On the Brink of Death: Shion's Prophecy

"So you're this village's First Hokage, Arata Uchiha?"

The girl asked the young leader seated at the head of the room without a trace of courtesy.

Before he could answer, she went on by herself.

"Hmm. You look just like the person in my dream. It's definitely you."

The visitor's rude, one-sided chatter immediately drew the displeasure of Yogakure's leaders.

"Little girl, use the proper honorifics when you speak to our lord."

"Whether you're a priestess or a princess, neither title means anything here!"

Chino snapped.

Even she added "Lord" after Arata's name when outsiders were present. She certainly never addressed him by name alone!

Yet this girl from a remote country had acted arrogantly familiar from the moment they met, showing no respect for their authority!

But without her Ketsuryūgan showing, Chino's small frame and clear voice hardly made her intimidating.

"Lady Shion, this is the Land of Hot Water."

At the same time, a bespectacled guard in samurai attire hurried forward. After speaking softly to the girl, he apologized to Yogakure's leaders.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive my lady's rudeness. Lady Shion has lived in the Land of Demons since childhood, and this is her first visit to another country."

"I am Lady Shion's guard, Taruho."

"We have indeed come to discuss something important with the Lord Demon Shadow."

"It concerns the future of both the Lord Demon Shadow and the Demon Hidden Village."

Having apologized, the bespectacled man continued without servility or arrogance. After all, as the priestess's representative, he stood on equal footing with Yogakure's leaders in terms of formal status.

And as he had said, they had traveled all the way from the Land of Demons. They had not come to pay their respects merely because of Arata's recent fearsome reputation.

"Hmph."

"Taruho, why apologize? I