Land of Fire - Daimyo Capital
Beneath the towering city walls, vendors carrying their wares lined up in an orderly fashion to enter the capital, while armored samurai with katanas at their waists grumbled as they maintained order.
This scene has remained unchanged for decades, unaffected by the downfall of any particular noble family.
" Naoki... are you alright?" Tsunade asked with some concern, looking at the silent Senju Naoki Senju who seemed like a volcano about to erupt.
"It's nothing." Naoki Senju shook his head gently. The anger he felt upon returning to this familiar place gradually subsided, but it didn't completely disappear. Instead, it transformed into a bone-chilling killing intent.
After gazing once more at the Daimyo Palace in the center of the capital, Naoki Senju walked towards the city gate not far away and said:
"Sins don't disappear with time; those who commit sins will eventually be held accountable. Sister Tsunade, let's go into the city."
Shizune and Tsunade followed behind, but they both used Transformation Technique to change their appearance. It was better for them to avoid using their true appearances this time, especially since Guren was going to join Konoha Ninja Village later.
However, given Tsunade and Naoki's strength and status, they don't need to worry about these things, because Konoha can't cause them any trouble!
As they passed through the city gate, the four men's luxurious feather robes stood out among the commoners dressed in coarse cloth jackets. The crowd automatically parted to make way for the nobles in their fine robes.
In the Land of Fire, although the law clearly stipulates that nobles cannot kill at will, if the victim suffers from an 'incurable' disease, then that's a special case...
The leading samurai captain didn't want to get involved in this trouble, but given the current special circumstances, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to question them:
"Sir, please show me your family crest."
Noble badges... I think they did exist before, but they're all left in those ruins, and they won't be needed anymore...
Naoki Senju stood before the samurai captain, looking him up and down. The armor was old and worn, with obvious damage in many places, and even the scabbard of the samurai sword at his waist had some rust...
"What a hopeless country..." Naoki Senju said earnestly.
"I don't have a noble badge, but I can tell you my surname."
The samurai captain had prepared himself for a beating and then being forced to let them pass, but things took an unexpected turn. He was surprised that he could avoid the beating and even complete his mission targets, so he instantly became very attentive.
"Please speak, sir. It doesn't matter if I don't have a noble's crest."
As for the possibility of someone impersonating a nobleman, the samurai captain never considered it. Not to mention that impersonating a nobleman is a first-class crime, even more serious than murder, the haori worn by these people were not something a fraud could wear.
Not only are they expensive, but they can only be custom-made through special channels, and their clients are limited to the nobility of major countries...
" Soga."
Naoki Senju's words interrupted the samurai captain's reverie, but the captain seemed somewhat doubtful of the voice he had just heard, and asked blankly:
"Sir, what did you just say your surname was?"
Naoki Senju patiently repeated it:
" Soga, you haven't completely forgotten that surname, have you? Can we go in now?"
"Of course!" The samurai captain nimbly stepped aside and said even more respectfully, "Sir, please."
The four entered the city one by one. Tonton in Shizune's arms couldn't help but twist and turn, looking around at the largest city in the Land of Fire.
Shizune wanted to see too, but the atmosphere in the group was clearly not normal, so she could only reach out and pat the restless Tonton in her arms. Since they couldn't see, then no one should see.
"Boohoo~ Boohoo!" Tonton angrily denounced Shizune's behavior, but unfortunately, no one stood up for her this time.
Guren temporarily forgot about Orochimaru's mission and looked at Naoki Senju with curiosity. It seemed that this mysterious and wicked man was about to uncover some unknown secrets.
After the group left the city gate, the sweating samurai captain took a few deep breaths, preparing to share the information he had just received with his superior.
The Soga family didn't all die that night; some descendants remained. As a result, those nobles who divided up the Soga family's inheritance will have to pay a price that will be painful for them.
Led by Naoki Senju, the four entered a peaceful and tranquil street. This was the noble district adjacent to the Daimyo's palace, and all the residents here were prestigious nobles from the Land of Fire.
The Soga Clan was once one of them, but now only ruins remain.
Naoki Senju and Tsunade stood side by side in front of the ruins. Even though the ruins had been cleared away, leaving only a few broken walls, they could still see many traces left by Ninjutsu, such as the unique erosion marks left by the Water Dragon Bullet.
The four stood before the ruins for a long time. The nobles passing by on the street had basically guessed their identities; otherwise, who would be so bored as to stand before the ruins of the ' Soga ' clan after more than a year?
Even if they recognized them, no one went up to greet them. Who on this street hadn't divided up the Soga clan's inheritance? They needed to think of a way to avoid having to spit out what they'd already taken...
Naoki Senju reached out and picked up a wisp of dust, then let go, allowing the dust to drift away in the wind.
" Orochimaru is right, death has no meaning; once you die, life loses its meaning..."
" Naoki Senju!" Tsunade called out Naoki's full name, which was unusual for her. At this moment, his condition was really wrong, and he even showed signs of being influenced by Orochimaru.
"Don't worry, Sister Tsunade. I was just saying it casually. Death is not meaningless. For example, the price of blood can only be paid with blood."
After saying that, Naoki Senju began to Hand Seals.
It's called Hand Seals, but it's really just clapping your hands together. When your mastery of Wood Release Ninjutsu is deep enough, you can replicate Hashirama Senju's incredible miracles.
" Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence ".
In the ruins where the Senju Clan had been reduced to scorched earth, the Senju's Kekkei Genkai, the miracle of Wood Release, was emerging from the ground. A massive Chakra spread outwards, and a towering tree was completed in the blink of an eye. Its thick root system even began to spread outwards, including to the palace of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning.
Lightning Release: Lightning Strike Dismount.
" Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere."
The combined Ninjutsu from various schools within the Daimyo's palace blocked the first wave of attacks, but the faces of the ninjas who arrived from all directions were not very good.
Especially the strongest and most influential ninja present— Asuma Sarutobi.
If it wasn't some unknown large-scale Genjutsu, then the Ninjutsu that attacked the Daimyo's palace just now was definitely the Wood Release of the First Hokage of the Senju Clan of Konoha!