Chapter 45 Rumors/The First Target (...)
Two months have passed in the blink of an eye.
The chill of late autumn permeated the air, but Konoha Village was immersed in a bustling atmosphere—the long-awaited construction was finally completed, the last batch of building materials were transported away, revealing smooth roads, neat houses, and various training grounds and meeting places.
The entire village is well-planned, with a spacious layout, and is full of vibrant energy.
The Sarutobi, Shimura, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and other clans that had already formed an alliance and moved in earlier mostly stopped what they were doing. Some stood on both sides of the street, some gathered at the edge of the square, and some leaned out of the windows, all looking toward the two ends of the village's main road.
A silence filled the air, a mixture of curiosity, awe, tension, and anticipation.
Before long, a group of people appeared at one end of the main road.
Their numbers weren't particularly large, but the moment they appeared, it was as if a cold stream flowed into a bustling market, bringing an invisible, breathtaking aura.
All the visitors were dressed in uniform dark-colored high-necked short robes with a prominent fan-shaped family crest embroidered on the back—the symbol of the Uchiha clan.
Most of them were exceptionally beautiful, with delicate features, fair skin, black hair, and black eyes, as if they embodied the beauty of heaven and earth. However, their faces showed no eagerness; their eyes were calm, even slightly aloof, and their gait was steady, exuding an indescribable, seemingly innate arrogance and reserve.
Even on the day they moved into their new home, they did not show much joy or make a fuss. They simply moved forward silently and orderly, as if they were performing a solemn ceremony.
"It's the Uchiha..." A low, realized whisper rippled through the crowd.
The Uchiha clan's power, the Sharingan's genjutsu, and their unapproachable nature were already legendary tales throughout the ninja world. Seeing it with my own eyes now, that cold and powerful aura truly lived up to its reputation.
Almost simultaneously, steady and powerful footsteps echoed from the other end of the main road.
Another group of people appeared.
In stark contrast to the refined and aloof Uchiha clan, this group gave the initial impression of being strong and resolute.
They wore uniform clothing, simple and practical in style, with the Senju clan's unique emblem embroidered on the back. They were generally taller and more robust, with smooth and powerful muscle lines. Their faces might not be as handsome as the Uchiha, but they had distinct features, and their eyes, whether sharp or gentle, exuded a confidence and composure derived from their strength.
Their aura was as heavy as the earth, and their every step carried a reassuring sense of power.
"Senju! It's a member of the Senju clan!" Another suppressed exclamation rang out.
The Senju clan is renowned throughout the ninja world for its vast chakra reserves, powerful vitality, and the emergence of a Wood Release clan leader in this generation. It is a legendary ninja clan on par with the Uchiha.
The previously noisy surroundings fell completely silent at this moment, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone's eyes moved cautiously and curiously back and forth between the lines at both ends of the road.
This is the "cornerstone" of Konoha, the two legendary ninja clans!
They actually ended their thousand-year-old feud and stood side by side on the same land.
The impact of this scene was enormous.
Looking at the Uchiha's aloof and refined face, and the Senju's resolute and strong physique, people were filled with awe. There was a sense of reflection on history, anticipation for the future, and an instinctive reverence for the powerful aura of these two clans.
An invisible boundary seemed to have formed in the middle of the road. At the forefront of the Uchiha group, Madara Uchiha had a cold expression, his gaze fixed straight ahead, without specifically looking at the other side.
At the very front of the Senju group, Hashirama Senju wore his usual gentle smile and nodded slightly in Madara's direction.
The two groups slowly converged on the central square of the village, where they were about to hold their formal initiation ceremony. Silence spread, yet the air seemed to be filled with the colliding and intertwining of invisible sparks.
All onlookers held their breath, witnessing this historic moment.
—Konoha Village has finally welcomed its two most powerful founders and the new future they bring.
***
In the square, the sunlight seemed to focus on that historic handshake.
Hashirama Senju's smile was gentle yet firm, while Madara Uchiha's expression was cold but he did not refuse. Their hands clasped briefly, symbolizing the end of the thousand-year feud between the Senju and Uchiha clans, and the true conclusion of the establishment of Konoha Village.
Below the stage, people from all ethnic groups erupted in enthusiastic cheers and applause, filled with hope for the future.
At the edge of the crowd, in the shadow cast by a building, a pair of murky, malicious eyes stared intently at the two people on the stage who were shaking hands and making peace.
