"Your Excellency."
"Hema, the Konoha shinobi have indeed arrived—and they even sent Asuma. That should be enough to show they harbor no ill intentions, shouldn't it?"
Daimyō leaned back in his seat. "I understand your loyalty. But the Land of Fire can only remain strong by cooperating with Konoha. I hope you understand that."
"Your Excellency," Hema argued, "even if Konoha has sent shinobi, that doesn't mean they are truly loyal to you. Only power held in one's own hands is real power!"
The Daimyō sighed softly. "Shinobi affairs are not that simple. I'm old now. I no longer have the energy—or the ability—to control a ninja village."
"Your Excellency—"
"That's enough. If you're willing to stay, I welcome you to continue protecting me. If you wish to leave, I won't stop you. Hema… let it go."
As he spoke, the Daimyō waved his hand tiredly.
"Your Excellency, please reconsider—"
Hema raised his head, his fingers quietly forming seals.
The Daimyō froze for a moment, about to speak again—
When suddenly, a calm voice echoed through the hall.
"Hema. I've heard about you from Asuma-senpai. The former leader of the radical faction—someone who once advocated destroying Konoha and concentrating all authority in the Daimyō's hands."
Yagyū Souma stepped out from the side hall.
Hema jolted in shock. Turning around, his expression changed instantly.
"You didn't leave?!"
"Heh. Take a guess."
The moment the words fell—
Hema saw Souma vanish from where he stood.
The next instant—
A chill ran down his spine.
Too fast.
He couldn't even see the movement.
Hema hastily formed seals, intending to dispel the shadow clone—
But a steel cable snapped around his body in an instant. Chakra surged over him, sealing formulas spreading across his limbs.
At the same time, Souma flicked his other hand.
Eight talisman tags shot out.
Binding Barrier.
"What are you?! Human or ghost?! Someone your age—how is this even possible?!"
"Shut up."
Souma injected chakra directly, sealing Hema's mouth shut. Then he extended a hand.
His mental energy invaded instantly.
This was only a shadow clone.
Even destroying it wouldn't affect the larger situation—but if he could extract memories using the Yamanaka clan's techniques…
He could learn where Hema had gone, and what his real objective was.
"Ugh—mmgh!"
Hema let out a muffled scream.
But Souma had already isolated the area with barrier techniques. Not a single sound escaped.
Streams of memory surfaced.
Fudachi.
Hema's later alias.
The names of his three companions followed soon after.
Souma remembered.
The Four "No's."
Back then, their plan had been…
Laughably unrealistic.
He'd treated it as a joke.
Who would've thought they actually resurfaced?
But now—
They had already gone grave-robbing.
Souma narrowed his eyes.
A classic diversion.
Still, it wasn't a real problem. If Konoha couldn't handle four relics from the past, the ANBU might as well disband.
The Third Hokage wasn't even dead yet.
Souma wasn't worried about the village.
What he cared about was how to profit from this—and how to deceive these fools in return.
He glanced at Hema's shadow clone.
An idea sparked.
Mental energy surged again—
Memory Extraction.
Carefully, precisely, Souma sifted through and extracted memories—specifically removing everything related to his appearance in the hall.
It was just a clone.
If it broke, so what?
At worst, he'd send Konoha a warning.
"What… what kind of jutsu is this…?"
"..."
Souma ignored him, continuing the extraction.
Since his mental power had evolved, controlling it had become effortless. Against ordinary enemies, mental invasion was pure suppression—
And this was only a shadow clone.
Its mental structure was far simpler than a real person's.
Moments later—
Everything related to Souma was gone.
Then—
Souma vanished from the hall.
Hema's shadow clone slowly regained consciousness.
He looked around, confused.
What just happened?
Why did he feel like he'd blanked out?
After thinking briefly, he glanced at the half-asleep Daimyō and quietly relaxed.
"Your Excellency, I cannot persuade you—but please observe them for a while longer. If they truly act with loyalty, then I can rest easy."
"Hema… I know your loyalty. Very well. I'm tired too. I'll observe them over the next few days."
The Daimyō stirred groggily, assuming his fatigue was simply age catching up to him. He waved a hand, dismissing Hema.
He needed rest.
Hema's shadow clone withdrew.
The Daimyō yawned, stood, and was about to summon guards—
When a gentle breeze brushed past him.
Yagyū Souma appeared at his side.
The Daimyō rubbed his eyes.
For a moment, he thought he was seeing things.
But no—
It really was Souma.
"Your Excellency, you're not mistaken. I was in the side hall the entire time."
