Arc XChapter3
<strong><b>IX</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┓</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┏━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>Arc XChapter3</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
With the help of Yuriko, his daughter, Makoto assembled his old crew. Yoshito, Isamu, Raiden, all three were old friends and allies. Three dependable souls,pletely loyal to Amegakure, and eager to join his cause.
Makotogreetedthem.“Yoshito,Isamu,Raiden,Iamdtoseeyouagainaftersuchalongtime.Feelsjustliketheoldtimes.”
Isamuagreed.“Samehere.Bringsbackfondmemories.”
Makotostaredatthegroup.”IhopeIcancountonyouoncemore,justlikeinoldtimes.”
Yoshitochuckled.“Ofcourse,youcan.Whyshouldweturnwedownanoldfriendinneed?
Besides,Iheardyouarequitethebusypersotelynowthatyouareunderthelittleprincess''thumb.IwastoldsherecruitedIsthattrue?”
Makotoclickedhistongue.“Youandyourpoignantquestions.Tokeepthingssimple,Iam...atherservice.That''sallIamwillingtosay.”
Yoshitogrinnedinvictory.Hegothisanswer.“Sotherumoursaretrue.Makoto,doyouknowwhattheysayaboutyourlittleprincess?”
Makotosmiled.“Tellme,Yoshito,Iamlistening.Whatdotheysay?”
Raidenchuckled.Hetookthewordafterobservingfromthesidelines.“Youknowhowtheywork,rumoursaboutherarespreadinglikewildfirethroughoutthevige,yettheycontainlittleinformationofvalue.Theyareallequallyabsurd.
Somecallyourmysteriousgiwrathfulckangelheretopunishus.SomecallheradivineemissarysenttousbyPain-sama.Somesaysheisintruthademoninhumanskin,cravingforhumansouls.Somesaysheisaforeignprincessfromadistannd thattookpityonus.SomesaysheputdownthecriminalunderworldofAmegakureallonherownandsavedtwochildrenfromtheirterriblefate.Somesaysheisjustalittlegirlwithoutname.Somerefertoherasawomanofextraordinarybeautyandgrace.Awomanofrefinedtastedwithhairckasthedarkestnightandskinpaleasuntaintedmarble.Demureanddecorous.Virtuousandbenevolent.
Whatiscertain,though,yourlittleprincesscausedquitearuckuswithherpromation.”
IsamusharedRaiden''sassessment.“Indeed.”
Makotowasconfused.“Howso?”
Isami''svoicegrewserious.Theroom''stemperaturefell.“Makoto,don''tyouunderstand?Peoplebelieveinherandhercause!Herwordsandactionshavereignitedamewethoughtlongsinceextinguished.Theyhavereawakenedsomethinginsideuswethoughtlost.
DoyouknowwhatIsawintheireyes,Makoto?Hope,genuinehope!It''shopeIsaw,somethingIhaveseenanymoresincebeforetheSecondNinjaWar.
Makoto,Idon''tneedtotellyouthathopeisapowerfulemotion,apowerfulemotionsheiswielding.
Peopleknowsheisresponsibleforthederationandthecreationofthecouncil.Amysteriousgirlwithoutname,withoutorigin,withouthistoryappearsoutofnowhereandunitesthechronicallyfightingnsofAmegakureunderherbanner.SheevenmanagedtodrawtheHattoriandFumantoherside.
Makoto,peoplethinkthegirlhaetodeliverusfrominjusticeandignominy,thatsheisthesaviourwehaveyearnedforallthistime.”
Makotodidn''tbothertohidehisscepticism.“WhetherLadyAsamiwinswerhercallingremainstobeseen.Forthetimebeing,wewillperformourdutyandservehertothebestofourabilities.Forthetimebeing,LadyAsamientrustedmewithaseriesofprojects.Youwillberesponsibleforoverseeingthem.”
Hiscolleaguesraisedeyebrows.
“Yoshito,Isamu,youwillbeassignedprojectoneandtwo.” Makotohandedthemtheirfiles.“Itrustinyourcapabilities.Theoperationsaredelicateinnature.Acarefpproachisrmended.Don''tdisappointme,failureisnotanoption.Secrecyisamust.Doyouunderstand?”
