Chapter 14: Bloody Flowers

As time wound down on Shogo's task, both he and his "sensei" Gengetsu rushed to complete the finishing touches on their poorly designed plans. One plan is definitely less difficult than the other, but both are equally stupid. Alas even the best laid plans go awry, and their dumb plans are no different. It's a good thing improvisation is a tool that any shinobi worth his salt has in his kit. The problem is, will they have time to use it?

Gengetsu POV

"NO NO NO! That won't do! Make her cheekbones higher and make the shape of her face that of a heart. And one of you please round out her hips! I'm trying to make it resemble Tamari, not an emaciated skeleton!"

I am frantically directing the construction of a huge sand sculpture of my lovely girlfriend Tamari. Hopefully, it will make her pause enough for her feminine rage to subside. But I must make this piece of garbage an absolute work of art before she gets here later this evening! So far, I can confidently say the effort may make her not immediately go for my nuts, probably just my face.

'MY HANDS WERE MADE FOR KILLING! NOT FUCKING ART! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!'

I grab handfuls of my luscious hair completely at a loss of how to make a classical masterpiece out of sand in under four hours. I had just heard from one of my contacts around the border that Tamari had passed into the Country about an hour ago and looked to be absolutely out for blood whilst already covered in it. The brat was supposed to have all my requested items here by now! Maybe I should just give the order to my clone to put a hole through his goddamn skull before I have a brush with death myself later when Tamari arrives.

"Boss!"

I jump a little at the interruption to my murderous thoughts.

"What!"

I turn around to see one of my clones standing behind me.

"I've come to report on the brat's progress. He has managed to put the Terumi bison and a chest filled with Yuki silk on the northern beach as requested. Also, he has obtained the requested jewelry though that is on his person at the moment. It would seem he means to steal the wine from the daimyo's cellar before turning in the pearl collection."

I exhale a sigh of relief at the announcement that the brat managed to actually obtain the jewelry as that was the absolute most important thing on the entire list. Everything else was just me giving the little turd a hard time. It's too bad the little dumbass decided to do the list in such a dumb order. He was supposed to go by difficulty level not which was furthest? I'll have to beat my high shinobi IQ into him later if he actually manages to survive. Still, what could have possessed Shogo to think that stealing from the daimyo in broad daylight would be a good idea? I remember him being at least somewhat clever.

'Yeah, the kid is definitely going to get chopped up by that old goat though, so it doesn't matter.'

Though the palace that the Royal Water Family resides in is massive, they only employ one shinobi during the day to protect the whole area, Byakuren "The Samurai Killer." He is by far the most powerful shinobi in all of Water country and must be one of the most fearsome men in the world. Byakuren is the oldest active shinobi under the Water daimyo's control and rumor has it he had a big hand in why his generation lacks other water ninja.

The old goat hates being challenged and will swiftly get rid of any competition. The only reason he hasn't lobbed my head off at the moment is because my clan heritage gives me immunity. However, I have a suspicion that my immunity is very fragile, so I don't try to cross Byakuren at any turn.

I don't doubt for a second that Byakuren will detect Shogo as soon as he sets a single toe onto the Daimyo's palace grounds. All I can hope for is that they don't search the brat's body before they dispose of it so I can take the jewelry off the corpse.

I look my clone in the eyes then hold up the ram hand sign, my clone then sheds more water clones to its sides, and both stand up ramrod straight waiting for my instruction. First, I instruct the middle clone,

"Make sure you continue your surveillance on the brat and when he croaks take the pearls from his corpse."

The clone nods and retreats to the south.

I order the clones at my sides,

"Prepare the bison and the silk for my date tonight. I want the steaks medium well done and make sure the silk in the chest is slightly warm to the touch when it comes time for us to use it later."

Once again, I receive nods and watch as my clones rush off to do my bidding.

'Now… Where can I find a craftsman to make this sand statue at least passable by the time my love gets here? Hmmm...Ah! Hopefully, he hasn't left the island yet...'

Shogo POV

After a quick run through the marketplace, I have to say I am going to look absolutely ridiculous. I bought a robe that's many sizes too big for me to fit with the tallest platform sandals I could find. I hadn't even bothered to try and put it all together yet but hopefully it worked somehow. The last thing I picked up was something to cover my face. I got lucky and found a full faced hannya mask that had a sizable real looking beard on the bottom of it. With a large shaggy black wig covering the exposed places I am confident nobody would be any wiser that there is a kid under this getup. I ran all the way to the dock I met the old man on. I see the old builder standing there fidgeting nervously while holding a scroll nearly the same size as me in his arms as if it were a child. I proceed to walk up to him and put on all the stuff I bought for my disguise. All the while he looks at me with a puzzled expression not daring to move an inch from his spot.