There was no trace of relief or blessing in his gaze, only a deep-seated twisting pain. He silently murmured a few times, as if cursing something, then retreated into the deeper darkness, as if he had never been there.
***
A week has passed since the two clans officially moved into Konoha.
The initial excitement and novelty gradually subsided, and daily life returned to normal. However, an undercurrent began to quietly stir during casual conversations.
Initially, it was just a few small families discussing it in private:
"Speaking of which... is the Hokage Lord Hashirama or Lord Madara...?"
"I hope it's Lord Madara, because I feel he's stronger..."
"Lord Hashirama isn't bad either, and he's very approachable. I'd prefer him to be Hokage..."
"Indeed, Lord Madara is too fierce..."
These whispers spread rapidly like a virus, undergoing "processing" and "transformation." Within days, the rumors escalated, becoming sharp and jarring, and had spread to almost every corner of Konoha.
"Have you heard? Madara is actually the real mastermind behind everything; the Hokage is just a front!"
"What nonsense! Lord Hashirama is the one everyone wants! The Uchiha are so arrogant, how could they possibly be truly convinced?"
"I think it's hard to say who'll be in charge of this village in the future..."
While undercurrents were swirling on one side, the two people directly involved remained calm and composed on the other.
Inside the newly established Tailed Beast Research Department in Konoha.
Hashirama Senju sighed as he looked at the thick report in front of him.
"Sigh, what are we going to do?" He looked at Madara Uchiha across from him with a worried expression. "We've tried for so long, and apart from a few people from our two families, the elite ninjas from other clans can't even get close to the tailed beast's body, let alone form a contract. Does this mean that from now on, the power of the tailed beast can only be controlled by our two families?"
He said with concern, "This will definitely make the other ninja clans feel resentful and think they are being treated differently, which will be detrimental to the unity of the village."
Madara Uchiha stood by the window with his arms crossed. Hearing this, he turned his head with an almost incredulous expression on his face, as if looking at some unbelievable creature: "Hashirama, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
His voice was cold and clear: "The Tailed Beasts were captured by us Senju and Uchiha clans, mainly by myself and Mikatsu. The other clans did not contribute anything to this matter and did not receive any of this reward. Isn't that only natural?"
He took a step closer, his sharp gaze fixed on Hashirama: "I'm telling you, sometimes you're a bit too generous. Excessive generosity is not a virtue; on the contrary, it fuels the greed and ambition of others. Over time, they will take your contributions for granted, and once you can no longer satisfy them, resentment will fester."
Hashirama Senju, feeling somewhat embarrassed by what was said, subconsciously touched the tip of his nose and muttered softly, "Why do you and Tobirama always say the same thing... But, Madara, now that we're all comrades from the same village, we can't show favoritism; we should try to be fair..."
"Naive." Madara Uchiha interrupted him without any politeness, and snorted coldly. "Absolute fairness has never existed. Power and responsibility, effort and reward must be equal. Maintaining a village does not rely on blindly flattering and equal distribution, but on clear rules and a sufficiently strong force capable of upholding those rules."
The differences in their ideologies began to emerge, and neither could convince the other for the time being.
at the same time.
The establishment of Konoha Village was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples of which extended far beyond the Land of Fire.
Within months, news of the Senju and Uchiha clans joining forces and establishing a new model of "ninja villages" by gathering many ninja clans spread like wildfire throughout the major countries of the ninja world.
The lords and nobles of other great powers were initially shocked, but soon felt a deep sense of crisis and urgency.
The fact that the Land of Fire possesses such a powerful and integrated military force means that it will have an absolute advantage in future international competition! How could they sit idly by?
Thus, a wave of village-building imitating Konoha quickly swept across the entire world:
The Hidden Mist Village of the Land of Water, the Hidden Sand Village of the Land of Wind, the Hidden Cloud Village of the Land of Lightning, the Hidden Stone Village of the Land of Earth... these ninja villages, which would later become equally renowned, sprang up like mushrooms after rain, with the support of the daimyo of each country and the leadership of powerful local ninja clans.
In a short time, the landscape of the ninja world underwent a dramatic transformation. The previously relatively scattered ninja forces were highly concentrated, organized into "villages," and became a new force in the confrontation and competition between nations.
Beneath the surface of peace, the shadow of great power competition grows ever stronger, ushering in a new era that is more magnificent yet also more dangerous.
***
A cool autumn breeze swept up a few withered leaves, gliding across a secluded courtyard in the Uchiha clan's new territory.