YoshitoandIsamuunderstoodwell.Secrecywasnothingunusualintheirlineofbusiness.Theyscannedtheirdocuments,unabletosuppresstheircuriosity.
Yoshito stopped at the first paragraph. “Organophosphorus what? What''s that?
Makotosecondedhisnotion.“Noidea,Iamneitherachemist,norabiologist,nortoxicologist.”
“Thatmakestwoofus.“
“Doesn''tmatter,Yoshitofromnowon,it''syourjobistofindout.ShewantsustoreviveHanzo''sfailedchemicalweaponsprogram.Hopefully,oursisgracedwithmoresess.”
“Achemicalweaponsprogram...Nosurprise,shewantstokeepthingssecret.”
“Youwillrecruitspecialistsandprofessionals.LadyAsamirmendedcontactingtheSumitomoninthismatter.Theyareactiveinthechemicalsector,herbicidesandpesticides.Theyhaveexperiencewitrgescaleindustrialproduction.Inherwords,weshouldn''tletsynergiesandcrospatibilitiesgowasted.”
Yoshitoraisedaneyebrow.“Asmartgirl,ourlittleprincess.Nowondersheisrunningtheshownow.Anyway,Iwilldomybest.”
Makotomerelynodded.“Andyou,Isamu,anyquestions?”
“Sothisiswherewegetourmoneyfrom?”
“Werelyonmultiplesources,butfromwhatIgathered,youroperationswillindeedprovideasignificantportionofourfunds.”
“Producingcounterfeitmoney,onanindustrialscalenoless.LandofFireryo,LandofEarthryo,LandofLightningryo...Wearetalkinghereaboutmillions,possiblybillions,ofcounterfeitryo.Thesearemassivesums.”
“Notonlythat,itwilsofalltoustoputthemintocirction.”
OnlyRaidenwasmissing.
“Letmeguess,acoup?Stagingarebellion?Destablisingcountries?Whatdoesourlittleprincesswantfromme?”
Makotochuckled.“Noneedtodramatise,Raiden,youareassignedaspecialmission,asimpleinvestigation.LadyAsamiwantustoinvestigatethefateoftheimperiallineage.”
Raidenblinkedinconfusion.Herrequeststartledhim.“Why?”
“LadyAsamididn''tspecifymuchastowhy,butshesuspectsthatPainmightbertedtotheoncerulingimperialhousehold.Shewishesustorifywhetherthat''sthecase,ornot.Wewissisther.”
“Verywell,butisn''ttheempirejustamyth,afairytale?”
“Yuriko.” Makototurnedtohisdaughter.
Hisdaughterassistedhim.“Mostdefinitelynot,Raiden.Wedidacursoryanalysis.Theresultsareclear,wecansaywithmuchcertainty,theempiredidexist,asdidtheimperialhousehold.Writtenrecordsmightbesparseafterallthesecenturiesfollowingthedaimyorevoltandwarringnera,butsurvivingfragmentstestifytheempire''sexistencebeyondanydoubt.”
Makotoagreedwithherassessment.“Yourmissionistogatherallinformationavable,Raiden.Furthermore,youarealsotaskedwithlocatingtheformerimperialcapital.Sometracesmusthavesurvivedthetimes.”
Raidenwascontemtinghisoptions.“Iwilldomybest.AnyclueswhereIshouldbegin?”
Yurikoassistedhim.“Wesuggestyouconsultthetemples.Theirarchivesandlibrariesareamongtheoldestinexistence.Theyholdcountlessdocumentsandtexts,andweremostlysparedfromdestructionthroughoutthedaimyoandwarringnera.Ifsomeonehastheanswersweseek,itwillbethepriestsandmonks.”
“...”
“Asforthecapital,rumourspointeastwards,towardstheLandofFire.That''sallweknow.”
RaidenstaredatYuriko.“TheLandofFire...TheLandofFireisbig.”
Yurikiodismissedhisconcerns.“Iknow.”
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>