Daimyo of the Land of Fire Bows His Head!

Land of Fire.

Daimyo Palace.

Inside an incomparably luxurious room.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire sat upright in the seat of honor.

The folding fan in his hand, a symbol of his status, was trembling faintly beyond his control.

Across from him.

Ye leaned casually against the back of a rosewood chair.

He held a freshly brewed cup of hot tea, looking utterly at ease.

"Lord Chiba."

"The documents regarding your succession as the Fifth Hokage have already been prepared."

The Daimyo swallowed.

There was none of a ruler's majesty in his voice. Instead, it carried a deliberate note of flattery.

"Lord Daimyo, you work quite efficiently."

Ye set down his teacup with a crisp clink.

His voice was not loud, yet it made the Daimyo's entire body of fat shudder violently.

At first.

The Daimyo had wanted to put Chiba in his place.

After all, he was the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and held Konoha's economic lifeline in his hands.

However.

Before Chiba.

The Guardian Shinobi Twelve the Daimyo had relied upon were as weak as ants.

They had not even lasted a second before Chiba casually sent them flying with a slap.

That made the Daimyo fully recognize reality.

Sarutobi Hiruzen followed the rules.

Because Sarutobi Hiruzen needed the Daimyo's support and the funds he allocated.

But what about Chiba?

This monster, with Senju blood flowing through his veins and command over the legendary Wood Style.

He did not care about any worldly rules at all!

The Daimyo had no doubt.

If he dared oppose Chiba.

Ye would absolutely snap his neck, then put an obedient Puppet in his place.

"As long as Lord Chiba is satisfied."

"With you leading Konoha, it will surely usher in unprecedented prosperity!"

The Daimyo wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

An ingratiating smile was squeezed onto his face.

"Increase the Daimyo's annual funding by another thirty percent."

"Konoha is about to enter a period of rapid development. It needs more money."

Ye glanced at him.

His gaze was calm, without the slightest ripple.

This was not a negotiation.

It was a pure command.

"No problem!"

"This is only right, for the peace of the Land of Fire!"

The Daimyo nodded repeatedly and agreed at once.

The Land of Fire was the wealthiest nation in the Ninja World.

Even with an additional thirty percent in funding, nothing would go wrong.

Ye rose to his feet.

His black Hokage Cloak fluttered without wind.

Without sparing the Daimyo another glance, he turned and strode toward the doors.

Only after Chiba's figure had completely vanished at the end of the corridor.

Did the Daimyo seem to have all his strength drained away.

He collapsed onto the tatami, gasping heavily.

"A monster..."

"He's a complete and utter monster..."

The Daimyo muttered to himself.

He suddenly began to sympathize with Sarutobi Hiruzen.

When faced with such an overbearing man who refused to play by the rules.

Those old men with heads full of political schemes probably would not even understand how they died.

Inside the Izakaya.

Chiba pushed open the door, and a breeze ruffled his short hair.

Tsunade was still seated at the bar.

She held a wine glass, seemingly lost in thought.

"You really won't come back with me?"

Chiba stopped and tilted his head slightly.

Tsunade did not turn around.

She suddenly tipped back her head and drained the strong liquor in her glass.

The spicy liquid poured down her throat and into her stomach, bringing a searing sting.

"I told you, I'm not going back."

"You brat's wings have grown strong now. Konoha is already in the palm of your hand."

"What would I go back for?"

"To watch you send those old men to the chopping block one by one?"

There was a trace of self-mockery in Tsunade's voice.

Chiba watched her quietly.

He understood Tsunade's inner struggle.

That place had once been her home, where everything she had wanted to protect remained.

But Konoha had long since changed!

"I promise you."

"If Sarutobi Hiruzen doesn't cause trouble, I'll spare his life."

After leaving those words behind.

Chiba strode away and walked straight out of the Izakaya.

Tsunade's fingers tightened sharply around her glass.

She closed her eyes, and two trails of tears silently slid from the corners of her eyes.

"Old man..."

"Don't do anything foolish!"

Tsunade understood Chiba's ruthlessness better than anyone.

Sparing Sarutobi Hiruzen's life.

That was already Chiba's greatest concession for her sake.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen tried to cause trouble.

Chiba would absolutely kill Sarutobi Hiruzen and might even wipe out the entire Sarutobi Clan.

At the same time.

Wood Style had reappeared in the Ninja World...

Chiba had forcibly suppressed the Konoha High Command...

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had been forced to step down&

These pieces of news spread wildly throughout the Ninja World as if they had grown wings.

Land of Wind.

Inside the Kazekage's office in Sunagakure.

"Wood Style..."

"A gigantic Wood Golem hundreds of meters tall..."

Looking at the intelligence scroll in his hand.

Rasa's facial muscles twitched violently beyond his control.

His voice was extremely hoarse, carrying an uncontrollable tremor.

On the other side.

Baki knelt on one knee below, not even daring to raise his head.

As the Kazekage's confidant, he knew Sunagakure's current situation all too well.

The Daimyo of the Land of Wind kept cutting military funding.

The village's fighting strength was caught between generations.

To maintain the village's deterrent power.

Rasa had even sealed the One-Tail inside his own son, all to create an ultimate weapon.

But now?

A descendant of the Senju Clan had actually emerged from Konoha!

Not only had the other party awakened Wood Style, he had directly suppressed the entire Konoha High Command!

Such strength had already faintly surpassed the level of Kage Level experts.

"Lord Kazekage."

"Could this intelligence have been exaggerated?"

After a moment.

Baki swallowed and asked with difficulty.

"Exaggerated?"

"The spies planted in Konoha saw it with their own eyes."

"Shimura Danzō did not even have room to resist before he died miserably on the spot."

"The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was even forced to relinquish his position!"

"Are you telling me all of that was fake?"

"..."

Rasa slammed his palm against the desk.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his chest rose and fell violently.

Even though he had never met Chiba.

He could still imagine just how powerful Chiba was!

That was absolutely not a force he, the Kazekage, could contend with!

"Sunagakure... is in danger!"

After a long while.

Rasa slumped back into his chair.

Once Chiba completely consolidated Konoha's power.

With that youth's domineering style, he would never be as weak as Sarutobi Hiruzen and pursue any peaceful diplomacy.

And Sunagakure was the closest to Konoha.

They would likely become one of Konoha's first targets for annexation.

"Give the order immediately!"

"Fully withdraw the border defenses."

"No ninja carrying out missions outside the village is allowed to provoke Konoha!"

"Also."

"Go check on Gaara!"

"No matter what it takes, he must gain control over the One-Tail's power!"

"..."

A trace of madness flashed through Rasa's eyes.

Against the legendary Wood Style.

The Tailed Beast might be Sunagakure's only trump card.

Even if that trump card could turn on them at any moment...

At this point, Rasa could no longer worry about such things!