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"Uchiha."
Kazuma's expression darkened as he stepped forward, his voice sharp with anger as he stared at Shisui.
"What is Konoha trying to do. Breaking into the palace at night. Are you planning to assassinate the Fire Daimyo?"
Kazuma was a staunch loyalist to the daimyo's faction. He had never held much goodwill toward Konoha's shinobi, and Shisui's blatant disregard for protocol only fueled his fury.
On the other side, Chiriku noticed far more than Kazuma did. He did not speak, choosing instead to observe quietly as the situation unfolded.
Shisui showed no change in expression as he answered calmly.
"I am not here as a Konoha shinobi."
"I am here as a member of the Uchiha clan."
"The only people I represent are the Uchiha."
Kazuma was no fool. Hearing this, his eyes narrowed slightly as realization began to dawn.
The daimyo remained silent, studying Shisui with a thoughtful gaze.
After a brief pause, Chiriku finally spoke.
"What do you mean by that. Are you suggesting that the Uchiha intend to break away from Konoha?"
Chiriku was a warrior monk from the Fire Temple and effectively its representative.
The Fire Temple stood as a third pillar of power within the Land of Fire, alongside Konoha and the daimyo's court. Though it rarely interfered in worldly affairs, it quietly upheld the nation's balance and stability.
Chiriku understood better than most how delicate the relationship between Konoha and the daimyo truly was. That was why he had stepped forward years ago to serve as the daimyo's guardian when the court was threatened.
Shisui's sudden appearance made him sense danger once again.
Shisui shook his head.
"You misunderstand, The Uchiha are one of Konoha's founding clans. We would never abandon the village."
Chiriku was not satisfied with such a simple answer. His brow furrowed as he pressed further.
"Then what is your purpose here?"
"You bypassed the Hokage and contacted the daimyo directly. What does the Uchiha clan want?"
His words were sharp and unyielding, just short of outright accusing the Uchiha of rebellion.
Shisui's expression remained calm.
"The Uchiha clan has come to ask the daimyo for a way out."
He paused briefly before adding.
"Perhaps even a way to survive."
Despite lowering his posture so openly, Shisui's words caused both Chiriku and Kazuma to visibly stiffen.
The daimyo let out a quiet chuckle.
"Uchiha Shisui, I have heard of you."
"You are a descendant of Uchiha Kagami, are you not?"
Shisui's eyes flickered slightly. He had not expected the daimyo to know that much about him.
The daimyo continued.
"When the Second Hokage was still alive, your grandfather served as his personal guard. I met him several times."
"You distinguished yourself recently during the conflict with Kirigakure. You have not disgraced Kagami's name."
Shisui inclined his head modestly.
"You honor me, my lord. I merely survived the war by chance."
The daimyo neither agreed nor disagreed.
"There is no need for false humility. I recognize your ability, and I do not doubt your sincerity."
"But can you truly represent the entire Uchiha clan?"
"By seniority alone, you hold very little authority within your clan."
The daimyo had indeed known Uchiha Kagami, and Shisui reminded him strongly of the man.
Both shared the same uncommon trait.
Humility that did not fit the Uchiha stereotype.
If Shisui had come in his personal capacity, the daimyo would have gladly accepted him. He might even have welcomed such loyalty outright.
But Shisui claimed to speak for the entire Uchiha clan.
That was what made the daimyo uneasy.
Shisui replied evenly.
"Within the Uchiha clan, authority has always been decided by strength."
"You may rest assured. I am fully capable of representing the clan."
The daimyo narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Is it just you?"
Shisui shook his head.
"Of course not."
A flicker of surprise crossed the daimyo's gaze.
"Then are you the one in charge?"
Shisui shook his head again. This time, a trace of reverence entered his voice.
"I am only delivering a message on behalf of Brother Jin."
"Jin."
The daimyo's eyes shifted as he considered the name.
"Do you mean the one known as the Red Sun or crimson sun, something like that, the man spoken of in the same breath as the Yellow Flash?"
"Yes."
Shisui nodded.
"Brother Jin has said that once this war ends, he will become the next head of the Uchiha clan."
The daimyo paused, then asked.
"Does he intend to become the Fourth Hokage?"
The daimyo knew well how poorly the Uchiha were treated within Konoha. They had long been marginalized by the Hokage faction and excluded from the village's true decision-making circle.
The Uchiha had tried many times to change this reality.
The most direct solution would have been to place a Uchiha at the center of power, or even make one Hokage.
But Hiruzen had built Konoha into an airtight system. The Uchiha had no allies and no leverage. Stirring the waters inside the village was nearly impossible.
In such circumstances, seeking a breakthrough beyond Konoha's walls was inevitable.
And the Fire Daimyo was the most natural choice.
However, if that was all Jin wanted, then he was being far too naive.
The Hokage's seat was not something one simply reached for.
Yet to the daimyo's surprise, Shisui shook his head.
"Brother Jin has no intention of becoming Hokage."
"Oh."
The daimyo's interest was clearly piqued.
"Then what does he want?"
"An opportunity."
Shisui answered without hesitation.
"An opportunity for the Uchiha to no longer live at the mercy of others."
"I wish to enter the daimyo's service and become one of your Twelve Guardian Ninja."
The daimyo did not respond immediately. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Has the Uchiha clan truly been pushed to this point?"
Shisui let out a slow breath.
"In this war alone, sixty-eight members of the Uchiha clan died."
"Twenty-nine more vanished without explanation."
"They act openly now. And with the fate of the Senju as a precedent, the Uchiha can no longer afford to stand still."
"We must find a path forward."
"But the Uchiha will always be Konoha's Uchiha."
"And Konoha is not merely the Hokage's Konoha."
"The Uchiha will never betray the village."
"That is why I came to the daimyo."
The daimyo smiled faintly.
"How rare. It seems the Uchiha have finally produced someone who understands the bigger picture."
In his eyes, the Uchiha lacked neither talent nor intelligence. What they lacked was political awareness.
They had been maneuvered and restrained by Hiruzen and his faction for years without ever realizing it.
To see someone among them who could think beyond pride and grievance was unexpected.
Shisui dropped to one knee.
"I ask that you take us in."
The daimyo considered this for a moment before laughing softly.
"Stand up."
"In days as dull as these, it is rare for something genuinely interesting to happen."
"Helping you would not be out of the question."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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