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Kenta nodded but remained silent. He wasn't concerned about Inoiki's safety—far from it. If anything, it would be in his best interest if Inoiki never made it back.
Inoiki leaned back slightly before rising from his seat, his piercing gaze locking onto Kenta with quiet intensity. "Tell me—where can I find this Black Scorpio?"
Kenta exhaled, standing as well. He adjusted the cuffs of his suit, as if buying himself a fraction of a second before responding. "His base of operations is in Tetsuyuki Town. 'Black Scorpio' is just the name he goes by in underground circles, but officially, he's the town's head—practically owns the place."
Inoiki arched an eyebrow, though his expression remained unreadable. Politics, titles, and power plays were of little interest to him. All that mattered was securing the materials he needed. The rest was just noise.
"Send all the materials you have to General Mifune's mansion as soon as possible," he ordered.
Kenta nodded quickly. "By tonight, everything you requested will be delivered."
Satisfied, Inoiki turned and strode toward the exit, Tatsuya following closely behind.
Once they stepped out onto the streets, Tatsuya finally spoke, unable to hide his curiosity.
"You were surprisingly... civil back there," he admitted, stealing a glance at Inoiki. "Honestly, after everything I've heard about you, I wasn't expecting that."
Inoiki's gaze was sharp, his tone laced with quiet disdain. "Do you take me for a fool? Your Daimyo is using me to clear out the black market for his own gain. But let me make one thing clear—I have no personal enmity with them. If they stay out of my way, I have no reason to care. However…" He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "If they do stand in my way, well… that would be a different story."
Tatsuya nodded but remained silent. There was no point in arguing—Inoiki was likely right. Though Tatsuya lacked the authority to know the full scope of the Daimyo's plans, what little he did know aligned with Inoiki's suspicions.
Inoiki exhaled sharply, as if dismissing the conversation entirely. "Enough of this. You can leave. I don't have time to waste." He turned, his body shrouded in a sky-blue aura that flickered like ethereal flames. "I'm heading to Tetsuyuki Town immediately while the sun is still high. I want everything dealt with before evening—and the materials in my possession by tomorrow morning."
Before Tatsuya could respond, Inoiki's form lifted effortlessly into the air, the energy surrounding him intensifying. With a burst of speed, he shot into the sky, leaving behind a brilliant streak of blue light that slowly faded against the afternoon horizon. His swift departure left no room for debate. It wasn't a request—it was a statement of intent.
----
After nearly an hour of flight, Inoiki finally arrived at his destination—Tetsuyuki Town.
He descended swiftly, landing in the middle of a bustling street packed with merchants, shoppers, and townsfolk going about their day. The moment his feet touched the ground, a hush fell over the crowd. Conversations halted, footsteps slowed, and all eyes turned toward him in shock. Whispers spread like wildfire—no one had ever seen a man descend from the sky before.
Ignoring the stunned expressions around him, Inoiki turned to the nearest man, his tone calm yet firm. "Tell me, where is the mansion of your town head?"
The man blinked, pointing at himself in disbelief. "M-Me?"
"Yes, you," Inoiki replied, his patience thin. "Just tell me where it is."
The man swallowed and quickly gestured toward a grand building towering over the rest of the town. "You see that? The biggest one over there—that's the mansion. It's where the town head lives and runs everything."
Inoiki gave a curt nod, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a crisp 1,000-ryo note. Without another word, he handed it to the man and strode off toward the mansion.
The man stared at the money in his hand, completely dazed. Had he really just been paid 1,000 ryo for answering a single question? It was as if wealth had quite literally fallen from the sky.
Meanwhile, the onlookers who had witnessed the exchange murmured among themselves, their faces a mix of awe and envy. A single thought crossed their minds: Why couldn't it have been me?
As Inoiki strode toward the Town Head's mansion, he could feel multiple eyes tracking his every movement. Trained eyes. Ninjas. Their presence wasn't obvious to the average person, but to him, their subtle movements, the way the air shifted around them—it was unmistakable. This alone confirmed what he already suspected: Tetsuyuki Town was firmly under the control of Black Scorpio, its so-called leader.
Most likely, news of his arrival had already reached the town head's ears.
When Inoiki finally arrived at the mansion gates, two guards immediately blocked his path. One stepped forward, his stance rigid with authority. "Stop. Who are you, and what business do you have here?"
Inoiki didn't answer right away. His eyes flicked toward the open doorway behind them. He could feel someone standing just beyond the threshold, watching. Thanks to his Observation Haki, their presence was as clear to him as if they were standing in plain sight.
Without bothering to address the guards, he spoke directly to the unseen figure. "You, behind the door," he called out, his voice even but laced with quiet impatience. "You know who I am. I've come to meet the town head, and I have neither the time nor the patience for formalities. If you don't want me forcing my way in, tell your men to stand aside. Now."
The lead guard bristled at the words, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "What nonsense are you spouting? There's no one there. Either state your purpose or leave. Otherwise, I won't be so polite—and trust me, you won't like that."
A tense silence followed, the air between them thick with unspoken challenge.
Inoiki merely smirked.
There was indeed a man behind the door, and he thought to himself, Fool, you have no idea who you're dealing with.
...
(A/N: If you like the story please vote power stones.)
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