Visitors from Konoha, Envoys from the Four Nations

There were only two days left until the coronation ceremony.

The Land of Fire Capital, a city that had just undergone a bloody purge, was not in chaos; on the contrary, it was in perfect order.

The streets were spotless, and the nobles and ronin who used to run rampant were nowhere to be seen.

In their place were squads of guards clad in armor with sharp, piercing gazes.

They patrolled every street corner in groups of three.

A carriage adorned with the Uchiha Gunbai crest slowly drove into the city.

Inside the carriage, Fugaku Uchiha, Hiashi Hyuga, and the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans were riding together, chatting happily.

It felt a bit cramped, mostly due to the presence of Choza Akimichi.

Just then, Hiashi Hyuga's expression shifted slightly, and the veins around his eyes bulged.

"Hiashi, what is it?"

Shikaku Nara, sitting to the side, noticed his abnormality and asked quickly.

The others also cast inquisitive glances his way.

Hiashi Hyuga did not answer immediately. His Byakugan pierced through the carriage, scanning the surrounding buildings with a deeply furrowed brow.

"Something's not right..."

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, "The security of this capital isn't limited to just the guards we see."

"Oh?" Shikaku Nara perked up.

"There are ninjas hidden at every key intersection," Hiashi Hyuga said in a grave tone.

Fugaku Uchiha let out a cold snort. "Is it the Twelve Guardian Ninja?"

"It doesn't look like it."

Hiashi Hyuga shook his head. "Their chakra fluctuations are unfamiliar. There are about thirty of them, but..."

"Everyone I detected has at least the strength of a Chunin. Among them, there are a few chakra signatures that are not even inferior to yours or mine!"

Hiss—

The carriage fell silent instantly.

The relaxed expressions on everyone's faces vanished.

A force of over thirty ninjas, all at least Chunin level? And they even possessed powerhouses on the level of Elite Jonin?

This power was enough to spark a coup in a small nation!

Furthermore, this troop did not belong to Konoha; it looked like the work of that Daimyo.

"This is troublesome..."

Shikaku Nara rubbed his forehead and muttered to himself, "This young Daimyo is quite formidable!"

Inside another carriage, two figures appeared.

They were none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze behind him.

"Minato, do you feel it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi scanned the surrounding streets, his tone deep.

Minato Namikaze nodded, looking at the orderly streets, and said, "Yes, this Daimyo is very capable!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, his gaze fixed on the towering Daimyo Manor in the distance.

"Indeed... I just don't know if this Daimyo still remembers the blood Konoha has shed for the Land of Fire."

Having said that, he turned to look at Minato Namikaze with a solemn expression.

"We suffered heavy losses in this great war, and both inside and outside the village, there needs to be an explanation. It is time for me, the Third Hokage, 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!

This was both a gesture of taking responsibility and a strategic retreat!

Inside a side chamber of the Daimyo Manor.

Delegations from the Daimyo Manors of the Land of Lightning, Land of Wind, Land of Earth, and Land of Water had already been arranged to wait there.

The atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

The envoy from the Land of Lightning was a burly nobleman. He was dressed in finery, his face full of arrogance, and he was guarded by two Cloud Ninjas who radiated an aura that suggested they were not to be trifled with.

The envoy from the Land of Earth was short and looked like a civil official; he stroked his beard in silence, also guarded by two Stone Hidden Ninjas behind him.

The envoy from the Land of Wind was a middle-aged official with a weathered face. Standing behind him was a masked female ninja with a dangerous look in her eyes.

The most eye-catching of all was the delegation from the Land of Water.

The envoy was a pale-faced, gloomy-looking young nobleman, and the guard standing behind him was none other than Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

"Hmph, making so many of us wait here like this is hardly the way to treat guests!"

The envoy from the Land of Lightning was the first to break the silence, his voice gruff and his tone filled with dissatisfaction.

Although the others remained silent, their faces betrayed their own discontent.

Just then, the door to the side hall was pushed open, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

The person who walked in was a young woman.

She was carrying a tray laden with delicate refreshments.

With her head bowed, she moved with light steps, placing the snacks on the table in front of each person one by one.

The gloomy nobleman let out a whistle, his interest piqued. It wasn't loud, but it was gratingly sharp.

"Yo, the Land of Fire sure has some good-looking maids."

The woman acted as if she hadn't heard him. After setting down the final plate, she bowed and retreated to the side, standing with her hands at her sides.

At that moment, footsteps sounded from outside the door once again.

This time, it was Gen, the old steward of the Daimyo Manor, who entered.

"My lords, thank you for your patience," Gen said, bowing in greeting. "The Daimyo has specifically ordered me to come and arrange accommodations for you all."

The envoy from the Land of Lightning let out a cold snort. "The Land of Fire's hospitality leaves much to be desired!"

The smile on Gen's face did not waver.

"The Daimyo says that since you have all traveled from afar and had a long journey, you should get some proper rest. Tomorrow evening, the Daimyo Manor will host a banquet to welcome you."

With the matter put this way, the envoy from the Land of Lightning could not easily flare up again.

Just as everyone was preparing to rise, the elderly civil official from the Land of Earth, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up.

"I heard that a few days ago, the Seigetsu Clan of the Land of Fire Capital was arrested for rebellion?"

Gen's footsteps paused, and he smiled slightly. "That is indeed true. Those who dare to shake the foundations of the nation must be dealt with using thunderous measures."

The old official nodded, his cloudy gaze falling upon the maid.

"I also heard that the eldest daughter of the Seigetsu Clan, Qing Yueye, is famous for her talent and beauty. I wonder, where might she be now?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present turned their gazes in unison toward the woman standing with her head bowed.

Qing Yueye!

This was a name that many in the noble circles of their respective countries had heard of.

Hearing the question, the woman buried her head even lower.

Gen's smile remained unchanged. He turned around and gave an order to the maid:

"Yueye, raise your head and let these lords get a good look at you."

The command left no room for refusal.

Qing Yueye's body remained rigid for a long time.

In the end, she slowly lifted her head, revealing a face that was breathtakingly beautiful yet devoid of life.

Tears of humiliation welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

She looked at the foreign nobles before her, her lips trembling.

"This servant... greets you, my lords."

The side hall fell silent.

The arrogance on the faces of the Land of Lightning nobles vanished.

The smile on Juzo Biwa's face froze.

The eyes of the Land of Wind envoy and the gloomy noble from the Land of Water were filled with wariness.

Is this the method of the new Daimyo?

He doesn't just kill; he destroys the spirit!

To parade a woman who was once a top-tier noble, an equal to them in status, before them as a mere maid.

This is a warning for them not to cause trouble!

Daimyo Manor.

Chiba Ran stood by the window, overlooking his capital.

In his consciousness, on the interface of the Daimyo System, light points representing powerful individuals lit up one by one.

Uchiha, Hyuga, the Ino-Shika-Cho clans...

Inuzuka, Aburame...

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze...

And those ninja guards within the delegations of the Four Great Nations...

"They've all arrived, it seems."

"Are the people arranged?"

"Reporting to my lord, everything has been properly arranged." Gen's voice came from behind him.

"Very good."

Chiba Ran turned around, his gaze falling upon a calling card.

It was sent by Hiruzen Sarutobi, with an appointment to pay a visit tomorrow.

His finger tapped against the name of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He found himself looking forward to tomorrow arriving quickly.