The capital of the Land of Fire is a city several times larger than Konoha.
Starting from the Fire Temple, travel south along the official road, passing through two passes, and you will be able to see the gray-blue city wall in the distance.
The city wall is about ten meters high and is made of whole blocks of granite, with glutinous rice mortar filling the gaps between the stones. It has withstood hundreds of years of wind and rain.
Every fifty paces along the city wall stood a watchtower, from which hung banners with flame emblems, fluttering in the night wind.
The city gates had already been closed, but after Kakashi presented the passage document issued by the Hokage, the gatekeeper dared not delay and immediately ordered his men to push open the heavy iron-clad city gates.
Passing through the city gate, there is a straight and wide avenue. Rows of ginkgo trees are planted on both sides of the avenue, and their canopies intertwine overhead to form a golden tunnel.
This place should be bustling during the day, but it's deserted right now, with only a few lonely lanterns swaying in the wind, casting flickering shadows on the ground.
The shops on both sides of the road were all closed, with only a few windows occasionally letting out dim yellow light, and the faint sound of dogs barking could be heard.
At the end of the main road lies Daming Prefecture.
Daming Prefecture was not a mansion, but a city within a city. Vermilion pillars supported a huge gate tower, which was covered with dark blue glazed tiles, on which a thin layer of frost had settled.
Two rows of armored warriors stood in front of the gate, each holding a sharp samurai sword.
Kakashi was holding Kazuma, Sasuke was dragging Fudo and Fuen, Sakura was holding Fuka, Naruto was bringing up the rear.
The five of them stepped through the main gate of the Daimyo's residence. Behind the gate was a spacious courtyard, at the far end of which stood the Daimyo's council hall.
The palace doors were wide open.
In the brightly lit hall, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire sat on his throne atop a high platform.
He wore a tall black hat, his face was covered with thick white powder, two dots of rouge on his cheeks, and his eyebrows were shaved off and redrawn with two thin ink lines.
He wore a large hunting robe embroidered with flame emblems, the layers of fabric almost completely filling the throne.
He held a gilded folding fan in his hand, and was now slowly waving it.
On either side of the throne, two rows of ministers knelt, dressed in dark blue court robes, each with the same expression on their face—an expression that desperately tried to conceal their nervousness yet could not hide their unease.
Kakashi stepped into the main hall and knelt on one knee.
" Konoha Ninja Kakashi Hatake, leading Team 7, is escorting the missing-nin Kazuma his accomplices to an audience with the Daimyo."
The hall was silent for a few seconds.
The daimyo didn't stop waving his fan, but his gaze passed over Kakashi and landed on Kazuma, who was bound hand Kazuma.
Bloodstains were still on Kazuma, and his right wrist was hanging at an unnatural angle, but his eyes remained fanatical.
The daimyo closed his folding fan and tapped it on the armrest of the throne.
" Kakashi, how dare you! Breaking into the Daimyo's residence in the dead of night and bringing my men to see me—what does this mean?"
Kakashi raised his head, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.
"Lord Daimyo, the evidence against you for plotting to assassinate the Hokage is irrefutable. We captured you at the Fire Temple, Kazuma your accomplices, Fuen, Fudo, Fuka, have all been apprehended."
"By order of the Lord Hokage, these missing-nin are hereby escorted before the Daimyo for his personal judgment."
" Missing-nin?" The daimyo's shrill voice echoed in the hall. " Kazuma is one of my Twelve Guardian Ninja, not a missing-nin. You say he assassinated the Hokage, but what evidence do you have?"
Kakashi took out a stack of scrolls from his pocket and presented them with both hands. "These are documents from Kazuma and the Minister of State, which clearly mention the ' Heavenly Punishment Operation '."
If the Daimyo doesn't believe it, then Konoha can also send out ninjas to search his memories.
The daimyo did not accept those scrolls.
He covered half his face with a fan, revealing only his eyes, which darted around above the fan as if he were plotting something.
"I know nothing about any ' Heavenly Punishment Operation '."
The daimyo snapped his fan shut and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.
" Kakashi, this is slander! Kazuma is my loyal retainer. You Konoha Ninja have trespassed into the capital, arrested my people, and now you want to frame me? Who gave you the right? Have you forgotten that the Hokage is also my retainer, and Konoha is part of the Land of Fire!"
Naruto, standing behind Kakashi, frowned deeply upon hearing these words.
He wanted to retort, but Kakashi turned his head slightly and stopped him with a look.
Kakashi grew up in Konoha, and the education he received there taught him...
The daimyo is the head of the Land of Fire, Hokage is the daimyo's subject; this order has remained unchanged since the village was founded.
Even though he knew in his heart that Shinsei wanted to change this order, in the main hall, facing the daimyo sitting on the throne, the rules ingrained in his bones since childhood still prevented him from saying anything too outrageous.
"Lord Daimyo," Kakashi's voice remained calm, "We do not intend to slander you. It's just that Kazuma's actions have seriously jeopardized the safety of the Land of Fire. The Lord Hokage wishes that you personally handle this case to set the record straight."
"To set the record straight?" The Daimyo sneered, his fan pointing directly at Kakashi's face. "I see you're trying to rebel! Kakashi, how valiant was your father, White Fang, back then? How could he have given birth to such an ungrateful son like you? You led a few juniors into my palace, captured my Guardian Ninja, and now you expect me to give you an explanation? Do you even deserve it?"
Naruto clenched his fists. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly.
Kakashi was silent for two seconds, then lowered his head. "Please calm down, Daimyo."
"Calm down? How can I calm down?" The daimyo stood up, his wide hunting robe trailing a long hem on the ground. "You Konoha Ninja are all more insolent than the last!"
First, Shinsei refused my offer of investiture, then he demanded more funding, and now he's simply barging into my Daming Prefecture to arrest people.
"Is the next step to just pull me off the throne and let that fifteen-year-old brat sit on it himself?"
He had barely finished speaking when a figure moved.
Sasuke's speed was so fast that no one in the hall could react in time.
He swept past Kakashi, his black robes leaving a trail of afterimages in the air. The next moment, he was standing before the throne, grabbing the daimyo by the collar and lifting him off the throne.
The daimyo's folding fan fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
The white powder on his face appeared exceptionally thick up close, and at this moment, due to his terror, real blood seeped through the powder.
"You--!"
"Insubordination?" Sasuke's voice wasn't loud, but every word carried clearly throughout the hall. "Even if you do insubordination, what can you do about it?"
An uproar erupted in the main hall.
"Presumptuous!"
"You audacious madman! Release the lord!"
"Guards! Warriors! Where are the warriors?!"
The ministers in both rows stood up one after another. Some drew their swords, some stepped back, and some pointed at Sasuke and shouted insults.
They all knew who Sasuke was, what the Sharingan meant, and that someone who could easily break into the palace and lift the daimyo off his throne was not someone they could handle.
" Sasuke Uchiha!" An elderly, white-haired retainer stepped forward, pointing a finger at Sasuke. "This is utter treason! Do the ninjas of Konoha no longer respect the Daimyo? Are you plotting a rebellion?"
"Rebellion?" Sasuke turned his head, his Sharingan meeting the old minister's gaze. The old minister, startled, took two steps back and fell to the ground with a thud. "So what if I rebel? What can you do about it?"
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Sasuke released his grip, and the Daimyo slumped back onto his throne, his collar crumpled, his hat askew on his ears, and sweat washing away the white powder on his face, leaving two deep streaks.