"I AM HERE!"
The sheer dominance in Mufasa's voice sent a shiver down Momonosuke's spine—literally. A warm dampness spread down his leg as fear overtook him.
A foul smell followed.
Taifu, who's been following around Momonosuke's side all this time, wrinkled her nose in disgust, covering it with her sleeve. "Ugh… disgusting."
Mufasa sat upon his towering throne, exuding an overwhelming presence. His words carried weight, reverberating through the battlefield, instilling both awe and terror. The once-proud warriors of the Land of River felt their morale crumble.
In the shadows, Kurozumi and his strategist, Ichinomaru, watched the unfolding spectacle.
"What the hell is the Kazekage trying to do?" Kurozumi muttered.
Instead of pressing forward with his massive sand ninja army, Mufasa simply sat on his throne, seemingly unbothered. Behind him, his shinobi weren't in formation, weren't preparing an assault—they were... playing mahjong, grilling meat, and casually chatting as if they were at a festival.
This made no sense.
"Shouldn't he be mobilizing his troops for an all-out attack?" Ichinomaru whispered, narrowing his eyes.
Obito, standing off to the side, observed in silence. The entire situation felt bizarre. Mufasa's tactics were unlike anything he had seen before.
"I don't know," Obito admitted. "Maybe he's trying to intimidate them into surrendering without a fight."
Kurozumi clenched his fists, gathering his courage before calling out, "Kazekage! Daimyo Momonosuke may have injured your envoy, but that was his mistake, not ours. If you retreat now, I will hand him over to you personally and offer a steady water supply to the Sand Village."
Momonosuke's eyes widened in shock. "K-Kurozumi?! What are you saying?! You're my most loyal subject!"
Kurozumi's expression was cold, unreadable.
Momonosuke turned, searching for support among the gathered soldiers and officials. "Help me! I'm your daimyo! Protect me!"
But the eyes that met his were empty, indifferent, and even filled with hatred. The civilians, the samurai, even his own personal guards—none of them stepped forward.
Kurozumi stepped closer and, without hesitation, slapped Momonosuke across the face—twice. Hard.
The impact sent him stumbling, his face swelling instantly.
"Shut up, you fool," Kurozumi sneered. "The Nine Red Blades? Gone. Oden? Dead. You have no one left."
Momonosuke turned desperately toward his elite guards, but his heart sank. Kurozumi's spy, Kanjuro, had poisoned them all. His most trusted warriors had fallen without a fight.
His breath came in ragged gasps. "No… no, this can't be happening. The Kozuki Clan… we are the rightful rulers!"
A scoff came from behind him.
"Rightful? Tch. Don't make me laugh."
A voice laced with venom cut through the tense air. Then—
BOOM!
A fiery fist struck Momonosuke's back, shattering his spine and piercing through his chest. Blood spurted forward as his heart was pulverized.
His body went rigid, his mouth opening in a silent scream. He looked down in horror, seeing a burning arm protruding from his torso.
He was skewered like a piece of dango.
Momonosuke's world darkened. His final thought wasn't one of regret—but confusion.
Why did they all want me dead?
His corpse dropped to the ground, lifeless.
Kurozumi recoiled in shock and stumbled backward. "Who… who did that?!"
A figure stepped forward, shaking blood off her gloved hand.
It was Taifu.
With a smirk, she discarded her elegant robe, revealing a sleek, black battle suit underneath. The form-fitting material emphasized her toned physique. Her hair, once carefully arranged, fell freely around her face.
The air crackled with tension.
"Surprised, Kurozumi?" she mused, her voice dripping with amusement. "Didn't expect me, did you?"
She stepped forward, her movements graceful yet predatory.
"I am the Yamato Taifu, leader of the Beasts of Anarchy, the heir of Kaido the Tyrant, and today…" Her gaze hardened. "We end the Kozuki reign and take back what is rightfully ours."
Kurozumi's face twisted in rage. "You filthy traitor! You think you can claim the Land of River just like that?! Kill them!" he roared at his soldiers.
His men hesitated. Some drew their weapons. Others glanced at each other, uncertain.
Taifu wasn't alone.
Behind her, warriors emerged—revolutionaries, rogue shinobi, and samurai loyal to her cause. The Beasts of Anarchy had infiltrated every level of the Land of River's power structure. The moment had been carefully planned.
The tension in the air reached its peak.
Just as blades were about to clash—
"HEY!"
A thunderous voice boomed across the battlefield. The power behind it silenced the chaos in an instant.
Mufasa.
Sitting on his throne, his arms crossed, he looked utterly unimpressed.
"What the hell are you two idiots doing?" he demanded.
Taifu and Kurozumi froze mid-action.
Mufasa clicked his tongue in irritation. "I came here for a war, not to watch a political soap opera. If you wanna kill each other, do it after I conquer this damn place."
The absurdity of the situation hit everyone at once. They had a colossal sand army stationed outside, waiting to flatten the city, and here they were, bickering like children.
Taifu coughed awkwardly. "Lord Kazekage, this isn't infighting. We're just, uh, deciding who should rule the Land of River."
Kurozumi quickly added, "That's right, my lord! Ignore her nonsense! I am the rightful leader! If you sign a pact with me, I'll give you anything you want!"
Taifu smirked. "I have better terms, Lord Kazekage. Anything you want, I'll make it happen."
