The Great Name's Demise

The Daimyo had just prepared to lie down and rest when he suddenly heard a soft knock at the door.

"Father, it's Tachibana. I'm a little scared and can't sleep... I want to talk with you."

Princess Tachibana's voice came from outside the door, with a hint of timid gentleness.

Hearing his daughter's voice, a doting smile immediately appeared on the Daimyo's face.

He murmured softly:

"This child, she's still just a little girl after all."

He got up, walked to the door, and opened it.

Outside, Princess Tachibana was wearing a simple and elegant nightgown, her face showing a bit of unease and shyness.

The Daimyo smiled, patted her shoulder, and said gently:

"Come in, don't stand out there."

Princess Tachibana nodded and walked into the room.

The Daimyo closed the door and turned to go back to the bedside.

However, he didn't notice that the guards at the door were standing there quietly, their eyes closed, as if they had fallen asleep.

The moment the Daimyo turned around, his gaze met a pair of blood-red Double Tomoe Sharingan.

Those eyes were as deep as an abyss, emitting a strange glow.

Before the Daimyo could react, his consciousness was instantly overwhelmed by a strong sense of sleepiness.

"Princess Tachibana" stood to the side, the gentleness and shyness on her face instantly disappearing, replaced by a calm and sharp gaze.

Her form shifted, revealing Amada's true appearance.

He looked down at the Daimyo lying on the ground, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lord Daimyo."

Amada murmured softly.

"When you make a choice, you must pay the price."

He squatted down, leaned close to the Daimyo's ear, and whispered:

"Now, do as I say—write your will."

Although the Daimyo was in a deep sleep, under the control of Amada's Sharingan genjutsu, his body moved involuntarily.

He slowly stood up, walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and began to write on the paper—

"Due to my advanced age and exhaustion, I can no longer bear the responsibilities of the Daimyo. Princess Tachibana is intelligent and virtuous, my only heir. I have decided to pass the position of Daimyo to her, hoping she can lead the Rice Field Country to prosperity. As for me, I am too ashamed to face the people and can only atone with my death."

After finishing, the Daimyo put down the pen and slowly walked to the center of the room.

He took a long silk ribbon from the cabinet, hung it on a beam, then stepped onto a chair and put his head into the ribbon.

Amada stood aside, watching it all coldly.

He knew that all of this was the effect of genjutsu, the Daimyo completed all the actions in his sleep and wouldn't even feel any pain.

"Mission accomplished."

Amada murmured softly, then his figure flashed and he disappeared from the room.

The next morning, the palace was quiet, but it was broken by a sharp scream.

The sound instantly woke everyone.

Kushina reacted the fastest, she immediately rushed out of her room towards the source of the sound.

To avoid appearing abnormal, Amada also deliberately followed.

Asuma and Kurenai followed closely, their faces full of tension and confusion.

When everyone arrived at the Daimyo's chambers, the scene before them stunned them instantly.

In the room, the Daimyo was hanging from the beam, his body swaying slightly, his face pale, clearly showing no signs of life.

"Father!"

Princess Tachibana knelt on the ground, crying out in despair and grief.

Her body trembled, as if unable to accept the reality before her.

Inada Kai also rushed over, and upon seeing this scene, his face was filled with shock and disbelief:

"This... how is this possible? My brother was fine yesterday, how could he suddenly..."

Asuma and Kurenai stood aside, their faces heavy.

They walked to Princess Tachibana's side, gently comforting her, trying to calm her down.

Kushina quickly stepped forward, took the Daimyo's body down from the beam, and gently placed it on the ground.

She crouched down, carefully examining the Daimyo's corpse, her brow furrowed slightly:

"There are no signs of struggle, nor any external wounds. It appears the Daimyo hanged himself."

Her gaze swept across the room, then settled on the desk.

There lay a piece of paper filled with writing, clearly a suicide note.

After reading the note, Kushina's brow furrowed even tighter.

She murmured softly:

"He wrote the suicide note very calmly. It really looks like he committed suicide himself."

She turned her head to look at Inada Kai, her tone serious:

"Is this the Daimyo's handwriting?"

Inada Kai took the note, examined it closely, then nodded, his tone heavy:

"Yes, this is indeed my brother's handwriting. But... he was fine yesterday, how could he suddenly..."

Kushina's heart was suddenly filled with doubt.

She looked around, trying to find some clues, but everything in the room was as usual, with no signs of a fight or intrusion.

"Why would the Daimyo suddenly commit suicide? This is too strange."

Kushina murmured softly, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

Amada stood to the side, his face calm, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew his mission was complete, and Danzo's objective had been achieved.

Just as Kushina was carefully examining the room, trying to find any trace of the Daimyo's suicide, A low, hoarse voice suddenly sounded in her mind, saying approvingly:

"What a remarkable young woman."

Kushina frowned, immediately realizing it was the Nine-Tails' voice.

She asked in her mind:

"What, do you know what the problem is?"

The Nine-Tails chuckled, a hint of smugness in its tone:

"Do you think I'll tell you easily? I'm not interested in helping you solve these troubles."

Kushina responded dismissively:

"What's so great about that? If you don't say, I'll figure it out myself."

The Nine-Tails didn't respond further, only let out a low grunt before falling silent.

Kushina shook her head, refocusing her attention on examining the room.

She meticulously inspected the Daimyo's body, the suicide note, and every corner of the room, but found nothing unusual.

"Could the Daimyo really have committed suicide?"

Kushina murmured softly, her brow deeply furrowed.

Despite her doubts, she had to admit that the evidence before her pointed to that conclusion.

Meanwhile, Princess Tachibana had dried her tears, her expression gradually becoming resolute.

She stood up, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, her tone carrying a sense of determination:

"Father is gone, but I will not disappoint him. I will inherit his will and lead the Rice Field Country to prosperity."

Kushina looked at Princess Tachibana, a flicker of approval in her eyes.

She nodded, her tone gentle:

"Princess Tachibana, please accept my condolences. We will do our utmost to support you and ensure the stability of the Rice Field Country."

However, Inada Kai, standing nearby, had an unusually grim expression.

His gaze was dark, and complex emotions churned within him.

The Daimyo's sudden death had completely disrupted his plans.

The cooperation with Sunagakure was already imminent, But now with the Daimyo dead and Princess Tachibana taking the throne, the situation had instantly become uncontrollable.

"Tachibana must die..."

Inada Kai thought fiercely to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He knew that only if Princess Tachibana died would he have a chance to regain control of the situation and continue the cooperation with Sunagakure.

He quietly retreated to the side, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, his mind already calculating his next move.

However, he failed to notice that Amada's eyes were coldly fixed on him.