"The Hidden Leaf ninjas look no different from us. Can they really protect the Priestess-sama?"
"Who knows."
A few guards hurried toward the direction of the shrine, where the Priestess-sama usually rested.
"The Priestess-sama paid a bounty to hire these ninjas from the Land of Fire. She must have her reasons." In their speech, these guards showed great respect for the Priestess-sama they spoke of.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the shrine, knelt on one knee, and reported the situation to the Priestess behind the door.
"Priestess-sama, the Hidden Leaf ninjas have arrived."
Inside the room was an elegant woman with a noble air to her brows. She frowned tightly, listening to the guard's voice outside the door, and suddenly snapped awake.
"I understand. Tell them to go to the main hall first." Miroku rubbed her brow, a trace of exhaustion on her beautiful face.
Had the Prophecy of Death activated again? Her original plan had quietly changed.
"Yes, Priestess-sama." The two guards outside the door quickly retreated and headed toward the location of Kiyoshi and the others.
"It's time to talk to the Daimyō." Miroku pulled back the futon, revealing her plump and alluring figure. A thin, delicate undergarment draped over her like a white, gauzy feather robe, clinging naturally to the curves of her body. As she walked, her full, rounded form trembled along with the garment.
She changed into a *Chōkan* (a type of crown) and put on the *Chihaya* robe, which only the most respected priestesses in the Land of Demons were allowed to wear.
***
In a spacious palace, Kiyoshi and his group followed the guards to reach this location.
Before the Priestess arrived, a man dressed expensively, wearing the cap that only Daimyōs could wear, arrived. The Cap also had a gauze like a fan, painted with the symbol representing the Land of Demons.
Kiyoshi squinted slightly and saw ninjas from the Hidden Sand Village. The Hidden Sand ninjas were also here to meddle; this was interesting.
There was a woman with short black hair and purple markings on her face, dressed as a Hidden Sand ninja. She bore a striking resemblance to Rin's Hidden Sand version. Rin also showed an incredible expression, looking at the Hidden Sand ninja who looked similar to her. Obito's eyes widened even further. The Hidden Sand ninja only looked seven or eight parts like Rin, but with the purple markings on her face, that familiar feeling instantly emerged.
Maki frowned slightly, feeling the gaze of the Hidden Leaf ninjas. She also noticed Rin. She felt Rin bore some resemblance to her. However, she was more focused on Kiyoshi!
Pakura had participated in the Chunin Exams only after several years of preparation, aiming to build the Hidden Sand's reputation. She was several years older than other contemporary ninjas. Yet, she was defeated by the power of the Sharingan. After returning, she remained silent about the name Kiyoshi Uchiha.
It was from Baki that Maki learned Kiyoshi's information. She looked at Kiyoshi, who was sitting next to Kurenai, and noticed the characteristic small sealing scroll on his waist. This was exactly consistent with the information Baki provided.
This was the guy... Maki clenched her hand.
"Are you the one who defeated Sister Pakura?" She looked directly at Kiyoshi.
"If you are referring to Pakura of the Hidden Sand, I believe I am." Kiyoshi smiled faintly. This person must be Maki, Pakura's future disciple. Judging by her young appearance, she had probably just graduated from the Genin Academy.
In the ninja world, not every squad leader was considered a sensei. Naruto, for example, had three teachers: Iruka, Kakashi, and Jiraiya. As long as the student acknowledged it and the teacher imparted their experience, the master-disciple relationship could be established.
"Please send my regards to Pakura. A temporary setback is nothing." Kiyoshi's tone nearly drove Maki mad. It sounded as if he was saying that Pakura was inferior to him. How dare he speak that way about Sister Pakura, the strongest person in her heart!
*Hmph*, truly Uchiha arrogance.
"As expected of allied nations; it seems you are all acquainted." The Daimyō of the Land of Demons waved his hand, telling the Hidden Sand and Hidden Leaf ninjas to sit down first. A guard brought chairs for them. The alliance between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire was well-known in the ninja world.
"Yes, we are allies with the Land of Wind." Minato stepped forward respectfully, while also glancing at Maki's two teammates and their Jōnin leader. What was the Hidden Sand's purpose in being here?
Yūki was more concerned about the mission. He spoke up:
"Respected Daimyō-sama, where is the Priestess-sama?"
"She will arrive shortly." The Daimyō of the Land of Demons' words carried a faint sense of distance. He seemed dismissive of the group of ninjas.
Minato and Yūki had clearly grown accustomed to this attitude from Daimyōs. Protection missions were a common type of request, whether it was guarding a wealthy merchant, an official, or some esteemed monk—all people of high social status. These people often didn't treat ninjas well; after all, they were the clients, and the ninjas were there to provide a service, which was protection. If a ninja's attitude was poor and harmed the Hidden Leaf's image, there would be punishment upon returning to the village. One of the purposes of the Chunin Exams was to advertise the village's strength, thereby attracting more clients to issue missions.
