In the endless desert, Namikaze Minato led his three students forward at high speed.
During a short rest, Uchiha Hato complained, "We've been walking through the desert for two days already. When are we finally going to run into the enemy?"
(T/N: previously Uchiha Yetao.)
Minato heard Hato's complaint but said nothing.
Uchiha Hato was the most talented member of the Uchiha clan in his age group. As long as he did not die early on the battlefield, his strength would not be poor.
Nohara Rin comforted him. "Sensei has been checking the direction the whole time. We aren't lost, Hato. Don't be impatient."
Hato thought, 'How can I not be impatient?'
The clan's ninja had all gone to the Land of Hot Water to deal with the Cloud. He had to complete a few impressive missions too.
He turned and glanced at Kakashi.
With Minato-sensei's recommendation, Kakashi had already become a Jōnin.
In the original timeline, White Fang had committed suicide, and Kakashi could never say it aloud, but in his heart, he had felt ashamed of his father. He had been caught in the struggle of whether his father had been wrong or whether the village had been wrong.
Because of that, Kakashi had not properly cherished White Fang's short blade, nor had he studied White Fang's swordsmanship deeply.
In this life, Konoha's White Fang had died as a hero. When Kakashi thought of his father, his heart was filled with pride. Day and night, he studied White Fang's swordsmanship and imitated his father, causing his strength to grow rapidly.
His chakra refinement was already very proficient. He was only one step away from mastering Chakra Crystallization.
Kakashi's taijutsu, swordsmanship, and speed were all extremely fast. Becoming a Jōnin was more than deserved.
Minato smiled gently and said, "Hato, don't be impatient. I'll gather intelligence now.
The three of you stay on guard around me. I cannot be disturbed while gathering information."
Kakashi and the others spread out, watching the unchanging desert in the distance.
After Minato formed hand seals, his consciousness appeared in the Three Gods Faith's divine hall.
Soon, the blood silhouettes of Fire Calamity and Pestilence Calamity appeared.
Fire Calamity Pakura said, "The daimyō of the Land of Wind issued an S-rank mission. Many nobles in the Land of Wind have died recently, and the daimyō has ordered Sunagakure to capture the culprit as soon as possible."
"Capture the culprit? Isn't that capturing me?" Hidan said. "Every time I reach a town in the Land of Wind, I bring people into the noble estates and offer a great sacrifice to the Three Gods. I didn't expect to alarm the daimyō of the Land of Wind so quickly.
Fire Calamity, Sunagakure won't send you to hunt me down, will they? That would be perfect. You won't attack me, right?"
Pakura shook her head.
"Plague Calamity, you did too well in sacrificing nobles. So well that the reward for this S-rank mission is five percent of the war funding.
The Kazekage intends to complete this mission personally. He can earn the daimyō's favor and also win a large amount of funding for the village.
After all, in order to raise funds, the Kazekage even led a large number of Sand ninja into the desert to pan for gold.
Plague Calamity, complete another sacrifice in Windbird City. Draw the Fourth Kazekage Rasa there, and then…"
Even though she knew what she was doing was meant to save Sunagakure from a war that would bring countless casualties, plotting the assassination of her own village's Kage still made Pakura's heart tremble.
At that moment, beneath the statue of the Threefold Wisdom King, another blood silhouette appeared.
Leader Thunder Calamity had arrived.
Seeing that all three were present, Yako said, "This is the first time the Calamity Organization will work together to complete a mission.
Assassinating the Kazekage, Rasa, is the Calamity Organization's most important mission at present.
Fire Calamity will provide intelligence.
Wind Calamity and Plague Calamity will execute it.
By this time tomorrow, I hope to hear good news that the mission is complete."
The leader seemed very busy. After giving his instructions, he disappeared.
Windbird City.
Hidan opened his eyes and looked toward the noble estate.
"The last time I passed through Windbird City, I sacrificed four or five nobles. The Three Gods Faith is good in every way, except that it's too merciful!"
Holding his three-bladed scythe, Hidan said, "This time, let's sacrifice all the nobles to the great Three Gods!"
Behind Hidan stood Sail.
Behind Sail stood the thirty believers Hidan had developed.
After night fell, the lights in the noble estate lit up one by one.
Unlike the small nobles beside remote oases, the governor of a major city like Windbird City had installed electricity in his estate long ago.
Ninja techniques were certainly powerful, but the electrical circuits invented by the Land of Lightning were also marvelous.
On the ten-meter-long dining table, dozens of dishes were laid out. Under the bright lights, the sauces on the dishes gleamed like crystal.
A noble could not possibly pick up food personally. Beside every dish stood a servant.
The noble, so fat he could barely stand, pointed at the nineteenth plate.
A servant quickly stepped forward, placed a small bite of food onto a saucer, then brought the saucer to the noble's side.
Only eating one bite from each dish meant that even if a ninja poisoned him, the dosage would be very small.
This was one method nobles used to protect themselves.
The governor's attention drifted from time to time.
The border had not been peaceful lately. There were more and more Sand ninja.
More ninja meant chaos was far more likely, and even death.
The governor looked at the samurai squads stationed around the dining hall, wondering whether they could protect him.
A servant picked up a piece of fish with chopsticks and placed it into the governor's mouth.
The governor froze slightly.
This servant was a novice. Why had he pushed the chopsticks so deep into his mouth?
In the next instant, the noble felt a burst of sharp pain.
The chopsticks had pierced the tender flesh inside his mouth.
Then—
that disgusting, perverted servant actually pulled out the chopsticks and licked them.
On the chopsticks were fish crumbs, along with his blood and saliva.
The governor shrieked, "Kill him! Kill that servant!"
A samurai quickly stepped forward and slashed the servant across the back, killing him.
Several other samurai dragged the servant away.
After the chaos ended, the governor felt deeply irritated and said to the samurai captain, "Reward the remaining dishes to you samurai."
The samurai were still worth winning over.
They were responsible for his safety.
Leaving the banquet hall and returning to the rear courtyard, the governor saw that his son's forehead had been cut open.
The steward had already executed the servant who had failed to take proper care of the young master.
A while later, he saw blood crusted on his wife's ear. A maid had injured her while putting on an earring.
The governor felt a wave of irritation.
What exactly was going on tonight?
At midnight, when the steward reported to him, he learned that the steward had executed many servants that night.
No one knew what had happened to the servants today. One after another, they kept making mistakes.
Fortunately, the samurai all obeyed the governor's orders. If servants were executed, then so be it.
Ordinary people without chakra had no ability to resist in front of samurai.
Of course, samurai had little ability to resist in front of ninja either.
The governor ordered the steward to bring four young girls to serve him while he bathed.
Lying in the bathtub, the governor felt the warmth of the bathwater.
After a long while, he sighed.
Tonight's bathwater was especially warm.
Not only warm.
Red.
The governor suddenly woke from his daze.
A hole had appeared in his chest.
Blood was gushing out of that hole.
"Someone! Someone, help—"
Throughout the governor's estate, accidents, riots, and inexplicable deaths were breaking out everywhere.