Returning to the Daimyō's manor this time was a whole different experience.
The samurai guards hadn't changed much, but among them were several new figures with red square handkerchiefs tied at their waists.
Clearly, these were the ninja the Daimyō had recruited.
"Sensei, are those the ninja hired by the Daimyō's manor?"
"They don't look like much."
Obito spoke his mind without hesitation.
But he couldn't be blamed. After going through the Third Shinobi World War, his standards were no longer average. These ninjas—most of whom looked to be around Chūnin level—really didn't impress him.
Shisui didn't say anything. He just calmly observed the group.
"Let's go. I'm curious how the Daimyō plans to receive me this time."
"Hehehe..."
Even though Kazuyama laughed, something about the sound sent a shiver down both boys' spines.
It was just too eerie.
...
Meanwhile, at the Daimyō's manor.
"Lord Daimyō, someone from Konohagakure has arrived."
"Oh? Who is it?"
"Kazuyama Gekkō..."
The moment he heard Yanagimura's reply, the Daimyō shot up, unable to hide the joy in his eyes.
"Is it really him?"
"I didn't expect Konohagakure to send him again."
"Yanagimura, you've met him before. Do you think you can keep him here this time?"
Yanagimura thought for a moment and gave a firm nod.
From their last encounter, he believed he had a good grasp on Kazuyama's character.
A greedy womanizer with undeniable strength—so long as the reward was good enough, they could absolutely recruit him to their side.
There was no wall that couldn't be broken down. It was all about having the right tools.
"It shouldn't be too hard. Even though he's got a strong record, I heard he's been under pressure ever since his sensei Orochimaru defected."
"Hokage advisor Danzō Shimura's been targeting him nonstop."
"This is our chance."
"I don't think Kazuyama is the type to quietly accept being mistreated. Don't forget what he did the last time he was here."
The Daimyō nodded slowly.
His mind drifted back to Kazuyama's previous visit before the war.
"You're right. That's just the kind of person he is. If he's being unfairly suppressed, of course he'll be dissatisfied."
"Hōgen, what's your take?"
Hōgen had remained silent until now. He'd always had a gut feeling that Kazuyama wasn't simple, ever since their first meeting.
But what Yanagimura said also made sense. The pressure from Konohagakure had been consistent, and his teacher really was a known Missing-nin.
These facts couldn't be ignored.
"It's worth a try. This time, he even brought one of his disciples with him—Obito Uchiha."
"Obito is an orphan of the Uchiha clan, and he doesn't seem too attached to them."
"The other boy… he's harder to read."
During Kazuyama's last visit, he'd brought his whole team, so they'd already done their homework and gathered plenty of intel.
For them, someone from the fallen Gekkō clan and an orphaned Uchiha were quite the attractive prospects.
"Oh, right—Your Excellency, have you forgotten? Aside from those two, there's someone else who sent us a private message."
"That person, hehehe... might carry even more weight than Kazuyama Gekkō."
Hōgen's voice remained hoarse, laced with a sly undertone.
But the Daimyō didn't seem convinced.
"We'll see about that one—his status complicates things."
"For now, I still have more faith in Kazuyama. Yanagimura, go greet them."
Yanagimura gathered his things and made his way toward the front gate.
...
At the entrance to the manor, Kazuyama and the two boys were stopped.
No surprise there—the guards had spotted the Konoha forehead protectors on Obito and Shisui.
"Bastard!"
"Say that again!"
Obito's temper flared the moment the three of them were stopped at the gates of the Daimyō's Manor.
And to make matters worse, the leading ninja actually mocked them.
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
"See this? This is the emblem of the Daimyō's ninja corps. Your Konohagakure is on its way out."
Obito instantly boiled over.
His dream was to become Hokage, and now some lowly gate guard was ridiculing them?
His Sharingan flared to life on instinct.
That blood-red gaze carried weight across the entire Shinobi World.
The lead ninja froze when he saw it, fear flickering in his eyes—but he quickly snapped back to confidence. Why should he be afraid? He had the Daimyō's Manor backing him.
There was no way this brat would dare lay a hand on him!
"What? You planning to attack?"
"You better think twice. Do you even know where you are?"
As the commotion escalated, the patrolling guards nearby all began to gather.
Even though they had numbers on their side, Obito didn't flinch.
With those red eyes blazing, he wasn't the least bit intimidated.
...
"Whoa now, what's all this about?"
"We're all from the Land of Fire—no need to be at each other's throats."
"Obito, put your eyes away. And you over there, buddy—sheath your blade."
Kazuyama stepped in with a smile, positioning himself between Obito and the lead ninja to stop things from going further.
Seeing his sensei step in, Obito obediently deactivated his Sharingan, though he kept his eyes locked on the other man.
"Hmph! Now look at your captain—that's how you act with sense."
"This is the Daimyō's Manor, not your Konohagakure. So keep your bad habits in check."
Kazuyama had hoped that stepping in would cool things down. After all, he figured his name carried enough weight that any fellow ninja would recognize him.
But apparently, this guy didn't have a clue who he was. Worse yet, he mistook Kazuyama's calm for weakness.
"Who the hell are you? Flash a little attitude and think you're something special?"
"What, you think you're above everyone else?"
"All Konoha ninjas like this?"
Kazuyama's smile vanished.
How was he supposed to keep smiling after that?
This clown was getting cocky right to his face. Did he really think Kazuyama had a soft temper?
The guy might not recognize him, but the other nearby ninjas did—and their faces went pale the moment they saw Kazuyama clearly.
They tried to speak up, to stop what was coming—but it was already too late.
Before the loudmouth could even react, a blur shot forward.
A sandbag-sized fist slammed directly into his face.
"AAAHHH!!!"
The scream echoed through the gates of the Daimyō's Manor as the man was sent flying.
He crashed hard against the main gate.
"What the hell just happened?! Who flew past me?!"