The Night the Daimyō Mansion Fell

The daimyō was about to press down his seal when his hand stopped in midair. The imperial seal struck the corner of the table, leaving a glaring smear of red seal paste across the yellow silk.

"What urgent report?"

He frowned toward the hall doors. The displeasure had not yet left his face when the corners of his mouth lifted.

"Have the four villages broken into Konoha? When did they breach it?"

The minister kneeling below trembled so badly he could barely hold himself up. He braced both hands against the floor tiles, his teeth chattering as he spoke.

"My lord... Hidden Cloud's thousand-strong vanguard was wiped out."

"Iwagakure's two thousand main troops were routed. Kitsuchi escaped back to the Land of Earth with only a few hundred battered survivors."

The minister swallowed. Sweat ran down his nose and dripped into the cracks between the tiles.

"Sunagakure and Kirigakure saw how things were going and withdrew their troops."

The music and dancing had not stopped. His tearful voice mingled with the instruments, and several nobles in the front row turned, cups still raised.

Under everyone's gaze, the minister hesitantly continued.

"The four villages' assault was completely crushed..."

The luminous cup slipped from the daimyō's hand and shattered on the floor. Wine splashed across his fine silk trousers, but he did not even look down.

The music stopped. The dancing girls could not halt in time, and their skirts collided.

The nobles throughout the hall stared at one another, cups suspended in midair. No one dared to lower theirs first.

The daimyō stared at the kneeling minister. His lips moved several times before he forced an angry roar through his teeth.

"Bullshit!"

He pushed himself up against the table, then swept both arms out. The entire table overturned onto the golden