The Third Hokage is truly skilled at managing his subordinates!

"Xiao Ning! Have you caught the assassin?"

Beside the carriage, the Daimyo disembarked with the help of several samurai. He cowered behind one of the tall guards, peering out with wide eyes, his former dignity and imposing aura completely vanished.

"As... assassination?"

The two ninja were so terrified they couldn't even speak clearly, their entire bodies trembling. "We were just looking to make some money! We never intended to assassinate anyone! My lord, please, you must see the truth!"

At this point, even if these two ninja were fools, they realized they had provoked someone of immense importance.

Ye Ning felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

The whole situation was absurd. The key was that these two ninja didn't seem to be lying, and given their status as small-fry, the accusation of assassination simply didn't hold water.

"Father, they are merely rogue ninja from Konoha looking for a payday, not assassins."

"Looking for money? Rogue ninja? Rogue ninja from Konoha?"

Seeing Ye Ning tie up the two ninja and neutralize the threat, the Daimyo regained some of his composure. He stepped out from behind his guards, his face flushed with undisguised fury. "A fine job you've done, Sarutobi Hiruzen! As the Third Hokage, you can't even keep your own subordinates in check!"

Ye Ning's mouth twitched. He didn't bother to soothe his convenient father, instead wearing an expression of someone ready to watch a good show.

If nothing went wrong...

The Third Hokage was about to have a miserable time.

"Yo, Xiao Ning, I get the feeling you're quite excited right now."

Konoha was within reach; Ye Ning only had to look up to see the village gates. Having spent two and a half years dreaming of this place, how could his heart not be stirred?

"Well, rest assured, I won't go back on my word!"

The Daimyo yawned, clearly having been overworked the previous night, but his expression was earnest.

Ye Ning couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.

The Scroll of Seals!

It contained nothing but forbidden jutsu!

Any one of them, if mastered, was enough to make a person a force to be reckoned with.

The Four-Symbols Seal, the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, the Impure World Reincarnation, the Flying Thunder God...

Impure World Reincarnation... he'd skip that one. While it was a powerful weapon, the current version was incomplete, required a sacrifice for every summoning, and forced one to scour the Shinobi World for graveyards.

He was interested in the legacy of Cao Wei, but certainly not in the field of grave robbing.

What Ye Ning truly craved was the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.

Currently, he only knew the most basic Three Basic Techniques. He hadn't even mastered the standard Clone Technique, let alone the higher-level Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.

As he stood, he was like a Special Jonin with severe lopsided skills. While his raw power could crush the entire Fire Temple, he was a blank slate when it came to genjutsu and even basic ninjutsu.

And this was the very reason he had come to Konoha.

Only by patching up his current weaknesses could he truly possess the ability to protect himself in the Shinobi World.

Finally arriving at the gates of Konoha, the Daimyo found an outlet for his suppressed rage. Without giving the gate guards a chance to speak, he stormed into the village. Ye Ning followed with a helpless expression, explaining their identities to the guards.

Although he hadn't visited Konoha in a long time, the Daimyo was surprisingly familiar with the village's layout, leading Ye Ning straight to the Hokage Building with practiced ease.

It was only then that the Third Hokage, who was in the conference room discussing post-war affairs, received the report from an Anbu ninja.

Inside the conference room.

Upon hearing the news, the Third Hokage looked shocked. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his gaze naturally falling on Danzo, who sat beside him.

The many Jonin present, including Danzo and others who knew the Third Hokage well, were bewildered, unable to understand what news could have triggered such a fierce reaction.

"The Daimyo has arrived. He is currently downstairs at the Hokage Building."

The sentence shocked Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and the others, though the other Jonin didn't react much.

They didn't have a deep impression of the Daimyo; most had never even met him. Only the Hokage advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, had any significant contact with him.

Danzo frowned, his expression displeased.

"The Daimyo? What is he doing in Konoha?"

It wasn't just Danzo who was confused; even the Third Hokage couldn't fathom why the Daimyo had come to Konoha at this moment.

Why not stay in the Land of Fire and play your role as a mascot? Why run to Konoha?

Was the affluent life not enough for you? Did you come to Konoha looking for excitement?

The Third Hokage took a deep breath and said helplessly, "The Daimyo is visiting. You all should come down with me to welcome him."

Regardless of the circumstances, he had to show the proper respect and go through the motions.

It would prevent the Daimyo from making a scene or using this as an excuse to demand unreasonable favors.

Soon, the group met.

Seeing the Daimyo's cold sneer and the two ninja in Ye Ning's custody, the Third Hokage's heart sank. He realized instantly that the Daimyo had come with ill intent.

Yet, the Third Hokage's face remained wreathed in smiles as he stepped forward to greet them.

"Lord Daimyo, why didn't you send word before coming to Konoha? Had I known sooner, I could have dispatched ninjas to escort you!"

Listen to that!

Listen to the level of that remark!

Truly the words of a seasoned politician!

He doesn't ask why you came to Konoha, nor does he ask what your business is. Instead, he asks why you didn't notify him in advance, simultaneously shifting the blame for the lack of a reception onto you while lowering his own posture to make you feel as if you were basking in a spring breeze.

Brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant!

If Ye Ning hadn't watched the Hokage series, he might have actually believed this kind-faced man.

However, the Third Hokage's humble posture did not diminish the frost on the Daimyo's face; if anything, it only added to his fury. He sneered immediately:

"The Third Hokage certainly knows how to keep his subordinates in line!"

The Daimyo let out a few laughs in a sarcastic tone, his eyes filled with mockery.

Keep his subordinates in line?

What did that mean?

Could it be that some ninja or villager had offended the Daimyo just moments ago?

Before the Third Hokage could think it through, the Daimyo signaled for Ye Ning to push the two ninjas forward, quipping, "Third Hokage, you should recognize these two, right? After all, they are ninjas from your Konoha! Oh, that's right—these two ninjas attempted to assassinate me a few days ago."

Assassination?

The Third Hokage's gaze naturally dropped, his eyes instantly focusing on the forehead protectors worn by the two ninjas.

Missing-nin from Konoha?