Chapter 47 The Land of Fire (Two chapters combined, including a bonus chapter...)
The banquet hall was brightly lit and filled with the fragrance of incense. There were only a dozen or so people present, but they were all elegant and well-dressed, and their words and actions revealed the composure of someone who had long held a high position.
When Sanjo Ieyasu saw Kokukatsu, he walked over with a smile and then introduced him to the people present.
"This is Lord Yan Shengjun of the State of Jiguo. He is a descendant of a reclusive noble family. He is learned and has unique insights into refined matters."
Yan Sheng greeted everyone with composure, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, his manners impeccable.
His appearance was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing subtle ripples. Everyone curiously sized up this unfamiliar young man.
During the banquet, the conversation ranged from poetry to painting, and from tea ceremony to politics.
Most of the time, Yen Sheng simply listens quietly. Occasionally, when asked a question, he will offer a concise opinion, but his sharp perspective and profound insights often hit the nail on the head, leaving people in awe.
He skillfully steered the conversation, neither appearing deliberate nor failing to gradually touch upon peripheral topics related to the Daimyo Prefecture and the current policy direction of the Land of Fire.
He noticed a middle-aged man who remained silent throughout the gathering, with sharp eyes. Although he was not wearing official robes, the subtle respect shown to him by those around him, as well as the subtle expressions of Sanjo Ieyasu when he spoke with him, all indicated that this man was of extraordinary status and was very likely to have close ties with the core of the daimyo's government.
Yan Sheng did not rush to talk to this person, but silently noted down the person's characteristics and how the people around him addressed him: "Lord Ju".
As the banquet progressed, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Yan Sheng excused himself to change his clothes and temporarily left the table.
He knew that Uchiha Masaki should have used this time to get a preliminary understanding of the layout of the villa, and might even have captured some useful information.
He paused briefly in the corridor, a cool night breeze blowing. His gaze fell upon the most brightly lit and heavily guarded area in the heart of the capital—Daming Prefecture.
......
The banquet drew to a close in an elegant and harmonious atmosphere.
Yan Sheng's debut was undoubtedly a success. His aloof and noble demeanor, his perfectly apt speech, and the occasional profound insights he revealed all left a deep impression on the dignitaries present, especially the middle-aged man known as "Lord Ju," who, though still silent, now looked at Yan Sheng with a hint of scrutiny that was hard to detect.
In the following days, Yan Sheng once again accepted banquets from Sanjō Ieyasu and others, and "accidentally" appeared in elegant places where nobles gathered.
He maintained a distant yet polite demeanor, slowly blending into the periphery of the circle. Through listening and observation, he quickly filtered out valuable targets:
Sanjo Ieyasu: He held a prestigious position but may have been far removed from the core power circle. He liked to show off and had a relatively low level of vigilance.
Lord Tachibana, whose full name is Tachibana Seiyou: Through observing the attitudes of others and gathering information, it was confirmed that he was one of the important officials under the daimyo in charge of finance or internal affairs. He was cautious and taciturn.
The other nobles belonged to different factions; some were radical and advocated expansion, while others were conservative and hoped to maintain the status quo. From their arguments and complaints, Yan Sheng began to outline the power structure of the capital.
The opportunity arose at a private tea party at the residence of Sanjo Ieyasu.
After the meeting, Sanjō Ieyasu enthusiastically invited Yūkichi to admire several ancient paintings from his collection alone. In the quiet art gallery where only the two of them were present, the atmosphere was relaxed, and Sanjō Ieyasu became even more talkative, beginning to recount some anecdotes behind the collection, occasionally touching upon certain deceased nobles or past policies.
Yan Sheng appeared to be focused on appreciating the paintings, occasionally raising one or two insightful questions to guide the conversation.
When Sanjo Ieyasu talked about a painting related to a deceased daimyo and lamented that some of the policies of the current daimyo differed from those of his predecessor, Kokusatsu met his gaze.
In that instant, a flash of scarlet light flickered swiftly and subtly in Yan Sheng's dark eyes.
