Hane Genma returned to Kikyo Castle with his spoils of war.
The elemental Chakra Blade was indeed a fine weapon, but after attempting to wield it a few times, Genma found it simply too long for his liking.
Shinobi are generally accustomed to using shorter weapons; the longer the weapon, the harder it is to control and the higher the learning curve. To utilize such a long blade to its full potential would require specific talent and specialized training.
Given Genma's current skill level, placing such a weapon in his hands was, frankly, a waste. His method of usage was predictable... essentially just flailing and hacking wildly.
If that was how he was going to fight, the blunt sword was clearly more suitable for him.
Thus, although Genma was fond of his new toy, the novelty quickly wore off. After playing with it for a few days, he thought it over and eventually decided to give it to Nanami.
Nanami, in turn, passed it on to someone she believed had superior swordsmanship and was better suited for the weapon—Lan.
Lan's external injuries had largely healed, and she was currently undergoing rehabilitative training. As for the lingering side effects from forcibly breaking the seal on her eyes, it seemed unlikely those would be fully resolved anytime soon.
Regardless, she would soon become a significant combat asset within the organization.
As for the blunt sword, Luzhong, that Genma kept for himself, the Fuma clan had assisted in fitting it with a handle and scabbard, making it look like an utterly ordinary longsword.
In reality, this thing didn't need an edge at all. It looked plain, but if an enemy were to be struck by this club... or rather, sword—well, they wouldn't get the clean release of losing a limb. Instead, they would intimately experience the sensation of tendons parting and bones shattering.
Once these personal matters were settled, Genma carefully collated the organization's internal status. for the sake of future development and combat planning, he once again found himself before the Daimyo of Kawayuan.
Genma and the Daimyo were responsible for different things, but since Shimizu Kisuke was a smart man who never dictated the Firefly Organization's actions or attempted to micromanage, the atmosphere remained mutually beneficial. In such a harmonious environment, Genma naturally couldn't just ignore the Daimyo.
People are simple like that: you give me face, and I'll give you face.
Beyond official business, on a personal level, Genma rather appreciated Shimizu Kisuke's personality. They were of similar age, and by now, could be considered friends.
The Lord Daimyo lived as comfortably as ever, free of stress and full of joy. Seeing him, Genma couldn't help but recall that famous maxim: If a person has no dreams, how are they different from being carefree?
Shimizu Kisuke was currently squatting in his spacious but gaudy office, eating fruit. When he saw Genma enter, the small hand holding a bamboo skewer suddenly froze.
"Genma, you're not here for funding again, are you? Give me a break, I can barely afford fruit as it is."
For some time now, the Daimyo's dealings with the Firefly Organization had revolved entirely around haggling over funds. The Daimyo's expenditures were piling up one after another; it was impossible for him not to cry poverty.
However, the situation certainly wasn't as dire as Shimizu Kisuke claimed, and Genma wasn't about to push him too hard—finding such a reasonable Daimyo was a rarity.
Overall, the Daimyo had given the Firefly Organization immense support. His personal life was affluent but not extravagant; his quality of life was neither too high nor too low—it was perfectly appropriate.
"It's not about funding this time. Though, Lord Daimyo, if you are interested, we can discuss that first. For instance, creating a special war budget to handle sudden contingencies..."
Genma glanced at the fruit the Daimyo was eating; they were fresh but common varieties. This was satisfying to see. His address to the Daimyo no longer carried the stiffness it had in the beginning.
But when he thought about how he was working like a dog while the Daimyo did nothing but eat and sleep, Genma felt perfectly justified in a little extortion.
"You must be joking. Is Kawayuan not facing 'sudden contingencies' and war every single day? The general budget is the special budget. Don't play word games with me."
Shimizu Kisuke pointed to a nearby seat, signaling Genma to sit.
Genma sat down casually, sighing inwardly. It couldn't be helped; Shimizu Kisuke was a ruler with normal intelligence.
It just meant Genma's ability to spin nonsense wasn't profound enough to dizzy the Daimyo yet.
"Although small-scale conflicts are constant, the situation in Kawayuan is generally far more stable than the surrounding regions. The local population has been recovering over the past year, and the resulting increase in tax revenue probably hasn't been allocated proportionally to the military budget, has it?" Genma said with a smile.