"Don't just stand there! Help me tie up this robe around myself!"

That got the architect moving as he assisted me in wrapping the large kimono around my waist. By the time we were done, I've never felt more stupid looking in my life and from the look on the old builder's face I can infer that my sentiments were shared. I heard in passing that the daimyo only has one shinobi guard around his grounds during the day apparently, he has some secret disdain for ninja in general or whatever. Hopefully, I can dupe this lone ninja in the same manner as that other piece of shit that broke my fucking ribs but just ya'know without the bodily harm part.

I slip on the tall sandals that make my youthful 4'11" height grow to a barely passable 5'4". I wouldn't be able to run in these things at all, but they would do for cosmetics. Lastly, I put the mask over my face and lower the wig over my hair. All in all, I looked like the world's most least threatening half pint ninja. But it should look threatening enough to intimidate the non-ninja palace guards.

"Uhhh...Shinobi-sama. Why are you wearing such an… "imposing" getup for our meeting with the daimyo?"

"Oh, stop it with the asskissing! If you haven't exactly noticed by now, I've been lying to you! Do you really think there are any six-year-old shinobis running around on the daimyo's payroll?!"

"Wha-what! You've been lying to me, you little shit!"

I whip my katana out of the sheathe on my back once again irritating the shit out of my ribs before pressing the tip of the blade on the chest of the stupid builder.

"Your damn skippy I've been lying to your cowardly ass and it doesn't fucking matter cuz your still going to help me get into the fucking palace regardless. All you need to do is get through your planned meeting with the daimyo or you'll have to explain to your family why you have a new mouth in your neck!"

Tears well up in the old man's eyes at my threat,

"But I couldn't get any meeting no matter how hard I tried!"

"What the f-! Explain! NOW!"

The old man named Itsuku Genshiro then proceeded to give me his entire life history. I had to threaten him again to speed up the process and long story short, Genshiro is just a damn fisherman who wants to get rich by selling some drawings to the most powerful man in our country. Of all the damn fucks up while I'm on a timer to save my skin! It should be illegal to be as unlucky as I've been these last few weeks of my life.

The sniveling geezer in front of me had stopped his pleading and is now looking down at me with hopeful eyes that I would let his useless ass go. Too bad for him that I'm genius enough to still make use of him for my plan.

"Quit your sniveling ya old coot. After all, you gotta look somewhat presentable for your big pitch meeting with the daimyo-"

"Huh? Wha-"

"Keep your lip buttoned will ya! You need to start thinking about how you are gonna sell whatever that shit you got under your arm is to the daimyo! Just let me worry about how we are going to get in there. Now tell me where we can get a horse and a wagon..."

The old builder sputters in shock before quickly answering my question.

"There's a place on the upper east side of the village that rents them out."

"Perfect! Follow me! I need somebody to distract them while I get a five fingered discount…"

"'Five-fingered discount'...is that a promotional thing they're doing at that place or something?"

~sigh~

I cannot help but facepalm at the man's continued stupidity. Luck for me he did not need to be smart for my plan to work.

An hour and some change later…

Stealing the horse drawn wagon was way easier than I thought it would be, I guess nobody really expects somebody to snatch up an entire horse with a wagon to boot. I barely even needed to use violence to nab it too. I mean sure that one jockey is going to wake up with a headache in the next few hours, but hey, at least he'll be alive. His boss will be super pissed, but again, alive! I made the old coot drive the wagon and we are currently along the main road that leads right to the front gates of the palace.

We rode along in almost complete silence as the horse's loud breathing and the old man's chattering teeth served to be constant noise makers. Soon the front gates of the palace came into view and they could only be described as ginormous monstrosities. Each were the size of a three-story home and were deck out with an intricate purple Shimizu clan symbol in the middle. The walls of the palace seem to stretch for about a mile on each side and there are guards posted on top of every inch of the wall.

I gulp looking at all the archers looking at the wagon with their bows primed and ready, looking for the slightest hint of hostility.

'And I thought the Shipmaster was overly paranoid for having four archers. The daimyo definitely takes the cake!'

