispersed through the air. Amid the confusion, a series of explosions erupted—Fugaku's pre-planted tags detonated, sending cobblestones and smoke flying.

Through the haze, three figures dashed in: Fugaku, Akimitsu, and Hinata. Their targets were precise—not the stand-in, but the rear.

Then—like a ghost—Gekkō Hideichi materialized inside the inner circle, chakra masked and sword in hand.

His blade thrust silently into the chest of the real Shiro Nagai—one precise strike, through the ribs, straight to the heart.

Time froze.

Then chaos resumed.

"Shiro-sama!"

"Medical-nin! Get the medics!"

Fugaku's voice cut through the noise:

> "Retreat west—now!"

The team vanished in all directions, smoke bombs covering their escape. As they disappeared into alleys and rooftops, Fugaku looked back once—at the crumpled body of Shiro Nagai and the panicked swirl of Iwagakure operatives.

One chance. One kill. Mission complete.