Chapter 23

"An accomplished Go player—you could even call him the Sage of Go!"

Shimizu's expression was grave. If a ninja was a sharp sword, meant to dominate in open combat, then someone like Fujiwara Muneyoshi was a poison lurking in the shadows, far more capable of harming people than ninjas like them. A ninja could kill at most a hundred people, but a single poison plot could claim thousands of lives. Just as Shimizu was on guard against the old man, Fujiwara Muneyoshi smiled, shook his head, and spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone.

"Not at all, not at all. I'm just famous in name only. A few fellow enthusiasts merely see that I'm old and give way rather than risk beating me!"

After hearing Fujiwara Muneyoshi's words, Shimizu looked even more disdainful. The other man would never do anything without a purpose, so he sneered, "Since you turned twenty, Fujiwara Muneyoshi, you haven't lost a single game. Was that because everyone thought you were too young and couldn't bear to ruin your record, too?"

"Heh heh heh heh!"

Watching Fujiwara Muneyoshi laugh without answering, Shimizu's expression darkened.

"I want to know what you're doing here!"

Fujiwara Muneyoshi seemed not to notice the murderous intent barely concealed beneath Shimizu's dark expression. He looked at Mingye with an amused smile and said, "When you're old, you naturally feel like wandering around. That's how I ended up here. I didn't expect you could summon the great serpent that the Wind-Thunder Clan is said to worship. It seems this really is a technique the Wind-Thunder Clan uses to trade their lives for power!"

Shimizu was usually even-tempered, but for some reason, Mingye noticed that his expression had grown angry the moment Fujiwara Muneyoshi appeared. This was nothing like his uncle, who always wore a smile and could keep anything hidden in his heart.

"Fujiwara Muneyoshi, just tell us why you're here. Don't waste time talking in circles. We don't have time to stand around here with you!"

"I'm here on the general's orders to receive you both. Otherwise, these old bones of mine wouldn't want to wander so deep into the woods!"

"Then we'll trouble you to show us the way, sir!"

A golden scroll appeared in Fujiwara Muneyoshi's hands, but Mingye didn't even take it. He walked right past him as if he hadn't seen it—which, in fact, he hadn't. The old Fujiwara Muneyoshi didn't see it that way, though. He'd controlled the whole exchange, and his attempt to put them in their place had seemed to succeed, but Mingye's complete disregard for him erased all of that in an instant. Shimizu noticed the slight contraction of Fujiwara Muneyoshi's pupils. Smiling to himself, he walked right past him as well and followed Mingye.

"My lord!"

After the two had gone, a ninja tried to ask the old man something, but Fujiwara Muneyoshi shook his head and said with a chuckle, "It's fine. I was never someone they should have been made to kneel before to accept an order. The Uchiha Clan really is difficult to deal with! The general's influence has grown once again!"

The ninja didn't understand what Fujiwara Muneyoshi meant, but didn't dwell on it. He disappeared into the woods again, while Fujiwara Muneyoshi started walking at an unhurried pace. A palanquin was waiting for him on the main road.

As the two emerged from the woods and continued along the main road toward Gangshan Castle, Shimizu dutifully began sharing everything he knew about Fujiwara Muneyoshi.

"Fujiwara Muneyoshi began advising the previous Daimyo when he was thirty. He stabilized the situation within the country for a time, but everything began to fall apart again after the Daimyo was assassinated. The Daimyo's house, the Tokugawa House, lost control of the country and became a puppet. That was when Fujiwara Muneyoshi joined General Sato's camp. Mingye, you should know that the Land of Fire has three commissioners and five generals. Between them, they hold most of the country's power! We serve under Sato, one of the five generals!"

Mingye listened carefully, then shook his head and joked, "Three commissioners and five generals! The Land of Fire really is a mess!"

Shimizu was helpless. Between conflicts with other countries and internal strife, the Land of Fire faced troubles unlike any other nation. Its abundant resources not only drew the attention of foreign powers, but also made its own factions covet them. In the face of such conflict, the chaos was hardly surprising.

"The Land of Fire is vast and rich, the most resource-abundant country in the world, and sits at the center of many nations. Its people and resources are unmatched by those of other countries. Naturally, that makes others covet it, while its own people want to claim more for themselves. That's what power and ambition are. We must be cautious in everything we do. Even our Uchiha Clan can't change much amid all this turmoil."

"I understand! And I have something that will put General Sato in a wonderful mood. Just watch what I do!"

