The Daimyo's Death

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 wanted to talk with you."

Princess Tachibana's voice came from outside the door, timid and weak.

Hearing his daughter's voice, the Daimyo's face immediately softened into a loving smile.

He murmured softly:

"She's still just a little girl, after all."

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

Outside, Princess Tachibana wore a simple, elegant nightgown. She looked a little uneasy and embarrassed.

The Daimyo smiled and patted her shoulder gently.

"Come in. Don't stand out there."

Princess Tachibana nodded and entered the room.

The Daimyo closed the door and turned to head back toward the bed.

However, he didn't notice the guards standing silently by the door, their eyes closed as if they had fallen asleep.

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

Those eyes were as deep as an abyss, radiating an eerie light.

Before the Daimyo could react, an overwhelming wave of sleepiness swallowed his consciousness.

The weakness and embarrassment vanished from "Princess Tachibana's" face,

replaced by a calm, sharp gaze.

Her form changed, revealing Amada's true appearance.

He looked down at the Daimyo lying on the floor, a complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Forgive me, Daimyo."

Amada murmured softly.

"You made your choice, so you have to pay the price."

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

"Now, do as I say—write your will."

Although the Daimyo had fallen asleep, under the control of Amada's Sharingan Genjutsu, his body moved against his will.

He slowly stood up, walked over to the desk, picked up a pen, and began writing on a sheet of paper—

"I am advanced in years and exhausted in body and spirit, and can no longer bear the responsibilities of the Daimyo. Princess Tachibana is wise and capable, and she is my sole heir. I have decided to pass the position of Daimyo to her, and hope she can lead the Rice Field Country to prosperity. As for me, I have no face to show the people, and can only atone with my death."

When he had finished, the Daimyo put down the pen and slowly walked to the middle of the room.

He took a long silk sash from the cabinet and hung it from a ceiling beam. Then he stepped onto a chair and put his head through the sash.

Amada stood to one side, watching coldly.

He knew it was all an effect of the Genjutsu.

The Daimyo had performed every action in his sleep and wouldn't feel the slightest pain.

"The mission is complete."

Amada murmured, then vanished from the room in a flash.

The next morning, the palace was quiet until a piercing scream broke the stillness.

The sound instantly woke everyone.

Kushina reacted the fastest. She rushed out of her room and hurried toward the sound.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Amada deliberately followed after them as well.

Asuma and Kurenai followed close behind, their faces tense and bewildered.

When they reached the Daimyo's bedchamber, the sight before them left them frozen in place.

Inside the room, the Daimyo hung from a ceiling beam, his body swaying slightly, his face pale. He was clearly dead.

"Father!"

Princess Tachibana fell to her knees and burst into tears, her voice full of despair and grief.

Her body trembled as if she couldn't accept what she was seeing.

Inada Kai hurried over, too. Seeing the scene, he was shocked and disbelieving.

"H-How is this possible? My brother was fine yesterday. How could he suddenly..."

Asuma and Kurenai stood to one side, their faces grave.

They went to Princess Tachibana and gently comforted her, trying to calm her down.

Kushina quickly stepped forward, took the Daimyo's body down from the beam, and gently laid him on the floor.

She crouched down and carefully examined the Daimyo's body, her brows drawing together slightly.

"There are no signs of resistance, and no external injuries. It looks like the Daimyo hanged himself."

Her gaze swept across the room before settling on the desk.

A sheet of paper covered in writing lay there. It was clearly a suicide note.

After reading the note, Kushina's brows knit even tighter.

She murmured softly:

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

She turned to Inada Kai, her tone serious.

"Is this the Daimyo's handwriting?"

Inada Kai took the note and studied it carefully. Then he nodded, his voice heavy.

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

Kushina was filled with questions.

She looked around, trying to find some clues, but everything in the room was in order. There were no signs of a struggle or a break-in.

"How could the Daimyo suddenly kill himself? This is strange."

Kushina murmured, confusion flashing through her eyes.

Amada stood to one side, keeping his expression calm, but inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.

He knew his mission was complete, and Danzo had achieved his goal.

Just as Kushina carefully examined the room, trying to find any trace of what had led the Daimyo to kill himself,

a deep, hoarse voice suddenly sounded in her mind, speaking with admiration:

"What an extraordinary young man."

Kushina frowned, immediately recognizing the Nine-Tails' voice.

She asked inwardly:

"What, do you know what's wrong?"

The Nine-Tails chuckled, sounding rather smug.

"Do you think I'd tell you that so easily? I have no interest in helping you deal with this mess."

Kushina replied scornfully:

"What's so special about that? If you won't tell me, then don't. I can figure it out myself."

The Nine-Tails didn't answer. It only gave a low grunt before falling silent.

Kushina shook her head and turned her attention back to searching the room.

She carefully examined the Daimyo's body, the suicide note, and every corner of the room, but still found nothing unusual.

"Could the Daimyo really have killed himself?"

Kushina murmured, her brows deeply furrowed.

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

Meanwhile, Princess Tachibana had wiped away her tears, and her expression had gradually grown resolute.

She stood up and swept her gaze over everyone in the room, determination in her voice.

"My father is gone, but I won't let him down. I will carry on his legacy and lead the Rice Field Country to prosperity."

Kushina looked at Princess Tachibana, admiration flashing in her eyes.

She nodded, her tone gentle.

"Princess Tachibana, please accept my condolences. We'll do everything we can to support you and ensure the Rice Field Country remains stable."

However, Inada Kai, standing to one side, looked unusually grim.

His gaze was dark, his heart roiling with complicated emotions.

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

The agreement with Sunagakure had been all but finalized,

but now the Daimyo was dead and Princess Tachibana was taking his place. The situation had become utterly unpredictable.

Tachibana has to die...

Inada Kai hardened his resolve, a cold glint in his eyes.

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

He quietly stepped aside, looking over everyone in the room as he began planning his next move.

However, he didn't notice Amada's cold gaze fixed on him,