Chapter 23

"A master of Go, or you could call him a Saint of Chess!"

Shimizu's expression was grave. If a ninja's sharp blade was meant to be brandished in open combat, then a man like Fujiwara Muneyoshi was a poison lurking in the shadows—far more lethal than anything a ninja could conjure. A ninja might kill a hundred men in a fit of rage, but a poisonous scheme could claim ten thousand lives in a single stroke. Even as Shimizu remained on guard against the old man, Fujiwara Muneyoshi shook his head with a smile, his tone tinged with feigned shyness.

"I dare not accept such a title. This old man merely possesses a hollow reputation. It is only that fellow enthusiasts see my advanced age and choose to concede, unwilling to defeat me."

Hearing this, Shimizu's disdain deepened. He knew the man was incapable of doing anything without purpose, so he retorted with a sneer.

"You have been undefeated since the age of twenty, Fujiwara Muneyoshi. Are you suggesting that is also because others pitied your youth and couldn't bear to ruin you?"

"Heh heh heh heh heh!"

Watching Fujiwara Muneyoshi laugh without offering a rebuttal, Shimizu's expression turned somber.

"I want to know why you have come here!"

Fujiwara Muneyoshi seemed completely oblivious to the undisguised killing intent beneath Shimizu's dark expression. He looked at Uchiha Mingye with a playful glint in his eyes.

"An old man naturally wishes to wander about, and so I arrived here. I did not expect that you would also be able to summon the Great Serpent worshipped by the legendary Wind-Thunder Clan. It seems this technique is indeed the very method the Wind-Thunder Clan uses to trade for their lives!"

Shimizu was usually a man of good temperament, yet for some reason, when Uchiha Mingye saw Fujiwara Muneyoshi appear, Shimizu's expression flared with anger. This was entirely unlike his third uncle, who usually wore a constant smile and kept everything hidden deep within.

"Fujiwara Muneyoshi, state your purpose. Spare us the empty talk; we have no time to waste with you here!"

"I am here by the General's order to receive you both. Otherwise, these old bones of mine would have no desire to wander into such deep woods."

"Then we shall trouble you to lead the way, old man."

A golden scroll appeared in Fujiwara Muneyoshi's hand, but Uchiha Mingye did not even reach for it. He walked straight past the man as if he were invisible. In truth, Uchiha Mingye truly hadn't seen it, but the old man did not think so. Though he had orchestrated the entire interaction and attempted to assert his dominance, the effort was rendered utterly meaningless by Uchiha Mingye's blatant disregard. Shimizu noticed the slight contraction of Fujiwara Muneyoshi's pupils and smiled to himself before following in Uchiha Mingye's footsteps.

"My Lord!"

Once the two had completely departed, a ninja attempted to ask the old man for instructions, but Fujiwara Muneyoshi merely shook his head and chuckled.

"It is of no consequence. I was never meant to be someone who could make them kneel to receive orders. The Uchiha clan... they are truly difficult to handle. The General's influence has grown once again, it seems."

The ninja, failing to grasp the meaning behind Fujiwara Muneyoshi's words, did not dwell on them and vanished back into the woods. Fujiwara Muneyoshi began to walk slowly forward, where a sedan chair awaited him on the main road.

As the two emerged from the woods and continued along the main road toward Gangshan Castle, Shimizu began his duty of briefing Uchiha Mingye on the intelligence regarding Fujiwara Muneyoshi.

"At thirty, Fujiwara Muneyoshi began serving the previous Daimyo as a strategist, stabilizing the internal situation of the country for a time. However, everything collapsed on the day the Daimyo was assassinated. The country's sovereignty was usurped, and the Tokugawa House, which served as the Daimyo, was reduced to mere puppets. It was then that Fujiwara Muneyoshi joined the ranks of General Sato. You must understand, Mingye, that in the Land of Fire, there are three Commissioners and five Generals who hold the vast majority of the nation's power. We serve under Sato, one of those five Generals!"

Uchiha Mingye listened carefully, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"Three Commissioners and five Generals! It seems the Land of Fire is truly chaotic."

Shimizu sighed helplessly. The external disputes and internal infighting were burdens the Land of Fire faced that no other nation could compare to. Its abundant resources not only drew the covetous eyes of foreign powers but also fueled the greed of domestic factions. In such a climate of strife, the chaos was hardly worth mentioning.

"With vast lands and rich resources, the Land of Fire is the most prosperous nation in the world. Situated at the center of many countries, its people and wealth are unparalleled. Such a land naturally invites the gaze of many, and those within desire even more. This is the nature of power and ambition. We must be cautious in all things. Even our Uchiha clan cannot easily alter the course of this turbulent and chaotic situation."

"I understand. Besides, I have something excellent that will put General Sato in a wonderful mood. Rest assured and watch my actions."

