Yuhi Shinku.
Hearing that name, Shin instantly thought of another person.
Yuhi Kurenai.
Konoha's future great master of genjutsu, Asuma's wife, a woman who possessed both mature charm and resilient will.
Interesting.
Sending a letter, and then sending someone else, tsk tsk...
"Let him in."
Shin's voice was calm.
A moment later, footsteps sounded, and a man walked in.
The newcomer wore Konoha's standard vest, his figure was tall and straight, but the strong scent of blood on him could not be concealed.
He must have just returned from the battlefield.
"Konoha jonin, Yuhi Shinku, greets my lord."
The man bowed, his etiquette impeccable, yet his posture conveyed the arrogance of an elite shinobi.
It was the confidence forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
"No need for formalities."
Shin's gaze fell on him.
His strength was good, his chakra reserves were ample, and his mental energy was quite refined.
He was a qualified shinobi.
Unfortunately, before him, he was no different from an ant.
"Where is the report? Bring it."
"Yes, my lord."
Yuhi Shinku stepped forward, presenting a thick scroll with both hands.
"The report details Konoha's casualties, material consumption, and battle assessment during this great war. Please review it, my lord."
The attendant, Takeshi, stepped forward to receive it, respectfully placing it on Shin's desk.
Shin did not open it, his finger tapping the scroll with neither too much nor too little force.
"You've worked hard."
"To survive the brutal battlefield, you are a hero of Konoha."
"And a meritorious official of the Land of Fire."
His words were gentle, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Yuhi Shinku quickly bowed his head and replied, "To serve the Land of Fire is the duty of a Konoha shinobi."
"Well said."
Shin praised, then unrolled the report.
The Battle of Kikyo Pass.
The Kannabi Bridge Battle.
One after another, battle names, line after line of cold casualty figures.
Each number represented a vibrant life, a broken family.
Senju Hashirama, your naivety has killed them.
"It's shocking."
Shin closed the scroll, letting out a sigh.
"Konoha's shinobi have paid a heavy price for the Land of Fire."
Seeing this, Yuhi Shinku took the opportunity to speak, "My lord, you are wise. It is precisely for this reason that the Third Hokage earnestly requests assistance from the Daimyo Manor."
He paused, his tone becoming more earnest.
"The village has sacrificed too many shinobi. Their families need compensation, the wounded need treatment, and the homes destroyed by war need rebuilding. All of this requires funds. I implore my lord to understand the village's difficulties."
Here it comes.
Shin sneered inwardly.
"Jonin Yuhi, I understand your purpose, and I have read the Third Hokage's letter."
He changed the subject, pushing the battle report back.
"But you seem to have misunderstood something."
"This report is not a ledger of Konoha seeking credit and rewards from me."
"Rather, it should be a performance review report of your Konoha fulfilling its duties."
Yuhi Shinku's pupils suddenly constricted.
Shin's voice was not loud, but it choked him.
"Could it be that the funds the Daimyo Manor pays to Konoha are insufficient? Or did you use them for enjoyment during peacetime? And now you still want to increase the budget?"
"You must understand, that money buys your sacrifices in war, it buys every casualty figure on this report."
"You have sacrificed your lives, and the Land of Fire has not treated you unfairly."
Shin stood up, walked over to him, and looked down at him.
"My brothers emptied the national treasury to contend for power; this is my family affair."
"I quelled the internal strife, exhausting the finances; this is my state affair."
"And now, you come to me, to this war-torn country, with what should be Konoha's work report to me, demanding additional compensation?"
"Jonin Yuhi, tell me, why?"
"Or do you think the lives of shinobi are nobler than the tens of thousands of civilians displaced and starving in the fires of war?"
Every word pierced his heart.
Yuhi Shinku opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
All his explanations seemed absurd and ridiculous in the face of this interrogation.
His proud achievements were casually defined as part of his duty.
Konoha's sacrifices were defined as a transaction.
This lord simply did not place Konoha on an equal footing.
Are shinobi just tools?
Yuhi Shinku felt a bone-chilling cold.
"I... understand."
After a long while, he bowed again.
"I will report my lord's will to the Hokage."
"Mm."
Shin nodded, noncommittal. He didn't care what Konoha's attitude was.
Whether it was anger or forbearance!
If they dared to stroke the tiger's whiskers, he would simply swat them dead with one palm.
After Shin sat back down, his face instantly changed to an expression of compassion, as if the earlier reprimand had never happened.
"The deceased are gone; what we can do is protect the future."
"In this great war, Konoha lost too many pillars. I am deeply pained."
His tone became gentle.
"Especially genjutsu shinobi—this kind of power that can use a small force to achieve a great victory, losing even one is a huge loss for the Land of Fire."
"Does Konoha's next generation have any promising talents who can inherit your mantle?"
This sudden concern caught Yuhi Shinku off guard.
He paused for a moment before instinctively replying, "To answer my lord, among the new generation, there are indeed children with good talent."
"Oh?"
Shin showed a hint of interest. "For example, those with talent in the genjutsu field. I have high hopes for them."
At the mention of this, Yuhi Shinku's face regained some color.
He said proudly, "My daughter, Kurenai, has some talent in genjutsu and has been listed as a key training target by the village."
"Yuhi Kurenai..."
Shin repeated the name softly, then smiled. "That's a good name. How old is she this year? Has she been on the battlefield?"
Yuhi Shinku replied, "My daughter is sixteen this year and has already been on the battlefield."
Shin's expression was sorrowful. "A girl of sixteen has already been on the battlefield, alas..."
"Tell the Third Hokage that heroes bleed on the front lines, and the Land of Fire will never let the heroes' families shed tears in the rear."
"For shinobi with outstanding achievements like Jonin Yuhi, the cultivation of their descendants should naturally be given importance."
Yuhi Shinku suddenly looked up, incredulous.
What did he hear?
Humiliation, suppression, and then... a reward?
"I will allocate a special fund for genius cultivation to Konoha from the next quarter's budget."
"I hope your daughter and other talented children can receive more comprehensive training."
"Thank you, my lord." Yuhi Shinku's attitude was sincere.
"Alright, you've had a long and arduous journey. You've worked hard."
Shin waved his hand. "I've received the report. You may return."
Then he added another sentence.
"It's rare to visit the capital. Don't rush to leave. Take a good look around, see this post-war capital, and consider it an understanding of the people's conditions."
"Yes!"
Yuhi Shinku bowed again, then turned and left the study.
It wasn't until he walked out of the Daimyo Manor and felt the evening breeze that he realized he was covered in cold sweat.
His meeting with this young Daimyo made him feel more exhausted than facing enemies on the battlefield.
That invisible pressure choked him.
Is this what a Daimyo is like?
Inside the study.
Shin played with the brush in his hand, a smile on his face.
Kurenai.
A key training target, huh?
Very good.
An uncarved jade has the value of being cultivated and conquered.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, do you think sending an elite jonin can test me?
You will soon know that I will not only cut your budget but also poach your talents.
Throwing these thoughts aside, Shin continued to immerse himself in state affairs.
Establishing a new order requires absolute patience.
Time flowed, and the moon was high in the sky.
Takeshi quietly walked in, replacing the candles in the study, his movements light.
"My lord, it's late."
"Mm."
Shin didn't even lift his head.
It wasn't until he finished the last document that he let out a long sigh of relief.
Continuous high-intensity work inevitably made him feel a bit tired.
Suddenly, the stubborn and pale face from yesterday appeared in his mind.
He wondered if, after a day of teaching, that hard bone had been broken.
Shin stood up, a hint of anticipation on his face, and slowly walked towards the sleeping quarters.