Sanjo Ieyasu felt that the eyes of the man before him, Lord Tsugukuni, seemed exceptionally deep, giving him an involuntary feeling that "this young man is no ordinary person; we could be friends despite our age difference, and it wouldn't hurt to talk about him." Coupled with his existing fondness for Miyakatsu and a tendency to show off, he opened up even more.
He began to complain that although the current daimyo was kind, he was sometimes too indecisive and easily influenced by his close advisors (hinting at several people including Tachibana Seiya); he lamented that some policies were costly but yielded little result; and he also mentioned the daimyo's personal preferences for certain art forms and occasional minor health issues.
Yan Sheng listened patiently, occasionally offering a comment, and all the information flowed into his brain like a gentle stream.
In that case, Tachibana Seiya is the real challenge. He is extremely vigilant and almost never participates in pointless chatter. People like him generally know more.
Yan Sheng changed his strategy and set his sights on Tachibana Seiya.
At a small art appreciation event sponsored by the Daming Prefecture, Yan Sheng found his opportunity.
Tachibana Seiyo attended as the official representative, but seemed troubled by something, and stood alone in the corridor lost in thought. Yan Sheng "happened" to pass by, but did not speak to him. He simply stopped and looked at the courtyard scenery, as if he was also thinking.
After a moment of silence, Yan Sheng recited an ancient poem in a very low, almost soliloquized voice, the content of which perfectly captured the hidden anxieties that might arise from a certain controversial national policy.
Ju Qingyao's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he turned sharply to look at Yan Sheng, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
Just as his gaze fell upon them, Yan Sheng also "coincidentally" turned his head, and that crimson glint flashed in his eyes once more.
Under the Sharingan's vision, every muscle twitch on Tachibana Seiya's face, every contraction of his pupils, and the subtle changes in his breathing were magnified and analyzed infinitely.
Based on his body language just now, Yan Sheng instantly gleaned a wealth of information:
Tachibana Kiyoshi indeed harbored doubts about the policy. His pressure came from higher levels (most likely the daimyo's own insistence) and the push from another faction. He harbored a deep aversion to a certain faction (most likely the passionate faction) that was pushing for the policy. In addition, a name he subconsciously uttered—perhaps a political enemy, or perhaps someone who could hinder him.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and then everything returned to normal.
Yan Sheng gave a slightly apologetic smile: "My apologies. I was moved by the tranquil scenery here and disturbed your peace." His expression was flawless.
Ju Qingyao scrutinized him. The boy before him had clear eyes and a clean demeanor, and it seemed that he had really just said it without thinking. His tense expression relaxed slightly, and he thought that he had been overthinking it. He said coldly, "It is better for you to keep the things you are feeling sentimental to yourself."
Having said that, he turned and left.
Afterwards, through several "chance" interactions and in-depth observations, combined with the "drunken ramblings" and complaints he heard from Sanjo Ieyasu and other nobles, Kokusatsu gradually pieced together a clear picture of the core power structure of the Land of Fire:
The man, named Daming, is middle-aged. While not exactly incompetent, he is certainly conservative and indecisive. He values his posthumous reputation, enjoys art, has poor health, and is easily influenced by his close advisors and favored concubines.
They both rely on and are wary of ninja power, and their attitude towards Konoha is ambiguous.
The conservative faction (represented by Tachibana Seiya and some veteran officials) advocated a steady and pragmatic approach, maintaining the status quo, and showed a cautious attitude towards supporting large-scale development.
The radical faction (represented by a few nobles who held military power): advocated active expansion, increased military equipment, and had a stronger desire to control and exploit the ninja forces.
The influence of imperial concubines and their relatives: They also attempted to influence decision-making and seek their own family interests.
In other aspects, the national treasury is tight, taxes are heavy in some areas, and the daimyo is hesitant about whether to start a large-scale water conservancy project (which is also a source of pressure for Tachibana Seiya).
Opinions on Konoha: The top leadership is divided, with conservatives believing it needs to be observed and restrained, while radicals believe it should be more deeply integrated into the national military system.