As Uchiha Mingye spoke, a deep blue orb, roughly the size of a third of a fist, appeared in his hand. A small snake slithered out from his sleeve, coiled around his hand, and gradually merged into the orb, transforming into the shape of a dragon.

Inside the General's pavilion, Uchiha Mingye sat kneeling on a cushion, waiting for the General's arrival. After an unknown amount of time, a side door in the corridor opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious silk, radiating authority, stepped inside. He strode to the main seat, swept a glance at Shimizu, and then looked at Uchiha Mingye with a hint of disdain.

"Is the Uchiha clan so devoid of talent that they would send such a callow youth? What is the meaning of this?"

"I beg the General's forgiveness. This one is Uchiha Mingye, the third son of the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Tajima. My arrival here is not intended as a slight against you, My Lord."

Uchiha Mingye stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and knelt to explain. The General, hearing this, was no longer overly angry, but he noticed that Uchiha Mingye's eyes lacked pupils and asked with curiosity.

"Tajima's son, what is wrong with your eyes?"

Uchiha Mingye did not tell the truth, weaving a lie to brush the question aside before introducing himself.

"I was reckless in my youth and suffered the consequences. But the General need not worry; I shall complete every mission you assign. The Uchiha clan never raises weaklings."

The General nodded, knowing the Uchiha clan would never dare to deceive him, and let the matter go. He then continued his inquiry.

"Hmph! Very well. What is the purpose of your visit?"

Hearing the General's question, Uchiha Mingye calmly straightened his posture and explained. "I have come for three reasons. First, from this day forward, I shall serve you faithfully, and I also wished to witness your majesty. Second, my father, Uchiha Tajima, passed away several days ago, and I have come to report his death."

"Tajima is dead! What of the Hagoromo clan?"

Upon hearing the news of Tajima's death, the General's brow furrowed, his voice turning somber.

"Not a single soul remains!"

Shimizu interjected from the side. After all, the General might doubt Mingye's words, but he would believe him.

"Good! As expected of the Uchiha clan. Since Tajima is dead, who is your current clan head?"

The General nodded in satisfaction. The ninjas of the Hagoromo clan had offended him in the past, and since the Uchiha clan had taken action, he was pleased to hear they had been wiped out completely.

"It is my eldest brother, Uchiha Madara."

Hearing the General's question, Uchiha Mingye replied respectfully once more. Pleased by the annihilation of the Hagoromo clan, the General's mood improved, and he offered a reward.

"Very well! I understand. When you leave, go to the treasury and collect eight hundred strings of cash as a token of my appreciation."

"I thank the General for his grace. Now, for the third matter: during my years of travel, I obtained a rare treasure. It can soothe the soul and prolong life, and at night, it emits a white light like a night-pearl. Furthermore, there appears to be a divine dragon dancing within the orb. I present this to you, General, as a token of my respect."

Uchiha Mingye bowed his head, a fleeting, contemptuous smile tugging at the corner of his lips, though it vanished before anyone could notice. He lifted the exquisite box he had prepared from his sleeve and held it high above his head.

"Oh! Present it for me to see!"

The general's page received the order and quickly walked up to Uchiha Mingye, taking the box and bringing it before the general. The general then signaled the page with a glance, and the surrounding curtains were immediately lowered. Because the main seat was located in the center of the room, the light dimmed significantly once the curtains were drawn. Only after the servants had finished all of this did the general open the box.

A pale white glow radiated from the bead, and beneath that light, a miniature dragon flickered in and out of existence, constantly swimming through the white radiance. As he held the bead in his hand, a faint chill traveled from his palm throughout his entire body, actually providing the general with a sense of comfort. The general even discovered that the chronic ailments left behind from the wars decades ago were beginning to improve and fade away bit by bit. Nodding in great satisfaction, he placed the bead back into the box and praised Uchiha Mingye.

"It is indeed a treasure. Such a gift deserves a generous reward. Speak your wish, young man, and this general will surely make it come true for you!"

"I have long heard that the general's word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. We follow the general with loyalty and dare not harbor any ulterior motives, but as the general knows, the location of our Uchiha clan's settlement has been discovered, so I wish to request a piece of land from you!"

Uchiha Mingye had anticipated this, and seeing the general speak, he immediately stated his purpose.

"Oh! Where?"

Upon hearing that Uchiha Mingye wanted land, the general did not mind and asked for the location. Uchiha Mingye quickly described the high-mountain basin he had seen before.

"That forest a thousand miles northwest of the Fire Temple!"

The general couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Uchiha Mingye to ask not for a place of prosperity and wealth, but for a desolate, undeveloped forest and mountain range. He then asked, "Haha! That is nothing but a desolate mountain range. You actually want to live in seclusion there?"

"I beg the general to grant my request!"

Uchiha Mingye could not tell the general that he suspected that place would be the future site of Konoha, so he did not provide further explanation and pleaded once more.