Chapter 97: Shinobi Diplomacy: Smile, Nod, Don’t Stab

Chapter 97 - Shinobi Diplomacy: Smile, Nod, Don’t Stab The first day of travel through the Land of Rivers went by without any issue. The weather stayed clear, with only a few patches of wind kicking up dust along the path. The terrain was mostly flat with occasional low hills and scattered trees. Despite being outside their home country, the road itself was decent, clearly maintained to support trade caravans. Team 1 remained in formation, keeping a steady pace. Ren stayed up front, occasionally using short bursts of chakra to scout ahead before returning to the group. Yugao positioned herself behind the main cart, eyes constantly scanning both sides of the path. Hitoshi remained the most mobile, deploying insects at regular intervals to monitor their surroundings. His presence near the edges of the caravan was barely noticeable unless someone was actively looking for him. The guards traveling with Mizuka didn't say much. They remained professional, quiet, and disciplined, though Ren noticed they weren't particularly friendly either. That was fine with him though, he didn't care for unnecessary interactions. As long as they stayed out of the team's way and followed orders if things got messy, there was nothing to complain about. Mizuka, for the most part, stayed inside his carriage. Occasionally, he'd step out during breaks, stretching his legs and sipping something warm from a cup his servant handed him. He never wandered far and didn't try to talk to Team 1 much, which Ren appreciated. During one of the afternoon rest breaks, the group stopped beside a small stream. Ren allowed a 30-minute pause to refill water supplies, check equipment, and rest. He crouched beside the water, rinsing his hands and glancing up at the sky. Yugao was practicing drawing and sheathing her katana near the cart. Hitoshi sat under a tree, surrounded by a small group of his insects that moved like they were undergoing some kind of training drill. Ren looked over at him. "You trying to get them to follow new formations?" Hitoshi didn't glance up. "Testing their behavior under light chakra disruption." Ren gave a small nod. He understood the importance of that, especially since they couldn't always rely on a clean battlefield. As the break ended, Ren gave the signal, and the group resumed the journey. Evening came without incident. They stopped in a small clearing beside the road, just far enough from the path to stay hidden but still with enough open space to set up camp. The guards set up their own tents in a semi-circle around the carriages, while Team 1 sat at a slight distance. Ren went through the usual procedure, rotating watch shifts, insect scouts, and confirming that all of them stayed in close proximity to the camp. Nothing happened that night either. No disturbances, no strange chakra signatures, no hints of hostility from the locals or passersby. The next morning started the same. The group packed up and resumed the journey early. A thin fog clung to the road, but it burned away within the hour as the sun rose. The land grew slightly hillier, and they passed a few farms and settlements, but no one gave them any trouble. A few traveling merchants nodded in greeting but quickly moved on. Ren noticed that people did seem to take note of the leaf headbands, though none said anything about it. Yugao walked beside Ren as they climbed one of the hills. "So far this is easier than I expected." Ren gave a small shrug. "Better this way. We're not here to start a fight." "But we're not really gathering any useful experience if we don't run into anything either." "You want trouble?" Ren glanced at her. "I wouldn't mind it if it helps me grow." Ren didn't respond to that directly but thought about it. 'She's not wrong. Calm missions means, the system would only reward me for a normal B-Rank mission, probably even less if nothing happens. However.' His thoughts wandered, 'It is better if this mission remains calm, especially since we are going near the borders of land of rain, the base of Akatsuki, I'm not equipped to handle even one of them right now.' Behind them, Hitoshi's voice came. "Better to have a mission where nothing happens than one that goes too far off script." Yugao grumbled but didn't disagree. The team continued walking. By midday, the caravan stopped again for another break. Mizuka stepped out of his carriage and wandered a bit farther than usual, looking out over a field filled with tall grass and wildflowers. One of his guards followed him, staying close. Ren watched them for a while, then turned back to his teammates. "Check your gear and get some food. We'll move out again in twenty." Yugao sat under a tree, unwrapping a rice ball from her pack. "So, when do you think we'll reach the border outpost?" "If we keep the same pace, probably by tomorrow," Ren answered. "Unless something delays us." Hitoshi set down a small scroll and began releasing more scouting insects. "I'll increase the search range. The terrain is getting wider, and it'll help to cover more ground." Ren gave a short nod. "Good. I don't want any surprises when we're close to the border." The rest of the day passed the same as before. Calm, predictable. They walked, rested, walked again. A few times, Ren noticed caravans heading the opposite direction. Once, they passed a group of traveling musicians escorted by mercenaries. There were a few glances exchanged, but no one tried anything. By the time the sun dipped below the hills, the caravan had reached a more open area, gentle slopes and a winding river cutting across the path in the distance. Ren decided to stop early for the night. The area had good visibility, clean water, and open enough space for both Team 1 and the caravan to rest safely. This time, Mizuka approached Ren directly before retiring to his carriage. "You've done well so far. I expected at least one attack or ambush by now." Ren just nodded. "Better to expect it and not need it than the other way around." Mizuka gave a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Let's hope it stays that way. We'll speak more once we arrive." He returned to his carriage. Ren turned back to his team. "Same shifts as before. Make sure the fire stays low." Yugao was already