While Akimichi Chouza was receiving treatment from the best medical ninjas in Konoha, Sōgen met with Dairiku. After a brief conversation, he promptly decided to use force, without a shred of hesitation or concern about whether this would anger the daimyo or worsen relations between the daimyo's estate and Konoha.
If anyone were to bring up such concerns to Sōgen at that moment, he would laugh at them mercilessly.
Since when have Konoha and the daimyo's estate been like family? Maybe during the time of the First Hokage, everyone appreciated the hard-earned peace, which was a welcome change from the endless wars of the Warring States Period, at least for most people.
But people's desires change as their circumstances change.
During the Warring States Period, many people longed for peace, seeing a stable life as the greatest happiness. But as stability stretched on, people began to desire better food, finer clothes, and… greater power.
From Sōgen's perspective, the relationship between the daimyo's estate and Konoha had been distorted from the start. The differences and conflicts between them were irreconcilable. Officially, the Fire Daimyo was the highest leader of the Land of Fire, but he had no real control over Konoha, the most powerful military force in his own country.
It was absurd.
How could the nation's highest leader not control its strongest military force? He understood some of the Fire Daimyo's desires.
If he were the Fire Daimyo, he'd try to centralize power too.
But it's common to see one's perspective shaped by one's position, and as the Hokage's aide with aspirations to become the Sixth Hokage, Sōgen wasn't about to view the situation from the Fire Daimyo's angle. He would only look at it from Konoha's side and consider the future accordingly.
So,
Sōgen decided to act personally.
He set off under the moonlight, taking two guards with him, plus Dairiku, making a total of four people.
The guards were Hayate Gekko and Kurenai Yuhi, whom Sōgen personally selected. He could have chosen people from his own clan, but as the Hokage's aide, he needed to broaden his perspective beyond his family. When competing for the position of Sixth Hokage, he'd need support from beyond his own clan.
From a long list provided by Shikaku Nara, Sōgen chose these two chunin.
Yes, Hayate Gekko and Kurenai Yuhi were still only chunin. Shikaku Nara's expression was priceless when he saw the two names Sōgen had selected. Was this a joke?
However, putting that aside, Shikaku did understand this unusual choice.
The Gekko clan was a prominent middle-tier family in Konoha, and Hayate Gekko, being the only son of the current clan head, was the likely future head.
As for Kurenai Yuhi, her family's history didn't go far back, only tracing to her grandfather. Her father, Yuhi Shinku, was an exceptional ninja, though his fame was overshadowed by his contemporary, Sakumo Hatake, the renowned "White Fang" of Konoha.
But even though Yuhi Shinku died during the Nine-Tails' attack, his legacy of high esteem among the common ninjas was passed to his only child, Kurenai Yuhi.
---
"What did you say?"
In the Hokage's office, Akimichi Chouza reclined in his large chair, tilting his head to look at Shikaku Nara, who stood before his desk. "Sōgen went himself? Does he want to make a big deal out of this? Couldn't you stop him... Ow!" His intense headache cut his words short.
"There was no way to stop him."
Shikaku responded helplessly.
He was only the head of the jonin corps and couldn't interfere with the Hokage's aide's decisions. Besides, the Hokage had already entrusted the matter to Uchiha Sōgen, giving him full control. Sōgen had every right to handle it as he saw fit.
"Hokage-sama, I actually think it's good that the Hokage's aide is handling this. The daimyo's estate has indeed been getting bolder lately, and it's high time to remind them of their place. Fortunately, the Hokage's aide is willing to play the bad guy, so we don't have to worry about whom to send."
"As for concerns that he might take it too far... I don't think that's a worry. The Hokage's aide is young, but he's not reckless. Your health is more important than this matter, Hokage-sama."
At another time, Shikaku might not have been so comfortable leaving such an important matter in Uchiha Sōgen's hands. His words were not a lie; he had observed that Sōgen was indeed a thoughtful young man. However, if Sōgen intended to stir up trouble deliberately, no reasoning could prevent it.
But now, Shikaku's concern was focused elsewhere. The health of Akimichi Chouza was the top priority. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio shared a deep bond, where each clan's well-being affected the others.
"My health…"
Akimichi Torifu rubbed his temples, sighed, and said, "The medical ninjas haven't found any solutions; it's all the residual effects of old injuries. If a cure existed, I would have been healed long ago. I could suppress it while I was young, but now... Shikaku, Inoichi, Chouza, save your energy. It's time to think about the future!"
The best medical ninjas in the village had already examined him. His condition wasn't an uncommon, incurable disease but rather "Chronic Functional Disorder," a result of extreme strain on the body in his youth. He wasn't the only older ninja in the village with a similar condition.
All those affected had pushed their bodies too far in their youth, consuming countless chakra pills, restricted pills, and clan secret medicines. The Akimichi clan had the Curry Pill, Vegetable Pill, and Chili Pill, and it was clear Chouza had relied on them often in his youth.
