Chapter 17 : War time Mission-3
--------A Few Hours Ago-----------
—— Kirito Kyudo's POV ——
The sensation of something crawling up my back hit me like a kunai trap — sudden, wrong, and instinctively threatening. Every nerve in my shinobi-trained body flared to respond. I was already halfway through a hand sign before the familiar croak of Shirino, the chameleon assigned to me, whispered in my ear and made me freeze.
"Hello! Leader boy, I brought the completed mission scrolls and the letter from the girl~"
Of course it was Shirino. I sighed, forcing my pulse back to normal. This was the third time this week that damn chameleon nearly triggered a full-blown chakra scalpel incident. I whispered low, "Can't you guys give some warning? One of these days, you're going to get squashed."
Shirino just snorted. "You're too jumpy."
That... wasn't wrong.
I took the scrolls from his tongue — still gross, by the way — and tucked them aside. The mission reports from Karui. A thick envelope with her handwriting and seal. As always, her writing was neat and slightly sharp, like she was determined to stab the paper into submission.
[Letter from Karui Kyudo]
To: Kirito-nii
Mission Summary: Healing missions for the merchant association's families are progressing well. Clients are pleased, and the pay is above expectations due to the status of the patients. Ryu, Kyu, and Kenta successfully completed three C-rank bandit suppression missions under Lord Koza's directive. No major injuries reported. Their taijutsu formations are becoming sharper by the week. I also completed that "review" mission you dumped on me — yes, the one where I had to sort mission ledgers and assess client authenticity. A thrilling, mind-numbing, thankless task. I hate you. But it's done.
Also, stop assigning me missions based on your convenience and not our actual workload. Seriously.
— Karui Kyudo.
I snorted. Of course she hated it. Mission review was dry, tedious, and the very definition of a C-rank punishment assignment. But it was important — too important to hand off to a court clerk. Unfortunately, I was neck-deep in planning every damned detail of Koza's war path.
Even now, I was ducking under falling scrolls and side-stepping maps while jotting down notes on a journal. Koza's private strategy chamber was chaos incarnate. Maps of the Land of Rice, topographical studies, population charts, clan histories — it looked like the inside of a deranged librarian's brain.
Koza's voice was practically shaking the paper off the walls.
"You can't drag an entire province into war just because you have a grudge!" his aunt bellowed. Lady Kubisaki had lungs like a war drum.
I mentally nodded in agreement. Koza's ambitions were insane. But beneficial. So, I kept my mouth shut. The Kyudo clan — through Kon's merchant network — was raking in funds as operations expanded. Supplies, training, contacts — all of it climbing. And I had enough foresight to lock us in as the sole logistics handlers of Koza's vanguard campaign. That meant money. Influence. Power.
Shirino handed me more scrolls. Some from Karui and the kids. Others from Momosuke's group. Hopefully, they had locked in the Kurama clan. The offer we gave — helping them manage their Kekkei Genkai's instability — should be too tempting to ignore. Assuming they didn't freak out first.
My musings were broken by Natsume's voice — calm and unshakable.
"Lady Kubisaki is right, my lord. The conflict between the Senju and Uchiha grows worse by the day. Even secondary supply routes from the Land of Fire are under risk. Who would have thought Madara Uchiha could grow stronger after losing his brother?"
Koza grunted. "He always was a freak."
I couldn't help myself. "Wait — you know the Ghost of the Uchiha?"
Yep, Madara was already called as a ghost or demon based on the area. Obviously, Hashirama also had his own nickname, Senju's Buddha. As expected of the soul brothers.
It's a bit ironic. The legends in this world depict the demon and buddha to be sons of sage of six paths.
Koza snorted, clearly gaining my interest about his next words, "He marched through Toka a decade ago. Chased the Chinoke clan right through here. Burned half of the forest in the process."
"Sounds about right."
Lady Kubisaki wasn't amused. "Enough stories! The point is this—once you march on Rice, you won't stop at one war. Should you win, your cousin the Daimyo will not let it go. And the supply lines from Fire won't last if our country plunges into civil war."
While the chances were slim, there really was a genuine probability for a civil war.
Koza roared, "So what, I should bend to that snake again?!"
"NO, YOU IDIOT. I mean stop half-assing it! Use your blood! One side of your heritage rules Hot Springs, the other rules the Land of Neck. Your grandfather's still alive. Use your mother's homeland for once — not just for your idiotic 'vacations' to the Land of Whirlpools."
That got my attention.
Wait. Land of Neck? The smaller continent? Koza had that kind of connection?
And then came the lightning strike in my brain.
