Naruto: Building Insect Kingdom Chapter 26 26: The Black Scorpion Gang

The ninja posing as the steward continued his confession: "If the group was weak—unable to even handle those simple samurai—I was supposed to take them out with a sneak attack.

If they were strong, I'd try to scare them off. And if they were evenly matched, I was to lure them to the mansion for an all-out ambush."

He sighed, his voice trembling. "I just didn't expect those rogue samurai to bolt the second they heard 'Hidden Village ninja' were coming."

"What are your true numbers?" Shisui asked coldly.

"Six originally, but we lost two in the Land of Grass. Only four of us are left. Lord, I'm telling the truth!"

"Strength?"

"Boss Black Scorpion is a Special Jonin, an expert in Earth Style and poisons. Then there's Red Butterfly; she's a Chunin, skilled in Genjutsu and short-blade combat.

There's also the kid, Little Bug—he's Red Butterfly's son and knows so basic Ninjutsu. And then there's ... I'm technically a Chunin, but I only really know the Transformation Jutsu and Earth Style: Mud Wall."

The imposter chuckled bitterly. "Among wanderers, I pass for a Chunin. But against a trained shinobi? Aside from my Transformation Jutsu, I'm just a placeholder."

Shisui nodded. This aligned with the chakra levels he had sensed earlier—quantity was there, but the quality and control were unrefined.

The man's mastery of the Transformation Jutsu was likely just the result of using it for decades to survive.

"Is the boy, Little Bug, Black Scorpion's son?"

The man made a face. "Red Butterfly has been with so many n she doesn't even know who the father is. The Boss isn't sure either, so while he keeps the kid around, he treats him like a tool, never a son."

Shisui took it all in. It was a classic rogue ninja ecosystem: fragile, cruel, and fueled by mutual exploitation.

"Do you want to live?"

The man looked up sharply, hope flaring in his eyes. "Yes! Lord, I'll do anything!"

"Bring the real steward's body."

A few minutes later, the man returned with the corpse of the actual Matsumoto. Shisui carefully removed the dead man's face to create a realistic mask, fitting it perfectly onto the imposter.

"From now on, you are Steward Matsumoto."

"Lord... I used to have a na."

"It doesn't matter." Shisui held out another insect egg. "Eat this. Live as Matsumoto, manage the manor for , and keep things running. Choose."

The man turned pale. With only one "choice" offered, he opened his mouth and swallowed. As the egg settled, a warm current reinforced his muscles and purged the toxins from his system.

"Master..." he knelt, his face full of sycophantic devotion.

Shisui took him to the mine and introduced him to Minami. "From now on, Matsumoto is your subordinate. He will manage the farm and the logistics of your supplies."

The imposter ninja started to protest—he was a shinobi being placed under a samurai—but one look into Minami's murderous, blood-strengthened eyes shut him up instantly. He knew he couldn't win that fight.

Shisui departed, leaving behind a special Insect Clone. Unlike a Shadow Clone, this one was fueled by Shokuaichu and could sustain itself indefinitely by drawing energy from the hive, though it remained vulnerable to physical damage.

Inside the City...

The Takigakure squad had been settled into a guest house owned by the steward's estate. Shisui's Shadow Clone sat in the corner of the room while Naoto and Yoshisuke debated the infiltration plan.

"I'm going to the restroom," the Shisui clone said, standing up.

"Make it quick," Yoshisuke replied without looking up. "We need to finalize the strike."

The clone slipped into the backyard. The original Shisui stepped out from the shadows; they touched, the clone dissipated into white smoke, and Shisui absorbed the mories and chakra before stepping back into the room.

anwhile, at the City Lord's Mansion...

Black Scorpion lounged on a soft divan, shirtless. He was roughly thirty and surprisingly handso. He had one arm around a woman—the City Lord's current wife—while the other swirled a cup of fine wine.

The actual City Lord knelt on the floor, trembling, his head bowed in sha. His plan to hire ninja had been exposed, and the rogues had dropped their masks entirely.

To save his own skin, he had surrendered his wife and his son from his first marriage.

"L-Lord Black Scorpion... the Takigakure ninja are settled in the guest house," the Lord stamred.

Red Butterfly, leaning against a cushion with a terrified boy nearby, spoke up. "Boss, should we move?"

"No rush." Black Scorpion tossed a pouch of poison at the Lord's feet. "Put this in their food. Once they're incapacitated, you're off the hook."

"I-I will do it, Lord!" The fat City Lord scurried out, clutching the poison. He didn't dare disobey; Black Scorpion had already poisoned his blood, and only the rogue leader held the antidote.

Inside the room, Black Scorpion sneered and pulled the woman closer. A few monts later, two bodies were tossed out by the guards. As Red Butterfly helped him dress, Black Scorpion frowned at the window.

"It's been a while. Why hasn't that guy returned from the manor?"

Little Bug walked in, glancing nervously at the adults. "Boss, he probably ran away. You should punish him when he gets back."

"Maybe," Black Scorpion muttered. The unease faded. He didn't care about loyalty; he only cared about the leverage he held over his subordinates' lives.

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