setting up her bedroll while Hitoshi took out a few small containers to feed his insects. Ren sat down against a tree, arms folded behind his head as he looked up at the darkening sky. Another day done. No points earned, no fights, no stress. Just quiet. He wasn't sure whether to be thankful or suspicious. ~~~ The final leg of the journey had been quiet. The road was slightly rockier now, with larger ridges and sparse vegetation. Team 1 remained alert, but no threats ever appeared. The caravan moved slower than usual in the last few hours, likely due to fatigue, but Mizuka never complained. By midday, they saw the outpost. It was a modest facility situated between two small hills, with wooden walls and simple watchtowers overlooking the trade path. There were guards stationed at the gate, some bearing the insignia of the Land of Rivers military, while others appeared to be mercenaries working under contract. When the caravan was stopped at the outer gate, Mizuka presented his documents and waved his guards forward. After some brief discussion with the posted sentries, they were allowed in. Team 1 didn't enter with them. As per the mission protocol, Ren gave the order for Team 1 to fall back and stay out of view. They relocated to a small rise just outside the outpost's perimeter, blending into the trees and keeping a wide perimeter with the help of Hitoshi's insects. "Maintain visual on the exit points," Ren said as they settled into position. "We're not leaving until we see him come out and confirm he's finished." Yugao scanned the surroundings and nodded, Hitoshi deployed a few more insects, focusing especially on the interior of the outpost. Ren didn't relax as he sat on a higher branch, back against the trunk, arms folded. 'This is where things usually go wrong. Hopefully, this time it doesn't.' ~~~ Inside the outpost, Mizuka was directed to a tent near the back end of the compound. It was larger than the rest, built from sturdy canvas and reinforced with wooden stakes. Inside, the space was mostly empty, save for a mat laid out in the center with a few papers in front of it. However, there was no one waiting for him. But, Mizuka didn't hesitate. As soon as the flap closed behind him, he moved toward the mat and kneeled on both knees, bowing until his forehead touched the fabric. His voice was soft, almost reverent as he spoke. "Please grace me with your presence, angel-sama..." He repeated the phrase again, and again. His voice didn't waver. Each repetition carried more weight, more emotion. "Please grace me with your presence, angel-sama..." There was no answer. Only silence. Then, after what felt like minutes, the papers in front of him began to shift. At first, they were only small pieces, fluttering from seemingly nowhere, twirling in place in the air. But quickly they began gathering, layering and folding into a shape. A moment later, the papers formed a figure. The fluttering settled into the shape of a woman. Her short, straight blue hair was tied into a neat bun, a pale blue paper flower clipped on the side. Her amber eyes were unreadable, cold, calm and absolute. The cloud-patterned cloak fell over her form like a curtain, and the single ring on her finger gleamed faintly under the dim light of the tent. The woman didn't speak immediately. Mizuka lifted his head slowly, and the moment his eyes locked on her, they filled with light. The expression on his face was not just reverent, it was borderline fanatic. "Angel-sama..." he breathed. "You honored me by appearing. I have brought everything you requested. The resources. The documents. All the coded exchanges. I ensured the guards wouldn't see anything. Just as you instructed." He kept speaking without pause, his words flowing like a dam had broken. "If it is not enough, I can bring more. Anything you ask. If you want someone dead, I'll do it. If you want information, I'll dig it up. If you want my life, it's yours." His voice cracked slightly. "I live to serve you, angel-sama." The woman's expression didn't change. Her tone remained flat, without warmth or judgment. "Good work. The god shall protect you." She said no more as her form dissolved once again into paper. The thousands of individual sheets scattered silently, spinning in mid-air before exiting through the seams of the tent, vanishing into the world. Mizuka remained motionless for a moment. Then the tears began to fall. He wasn't crying out of sorrow. It was something else, something closer to bliss. He covered his face with his hands and began to sob, rocking slightly in place. "Ah, angel-sama..." he whispered through the tears. "Your presence alone is enough to bless this worthless servant... I need your blessing, not the god's... I will serve you until my last breath..." His whispers continued for several minutes. His voice cracked now and then, but he kept going. Eventually, the weeping slowed. He sniffed, wiped his face clean with the edge of his sleeve, and sat upright again. After a few deep breaths, he stood. He adjusted his outer robe, straightened his collar, and checked his reflection in the polished water basin placed in the corner. His face was calm again. Normal. No trace of the tears remained. Once he was satisfied, he stepped out of the tent. To anyone watching, he looked no different than he had upon arrival, an important man conducting important work. There was no sign of what had just taken place inside. Far above, perched in the trees outside the outpost perimeter, Ren watched the movement with a neutral expression. "He's coming out," Hitoshi said. Yugao and Ren readied themselves. Ren heaved a sigh as he narrowed his eyes. 'Everything looks fine, but I feel like I just avoided something huge.' He relaxed slightly as he thought, 'Well, whatever he was doing in there it's finished now.' ~~~~~ {See, everything is going fineeee. It will continue to be fineeee} {Thanks Mohamed Abdellatif for becoming a member of pat.} {Also, you can consider joining the Pat for advanced advanced Chapters (The third stage of chunin exam has already begun and Hitoshi had a good fight.)} { h t t p s : / / w w w . p a t r e o n . c o m / / Z e e n o n } {You can just search for my name too, it's the one with tom's pic (from tom and Jerry)} {You know what else to do.} {STONES!!!! }