- Boss, the team from Konoha has arrived on your order," our escort reported in an unexpectedly sonorous voice, making me wake up, pick up the drool, and make a note that this merchant had obviously not just put such a guard in the office - distraction was guaranteed.
Glad that behind the mask and glasses no one could see not only the expression on my face, but also where I was looking, although the kunoichi clearly felt the devouring gaze, I focused on the customer.
- Team number seventeen is ready for the task, Yasari-san, - I calmly reported to him, putting the scroll with the task on the table, - please specify the place of arrival and provide the cargo.
- Oh, you arrived surprisingly quickly," he stood up from his chair and stretched his lips in a smile, extending his hand to me, which I had to shake, "how do I address you, my friend?
- Just Ryo," I answered indifferently, deciding not to reveal my clan affiliation so as not to alert him.
I remember him hugging and cuddling with my Kanpeki Ningyo (Perfect Marionette) Hiroshi, and then their squad was forced to face an ambush of nukenins that were hired by competitors to get a guarded cargo. They were hired by the rivals to get the cargo, but there was no question of a possible shinobi attack, so they were paid accordingly.
They weren't all killed thanks to Hiroshi's warning, but even so, two-thirds of the group was killed and my puppet was almost killed. The rest of the group, barely patched up and out of shape, couldn't even show the peddler anything, silently taking the money, since the guards were fresh and full of energy, unlike them. But the rumors about this rogue were spread in their midst, so he must have turned to the forces of the village.
***
- A pleasure, Ryo-dono," the peddler continued to shake his hand.
Had the polite bowing been abolished? Almost forcibly releasing my hand, I just silently continued to stare at him.
- Yes, well, your final destination is Takiho City, almost on the border with the Wave Country, I'll write down the address now," he said, squinting his eyes in a smile and taking the scroll, his gaze moving from me to the genin standing silently behind me, "I don't think it would be a problem for a team from Konoha itself to deliver the cargo safely and intact as quickly as possible, even over that distance.
- About three or four days if we left today," I confirmed his guess, overestimating the time frame just in case.
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