A supply line across the sea. That would pass through the Land of Whirlpools. My territory.
My money.
I cleared my throat. "If you can get the Land of Neck to cooperate, I can arrange for the Uzumaki to guard the route."
Kurabo frowned. "The Uzumaki shinobi swore neutrality in mainland affairs."
"Exactly. That's why they won't escort mainland supplies. But from Land of Neck to Whirlpools? That's not mainland. They can guard that stretch. And I know just the person to convince them."
Hopefully, Taro Uzumaki, the little lovesick fool was still head over heels for Karui. It would make the entire thing much more easier.
Of course, I was not talking about Karui when I mentioned diplomat. Thankfully, everyone had the same idea.
Everyone turned to Natsume. The old man — calm as stone — just nodded once. The old man sure got balls to confidently say yes to such a difficult diplomatic mission.
I pressed forward. "If this happens, assign the mission to Kon's merchant group. We're already trained, connected, and set up to handle it. The money will circulate clean. Most importantly, our origin lies in Land of whirlpools."
Koza growled, "So you can skim off the top again."
I shrugged. "It's me or someone else who'll do it. At least I'm efficient."
It was a complete surprise when Koza said, "Then, I might as well do just that."
Natsume-san seemed surprised by the insanity I was hearing and intervened, "My child, please rethink. I don't advise you to do that."
The lord, like a stubborn child, faced the old man, "No, you can't do. But, I can make the decision."
I really hope this was his frustration, lack of sleep and anger speaking. The alternative was much worse.
For a few moments, I felt my headache from the constant thoughts flowing through it. It would undo most of the hard work I put into the establishment of merchant group. Most importantly, it would break the foundation of hidden village I was laying. Using the trade route protection, I managed to gather enough shinobi to lay down an alliance of sorts. A precursor to the proposal of hidden village.
The chance to earn influence among them through war. Gone.
The integrity of my word and future reputation. Gone.
The chances of leading the establishment of Hidden village. Gone.
All because Koza suddenly decided that he could change the supply route contract to another merchant group.
Thankfully, it was for this reason, I sought an ally in his court. I knew nobles had mood swings and I needed someone who could pull him back from irrational decisions.
Natsume-san and Kurabo won't do because they were Koza's servants.
Lady Kubisaki immediately said, "No wonder! Here you go, acting like a child once more. The stupid irrational comment of yours had right now had managed to make everyone in this room, the centre of your power troubled."
Lord Koza looked around the room and found that everyone didn't meet his eyes. Well, everyone except me, who was busy glaring holes in his head.
It seems his emotions finally calmed down and said, "Fine."
Under the looks of relief from everyone, he continued, "I am sorry, Kirito. The past few days had been difficult and I lost control due to the sheer frustration of being 'advised' constantly."
I could only nod stiffly, "It's alright, my lord. I understand."
I gave a discreet thumbs-up toward Lady Kubisaki. Newest shareholder who continuously invested her money, to help her nephew by ensuring the protection of safe route. Her reason was the truth, with her money, we hired more shinobi. And the women got a ten percent stake in exchange.
Smart woman.
"Natsume-dono, please prepare another contact for long term supply with Kon's merchant group."
"Yes, my lady."
The moment the proposal came, it might as well be decided that I would get the contract. I mean, the proposer was one of the owners of Kon's merchant group. Though, I would have liked a heads up from the lady If she was pulling a stunt like this.
Why bother keeping it a secret?
Unfortunately, the answer revealed itself when I saw Koza's face as he dismissed everyone.
Everyone scrambled, passing each other to the doors. Except me. Koza's glare locked on me like a hawk eyeing a field mouse, his face practically screamed that we needed to 'talk.'
The moment we were alone, the so called 'talk' began.
"I didn't know Lady Kubisaki would pull this stunt," I started, launching into the only defence that wasn't a lie. "But seriously, what was I supposed to do? Watch it slide by? That route was practically tailor-made for me."
Koza didn't even look up. His gaze was fixed on the central map of the Land of Rice, the inked borders of contested land glowing faintly under chakra-imbued lantern light.
He didn't raise his voice. Didn't need to. "And how do you expect me to take it," he said, measured and low, "when the supplies for an entire war effort pass through the hands of a single merchant group—and one shinobi clan no one here truly knows?"
He finally looked up. There was no anger, no heat—just steel. "Would you accept that if you were in my position? Could your pride swallow that? And forget me—do you think the retainers and nobles standing behind me, who bleed for my banner, would trust strangers to feed them as they march toward battle?"
I snorted. "Spare me the dramatics, Lord Koza."
