They — Shota, the medical ninja Ilumi, and the chunin who was carrying him, walked into the grand hall of the Daimyo's estate.
The Daimyo was seated on his throne. He was a man in his mid-sixties with grey hair, some parts turning white. He was surrounded by at least a small army of samurai and shinobi guards who stood ready to protect him at any moment.
The three visitors kneeled, including Shota despite his injured state. Pain shot through his body as he lowered himself, but he kept his face calm and respectful.
"Aizawa Shota, I have heard a lot about you," the Daimyo said in a calm but authoritative voice.
"It came as a surprise to me that Suna had sent you to meet me without any official communication. But it seems that it was not Rasa or the council that sent you. Is that true?" the Daimyo asked, studying Shota carefully.
"Yes, Lord Daimyo. I have come on my own will without a sanctioned mission here," Shota answered honestly.
Ilumi looked at him in surprise. She had been told earlier that this was an S-rank mission given directly by the Kazekage. The look of betrayal on her face was clear, but Shota did not even bother noticing it. His focus remained entirely on the Daimyo.
"You do not look like you are in good condition. What happened? What could have happened to injure the Eraserhead of Suna this much?" the Daimyo asked with genuine curiosity.
"Daimyo-sama, I had to fight for my life to bring you this information that I have brought to you," Shota said seriously, keeping his voice steady despite the pain.
"And who is the one that you fought and what is the information that you are bringing?" the Daimyo asked, now clearly intrigued.
"I had to fight Sasori of the Red Sand," Shota replied.
"Sasori of the Red Sand? The grandson of honoured elder Chiyo?" the Daimyo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Shota confirmed. "He was tasked to kill me and almost killed me."
"Then how did you escape?"
"It seems like Sasori still loves Suna and the Land of Wind and let me go. But that was not all. He also provided me proof... proof of the conspiracy going against you and Suna, Daimyo-sama," Shota explained carefully.
He spoke with respect and made sure to highlight that Sasori had chosen to help rather than finish him off. "Despite everything that happened in the past, Sasori still cares for this country. He could have ended my life easily, but instead he chose to give me these documents. It shows that deep down he still wants what is best for the Land of Wind. He is not completely lost to us."
The Daimyo listened quietly as Shota continued. "Sasori gave me these scrolls because he knows the danger the traitor poses. He wants the village and the country to be safe, even if he cannot return himself. His actions today prove that his heart still belongs to Suna in some way. He risked exposing himself just to deliver this truth to you through me."
"And a conspiracy against me?" the Daimyo asked with a deep frown.
"Yes, Daimyo-sama. Elder Daigo of Suna has been conspiring against you and Suna. He had conspired with Danzo and leaked village secrets during wartime that led to Suna suffering catastrophic losses. He also eliminated some of the nobles that supported the Kazekage secretly and conspired by influencing members of your court to restart the war between Suna and Iwa," Shota explained.
"Here is all the proof that I have found against him," Shota said, handing the scrolls to the samurai who took them to the Daimyo. The ruler took about half an hour to study them all carefully.
"This is not conclusive proof," the Daimyo said after reading.
"Yes, and that is why Sasori-san, who still loved the village, decided to help me. He provided me proof... proof of how he had been forced to become a criminal of the village... and how he was forced to kill the Third Kazekage," Shota said.
At his words, everyone's eyes widened in shock. The Daimyo said, stuttering slightly, "It was Sasori... who killed the Third Kazekage?"
"Yes. The Third Kazekage wanted to make use of Sasori's human puppets in the war, but Elder Daigo framed him as also working with human experimentation on Suna shinobi. This forced the Kazekage to declare him a criminal and a rogue shinobi, forcing him to escape," Shota explained.
"I do not have proof for this fact. But my analysis leads to this," Shota said resolutely.
'I do not have proof for this because I am bullshitting. The things I have to do for you, Sasori nii-san,' Shota thought inwardly.
"This here is the next proof of how Elder Daigo led the Third Kazekage outside the village where he found Sasori. And he made the two fight. Sasori-san had no choice but to kill the Kazekage to save his own life," Shota continued.
The Daimyo took the scroll which Shota himself had received from Sasori. It showed how Elder Daigo had taken the Kazekage outside the village where Sasori was waiting.
"This..." the Daimyo muttered, clearly disturbed.
Now Shota decided to give the final blow. "To protect himself from being hunted down by other shinobi villages to get Suna's secrets, Sasori-san had to make the Third Kazekage a puppet of his to protect himself and the village secrets."
"He made the Third Kazekage a human puppet?" the Daimyo asked, shocked and a little angry.
Shota said eagerly, not fully considering the Daimyo's anger, "Yes. Just imagine if we could get Sasori back. We would have the power of two Kages at the same time, just like the Leaf."
Shota was sure the Daimyo knew that not all facts he was saying were completely true. The Daimyo was old but not stupid. But he was giving the ruler a reason to help bring Sasori back to the village, even though Sasori had committed what would be considered the most heinous crime in a shinobi village — killing the Kage and desecrating his body.
'Now the ball is in your court, Daimyo-sama,' he thought.
"And why are you telling me this? You could have just given it to the Kazekage. Why have you come here with this?" the Daimyo asked.
Shota took a deep breath and began his speech with full sincerity. "It is because my loyalty is to the country first and foremost, and to you, Daimyo-sama, and to its people — whether they live in the capital, in Suna, or in some remote village in the country. I want the best for the entire Land of Wind. The hidden village exists to serve the country, not the other way around. If there are people inside Suna who are plotting against you and weakening the nation for their own power, then it is my duty to bring that truth forward."
He continued strongly despite his injuries. "Some elders or even the Kazekage himself might try to hide these problems or handle them quietly to protect the village's image. But that kind of silence only allows poison to spread. I have seen what happens when power is left unchecked. Good shinobi suffer, wars restart, and the people pay the price with their lives and happiness. I cannot stay silent when I know the truth."
Shota's voice grew more passionate. "That is why I came directly to you, Lord Daimyo. You are the ruler of this land. Your wisdom and authority can bring real change. Please use this information to investigate Elder Daigo and clean the corruption that threatens both Suna and the Land of Wind. I am ready to accept any punishment if my actions are seen as wrong, but I believe with all my heart that protecting the country comes before protecting any single person or faction inside the village."
He finished with deep respect. "I implore you to take action against this threat. The future of our nation depends on strong and fair leadership. Let us work together to make sure no one can betray the Land of Wind again, whether they wear a headband or sit in a position of power."
The hall fell into complete silence after Shota's words. Everyone present waited for the Daimyo's response as the weight of the revelations hung heavily in the air.
--------Author Notes---------
Check us on Instagram @thefictionforge7
I have decided to increase the number of extra chapters on patreon from 15 to 20. Thankyou.
Y'all can now read the next 20 chapters of the fanfic on my pat*reon.
https://pat*reon.com/Charizard6
[No star]
Thankyou for your support!