Iwagakure in Crisis; Shingen Leaves Konoha

"Where's the real target? Did you kill him?"

"No, it's in the study."

It's alright, at least they know they can't just kill the person in question.

Uchiha Shingen nodded in satisfaction.

Then he looked at the woman who had just held the baby in her arms, intending to use her own body to catch the knife.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked at him in terror and stammered, "My husband is Okura Daisuke. I can give you money. My husband has a lot of money and will ransom us."

"We are Leaf Village ninjas, commissioned by the Fire Daimyo to apprehend criminals." Uchiha Shingen pointed to his battle suit and then showed the woman the "license" strapped to his arm. Seeing the woman's incredulous expression, he said, "Your husband made money he shouldn't have, he's dead. You'd better prepare to remarry."

Okura Daisuke was definitely going to pay with his life, but the world doesn't follow the rule of collective punishment, so his wife and children not only escaped unscathed, but also received all of Okura Daisuke's property except for his fiefdom.

This was a privilege reserved for the nobility.

Uchiha Shingen was quite familiar with the circle of nobles.

For noblewomen with children, remarrying was effortless; the children could simply take their new husband's surname.

The woman was a very beautiful woman, and Okura Daisuke was indeed quite wealthy, so technically speaking, it wouldn't have been difficult for her to remarry.

Okura Daisuke's fiefdom will definitely be taken away by the Fire Daimyo.

Even during the Kunimura period, this kind of thing was common; noble fiefdoms were not static.

A disgraced nobleman's fiefdom will be stripped by the daimyo, while a meritorious nobleman will be granted one.

Commoners cannot enter the lords' circle, but there is always movement within it.

Only the Daimyo, as allies of the ninja villages, can maintain an absolute advantage over other lords through the mutual support mechanism between them.

The Fire Daimyo and Hidden Leaf Village are allies in this country. Both sides should respect each other's customs. It is absolutely unacceptable to carry out a massacre on someone else's territory.

This is incredibly disrespectful to an old friend.

Pulling the already sheathed sword Uchiha Itachi out the door, Uchiha Shingen didn't stop there either, giving him a stern lecture.

Uchiha Itachi, who had originally been filled with murderous intent, was almost completely stunned when he arrived at the study.

Uchiha Itachi didn't actually have many friends within the Uchiha Clan, mainly because he was expressionless and arrogant, treating even his own people this way. However, he wasn't like that with everyone; Uchiha Shingen happened to be one of the few people who could keep him in check.

Upon arriving at the study, Uchiha Shingen saw another Aburame Clan he had assigned to keep an eye on him, as well as Daisuke Ozō, who was Okura Daisuke in place, performing a human figure art piece.

"Is he Okura Daisuke?"

"Yes, Lord Shingen."

Upon hearing the name "Shingen," Okura Daisuke, though unable to move, stared wide-eyed in terror.

"You're in trouble, Lord Daisuke." Uchiha Shingen casually released him from the immobilization spell. "Don't worry, your family is fine. There are no rules without order. This has nothing to do with your family. You're the one who's dead."

Once freed from his restraints Okura Daisuke Ozō knelt on the ground with a thud, tears and snot streaming down his face, and kowtowed deeply to Uchiha Shingen: "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Just now, he genuinely believed that his wife and children would be killed by that ninja.

Compared to that, his own life didn't matter.

What the White Ghost of Leaf Village said is certainly believable; his family will be fine.

But upon hearing the name Uchiha Shingen, he knew he had no chance.

Uchiha Shingen was a top-tier Leaf Village ninja who had a very good personal relationship with the Fire Daimyo, a famous figure throughout the world, and had immense influence with the Fire Daimyo.

Although he was the vice minister of the Ministry of Treasury, he had no family influence and was essentially a pawn to the Fire Daimyo.

"You are a minister of the Land of Fire, and you should be treated with the respect due to you. Executing you is also within the authority of the Fire Daimyo. Of course, you know your own fate. Come with us."

"I understand, Lord Shingen. Thank you for saving my family."

"No need. Rules are rules. In your next life, just remember not to break the rules."

Signaling to the Aburame Clan to take the final target away, Uchiha Shingen turned and left.

But as he reached the door, he turned back to Uchiha Itachi and said, "Itachi, your mission is over. Come with me."

This was a bombshell; it almost made it difficult for him to speak in front of Fire Daimyo.

If he succeeds in wiping out his entire clan, how will he ever be able to ask Fire Daimyo for help again?

