Kirito couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. That foolish landlord's son dared to keep a wandering ninja as his guard? He was practically begging to die.
As the name implied, wandering ninjas were rogues—ninjas without a village or code. Hiring one without a powerful background for protection was nothing short of reckless.
"Kirito, what are you thinking about?" Anko asked as she stepped up beside him.
"It's nothing," Kirito replied, his tone wry. "I just think Watanabe Yuta is an idiot. Hiring a rogue ninja as a bodyguard is asking for trouble." He tugged gently at Anko's sleeve and added quietly, "But this is an S-rank mission… it's not going to take half a month, right?"
The Third Hokage, who had overheard, smiled kindly. "Your name is Kirito, correct? Don't worry. Even if it's an S-rank mission, Kakashi is exceptional at tracking. It shouldn't take long."
Ah, right… Kakashi has his ninja hounds. He could find someone in minutes if he releases Pakkun.
Kirito clasped his hands together and said sincerely, "Thank you, Grandpa! You're such a kind person!"
The words left everyone stunned. Kakashi, Guy, Anko, and Rock Lee all turned toward Kirito with looks of disbelief. Coming from him, that kind of flattery sounded suspiciously sweet.
The Third Hokage chuckled softly. "How kind am I, indeed…" he muttered to himself.
Then he straightened his posture and added, "You'll find Jun'ya Watanabe at Natsume Izakaya. He should still be there."
…
Deep in the mountains near the Watanabe estate, a hidden cave flickered with the dull glow of a bonfire. Despite the flames, the air was cold and heavy.
Watanabe Yuta sat tied up in the corner, trembling. His tear-streaked face was pale, but he didn't dare cry out. The stench of blood filled the cave—though none of it was his.
The blood belonged to his guards. All twenty of them had been slaughtered by one man.
If Yuta hadn't offered himself as a ransom hostage, he'd be dead too.
The man by the fire wore a dark cloak, his face shadowed beneath a hood. A scratched Takigakure forehead protector gleamed faintly on his brow. A black mark marred the center of it—impossible to erase.
He was Kakuzu—the traitorous ninja of the Hidden Waterfall Village.
"What a hassle," Kakuzu muttered impatiently.
Pain had ordered the Akatsuki to avoid drawing attention, forcing Kakuzu to take black market missions to make money.
A while back, Kakuzu and Hidan had heard that a wealthy fool was recruiting "wandering ninjas." The two immediately saw an opportunity.
They hadn't planned to rob him outright—doing so would alert the Fire Nation authorities. Instead, they decided to play bodyguard and wait for the perfect time to strike.
What they hadn't expected was that Watanabe Jun'ya would rush to Konoha and issue an S-rank mission as soon as his son vanished.
Kakuzu sneered at the trembling boy. "What are you afraid of? Once I get the ransom, I'll let you go. You're your father's only son. Do you really think he won't pay?"
Watanabe Yuta didn't reply. He only shook violently.
He didn't care about the ransom—after seeing his guards butchered, he was just thankful to still be breathing.
At Natsume Izakaya, Team Anko—now temporarily led by Kakashi—met with Jun'ya Watanabe to gather clues.
The wealthy man sat before them in a lavish suite, his face drawn with worry. The team knelt politely on the tatami mats around the coffee table.
"I only have one precious son," Jun'ya Watanabe sighed. "Please, I'm counting on all of you."
Kakashi nodded calmly. "Since we've accepted your request, we'll do everything we can to find him, Mr. Watanabe."
Before he could ask more, there was a frantic knock on the door.
"Master! Important news!" a voice shouted.
"Come in!" Jun'ya barked, instantly alarmed.
A guard burst in, holding a kunai and a sealed letter. His hands were shaking. "Master, I was patrolling when… when a figure appeared out of nowhere. Before I could react, this was nailed to a tree."
Even the Watanabe estate's top guards had been unable to respond. That alone spoke volumes about the enemy's strength.
"Is it from Yuta?!" Jun'ya cried as he tore open the envelope.
Kirito's eyes flicked toward the kunai. Tiny wood chips clung to the handle, evidence that the weapon had been driven deep into the trunk. Whoever sent it was confident—brazen enough to approach within the estate's borders.
Pretending to notice the detail by chance, Kirito tilted his head and asked, "Uncle, this kunai's handle has sawdust all over it. Was it stuck that deep in the tree?"
The guard hesitated, then gave a bitter smile. "Yes. The thrower's strength was immense. If not for the letter, it would have gone straight through the trunk."
Kakashi, Guy, and Anko exchanged wary glances. This was no ordinary ransom threat.
Anko frowned and rubbed her chin. "There's more than one person involved. One delivered the letter while another is keeping an eye on Yuta."
She rose suddenly and clapped Kirito on the shoulder. "Kirito, follow Kakashi. I'm going back to report this to the Third Hokage. Something's off."
Kirito nodded. "Don't worry, Sister Anko. I'll stay close to Kakashi-senpai."
Without another word, Anko darted off toward the Hokage Building.
Watanabe Jun'ya, seeing her leave, exhaled in relief. "It's alright… Yuta's fine. I just know it."
Then he turned to his servant. "You may go. I'll call you if needed."
"Yes, Master."
Once they were alone, Jun'ya handed the kunai and letter to Kakashi. "Please, take a look."
Kakashi unfolded the note, scanned it, and passed it to Kirito. After everyone had read it, they understood the situation.
"Yuta's been kidnapped," Jun'ya said anxiously. "But if it's only for ransom, then he should still be safe."
Kakashi nodded. "Agreed. If the kidnappers were after blood, they would've killed him already. Since they went for ransom first, your son's life isn't in immediate danger."
"Thank goodness…" Jun'ya breathed a sigh of relief. Then he shuffled closer, grasped Kakashi's hand, and said earnestly, "Mr. Kakashi, I've heard of your reputation. I'm counting on you to bring my boy back!"
Kakashi froze. "Uh… please, Mr. Watanabe, no need to get so emotional. We'll do our best."
Jun'ya awkwardly let go, pretending to sip his tea.
Everyone in the room knew Kakashi's fame—the Copy Ninja of Konoha, feared and respected across nations.
Suddenly, Jun'ya straightened up and added with a sly grin, "By the way, Mr. Kakashi, if you successfully rescue my son, I'll give you an extra commission. The village takes a big cut of the official fee, doesn't it? Let's not let that old man make all the profit."
Kirito twitched. That 'old man' must be Lord Third…
So this guy was really that rich—bribing Konoha's elite ninja for a private bonus.
End of the chapter.