Fujita Asa Was Worth Killing!
According to the rules of the Anbu Assassination Squad, although Haruto Saito had already completed his assassination mission, it didn't mean he couldn't kill more enemies—he was still allowed to eliminate targets! Even regular Konoha ninjas could do this, let alone a member of Konoha's Anbu. Every additional enemy he took down would count as an extra achievement.
Especially for assassins in the Anbu, their job was assassination. If they could eliminate additional key figures from enemy forces after completing their primary mission, the merit would be substantial!
Moreover, Fujita Asa was already on the assassination list!
However, there was one crucial detail to consider—
Regardless of who initiated the attack against the Kirigakure ninja at this time, they could not reveal their identity as Konoha shinobi! While Konoha and Kirigakure were enemies, they had not formally declared war.
If a Konoha ninja actively assassinated an important figure from Kirigakure and was discovered, it could be used as proof that Konoha had instigated the war.
This was a responsibility that couldn't be taken lightly. Among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, only Kumogakure from the Land of Lightning, known for its militant ways, wouldn't care about such an incident. The other four villages, however, maintained their public image.
Even if a great war was imminent, they would still fabricate a justifiable excuse before launching their attacks. No one would openly kill an important enemy figure without provocation.
Of course, if a battle occurred in the wilderness, no one would question it. A spontaneous clash would not be considered an act of war.
However, infiltrating an enemy-controlled area and deliberately assassinating someone? That would be undeniable evidence. If a war later broke out, Konoha would bear the blame for starting it.
Thus, if Haruto Saito wanted to kill Fujita Asa, it had to be an assassination. Moreover, he had to escape unscathed. He could not afford to fail because this mission wasn't sanctioned by Konoha. If he succeeded, Konoha would reward him. But if he failed, all his previous achievements would be erased!
This rule applied to everyone!
That was also why Konoha ninjas rarely caused unnecessary trouble. In reality, all Five Great Shinobi Villages operated this way. If it wasn't a mission, no one would take risks recklessly; doing so could lead to disastrous consequences.
However, if it was an official mission, the situation changed entirely. Even if an assassination mission failed and the ninja's identity was exposed, Konoha wouldn't hold it against them. After all, dying in battle while trying their best was an honorable end. Not only would the fallen ninja not be blamed, but their family would receive a substantial compensation package.
That was the difference between official missions and personal actions.
Haruto Saito carefully considered the situation for a long time. He had already devised a strategy to assassinate Fujita Asa, and the chances of failure were minimal.
"Let's do it!" Haruto Saito decided.
He was going to kill Fujita Asa!
And—
He absolutely could not fail!
Being able to eliminate enemies at will had always been his dream. Now that the opportunity had presented itself—and with Anbu merit points on the line—there was no way he would pass it up.
Anbu merit points were invaluable. Konoha possessed a vast collection of secret and forbidden jutsu, many of which were only available to Anbu members. However, they weren't simply handed out; ninjas had to exchange their Anbu merit points to gain access to these techniques.
In the dimly lit warehouse of a civilian house, Haruto Saito made his final decision.
Then, he vanished into thin air.
Underground infiltration—heading straight outside the village!
Haruto Saito didn't plan to personally assassinate Fujita Asa. Although that would guarantee a higher success rate, escaping afterward would be extremely difficult. His Shadow Clone Jutsu had reached an advanced level, with multiplied efficiency. This was the perfect opportunity to test the limits of his clones.
To the west of Ryusui Village, in a dense forest.
Haruto Saito appeared out of thin air. After scanning the surroundings with his sensory ability and confirming that no one else was present, he formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Poof!
White smoke rose, and two shadow clones identical to Haruto Saito appeared beside him. He took two thick stacks of explosive tags from his storage space and handed them to the clones.
Immediately, the clones vanished underground!
Shadow clones could use ninjutsu as well. However, an ordinary shadow clone would struggle to perform Hidden Earth Submersion, an A-rank forbidden technique. Going underground exerted intense pressure on the body, which technically counted as damage—something shadow clones couldn't endure.
But Haruto Saito's clones were different. They were far superior to ordinary shadow clones and had no trouble performing Hidden Earth Submersion.
Another key factor was that Haruto Saito had acquired the Secret Art: Hidden Earth Submersion through special means, mastering it perfectly. The chance of failure was almost nonexistent.
His two clones swiftly advanced.
Meanwhile, the real Haruto Saito pulled out his Dark Spirit Kunai and began absorbing the stored chakra within it. Once his chakra reserves were restored to about seventy percent, he put the kunai away and formed another hand seal.
"Byakugan—Activate!"
The movements of people in the village were constantly shifting, including Fujita Asa and other high-ranking Kirigakure ninjas. Their positions were crucial to the mission's success or failure.
To ensure everything went according to plan, Haruto Saito had to maintain his Byakugan's vision throughout the operation.
At this moment, he had three perspectives—
His two shadow clones' viewpoints, along with his own.
With his Byakugan active, all of Ryusui Village became translucent in his vision. He could see even further beyond the village, but his primary focus remained on Fujita Asa and his immediate surroundings.
His two shadow clones quickly infiltrated the underground area beneath Ryusui Village.
Meanwhile…
On the streets of Ryusui Village, five elite Kirigakure jōnin walked cautiously. Their leader, Fujita Asa, occasionally stopped to question villagers or inspect nearby buildings. He was retracing the exact path that Kaguya Rakuba had taken the night before!
The cause of Kaguya Rakuba's death was easy to determine. Based on lingering chakra signatures, it was clear he had been blown up by explosive tags. Dozens of them had been stacked together and detonated simultaneously!
The key question now was—who had placed the explosive tags on him?
Many people could have had the opportunity, such as Kaguya Rakuba's own subordinates. But as for who would actually carry out such an attack, that remained a mystery.
There were no obvious suspects within Kirigakure, which meant this was likely an assassination by an enemy ninja.
Fujita Asa was investigating.
This incident had to be thoroughly examined. Not only did the Kaguya Clan demand an explanation, but there was also the concern that similar assassinations might occur again.
If they didn't uncover the truth, who knew how many more high-ranking Kirigakure shinobi could fall victim to such a flawless assassination technique?
As they walked, Fujita Asa's group arrived at the plaza where Kaguya Rakuba had died. On their way there, Fujita Asa had learned something interesting—
A small beggar had bumped into Kaguya Rakuba just before his death.
Fujita Asa's instincts screamed that something was off.
At the same time—
Haruto Saito's two clones had positioned themselves just three meters beneath Fujita Asa.
But then—
"Wait, what the hell?!"
Outside the village, Haruto Saito gasped in shock.
His Byakugan had a range of sixteen kilometers, and he had instinctively scanned a larger area.
What he saw made his blood run cold—
A squad of seven was approaching from the west at high speed.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!
They were just fifteen kilometers away from Ryusui Village!