It's only when night comes that conversations starts to peter off as the people present start getting tired from the exhausting day they've had of sitting around talking about stuff.
Truly tragic how much they have to work, they all deserve a good nap.
We were invited to stay the night in the palace as expected, so as to finish the talks early tomorrow.
Originally, this is around when I was going to put the next step of my plan in motion, however instead of that, I decided to wait.
My patience paid off as Inabikari, who had been making bedroom eyes at me for the past few hours at that point, shows up to my room in the middle of night.
If I had to guess from the way she was acting, she probably though she was sneaking out to go see a boy, but in reality, every guard in the building, or at least on the Shinobi side of things, would have been aware of her movements the moment she left her room.
Essentially, she is just a sheltered rich girl acting out to explore new feelings that no one ever tried to explain to her, either because they are prudish or because they don't want to be having the talk with the Daimyo's daughter.
What with the potential risk of execution and all.
But the moment she showed up I kind of had no say in how that encounter turned out.
Can't really say no to a royal booty call.
But like I've said, she was just exploring new feelings that no one has told her about, so rather than being some steamy sex, it was more like a sexual education class.
I taught her all about the facts of love and lust and how the body feels and wants to feel, explained to her any urges she might feel or has felt and what they mean and how to deal with them.
It was actually kind of wholesome, and if I was perusing this identity it would have been a perfect inroad to a politically beneficial friendship, hell, I could probably end up circumventing the entire country and becoming it's shadow ruler.
These lot don't seem to be the brightest bunch after all, combined with my personal strength, easy peasy.
But it would also be a lot of effort, there is a reason I never want to end up Hokage.
That said, we still had sex, she was exited to try something new, and I can't really say no to her, not that I would have.
Because, it gave me the opportunity to do the most vital part of the mission.
When I was taking my own clothes off, first I stood still, to gather some natural energy, not enough to enter into Sage mode, but only a fraction away from it, not that anything happens, since if you have less than a third of your chakra as Natural energy then it doesn't do anything.
Then when I took off my kimono, I dramatically threw it off to the side, making a shadow clone at the same time inside of the garment as it flew.
My clone then gathered the last bit of natural energy that I was holding back, immediately entering Sage mode and turning invisible and jumping forward to stick to the ceiling.
All in the time it took my kimono to fall to the ground.
Then I proceeded to forget about the mission and simply enjoy my time with a literal Princess.
The next day comes and I wake up alone, Inabikari having 'sneaked' her way back to her own room after we were done, leaving with a promise to see her again.
Not in the, 'let's have sex again' kind of way I usually get either, but more of a 'I want to be your friend' kind of way.
Obviously I am not going to keep that promise.
When the time for breakfast comes, the talks from the night before continue, ending around lunch time, during which Inabikari and I happily chat with each other, ignoring the looks and whispers of everyone else at the table.
And then, we are leaving, with nothing of note happening.
No sudden deaths, no poison found in the food, because obviously everything is checked for poison constantly, and just like that, we are once again on the road to the capitol, only leaving this time around.
I'm pretty confidant that the Daimyo guard are paranoid enough that we are still being followed, so I don't break character, even as I prepare for the next part of the plan.
What is the next step you ask?
Well, it's quite simple, in a few minutes, a group of unidentifiable ANBU will attack this carriage, equipped with two skilled sensors to find the hidden Shinobi.
I would prefer to simply wait, but my clone can only keep up Sage mode for so long, even without using and Jutsu a day of continuous Sage mode would be pushing it a little.
It's not like my clone will get the opportunity to have a five minute break to recharge.
Anyway, we kill the guards and at the same time, I kill the Daimyo.
Then we evacuate.
Obviously, once the Daimyo dies, we will be among the first suspects, so we cannot keep to our route, instead we will be taking a detour north west, where we will head to a mountain that has had a tunnel built into it that should be finished by the time we get there.
Then we will make our way underground for a few kilometres, changing our cloths on the way to disguise ourselves as simple merchants and workers.
Then we will head to a village where some more agents of Konoha will be waiting with a merchant caravan that is already on it's way to a fishing village, where will get a recently bought boat and use it to travel the ocean towards Iwa.
Following which, we make our way back to Konoha, well, I will simply make my own way at that point, but the others will still have to walk.
Hell, I could just make my way now, but I was ordered to ensure that the agents we have here don't die, so I have to escort them.
Now, there is only one problem that I can think of right now.
In the time I have been thinking about this, the attack should have started by now.
But I don't see nor hear any Shinobi.
Which is bad because scheduling is important and I cannot communicate with my clone, who should be about to kill the Daimyo in a minute or so.