By this point, Yan Sheng had a pretty good grasp of the inner workings of the Fire Kingdom's top power structure.
Factional infighting, ruler indecisiveness, financial pressure, policy disagreements... In his eyes, these were not "major problems," but merely commonplace issues in the ruling structure.
It was very easy to handle—at least for him.
The night was cool and clear.
The guards of the Daimyo's mansion were formidable to ordinary people and even ninjas, but they were practically nonexistent in front of Yan Sheng. He easily bypassed the visible and hidden sentries and infiltrated deep into the mansion.
He randomly selected a palace servant, activated his Sharingan, and without a word, his powerful eye energy invaded the servant's mind. The servant's eyes instantly went blank.
"Where is your name?" Yan Sheng's voice was cold and direct.
"At the Moon-Viewing Hall... to enjoy the newly choreographed dance and music..." the palace servant replied blankly.
"Specific location."
The palace attendant raised his hand and mechanically pointed out the detailed route.
Having obtained the necessary information, Yan Sheng knocked the man unconscious with a karate chop, hid in a concealed spot, and then headed in the direction indicated by the palace servant.
......
The Moon-Viewing Hall was brightly lit and filled with the aroma of incense.
The middle-aged, pale-faced daimyo leaned against the soft couch, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest to the rhythm of the music. He watched with great interest, occasionally humming along, appearing completely absorbed.
Below, several graceful dancers swayed to the music, their flowing sleeves fluttering and their eyes alluring.
Yan Sheng, seemingly blending into the shadows of the palace beams, coldly observed the extravagant scene below. With his target so close and his mind relaxed, it was the perfect moment to cast his illusion.
In his dark eyes, crimson Sharingan quietly emerged, the magnificent kaleidoscope pattern slowly rotating, and his cold pupil power locked onto the unsuspecting daimyo below.
Just as the illusion was about to be activated—
An extremely subtle yet chillingly familiar aura, so chilling it sent shivers down one's spine, pierced Yan Sheng's senses like the flick of a venomous snake.
Um......?
Yan Sheng's gaze swept across the entire hall like a sophisticated radar. Musicians, attendants, dancers... He heightened his perception to the extreme, and quickly pinpointed the source of that cold, evil aura.
It was the lead dancer. Or rather, it was something that possessed and controlled the lead dancer.
Without the slightest hesitation, and doing his best to give the other party no time to react, Yan Sheng's figure disappeared from the shadows on the beam. The next second, he appeared directly above the lead dancer's head.
There were no fancy techniques whatsoever; it was pure power and speed. He concentrated his chakra in his feet, and like a meteor descending from the sky, carrying a chilling killing intent, he stomped down fiercely.
"boom!"
The wooden stage beneath our feet cracked under the strain.
There was no "substantial feeling" to be found.
Just at the critical moment, the dancer displayed remarkable reaction speed, managing to dodge the attack by sidestepping.
Yan Sheng's heavy stomp missed its mark, creating a deep dent in the stage floor and sending wood chips flying everywhere.
The music stopped abruptly.
The wonderful atmosphere of the banquet was shattered by this sudden and terrifying attack. The musicians and servants screamed in terror, and the lord was so frightened that he rolled off the couch and shouted for protection.
In the center of the main hall, dust settled.
Yan Sheng slowly straightened up, his cold Sharingan fixed on the swaying dancer in front of him who was gradually regaining her balance.
The dancer's alluring smile vanished, replaced by a layer of thick, black, asphalt-like substance seeping from beneath her skin and covering part of her body.
Black Zetsu stared at Uchiha Yan Sheng, who looked like a god of death descending upon him. His viscous, pitch-black body was so frightened that it uncontrollably oozed out even more, almost completely covering the surface of its host.
What's going on? Why is Uchiha Kokusatsu here?
A chilling thought flooded Black Zetsu's mind: Could he be after me? Did he discover my trail and track me all the way here?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Black is extremely confident in his ability to infiltrate.
