The aristocratic class of this world has ruled the ninja world for a thousand years.
Perhaps the Land of Fire's name was not always the Land of Fire, but there is no doubt that the people ruling this country remain the same group as before.
The so-called ninja are nothing more than a knife in their hands.
But this knife has never possessed a mind of its own.
Kakashi did not understand why this situation existed.
But right now, he did not need to understand.
Gazing at the Daimyō's residence, which possessed a distinct Edo style, Kakashi's face bore no expression.
In broad daylight, the city gates were tightly shut.
Clearly, Kakashi, who had never intended to hide his presence along the way, had long since had his movements known by the Daimyō.
"Ho—Hokage-sama, what brings you here?!"
On the gate tower, a samurai responsible for guarding the gate looked down at the three thousand men below and spoke tremblingly.
Although there were only a mere three thousand people, he knew that those before him were ninja—the most powerful Konoha ninja in the ninja world.
"Open the gate."
Kakashi wasted no extraneous words and issued the order directly.
"Hokage-sama, without the Daimyō's warrant, I cannot do that!"
The samurai upstairs was still attempting to stop Kakashi.
At this moment, Kakashi had no intention of speaking further with him; he simply waved his hand.
Beside him, Itachi Uchiha immediately stepped forward. With a flip of his wrist, a kunai with an explosive tag attached to its tail was nailed onto the wooden city gate.
Accompanied by flames mixed with a loud bang, the seemingly heavy city gate shattered instantly in response.
There was no need for Kakashi to say more. The army of three thousand ninja he led rushed into the city like wolves and tigers. Some defending soldiers tried to stop them, but they were cut down by the ninja within a single round.
Even the defending samurai who had previously tried to stop Kakashi from the wall was dragged down.
Kakashi strode forward. The moment he entered the city, the subdued samurai was forced to kneel on the ground by two ninja pressing him down.
Giving him a cold glance, Kakashi spoke with a clear objective:
"Hayama, leave one thousand five hundred men to take over the city defenses. Do not disturb the common people."
"Yes!"
Shirakumo Hayama immediately accepted the order.
Meanwhile, the news that Kakashi had breached the gates flew into the Daimyō's palace.
Hearing that Kakashi had violently broken into the city, the Daimyō was both shocked and furious.
Shocked that his Daimyō residence, which he took such pride in, couldn't halt Kakashi's footsteps for even a moment.
Furious that Kakashi, as a subject, actually dared to commit insubordination.
But at this moment, he had to steady his mind. Feigning calm, he spoke to Kazuma at his side:
"Open the palace gates and welcome the Hokage's arrival."
Kazuma was startled upon hearing this and wanted to dissuade the Daimyō from this seemingly crazy move.
However, facing the Daimyō's bone-chilling gaze, he could only silently accept the order.
He knew. He was finished.
No matter what happened to the Daimyō, he was definitely dead.
It wasn't that the Hokage wouldn't let him go...
It was that the Daimyō wouldn't let him go.
He had "bewitched" the Daimyō regarding the relationship with the Hokage, sowing discord between the Land of Fire's two most important pieces. The result was exposure. The Hokage came to "clear out the corrupt officials" by the ruler's side. The Daimyō would weep bitterly, "suddenly repent," and grant death to him, the treacherous official, without hesitation.
This is the truth of it all, the whole story.
Originally, the goal was just to test the boundaries of refusing the Hokage. Unexpectedly, a mere touch triggered such a thunderous strike.
However...
Kazuma walked through the palace, stepping gradually toward the palace gates ahead.
He chose to go to his death.
Lord Daimyō, do you see?
This is the Hokage. A country cannot possess two Kings, just as a person cannot possess two hearts.
Between the Daimyō and the Hokage, only one person can rule this country.
After I am gone, I hope you will be cautious.
Your subject uses his life as bait to let you see the true face of the Hokage.
He looked at the palace wall gates before him; Kazuma was already prepared to die with dignity.
That Hokage is so domineering. Just because things didn't go his way, he personally led troops here. This shows that he has no respect for the Daimyō in his heart.
Kazuma was just about to order his subordinates to open the palace gates, but he only saw—accompanied by a heavy creaking sound—the gate painted in flame-red lacquer crash heavily onto the bluestone floor with a loud bang.
The collapse of the palace gate allowed Kazuma to see the figure ahead.
Pitch-black eyes holding no emotion whatsoever. The Fire Hokage robe draped over the other party was exceptionally dazzling, as was that pure white hair...
Hatake... Kakashi.
The ambitious Fifth Hokage.