Thankfully, right as I think that I hear the explosion of a Katon Jutsu.
However, contrary to the plan, the Jutsu is not directed to the hidden guards.
But to me.
the instant before the wall of flame impacts the carriage I'm riding in, I kawarimi with a branch on a random tree outside and am invisible before I can even take in my sudden change in surroundings.
Quickly facing the carriage, I watch as it explodes in fire and shrapnel and the screams of the dying.
Well, fuck. This isn't according to plan.
Even though everything seems to be about to fall apart, I can feel my lips stretching into a smile.
I did not see this coming.
Then my mind explodes with memories as my clone pops.
Ah. I see.
Well, that is interesting.
Double fuck.
[Clone POV: Earlier]
Walking around the Daimyo's palace without a care in the world as you know that no one can see you is an interesting experience.
I have already overheard like, six people discussing how they are acting behind the Daimyo's back for their own benefit.
Really, these people have no concept of loyalty, says the guy who's job is to frequently and repeatedly cultivate and then betray peoples' trust in me.
But hey, that's not what's important right now, what matters is that it is nearly time for me to commit the second closest thing to deicide one can commit on this planet.
Naturally, the Daimyo and all his little buddies are sitting in the same hall, eating and generally having a wonderful time.
This is why history has so many rebellions you know?
Anyway, the time comes and I don't hesitate.
From where I am standing behind the Daimyo, I simply reach forward and grab his head and 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵.
The resulting snap is far louder than it has any right to be, I think it's something about the frequency of the sound of bones breaking that draws attention.
And it surely does draw attention, as silence descends on the hall in an instant as everyone turns to stare at the body of the Daimyo as he sits there, slumped back into his chair, slowly sliding to the side.
Obviously the first people to act are the guards who suddenly appear practically everywhere in the room, one guard for each person aside form the family that has two, as well as a few more in the open space, looking around for the perpetrator.
Naturally, they aren't going to find me even though I am only a few steps behind what looks to be the head of the Shinobi guard, who was likely personally responsible for the Daimyo's health.
That's when the screaming and shouting starts, but the Shinobi know this isn't a time to indulge the mortals (Still don't know what to call them, normals?) and quickly shut everyone up.
I am just standing there, satisfied with a job well done and about to dispel myself, happy that I can at least die with this feeling, when I notice something strange.
This weird feeling starts gnawing at my chakra.
I try to locate the source of the feeling, when I notice something that shouldn't be happening.
Everybody is looking in my direction.
Looking down at myself, I notice a faint orange glow over my fingertips, like orange dust floating around.
Then it starts to move up my fingers, to my hands, then my arms. I try to wave it off but it keeps spreading until my whole body is covered in faintly glowing orange particles.
I look up again, only this time I am met with a hit to the gut that is just hard enough to not dispel me and I am pushed to the ground a moment later.
I don't bother fighting back, it's not like they can kill me in a way that matters, and I think I need to see where this is going.
"Who sent you." The lead Shinobi asks.
I see he is a man of efficiency, focusing on what matters, rather than asking useless questions he's getting straight to the point.
Naturally I'm not going to give him a straight answer.
"Your mother."
Apparently he is sensitive about his mother, because the next strike is not so light.
As darkness takes hold of me and I cease to exist, I manage a smile at the thought of what expression he must be making as I pop.
[Back to Hana's POV]
I see some of the ANBU that were supposed to be aiding my escape show up to inspect the carriage, doubtless that they know I survived, but they also know I won't show myself if they don't first.
In other words, they are bait.
But then I feel something odd.
Something 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳.
Bringing my hands to my face with urgency, I see what I was expecting to see.
Orange mist.
Damn.
Triple fuck.
Knowing what's coming I quickly rush forward and take the bait, killing the guys who were approaching the carriage.
Something tells me I'm going to be forced into a fight and I would rather lower the numbers while I can.
The moment I am standing in the middle of the road, a burning carriage to my front and a pair of corpses to my sides, many Shinobi appear, surrounding me.
On one side is Daimyo Shinobi, and on the other is what should be my ANBU support.
By the way they are standing apart from each other, this little alliance is tenuous at best, but frankly I don't think I can convince one of them to help me.
The ANBU have clearly made their choice, so weirdly, my best bet is the Daimyo guards.
In other words, I am by myself.
My smile gets wider.
This plan could not have gone more wrong.
Someone has betrayed me and I couldn't be happier about it.
This sense of unease, this lack of certainty, this is exactly the feeling I was looking for.
"Well then boys, I don't suppose we could just pretend we never saw each other? I promise I won't show my face here again. Deal?"
They did not accept my offer.
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A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!
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