Well, that was to be expected - if the peddler didn't know much about shinobi affairs and couldn't recognize me, then a free mercenary should learn the contents of any Great Village's Bingo Book like a father figure if he wanted to have a successful career and not die when he ran into a tough nukenin or elite.
The General Bingo Book exists for such shinobi, as well as reward centers that spread their network across all countries. With their help, the nukenin can easily get a small percentage reward for a delivered head, of course, even if he is a renegade from the village that gave the reward.
Just what did the kunoichi want to accomplish by demonstrating her knowledge of my identity? Having thought of nothing, I took out a fuin scroll, designed just for such oversized cargo and rolled, put one hand on the box, and the other on the seal, gave chakra. With a light pop and small clouds, the load disappeared, and I rolled the scroll and stowed it in my pouch. This option requires more chakra control and complexity, but it's much more convenient to use than the standard options of placing the seal on the seal itself.
The kunoichi accompanying us had already unlocked the warehouse door so we could go outside without going back through the house.
- Be careful," she glanced around at my genin, and gave a final warning as she closed the door without waiting for my reaction.
Oh, she's not a chicken, either, and it's worth a lot if she warned me, especially if it was her employer who did it. I'd have to grab her and drag her back to Konoha as another mistress. I've got Hiroshi, so he'll be able to recruit this beauty to his team, and there'll be more room for maneuvering - all the kanpeki ningyo (perfect marionettes) I have are not ugly, but the personal lives of the permanent clones must be arranged.
- Sensei? - Hoshi turned to me.
- So, your observations? - I asked the team, making a sign to follow me.
- That trader was a little too friendly," Hoshi muttered, hurrying to catch up with me and get on my right side, while her partners were on the other, "and I didn't like the way he was staring at us.
- When they're so friendly for no reason, they're obviously trying to hide something or fool you," Surizawa added abruptly.
- That's right," he agreed, and added, "and you'll have to get used to the looks - the older you get, the more you'll attract those looks, because by the standards of ordinary people, we have great looks.
I was distracted by the shinobi who was glaring at us, who started to show us a lot of attention right after we left the warehouse.
- Uh," Asani faltered, and I turned to her, nodding encouragingly, "we were being watched on the street, but now the staring sensation is gone.
- Good for you," I patted her on the head, "we were indeed being watched by some shinobi, now the surveillance has been removed.
Genin gave a concerned look.
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