Insolence?! There's More Where That Came From!

After dealing with the assassination attempt by Root members, Gengetsu and his party continued swiftly toward the Daimyō's Residence.

After the ambush, the atmosphere within the group underwent a subtle change.

All the Konoha ninja, whether members of the Uchiha Clan or the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, consciously heightened their vigilance.

Among the swiftly advancing group, Shisui Uchiha's change was the most striking.

The gifted boy who had been so lively just moments ago, always speaking of the Will of Fire, now remained silent the entire way.

What had just happened had simply shocked Shisui Uchiha too deeply, utterly shattering the image of Konoha he held in his heart!

Ever since he was little, Shisui had been taught at the Ninja Academy that Konoha ninja loved and cared for one another, that they were all one family.

For the great Will of Fire, to protect Konoha, every ninja could give everything without hesitation, even their life.

In particular, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, always with a pipe in his mouth and kindness all over his face, had given many speeches at the Ninja Academy.

Where the leaves danced, fire would burn unceasingly.

This had left an incredibly deep impression on the young Shisui, who had even embraced it as his Ninja Way.

But!

What Shisui Uchiha had never imagined was that this Third Hokage, so kindly in his eyes, who embodied Konoha's Will of Fire-

Would actually send Konoha ninja to assassinate ninja from their own village, to assassinate Lord Gengetsu, the newly appointed Fifth Hokage, all to fight for power over Konoha!

"Why... why would Lord Third do this..."

The Third Hokage's glorious, kindly image came crashing down in Shisui's heart.

Seeing Shisui Uchiha looking so lost, Gengetsu, who had been watching him all along, slowed his pace and asked calmly.

"What's wrong, Shisui? Can't accept it?!"

At Gengetsu's question, Shisui Uchiha raised his head, his eyes full of confusion, and spoke helplessly.

"Lord Fifth... I..."

"I just find it so hard to believe!"

"Lord Third... to think he was that kind of person! How could he try to kill you for power!"

Looking at Shisui's pained expression, Gengetsu sneered.

"Shisui, this is the real Shinobi World!"

"The Konoha you've always believed in has long since rotted away completely under the rule of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other higher-ups!"

"Once, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, founded Konoha, built that wonderful Will of Fire you speak of, and even established the One Country, One Village system."

"But what was the result?!"

Gengetsu's voice rose sharply, immediately drawing Shisui Uchiha's attention.

"It never brought the Shinobi World true peace! Instead, the unequal division of interests among the great nations sparked three horrifically brutal shinobi wars!"

"Countless comrades died on the battlefield, countless civilians were driven from their homes..."

"The facts prove that the system Hashirama Senju established back then was a complete failure. It simply isn't suited to the development of the Shinobi World!"

Gengetsu's words also drew the attention of the Ino-Shika-Cho ninja around them.

Everyone fell silent, offering no rebuttal.

Because what Gengetsu said was the truth!

"Since the old system can only bring war and bloodshed..."

"Then I'll create an entirely new system!"

"I'll use my power to completely change Konoha, to change the entire Shinobi World!"

Gengetsu spoke with great confidence, his tone filled with unquestionable resolve.

Hearing Gengetsu's words, Shisui, who had lost his purpose in life when his image of the Third Hokage collapsed, suddenly brightened.

As he looked at Gengetsu before him, the confusion in his heart was swept away.

"Change Konoha... change the Shinobi World..."

Shisui Uchiha murmured to himself, his once-dim eyes shining again with an unprecedented light.

"Lord Fifth! I understand!"

"I know what I should do next!"

Shisui Uchiha looked at Gengetsu with adoration, an even firmer conviction blazing in his eyes.

Gengetsu and the others traveled very quickly, reaching the Land of Fire's Daimyō's Residence in just a few days.

Compared to Konoha, which had just suffered the Nine-Tails' Rampage and was filled with ruins, the Land of Fire's Daimyō's Residence could only be described as luxurious.

Towering walls, magnificent palaces, and fine silks everywhere all proclaimed the wealth of the Daimyō's Residence.

Arriving at the main gate of the Daimyō's Residence, Uchiha Inabi stepped forward and called loudly to the guards:

"Announce our arrival! Konoha's Fifth Hokage is here!"

The guards at the gate froze for a moment at his words, then hurriedly replied.

"Yes! We'll announce you right away!"

A guard immediately hurried into the Daimyō's Residence.

Meanwhile, deep within the Daimyō's Residence, in an extremely luxurious courtyard residence.

The Fujiwara Clan, one of the Land of Fire's highest-ranking noble families, also learned through their own intelligence channels straight away that the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Gengetsu, had arrived at the gates of the Daimyō's Residence.

"What did you say?! That Hokage of Konoha who crippled my son actually dared come to the Daimyō's Residence?!"

A potbellied middle-aged man dressed in an expensive kimono violently smashed the teacup in his hand, the flesh on his face trembling fiercely.

This man was none other than Fujiwara Taiga, the father of Fujiwara Takuya, whom Gengetsu had crippled earlier!

"Good! Very good!"

"Someone! Gather every elite samurai in the household! Come with me to the gate!"

Fujiwara Taiga roared furiously and immediately led a large, murderous band of samurai toward the main gate of the Daimyō's Residence.

As far as he was concerned, this was the Land of Fire's Daimyō's Residence, the nobles' territory!

