The wind and rain did not cease, and the cold seeped in from all directions.
Ye Zi walked into the iron city, facing the wind and rain, and encountered no resistance. The Rain ninja guarding the gate glanced at the scratch hidden in the shadows on Ye Zi's forehead protector. Recognizing the Konoha insignia, the gatekeeper displayed a brief look of surprise but did not stop him, allowing him to enter the village.
The Land of Rain experienced perpetual rain throughout the year, with an astonishing amount of rainfall, so much so that nearly all buildings were equipped with drainage pipes.
The rain fell continuously, and in no time, it accumulated into rivers, flowing down from high places through the pipes, adding a different sound to the rain-soaked atmosphere.
Despite the near-disastrous downpours, the village of Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) maintained its basic commercial operations. Many people, dressed in specially-made raincoats, could still be seen on the streets.
Ye Zi passed by a brightly lit bun shop. The shop's tent stretched outwards, keeping the wind and rain at bay. An old woman, half her eyes squinting and the other half open, sat at the entrance, even while leaning on a cane. She grinned at him as he passed, revealing a mouthful of broken teeth, and asked warmly, "Would you like some buns, sir?"
Ye Zi slightly raised his head, first glancing at the old woman, then at the steaming baskets on the stove inside the shop. He indifferently moved his gaze away and continued forward without a word.
The old woman watched his departing figure and sighed softly, as if regretting the loss of a potential customer.
Wandering aimlessly through the streets, he roughly assessed the village's defenses.
"Interesting."
With his excellent sensory abilities, he easily detected the Rain ninjas hidden in the shadows, noting the village's tight security. It was no wonder that they allowed rogue ninjas from other villages to come and go freely. Who knew what Hanzō's true intentions were?
After wandering for a while, Ye Zi noticed that some Rain ninjas were watching him, but he didn't care. He continued straight towards a sake house he had spotted earlier.
Although it was called a sake house, it was actually a combination of a tavern and a brothel. Here, one could simply drink or, for a hefty price, have a beautiful woman accompany them for drinks or even engage in other activities—provided they had the money.
He entered the sake house, and the rainwater dripping from his black raincoat quickly formed a puddle on the floor near the entrance. He glanced around the crowded sake house. It was nearly full, with only one secluded corner unoccupied. Ye Zi paused for a moment, didn't remove his raincoat, and, with his head slightly lowered, made his way to that secluded spot, leaving a trail of water behind him.
There were many people in the room, and besides him, two others in black raincoats were also sitting in a corner against the wall.
Many people looked up at Yezhi but paid him no further attention. Here, those who sought trouble usually didn't live long.
Amegakure was confident. If they dared to let anyone walk in so openly, they wouldn't fear that hostile individuals would walk out.
The tavern's owner was a voluptuous woman who coldly watched Ye Zi as he left a trail of water in her establishment, her expression showing some displeasure, but she said nothing.
After he sat down, a pretty waitress quickly approached, smiling as she asked, "What would you like to order, sir?"
Ye Zi replied coolly, "Just bring me some food."
"Sure," the waitress answered, her smile especially sweet. She asked enthusiastically, "Wouldn't you like to order some sake as well?"
"No need," Ye Zi answered coldly.
The waitress was slightly taken aback. This was the first time she'd encountered a customer at a sake house who didn't order sake. She nodded and walked away.
The tavern's front area was for customers to drink and chat, while the back area consisted of private rooms where, after paying a fee, one could enjoy a more intimate experience with a woman.
This was a war-torn region, where survival was not guaranteed. For some ninjas who constantly teetered on the edge of life and death, wine and women were their only distractions.
The tavern was bustling with people, most of whom were Rain ninjas, with a few rogue ninjas from other villages.
Ye Zi quietly observed but did not see any rogue ninjas from Konoha. He listened intently to the surrounding chatter, hoping to catch some useful information.
Konoha had provided him with intelligence stating that Hara Kanyoru, a Konoha rogue ninja, was acting as a mercenary for Amegakure and resided in the village, even taking on tasks there. If not for his rogue ninja status, those unaware might think he was a member of Amegakure.
In reality, Amegakure's acceptance of rogue ninjas from other villages was a calculated move to utilize their strength, while these rogue ninjas needed a stable and safe place to stay—a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Ye Zi listened quietly but did not hear any useful information.
After a while, steaming hot dishes were brought to his table. He discreetly checked them for poison and, finding none, began to eat. He quickly finished his meal and continued to listen silently to the conversations around him.
After a long time, his ears twitched as he finally caught a mention of Kanyoru. His eyes flashed as he subtly looked towards the source of the voice, which came from a table where two men sat. Judging by their forehead protectors, they were from Amegakure.
"That rogue ninja from Konoha, Kanyoru, is too arrogant," one of the Rain ninjas slammed the table, downing a large cup of sake. His actions were aggressive, but he kept his voice low.
"What can we do? We're no match for him, and Lord Hanzō values him highly," the other Rain ninja said, his tone dejected.
"Even so, how can we let that bastard get away with brutally killing a young girl?" The Rain ninja who had slammed the table spoke even lower, his face filled with hatred, and his voice was filled with gritted teeth.
"What else can we do?"
"Sigh, let's drink."
Ye Zi listened quietly, shifting his gaze away from the two Rain ninjas. His eyes turned cold as he realized he needed more information.
After a long while, the two Rain ninjas finished their drinks and left.
He waited for a bit, then got up, paid the bill, and left the tavern, following the two Rain ninjas. Not long after he left, the two others in black raincoats also slowly stood up.
Looking up, it was clear that the two were a young man and a young woman.
The rain showed no signs of letting up, and a hazy mist began to rise from the street.
Ye Zi maintained his distance, following the two Rain ninjas while constantly checking for other Rain ninjas hidden nearby. He needed to capture these two without being detected, which would be difficult.
If he had a summoning beast like Jiraiya's, it would be easier.
Soon, the two Rain ninjas turned into an alley.
Ye Zi's eyes lit up as he sensed the surrounding Rain ninjas. Aside from the ones watching him, there were no other guards nearby.
A cold smile appeared on his face, hidden under his hood.
"You've followed me long enough. Now you can die…"
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