The palace gate had fallen, and Kakashi was stepping on that red lacquer gate. This made Kazuma's eyes split with rage.
This was the gate of the Daimyō's Palace!
The palace gate was like the Daimyō's face, yet the other party was actually stepping on it like that. What did this mean?!
"Hatake Kakashi!"
Kazuma roared and charged forward, wanting to perish together with this rebellious subject.
But the moment he moved, a sharp blade was placed against his neck.
A pair of scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan looked straight into his eyes. If Kazuma made another move, that short sword would slice across his neck without hesitation!
"What do you intend to do to Hokage-sama?"
Itachi Uchiha looked at Kazuma before him with a cold expression.
Itachi Uchiha?
One of the Hokage's Guard Platoon.
Kazuma looked in disbelief at the young man who had taken him down with a single strike.
Once upon a time, he prided himself on not losing to anyone, even the so-called Hokage.
But seeing that this Uchiha youth, who was merely one of the guards, could take him down in one hit showed how naive and laughable his past thoughts were.
"Kazuma, is it? Itachi, bring him along."
"The rest of you, take over the Daimyō's Palace."
Kakashi walked past the two of them, never once looking at Kazuma.
Accompanied by Kakashi's order, the one thousand five hundred ninja behind him rushed in like wolves and tigers, quickly subduing the guards in the palace who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
From the moment Kakashi arrived at the Daimyō's capital to the moment of total takeover, less than fifteen minutes had passed.
This ancient city with a long history, regarded as a holy land by many dignitaries, changed masters so easily.
Kakashi's actions could not be hidden from this country, nor from the master of this city.
Listening to the intelligence reported by his subordinates, the Daimyō, who had served as the master of this country since childhood, could not help but tremble with fear.
In his eyes, Kakashi's behavior was rebellion!
It was a heinous crime, a sinner who should be executed!
But at this moment...
Footsteps approached from afar, echoing in the empty hall. Facing that group of fiendish ninja, the guards at the door had no courage to resist at all.
Hokage...
The Daimyō clenched his teeth, his fist gripping the armrest of his seat until it turned white. Staring at the man walking step by step toward him, his heart was filled with resentment.
The man ahead walked over step by step with a cold face. There was not a shred of respect in his expression for him, the Daimyō.
His confidant, Kazuma, was being walked over with a blade held against him by a youth.
This was simply...
A crime punishable by death!
"This must be the current Hokage, Kakashi, right?"
"I heard about it when you took office earlier. The son of the White Fang of Konoha, Sakumo Hatake. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary."
The man on the throne stood up with a light chuckle and walked quickly toward Kakashi. His face was full of warmth, as if he had been longing to meet this young Hokage for a long time.
"Lord Daimyō, I heard there were villains making trouble by your side, so I came specifically."
Calm words came from Kakashi's mouth. Facing the proactive goodwill of the so-called Daimyō before him, he seemed to turn a blind eye.
In the time it took to say those two short sentences, the one thousand five hundred ninja Kakashi brought had completely secured control of the palace.
Even the guards at the palace entrance had been replaced by Konoha ninja.
Witnessing his own people being taken down, the Daimyō dared to be angry but dared not speak. He merely extended his hand with a genial expression, grasped Kakashi's wrist, and spoke affectionately:
"There are no villains making trouble, the Hokage worries too much. It was just a misunderstanding."
"It had best be so. But my messenger was detained by some rat in a gutter?"
Looking at the posturing man before him, Kakashi found it amusing in his heart and didn't mind toying with him.
"Oh, look at my memory."
"Kazuma, didn't I tell you to treat that Konoha messenger well?"
"Where is he?"
The Daimyō cast a confused look at Kazuma, who was being restrained nearby.
"Lord Daimyō..."
Kazuma looked at the Daimyō before him with a face full of humiliation, his heart filled with resentment.
How dare the Hokage!
How dare the Hokage!
To actually force the Lord Daimyō to compromise so abjectly!
When the master is humiliated, the subject dies.
At this moment, Kazuma wished he could smash his head against the hall and die!
"Hokage-sama, Moonlight Hayate has been found. He is awaiting orders outside!"
At this moment, a ninja entered to report to Kakashi.
"Mn, understood. Let him in."
Kakashi nodded.
"Yes!"
That ninja immediately obeyed Kakashi's order and vanished from sight.
From beginning to end, he never glanced at the Daimyō.
The Daimyō watched the departing ninja, his heart swelling with violent rage.
Not only the Hokage, but even a random Konoha ninja dared to ignore him!
