Chapter 58: Why Is There So Much Filler in This Chapter?

Shiraki left the command room of Onoki together with his newly assigned deputy, feeling no distance whatsoever toward this "thorn" sent to share his authority.

"Lord Yellow Earth..."

"No need to be so formal. We'll be working together for a while, just call me Yellow Earth." Yellow Earth was straightforward and disliked stiff rules.

"Then I'll call you Brother Yellow Earth. By the way, is this the logistics department?" Shiraki pointed to a room with the word "Logistics" hanging by the door, where a group of people were busy bustling about.

"Yes, that's right. Why?"

"You've seen the state of our group—they're all dressed in rags, no better than bandits. Since you're the new vice-captain and just appointed, how about gifting us two hundred sets of ninja uniforms? That way, it'll be easier for everyone to accept you." Shiraki shamelessly suggested.

"Hmm..." Yellow Earth pondered for a moment, finding the suggestion quite reasonable. He managed a wry smile. "But for new ninja uniforms, I'd still need to apply to Lord Tsuchikage. You might not know, but my father is very strict with power—he insists on handling everything himself."

"Is it really that troublesome?" Shiraki was a bit disappointed. He hadn’t expected Onoki to be such a workaholic and control freak; so much for hoping to profit from the Tsuchikage's son's privileges.

"Fighting Konoha without proper protection is indeed inconvenient. I'll go and request it from my father." Yellow Earth took his position seriously, treating his vice-captain duties with earnestness.

"That won't be necessary. Iwagakure should have a storeroom for spoils, right? Just give us some of those unused, second-hand weapons and gear. No need to trouble the old fox." Shiraki didn't want to deal with Onoki.

"Well... we do have one, but most of the gear there is damaged. Anything usable has already been picked out." Iwagakure couldn't compare to Konoha's wealth; outfitting over ten thousand ninjas was a staggering expense. Weapons seized on the battlefield were mostly distributed among the lower ranks.

"No problem. Ragtag troops use ragtag weapons. It's better than empty hands!" Shiraki waved it off.

"That works perfectly. I'll take everyone there now." Yellow Earth nodded. Lacking iron resources, Iwagakure was always short on equipment. Even if they asked Onoki, he'd surely just direct them to pick through the junkyard.

"Let's go!"

...

The unruly members of the Zu'an Treasure Hunting Squad were causing a ruckus in the restaurant Onoki had arranged for them, acting as if they'd never seen such a place. Once the largest restaurant in the Land of Grass, it had lost most of its clientele since Iwagakure occupied the area. Now it was perfect for housing this troublesome bunch.

But the restaurant owner looked as if he wished for death. Onoki had promised to cover all expenses but imposed strict limits on spending. On one side were these bandit-like nobles; on the other, the stingy Tsuchikage. No matter how he tried to balance the two, he'd always be the one to suffer.

Moreover, these ninja lords, who looked every bit the part of rough bandits, would be staying for a month or more. The décor would surely be ruined. He fretted over his newly replaced white silk cushions, which he hadn't had time to remove before the sudden arrival, fearing these yokels would use them to wipe their shoes.

Shiraki and Yellow Earth arrived at the hotel. Shiraki nodded approvingly—Onoki had been decent enough not to stick them in some shabby dive. The interior would be considered first-rate even in the Land of Fire.

"Come on, don't rush for the drinks in broad daylight. Let me introduce you all to our new vice-captain: son of the Third Tsuchikage, Iwagakure's most reliable, most loyal, and bravest man... Yellow Earth!"

"Let's give him a warm welcome!" Shiraki raised his voice, declaring their new member to the crowd of bandit-like comrades.

Roars and whistles erupted chaotically, expressing their mood. All they cared about was treasure hunting; who led the squad or served as vice-captain was irrelevant to them.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Yellow Earth. For the foreseeable future, I'll be fighting alongside you..." Yellow Earth tried to greet them properly, but the rogues responded with indifference, some even digging their ears and yawning.

They were direct and opportunistic, never hiding their thoughts. If the topic interested them, they'd listen indefinitely; if not, they'd start making noise after three sentences.

"Later, Vice-Captain Yellow Earth will take us to collect some weapons and gear. Don't complain about the junk. If you want better equipment, go seize it from Konoha yourselves!" Shiraki helped boost Yellow Earth's popularity.

Cheers erupted again—who doesn't like free loot?

"Boss! Come here!" Shiraki called over the anxious owner, sprawling boldly on the sofa and wiping his dirty leather shoes with a pristine silk cloth. He wasn't a foot fetishist and disliked the open-toed sandals ninjas favored; it was too easy for someone to step on your toes.

"At your service, sir..." The owner, in his fifties, bowed deeply to the teenage Shiraki. Such is the allure of power.

"When we return, prepare good food and drink. The wine must be sake, not beer. The dishes must be meat—no vegetable leaves in sight."

"But, sir, Tsuchikage's standard is beer and bread..." The owner's face was bitter.

"Nonsense! Ridiculous! The man before you is Tsuchikage's son. Ask him yourself—can a wagered promise be reneged upon? Is Tsuchikage so stingy? Can beer and bread fill a man? How can you fight if you're not full? Tell me, are you slandering Tsuchikage? Are you trying to profit from both sides? Bah! Swindler!" Shiraki suddenly erupted, loudly berating the hotel owner.

The owner bowed his head in grievance, while Yellow Earth awkwardly touched his large nose. Knowing his father, Onoki truly was a miser, thrifty to the extreme—he wouldn't even replace his underwear until holes appeared.

"Just follow the specifications as discussed. I'll cover any excess costs," Yellow Earth said, rubbing his head, trying to salvage a bit of his father's reputation.

The Land of Grass was a prairie nation with vast pastures and herds of cattle and sheep, making beef and mutton relatively cheap. This was part of the reason Onoki chose to station his forces here.

Adding in the locally brewed barley sake, Yellow Earth, as the Tsuchikage's son and a top-level jonin, could just about afford it if he gritted his teeth—such was the duty of a vice-captain!

"Oh, Brother Yellow Earth, how can I accept such kindness!" Shiraki laughed heartily, showing not the slightest embarrassment.

"Vice-Captain Yellow Earth, you're magnificent!" The whole group, eager for handouts, joined in the praise, never once mentioning the "vice" in White Wood's presence.

"Damn!" Shiraki cursed.

...

The Iwagakure spoils warehouse was indeed no better than a junkyard. After countless rounds of picking, not a single intact weapon remained, though there were plenty of damaged Konoha ninja uniforms.

After all, Iwagakure had its own style of uniforms and disliked Konoha's lightweight, multi-pocket design. Konoha, wealthy and powerful, sewed so many pockets for smoke bombs, explosive tags, soldier pills, and medical kits.

But what would poverty-stricken Iwagakure need so many pockets for?

So, the bandit crew shrugged and donned Konoha's green vests and black bodysuits. After a bath and some tidying up, they might even be able to pass for Konoha ninja.