Patriarch Toyo of the Jumiboro Clan.
An ally who had poured massive investments in Ryugo. The opportunity to retrieve four C-rank jutsu were an obvious gift.
Ryugo, fourteen years old of age, was none other than his grandson. The genius of the Jumiboro clan. Their hope. Other clan leaders had a positive opinion of him too. He was talented. Ruthless. And more importantly, he never failed his missions.
A new prompt appeared in blue.
[New Mission Offered: Economic Enforcement on Eido Bridge in the Land of Rivers (A)]
[Task: Secure Otogakure's mercantile monopoly along the River Run Route. Eliminate Suna-affiliated and Tanigakure intermediaries. Collect payments from itinerary merchants passing the Eido Bridge]
[Rewards: 7000 EXP, 120,000 Ryô, +100 Reputation with all Otogakure Clans, Personalised Sonic Weapon from the Amubi Clan]
It was a more complex mission. Dirty. Almost political.
Ryugo frowned.
He was no fool.
Although he had been obeying the Council of the Sound ever since he awakened in this world, he possessed enough influence in his clan and Otogakure in general to know of the global situation.
His numerous successes had driven the Council of the Sound to become bolder. A situation that did not happen originally.
The Lands of Rivers had become their hunting territory. Ryugo's squad, since its creation a year ago, had already completed 28 C-rank and 9 B-rank missions related to the lands of Rivers. The number of shinobi he had killed far exceeded the hundred mark.
Sabotage.
Assassinations of political figures and merchant heirs.
Escorting officials corrupted by the Council of Sound.
Theft.
Orochimaru was not absent for no reason. He was deeply invested in his experiments. But the reason he built Otogakure in the first place was not control, glory or political power. He had built Otogakure to collect funds and specimens.
This was the reason why the Council of Sound existed.
Why the clans like the Jumiboro, Amubi, Shiin, Danki and Fuma clans retained independence and freedom.
The lands of Rice were poor. And this was why the latest missions all targeted their wealthy neighbours: the lands of River.
This mission was beyond any Ryugo had seen. It would not be a simple one.
An A-rank mission given to a jonin and newly advanced chunins.
This was quite surprising.
Long-term missions of that scale had tremendous impact on Otogakure. The fact the Council of the Sound had chosen Ryugo's team to complete it, however, was an obvious clue.
Firstly, they considered Ryugo to be one of their elites. Trustworthy, strong, efficient. The promotion of Dosu, Kin and Kazu was a testament to that.
Secondly, they lacked resources. Otogakure was not like the 5 major hidden villages. Their talent pool, their overall strength, was minuscule in comparison.
In Konohagakure, there were dozens of elite jonins.
In Otogakure, besides the clan leaders, they could be counted on one's hands.
In Iwagakure, there were more than 1000 jonins.
In Otogakure, they were less than a hundred.
As for a unit specialised in sabotage and assassination like the one Ryugo had trained? They could be counted on one's hands.
Orochimaru had done a great job inflating the numbers of meat shields. Genins mainly, with some inflated stats that could sometimes make them chunins. But the ANBU units of Otogakure lacked the versatility and lethality that Ryugo had in his squad. Team Gamma, in their previous mission, was one of the ANBU's elite four-men units. Yet they had been annihilated without even putting up a fight.
This was the reality of Otogakure.
Shiin continued, providing shrouded explanations: "You will be part of a wider operation. Of course, Tanigakure will react, but latest intel shows they are deeply busied by their own internal conflicts. Adding to the daimyo's weak financial support, they are unlikely to send their elites. Two ANBU squads, 30 chunins, 4 jonins, will support you from the shadows, thinning out enemies that would come in the vicinity. In addition to your team, a supplementary unit of Danki medical nins will act as medical support and secure any blood from confrontations"
Patriarch Shiin confirmed his thoughts.
"I accept the mandate", Ryugo said, the words automatic. Refusal was not an option. The System was a guide to gain strength, but the Council held the leash. A leash that he did not plan to keep for long. But a leash nonetheless.
"Good", Elder Fuma spoke, "You depart in 48 hours. Use the time to prepare."
"Understood."
Dismissed with a wave of Elder Fuma's thread-weaving hand, Ryugo turned and left the chamber. The heavy doors sealed behind him, muting the oppressive atmosphere.
In the echoing hallway, he allowed himself a moment to check his updated status. The levels, the numbers, the clean logic of it was a balm against the village's pervasive madness. He calculated.
The EXP from this new mission would likely push him into the high 80s. His team might gain two to three levels two. It was a decent opportunity. The stronger his team became, the more opportunities he would have.
As he walked, he passed a large, reinforced window overlooking a training yard.
Below, he saw a squad of Shiin clan genjutsu specialists practicing on bound prisoners, weaving complex illusions to erase and implant memories. The process was of excruciating pain, their screams muffled only by the mechanical sounds of the Foundry below.
This was Otogakure.
Not a village of warriors, but a corporation of specialized horrors. There was a profound stench of malice in the area. One that would make others have nightmares. But one that brought calm to Ryugo.
Three years until Konoha.
He had three years to level up, to build his team into an unbreakable weapon, to navigate the viper's nest of clan politics, and to accumulate enough power and leverage to survive not just the coming war, but the waves of cataclysmic events to come.
The mission was just one more step in the ladder.