Right before we reach the guards stationed in front of the gate I lean forward and whisper into the fisherman ear,

"Remember what I told you to say! I can't help you till you make me more intimidating as talking would give my age away. Then we would lose face immediately!"

Genshiro nods at my words before schooling his features.

"HALT!"

An armored guard with a large glaive in his hands steps out in front of our horse. I see Genshiro stiffen up, but I quickly kick him lightly in the back to "loosen" him up. We couldn't afford for him to revert to bitch mode at the most crucial point of this heist after all.

The armed guard walks to the left side of the wagon and peers in the wagon at me before looking at Genshiro,

"State your name and purpose!"

"I-I am Hamiodo Kabul! I hail from Bear Country and I seek an audience with the Water Daimyo so I may offer him my architectural services."

"I have not been notified to expect you by the higher ups. So, I can assume you don't have an appointment. I'll give 30 seconds to explain to me why you think I should let you and this half pint clown of yours have an audience with one of the wealthiest men in the world."

"W-well my kind sir I am a man of great ambition who can design and make the dreams of wealthier men then you and I a solid reality. I have designed many magnificent works of architecture that I believe a man of the daimyo's caliber would like to have built in his name.
My thoughts have been encouraged by the words of other entities with near the same power and reach as your lord. It would truly be a shame if your lord missed out on my very best design because I was turned away at his gates. This is the only day I will be in town before I depart to my next journey to the Land of Fire. The half pint is just my ruthless shinobi guard. He lacks a tongue, but he rarely gives his opponents alive long enough for conversation anyway."

Genshiro delivered the rehearsed lines as I told him but towards the middle, he took it up a notch. So much so, even I want to punch him in his cocky head.

The guard gives Genshiro and I a look once more with a conflicted look on his face,

"I will let you through the gates but be warned! The daimyo will not be pleased if you waste his time! Your fancy drawings better be worth it otherwise both you and your guard will have your throats slit. Before you pass through the gates your guard must completely disarm himself."

The guard looks at me expectantly as I groan and hand him the katana off my back. The gates then open and the wagon surges forward as Genshiro quickly leads the horse through the security detail hoping to get in before they come to their senses.

I relax my shoulders as all the tense seems to vanish for my body. I had not expected the guards to be so lax about who they let through the gates. I had another plan to just abandon the wagon altogether and wait out of sight of the guards near the front gates. When they finally let someone into the palace, it was then I would try run in or latch onto whatever the person was driving. All in all, a way more risky operation that had a much larger chance of failure. I'm glad this plan with Genshiro has got us in but now the real hard part is left. Getting out of this place with what I needed completely undetected. What made it even harder was the fact that I had no idea where what I needed was located.

For the time being I'll accompany Genshiro or "Kabul" to his meeting with the daimyo if only to make sure his idiocy doesn't make both our heads roll. Genshiro pulls the wagon to a stop in front of a long set of stairs that led up to a giant hall of some sort. He grabs his huge scroll as we both exit the wagon, and we walk over to the bottom of the staircase.

I assume this is where the daimyo gives an audience to his guests. There were guards spread out along the sides of the staircase each armed to the teeth, but they all looked to be on completely on standby. None of them gives us as we make our way up the stairs. The closer I get to the hall, the grander and intimidating it looks in stature. We reach the top of the stairs and there is a small court between us and the entrance to the hall. The court has a paved walkway through the middle but it is completely surrounded by vegetation of all hall is large itself but it is clear that the daimyo, his extended family, and his many servants all lived in the five levels built on top of it. The palace is so tall upclose it hurts my neck to try and look up at it all.

Genshiro is visibly shaking right now but we are too deep in the operation for him to bitch out now. I quickly jab the back of his knee causing him to nearly fall over himself as we cross the tree-filled court toward the entrance of the hall. He looks back at me perturbed but I set him straight with glare then I aggravatedly whisper to him,

"GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER NOW!"

In response to my aggressive reminder, Genshiro winces lightly then straightens himself out then walks forward with his head held high like his character would require. As long as he gave off a good bit of confidence, Genshiro should sufficiently be able to fool just about anyone but that's only if he doesn't start discussing specifics about his background. I hammered that into his head earlier. To keep any mentions of his past confidential and be overwhelmingly transparent with his architectural knowledge to gather occupational trust.

'The ultimate lie requires a bit of truth in it after all. Some wise words, from a womanizing sailor, I took to heart.'

