A gentle breeze swept across the glistening sea as a cargo ship cut swiftly through the waves.
Standing on the deck was a short man with a pencil-thin mustache, dressed in a black business suit and wearing small round sunglasses. He looked like a giant rat. This man was none other than the infamous shipping magnate and wealthy tycoon, Gatō.
Normally, no one was allowed to walk on the deck without the captain's permission, but Gatō, as the owner of the ship, was exempt from such rules. Although his personal quarters on board were lavishly decorated and spacious, he disliked being confined indoors. Now, with the sea breeze blowing across his face, his mood lightened significantly.
Wealth could buy power, honor, even force—and what Gatō had in abundance was wealth. Even though Tazuna had gone to great lengths and unexpectedly hired shinobi from Konohagakure, Gatō believed that money could resolve anything. It might cost more, but compared to controlling an entire nation, such expenses were trivial.
With a relaxed expression, Gatō looked into the distance. There, barely visible, was a massive, unfinished bridge.
"Sir," said a tall, muscular man with a scarred face, attempting to appear respectful despite his savage demeanor. "We're about to reach our destination." Although Gatō was a businessman, he disliked being called "boss." He preferred being addressed as "sir." Most of his subordinates found this pretentious, but since he paid their wages, they complied—albeit with silent contempt for his twisted sense of pride.
Gatō nodded in satisfaction. Seeing this blood-soaked thug show such deference gave him a great sense of superiority. He despised shinobi and samurai—Zabuza, for instance, who dared to assassinate the Mizukage, and even the two samurai who served as his personal bodyguards. Despite being on his payroll, they carried themselves with arrogance, which infuriated him. They're just hired muscle—how dare they act so bold!
I wonder if the Leaf shinobi Tazuna hired are just as insolent, Gatō mused, squinting into the distance. But shinobi are nothing more than tools guided by money. If I pay the right price, they'll switch sides eventually.
"Change course!" barked the thug beside him. They were close enough to see the bridge clearly now. He ordered the crew to steer toward the nearby harbor instead of landing directly at the bridge. The harbor offered more space, allowing Gatō's men to spread out and counter any ambush. If they landed at the bridge, they'd be trapped in a bottleneck.
"They're here!"
Compared to Asuma and Tazuna, who were waiting near the bridge, the incoming ships were much more visible from afar. Tazuna, peering out into the distance, caught sight of the cargo ships slicing through the waves and his expression tightened.
"They've finally arrived," Asuma said calmly. Flicking his cigarette away with a snap of his fingers, he exhaled deeply.
Meanwhile, Shikamaru was leading Inari and a group of fishermen toward the bridge. From a distance, they looked like a disorganized mob. Their makeshift weapons—mostly fishing spears and even kitchen knives—only added to the chaotic appearance.
As they passed through the town, the group attracted plenty of attention. Many bystanders recognized people in the group and stopped them to ask what was going on. Some scoffed and dismissed them as fools, but others, after a moment of hesitation, returned home to grab weapons and join the ranks.
By the time they exited the town and the outline of the bridge became visible in the distance, Shikamaru looked back and realized the group had more than doubled in size. Though poorly armed and noisy, their numbers alone were enough to be intimidating.
Suddenly, a graceful purple figure darted between the trees beside the road, quickly approaching the group. Her long, light-blonde hair shimmered under the sun. Shikamaru squinted and recognized her: Yamanaka Ino.
"What's up, Ino?" he asked as she landed beside him, noticing her slightly flustered look.
"Gatō didn't dock his ship near the bridge," Ino reported with a worried frown. "He stopped at the harbor along your route. Once you're on the bridge, you'll be blocking their only way out."
In battle tactics, it's common to leave an escape route to prevent the enemy from fighting to the death. The original plan was to let Gatō dock at the bridge, then have the people of the Land of Waves block the rear while Shikamaru's team attacked from the front. In the resulting panic, Gatō's men would flee toward the ships. With Ino and Chōji waiting to destroy them, there'd be no real chance of escape.
That single escape route was meant to scatter the enemy's will to fight. Even Shikamaru, ever the strategist, preferred minimizing conflict when possible. But with Gatō now docking at the harbor, that plan had fallen apart.
"It's fine, Ino." Shikamaru waved it off, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I wanted to thin their numbers a bit more, but this just complicates things slightly. Unless Gatō's men suddenly develop the courage to fight to the bitter end, there's no chance of a reversal."
After all, even armies during the Warring States period were eventually replaced by shinobi. A ragtag group of thugs couldn't possibly stand up to one jōnin and three genin. Chōji's Human Bullet Tank was especially effective in group battles.
"When we reach the bridge," Shikamaru continued calmly, "you and Chōji destroy the ships, then regroup with me." Some guards would remain on board, but none should be a match for Ino and Chōji. With some well-placed explosive tags, the job would be quick and clean.
Sudden explosions and the appearance of a hostile crowd—who knew how long Gatō's mercenaries could hold onto their morale?
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