Mufasa blinked. "...Are you two seriously competing to see who can betray their country faster?"
Silence.
Then, someone in the sand ninja army let out a snort.
And then another.
Soon, the entire camp was roaring with laughter.
Mufasa sighed, rubbing his temples. "You people are something else. Fine. Settle this mess quickly—I have a country to conquer."
He leaned back on his throne, watching the chaos unfold with amusement. At this point, the battle was already won.
And he hadn't even lifted a finger.
Both Taifu and Kurozumi knew exactly what was at stake.
Whoever won Mufasa's favor would become the next daimyo of the Land of River.
Neither of them could afford to lose.
"I'll provide free access to the river's water," Kurozumi declared.
Taifu scoffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "I'll do the same—but I'll also personally oversee the construction of new aqueducts."
Kurozumi clenched his fists. "I'll fund the entire project myself. Manpower, resources, everything. The Land of River will handle all the costs!"
The two rivals scrambled to outbid one another, their words coming faster and more desperate.
Taifu, ever the opportunist, took a different approach. She leaned forward, her voice turning sultry as she smiled at Mufasa. "Surely, my lord, there are more... pleasurable rewards than just infrastructure."
Kurozumi's eyes widened in panic. He couldn't let her win so easily. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"My lord, I will gather the most beautiful women from across the Land of River and let you choose as you please!"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
From the city walls, the common folk and mercenaries who had been watching the bizarre exchange were utterly dumbfounded.
What kind of traitorous spectacle was this?
Mufasa pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply.
These idiots...
He stood up abruptly, his voice booming. "Have you two said enough?!"
Both Taifu and Kurozumi immediately shut their mouths, standing rigid like scolded children.
Mufasa pointed at them, his glare piercing. "Are you both complete fools?"
"I came here to conquer, not to bargain like some merchant haggling over fish!"
"You're throwing your country away so easily—do you take me for an idiot?!"
Taifu and Kurozumi exchanged confused glances. What kind of warlord refused an easy victory?
Surrender meant no casualties. It meant an easy transition of power. Why was he angry?
Taifu cautiously chose her words. "Of course not, my lord. We have already been... conquered by your greatness."
Kurozumi hurriedly nodded. "Yes! Completely conquered. Your brilliance alone is enough."
Mufasa chuckled, a smirk forming on his lips. "Oh? Since you've already been conquered, then I suppose you no longer need power."
Kurozumi hesitated. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that from now on, you'll live as ordinary citizens of the Land of River."
Kurozumi's brow twitched. "...Ordinary citizens?"
"Yes. You can farm, fish, do whatever you please. Taifu, if you still wish to entertain guests, feel free."
Taifu's face darkened. So he wasn't giving them any role in his new government? Not even a minor one?
In that instant, the two bitter rivals found themselves with a shared goal.
Mufasa had to be stopped.
Kurozumi growled, stepping forward. "Kazekage, think carefully. This is the Land of River. Without our cooperation, how can you possibly rule?"
Taifu sneered. "You think the Land of Wind's methods will work here? The Land of Wind is vast, spread out, and decentralized. The Land of River is centered around Huadu City—the one who controls Huadu controls the entire country."
Mufasa actually nodded. "You're not wrong, Kurozumi. You look like a rat, but you have the mind of a politician."
Kurozumi smirked, thinking he had won Mufasa's approval.
Then Mufasa continued. "Which is why I won't use the Land of Wind system here. I have something better."
He spread his arms wide. "I will turn the Land of River into a company."
Silence.
Taifu and Kurozumi both stared at him like he had grown a second head.
"A... what?" Taifu asked in disbelief.
"A company," Mufasa repeated, his grin widening. "The Land of River is weak, its economy frail, its officials corrupt. Maintaining a bloated nobility is pointless."
He stepped forward, eyes gleaming with ambition. "From now on, the Land of River will function as a corporation. Its citizens will be its employees. They will work, earn, and grow their own wealth. The company's profits will go toward public welfare and infrastructure."
Kurozumi and Taifu paled as the realization sank in.
Mufasa was abolishing the nobility entirely. There would be no daimyo. No feudal lords. No more inherited power.
They wouldn't even be important anymore.
Taifu's nails dug into her palm. This bastard. He planned all of this from the beginning.
Kurozumi clenched his jaw, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. "Mufasa... you're delusional. I still have 100,000 soldiers ready to fight for me."
Taifu crossed her arms. "And Kawasaki's citizens will never accept this madness."
The two turned to Mufasa, trying to gauge his reaction.
Instead, he just smiled.
"Oh?"
His casual tone sent a chill down their spines.
"You're worried about my reputation?" Mufasa asked mockingly. "Afraid I'll be known as a tyrant?"
He tilted his head. "That's easy to solve."
His hands rose, palms facing the sky.
Immediately, the air grew thick with static. The golden throne behind him, which had seemed purely ornamental, began to glow. It was no mere decoration—it was a conduit.
Electromagnetic energy surged through it, amplifying his chakra.
Mufasa's grin widened. "If no one's left alive..."
The ground trembled. Sparks danced around his fingers. The sky above darkened as clouds began to swirl.
"No one will be around to tell the tale."
Then—
"Electromagnetic Release: Cruel Sun!"
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Word count: 1846
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