Necessary Corruption 41 (Patreon)

Necessary Corruption

Chapter 41

-VB-

It was important for a leader to be out in the field so that the people see him and find trust and morale in their task.

I have been out there on the field quite a few times now ever since I took over the clan.

And I had to say…

“Ninjas are crazy.”

I watched while surrounded by my retainers - both capable men and women alike - and kept the ninjas I didn’t want around me away from me.

It didn’t stop the Sound and Sand ninjas from trying, especially after they saw that my people had captured a few of the Sound. However, they really underestimated us by charging at us directly and then dying like pathetic sons of bitches that they were when Yina speared them with her shadows.

From my perspective, it was boring until just now.

Because what else would I call the appearance of a bijuu anything but crazy?

I could see the top of its head just over the wall.

“If the ninjas are crazy enough to release bijuus like that on the go,” my brother grumbled from next to me, and both of us stared off into the distance to look at the bijuu as it fought someone. “Then you might not want to hold back anymore.”

I hummed.

As much as I trusted my people, I was also wary of being powerless myself. After all, I already had more than a dozen “retinues” run away since I started giving out my blessings. The thought of someone like Yina running away or, worse, turning on me in my hour of need?

“Hey.”

I looked at him.

“We’re here. Don’t worry about it.”

I scoffed. “You’re speaking awfully familiarly to your lord.” But I didn’t admonish him. What I had said was just commenting on reality.

“The lord happens to be my brother who raised me to legitimacy, and he seems to be troubled.”

I frowned while staring at the bijuu again as it took some kind of hit and fell backward, disappearing under the wall.

I heard Konoha-nin roar in cheer as the bijuu went down and gained morale to push back harder against the invaders and backstabbers.

“... All of you are my people,” I muttered. “So it just hurts that much more when even one of you turn on me.”

I heard his gloves creak.

“I know. I can’t understand them at all. You give them everything they could possibly want in this life and then they just… leave.”

“What happens,” I muttered quietly. “When the next person I give my blessing to, a blessing on par with Yina, decides to turn on us?”

“It won’t happen,” he grunted. “I’ll make sure of it.”

A commotion drew my attention, and I looked to my left, where my retainers engaged … Konoha-nin?

“What is going on over here?!” Hisou demanded as he stomped over. “I am Takanori Hisou of the Takanori Clan!”

His words brought up the Konoha-nin short, and the seven of them, somehow easily held back by three of my retainers, stood down.

“We apologize, Takanori-sama,” the lead bowed. “Because you had Sound ninjas among you and not fighting them, we had assumed that you were allied with them.”

“They are our prisoners,” Hisou grunted loudly. “My lord has shown an interest in keeping ninjas for himself, and so we act as he wishes. If it assauages your kage, then inform him that my brother will share all information he obtains from the Sound ninjas we have captured. Now, leave! You have already caused harm by attacking our people!”

Konoha-nins hesitated before the lead bowed again much to the consternation of his squad, and they left hurriedly to rejoin the rest of the battle.

“Bullheaded idiots, the lot of them,” Hisou complained as he came back to stand by my side. “We have been here since the start of the fight, sheltering their civilians in your manor. And what do they do? Immediately attack without trying to confirm our identities. Absolute idiots.”

I chuckled, bemused. “They riled up you well significantly, haven’t they?”

My hot-headed half-brother finally showed more of himself as he began to rant. “Of course, they piss me off! The chikshou couldn’t even tell the difference between noble retainers and ninjas! Who the hell promoted that blind man?! Hmm!?”

“I’m sure it was the same Hokage that you just told them to check in with.”

“Bah!”

I turned back and focused on the skirmishes and battles happening all over the city except where I stood with my people.

As I continued to observe them all, I began to wonder how I could profit from this and use Konoha-nin to topple the rest of the Northern River.

Because as crazy as these ninjas are, I could clearly see that once they let themselves loose upon the battlefield, they fought with martial and tactical prowess I was sure half of my people did not have.