Chapter 25

A large number of assassins ambushed the Uchiha Clan Head near the Land of Lightning, an event that shocked the ninja world—no, the entire continent. As the de facto rulers of the Land of Lightning and a conglomerate controlling half the continent's economic lifeline, when the Uchiha caught a cold, the entire continent had to sneeze.

The Uchiha clan announced a thorough investigation into the matter. The Land of Vegetables, having suffered an unprovoked disaster, apologized and pleaded for mercy with trembling fear, desperately trying to distance itself: "We are sorry for our lack of oversight, allowing such scoundrels to seize an opportunity..." The Daimyo of the Land of Vegetables had suffered from insomnia for over half a month, living in a state of constant gloom. If not for the sake of his aristocratic dignity, he would have knelt at Uchiha Madara's feet to weep and beg for forgiveness.

Upon receiving the Uchiha's demands, the Daimyo, Fujiwara Nobuyuki, sent letters to various factions calling for a joint condemnation of the mastermind behind the incident. Whether sincere or feigned, the factions responded with identical condemnations to show their support; regardless of their usual relationships, they would at least perform this gesture. Akabane Hatome, suppressing his inner terror, also sent a letter with a grave and serious tone. Following this, Fujiwara Nobuyuki ordered a nationwide announcement of the event.

One stone stirred up a thousand ripples; public opinion truly revealed its power at this moment. The Uchiha's reputation in the Land of Lightning was excellent, and public sentiment was overwhelmingly one-sided. Furthermore, the incident occurred less than five miles from the Land of Lightning. Relations between the Land of Vegetables and the Land of Lightning were decent, and some citizens of the Land of Lightning would occasionally travel to the Land of Vegetables for leisure or to visit relatives, enjoying a sense of superiority as citizens of the suzerain state while in such a vassal country. To avoid exposing their tracks, the ambushers had slaughtered all nearby civilians, regardless of age or gender, inevitably implicating some people from the Land of Lightning.

"My Kyoko went to the Land of Vegetables and never came back!" a woman covered her face and wailed. "Kyoko, my daughter! How could you leave your mother behind!"

"Those beasts!" An old man pounded his cane against the ground, cursing with deep hatred.

"They even attacked Lord Madara!" Although the attempt failed and the attackers were wiped out, this detail was collectively ignored. "Absolutely unforgivable!"

"Yes! We cannot let the murderers go!"

"We want revenge!"

"Right, revenge!"

The Uchiha clan grounds were as quiet and serene as ever. The vibrancy of summer was coming to an end, and the colors of the vegetation shifted from passionate to somber, the deepening green evoking a coolness like that of lake water. Half-green maple leaves drifted silently onto the stone path, the exquisite and tranquil scenery seemingly isolating the area from the noise and chaos of the mortal world.

However, those who lived here knew very well that they could not escape the shackles of the world. This turbulent situation was pushed forward by their own hands, all to secure the most advantageous position within those very shackles.

"Grandfather, you've been busy for over a month. How are things going?"

"The hearts of the people are ready to be used."

This phrase was learned from the Clan Head. How to minimize the public's resistance to war—give them hatred and panic, and create enemies for them! Uchiha Koichi had long been accustomed to his grandfather's mysterious nature and disjointed speech, and he successfully deduced the information within. "...Is it starting?"

Uchiha Tai stacked the documents, squared their edges, sealed them with red paper, and labeled them. Without a word, he stood up and returned to the inner hall. He pulled back the curtain on the northernmost wall and, from hundreds of compartments, pulled out the one at the fifth row and twenty-sixth column to place the stack of red-sealed documents inside.

Uchiha Koichi followed him. "Grandfather?"

"Shh." Uchiha Tai held a finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. "'No need to ask.'"

This phrase was a common clan code, meaning "classified mission" and "execute without objection."

A refusal to answer was also an answer, indicating that the clan's decision-making level had already made up its mind. The fact that no formal notice had been issued—or perhaps never would be—meant that the whole affair was far from as simple as it appeared on the surface. Connecting the events, Uchiha Koichi immediately understood.

"Could it be—" his lowered voice could not hide his shock, "—that the attack was orchestrated by the Clan Head himself?"

"Just going with the flow. How could we refuse a handle delivered to our doorstep?" Uchiha Tai sighed and patted his grandson's head. "What it means to adapt to the place and the time—you, you should watch and learn more!"

More turbulent than the situation on the continent was the mood of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and his staff.

Akabane Hatome's hands trembled so much he could not grip the decorative sword at his waist. The cold blade brought him no courage, only triggering waves of shivering.

It was a complete failure...

"My Lord, it is all that brat's fault!" a staff member raised his voice, breaking the silence. "We cannot let him go!"

"Indeed, indeed!" another staff member glanced sideways at the youth. "He thinks he's clever just because he has a little wit, but look at the trouble he's brought the Lord!"

The youth remained calm, though he sneered inwardly. A bunch of fools who only knew how to nag after the fact—where were they before?

"What else is there to say?" Akabane Hatome stared at him.

"What are you afraid of?" the youth countered.

Having his inner, secret weakness exposed, Akabane Hatome immediately became furious, his voice harsh but his spirit hollow. "How insolent!"

