"Your Majesty, please have mercy!"
"Your Majesty! We were only repeating rumors—we didn't mean any harm!"
Shin'en sat calmly on the throne of the grand hall.To his left and right stood Kazuki and Junichi, each commanding a squad of armed guards.
Five citizens of the Land of Hane knelt before him, pounding their heads against the floor.
"I've heard," Shin'en said coolly, "that rumors claim I'm gravely ill and near death. Tell me—who ordered you to spread them?"
He lowered his gaze, face expressionless.
"Your Majesty, we deserve death! We shouldn't have believed such talk!"
"It wasn't us, truly, Your Majesty! We just heard it from others!"
Shin'en's brow furrowed slightly.He waved his hand toward the guards.
"Since you won't speak the truth—take them away and execute them."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The soldiers stepped forward to drag the five outside.
"Mercy, Your Majesty! We really don't know anything!"
"Please, don't kill us!"
"I—I know! It was Satō! Satō told us!"
Shin'en's eyes hardened. He raised a hand."Wait."
The guards stopped at once and hauled the trembling peasants back.
"It was Satō!" one blurted out. "He gave each of us half a measure of wheat and told us to spread the word that you—uh—you were sick!"
One of the attending soldiers stiffened visibly at the name.
"Take them away," Shin'en ordered. "Hold them ten days, then release them.Bring this Satō before me."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Four guards left at once.The spared citizens kowtowed repeatedly, weeping thanks for His Majesty's mercy.
So the rumor of my illness was meant to stir unrest inside Hane…Then this must be the work of the Land of Bizi.
He pondered silently.The neighboring minor states had already been swallowed by Bizi.The Land of Soshino showed no sign of expansion; if Hane fell, Soshino would be next.So yes—it could only be Bizi's doing.
They couldn't wait for me to strike first, so they came seeking death themselves.
Though the difference in troop strength was vast, Shin'en still held the ultimate trump card—Kaguya.
His chakra control was still developing, but his projection training had already sharpened his breathing technique and swordsmanship.He wasn't yet at his Demon-Slayer-world level of mastery, but against ordinary men, he could easily take on a dozen at once.
Even a capable shinobi at the level of an elite genin could defeat several armed adults—and with chakra strengthening his body, his speed and power far surpassed any normal human.
Only his chakra capacity remained limited.
Before long, the guards returned, dragging Satō, beaten and bound.After a round of interrogation—and some "persuasion"—he broke down and confessed everything.
"Take him away. Execute him."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Covered in blood, Satō screamed as the guards hauled him off."Your Majesty! You promised to spare me! Your Majesty—!"
"Silence!" A guard struck him hard across the neck, and he collapsed unconscious.
Kazuki stepped forward, his expression grim."Your Majesty, what should we do now?Ministers Suzaku and Genbu of Bizi command nearly two-thirds of their nation's army.Their forces outnumber ours two to one.If we fight head-on, we might not—"
"We should avoid war altogether," Shin'en interrupted, rubbing his temples and letting out a weary sigh."We'll negotiate instead. Whatever they want—gold, women, even land—give it to them. Anything to prevent war."
Kazuki's eyes widened in disbelief, though he held his tongue.
Junichi, however, burst out, "Cede territory? Your Majesty, that's impossible!If need be, we can unite with Soshino. Together, we might still stand a chance!"
"No." Shin'en's tone grew heavy. "If we go to war, Hane will be destroyed. I won't let the nation perish under my rule."
His expression hardened with determination as he looked toward the soldiers nearby."All of you, leave us. I must discuss which land to cede with Generals Kazuki and Junichi.And remember—none of this is to be leaked outside this hall."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Though frustrated, the guards obeyed and left, muttering about the Emperor's weakness.
"Your Majesty, are you truly planning to—?" Kazuki asked once they were alone.From what he'd seen, Shin'en was gentle but never weak; this meek act didn't suit him.
"Hmph." Junichi snorted, ready to defy even an imperial order if he had to.
