Daimyo of the Land of Fire

Come to think of it, his cooking alone could make him famous throughout the Shinobi World...

The thought of the lavish dinner Eiji had promised put Tsunade in a good mood. Letting him move into the Senju Ancestral Home was the wisest decision she had made lately.

And so Eiji kept up his daily physical training with Minato and Kushina, using his spare time to guide them through learning the Rasengan.

Minato progressed rapidly. He could already keep the water balloon roughly spherical, and would probably master the Rasengan completely in another month or two.

Kushina lagged behind. She often burst her water balloon, then clung to Eiji's arm to vent her frustration.

Eiji never minded the trouble. Time and again, he taught Kushina how to control the flow of her chakra with precision.

Still, while teaching her, Eiji couldn't shake the feeling that Kushina was messing up on purpose. He saw through it but said nothing.

Pointing it out would only embarrass her. Besides, he wasn't losing anything, so why say it?

A rich young lady wanted to cozy up to him. Turning her down would be downright ungrateful.

As for Nawaki, he challenged Eiji to a duel every few days, only to get pulled in by a single Azure and sent flying.

Because defeating an opponent increased his Fusion Rate, Eiji eventually gained five percent just from repeatedly beating Nawaki.

That brought him to twenty percent. He gained no new abilities, but his overall strength improved considerably.

Nawaki's relentless spirit moved Eiji so much that he made him desserts from Food Wars! whenever he had the chance.

They didn't need to glow, so they were easy to make. Eiji's desserts had now become an afternoon-tea staple in the Senju Clan.

Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye. With only one week left until the Ninja Graduation Exam, an important visitor arrived in Konoha: Imagawa Yoshiteru, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

Draft oxen pulled the carriages through the village gates, followed by the palanquin carrying the daimyo. Under the villagers' curious, reverent gazes, the procession headed straight for the Senju Clan Compound.

Watching from the tallest building near the Konoha Main Gate, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. There was nothing he could do about it.

After all, Konoha had been founded by Mito Uzumaki's husband, Hashirama Senju. It was only natural for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to visit Lady Mito first.

Even so, he felt rather miserable. The Third had prepared to welcome him, only to be left standing there.

The villagers made no effort to hide their curiosity and awe at the daimyo's procession, drawn by the "Divine Ox."

In the Shinobi World, a daimyo was the very image of exalted status. Even messages were usually delivered in person by Konoha Ninja to the Daimyo's Palace in the Land of Fire. A daimyo visiting a Shinobi Village himself was rare.

The procession stopped a short distance from the Senju Clan Compound, and the daimyo stepped out of his palanquin.

He looked solemnly toward the Senju Ancestral Home. Though he ruled an entire country, he couldn't help feeling awe for the distinguished lady he was about to meet.

A girl stepped out with him. Her glossy black hair was styled in a Hime Cut, and she wore a predominantly black Jūnihitoe. She looked only six or seven, yet carried herself with the poise of a young lady from a noble family. She was Imagawa Sayuri.

"Sayuri, mind your manners. We're about to meet Lady Mito Uzumaki. You mustn't be disrespectful."

"I understand, Father."

The girl called Sayuri nodded slightly, her tone humble.

"And the boy Lady Mito mentioned in her letter—whether what she wrote is true or not, you must win his favor."

"...As you command."

Daimyo Imagawa Yoshiteru then told his Guards and Retainers to wait outside and led his youngest daughter, Sayuri, toward the Senju Ancestral Home on foot.

Eiji, Kushina, and Nawaki had been told well in advance that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was coming. Out of courtesy, they had tidied themselves up early and stood waiting behind Mito Uzumaki and Tsunade.

While the visiting daimyo exchanged pleasantries with Mito Uzumaki, Kushina tugged at Eiji's sleeve and leaned in to whisper.

"Eiji, his hat is so strange. It looks like someone stuck a fan on his head."

"Uh..."

She wasn't wrong.

But Eiji said nothing. What could he say? Kushina's description was pretty accurate, though saying it aloud was a little rude.

After a few pleasantries, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire turned to Tsunade.

"Little Tsunade, you've finally grown up! I hear your medical skills are unmatched in the Shinobi World. If you don't mind, could you take a look at me?"

Tsunade didn't refuse. She stepped forward and gave his Meridians a quick examination. Her verdict: he was perfectly healthy, but he should indulge himself a little less. The daimyo's mouth twitched.

At last, his gaze settled on Eiji.

"Oh...! What beautiful eyes! Even more remarkable than the letter described. They shine like jewels!"

Imagawa Yoshiteru's eyes lit up. Mito Uzumaki's letter had briefly described Ryuuzaki Eiji's strength, but right now, those eyes interested him far more.

The Sharingan and Byakugan were known throughout the Shinobi World to pass reliably through bloodlines. Could Eiji's eyes be inherited too?

In this Shinobi World, the prestige of one's bloodline mattered immensely. The daimyo's clan worked hard to proclaim its own bloodline supremely noble, but what proof did they have?

If such a distinguished bloodline could flow through the family of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, it would surely strengthen Imagawa rule!

"Sayuri, come say hello. You two are close in age, so I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about."

A neatly dressed, poised girl stepped out from behind Imagawa Yoshiteru.

Sayuri approached Eiji, lowered her hands and folded them before her, then bowed slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Imagawa Sayuri. I'm sorry to impose on you over the next few days... I hope we'll get along. I've admired you ever since I read about you in the letter. You're even more striking in person."

Imagawa Sayuri knew that as long as she carried the Royal House's blood, her family would decide her future. Even as a princess of the realm, she was no exception.

So when her father told her he was taking her to meet a remarkably talented boy, she had already prepared herself.

She had no say in who her husband would be. There was nothing she could do but lower her head and accept it.

A cousin of hers had married far away in the Land of Lightning, only to find her husband incompetent, foolish, and lecherous. The thought that she might meet the same fate nearly made her faint.

If even such an accomplished cousin couldn't escape and spent every day in tears, how could Sayuri, born to a concubine, hope to evade her fate?

But now that she had seen Ryuuzaki Eiji for herself, only one thought remained.

Thank you for arranging this, Father...!