"The Daimyō of the Land of Demons, huh." Kiyoshi surveyed the surroundings. This entire hall was built with unknown wood, giving it a very luxurious appearance. All countries were traditionally ruled by a Daimyō, a rule so deeply ingrained that no one had ever attempted to break it. To people in the ninja world, a Daimyō was born to be a Daimyō, destined to be nobler than ordinary people.
The Land of Demons also had a Daimyō, but its situation was unique. Due to the existence of Mōryō, the status of the Priestess was as high as the Daimyō's.
"I wonder if he's colluding with Mōryō." Kiyoshi shifted his gaze to the Daimyō of the Land of Demons, noticing that besides the Hidden Sand ninjas, there was a man with long, flowing hair and a group of ninjas whose attire was completely different from the guards. Kiyoshi guessed this was the Land of Demons' native ninja force, and the long-haired man was Yomi.
Not every country had a hidden village. Some countries chose not to establish one but still possessed ninja power. Apart from the Priestess, the guards in the Land of Demons were weak, possessing only a few special secret Ninjutsu.
For example, the Shadow Mirror Body Change Method originated from the Land of Demons. It allowed the user to become identical to someone else, and its transformation effect far exceeded that of the ordinary Transformation Technique.
The ninjas around Yomi were all ninjas modified by Dark Medical Ninjutsu. The source of these powers was… Mōryō.
Kiyoshi feigned having dust in his eye and rubbed his face. The moment his hand covered his eyes, his Sharingan emerged. Kiyoshi used the gap between his fingers to look at the chakra flowing within the Daimyō's body.
Unlike the faint chakra of an ordinary person, a mass of black chakra was nestled within the Daimyō's heart. Kiyoshi was certain: the Daimyō had unsealed Mōryō.
When he lowered his hand, Kiyoshi's crimson eyes returned to their normal black color. The Sharingan could be activated and deactivated instantly. Unless someone was staring intently at him, it would be impossible to notice this small detail.
"Oh? There's an Uchiha clan member too?" The Daimyō of the Land of Demons noticed the Uchiha clan crest on Obito's clothes, then saw Kiyoshi also had one. A flash of purplish-black light appeared in his eyes, and he said with an arrogant posture:
"I hear the Uchiha clan are all elite ninjas. Any country that has them gains strength, like a tiger with wings."
"That's right, we Uchiha are the number one clan." Obito, sitting behind, laughed with his large black pot on his back. He took the Daimyō of the Land of Demons' words as a great compliment. He even gave Kakashi a self-satisfied glance.
"Then are you Uchiha willing to swear fealty to me and work for the Land of Demons?" The Daimyō's presumptuous tone startled everyone present. There were differences between Daimyōs, and the Daimyō of the Land of Demons was openly poaching ninjas from the Land of Fire's village?
"That won't be necessary, Daimyō-sama. We Uchiha are members of the Hidden Leaf." Kiyoshi said calmly.
He was almost completely sure that this Daimyō had already made contact with Mōryō! This Daimyō was an ambitious man. He wanted to rule the world, so he broke Mōryō's seal, intending to use Mōryō's phantom army to sweep through the Five Great Nations.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain the Land of Demons Daimyō's arrogance; he didn't even put the Five Great Nations in his sights, let alone just the Uchiha clan.
"Forgive the wait, ninjas." Just as the Daimyō of the Land of Demons saw Kiyoshi refuse him, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something. The Priestess's voice came from a distance, high and majestic, making her sound like a goddess speaking.
The Daimyō swallowed his words and focused intently on the Priestess.
Kiyoshi looked at the Priestess's exquisite face and the voluptuous, graceful figure beneath the *Chihaya* robe, feeling the Dōjutsu power in his eyes surging.
Kiyoshi had met women of noble status before; Tsunade was the princess of the Senju clan, and her status was self-evident.
She could be considered the woman with the purest lineage in the Hidden Leaf. However, she lacked the noble, sacred aura that made one want to kneel and worship.
The Miroku who appeared before him had exactly this feeling. This was because every generation of priestess was astonishingly charming.
Their Prophecy of Death would foretell the deaths of people around them, and only by staying away from the Priestess could they be saved. Sadly, generation after generation of the Land of Demons' citizens still made self-sacrificing efforts to serve her.
This gave Kiyoshi an unprecedented feeling. If forced to compare the noble aura, perhaps only a woman revered as the Rabbit Goddess, like Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, would possess a stronger presence.
"She can push my Dōjutsu power to its limit." Kiyoshi had this premonition; the Dōjutsu power in his right eye could receive a huge boost from this opportunity.
"Hidden Leaf ninjas, you may go down and rest for now."
"Our mission is to escort…" Minato stood up and began to speak.
The Priestess gently shook her head, saying:
"It is not necessary today. I need to speak with the Daimyō."
***
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