The entire venue fell silent.
All eyes focused on Yuto Adachi.
"From today onward, the Land of Hot Water will officially dissolve Hidden Steam, and will introduce the Uchiha clan to establish a brand-new ninja village!"
The moment these words were spoken, a stir ran through the banquet.
Uchiha?
Wasn't that a ninja clan from the Hidden Leaf Village?
How did they end up in the Land of Hot Water?
The guests whispered among themselves, voices buzzing with discussion.
Yuto continued:
"Furthermore, I hereby formally grant the head of the Uchiha clan, Gento Uchiha, the title of Guardian Duke, with Cloudspring Harbor as his fief!"
Boom!
The entire hall erupted.
Compared to arrangements regarding a ninja village, this matter was far more shocking!
Guardian Duke…
That was a top-tier noble title second only to the Feudal Lord!
And it was being granted to a ninja!
Since ancient times, no matter how strong a ninja was, they were merely tools employed by the Feudal Lord.
Never before had a Feudal Lord ennobled a ninja and granted them land!
Let alone bestowing the prosperous Cloudspring Harbor as a fief!
Several foreign Feudal Lords looked at one another, disbelief filling their eyes.
The domestic nobles showed clear dissatisfaction.
The Feudal Lord of the Land of Tea even blurted out:
"Yuto-sama, this is…"
Yuto ignored him entirely and continued enthusiastically:
"Additionally, the name Cloudspring Harbor is now a thing of the past!"
"Please, Gento-kun, give your fief a new name!"
Gento stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across everyone present.
He took in the shocked, confused, and even somewhat hostile looks one by one.
Then, he slowly spoke:
"From this day on, this city shall be called… Cerulean Harbor!"
...
The banquet quickly came to an end.
Guests departed one after another.
They would spread this astonishing news far and wide.
The vast hall gradually fell quiet.
Once no one else was around, Yuto walked up to Gento and said attentively:
"Gento-sama, I have already arranged accommodations for you. You have traveled far, so please rest for the night."
Gento shook his head, cutting him off:
"The establishment of the ninja village cannot be delayed. I must first go to the fief to select a site, so I won't linger."
Yuto did not dare disobey. He quickly took out a scroll of appointment from his sleeve and presented it with both hands:
"Yes!"
"In addition, the formal investiture ceremony for your title and fief will be held in one month."
"This letter of appointment is sufficient to make the officials of Cerulean Harbor obey your orders."
Gento took the document, glanced at it after unfolding, nodded, and then left with Shisui.
Night deepened as the two moved swiftly along the main road.
Gento gradually sensed something was off.
Shisui's speed was much slower than before, and his steps lacked their usual steadiness.
He stopped and turned to look at Shisui:
"Shisui, what's wrong?"
Shisui hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully:
"Clan Head, after using Kotoamatsukami, my left eye… seems to have gone blind."
Hearing this, Gento looked carefully. Shisui's left eye had dimmed, its pupil devoid of its former vitality.
"Is this… depletion of ocular power?"
Shisui nodded:
"I can feel my left eye slowly recovering, but it may take at least over ten years…"
Gento said nothing more. He stepped forward and placed his hand on Shisui's shoulder:
"Relax."
Shisui did not resist.
A second after, a stream of cool chakra flowed from Gento's palm into Shisui's body, moving slowly along his meridians and gathering toward his eyes.
The stinging pain gradually faded, replaced by a soothing coolness.
The nearly depleted ocular power actually began to recover under the replenishment of this chakra.
After half an hour, Gento withdrew his hand.
"This…!"
Shisui blinked in disbelief:
"My eye has recovered!"
"Not only has my ocular power been restored, even the cooldown time of Kotoamatsukami has been greatly shortened!"
"At this rate, I'll be able to use the left eye's Kotoamatsukami again in just five years!"
The way he looked at Gento now carried a hint of reverence.
Previously, whenever he used the Mangekyo Sharingan, he could clearly feel the consumption of his ocular power, so he never dared to use it lightly.
Now, that limitation seemed to have been lifted.
Not only could Susanoo be used freely, but even the Kotoamatsukami of his right eye could be used at will!
This meant his overall combat strength would rise to a whole new level!
Hearing this, Gento was also stirred inwardly.
He hadn't expected that sufficient ocular power could even accelerate the cooldown of Kotoamatsukami.
He patted Shisui's shoulder and smiled:
"Don't worry. If you ever lack ocular power, just come to me."
"As long as you complete the tasks I assign, you'll have more than enough ocular power!"
Shisui understood the weight of these words. He immediately stepped back and raised his right fist above his head:
"I pledge unwavering loyalty!"
...
The next day at noon.
The two arrived at Cerulean Harbor.
As the second most prosperous city in the Land of Hot Water, it truly lived up to its reputation.
The harbor was filled with merchant ships of all sizes, their masts standing like a forest, various flags fluttering fiercely in the sea breeze.
The docks bustled with noise; laborers carried cargo back and forth, vendors shouted to advertise their goods, and merchants in foreign attire conversed in small groups.
The air was filled with the salty tang of the sea breeze, the woody scent of cargo, and the aroma of food drifting from distant stalls.
Shops lined both sides of the streets–taverns, teahouses, silk stores, weapon shops–signboards and banners dazzling the eye.
Pedestrians brushed shoulders as they passed, while in the distance, the melodious sound of a shamisen played by a geisha mixed with the clamor and laughter of drinkers.
The entire city exuded vibrant energy and prosperity.
Gento brought Shisui to the magistrate's office, where officials governed the port on behalf of the Feudal Lord.
The office was an imposing Japanese-style building with black tiles and white walls. Two samurai stood at the entrance, swords at their waists.
After reporting their arrival, Gento was led inside to wait.
Before long, a middle-aged man walked out from an inner chamber.
He wore dark official robes and a black cap. Plump, his round face carried the rosy complexion of someone accustomed to comfort.
A pair of small eyes sized up Gento and Shisui shrewdly, filled with habitual arrogance and scrutiny.
He was the port magistrate of Cerulean Harbor, Masanobu Kurai.
"You are… ninja?"
There was a condescending tone in his voice. He didn't even invite them to sit.
Gento said nothing. He simply took out the letter of appointment and handed it over.
Masanobu accepted it and unfolded it casually.
After just one glance, his expression changed.
The arrogance vanished instantly, replaced by a face full of smiles as his back bent forward.
He hurriedly walked up to Gento and respectfully performed a deep bow:
"Harbor Magistrate of Cloudspring Harbor, Masanobu Kurai, greets Guardian Duke-sama!"
"I was unaware of your arrival and failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me, my lord!"
This sharp shift from arrogance to servility made Gento understand even more deeply the ingrained mindset of this world.
In the eyes of ordinary people, nobles were heaven itself!
Gento lightly patted Masanobu, who was kneeling on the ground in salute, and said:
"I actually preferred the unruly attitude you had just now."
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going! [Patreon.com/RedZTL]