I had enough of this act, "Drop the patriotism act and tell me the real reason you and your aunt cooked up this bullshit show. Considering the sheer amount of effort you two took, you both want something really important from me. Especially when you dangled such a juicy piece of meat in front of me, it told me all the more about how much you want it. I am 100% sure you are not as emotional as you portray. So, the question is, what do you want?"
His eye twitched. Not much, but enough.
See, this was why I didn't trust surface words—especially not from people born and raised in the courts, fed by scheming merchants and exiled samurai.
And more importantly—because I had something they didn't.
[AI Prompt — Behavioural Analysis Model]
Cross-referencing: [Source: Profile database-Koza Kubisaki, Lady Kubisaki]
Subject 1: Lady Kubisaki — usual tone sharp, often sarcastic, particularly dismissive of Koza's ambitions.Subject 2: Lord Koza — expresses anger directly, rarely engages in long debates unless personal stakes involved.Koza's eye movement showed peripheral tracking of Natsume's expression throughout (suggests need for validation, not argument).]
Ugh. That kind of thing used to fly right over my head. Not just me, it would be the same for everyone. After all, who could pick such subtle details in that kind of complex situation.
But not for me.
See, my AI's not perfect. Far from it. It struggles with nuance, with unpredictable shifts in politics and emotion. The deeper the plot, the higher the error margin. The more subtle the betrayal, the more likely it is to miss the context. But, there was no need for it to be accurate in this, I could do that.
But where it shines—where it really pulls weight—is detail.
Micro-expressions. Inconsistencies. Body language patterns. Data cross-referencing. The kind of stuff that would take an entire intelligence division days to piece together, the AI could flag in seconds. And it didn't sleep.
Koza finally spoke again. "Sigh! Can't you be stupid like the rest of them?"
I nodded, slowly. "Yeah, no."
Koza sighed and twitched in irritation, "Fine, you are right. The drama was a power play of sorts. It seemed to failed quite spectacularly."
No, for a brief moment, I was intimidated. And it burned me up even more in the deepest confines of my mind. It stroked my desire for my hidden village even more. With it, I could no longer be played along on the whims of others.
"I need you for a 'mission'. That was the word you used for the hiring process, right?"
I nodded as Koza continued pulling open multiple maps, "The information coming from underworld, rumours and few merchants told me that Rice Daimyo's army was gathering in Heibi fort and would march towards the border. Due to your timely sale of the resources for vanguard, we could directly march uncontested for a brief period of time into the heart land of Land of rice. If lucky, we could blitz attack Kaneima. But from that point onwards they will fight back using gureilla tactics, traps, burning of grains or anything else, all for the sake of making the conquered territories difficult to subdue and delay our army's path towards Heibi fort. All in all, the side which moves the fastest and most precise, would hold the advantage in the decisive battle."
His finger taced the map from the border of toka and rice, to Kaneima, then to the unnamed plains and mountain ranges. It finally landed on Heibi fort, "I want the decisive battle right at the Heibi fort."
I couldn't help myself from asking, "Wouldn't the plains be better for the battle? There are few places where we would have the higher terrain."
Koza shook his head and said, "No, Having the battle in plains would allow the Land of rice to gather more reinforcements as a backup in the Heibi fort."
"So, Heibi fort it is. And I need information of it's layout. Not just that, any possible ongoings like foreign aid, conflicts and mobilization of troops. Seeing you and Kyudo clan use my chameleon summons via my blood, I realized that you would-"
I completed his words by saying, "-make a excellent scout. But, why me? I am sure there might many shinobi in the underworld who could do these tasks."
Koza grunted in acknowledgement, "But, I can't trust the news. They might not be as competent and thorough as you. Besides, someone who had been preparing for war for a long time, would no doubt be the better scout."
I sighed in complete exasperation, "Seriously, my lord! As I had been saying, it was a spontaneous thing to drag you into this mess. You verified the information with the prisoners right. I mean, they acknowledged that they were hired by the Grass Daimyo. And I sure can't control that asshole to hire the shinobi clans I required, for a assassination."
He nodded in thought, "Then, it just shows your competence. Hence, I need you as a scout."
I understood that and asked once more, "And?"
If it was just that, he wouldn't go about it in a roundabout way with his aunt. No, the whole drama's point even if it was revealed, was to show that Koza could undo all of my hard work on a whim.
It was borderline blackmail, and he knew it. Fuck, even I knew it.
He seemed to be impressed by my ability to read him, "Well, I want you to do one tiny thing for me."
I had a bad feeling about this. Because fucking Koza was being polite about it. He took out a glass ball containing pieces of flesh in purplish tone.