Inside, the charcoal brazier emitted a warm orange glow, dispelling some of the chill. Yan Sheng sat at the table, a bowl of symbolic longevity noodles in front of him.
Yesterday was his fifteenth birthday.
His two older brothers and Shi celebrated his birthday in a lively manner, and today they even instructed the kitchen to send him longevity noodles.
There's really no need for that.
In fact, fifteen years old is considered adulthood for ninjas, and many of them are already seasoned ninjas who have experienced life and death at this age.
However, for Yan Sheng, who was frail from childhood and was once predicted to never reach adulthood, it was fortunate that he was able to pass the age of fifteen safely.
Kaori, whom only he could see, floated to the side, her illusory hand covering her mouth, wiping away tears of overwhelming emotion. She looked at her son's pale, handsome profile, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful." She choked up and whispered, her voice like the rustling of leaves in the wind, only Yan Sheng could hear it. "I've been so worried about you, I blame myself for not being able to give you a healthy and strong body." Her tone was filled with unresolved self-blame, as if Yan Sheng's years of illness were all her fault.
Yan Sheng put down his chopsticks. He was already used to his mother's agitation and self-blame, and didn't know how to comfort her. He could only say calmly, "It has nothing to do with you."
Kaori, however, seemed lost in her own emotions and remained completely unaffected by any advice. She floated to Yan Sheng's side, her transparent hand attempting to stroke his hair, but unsurprisingly, it passed right through him.
She sighed regretfully, "Alas, it's a pity I'm dead and can't touch anything anymore. Otherwise, I wanted to make you a new set of clothes as a New Year's gift." Her tone was full of love and regret.
Yan Sheng had no interest in this and abruptly changed the subject: "Mother, aren't you going to the village today?"
Kaori's greatest pleasure lately has been wandering around Konoha Village, observing everything.
When the village was mentioned, the excitement and regret on Jiazhi's face faded, replaced by worry. Her delicate brows furrowed tightly: "I was just about to tell you. Yansheng, some very bad rumors have been circulating in the village recently, and I find it a bit strange."
Her spirit drifted to the window, as if she could see the distant commotion through the wall, and her tone became serious: "Those words—the debate about who is the true master of the village, your brother or the Thousand Hands clan chief—sound like both sides have their own reasons, and they're arguing noisily. But if you think about it carefully, it's as if they appeared overnight, spreading at an abnormally fast speed."
Kaori has practically been living in the village lately. Taking advantage of her unnoticed access, she overheard countless discussions in the streets and alleys and observed the villagers' changing emotions. It was precisely this comprehensive "immersion" that allowed her to perceive the underlying disharmony beneath the seemingly natural public opinion.
“Many people are very resistant to Madara. They think Madara is too fierce, too cold, too domineering, and frightening.” Kaori’s tone was filled with dissatisfaction and a hint of heartache. “But is the Senju clan leader really that good? He’s just more lively and enthusiastic than Madara, and more approachable. But to be honest, Mother thinks that he might be even colder than Madara at heart.”
Kaori doesn't have any bias towards Madara just because he's her son; in that respect, she considers herself fairly fair.
As a woman, and a member of the Uchiha clan at that, coupled with her naturally more delicate and sensitive personality than the average person, her observation and intuition have always been accurate, and she has almost never made a mistake.
Before she had much contact with Hashirama Senju, she might have been misled by his cheerful appearance. But recently, she has been following Hashirama Senju through official business, conversations, and even solitary contemplation, carefully observing his character and style of handling affairs. She wouldn't say she understands him completely, but she has at least grasped about 70-80% of his personality.
“The Senju clan chief… is a very dangerous person,” Kaori sighed. “I feel he is even more obsessive than Madara. It’s just that his obsession is wrapped in his gentle and generous appearance, which deceives everyone. Once something threatens him, he probably won’t be much more composed than your brother.”
She paused, then continued her analysis, her tone growing increasingly serious: "Furthermore, the Senju clan leader is too naive. He seems to believe in love and understanding, and indeed, the Senju are known as the clan of love. Although we Uchiha think it's nonsense, the Senju clan leader, well... he does have some of that kind of sentiment."
"He may genuinely believe that sincerity will be reciprocated. But this naiveté is built upon his absolute strength. He has the ability to cover up the fallout and to forcefully reverse the situation before any consequences caused by his naiveté spiral out of control."