This condition was complex, with varied symptoms among individuals. Some experienced immune system collapse, others muscle weakness and atrophy. Chouza's symptoms resembled increased blood pressure in his circulatory system.
There was currently no effective treatment, only ways to try to control it.
"If the village's medical ninjas can't help, we should find someone who can," Shikaku responded, unwilling to give up.
"Exactly!"
Inoichi's eyes lit up.
Sure enough, Shikaku's mind was sharp as ever.
"You mean… Tsunade?"
Choza Akimichi's face looked as if he were suffering from constipation. It wasn't easy to stop his mind from working once it got going. Hearing what Shikaku Nara had said, his brain instinctively reacted, understanding what he meant. If anyone in the ninja world could possibly cure this condition, it was likely only Tsunade.
"Exactly, Lord Hokage. Leave this matter to me, and you don't need to worry about it anymore."
"… Fine, let's go with that plan," Choza finally agreed, after a brief but agonizing moment of thought.
If there was hope for a cure, he didn't want to endure this torment any longer. If a person can't think freely, then living is barely better than dying.
Daimyo's Residence, Palace
Kama and his group were in full retreat. The Oniwaban's ninjas had investigated and discovered that Kama, Kamonosuke, and their group had killed Kitane and the others. After reporting to the Daimyo, it didn't take long for the Daimyo to issue an order. Kama, Kamonosuke, and the other four were stripped of their positions as members of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and were ordered to be captured.
Yes, the order was to capture them alive.
The Daimyo wanted to question Kama and his group in person, to understand their motives. But because of this live capture order, the Oniwaban ninjas were forced to hold back and couldn't fight to their fullest.
In contrast, Kama and his team showed no such restraint. They fought with merciless brutality.
After three members of the pursuit team fell, Kama's group successfully escaped the palace. With fewer pursuers, only sixteen people in four teams continued the chase, but it was clear that protecting the palace and the Daimyo took priority.
Thinking they could capture Kama with only sixteen men was a fool's dream.
Among these sixteen, only four were Jonin, with the rest being Chunin. If it weren't for Kohaku's severe injuries, they wouldn't even need to keep running—they could have just turned around and taken down the pursuers. But Kohaku's condition didn't allow it, so they had no choice but to use the complex terrain of the Daimyo's estate to lose their tail.
"Tenme, any sign of them catching up?" Kama glanced back to check on the team's sensor ninja.
"Hold on, let me check."
Tenme stopped. He couldn't use his sensory technique while running, so he formed the necessary seals, casting the jutsu to scan their surroundings. "The pursuers aren't close, but… we've got other trouble ahead."
He looked up at a five-story building ahead, where a tall figure emerged from behind the water tower, staring down at Kama and his group from the rooftop railing.
"Asuma!"
Kama looked up, surprised to see the man, but then thought it wasn't unexpected. Of course, he couldn't just sit back. But it was too late now; everything had already been set in motion, and nothing could change it.
"Asuma, are you here to join us?" he asked with a smile.
"Kama, why did you kill Kitane and the others?" Sarutobi Asuma ignored Kama's question and glared, demanding an answer.
Kama's smile faded as he looked up fearlessly into Asuma's eyes. "What does it matter to you? You told me before that as long as we didn't bother you, you wouldn't get involved… Are you planning to break your word?"
"Kitane was my friend."
Asuma's expression turned cold.
"Heh."
Kama let out a mocking laugh. "Now you remember he was your friend? If so, why did you abandon him? The moment you chose to leave, you weren't friends anymore. Or do you think they still consider you a friend?"
"Stop spouting nonsense. We had an agreement. We'd leave you alone, and you wouldn't interfere with us. Don't talk to me about friendship. Just tell me what you plan to do. Are you here to fight me? If so, let's get on with it. If not, then get out of the way."
Kama took a combat stance.
It was mostly a show, though. He didn't believe Asuma would actually fight him. If he had intended to, he would have been with Kitane and the others from the start, instead of stepping in only now. This was just Asuma's guilt for abandoning them weighing on his conscience.
"… Next time we meet, I'll avenge them," Asuma said quietly after a moment's silence, turning to leave with a heavy heart.
"Next time? Hmph."
Kama watched Asuma's retreating figure with disdain, shaking his head. He didn't take Asuma's threat seriously at all. Who knows when they'd meet again? And what the circumstances would be? Those were just empty words, nothing worth worrying about.
With Asuma gone, the path ahead was clear. Standing on the rooftop, Kama cast one last look back at the palace, his resolve hardening. "Let's go! Let's fight for a new era for this country."
Under the moonlight, the six of them set off again.
In the same moonlight, two groups were on the move. However, while Sōgen's group was rushing toward the Daimyo's palace, Kama and his men were hurrying away from the place that had become a land of strife.
(End of Chapter)