Only two days remained until the coronation ceremony.
The Land of Fire Capital, a city that had just undergone a bloody purge, was not chaotic at all. Instead, order reigned throughout.
The streets were spotless, and the nobles and ronin who had once run rampant were nowhere to be seen.
In their place were squads of armored guards with sharp eyes.
They patrolled every street corner in groups of three.
A carriage bearing the Uchiha Gunbai crest slowly entered the city.
Inside the carriage, Fugaku Uchiha, Hyuga Hiashi, and the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans rode together, chatting merrily.
Though Choza Akimichi's presence made it somewhat crowded.
Just then, Hyuga Hiashi's expression changed slightly, veins bulging around his eyes.
"Hiashi, what's wrong?"
Shikaku Nara, seated beside him, noticed the abnormality and quickly asked.
The others also turned questioning looks toward him.
Hyuga Hiashi did not answer immediately. His Byakugan pierced through the carriage as he scanned the surrounding buildings, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Something isn't right..."
After a long while, he slowly said, "The defenses of this capital consist of more than just the guards we can see."
"Oh?" Shikaku Nara perked up.
"Every crucial intersection has ninja hidden nearby." Hyuga Hiashi's tone was grave.
Fugaku Uchiha snorted. "The Twelve Guardian Ninja?"
"Doesn't seem like it."
Hyuga Hiashi shook his head. "Their Chakra signatures are unfamiliar. There are roughly thirty of them, but..."
"Everyone I detected is at least Chunin level. A few of those Chakra signatures are no weaker than ours!"
Hiss—
The carriage instantly fell silent.
The ease vanished from everyone's faces.
A ninja force of over thirty people, all at least Chunin level? And with Elite Jonin-level experts among them?
That was enough power to stage a coup in a small nation!
And this force did not belong to Konoha. It appeared to be the work of that Daimyo!
"This is troublesome..."
Shikaku Nara rubbed his forehead and muttered, "This young Daimyo is quite forceful!"
Inside another carriage sat two figures.
They were the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze behind him.
"Minato, did you sense it?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi swept his gaze across the surrounding streets, his tone solemn.
Minato Namikaze nodded, looking at the orderly streets. "Yes. This Daimyo is highly capable!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, his eyes turning toward the majestic Daimyo Manor in the distance.
"Yes... I just wonder whether this Daimyo still remembers the blood Konoha shed for the Land of Fire."
After saying that, he turned to Minato Namikaze with a grave expression.
"In this war, we suffered grievous losses. The village needs an explanation, both internally and externally. As the Third Hokage, it is time for me to take responsibility for all of this."
His words were filled with self-reproach, but Minato Namikaze understood the deeper meaning behind them.
Take responsibility? How?
By resigning from the position of Hokage!
It was both a gesture of taking responsibility and a step back to advance!
Inside a side hall of the Daimyo Manor.
Delegations from the Daimyo Manors of the Lands of Lightning, Wind, Earth, and Water had already been arranged to wait there.
The atmosphere was somewhat delicate.
The Land of Lightning's envoy was a robust nobleman. He wore splendid clothing, his face full of arrogance, while two Cloud Ninja guards stood behind him, radiating an untouchable aura.
The Land of Earth's envoy was short and looked like a civil official. He stroked his beard without uttering a word, with two Stone Hidden Ninja guards behind him as well.
The Land of Wind's envoy was a weathered middle-aged official. Behind him stood a masked female ninja with dangerous eyes.
The Land of Water delegation was the most eye-catching.
Its envoy was a pale, gloomy young nobleman, while one of the guards standing behind him was Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Hmph, making so many of us wait here is hardly proper hospitality!"
The Land of Lightning's envoy was the first to break the silence, his voice rough and his tone dissatisfied.
Though the others said nothing, displeasure was apparent on their faces.
Just then, the side hall's doors were pushed open, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
The person who entered was a young woman.
She carried a tray laden with exquisite pastries.
With her head lowered and her steps light, she placed the pastries before each person's table one by one.
The gloomy nobleman gave an interested whistle, soft but especially piercing.
"Well, the Land of Fire's maidservant is quite pretty."
The woman seemed not to hear him. After setting down the final plate of pastries, she bowed and withdrew to the side, standing with her hands lowered.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door once more.
This time, the old steward of the Daimyo Manor, Minamoto, entered.
"My lords, sorry for the wait." Minamoto bowed. "The Daimyo has specifically ordered this old servant to arrange accommodations for you."
The Land of Lightning's envoy snorted. "The Land of Fire's hospitality leaves much to be desired!"
The smile on Minamoto's face did not change.
"The Daimyo said that you have all come from afar and must be weary from the journey, so you should rest well. Tomorrow evening, the Daimyo Manor will hold a banquet to welcome you."
With matters put that way, the Land of Lightning's envoy could not make another scene.
Just as everyone prepared to rise, the old Land of Earth civil official, who had remained silent all along, suddenly spoke.
"I heard that some days ago, the Seigetsu Clan of the Land of Fire Capital was arrested for rebellion?"
Minamoto's steps paused, but he smiled. "That is indeed the case. Anyone who dares shake the foundations of the nation must naturally be dealt with by thunderous means."
The old official nodded, his clouded gaze falling upon the maidservant.
"I also heard that the Qingyue Clan's eldest daughter, Qing Yueye, was famed for both talent and beauty. I wonder where she is now?"
The moment those words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned in unison toward the woman standing with her head lowered.
Qing Yueye!
Quite a few people in the noble circles of their nations had heard that name.
Upon hearing the question, the woman lowered her head even further.
Minamoto's smile remained unchanged. He turned and instructed the maidservant.
"Yueye, raise your head and let these lords have a good look."
The command brooked no argument.
Qing Yueye's body remained stiff for a long time.
In the end, she slowly raised her head, revealing an exquisite but lifeless face.
Humiliated tears swirled in her eyes, yet stubbornly refused to fall.
She looked at the foreign nobles before her, her lips trembling.
"This servant... greets my lords."
The side hall fell silent.
The arrogance on the Land of Lightning nobleman's face faded.
The smile at Juzo Biwa's lips froze.
Wariness appeared in the eyes of both the Land of Wind's envoy and the Land of Water's gloomy nobleman.
Was this the New Daimyo's method?
He did not merely kill people. He wanted to destroy their hearts as well!
He had placed a former top noble lady, once equal in status to them, before their eyes as a maidservant.
This was a warning not to cause trouble!
Daimyo Manor.
Chiba Ran stood by the window, overlooking his capital.
Within his consciousness, points of light representing powerful individuals lit up one after another on the Daimyo System interface.
Uchiha, Hyuga, the Ino-Shika-Cho clans...
Inuzuka, Aburame...
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze...
And the ninja guards within the delegations of the four great nations...
"They're almost all here."
"Has everyone been arranged?"
"Reporting to my lord, all arrangements have been properly made." Minamoto's voice came from behind him.
"Good."
Chiba Ran turned, his gaze falling on a visiting card.
It had been sent by Hiruzen Sarutobi, requesting an audience tomorrow.
His finger tapped lightly on Hiruzen Sarutobi's name.
He was rather looking forward to tomorrow arriving sooner.
Before you continue