Chapter 59: Beware of Spies

Yellow Earth had no idea how he made it through the night. He had tried to refuse, but the captain’s enthusiasm was overwhelming. Despite his desperate efforts to suppress the effects of the alcohol with chakra, he was still outdrunk by the others.

Yet the intoxication was pleasant; he vaguely remembered dancing the tap dance with his comrades, arms slung over shoulders, singing wicked pirate songs, indulging in moments of unrestrained joy—so carefree, a lightness he had never known since childhood. Ever since he could understand the world, he had been the son of the Third Tsuchikage, raised strictly according to the Fourth's expectations. Onoki’s harsh demands, the hopes of his elders, the admiration of his peers—all conspired so that from the age of five, he’d never had a truly relaxing moment.

He was expected to play the part of the serious, reliable older brother; he couldn’t joke freely, nor would anyone dare joke with him. He never joined in his companions’ laughter; whenever he appeared, conversation would halt involuntarily. No one realized he actually longed to be included, but his identity as the Tsuchikage’s son, his prematurely mature face, created an invisible barrier.

It was this group of unruly rogue ninja that brought him the happiness he’d once hoped for. The strict ninja prohibitions Onoki had imposed were shattered in a single night: the rule of no more than three drinks was broken—he had at least three jars; the vow to never gamble was violated—not only did he lose all his money, but owing debts, he was forced by the captain to dress as a woman as collateral. If not for the Iwagakure guards outside, they might have taken him out to break the last prohibition. He also listened to plenty of risqué jokes that made him blush.

Fortunately, he still managed to complete the task Onoki had assigned him, and now he was on his way to report at headquarters.

...

“Tsuchikage-sama, the intelligence has been thoroughly investigated,” Yellow Earth said, his eyes weary.

Shiraki had never expected this group of loose-tongued braggarts to keep the treasure’s secret; it was a falsehood, after all—those who believed would believe, those who didn’t could spot the holes at a glance.

“Let’s set aside the intelligence for now. Are you drunk?” Onoki frowned at his son.

“Yes... but it was for the sake of extracting information,” Yellow Earth replied, his mouth dry, worried that his father would scold him. In truth, he hadn’t drunk to extract information—it was only after getting drunk that he got intel from other drunken fools.

“Hmm. To accomplish a mission by any means necessary is the mark of a true ninja. Occasionally breaking the rules is understandable, but never let yourself become addicted,” Onoki said, unconcerned with the details. Though ninja had changed, becoming almost regular armies facing each other directly, he still valued the true qualities of the profession.

“All right, tell me—what’s the intelligence?”

“The group joined us for Uchiha Madara’s treasure. Their intention is to wait until we defeat the Leaf Village, then seize the opportunity to enter and plunder the treasure,” Yellow Earth began his report in earnest.

“Uchiha Madara...” Onoki clenched his fists, his face dark as iron. He remembered the man whose mere gaze once forced him to his knees.

A shame he died too early; after mastering Dust Release, Onoki never had the chance to redeem himself.

“Father...” Yellow Earth looked at Onoki with concern.

“Go on. What does Madara’s treasure contain?” Onoki resumed his serious demeanor.

“They say it has everything—Madara’s possessions, mountains of treasure, unimaginable power, forbidden techniques rejected by the world, a spring that grants immortality... I even heard a ballad from the captain!” Yellow Earth was a little excited himself.

“What song? Tell me!”

“Supreme of the ninja world, Uchiha’s treasure, commands all beneath heaven, none dare disobey!”

“...” Onoki fell into thought.

“Father, do you think it’s true?” Yellow Earth himself was doubtful.

“Haha... Of course it’s false. If it were true, Madara wouldn’t have lost to the First Hokage, and how could a foreign brat know about his treasure? The Uchiha clan themselves would have dug it up long ago!” Onoki laughed heartily, though in his heart he desperately wished it were real. Especially the secret of immortality—he would risk everything for that.

He wasn’t afraid of death, but... right now, he couldn’t afford to die!

Iwagakure was suffering from a generational crisis; no successor to Dust Release, Yellow Earth’s Earth Release was strong but not enough to intimidate others, Akatsuchi was too honest, Roshi too ambitious...

He was already seventy. If he died, the village might collapse. He needed more time—to build Iwagakure into something powerful. Twenty years wouldn't be too little, five hundred not too much.

“So we don’t need to worry about it?” Yellow Earth asked.

“Keep leading your team. Since they’ve joined us, even if the treasure exists, it will only be dug up after the Leaf is destroyed,” Onoki nodded.

“Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!”

“Go and rest. There may be missions soon, and my commission doesn’t pay for idlers,” Onoki said, smiling with extreme stinginess.

Yellow Earth rose to leave, feeling the orange-covered book in his pocket—a new recommendation from Shiraki, insisting he finish it no matter what. He decided to glance at it before sleep.

“Nano, why isn’t my tea ready yet?” Onoki suddenly frowned, calling out to his secretary in the distance.

He had always preferred to do things himself and trusted no one, but his body was aging; since injuring his back recently, he was less mobile. Akatsuchi was clumsy and careless, so the village matriarch found him a secretary to mind his daily affairs.

Nano—a bespectacled, bookish woman with severe myopia, bumbling in her actions, less nimble than Akatsuchi. If not for her clean record and his wife’s insistence, Onoki wouldn’t have let her set foot in headquarters.

“Yes, yes, right away...” The young woman called Nano hurriedly brought the scalding tea, stumbling and bumping along, her hands red from the heat.

A cryptic gleam flashed beneath her glasses. Thanks to the eavesdropping skills she’d cultivated since childhood, she could hear even a mosquito’s buzz a hundred meters away...

“Uchiha Madara’s treasure? This intelligence... must be reported to Lord Danzo at once. He’ll definitely be interested.”

Even if Shiraki saw her in person, he wouldn’t recognize that this clumsy woman was actually Root’s top spy, “Wandering Priestess” Yakushi Nonoyu!

The battle with Iwagakure could not be delayed any longer. On the Land of Lightning’s side, none of the new generation could hold back; Kirigakure was running rampant at home, so it was urgent to transfer Minato Namikaze and other strong ninja out of this quagmire.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wanted to negotiate with Onoki—even if it meant ceding territory and paying reparations, he wanted to end the war quickly.

Danzo agreed to negotiations, for once peace was signed and reparations paid, the Third Hokage would surely step down in disgrace, and Danzo’s opportunity would come.

But he firmly opposed negotiating while Iwagakure held the advantage: Onoki’s character would demand outrageous terms.

So he sent his best spy, code-named “Wandering Priestess,” to steal intelligence and secure a decisive victory—hoping to reduce the price paid at the negotiating table.