Chapter 116: You want me to pledge my loyalty? Sorry, I'm here to turn the table.
"Let him cool his heels for an hour; it will help him clear his head. A mere greenhorn, with a bit of martial prowess, stirs up trouble in the Village, and he genuinely thinks he can reach the heavens in 1 step?" The Daimyō's face was full of mocking smiles.
"He needs to understand that shinobi are merely dogs raised by us nobles. How many bones to give, and when to give them, all depends on the master's mood. His predecessor, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was an obedient old dog, but unfortunately, he's old and useless now. This new one needs a good beating to let him know who the true master of this land is."
Beside him, a man dressed in splendid samurai armor, who appeared to be a captain of the guard, smiled fawningly. "Your Highness is wise! A mere head of a shinobi Village dares to be insolent in front of you? When I meet him later, with just a word from you, your subordinate can make him realize our power!"
"Hahaha, well said!" The Daimyō burst into hearty laughter. He greatly enjoyed this feeling of controlling everything. In his opinion, shinobi were just a bunch of simple-minded, strong-bodied tools. As long as he cut off their military funds and offered some empty titles, he could make them risk their lives for him.
This Uchiha Akira, who looked young, would surely be easier to manipulate. He had even already planned how, upon meeting, he would use the issue of military funds to force this young man to swear allegiance to him.
An hour later, the door to the side hall finally opened again. It was still the butler, with an even more obvious arrogance on his face. "Akira, His Highness the Daimyō requests your presence."
Akira slowly opened his eyes. He stood up and straightened his robes. "Lead the way."
The group walked through a long corridor and finally arrived at the resplendent main hall. The Daimyō of the Land of Fire still maintained that lazy posture. He lifted his eyelids, examining Uchiha Akira with the gaze of someone inspecting merchandise.
"You, are you Uchiha Akira?" The Daimyō's voice was full of a condescending tone. He cleared his throat and went straight to the point. "Regarding Konoha's report to dismiss the Third Hokage and recommend you as the Fifth Hokage, I am already aware of it. However..." He deliberately drew out his tone.
"The appointment of a Hokage is a matter of great importance. Furthermore, the national treasury is tight recently, and Konoha's military funds for the last quarter will likely be cut by 30%. Do you understand what I mean?"
This was a naked threat and a warning. Either kneel and be my dog, and the military funds will be negotiable. Or, forget about being Hokage, and the Village can go hungry. The Daimyō looked at Uchiha Akira triumphantly, waiting for him to show expressions of panic, anger, or submission.
However, he was disappointed. Uchiha Akira's face remained expressionless. He merely nodded gently. "I understand."
These 2 words made the Daimyō pause. Understood? That's it? He yielded so easily? He truly was an inexperienced greenhorn. The Daimyō felt even more smug and was about to say a few words like "teachable youth."
But Uchiha Akira turned around and made an extremely subtle gesture to Uchiha Kenji behind him—a gesture that only core members of the Uchiha could understand. The meaning of that gesture was: "Tonight, act."
Then, he bowed slightly to the Daimyō. "Since His Highness the Daimyō is busy with state affairs, we shall not disturb you further. We will await your final decision at the inn." Having said that, he led his people out of the main hall without looking back.
The Daimyō watched his departing back, feeling a bit bewildered. He felt as if... something was not quite right. But soon, he cast this doubt aside. Who cares? The fish has already taken the bait anyway. Tonight, he was also going to host a grand banquet to properly "discipline" this future Fifth Hokage once more.
As night fell, inside the Daimyō's mansion, lights blazed, bright as day. A grand welcome banquet was being held in the main hall. The powerful nobles of the Land of Fire gathered, clinking glasses and chatting merrily.
Uchiha Akira sat at the head of the guest table, alone, quietly sipping the sake in his cup. The Daimyō sat at the main seat, his face beaming, constantly receiving flattery from the surrounding nobles, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Akira with a playful look, like a cat toying with a mouse.
After several rounds of drinks, a corpulent noble, holding a wine cup, swayed unsteadily toward Akira. "This one, I presume, is the new leader of Konoha, Akira?" He burped, his tone frivolous. "Truly young and promising! Unlike us, who only know how to enjoy ourselves.
However, shinobi, after all, fighting and killing, are ultimately rough work that cannot be presented on stage. In the future, you will still have to rely heavily on His Highness the Daimyō's patronage! Hahaha!" The surrounding nobles burst into laughter.
Uchiha Akira did not look up at the noble, merely emptying the wine in his cup on his own. Seeing Akira's lack of reaction, the noble felt bored, pouted, and walked away.
The Daimyō observed all of this, growing increasingly smug. See, this is what shinobi are. No matter how strong, they are just a group of tools who dare not resist. He stood up, raised his wine cup, and the entire hall instantly fell silent.
"Everyone!" The Daimyō's voice was loud and majestic. "Today, we are here to welcome the young prodigy from Konoha, Uchiha Akira! Konohagakure is the sharpest spear and the strongest shield of my Land of Fire! And I, as the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, am the one who wields this spear and shield!"
"Uchiha Akira, you are very young and very capable. I think highly of you. As long as you, like your predecessor, loyally dedicate everything to the Land of Fire, to me... then, the appointment of the Fifth Hokage, and the Village's military funds, will not be a problem." He raised his wine cup high. "Now, pledge your loyalty to me, to the Land of Fire!"
Everyone's gaze focused on Uchiha Akira. This was the final ultimatum. Kneel, or get out.
Akira slowly stood up. He also raised his own wine cup. A faint smile finally appeared on his face. "His Highness the Daimyō spoke very well. I also believe that the Land of Fire needs a new era. An era... with a more unified will and a louder voice." The Daimyō frowned, not quite understanding the meaning of his words.
"Therefore..." Akira raised his wine cup and toasted the Daimyō from afar. "Let this banquet serve as the opening ceremony for the new era. For the Land of Fire's brand new future..." He gently crushed the porcelain cup in his hand into powder. "Cheers."
The moment his words fell, "Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!" 30 black figures appeared silently in all directions of the main hall. By the door, by the windows, on the rafters, every exit was instantly sealed.
30 pairs of blood-red Sharingan lit up, illuminated by the lights, emitting a heart-pounding red glow. Killing intent, like a tidal wave, instantly engulfed the entire hall. The once noisy and luxurious banquet hall instantly transformed into a slaughterhouse.
"Ah!" A noblewoman let out a terrified scream.
"Guards! Guards!" The triumph on the Daimyō's face was instantly replaced by boundless terror, and he roared hysterically. "Kill them! Kill these traitors for me!"
Several guards dressed in samurai armor drew their swords and charged forward, putting on a brave face but inwardly afraid. However, they were facing the Uchiha.
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]