Chapter 158 - Modern Ninja
Klautz passed on the information which Akihiko probably already knew. Being a leader of such a huge number of residents Klautz refused to believe that Akihiko didn't have any influence over the drill.
But Klautz cannot lose his composure here unless he wants to make matters worse.
"Ha, don't act smart. I am asking about your origins!"
Klautz smirked.
"Don't you know that already?"
Klautz replied a question with another question to properly gauge the seriousness of the situation. He wanted to lead the conversation at Akihiko's own pace.
Klautz didn't have much information on Akihiko. Never met him, all he had heard of him were rumours and seen were his pictures. Ninjas sure can be mysterious.
Turned out, before Klautz could even finish his ninja training Akihiko had already mysteriously died in his village.
The ninjas of Kishiogakure believed that the cause of the death was a natural one but the real cause was always a mystery.
'Maybe only the higher-ups knew of its cause.'
But it was only his death and Lady Maemi's ascension to the Kage of Mizukigakure that marked the beginning of the golden era of the ninjas! That was until the huge collapse.
"Just who the hell are you? You move like a ninja yet are not a ninja. Where the hell did you learn that footwork?"
Akihiko knitted his brows. But contrary to one's expectations, his words put Klautz at ease.
'Ah, so it was this!'
If that was all to it, then Klautz didn't need to worry that much. He had expected a much sticky situation. He could only thank his luck on this.
Klautz had only heard rumours of how much of an obsessed Akihiko was of his culture. He had more or less figured out what Akihiko was thinking. Now all he had to do is put oil to the fire.
"Why? Isn't that obvious? I am a ninja!"
Akihiko flared up. His face reddened in anger as he couldn't bear Klautz smirking at him.
"Lies! I have thoroughly investigated Japan's history and ninjas at my time when I was back on earth. The Iga and the Koga village should have long been wiped out! I have even interviewed the last surviving clan of the village. Even they had given up on ninja hood due to its irrelevance in the modern world."
Klautz smirked. Turns out Akihiko was much more obsessed with Japan and its history than Klautz had thought!
Too much obsession can often lead to oblivion. His words almost seemed to be coming from his very soul... Maybe that's why Lady Maebi needed to replace him for the betterment of the ninjas.
'And that's why it is easy to make him furious.'
Klautz began laughing. His mad laughter resounded in the room. He wiped the fake tears of joy that were coming out of his eyes.
"If it was so easy for a simple historian like you to find the ninja villages they would have never been called 'hidden' villages to begin with."
Klautz shook his head, raising his shoulders as if he was annoyed by Akihiko's stupidity.
"That…" Akihiko had no words.
He was stupefied.
There wasn't much to think about. Akihiko was misunderstanding Klautz as an earthly ninja with his origins from either the 'Iga' or the 'Koga' village rather than a shinobi from hell. Rebirth was a phenomenon too brazen even considering hell's standards.
"But even if that were the case you are not a ninja," Akihiko glared at Klautz as if he was damn confident of his statement.
Klautz raised his brows. All of it was part of his act.
"Then what do you think I am?"
Klautz was still leading the conversation at Akihiko's pace answering a question with another one of his own. He can't help it when unknown variables pop up one after the other. This is why nothing can be accurately predicted in hell.
'It sucks to accept this but he probably knows more about ninjas than I do.'
Akihiko wasn't the founder of Mizukigakure for nothing. He had built the village from scratch.
"You are just a cheap copy!" Akihiko glared at Klautz. "A real ninja has the life of a tool. He would never have so many women around him. Not to mention you still have your genitals intact."
Klautz knew this from beforehand but he would never regret it. Klautz had lived an entire life abstaining yet what happened at the end of it? Was he able to save humanity? Was he able to save even so as a single person? He couldn't…
He would rather have what he wants than pushing it away. But he would never let his debauchery weaken him in any way!
"So you mean to say that I need to become a eunuch to be a good ninja?" Klautz raised his brows.
He let it out as a challenge rather than a question. For he knew that Akihiko was too focused on the culture of the old ninjas than anything else.
"Why of course!" Akihiko beamed.
He nodded to himself as if confirming his claim.
Klautz shook his head.
"Then you are right, I am not a ninja. Rather I work as a representative for the village. And in the modern world, you would probably be more suspicious not having your little brother than having one."
The head of the nodding Akihiko shook in its track. He turned his attention to Klautz as his pupils shook in curiosity. He hadn't heard anything like this before!
'It is true that I know nothing about modern world ninjas. Hell! I didn't even know that they existed,' Akihiko thought.
Every ninja village no matter how much hidden they are needs 'representatives'. It needs to form a link with the foreign world. After all, how would they get any missions if they have no connection with the outside world?
That is where 'Representatives' comes to play. They are the bridging gap between the ninjas and the clients.
***
Author:
Creation is hard for authors. Cheer me up with your power stones!
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