Instinctively I clutched my scar filled hand, and uttered out, "Kikachu."
Koza nodded with sympathy, knowing my experience with them. But, it didn't stop him from asking the miracle, "I want you deliver this to the Daimyo of rice."
The he grew excited as he said, "Once he was dead, the blame would fall on Aburame clan. It would establish quite the hostile relation between the princes vying for the throne and the innocent Aburame. Knowing those folk, they would try to appeal to different nobles by putting down the Aburame. We could bring them to our side. Not just the Aburame, but also the Fuuma and Shiin if proper price was given. Natsume-san recommends---"
Before he could continue on his ridiculous plan, I interrupted him with a raised hand.
With a deep breathe and exhale, I said to him, "Oh! It's such a simple request."
My sarcasm didn't even phase him. I wanted to immediately shout and give him a middle finger. But, he was an ambitious lord that was on good terms with me somehow.
Despite, our mutuals usage of each other, we seemed to be on good terms. Frankly, my paranoid mind keeps looking back over everything between us. Simply because it felt too good to be true.
The last time I felt like this was before the old Kyudo clan was destroyed and was on rising through the ladder of land of grass.
Considering I know of this, It would be a huge risk to reject the paranoid Koza. My own mind was the best example of being paranoid. And it made countless plans-both good and bad all the time.
I sighed out of sheer exhaustion and said, "Can I get this in writing?"
"Do you want a pillow and bedsheet to enjoy your dreams?"
His joke blew my fuse as I roared out, "FUCK YOUR ASSHOLE! ARE YOU INSANE? DO YOU THINK I AM STUPID? YOU FUCKING…"
I don't know how long I continued my ramble, but it must be long. Especially since the lamps started to flicker out.
"…. WHEW! What is your reason for selecting for this once more?"
Koza didn't even bother to pretend about giving reasons. We both knew that I was the only shinobi who was insane enough to walk around openly after offending a Daimyo to death. In that aspect, I could openly acknowledge that I was unique. So, I was daring enough to kill a Daimyo.
But, I was not going to do this for free. I whispered out, "I need land. The kind that would rival a lord."
Koza for the first time looked apologetic as he said, "If I could grant you that, it would after the victory in war. Even If it did that, do you think I could stay in power long. Even my relatives grumble in distaste about me learning summoning art but this would too much even for them. Much less the other nobles, whose support I need to dethrone my cousin. You just don't have the foundation required for it."
There were shinobi clans who held vast clans. The Kamizuru clan of beekeepers in land of stone, The single lettered muscle idiots in land of lightning, Uchiha and Senju in Land of fire.
All of them without exception had hundreds of shinobi in their clan. AND a fucking a S-rank ninja.
I understood his point but the land I wanted was something nobody wants and even bothered with for a long time.
"Don't worry, the land I want wouldn't be a problem for you to give away. I want land in this circle."
I took a brush and drew circle over the mountain ranges, a village at it's foot and the few plains of fertile land that got included in the circle. Right there, in the expected conquest of land of rice, a part of carved for me.
"It shouldn't problem for both you and me. For you and your nobles, It was just one village and some fertile land that could at best feed the village, not an entire region."
I heard Koza mutter, "So, that's what you need from me."
Even if he knew, it didn't matter. Because, the place I choose was something that could only be tamed and wielded by a shinobi. Both the villagers and the inhabitants of the mountain caves would theoretically propel Kyudo clan to the level where we could really establish the Hidden village.
It was only now I understood the meaning of Hidden village. It seems no shinobi village started legitimately.
Koza who seemed to complete his internal monologue squeezed out, "Ok! I don't need to say that the issue would never be raised till the completion of the war. You understand right, this was part of being a noble."
I nodded but not before replying, "I need a land deed signed by your name granting me these. I want the three copies made. One for you, one for me and third to be stored in the Land of iron's shogun. I trust such triple security. No offense, Lord Koza. This paranoid nature is part of a shinobi."
He looked dead serious which was mirrored by me.
Then, in a flash of fire being snuffed out in the lamp, we-
We laughed at the same time, "HAHAHAHAHA!"
"HAHAHA! Why does I find it funny that you returned the sentence back to me?"
"I don't know." I replied in between laughter, "It's the same for me. I guess, you make a good friend. Now that I think about it, you would be my first friend of similar age who was not family."
Koza then said, "I don't know whether to pity ourselves or cry at the fact that we are each other's first friend who could make the other laugh."
Now, that sobered our laughter into depressing reality. I mentioned that 'first friend' as a means of growing closer to Koza. But, we were two people who were ready to use each other for achieving our ambitions. To think, this was what friendship was to me.