"But… sigh. Sit."
The Daimyō let out a helpless sigh.
He'd known this child was sharp—but this sharp?
Every subtle movement, every inconsistency seemed to register instantly.
Not human at all.
The Daimyō wanted to explain—
But Souma simply shook his head.
"Your Excellency, I observed everything. You had already resolved to cooperate with Konoha. It was Hema who used a form of illusion to influence your thoughts."
"There's such a technique?!"
The Daimyō's face paled.
"It doesn't work on shinobi," Souma said calmly. "But against ordinary people—especially someone familiar with their habits—basic illusion knowledge is enough."
He reached out, mental energy and chakra flowing into the Daimyō's body.
Moments later—
The Daimyō shuddered.
The guiding hypnosis dissolved, buried details resurfacing.
"That traitor! He's caused chaos before—I forgave him when we met again, and he dares use illusion on me?!"
Rage surged.
The Daimyō could forgive past arrogance.
After all, Hema truly believed the Daimyō should wield absolute power.
But—
The Land of Fire and Konoha had maintained balance for decades.
After years of reflection, the Daimyō had abandoned radical ideas.
Cooperation with Konoha was a deliberate choice.
Souma had merely provided the perfect opportunity.
Hema's request would never have been approved.
Yet he'd gone this far…
Cold sweat ran down the Daimyō's back.
"Asuma told me the assassination attempt back then was also Hema's doing."
"What?! He never told me that!"
Shock, anger, shame—all crossed the Daimyō's face at once.
Souma immediately stabilized his mental state with gentle techniques. At his age, this shock alone could have been fatal.
After calming him down, the Daimyō sighed weakly.
"I thought… he was loyal."
"He only wanted to realize his ideals," Souma replied softly. "Who sat on the throne didn't matter."
The Daimyō wasn't foolish.
Understanding dawned quickly.
Silence filled the room.
At last—
"If not for you, Souma… I might still be deceived."
Souma considered it.
If Asuma activated Sage Mode, he could have noticed.
But who activates Sage Mode in front of the Daimyō?
That'd be a performance, not protection.
Hema's cautious, subtle guidance was nearly impossible to detect.
"Your Excellency, I'll arrange cooperation on this end."
"Thank you. I leave it to you."
The Daimyō was exhausted.
Without Souma present, he would have collapsed already.
"Then I'll take my leave. Asuma-senpai's team will remain here. If Hema returns, give the order—they'll act."
"Understood."
Leaving the Daimyō's residence, Souma quickly regrouped with Tenten and the others.
They were staying in a guest inn arranged by the Daimyō.
The conditions were excellent.
Yet no one slept.
Souma hadn't returned.
Though he was the youngest, everyone knew—
He was the pillar holding both teams together.
Only when—
"Not sleeping?"
A figure slipped in through the window.
Souma dispelled his shadow clone.
Both Team Ten and Team One were present.
Yamato asked immediately, "Souma—how did it go?"
"Big gains."
Souma nodded. "I gathered intelligence, infiltrated the Daimyō's residence, and confirmed the enemy's movements."
He explained everything.
Asuma's eyes darkened.
"It really is Hema…"
"After this, Asuma-senpai, you'll stay and protect the Daimyō," Souma said. "I spared the clone today, but I already know his base."
Asuma listened carefully, then nodded.
"I'll protect him. Nothing will happen."
"Not just protection."
Souma glanced at him.
Asuma understood immediately.
Life shinobi.
Weak or not, they represented authority—the Daimyō's own power.
"I'll handle it," Asuma said firmly. "With them helping, it'll work."
"If you need covert assistance, contact the Sakuraba family. Mention my name."
Souma noticed a look from behind him and cleared his throat, regaining composure.
"As for Team One—we're leaving Kyoto tonight. You'll cover with clones."
"Understood."
Asuma hesitated, then said seriously, "If Hema truly intends to destroy Konoha—stop him."
"No mercy," he added.
Souma nodded.
They departed Kyoto overnight.
On the road, Souma sent intelligence back to Konoha and briefed Yamato, Tenten, and Kazusa.
Near midnight—
Four figures stood outside Konoha.
"Lord Fudachi, do we launch the attack now?"
"Wait—!"
Suddenly, Hema sensed multiple presences approaching at terrifying speed.
Moments later—
He identified them.
His tension eased.
"They're strong… but it's just Kakashi and the Ino–Shika–Chō."
"Troublesome," he admitted, "but with our preparations—nothing to fear."
The real problem—
It was Jiraiya.
And that damn kid…
Yagyū Souma.
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