Shin'en didn't answer. He rose, walked outside to check that no one was eavesdropping, then returned and quietly shut the doors.
"If I hadn't said that," he murmured, "and they decided not to come the day after tomorrow, what then?"
Junichi froze, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Your Majesty… you mean—"
"Last month," Shin'en explained, "the Bizi envoys forced Soshino to surrender Crescent Lake without resistance.Our Hane isn't much stronger than Soshino.
So even if Suzaku and Genbu hear of what happened here, they'll assume we'll compromise before superior might.To make them bold enough to come, we'll give them more confidence."
He smiled faintly."I'm sure we still have other spies eager to spread that 'information.'"
Kazuki drew a sharp breath."Then, Your Majesty—you plan to let them march into our lands… and strike once they're inside?"
"Exactly." Shin'en's eyes gleamed."Remember two things. First—to catch the bandit, seize the chief.
And second—seek peace through struggle and peace shall endure; seek peace through compromise, and peace shall die.
Prepare yourselves well for the coming days."
He turned and left the hall—headed, of course, to the inner chambers to replenish his magic with Kaguya's chakra.
Kazuki and Junichi exchanged looks, repeating his words softly:
"To catch the bandit, seize the chief…""Seek peace through struggle… not compromise…"
As Shin'en predicted, the envoys of Bizi arrived right on schedule.
Their stupidity was almost disappointing—it left him with little sense of accomplishment.Still, since they'd come this far, killing them was only proper.
Inside the council chamber, Kazuki and Junichi stood calmly behind their Emperor.Opposite them sat Minister Suzaku and Minister Genbu.
Genbu unrolled a map and placed it before Shin'en."Your Majesty," he said smugly, "this is an ancient map discovered in Bizi.It shows that the bamboo forests and farmlands to your northwest once belonged to our nation.We ask that you return these territories—otherwise, we'll be forced to reclaim them by arms."
He folded his arms and sat down beside Shin'en, confident and self-satisfied.The same trick as always—they hadn't even bothered to change the script.He simply wanted to savor the Emperor's helpless, humiliated expression—the same way he'd watched the King of Soshino grovel after Bizi's soldiers butchered his people.
Suzaku strolled closer, smiling thinly."I also heard," he said, "that His Majesty took a heavenly maiden as his queen.Might we be blessed to glimpse such beauty?"
"Of course," Shin'en said pleasantly.Then his smile sharpened. "But the answer is—no."
"Why, thank you, Your Ma—wait, what did you say?"Suzaku froze mid-laugh, thinking he'd misheard.
Shin'en rose to his feet.At that signal, Kazuki and Junichi stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, think carefully!" Suzaku began, still believing it was bluster."Our army is already stationed in the mountains! If you just—"
"Ahh! My hand! You—how dare you—!"
Blood sprayed across the table—his outstretched hand lay severed atop the map.
"Kh—ghh!"
Before Suzaku could finish screaming, Shin'en's short blade flashed again, slicing his throat clean through.He toppled forward, gurgling, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Ah—!"
The two bodyguards behind him barely managed a cry before Kazuki and Junichi cut them down.Outside, a brief chorus of screams erupted, then silence fell.
"Y-You! What are you doing?!"Genbu stumbled back, voice shaking."Do you have any idea what you've done? The Bizi army—our—"
Shin'en approached slowly, expression unreadable, blood-stained dagger in hand.
Genbu's mind reeled.He'd never seen anything like this—never met a ruler so audacious.He actually killed Suzaku?!Is he insane?What about the army—?
Thud!
Kazuki seized Genbu by the collar and slammed him into his chair.Junichi placed paper and brush before him.
"You'll send orders," he said coldly. "Tell your soldiers to enter Hane in small groups.Say our Emperor insists on welcoming them with the full hospitality of the nation."
Genbu's eyes widened in terror as he looked up at Shin'en—the calm, smiling Emperor of Hane.