After what seemed like an eternity, we cross the small court and stand a few feet away from the front entrance of the main hall. There is a single guard barricading the door, this one being particularly decorated with a flashy feathered helmet. His presence upclose is intimidating, you could tell he held a higher rank than the other guards we have come across as his armor had a gold trim and on top of the routine glaive, he also has a sizable blade strapped to his back. The sword looks to be bigger than my entire body.

'One swipe of that thing and it'll be bye bye Shogo…'

Genshiro steps forward a little and the golden guard meets his advancement with a step of his own. Immediately, Genshiro goes to cower away from the super guard but he stops when a slender older gentleman walks out from behind the guard with a large book in his right hand and a fountain pen clutched in his left. The old dude with the book glances at me then gives Genshiro his full attention, his dismissive attitude toward me kind of pisses me off.

"I'm going to need your name and occupation before you can step within the hall sir… . But your help will have to wait for you out here."

Genshiro gives me a lost look and I regard him with a light nod.

"My name is Hamiodo Kabul. I am an architect that hails from Bear Country."

"Please follow me right this way Hamiodo-san. Fair warning the daimyo was not very pleased with his pre-dinner meal so your pitch will need to be the best you've given thus far."

I watch Genshiro follow the stuck-up attendant through the ornate threshold and I can't help but roll my eyes at the old fisherman's nervous gitter. I don't understand how he hoped to pitch his big project in the first place if he is so nervous to even meet the man. Hopefully, he didn't immediately fuck this up for me.

The big brute steps back in front of the entrance and blocks my vision of the inside of the hall. Our eyes meet and at that moment, I break out into what could only be described as the "peepee" dance, the universal sign that the restroom is urgently in need. The guard holds out for a little while but a few seconds of watching my twisting and hopping from side to side he finally points his glaive to left and says with a sneer on his face,

"Go find a tree or something in the back garden. Be back here in five minutes or else!"

I run off down the hall with the most gigantic smile hidden under my mask. I can't believe that the daimyo would employ such incompetent people to protect his property and family. Stealing this wine bottle might be even easier than getting the pearls from that vault. Five minutes is more than enough time to at least find the wine cellar which I assume is somewhere below this humongous tower. If I do go over that dumbass guard's time limit, I doubt any of these normal guards will be able to catch me in case they come after me. The only thing I'm worried about is that single shinobi that is apparently stationed here at this time. Hopefully I won't get spotted by this guy like I did the other one. I don't know if I can handle another high-speed getaway with my ribs being so fucked up and my chakra running dangerously low. I round the corner to the hall and continue down to where I assume the back garden is located. I smell the garden before I see it, the flowery earth smell hits my nostrils and then the colors of the garden come into my vision. The front clearing was just a watered-down version of this area, the trees are just as tall as the walls and lined the entire back area. Lush bushes filled with red and purple flowers dotted the area in between huge explosions of extremely brightly colored flowers arranged in different shapes. The sight is indeed distracting but I have better things to focus on.

I look down the hall to the left side of the back garden entrance, but I don't see anything resembling an entrance or staircase to another floor. I passby the back garden entrance and turn the corner to the left hall in order to take a quick peek. I lightly pump my fist into the air in excitement at the sight of the staircase leading up and down to the upper and lower levels respectively. As quickly as possible I creep toward the staircase leading to the lower levels of the palace while being as silent as possible.

Thunk…

Thunk…..

Thunk…

'FUCK!'

I hide quickly to the left side as I see a server coming up the stairs from the lower level. He hadn't seen me as the inside of the staircase is pretty dark. I just have to wait for him to passby and then I can continue down, I have to be more careful of the staff and the guards. The server looks like the typical weak chinned servant. Nothing about him is at all remarkable but what the server is carrying on the tray almost makes my heart combust. There on the tray is one clay bottle with the shimizu clan symbol on it in purple ink. Whatever deity is up there has decided to give me the wine I needed on a literal silver platter! This has been the easiest heist of my entire life!

I wait until the server gets close enough to spring my attack.

"-can't believe that fat bastard had Sho executed for not removing the pulp out of his lemonad-"

KLUNK!

I used the heel of my right sandal to bludgeon the back of the unsuspecting server's head as he went to turn the corner from the stairs. The server drops like somebody cut his strings and loses all control of the plate he's carrying. As his body collapses on the floor, I catch the bottle and then the plate just as it is about to hit the ground. I don't think anyone heard the server fall, but just in case, I decide to speed up.