As Mingye spoke, a deep-blue bead about one-third the size of his fist appeared in his hand. He jiggled it, and a small snake slipped out of his sleeve and gradually merged into the bead, transforming into the shape of a dragon.

Inside the so-called General's Pavilion, Mingye sat on a cushion and waited for the general to arrive. After an unknown length of time, the side door onto the corridor suddenly opened. A dignified, middle-aged man dressed in luxurious brocade entered, strode to the seat of honor, glanced at Shimizu beside Mingye, and then looked at Mingye with disdain.

"Has the Uchiha Clan run out of people? You've sent such a callow boy. What does this mean?"

"Please forgive me, General. I am Uchiha Mingye, the third son of the Uchiha Clan's leader, Uchiha Tajima. My coming here is not meant to show you disrespect."

Mingye rose, walked to the middle of the room, and knelt. The general heard his explanation and calmed down somewhat. Then he noticed that Mingye's eyes had no pupils and asked curiously, "You're Tajima's son. What happened to your eyes?"

Mingye didn't tell the truth. He made up an excuse, then introduced himself.

"I was careless when I was young and paid the price for it. But you needn't worry, General. I'll complete every task you give me. The Uchiha Clan has never raised weaklings!"

The general nodded. He knew the Uchiha Clan wouldn't dare slight him, so he put the matter aside and continued, "Fine, then. What brings you here?"

Hearing the general's question, Mingye straightened up as he knelt and explained, "I came for three reasons. First, from now on, I will serve you faithfully, and I also hope to witness your authority in person. Second, my father, Uchiha Tajima, passed away a few days ago, so I came to report his death."

"Tajima is dead! What about the Hagoromo Clan?"

The news of Tajima's death made the general furrow his brows, his voice turning dark.

"Not one was spared!"

Shimizu cut in from the side. The general might have doubted Mingye's words, but he was more likely to believe Shimizu.

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

The general nodded with satisfaction. The Hagoromo Clan's ninjas had once offended him, and since the Uchiha Clan had taken action, he naturally wanted them wiped out completely. Shimizu's answer had pleased him.

"My elder brother, Madara Uchiha!"

Mingye answered respectfully again. The general was in an even better mood now that the Hagoromo Clan had been wiped out, and rewarded him.

"Good! I understand. When you leave, go to the treasury and collect eight hundred strings of coins. Consider it a small token of my appreciation!"

"Thank you for your generosity, General. That brings me to the third matter. During my years traveling abroad, I acquired a rare treasure. It can soothe the mind and prolong life, and at night it gives off a white glow like a luminous pearl. There seems to be a divine dragon dancing inside it. I've brought it as a gift to mark our first meeting!"

Mingye bowed his head in gratitude once more. A faint, scornful smile touched his lips, but it vanished before anyone could notice. He took the exquisitely crafted box he had prepared from his sleeve and raised it above his head.

"Oh? Let me see it!"

At the general's signal, a young attendant hurried over to Mingye, took the box, and carried it to the general. The general gave the attendant a look, and the curtains around them were drawn. Since the seat of honor was at the center of the room, pulling the curtains dimmed the light considerably. Only after the servants had finished did the general open the box.

Pale light spilled from the bead, and beneath it, a tiny dragon appeared and vanished, swimming through the glow. As the general held the bead, a faint coolness spread from his palm through his body, bringing him a pleasant feeling of relief. He even noticed that old injuries from battles decades ago were slowly healing and disappearing. Nodding with satisfaction, he put the bead back in the box and praised Mingye.

"Truly a treasure! A gift like this deserves a generous reward. Tell me what you wish for, and I, the general, will make it happen!"

"I've heard that the general always keeps his word. We follow you loyally and wouldn't dare ask for anything in return. But you know that our Uchiha Clan's homeland has been discovered, so we'd like to ask you for a piece of land."

Mingye had expected this. When the general made the offer, he told him what he wanted.

"Oh? Where?"

Hearing that Mingye wanted land, the general didn't think much of it and simply asked where. Mingye quickly described the mountainous basin he had seen before.

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

The general chuckled. He hadn't expected Mingye to ask for a barren, undeveloped mountain forest rather than some prosperous, wealthy place. He asked, "Heh! That's nothing but a desolate mountain range. You actually want to live there?"

"Please grant my request, General!"

Mingye couldn't tell the general that he suspected this was where Konoha would one day be established, so he didn't explain further and simply pleaded again.