It is evident that this Konoha, from top to bottom, are all traitors!
Seeing this, Kakashi couldn't help but be thoughtful.
This was indeed equally surprising to him.
But...
The image of a man with white hair and red eyes appeared in Kakashi's mind.
Tobirama Senju.
The nominal second principal of the Ninja Academy, but in reality, the first.
Konoha ninja receive education on the Will of Fire from a young age, to give their lives for the new buds within the village.
What relationship do these new buds of Konoha have with the Fire Daimyō?
Tobirama Senju, who came from a ninja clan background, was not fond of the so-called Daimyō.
In his view, ninja and Daimyō simply have a cooperative relationship.
You give money, I do the work.
It is that simple.
Although Hashirama Senju's move to ally with the Fire Daimyō back then thoroughly integrated Konoha with the Land of Fire, it did not change Tobirama Senju's will.
He directly smuggled his own ideas into the Ninja Academy textbooks.
So, Konoha ninja educated in the Will of Fire from childhood might respect the so-called Daimyō.
But definitely not too much, especially when compared to the Hokage who leads Konoha.
So...
As expected of you, Tobirama Senju.
Even Itachi Uchiha beside Kakashi was influenced by Tobirama Senju, and thus had no affection for the Daimyō.
At this moment, two figures walked in.
One was Asuma, whom Kakashi hadn't seen in three years and who looked weather-beaten. The other was Moonlight Hayate, whom Kakashi had sent earlier to deliver the message.
It was just that Moonlight Hayate's condition could truly not be considered good.
At this moment, he was no longer in his Konoha ninja attire from when he set out, but in prison garb like a convict. One could even faintly see torture wounds beneath the clothes.
Originally suffering from a chronic illness and having a pale complexion, he now looked as if he would collapse at any moment.
"Hokage-sama."
Moonlight Hayate and Asuma bowed in salute simultaneously.
"Lord Daimyō."
Seeing Moonlight Hayate in such a state, Kakashi's eyes instantly grew much colder.
No matter what, Moonlight Hayate was his person.
"Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Facing Kakashi, whose expression had suddenly turned cold and who had lost interest in feigning politeness, the warmth on the Daimyō's face instantly froze. He looked at Kazuma beside him with reprimand and spoke:
"What is going on? Didn't I tell you to treat him well?!"
Facing the Daimyō's interrogation, Kazuma squeezed his eyes shut, unwilling to watch this scene, and could only speak with humiliation:
"It was this subordinate acting on his own initiative, wanting to torture out the reason why the Hokage demanded so much money."
"From start to finish, everything was done by this subordinate alone and has nothing to do with anyone else."
Hearing Kazuma's words, the Daimyō looked back at Kakashi.
"Since that is the case..."
Kakashi looked at Itachi Uchiha.
Itachi Uchiha immediately understood. He kicked Kazuma in the back of the knee, forcing him to kneel on the ground. The cold blade in his hand rested against Kazuma's neck, awaiting Kakashi's order.
"Konoha and the Hokage are our Land of Fire's most important strength. Kazuma, how could you do such a thing?!"
The Daimyō looked at Kazuma with shock and anger.
"I hope His Highness the Hokage will kill me quickly."
At this moment, Kazuma only wanted to seek death wholeheartedly to prevent the Daimyō from suffering further insults.
Kakashi watched the good show performed by the Daimyō and Kazuma before him, sneering inwardly.
"It seems the Daimyō has extremely soft ears, that even trash like this has the gall to act on his own initiative and detain a Konoha messenger."
Kakashi spoke with a sneer.
Hearing these words, a bad premonition faintly rose in the Daimyō's heart.
"To prevent Lord Daimyō from repeating the same mistakes, it seems I need to send professional personnel responsible for helping Lord Daimyō see clearly the true faces of the people around him."
Surveillance!
This was naked surveillance!
The Daimyō felt grief and rage in his heart.
Grief that in front of this Hokage, he couldn't even retort a single sentence.
Anger that he, as the Daimyō, was actually going to be monitored!
"This..."
Although the Daimyō was grieving and angry inside, his face showed nothing strange. He merely hesitated slightly, hoping to "tactfully" refuse this proposal.
"In addition to this, these people will also assist Lord Daimyō in handling government affairs, to avoid a situation like today's from occurring again."
"Lord Daimyō, what do you think?"
Kakashi looked straight at the Daimyō, his tone filled with a meaning that brooked no refusal.
!
The Daimyō's pupils shrank slightly upon hearing this, faintly losing his composure.
He... what exactly are his intentions?
————
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