Even the Hokage of Konoha had to behave himself here!

At that moment, outside the Daimyō's Residence.

Gengetsu and the others stood quietly waiting.

Just then, a flurry of disorderly footsteps came from inside the Daimyō's Residence.

Immediately afterward, an extremely arrogant-looking fat man dressed as a noble rushed out with dozens of samurai carrying longswords, surrounding Gengetsu and the others.

"Who goes there!"

The Konoha ninja around Gengetsu reacted instantly, all gripping their weapons and readying themselves for battle.

Relying on his status as a high-ranking noble of the Land of Fire and the support of over a hundred elite samurai behind him, Fujiwara Taiga, who stood at their head, thought nothing of the mere few dozen Konoha ninja before him.

Thrusting out his belly, he stepped forward, pointed a fat finger, and glared at Gengetsu, who was protected in the center, shouting with utter arrogance.

"You're Uchiha Gengetsu?!"

"You're the damned bastard who crippled my son?!"

"If you know what's good for you, surrender immediately! Otherwise, I'll make sure you lowly ninja die without a grave today!"

Faced with Fujiwara Taiga's bluster, Gengetsu did not even glance at him.

"Inabi, deal with them!"

Gengetsu had no interest in the man's identity, nor in who his son was.

"Yes, Lord Fifth!"

Hearing Gengetsu's order, Uchiha Inabi did not hesitate. Weapon in hand, he immediately attacked the surrounding samurai.

Rip!

A streak of light flashed past, and a samurai was cut down instantly, without even a chance to react.

Immediately afterward, Uchiha Inabi charged at another samurai.

Though these samurai were numerous, and all were elites the Fujiwara Clan had spent vast sums training.

Before ninja, however, samurai had no power to resist at all!

What was more, they were facing an elite ninja of the Uchiha Clan, renowned for its fighting prowess!

Spurt! Spurt! Spurt!

Blood gushed wildly, severed limbs flying everywhere through the air.

Every attack Uchiha Inabi made claimed the lives of several samurai.

The armor those samurai were so proud of was as flimsy as tofu before his chakra-coated ninja blade.

"Ah...! My hand!"

"A monster! He's a monster!"

"Help! I don't want to die!"

In less than half a minute, Uchiha Inabi alone had cut every samurai to the ground.

The samurai lay in pools of blood, screaming incessantly, as the thick smell of blood instantly filled the entire entrance to the Daimyō's Residence.

Then, holding his still-dripping ninja blade, Uchiha Inabi fixed a hostile stare on Fujiwara Taiga, who stood at the rear.

"Y-you..."

"What are you going to do! Stay back! I'm one of the Land of Fire's highest-ranking nobles!"

"The daimyō will never let you get away with this!"

Feeling Uchiha Inabi's icy gaze, the previously arrogant Fujiwara Taiga immediately cried out in panic.

His legs went weak with fear, and he fell heavily onto his backside.

Just then, an extremely furious roar suddenly came from inside the Daimyō's Residence.

"Who dares make such an insolent uproar outside my residence!"

As that furious voice rang out, a large number of palace guards poured through the gate.

Then a little old man wearing an extremely elaborate, luxurious ceremonial robe and carrying a folding fan emerged, his face full of anger, surrounded by ministers and guards.

This little old man was the nominal supreme ruler of the entire Land of Fire.

The Land of Fire's daimyō!

"Lord Daimyō! Lord Daimyō, you must give me justice!"

At the daimyō's appearance, Fujiwara Taiga, who had nearly wet himself in terror, seemed to find a lifeline. He scrambled over to the daimyō and hurriedly began sobbing out his grievances.

"Lord Daimyō! This Konoha ninja is utterly lawless!..."

"Not only did he cripple my son in Konoha, now he's even dared come to the Daimyō's Residence and kill so many of my guards!"

"You must punish him severely!!"

Hearing Fujiwara Taiga's tearful complaints and seeing the samurai who had died gruesomely all over the ground, the Land of Fire's daimyō was furious as well.

In the daimyō's eyes, Konoha was nothing more than hired muscle he paid for.

Now Uchiha Gengetsu, this newly appointed Hokage, had actually dared to slaughter people at the Daimyō's Residence. He clearly had no regard for him whatsoever.

How could the Land of Fire's daimyō not be angry, not be furious?

The Land of Fire's daimyō snapped his folding fan shut, pointed at Gengetsu, and loudly berated him in a lofty tone.

"Uchiha Gengetsu! Such insolence!"

"You're nothing but a mere ninja, yet you dare treat a noble of my Land of Fire so viciously!..."

"Kneel and confess your guilt at once!"

Faced with the daimyō's fierce rebuke, Gengetsu not only showed no fear, but laughed instead.

"Heh..."

"Insolence?"

"There's more where that came from!"

As his words fell, Gengetsu flicked a finger toward Fujiwara Taiga, who was kneeling before the daimyō and sobbing out his grievances.

Whoosh-!

A terrifying wind blade suddenly appeared and shot toward the kneeling Fujiwara Taiga.

"Ah!"

A scream rang out. Still kneeling there, Fujiwara Taiga had no chance to react before his body was sliced in two.

Blood instantly sprayed everywhere, drenching even the Land of Fire's daimyō from head to toe.