It has existed for over a thousand years, lurking in the shadows, stirring up countless conflicts, and even Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju never truly sensed its presence. Moreover, it acted with extreme caution this time; how exactly did Yan Sheng discover it?
Black Zetsu would never have imagined that Yan Sheng's true purpose in appearing here had nothing to do with it; to be precise, Yan Sheng had come to steal the country.
This goes beyond the stereotypical mindset of black-clad ninjas—within the "framework" of ninjas, even powerful figures like Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama never considered seizing supreme power over a country.
This has been the case for hundreds of years.
So it's no wonder it didn't think of that.
It can only be said that Yan Sheng is an anomaly. After all, he has memories of his past life and is proficient in political tactics, so it is normal for him to act unpredictably in the ninja world.
After the initial shock, Black Zetsu forced himself to calm down.
It knew that in a direct confrontation, it was no match for Uchiha Kokusatsu. Ten years ago, it couldn't even defeat a five-year-old Uchiha Kokusatsu, let alone a 15-year-old one.
Not to mention that his growth rate is comparable to that of a monster, no less than that of the reincarnations of Indra or Asura, what is even more terrifying is that his unique power, which is a mixture of chakra and another unknown energy, can truly harm or even annihilate it.
— Its survival ability, which makes it difficult for physical attacks to work, is completely ineffective against Yan Sheng.
In other words, Uchiha Kokusatsu was one of the very few beings who could truly kill it.
Without a second thought, the instinct for survival overwhelmed everything. Black Zetsu immediately decided to abandon this high-quality host that he had finally found, one that could bring him close to the Daimyo. The pitch-black substance covering the dancer's body fluctuated violently, like boiling asphalt, about to detach from its host and merge into the shadows of the ground, fleeing thousands of miles away.
However, how could Yan Sheng possibly give it that opportunity?
Just as Black Zetsu was about to detach from its host, Yan Sheng's Sharingan glowed red, its power descending like an invisible shackle. At the same time, his sword was already half an inch from its sheath, its chilling killing intent locking onto the writhing darkness.
But Black Zetsu wouldn't be completely unprepared. Last time, it suffered a great loss at the hands of Yan Sheng and was almost completely killed, leaving it with a deep psychological shadow that caused it to be uneasy for a long time, forcing it to develop a new ability.
Just as Yan Sheng's pupil power and killing intent were about to converge—
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, another identical mass of pitch-black matter separated from the dancer's body. This newly appeared Black Abyss clone shot out like an arrow, hurtling towards the shadow of a supporting pillar in the corner of the hall, instantly disappearing into it.
The Black Zetsu that Yan Sheng had originally targeted immediately weakened considerably.
New skill: [Tail-Cutting Survival - Modified].
This is a life-saving skill that Black Zetsu developed after being provoked by Yan Sheng—consciousness splitting and body splitting.
In extreme cases, it can forcibly split its consciousness and source power in two, with one serving as bait or sacrifice to attract firepower, while the other escapes carrying most of its core consciousness and power.
Of course, this skill also has significant limitations:
First, the strength of both parts will be greatly reduced after the split, especially the part that is abandoned.
Secondly, the distance between the two splitting bodies cannot be too far, otherwise the connection will be broken, and the distant part will lose its activity and eventually die. This means that its other splitting body cannot escape far.
At this moment, the clone that Black Zetsu had escaped was motionless in a narrow crevice about thirty meters underground beneath the Moon-Viewing Palace. Like a frightened venomous insect, it desperately suppressed all its presence, trembling, while frantically calculating its escape route, waiting for the chaos on the surface to create an opportunity for it.
—It can only leave after Yan Sheng disposes of the split entity it abandoned.
***
Watching helplessly as Hei Jue Ri slipped away like a slippery eel once again, Yan Sheng felt the anger in his chest almost materialize and erupt.
It actually got away again...
This method has never been seen before.
Was it a trump card that Hei Momo had been hiding all along? Or was it something that was specially developed to deal with him? In any case, either possibility made Yan Sheng extremely unhappy.
This kind of secretive and underhanded behavior is disgusting.