"But he forgot, or was unwilling to think, what a terrible backlash and chaos would erupt from the image he left behind, which was maintained by personal charisma and absolute power, and what a huge mess he would leave behind, once he was gone."
Finally, she gave an evaluation that even Yan Sheng found somewhat surprising: "In this respect, he is not as good as his younger brother, Tobirama Senju. At least Tobirama Senju, although ruthless and calculating, focused on the balance between systems, rules, and actual interests. What he built may lack warmth, but it is more stable and less likely to collapse after his death."
Yan Sheng listened quietly to his mother's analysis, his dark eyes revealing no emotion, and his fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on the table.
He was no naive youth; in his previous life, as a city lord, he had witnessed too many dirty deals behind the scenes and heard too many high-sounding lies. He himself was even a master of both intrigue and scheming. He had a profound understanding of the greed, jealousy, and baseness of human nature.
Therefore, when his mother said that, he naturally sensed something was amiss. This was clearly a premeditated and organized manipulation of public opinion.
—What is the purpose?
Was it to weaken the Uchiha's influence in Konoha, sow discord between the Uchiha and Senju, or undermine Madara's position? Or even, kill three birds with one stone?
So, who is the mastermind behind this?
Currently, the only group in Konoha with the motivation and ability to challenge the Uchiha on a political level is the Senju clan.
"Is it Hashirama Senju?" Yan Sheng instinctively denied. That man's way of thinking was straightforward; he preferred to solve problems with absolute power or sincerity, unlike someone who would resort to such underhanded tricks.
So... it's Tobirama Senju?
Yan Sheng's eyes were slightly cold.
Tobirama Senju was indeed meticulous, calm, and rational to the point of being cold-blooded, and he harbored a deep-seated wariness and distrust of the Uchiha clan. Would he secretly intervene for the benefit of the Senju clan, or for the sake of the balance he envisioned for the village?
Possibly.
Yan Sheng lowered his eyes.
Although Tobirama Senju was his prime suspect, Michikatsu did not immediately draw a conclusion. His experience in political struggles taught him that he could not easily rule out any possibility without solid evidence, especially the biggest beneficiary and potential competitor.
On the other side, Uchiha Izuna also noticed something was wrong.
Furthermore, because he already harbored extreme distrust towards Tobirama Senju and regarded him as his number one enemy, his keen political sense immediately detected the malice and targeting when the rumors began. Without any hesitation, he directly pointed the finger at the white-haired man he hated the most.
—It must have been Tobirama Senju who did it! Who else would be so insidious as to use such despicable means to attack the Uchiha clan?
Anger burned fiercely in Izuna's heart. The thought of that white-haired man manipulating public opinion and slandering his brother made him want to punch that hateful face a few times.
Take a deep breath. I tried and tried to hold it in. But no, I couldn't hold it in any longer.
With a cold face, Izuna rushed into Tobirama Senju's office and kicked the door hard without knocking.
"Bang!"
The heavy wooden door was kicked open and slammed against the wall with a loud bang.
Inside the office, Tobirama Senju, who was working diligently on a mountain of documents, was not startled by the sudden commotion. However, the pen he was writing with snapped in his hand due to the sudden tension in his muscles.
He raised his eyes, his face cold and displeased, a chilling glint in his crimson pupils, as he looked at Uchiha Izuna, who stood at the door with an accusing expression. The interruption of his work and the other man's extremely rude intrusion had brought his tone to a freezing point:
“Uchiha Izuna,” he gritted his teeth as he uttered the name, “what’s gotten into you now?”
Izuna strode into the office, slamming the door shut behind him to block any possible view from outside. He then walked to Tobirama's desk, placed his hands on the surface, leaned forward, and approached Tobirama, his face filled with undisguised mockery and anger, coldly sneering:
"Well done, Second Brother Senju, you've really got some skills! Your ability to stab people in the back and pull these dirty tricks has improved! What? You can't compete head-on, so you resort to these underhanded tactics?"
Tobirama Senju was stunned by the barrage of accusations and unfounded charges, momentarily unable to grasp what Izuna was talking about. He frowned, his face filled with bewilderment and extreme annoyance at being interrupted, and replied, "What are you talking about?"
It must be said that, as mortal enemies who had been entangled for half their lives, Uchiha Izuna truly understood Senju Tobirama extremely well. Similarly, Senju Tobirama was also well aware of Uchiha Izuna's thought process and his tendency to explode.
