Chapter 117: Daimyō, Who Has the Final Say Now?
Their blades didn't even leave their sheaths. A dark shadow flashed by, followed by a second. The few samurai at the very front froze in place, a faint line of blood slowly appearing on their necks.
Thud. The heavy armor, along with the lifeless bodies, crashed onto the polished floor, emitting a dull thud. Blood, like blooming red plum blossoms, spread across the luxurious carpet.
The remaining guards all showed unconcealable horror on their faces. This was a shinobi. This was the elite of the Uchiha.
"Tre...treason! This is treason!" the guard captain shrieked, his voice feigning courage while his body continuously retreated. His answer was a pair of icy, blood-red eyes with 3 tomoe spinning within them. The next second, the guard captain's body uncontrollably turned the samurai sword in his hand and plunged it fiercely into the chest of his companion beside him.
"Ah!" The scream completely shattered the pretense of the banquet. The nobles huddled in the corner, trembling in fear.
"Stop!" Amidst this chaos, a voice as steady as a mountain suddenly rang out. A man in a monk's robe with a resolute face walked out from behind the Daimyō. He clasped his hands together, standing in front of the Daimyō, his gaze calmly fixed on Uchiha Akira. Chiriku, the abbot of the Fire Temple—a powerful shinobi whose strength was comparable to a Kage.
"Uchiha Akira, your actions have crossed the line. His Excellency the Daimyō is the symbol of the Land of Fire. To harm him is to make an enemy of the entire Land of Fire."
Akira looked at the monk who had suddenly appeared. "Symbol?" Akira chuckled, his laugh carrying unconcealed disdain. "A parasite that only sucks the nation's blood—does he even deserve to be called a symbol? It seems the incense offerings at the Fire Temple are a bit too prosperous."
Chiriku's brow furrowed slightly. "Benefactor, turn back before it's too late. Otherwise, this humble monk will have no choice but to subdue demons and monsters on behalf of the Buddha." Chiriku's hands slowly formed a hand seal. "Sage Art: Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder!"
Accompanied by a solemn Buddhist chant, golden light burst forth behind Chiriku. A colossal, majestic Thousand-Armed Kannon statue materialized out of thin air. Countless golden arms, like a torrential downpour, surged overwhelmingly toward Uchiha Akira. Each arm contained terrifying power capable of easily shattering mountains. The entire hall trembled violently under this sacred yet violent power.
"Noisy," Akira finally lost his patience. He didn't want to waste even a second on such boring matters.
Zzzzz— Dazzling lightning suddenly erupted from his body. Blue-white electric arcs, like wild silver snakes, coiled around him, casting his black robe in a pale glow. Lightning Release Chakra Mode. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in Uchiha Akira's eye sockets spun wildly.
Technique Amplification! In an instant, the lightning around him intensified several times over. The original blue-white electric arcs were instantly compressed and condensed, transforming into destructive pure white incandescent light.
Facing the golden Buddhist hands that filled the sky, Uchiha Akira's figure vanished. The next instant, behind Chiriku, a pure white lightning flash streaked past.
Boom—!!! The enormous Thousand-Armed Kannon statue began to show a faint crack from the middle. Immediately after, the crack spread like a spiderweb, instantly covering the entire statue. The golden light shattered with a crash, turning into countless specks of light and dissipating into the air.
Chiriku remained frozen in place, his palms still clasped together. He slowly lowered his head. On his chest, there was a fist-sized, charred black hole. The edges of the hole even flickered with faint electric arcs.
"Such... fast... Lightning..." He opened his mouth, his life force rapidly draining away like a punctured balloon.
Thud. The tall monk fell forward.
The lightning on Akira's body slowly receded. The entire hall was dead silent. Akira looked down at the Daimyō, who was sprawled in the main seat, trembling like a sieve.
"Now, do you understand what I mean? A country doesn't need 2 voices. Especially a foolish voice." The Daimyō's mouth hung open, and a foul smell emanated from his crotch. He had wet himself from fear.
Uchiha Akira's gaze swept over all the trembling nobles present. "Tonight, the Land of Fire has traitors causing chaos, attempting to assassinate the Daimyō and overthrow the nation. I, Uchiha Akira, acting Hokage of Konoha, am leading my forces to suppress the rebellion. All traitors and their families shall be executed without mercy."
As his voice fell, Uchiha Kenji waved his hand to his clansmen behind him. "Act."
The next second, the banquet turned into a blood feast. Screams finally tore through the night sky. The slaughter began.
This was not a battle at all. A noble roared, brandishing an elaborately decorated short sword, and charged at an Uchiha Jōnin. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" A massive fireball erupted from the Uchiha Jōnin's mouth, instantly engulfing the noble, along with several tables and chairs behind him, turning them into charred remains.
Screams, wails, pleas for mercy. Uchiha Akira slowly walked back to his seat, picked up a clean wine glass, and poured himself a drink. He savored it unhurriedly.
The Daimyō looked at the hellish scene before him, his mind blank. He couldn't understand. Why was this happening? Weren't they shinobi? Weren't they Konoha's shinobi? Weren't they supposed to obey orders, like obedient dogs? Why did they dare to do this? Why did they dare to slaughter nobles in the capital, even attempting to kill him, the Daimyō?
"No... don't kill me..." The instinct for survival made the Daimyō plead. "I... I'll give you the appointment! I'll give you the Hokage appointment! I'll give you military funds! Double! No! 5 times! Please... spare me..."
Akira looked at the Daimyō, without a trace of pity. "It's too late. The moment you decided to test my bottom line with your arrogance, your fate was already sealed. I don't like trouble. So, I'm used to solving anything that might cause trouble at its root. And you are that biggest trouble."
Having said that, he no longer spared the Daimyō a glance. Uchiha Kenji's figure appeared behind the Daimyō.
Pfft. A soft sound of a blade entering flesh. The Daimyō's pleas came to an abrupt halt. He lowered his head, looking at the kunai that had pierced his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.
[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.]