Yan Sheng laughed in extreme anger, a laugh so cold it was devoid of any warmth.
He didn't consider himself a particularly upright gentleman, and he was capable of using any means necessary to achieve his goals, but he would never do, nor would he despise, the sneaky behavior of someone as shady as a rat in a sewer.
Moreover, the darkness caused him countless troubles!
In his childhood, it was like a sword hanging over his head, forcing him to be constantly vigilant and worried that it would one day kill him. Fortunately, Black Zetsu seemed to have other plans, giving him time to grow.
Later, he almost caused his mother's death.
From that moment on, Yan Sheng made up his mind to eradicate this dormitory.
If this thing isn't eliminated, it's like having a fishbone stuck in your throat, like knowing there are cockroaches in your house but being unable to find their nest, making you feel uneasy.
Driven by intense killing intent, Yan Sheng almost immediately swung his sword to slash the abandoned, listless Black Jue clone in front of him into pieces to vent his anger.
But just as the blade was about to touch the writhing mass of black mud, he suddenly stopped.
An idea popped into my head.
He didn't tell Ban before because he lacked evidence, and also because he found it troublesome at the time.
But now, isn't the evidence right in front of him? As for explanations, he's already caught the "evidence," so what's there to explain? The evidence is the explanation.
Once you bring this back and let Madara see it with his own eyes and experience it firsthand, he'll understand.
After all, he can't stay in the Uchiha clan for long.
After resolving the matter in the Land of Fire, there are still four other great nations he needs to visit and plan for. If, while he's away, the Dark Ones take advantage of the situation and do something to the Uchiha, and Madara falls victim to their attack due to a lack of vigilance and awareness, then it would be a great loss.
We need to teach Ban a lesson.
Thinking of this, Yan Sheng suppressed the urge to destroy this troublesome thing immediately, sheathed his sword, and instead took out a sealing scroll.
You asked him why he carried such a thing with him?
This stems from Yan Sheng's deeply ingrained habit: "Preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure." He is accustomed to considering things thoroughly, doing them to the extreme, and preparing for all possible scenarios.
Moreover, since we have such a convenient thing as storage scrolls that can compress and store a large number of items and carry them easily, why not make full use of them?
In his storage scrolls, besides essential medicines and rations, there were also various types of scrolls, trap materials, disguise tools, clothing for different identities, and even a large amount of gold and silver.
Many things you might not need even once in ten trips, but if you do use them just once, it could turn the tide. Besides, carrying these things isn't difficult.
See, isn't this coming in handy now?
Yan Sheng unfurled the sealing scroll, rapidly forming hand seals and channeling chakra into it. The runes on the scroll suddenly lit up, emitting a powerful suction force that enveloped the Black Zetsu split on the ground, which was struggling but powerless to resist.
"seal up!"
With a low shout, the ominous black substance was forcibly pulled and compressed, turning into a beam of black light, which was then absorbed into the scroll.
The runes on the scroll flickered a few times, then dimmed and finally returned to calm, except for a dark, smudge-like seal pattern in the center.
After doing all this, Yan Sheng turned his gaze back to the main hall.
The musicians and servants were already paralyzed with fear, trembling on the ground. The daimyo himself, after crying out for help to no avail, huddled behind the soft couch, his face ashen, staring at him in utter terror.
Yan Sheng stared at Da Ming expressionlessly.
Although there were some unexpected events during the process, the initial goal still needs to be achieved.
***
The hall was deathly silent, save for heavy breathing and suppressed sobs.
The lavish banquet scene had long been torn to shreds by fear. The daimyo slumped behind the soft couch, his luxurious robes stained with dust and wine. His face was deathly pale, and his finger trembled as he pointed at Yan Sheng.
"Who...who are you? What do you want?" Daiming's voice was sharp and broken, filled with a fierce but cowardly fear.
The boy in front of him was clearly young, but his cold eyes and the power he had just displayed sent shivers down his spine.