—Tobirama Senju did have similar thoughts.
When Konoha was newly founded and the power structure was not yet stable, he had weighed various possibilities, including but not limited to what to do if his elder brother could not compete with Madara Uchiha in the future power struggle.
He had considered whether it was necessary to sow seeds of discord against the Uchiha clan in public opinion beforehand, just in case.
But in the end, he rejected the idea.
The reason is simple: it's completely unnecessary.
Given Madara Uchiha's cold, arrogant personality and disdain for cultivating interpersonal relationships, apart from the Uchiha clan members who were intimidated by his strength and bound by blood, who among the other ninja clans in the village would genuinely support him?
He didn't even need to lift a finger; Madara Uchiha could completely ruin his public image on his own. Public opinion would naturally not be on his side.
If that's the case, why go to all that trouble and leave behind something that could be used against him? It would be a smarter and safer approach to wait and see what happens and wait for Madara Uchiha to make a mistake on his own.
Therefore, he did not contribute to the spread of the rumors.
Now, things have gotten out of hand. Uchiha Izuna, that powder keg that explodes at the slightest provocation, has kicked the door open without even asking what happened and pinned this fabricated charge on him.
—Senju Tobirama was an extremely intelligent man. He instantly understood the source of Izuna's anger from Izuna's seemingly random yet accusatory words, combined with the recent rumors circulating in the village.
Tobirama, realizing what was happening, wasn't angry at all. Instead, looking at Izuna Uchiha's face, which was becoming even more strikingly beautiful because of his anger, he felt inexplicably better.
A mixture of anticipation ("I knew it") and a wicked sense of amusement ("I'm happy to see you get angry") welled up inside me.
He released the pen he had snapped in his hand, casually crossed his arms, leaned back comfortably in his high-backed chair, adopting a completely relaxed, even slightly mocking posture. Then, he slightly raised his chin, his calm, scarlet eyes scrutinizing Izuna, who stood before the table, his hair standing on end, and said in a calm tone:
"Izuna," he said slowly, as if lecturing a disobedient child, "speak with reason."
He paused, enjoying the fact that Izuna's expression had become even more agitated by his opening remarks, before continuing unhurriedly, "The rumors may be exaggerated, but in essence, aren't they the truth? Your brother, Uchiha Madara, wasn't he the kind of person who was cold, powerful, and intimidating? Isn't it normal for people to see him and talk about him like that?"
"Isn't this a result of his own personality and behavior?"
Finally, he casually tossed out a sarcastic remark: "Don't try to shift the blame for your brother's own problems onto others. That kind of behavior just makes me think you're tasteless and a sore loser."
These words were truly devastating. They not only cleared themselves of suspicion but also shifted all the blame onto Madara Uchiha's personality, while also mercilessly attacking Izuna's sore spot and mocking his impulsiveness.
As expected, after hearing this, Izuna's Sharingan uncontrollably surfaced, and his magnificent Mangekyou Sharingan almost spewed fire.
"Sen! Ju! Tobirama!" He gritted his teeth, squeezing out the name one word at a time, his chakra surging around him, and the temperature in the office suddenly dropped several degrees.
Inside the building in the center of Konoha Village, which had just been officially renamed the Hokage Building, the otherwise peaceful afternoon was shattered by a sudden loud noise!
"boom!"
A window near the building suddenly shattered, sending splinters flying and thick dust billowing out like smoke bombs, drawing astonished glances from passersby and ninjas below.
"What happened?"
"It exploded?"
"Enemy attack?"
People looked at the broken window with suspicion and uncertainty, wondering what had happened, and then—
"Bang!"
Another, even more muffled and terrifying roar! The wall suddenly caved inward, then burst open with a huge hole, and a white figure, arms crossed in front of him, was thrown out like a cannonball by a tremendous force.
The figure nimbly tumbled several times in the air, skillfully dissipating the impact, and finally landed somewhat awkwardly on the ground, its feet sliding a short distance before coming to a complete stop.
As the dust settled, everyone looked closely and saw that the iconic white hair, red eyes, and distinctive fur collar belonged to Tobirama Senju.
Before everyone could recover from the shock of "Vice-Minister Senju (Tobirama was in charge of the construction of many specific departments) being beaten out of his office," another figure leaped out from the gaping hole and landed lightly not far from Tobirama.
