Even delivering a letter within the Land of Fire required an ambush? This envoy work was really becoming more promising by the day.
Seeing Shuji did not respond, the long-haired Guardian Shinobi lost patience. He raised his hand and formed seals. His mouth opened, and fire poured out.
Scorching breath swept through the forest. A violent fire dragon took shape, jaws opening to bite. It painted the surrounding trees crimson red. The heat pressed in.
Shuji did not retreat. He advanced. He rushed forward two steps into the fire dragon and formed seals at high speed.
Water Release: Water Severing Wave.
A thin, shockingly fast water line shot from Shuji's mouth.
The water line made no sound, yet it was sharp beyond measure. It cut a straight, cold gleam through the air and sliced into the fire dragon's head. With the elements clashing, the blazing dragon split in two from the center and exploded into scattered sparks across the sky.
The long-haired Guardian Shinobi's savage grin had not yet faded when that fatal brightness reflected in his pupils. The next instant, he felt his neck go cold. His vision spun violently.
Everything happened too fast. Only when the head rolled to the ground, the expression of terror frozen completely, did the headless body collapse heavily. Blood gushed out and soaked the dry earth.
"Enishi!"
The masked Guardian Shinobi was shocked and furious, yet he did not panic at his companion's instant death. His form moved like a ghost, using the momentum to close in while Shuji's jutsu had just finished.
His short blade carved a chilling arc, straight for Shuji's throat.
Shuji's left hand shot into his tool pouch. A kunai came up. He barely managed to block upward.
Metal rang harshly. Sparks flew.
The masked shinobi's strength was enormous. His blade was heavy and fierce. Shuji held with the kunai in his left hand. His body was forced to slide back half a step.
Yet the moment he blocked that fatal strike, Shuji's right hand had quietly drawn to his waist. Massive chakra gathered and compressed.
The masked shinobi's strike failed. His blade shifted from pressing down to slashing across Shuji's chest and abdomen opening.
He was certain his blade势 had completely locked the opponent's left hand—
Then he suddenly met Shuji's calm, unrippled eyes.
The next instant, Shuji's right hand clenched into a fist and struck.
There was no grand momentum. Only the dull roar of air around the fist compressed and torn by ultimate force.
The masked shinobi's pupils shrank. A powerful sense of death made him instinctively try to pull the blade back to defend, but it was too late.
That fist, condensed with terrifying power, struck first despite moving second. It ignored the blade slashing toward his chest and abdomen and crushed forward, stamping directly onto his face.
Boom.
A muffled sound. Not metal, but flesh and bone unable to bear the weight, crying out.
Red and white matter splattered in all directions.
The headless body kept its posture of charging and swinging the blade, stumbled forward two more steps, then fell heavily. The short blade clattered free and rolled away.
Shuji slowly pulled back his right fist and shook off the filth staining his hand. He glanced at the two corpses rapidly cooling on the ground. His gaze was calm.
The enemy had already moved to intercept a Konoha envoy without hesitation. Their killing intent was exposed. If he returned to the village for reinforcements as originally planned, by the time aid arrived, he would likely face En Masamune after a successful coup, wielding righteous authority.
At that point, Konoha's actions would no longer be quelling a rebellion but attacking the Land of Fire's daimyo.
This might cause the daimyo of other great nations to feel the chill of death and drain their coffers to support their shinobi villages in a collective siege of Konoha.
As for acknowledging the new daimyo...
From the refusal of Konoha's dispatched squads and the attitude of these traitorous Guardian Shinobi, even if Konoha accepted the new daimyo, the originally stable situation would erupt into chaos again.
Konoha needed stability now.
His thoughts flashed in an instant. Shuji had already made his decision. He turned and dashed toward the Fire Capital at high speed.
Return to aid immediately. Try to preserve the current daimyo. If that failed, kill the traitor before he could ascend the throne and replace him with someone new.
Just as he took a few steps, not far from the Fire Capital at the Fire Temple, a powerful, violent chakra filled with hatred surged skyward.
Shuji's steps paused slightly. He glanced toward where the chakra erupted, brow furrowed, but his speed did not slow. He continued racing toward the daimyo's residence.
In a private residence, En Masamune paced back and forth. His rich robes dragged across the floor with soft rustles that only made the room's silence more oppressive.
"What do we do? What do we do? The envoy from Konoha arrived. My brother dismissed me during the day. Now the envoy is staying overnight in the residence. What should we do now?"
Masamune's gaze swept over the four people standing or sitting in the room and finally settled on the young man at their head.
Kazuma met Masamune's eyes. "Things have reached this point. Hesitation means defeat. Lord Masamune, decide now."
"I have already sent Teppei and Enjishi to lie in wait outside the city to prevent the Konoha envoy from escaping."
"The four of us will strike at once and take control of the daimyo. Then you will succeed him and hold the righteous cause. Konoha will be powerless."
"Tonight?" Masamune's face paled half a shade. He shook his head instinctively. "You only have four people now. Asuma and Chiriku's positions are still unclear. If they side with my brother, it will be over."
"Asuma... Chiriku..."
Kazuma chewed on those two names. He had not wanted to move this early either, but the Konoha envoy's arrival was ill-timed. Asuma was wavering, but he was almost convinced.
Dealing with Asuma would deal with Chiriku. As for the remaining four, the Raijin Raijin no Jutsu was indeed powerful, but he already had a plan.
Only now, though the timing was not optimal, they had no choice but to act early.
"They will not be a problem," Kazuma said coldly.
"You've already convinced them?"
"No. But our side has absolute power. Though it is not entirely under control, we still have the ability to keep Asuma and Chiriku too occupied to interfere."
Masamune did not understand. He did not know his side had even greater strength.
A trace of fervor appeared in Kazuma's eyes. "Do you know of the Nine-Tails?"
"Of course..."
"That is a force capable of destroying Konoha. A few years ago, the Fourth Hokage died because of it. At that time, I happened to be in Konoha..."
"In the chaos, I collected some of the Nine-Tails' chakra."
En Masamune stared at Kazuma in disbelief, even stepping back half a pace.
"I sealed it and stored it. Now, the vessel holding the Nine-Tails' chakra is at the Fire Temple."
"I also have comrades in the temple. As long as we release that power and create chaos, Chiriku will have to return to the Fire Temple. Asuma is close to him and will surely follow."
Masamune's face lost all color bit by bit. He murmured, "But that is the Nine-Tails' power. If it goes completely out of control..."
"I can seal it again," Kazuma said, eyes burning as he looked at Masamune. "This is the only chance, Lord Masamune."
"If Konoha sends reinforcements and the daimyo regains control of the situation, he will certainly execute you."
"Please make your decision, Lord Masamune."
"This is for the Land of Fire's future. Only you can lead the Land of Fire to its peak."
With that, he led the other three Guardian Shinobi and knelt before Masamune.
"I beg you. Only by breaking free of the incompetent daimyo and Hokage will the Land of Fire stop falling into constant warfare as it does now."
"Everything depends on you."
En Masamune's chest heaved violently. Cold sweat soaked his undershirt. Finally, he nodded heavily. "Do it."
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild