It had to be said: Konoha knew how to hold the Daimyō hostage and command the nobility.
Ever since the shinobi army had kidnapped-no, invited-the young Daimyō away, Konoha seemed to have acquired an extraordinarily useful imperial mandate. Every campaign was justified, and they could strike wherever they pleased-
What? Someone actually dared to say that Heir Muneshito was nothing but a cripple, a scapegoat dragged out to take the blame, and that Konoha were the traitors who had murdered the Daimyō?
What utter truth-pah, utter lies!
These had to be rebels who had sided with Heir Muneshito. Spreading rumors like that to unsettle the people meant rebelling against Konoha, and rebelling against Konoha meant rebelling against the Daimyō. For the Daimyō's sake, every last one of these traitors had to be eliminated!
For a time, rebels sprouted across the Land of Fire like mushrooms after rain. They fanned the flames everywhere, stirring unrest among the people. Their crimes were simply unforgivable. As the Daimyō's loyal hound, Konoha naturally could not stand idly by. Arrests proceeded in full swing, with the resolve to catch every last rebel in one net.
For the first time in their lives, Konoha's shinobi stood atop the moral high ground. With the Daimyō and righteousness firmly in their hands, they seemed to have become justice incarnate.
And damn, it felt good!
Meanwhile, the nobles who had once lorded over them and ordered them around could only grind their teeth in fury. They watched helplessly as Konoha swaggered atop the moral high ground, unable to do a thing.
What choice did they have? Their Daimyō was still in Konoha's hands. It was truly infuriating!
Moved beyond words by Konoha's boundless loyalty, the young Daimyō could hardly wait to bestow lavish rewards that very day, expressing his