It was a chilly early morning in the Fire Capital, late autumn.
On the soft bed, Arashi opened his eyes.
Ragyō, beside him, was still sound asleep, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow across her fair cheek.
Last night's indulgence had left her in a deep slumber, a satisfied smile still lingering on her lips.
Arashi's fingertips gently traced her smooth shoulder.
This kind of life was far more interesting than endless killing.
Just as he was enjoying the tranquility of the morning, a steady, restrained voice came from outside the bedroom door.
"My Lord."
It was the Shadow Guard.
His voice carried no emotion, yet the urgency behind it was unmistakable.
"Konoha's highest-level urgent report."
Ragyō stirred awake, her sleepy eyes opening as she looked at the man beside her in confusion.
Arashi patted her shoulder, signaling her to go back to sleep.
He rose, casually pulling on an outer robe and said, "Speak."
The Shadow Guard's voice dropped even lower. "The pursuit team led by the Hyūga Clan Head has failed."
Hmm?
Arashi's movements paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Failed?
Hyūga Hiashi, along with dozens of Konoha elites, chasing just over a dozen enemies, and they failed?
Without bothering to adjust his long robe, Arashi walked out of the room with his chest exposed.
"Continue."
The Shadow Guard immediately unrolled the intelligence report and read it aloud.
The content was brief.
The Kumo infiltration team showed no fear of death.
Four Jōnin among them forcefully delayed Konoha's pursuit through self-detonation.
The remaining nine had completely vanished.
Four Jōnin... self-destructed to cover the retreat?
Arashi repeated the words, his gaze growing increasingly cold.
This was far beyond the "small trouble" he had initially assumed.
At the end of the report was a deduction made by Minato in the name of Hokage.
For the infiltrators to pay such a heavy price, their objective must be significant.
Based on their escape route, their most likely destination was the Fire Capital.
The atmosphere instantly tensed.
Gen, who had been standing nearby, froze as he heard that line. His breath hitched, and his face went pale.
The Fire Capital?
Assassinate the Daimyo?
Gen immediately linked the two possibilities.
Those madmen from Kumogakure, how dare they?
The Shadow Guard added, "To ensure safety, the Fourth Hokage has urgently dispatched one hundred elite shinobi, who are currently en route to the Capital."
"Heh."
A short laugh escaped Arashi's lips.
But it was chillingly cold.
Konoha sending reinforcements was to be expected.
It would have been strange if they hadn't.
He slowly tied his sash, his expression terrifyingly calm.
"Is the Konoha messenger still in the mansion?"
"Yes, he's waiting in the side hall," Gen quickly replied.
"Bring him here."
"And bring a map."
"Yes."
Soon, a dust-covered Konoha messenger was brought before Arashi.
The moment he saw Arashi, he dropped to one knee and repeated the lines the Advisor Elders had drilled into him.
"Daimyo-sama, Konoha was negligent in allowing the rogues to infiltrate the heartland."
"Rise," Arashi replied flatly.
"Bring the map."
A large military map of the Land of Fire was quickly spread across the floor.
Arashi stepped over and focused on the eastern border.
"Mark the infiltration route and the last confirmed location."
"Yes."
The messenger stepped forward without delay, drawing a winding red line across the map.
The line began at the border swamp, then trailed westward through mountains and dense forests.
It finally ended in a forested area just seventy kilometers from the Fire Capital.
The path pointed straight to the Capital.
So they really were coming for him.
Arashi crossed his arms, fingers gently tapping against his bicep as he thought aloud.
"To buy a few minutes, they sacrificed four elite Jōnin."
"To issue such an order and have subordinates willing to obey..."
"The one leading this team is probably not just anyone."
He paused. His gaze turned sharp.
"I'm even starting to wonder."
"Could it be the Fourth Raikage himself?"
The room fell into silence.
Those present froze as if struck by lightning, their faces filled with disbelief.
The Raikage. Personally infiltrating?
A Kage, bringing only a dozen shinobi, sneaking into enemy territory to carry out an assassination?
This was no longer bold. This was insanity.
This was gambling the future of the Land of Lightning itself.
Arashi smiled. This time, it was genuine.
When the Third Raikage invaded the Land of Earth, he still needed to bring an army.
His son, on the other hand, dared to dive into the Land of Fire with only a handful of men.
In sheer audacity, the Fourth had surpassed the Third.
It seemed he had underestimated these muscle-bound hotheads from Kumogakure.
When pushed into a corner, they truly dared to bet everything.
Arashi quickly pieced together the enemy's plan.
First, they showed weakness at the negotiating table.
Then, they stirred up trouble at the border to divert attention.
And behind the scenes, they deployed a suicide squad to strike at the heart.
They had nerves of steel and strategy to match.
He had pushed them too far.
What he thought was a simple game of cat and mouse had escalated into an all-in gamble.
As Arashi thought, his smile turned colder.
Still, one thing puzzled him.
In the three previous Ninja World Wars, no one had ever dared to lay a hand on a Daimyo.
Did they truly have the nerve to attack him?
Or was there something deeper?
After all, breaking the rules came with consequences.
But quickly, he tossed aside that doubt.
Did it matter whether they dared?
He would know soon enough.
Coincidentally, the Konoha Chūnin Exams were just a few days away.
Maybe it was time for an early visit.
A plan was forming in his mind.
"Gen."
"Here."
"Prepare the carriage."
Gen asked reflexively, "My Lord, where are you going?"
"We leave tomorrow for Konoha."
"To observe the Chūnin Exams."
Gen's face turned pale.
He quickly protested, "No."
"My Lord, it's too dangerous to travel right now."
"Kumogakure's assassins are still in hiding. Leaving the Capital is exactly what they want."
"Attending something like the Chūnin Exams now is the same as walking into a trap."
Arashi raised his hand to stop him. "Gen, I understand your concern."
"But hiding indefinitely isn't a solution."
Gen tried to say more, but Arashi added calmly, "The Shadow Guard will accompany me."
"And don't forget, Konoha also sent a hundred shinobi to protect me."
Gen froze.
He had nearly forgotten that Konoha had already deployed a full escort.
"I am the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. I have a personal guard, and reinforcements from Konoha," Arashi said coldly. "If a few assassins were enough to scare me into staying indoors, I'd be a laughingstock."
Gen opened his mouth, but the words died before they could be spoken.
He knew all arguments were pointless now.
When his lord made a decision, no one could change it.
Finally, Gen bowed his head.
"...As you command."
He turned and left, his steps heavy with worry.
Once the room emptied, the gentle expression on Arashi's face slowly faded.
His eyes returned to their usual cold clarity.
He wanted to see for himself.
Did those desperate fools truly have the guts to strike at the Daimyo as he left the palace?
Returning to the bedroom, Ragyō was already awake, leaning against the headboard, watching him.
"Something happened in Konoha?"
"A small matter," Arashi said as he lay back down and pulled her into his arms.
"Perfect timing. I'm bored anyway."
"Come with me to Konoha. There might be a good show to watch."
"Okay." Ragyō nodded without asking further.
(To be continued.)
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