Hearing Uchiha Shingen call him, Uchiha Itachi, though already bewildered, still obediently followed.

Although Uchiha Shingen never taught him a single Ninjutsu, he did indeed regard Uchiha Shingen as his teacher.

After all, Uchiha Shingen proved with his actions that his past beliefs were wrong.

He greatly admired Uchiha Shingen.

Watching Uchiha Shingen stride confidently ahead, Uchiha Itachi felt that the criticism he was receiving today was far from over.

Upon leaving the mansion, Uchiha Shingen took a deep breath and turned to look at him.

"Are you out of your mind? The Daimyo is an ally of Leaf Village, and you go to his doorstep and kill his entire family. Don't you have any respect for the Daimyo?"

"Brother Shingen, that person is threatening the peace of the Land of Fire." Uchiha Itachi earnestly wanted to convey his thoughts clearly, "The Fire Daimyo will surely understand."

"He doesn't understand anything." Uchiha Shingen sneered. "The stability of the Land of Fire depends on both us and the Fire Daimyo doing our jobs well and cooperating smoothly. Making the Fire Daimyo lose face is an act that endangers the stability of the Land of Fire. You felt good after that stab, but the Fire Daimyo will be unhappy for many years. That's enough time for you to get married and have children."

Uchiha Itachi's lips moved slightly; he wanted to say, "How could the dignified Fire Daimyo Lord be so petty?"

But then he suddenly remembered that Uchiha Shingen was very petty.

Considering that the Fire Daimyo and Uchiha Shingen got along very well...

He felt he had understood.

"It seems you've grasped the point." Uchiha Shingen was quite satisfied. "That's right. You're already a prominent figure in the clan. You need to think things through before acting. Don't just blindly cut down enemies without considering the consequences. Do your research before deciding how to proceed. Information gathering isn't only necessary for battles."

"I understand, Shingen- nii." Uchiha Itachi nodded heavily.

"Good to know. You'll come with me to pay your respects to Fire Daimyo later. This Fire Daimyo is quite easy to talk to. As long as you're respectful, he'll be even more respectful than you."

Chapter Thirty-Three: Iwagakure straits, Shingen departs from Leaf Village.

Based on Uchiha Shingen's long-term observation, regardless of Uchiha Itachi's thought process, his lack of a sense of security was definitely extremely serious.

This lack of security doesn't stem from himself, but from what he values.

He would rather expand the scope of any person or thing that threatens something he values than fail to physically eliminate it.

Ultimately, it was some idiot who brought the then four-year-old Uchiha Itachi to the battlefield for a visit, and even casually slit someone's throat.

Even during the Warring States period, they weren't this fierce.

Back then, children under six years old who had battlefield experience were absolutely forced to participate.

From this perspective, Uchiha Itachi's mental fortitude was already quite impressive. However, he was still only four years old and had chosen the path of a ninja. As a believer in the Will of Fire and a staunch Leaf Village patriot, he carried out his beliefs in the most intense way.

When the Uchiha Clan reunited with Leaf Village, even the volatile Uchiha Itachi didn't seem so unacceptable.

Having a strong bloodthirsty nature wouldn't be a flaw in the Warring States period; even Uchiha Shingen in his first playthrough relied on physical persuasion.

But times have changed. Now it's the era of the village, which places new demands on ninjas. They not only need to be good at fighting, but also at maneuvering. Extreme violence is no longer a one-trick pony, unless you're a god.

Aside from never teaching Itachi any Ninjutsu, Uchiha Shingen felt that he could be considered half a tutor to Uchiha Itachi.

The fact that Uchiha Itachi almost recklessly sent his target's entire family to their deaths served as a reminder to him once again.

The teaching of Uchiha Itachi, in theory, has not ended, but has been ongoing.

Regarding Uchiha Itachi's current situation, Uchiha Shingen felt that he needed to calm down and focus his main energy on communicating with people.

While in the village, Uchiha Itachi usually appeared very kind, but in reality, he barely interacted with people his own age; this kindness was tinged with alienation.

Fire Daimyo, on the other hand, was a completely different kind of person. He was incredibly quick-witted and could chat with anyone, making everyone laugh and creating a lively atmosphere.

It just so happens that the Fire Daimyo has a rather favorable impression of the Uchiha Clan and is quite polite to them. Uchiha Shingen thought that he should bring Uchiha Itachi along every time he chats with the Fire Daimyo in the future; perhaps there would be a pleasant surprise in the long run.