Since nonsense wouldn't work, Genma switched to facts and logic.
Shimizu Kisuke immediately went silent. Everyone has a habit of stashing away private money, and a Daimyo is no exception.
Having silenced the other party, Genma began to address the main issue.
"Returning to the topic of war, we want to change the status quo you mentioned—where 'conflict happens every day.' Kawayuan is indeed developing steadily, but limited by geographical conditions, we will soon hit a bottleneck."
"Invasions from the surrounding areas are constant and showing trends of intensifying. Our manpower is limited, and sooner or later, we will be exhausted from running back and forth. To prevent the disastrous scenario of ants biting an elephant to death, we should take the initiative and thoroughly purge the hostile forces around us."
Huh? Expansion again?
Shimizu Kisuke slumped, looking as if life had lost all meaning. He seemed to be pondering Genma's words. After a while, he spoke.
"Wouldn't that be never-ending? Even if we swallow the surrounding forces and expand our controlled area, won't the external situation we face become even more complex? We'll just end up in direct contact with more and more external factions..."
If Kawayuan continued to expand, Shimizu Kisuke wouldn't even know who to surrender to in the future.
In fact, if their size grew to a certain point, who would even accept his surrender? Genma, you've really screwed me over.
"In that scenario, we would be held hostage by our own growth. Because sooner or later, our strength won't be able to keep up with the speed of expansion. Could we calmly retreat then? Impossible. At that point, we would completely collapse."
It made too much sense. But that is the nature of this era: advance and you might die; refuse to advance and you will surely die.
Genma nodded; he understood the Daimyo's concerns.
"Indeed, your worries are not unreasonable. So, I have an idea... During our expansion, could we find a faction to form a 'back-to-back' relationship with? We don't necessarily need a formal alliance or quasi-alliance. We just need to ensure mutual restraint and non-aggression."
"If we do this, although our range of control expands, we go from being surrounded by enemies on four sides to facing them on only one. The wars we face won't disappear, but we will no longer be running ourselves ragged, and the future will become much more controllable."
Shifting from multi-front warfare to a single front—one side a battle line, the other a relatively stable rear area—would greatly increase Kawayuan's war potential. They could even sustain the war effort indefinitely.
"Good idea."
Shimizu Kisuke clapped his hands, finding Genma's strategy sound.
"But an idea alone is meaningless. The problem lies in turning it into reality... Is there such a faction willing to cooperate with us?"
Shimizu Kisuke fell into thought. Suddenly, he pushed aside the dishes on the low table before him, wiped the water stains off the surface with his sleeve, and pulled a map out from under the table, spreading it flat.
He stared at the map for a moment, then slapped his forehead and pointed to a specific location. "How about this faction?"
Genma saw that the Daimyo's finger seemed to have landed in the desert. He asked hesitantly, "This is...?"
"The Gujing clan."
"Gujing?"
"The Gujing clan is a very powerful shinobi clan, certainly much stronger than we are now. However, their sphere of influence is primarily in the eastern part of the Great Desert, while their enemies are deeper within the sands."
"On one hand, their main combat focus is to the west. On the other, the desert is barren. They need the plains east of the desert as a production base... After all, shinobi need to eat, and you can only grow cactus in the desert."
"East of this plain lies a cluster of fragmented forces. And if you go east of those fragmented forces..."
Genma's gaze followed Shimizu Kisuke's fingertip. The answer was self-evident.
"Further east is our Kawayuan."
The so-called plains region was what would later become the Land of Rivers. This Gujing clan, squatting on the edge of the desert, fought shinobi clans within the sands while using the fertile soil of the "Land of Rivers" as a logistics base. If this was the case, Kawayuan indeed had a foundation for cooperation.
If the Firefly Organization swept away the surrounding forces, it would be highly beneficial for the Gujing clan, as it would render their logistics base essentially free from harassment.
Such cooperation was feasible not because of rationality or reason, but due to geopolitical factors.
The plains were not the Gujing clan's strategic direction of attack, yet they were vital to them. With the Firefly Organization's current strength, purging the scattered surrounding forces was already their limit; they had absolutely no power to expand westward, nor were they strong enough to threaten the Gujing clan.