With black hair and black eyes, a handsome face yet covered in frost, and the slight redness at the corners of his eyes after the Sharingan was activated, it was none other than Uchiha Izuna.
The two stood a distance apart, their gazes clashing intensely in the air, as if invisible sparks were crackling.
Tobirama Senju shook his slightly numb arm and coldly straightened his rumpled collar. Izuna Uchiha, on the other hand, was slightly out of breath, his anger undiminished.
The onlookers stared in disbelief at the scene, their minds unable to process the sheer volume of information: the Senju and Uchiha's second-in-command were fighting inside the Hokage Building?
The news quickly reached Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, who were in the Tailed Beasts Research Department.
When they heard the news that "Izuna and Tobirama are fighting in the Hokage Building," their hearts sank. They rushed to the scene as fast as they could, filled with anxiety.
However, when they arrived and pushed through the crowd, what they saw was not the chaotic scene of flying ninja techniques and utter devastation they had expected.
All that was there was... two people rolling on the ground, wrestling and fighting without any regard for their image.
Uchiha Izuna and Senju Tobirama hadn't lost their minds; they knew the serious consequences of using ninjutsu in the village. Therefore, they were extremely "restrained"... and only used taijutsu.
However, if you fight using physical skills, you can't maintain your image.
Therefore, at this moment, the two of them had long lost their usual cold arrogance or shrewd composure. They were no different from naughty children who had their candy stolen or street thugs fighting.
Izuna grabbed Tobirama by the collar and punched his face with the other hand. Tobirama blocked with his elbow and used his leg to pin Izuna's lower body, trying to flip him over. The two rolled on the ground, one punching the other and the other scratching him.
"You bastard! I'll teach you to talk nonsense!"
"The Uchiha are unreasonable! Let go!"
"Admit it first!"
"dream!"
The childish argument, accompanied by the muffled thuds of a physical fight, left the onlookers dumbfounded, wanting to laugh but daring not to.
Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, who rushed to the scene, witnessed this remarkable sight.
spot:"......"
Hashirama: "......"
The expressions on the faces of the two peak-level ninjas were blank for a moment. The worst-case scenario they had anticipated hadn't happened, but the scene before them didn't seem much better.
Hashirama Senju scratched his head, somewhat bewildered: "Uh, Madara, what's going on with them...?"
Madara Uchiha's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Watching his usually well-mannered younger brother rolling around on the ground like a wild child, the veins on his forehead throbbed involuntarily.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions of absurdity and rage surging within him, and roared like thunder: "Izuna! Tobirama Senju! You two, stop right there!"
Yan Sheng was completely unaware of the brawl that had erupted at the Hokage Building, which had tarnished his second brother's image. At that moment, all his attention was focused on something far more important.
—Ken Katsu took Kaori's warning about the suspicious nature of the rumors to heart. His plan was to find an opportunity to tell Izuna about it.
In Yan Sheng's view, dealing with such internal conspiracies and political infighting was exactly what Izuna was good at, and it was most appropriate to leave it to him to investigate and deal with, so he didn't need to be too distracted by this matter.
He had more important things to do than that.
Good news: Madara did not take back the three tailed beasts that he had temporarily entrusted to him.
Madara's original words were: "Since they are all in the hands of the Uchiha, it makes no difference whether you keep them or I keep them. I'm too lazy to bother with it."
This casual remark rendered Yan Sheng's prepared reasons for keeping the tailed beasts useless.
Although somewhat unexpected, this is undoubtedly a good thing. It means he can use this power more freely without having to explain it to Bando.
Yan Sheng spread out a detailed map of the Land of Fire on the table. His gaze calmly swept across the map, finally settling on the prominent mark representing the capital.
This was his first target.
As for why he chose the daimyo of the Land of Fire.
The reason is simple: the daimyo of the Land of Fire is the closest to him.
Geographical proximity means shorter journeys, less time spent, and lower risk of unforeseen events. In Yan Sheng's planning process, efficiency is always a top priority.
His fingertip lightly touched the capital city on the map, a symbol of secular power.
He will visit the daimyo of the Land of Fire, so that the pampered daimyo can deeply understand what power is and make him make a wise choice.
Outside the window, the autumn wind blew, swirling up a few withered leaves.
Unbeknownst to anyone, an action that would shake the very core of the Fire Kingdom's power was quietly brewing in this silent place. And its executor was merely a frail boy who had just turned fifteen and was so weak that he coughed up blood from time to time.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's about to begin! [Starry-eyed]
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