It was fucking depressing.
So much that I started walking out of the room until Koza choked out, "I was being truthful about my retainer's unease with your hold over supplies."
I nodded back and said, "I will ensure that Lady Kubisaki would act as the representive of the merchant group in Toka. It would assuage those worries. Besides, that woman is fucking capable."
Koza nodded but not before throwing me a scroll.
To my raised eyebrow, he responded by saying, "In it contains the rest of the details for recruitment of the three clans. Considering you interrupted me just now, read them in silence of your room. I don't have the patience to explain it once more."
I gave short yes and departed from the room. The day completely exhausted me.
To my surprise, I couldn't think of all these monumental things while I walked to my room. No.
Instead, my mind was focusing on AI. The fact that Koza was being truthful about his complaints was a surprise and terrifying fact for me. In a way, it was understandable that he mixed half truths to sell the failed power play.
But, the fact that AI was proved wrong both relieved me and terrified me. It meant that AI was not so powerful and that it was not beyond human limits. I always feared that the being who reincarnated me, if it exists was monitoring me or playing around with me. A superpower like AI fits into that category.
With this instantce, the probability of it being true decreased rapidly and instead another probability rose. Something I was hoping to avoid.
It was a very disturbing possibility regarding the truth of my AI.
Because the more I observed how it processed thought—how it gathered, filtered, contextualized, and archived everything—I came to a conclusion that left a bad taste in my mouth.
This thing wasn't like a human mind.
It was one.
A human mind — maybe incomplete, maybe fragmented — trapped, absorbed into me, embedded like a parasite or a ghost inside me, like a unique, personalized kekkei genkai.
Whose mind?
Was I the reincarnator? Someone who stole the body of original Kirito and torn the unborn's mind and turned it into a kekkai genkai of sorts.
Was I the original Kirito? The lucky orphan baby who just acquired the memories of a foreign soul and developed a Kekkai genkai with it's remnants.
And if that's true—if the mind inside the AI was real once—then what does that make me now?
Was I the survivor or the invader of this body?
My mind kept spinning—dangerously close to that old spiral of existential dread.
Was I ever real? Was I dreaming?
Or Was I just lucky?
I bit the inside of my cheek to ground myself and pushed it all down, letting the sting override the ache in my head. Instead, I focused on the task at hand. Multiple tasks which could only born by me.
No matter my origins, the path forward was same. I better be alive to walk it. Maybe then I could consider answers to these uncomfortable questions.
Instead, I focused on preparing my mission until I thought of a distinct possibility, perhaps Koza's wish to recruit the three clans was possible. It became even more possible when I read the generous terms.
I ran the calculations, and it showed a significant chance of success.
"It might actually work. Koza's insane wish might actually work. Turning all three clans… Tch. Bastard. I underestimated him."
Thankfully, my musing were cut back when Karui disturbed me, "Please don't trash-talk the man whose roof we're under. Especially not the future Daimyo."
Now, I just need to tell her about establishing another supply route. It was important to tell her because she was the only other adult shinobi who was free. It might be better for her to go to land of whirlpool considering she hates violence.
Hmm! On second thought, I better send the rest of them away with her. Ryu, Kyu and Kenta were just injured rather seriously. And the new kids need some form of stability and family.
Now, I just need to get her to think that sending her to the house of her ex was for the greater good of Kyudo clan.
Hopefully, Natsume-san could buffer the situation before it becomes rather awkward. Oh! Who am I kidding? It would be awkward as fuck. Especially after reuniting so soon when they expected to part ways permanently.
Man, I wish Natsume-san luck.
-----------------------War mission-11 -------------
Rank S
Client: Kon's merchant group
Type : Protection
Details: Ensure the safety of supplies from Land of whirlpool till they reach Toka.
Acceptance: Kyudo clan, ?????,?????????
Rewards: 20,000,000 Ryo
-----------------------War mission-12 -------------
Rank S
Client: Koza Kubisaki
Type: Spying
Details: Long term survilance and analysis of Land of rice's movements.
Acceptance: Kyudo Kirito
Rewards: 10,000,000 Ryo
----------------------War mission- [Redacted]------
Rank S
Client: [Redacted]
Type: [Redacted]
Details: [Redacted]
Acceptance: Kyudo Kirito
Rewards: [Redacted]
-----------------------War mission-14 -------------
Rank A
Client: Koza Kubisaki
Type: Diplomacy
Details: Give the recruitment offer to Fuma, Shiin and Aburame clan
Acceptance: Kyudo Kirito
Rewards: 800,000 Ryo.
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