Presumably, the Fire Daimyo wouldn't mind interacting more with the Uchiha Clan leader's child and building a personal relationship.

With this in mind, during his time in the Daimyo's Court's residence, whenever Uchiha Shingen went to see the Fire Daimyo, he would bring Uchiha Itachi along.

Upon their first meeting, the Fire Daimyo showed great interest in Uchiha Itachi.

For example, despite being one of the few nobles in the Daimyo's Court who wasn't particularly interested in the characters for "Fugaku," he appeared to be a devoted fan of them that day.

Uchiha Itachi also displayed the demeanor of a well-behaved son, but when the Fire Daimyo asked him what level he thought his father's artistic level was, he didn't perform very well.

Young people are easily embarrassed; that's forgivable.

After that, the Fire Daimyo never talked about Fugaku again, and he also became more affectionate towards Uchiha Itachi. Uchiha Shingen thought that it was probably because everyone felt that Uchiha Fugaku was really not cut out for calligraphy. In this terrible world ruled by distorted aesthetics, it was only natural to be overjoyed to encounter someone with normal aesthetic sense.

That's how it should be; that's how a normal person should react to Uchiha Fugaku's handwriting.

It's quite fantastical that even the White Snake Sage was poisoned by this.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a month has passed, and the Konoha Ninja' operation in Daimyo's Court is nearing its end.

In dealing with these "espionage agents from other countries," the Fire Daimyo showed a spirit of shared hatred with Leaf Village. With a stroke of his pen, he bestowed upon them all a cup of fine wine from the palace, confiscated their fiefdoms, and allowed their remaining property to be inherited by their families.

Several hundred people enjoyed the royal wine.

The sudden loss of so many officials was not a problem for Daimyo's Court at all, because there were far too many people who wanted to serve under Daming.

There are plenty of people waiting to take those positions.

At the execution ground, Uchiha Shingen, along with Uchiha Itachi, witnessed this scene.

"How about it? Isn't this more satisfying than if you just slashed me?" Uchiha Shingen asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Uchiha Itachi nodded. "It was quite satisfying."

The young Uchiha Itachi thought the Fire Daimyo was a truly good ruler, fair and just.

Uchiha Shingen simply smiled and remained silent.

If there weren't any innocent ghosts among them, he would have lived in vain.

Most people cannot accept death peacefully; the struggle before death is always very moving.

Ninjas are all hard-hearted, unless they've just graduated.

But for the other officials in Daimyo's Court, this was a heavy blow.

The Hidden Leaf Village and the Daimyo's Court once again demonstrated what true intimacy means.

After the execution, Uchiha Shingen, accompanied by Uchiha Itachi, paid a final visit to the Fire Daimyo before leading his troops on their journey home.

He missed his children terribly after being away from home for a month.

Uchiha Itachi also missed his younger brother.

This massive investigation across the Ninja World has finally come to an end.

The five great ninja villages can now resume peace talks.

This has nothing to do with Uchiha Shingen.

He returned to his routine as a teacher, which consisted of only going to work, home, and school.

The students in Neji Hyuga have entered the final sprint of the training phase, and the application phase tutorial will officially begin after this year.

Under these circumstances, Uchiha Shingen also began to prepare for the private lessons that would be required at that time.

He doesn't plan to go to school in the village.

Leaving aside Haku and Karin, even for Neji Hyuga, a conventional, straightforward teaching style wouldn't really suit him.

Those who can figure out how to Rotation on their own deserve higher expectations.

He thought the Land of Rice Fields was very good.

It is the country closest to the battlefields of Cloud Village and Iwagakure. Kumogakure's fleet also needs to pass through the outer sea area of Land of Rice Fields. Currently, Leaf Village and Hidden Mist Village have the intention to organize war observation groups, and the Land of Rice Fields is the best place for the observation groups to be stationed.

Therefore, although this is Orochimaru's territory, it is still very safe.

To this day, apart from Uchiha Shingen, no one in Hidden Leaf Village knows that Orochimaru is the leader of Sound Village.

Only a handful of people knew that the Cursed Seal Ninjutsu that Uchiha Shingen brought back to the clan was the result of Orochimaru's research, and that the clan had invested in it.

This Ninjutsu, which has some elements of Senjutsu Mode, is very dangerous, but several people have already successfully mastered it.

However, Uchiha Shingen was very careful with each attempt. If any of his clansmen showed signs of discomfort, he would immediately withdraw the power of the Cursed Seal.