I discard my ridiculous getup in the hallway beside the unconscious server and start shuffling toward the back garden entrance.

The original plan was to rummage around the palace looking for the Shimizu clan wine cellar while Genshiro was likely talking the daimyo ear off about his stupid scribbles. And when I found it I was going to meet up with the fisherman/architect then leave out the front door. But now that I got what I came for so early, I'm getting the hell out of here while my luck is still high.

Do I feel even a little bad for abandoning Genshiro on probably the most important day of his fish filled life?

Nope.

Will me dipping on Genshiro get his head chopped off by that huge beefy guard?

Maybe.

There's a slight chance that the old fisherman will be able to finesse his way out of the fire. But that's only if he has learned from his little peek into my bag of tricks. Who knows ultimately, the saying goes old dogs can't learn new tricks and the man does seem the type to fold under pressure.

'Oh well! Everyone for themselves. I'll just get an exorcist if he haunts m-'

My first step into the back garden makes me feel as if I have just now made a terrible mistake. A familiar smell assaults my nostrils, and it wasn't expectedly flowery, it is an overpowering metallic stench like that of blood.

Omake:

"Hello esteemed sculptor, Mykelahngelo-sama! I require your artistic talents to make an angelic masterpiece out of the sand on this island. And I need you to do it in under three or so hours. Now I know it seems impossible, but you'll have the help of my super clones to assist you! So chop chop! Let us get arting!"

A gray bearded old man with long unkempt salt and pepper hair simply stared at Gengetsu's frantic expression with a bored look in his eye.

"And why would I assist my kidnapper?"

"Because I'll slowly torture you to death if you don't! So get on with the fucking art shit, I won't ask again!"

Gengetsu aims his right hand in his signature piston motion toward the head of the disturbingly stoic renown sculptor. The death threat seems to hang in the air between the two men as only the sound of crashing waves and chirping birds made any noise during this intense staredown. Twitchy beady eyes versus large and glossy eyes. And surprisingly it is the fiendish blond shinobi that cracks first.

"Okay, look man, my bad for kidnapping and threatening you but I'm running out of valuable time here! My lady is coming here, and she is raving mad, man, like I don't know what she's going to do to me!"

The sculptor raised an eyebrow at the desperate blonde,

"And this is my problem, how?"

Gengetsu grabs both of Mykelahngelo's shoulders tightly,

"Have a heart! There has to be something I can give you that will convince you to make this damn sculpture for me!"

The old sculptor and Gengetsu are nearly touching noses at this point. Suddenly Mykelahngelo closes his eyes and leans in further…

"Whoa! Old man back the hell up! I'm not that desperate?"

"Oh….my bad! Well …this is awkward…."

The men stood in a much more uncomfortable silence than before. The sculptor than look to Gengetsu and says:

"I don't need any money to make the sculpture but rather I want a vial of every Hozuki clan poison and medical liquid remedy."

This visibly confused Gengetsu but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The sculptor's odd request is very doable for him and it wouldn't even cost him a fortune.

"Now that, I can do! I'll have one of my clones fetch it for you immediately. It should be here in a couple of minutes."

One of Gengetsu's many clones speeds off to retrieve Myckelahngelo's requested goods. In the meantime, the sculptor begins taking in the area and the massive mound of sand that the clones had given up working on. Soon the vials arrive, and the clone carries them over to the artist in a small wooden box. As the box is set into Myckelahngelo's hands, his eyes never leave them even as Gengetsu talks to him.

"So now that you have your poisons and such…. let's get to w-work?"

To Gengetsu's shock and disgust the sculptor mechanically drinks the contents of three vials without fail before simply tossing their empty shells on the ground.

The now poisoned man closes his eyes and begins to shake as a trickle of blood comes from his left nostril. Before panic could creep in for Gengetsu, Myckelahngelo opens his eyes again with both pupils shrunken and dark.

"I should have the sculpture done in about an hour. Don't bother me!"

And then the supposedly elderly artist breaks off in a dead sprint and literally tackles the misshapen mound of sand headfirst.

Gengetsu then watches in fear and amazement as the crazed sculptor works with the sand in an animalistic manner.

'Ummmm...I think I've just revitalized an old drug addict. Not my lowest of lows but I definitely don't want anybody associating me with this… He's drinking even more!"