Genma rubbed his eyes, feeling as though he had seen the "Grand Trend of the World."
Since the chaos began, heroes have risen. The Senju lie in the East, spanning provinces for a hundred years. The Uchiha lie in the North, commanding hundreds of elites whom none can overcome; truly, one cannot contend with them.
Kawayuan is a borderland, yet externally allied with Gujing and internally defended against the hordes, possessing fertile fields for a thousand miles—truly a land bestoved by Heaven.
If the world undergoes change, a Jonin shall command the troops of Firefly toward Taki and Ame, while I personally lead the elites out from Kawayuan. In this way, hegemony can be achieved...
Okay, Genma was getting a little carried away with his imagination.
He stood up abruptly and said to Shimizu Kisuke, "Then we should first establish contact with the Gujing clan. By the way, who is their current clan head?"
"Let me check. Our Lingdang City used to have quite a few merchant caravans traveling there, so we have this general information..."
Saying this, Shimizu Kisuke pulled a small notebook from his robes. It was clear that although this man looked like he was lying flat, in reality, he couldn't lie flat at all.
"Oh, looks like he's called Gujing Reto."
Genma paused. The name sounded familiar; it sounded like someone capable of achieving great things.
"Good. I will find a way to contact this Gujing Reto immediately... I will go personally."
It was best to secure cooperation with the Gujing clan before clearing out the surrounding forces, ensuring the Firefly Organization would have no worries from the rear.
In a sense, this was a very formal "diplomatic activity."
Therefore, Genma couldn't just sneak over to the Gujing clan and jump scare their leader—even if that would be the safest method.
After careful consideration, Genma decided to take a small squad and conduct a formal visit to the Gujing clan.
He originally intended to bring an Ino-Shika-Cho formation. After all, the "set" not only looked uniform but also had stacking attribute bonuses. However, as the ninja with the furthest sensory range in the organization, Yamanaka Keiya was best left in Kikyo Castle to monitor the surrounding situation.
At this moment, someone volunteered...
It was Lan, who had just recovered her health.
Although her enhancement direction differed from Yamanaka Keiya's, Lan was also a very powerful sensory ninja.
Lan's subjective desire to participate was strong, and after consulting Nanami, Genma agreed to Lan's request.
Thus, the personnel for the diplomatic mission were finalized. Genma would lead the team, with the remaining members being Lan, Akimichi Kigetsu, and Nara Kenji.
On the very same day that the squad bearing this important diplomatic mission left Kikyo Castle, a furtive figure was loitering around the outskirts of the city.
One only needed to know his name to understand why he appeared here—this ninja was called Jiongu Li.
Those who mastered the Jiongu—Earth Grudge Fear—secret technique belonged to a very, very small family. However, this did not mean that Jiongu Lu, whom Genma had previously eliminated, was entirely alone in the world.
Although the adult ninja of this clan were often scattered across the ninja world, each working their own odd jobs, Jiongu Lu's long-term loss of contact had still aroused suspicion.
So, this Jiongu Li had followed Jiongu Lu's past trajectory and arrived at Kikyo Castle.
He moved with extreme caution. After learning that the ninja forces and political powers in Kikyo Castle had changed frequently over the past year, he realized that his missing clansman was likely dead.
The evidence lay in what he had heard on his way here: rumors of a monster ninja nicknamed "Scarecrow" who had recently caused havoc in a medium-sized ninja clan. The "Scarecrow" described in the rumors bore a striking resemblance to a user of the Earth Grudge Fear.
Therefore, Jiongu Li suspected that his clansman had not only been killed but that the secret technique had been leaked.
Little did he know, the Earth Grudge Fear hadn't just been leaked; someone was currently trying to "monetize" it.
After all, it was just something picked up for free; trading it away caused no heartache whatsoever.
After observing the perimeter of Kikyo Castle for a day or two, Jiongu Li decided to step into the city.
One could only say: hesitation leads to defeat.
Wandering around the outskirts only made him look suspicious.
Leaving Yamanaka Keiya in Kikyo Castle was, by all accounts, an incredibly correct decision by Genma.
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