"So, how should we achieve our objective?"
Shikamaru had pieced together the underlying logic, but however clever he was, he had never dealt with these powerful nobles before. He had no idea how to make them submit.
Would the officials of the Land of Wind really bow to ninjas? And how were they supposed to gain control of the Land of Wind?
"Boy, why do you think we bowed to Lord Hokage?"
Aoyama smiled at Shikamaru's question.
"We all followed either Lord Shinhiko or Lord Yuanxin. They said Lord Hokage could be trusted, so we followed Lord Hokage."
Shikamaru froze at Aoyama's answer.
"Controlling a country is no different. As long as you control the few people at its core, their subordinates will naturally follow you. A daimyo would still have to balance competing powers, but with Lord Hokage's strength, we wouldn't dare betray him."
Overwhelming strength trumped every trick. That held true even at the highest levels of political maneuvering.
There were as many nobles who knew the Land of Wind and could govern it as they could possibly need. If the nobles proved inadequate, they could put commoners in their place.
With absolute force in their hands, everything became simple. And the nobles of the Land of Fire knew their counterparts in the Land of Wind inside out.
"Lord Hokage, you need only give me enough military strength to suppress the Land of Wind's capital, and I can help you bring the country under your control."
"Are you planning to support the Takahashi faction and use them to bring the Land of Wind into the fold?"
Seeing Aoyama volunteer, Shikamaru could not help voicing his doubts.
"You can come with me. Once we arrive, you'll see how I work."
Aoyama did not answer Shikamaru directly, but his reply