The youth acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing on his own: "Their influence in the Land of Fire has been reduced by sixty percent. Although you lost some men, you have managed to seize absolute power, and your substantive status is no longer what it once was. If the Uchiha wanted to kill you, they would have covered up the attack and planned an assassination instead. Now that the whole world knows, they would certainly be criticized if they posed a threat to your life. Aside from the fear of death, what else do you fear?"

What did he fear? Akabane Hatome asked himself. In the past, he dared to challenge the Uchiha, who held power over the entire country, and despised other ninjas, relying on his close relationship with the Senju Clan. Later, because he failed to see the situation clearly and overestimated himself, he distanced himself from the Senju, only to be forced by the Uchiha's faction until he lost almost all his power and face. After this incident, he had calmed down significantly and tried to repair his relationship with Senju Hashirama, only to be beaten to the punch by Uchiha Madara. With the two clans successfully allied, the Senju could no longer be his reliance against other ninja clans.

Even at this point, the situation was not entirely dire.

The ninja world had been in chaos for a long time. Although the situations in various countries fluctuated, there was always a group of people who stood at the top, whether they held real power or served as puppets. They relied on their so-called royal bloodline to openly enjoy taxes and demand the loyalty of their subjects. This world was modeled after Japanese culture, and there were truly many people with blind loyalty. Not to mention commoners, even the most powerful ninjas had to bow when they saw them. Akabane Hatome was arrogant and conceited; he looked down on ninjas of low birth from the bottom of his heart. Even his bit of friendship with Senju Hashirama was based on the premise that he was "condescending to the virtuous."

However, this mindset collapsed the moment he saw Uchiha Madara.

It wasn't just Akabane Hatome; every noble who had met Uchiha Madara felt fear from the bottom of their hearts. It was not because of the legendary Sharingan, but because of the elegance and dignified nobility that radiated from his very bones, as if he were born to stand above all living things, a status that even the lowly identity of a ninja could not diminish in the slightest. He made the nobles feel inferior, even unconsciously jealous. Moreover, his methods were even more daunting than his power.

The return of an emperor... If he truly was an emperor returned, then how were they, the "Daimyo," supposed to conduct themselves?! The youth was right; Akabane Hatome was afraid, but he did not fear the ninja—he feared an unpredictable fate.

"Things are not as simple as you think." Finally, he shook his head. The youth before him had a sharp mind and unique insight; he was indeed a talent. But limited by his low birth, there were many things he did not understand.

"We have already gained some initiative," the youth said, puzzled, trying to persuade him. "At this time, we should..."

"You go—go back first." Akabane Hatome changed his mind on the spot; after all, he was a talent, and might be useful later.

"My Lord?!" The youth's face was full of shock, unable to understand why the other party had this attitude. Everything should have been within his plan, right?!

"I will summon you if there is anything." He cut the youth off and ordered the samurai to take him away.

Until the door behind him slammed shut, the youth had not yet recovered.

He had been extremely clever since childhood, and the inferences he made after observing things had almost never failed; even his brother praised him as a natural strategist. This time, with the Uchiha as his opponent, although their reaction exceeded his expectations, the result was not too far off from his predictions.

How could this happen? Damn it, where did it go wrong...

"Hey! Why aren't you leaving yet!" the samurai at the gate of the Daimyo's mansion shouted. The youth snorted and scurried away.

"Takoyaki~ delicious takoyaki~"

"Dango~ sweet dango, new flavors available~"

So hungry... Various aromas drifted through the air. The boy twitched his nose, rubbed his belly, patted his pockets, and finally puffed out his cheeks.

Why didn't the Daimyo even provide lunch? So stingy! he complained inwardly. Shedding the feigned maturity he had worn inside the Daimyo's estate, the boy's adorable appearance drew knowing smiles from passersby.

His cheek suddenly felt warm, a soft sensation pressing against him through a paper bag. The boy turned around in surprise, his momentum instantly deflating.

"Brother?"

Thump. The paper bag landed in his palm. The scent surged into his nostrils, and the boy clutched the food, swallowing hard as he glanced at his brother with a guilty conscience. The newcomer was a tall, thin young man; his slender frame supported a simple hunting robe, and his dark green hair fell to his shoulders. "Eat."

The boy's eyes sparkled, and he immediately pulled out a steamed bun and began to gnaw on it. While eating, he asked vaguely, "When did you get here, Brother?"

The young man smiled gently. "If I hadn't come to find you, your little life would be gone."

"It's nothing, really..." the boy muttered, glancing left and right, looking at the sky, the ground, and his bun, but refusing to look at his brother.

"Hmm?" At these words, the young man applied a bit of force with his hand. The boy let out a pained yelp and tilted his head to rescue his ear. "Don't, don't, don't! Brother! That hurts!"

"So you still know pain." He let go, his face losing its smile and turning indescribably stern. "Hoshino Zhan, who told you to get involved in this? You are far too reckless!"

The boy shrank back, feeling aggrieved. "I didn't~"

"Hoshino Zhan!"

"Oh, Brother~ My good brother~" The boy tugged at his sleeve, acting spoiled. "We learned all those things precisely so we could use them, right~"

Hoshino Yu felt both amused and worried. "Is standing out in the world really that important to you?"

"Wrong! It's about leaving a name in history!" Hoshino Zhan lifted his chin.

Hoshino Yu stopped in his tracks, stared into his younger brother's eyes, and suddenly sighed. "Then come with me to the Land of Lightning."