Daimyo of the Land of Fire!

Konoha.

Senju Clan Compound.

"Chiba."

"What do you plan to do next?"

Shikaku Nara's tone was extremely respectful.

Now that he had made his decision.

He would not regret it, and began considering what came next.

Chiba did not answer immediately.

He leaned back against the broad wooden chair, his fingers lightly tapping on the tabletop.

"Tap, tap, tap."

The monotonous sound echoed through the silent hall.

"Shikaku."

"Do you know why my teacher is called the Princess of the Land of Fire?"

After a moment.

Chiba curled his lips and let out a brief chuckle.

Shikaku Nara froze for a moment.

He did not understand why Chiba had brought Tsunade into the conversation.

But he did not hesitate and immediately began recalling the intelligence on Tsunade.

As Konoha's strategist, such information had long been carved into his bones.

"Because of her bloodline."

"Lady Tsunade's grandfather was Lord Hashirama Senju, the First, known as the God of Shinobi."

"Her grandmother was Lady Mito Uzumaki, the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who came from the Land of Whirlpools."

"Beyond her status within the village."

"Lady Tsunade also holds an extremely high position in the Land of Fire."

"Her maternal grandfather was the previous Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

Very quickly.

Shikaku Nara sorted through his thoughts.

Upon hearing Shikaku Nara's words.

Aburame Shibi beside him leaned forward slightly.

Shisui Uchiha also widened his eyes, as though he had grasped an important clue.

"Lady Tsunade's father was the eldest son of the First."

"And her mother was the previous Land of Fire Daimyo's most favored Eldest Princess."

"In other words, the current Daimyo of the Land of Fire is Lady Tsunade's biological uncle!"

Shikaku Nara spoke faster and faster.

As his words fell.

The entire hall sank into dead silence.

Even Shikaku Nara's eyes widened as his breathing quickened.

He finally understood what Chiba meant.

No shinobi village, no matter how powerful its military strength, could exist independently of its country.

The village needed the Daimyo to provide enormous military funding and material supplies.

Even the appointment of the Hokage had to receive the Daimyo's final seal of approval.

If the Daimyo did not nod, the Hokage's position would lack legitimacy.

"Lord Chiba."

"You mean... the Daimyo Palace!"

Shikaku Nara's voice carried barely restrained excitement.

If the Daimyo of the Land of Fire publicly declared his support for Chiba.

Then Chiba would possess absolute moral legitimacy!

At that time.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's prized orthodox status would collapse in an instant.

The Daimyo could simply declare that the Konoha High Command had failed in its duties and forcibly remove Sarutobi Hiruzen from the position of Hokage.

"A very clever deduction."

"Before I returned to Konoha, I had already asked my teacher to go to the capital."

"By now, she should have met that Daimyo uncle of hers."

"If nothing unexpected happens, an envoy from the Daimyo Palace will arrive in Konoha within a few days at most."

Chiba snapped his fingers in satisfaction.

He looked at the three Konoha elites before him and made no effort to conceal his plan.

"This... this..."

Shisui listened from the side, his heart surging with emotion.

He had originally worried that Chiba would purge Konoha through violent slaughter.

Now, however, it seemed that Chiba not only possessed overwhelming strength, but also flawless political skill.

He would take the Hokage's position without spilling a drop of blood.

The damage to the village would be reduced to the bare minimum.

Aburame Shibi nodded as well.

This truly was a perfect plan!

"What a perfect move."

"What the Third generation cared about most was his flawless image in the eyes of the villagers."

"Once the Daimyo Palace publicly condemned him for indulging Danzo and causing Konoha's decline, his reputation would be utterly ruined."

"..."

After hearing Chiba's approval.

Shikaku Nara also let out a sigh of relief.

He had already begun planning the coming propaganda battle in his mind.

As long as the Daimyo's official document arrived.

The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans could immediately activate their hidden networks and steer the villagers' emotions.

By then.

Sarutobi Hiruzen would completely lose any ability to make a comeback!

Meanwhile.

As he watched the relieved expressions on the three men's faces.

A deeply concealed glint of coldness flashed through Chiba's eyes.

The Daimyo?

In Chiba's eyes.

The so-called Daimyo was nothing more than an ordinary man.

In a world where mastering Chakra allowed one to destroy heaven and earth.

What right did an ordinary man have to sit above shinobi?

Chiba held this warped political structure in utter contempt.

The only reason he had sent Tsunade to ask the Daimyo to intervene was to disgust Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He would use the rules Sarutobi Hiruzen obeyed most closely to slap him in the face.

That was the most vicious way to destroy someone.

As for those nobles of the Daimyo Palace?

If they truly believed that a single document could control him, Chiba.

Then they were gravely mistaken.

If that Daimyo dared to meddle in Konoha's affairs in the future, or tried to manipulate the military budget.

Chiba would not hesitate to storm the Daimyo Palace and kill his way inside.

That was Senju Qianye.

He did not believe in the Will of Fire. He believed only in absolute strength and control.

"Enough."

"That's all for tonight."

"Go back and make your preparations."

"Once the Daimyo's envoy arrives, it will be time for us to take over Konoha completely."

A few minutes later.

Chiba waved his hand and dismissed them.

The three men immediately rose to their feet.

They gave Chiba a shinobi salute, then silently withdrew from the hall.

The night grew deeper.

A cold wind swept through the treetops.

Near the Capital of Land of Fire, thousands of miles away.

A bonfire burned fiercely, driving away the late autumn chill.

Beside the fire.

Tsunade carried an enormous sake jug.

She tilted her head back and fiercely gulped down several mouthfuls of sake.

"That damn brat!"

"I'm obviously the master!"

"And he actually dared to order me around in that tone, making me run errands for him!"

The next moment.

Buoyed by the alcohol, Tsunade began complaining loudly.

On a tree stump not far away.

Shizune was grilling several river fish.

The pet pig Tonton lay at her feet, making comfortable snuffling sounds.

Hearing Tsunade's complaints.

Shizune could not help covering her mouth as she laughed.

"Lady Tsunade."

"Stop being so stubborn."

"Who was it that, the moment she heard Chiba's plan, dragged me out to travel through the night?"

After a while.

Shizune handed the grilled fish to Tsunade, her eyes full of teasing.

Tsunade snatched the grilled fish and took a savage bite.

"Stop yammering!"

"I just..."

"I just didn't want to watch that idiot go off to die alone."

Tsunade chewed the fish and muttered indistinctly.

In truth, she knew better than anyone.

Chiba did not need her protection at all.

Thinking back to a few days ago.

Chiba had activated Perfect Sage Mode before her.

That pure, terrifying Natural Energy still made Tsunade's heart tremble whenever she recalled it.

It was a realm that even her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, had only mastered after spending an enormous amount of time.

Yet Chiba.

After merely two years of training, he had completely surpassed those who came before him.

That damn brat truly possessed the capacity to change the entire Ninja World.

The glory of the Senju Clan was finally about to reappear through that brat.

As an elder of the Senju Clan, how could Tsunade possibly not support him?

"Another half day of travel."

"And we'll reach the capital."

"Shizune, get some rest early."

"Tomorrow morning, we'll enter the city and meet that irritating uncle of mine."

As she said this.

Tsunade's gaze sharpened.

No matter what, she would persuade the Daimyo and obtain an edict removing Sarutobi Hiruzen from office.

It was time to uproot Konoha's corruption completely.