Yan Sheng did not answer. He paced slowly, stepping over the scattered fruits and broken utensils on the ground, making a slight sound. Each step seemed to tread on the daimyo's heart. Then, he stopped in front of the daimyo, looking down at the supreme ruler of the Land of Fire, his deep, dark eyes devoid of any emotion.
“There’s something,” Yan Sheng said slowly, “that I’ve been curious about for a long time.”
His gaze swept over the daimyo's face, contorted with fear, as if looking through him into something deeper.
"You, an ordinary person with no strength to even kill a chicken." His tone was calm, as if stating a fact, yet it was more cutting than any sarcasm. "You are afraid of ninjas with power, aren't you? Not just you, to be precise, all ordinary people instinctively feel fear when facing ninjas."
Daming's lips trembled; he wanted to retort, but no sound came out.
"But why?" Yan Sheng tilted his head, as if pondering an interesting riddle. "Why is it that you ordinary people who feel fear can so arrogantly and justifiably order ninjas around, treating them as tools and inferior beings? And why do ninjas, who clearly possess the power to easily tear you apart, generally accept this situation and not lay a hand on you powerless ants who like to jump around?"
He paused. "If you say that ninjas are inconvenient or disdainful of dealing with ordinary people... I don't think that's the case. It's not uncommon for missions to involve civilians or even deliberately eliminate witnesses. Why then do they show this... abnormal 'respect' only towards you, towards so-called nobles?"
Yan Sheng seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps questioning the root of some distorted order.
"Is it education?" he proposed a hypothesis and continued his analysis. "Hmm, that's the most likely explanation. From birth, children of ninja families are instilled with the idea of loyalty to their employers, loyalty to the daimyo, and maintaining order. It's like training elephants—" he gave a fitting example.
"The baby elephant was tied with a thin chain. It struggled but could not break free. Over time, even when it grew into a huge animal and had the strength to easily break the chain, it dared not and would not try to resist again. The shackles of the mind are far stronger than physical constraints."
"Speaking of which, the history of this world is really short and fragmented, missing too many key links, with large gaps and logical fallacies. I always feel that in the distant past, some kind of disruptive event must have occurred, which led to the current situation where power and status are completely reversed."
These earth-shattering remarks struck the daimyo like a hammer blow. It was not merely a threat of force, but a fundamental questioning and subversion of the entire order he represented, and even his understanding of the world.
"You...you're spouting nonsense! This is outrageous! You're spreading heresy!" The daimyo trembled with rage, his face turning from white to ashen, trying to mask his inner panic and the shock of having his truth exposed with anger. "A ninja is a ninja! A noble is a noble! This is the rule since ancient times! It's only natural!"
"It's only natural?" Yan Sheng repeated the phrase, a cold smile curving his lips. "There's nothing in this world that's only natural, only rules accepted and accepted by the majority. And rules—"
He raised his hand, a chilling chakra fluctuation swirling around his fingertips.
"It can be broken, and it can be rewritten."
The daimyo suddenly realized a terrible problem: with such a commotion, where were the guards outside the palace? Why didn't a single one come over?
He looked toward the palace gate in alarm, only to find that the gate was intact, and there was nothing unusual about the light and shadow outside. He could also faintly hear the normal footsteps of patrolling in the distance.
It was as if everything that happened inside the hall was isolated by an invisible barrier.
Yan Sheng followed his gaze and added knowingly, clearing up his doubts: "Don't look. While you were engrossed in the singing and dancing, this place was already shrouded in my illusion. To outsiders, everything inside looked normal, and the banquet was still going on."
Therefore, no one will come to save him.
He was now facing a ninja with absolute power, unconventional thinking, and who completely disregarded worldly rules.
A chilling despair gripped Daimyo's heart.
Just as the lord was about to suffocate in this fear and despair, after a slight wriggling in Yan Sheng's robe pocket, three small heads suddenly poked out one after another.
One is made of sand and resembles a raccoon dog; another has horns on its head and resembles a horse; and yet another has transparent wings and resembles an insect.
The three little guys looked around at the mess in front of them, and they had obviously heard Yan Sheng and Daming's conversation.
Yiwei used its little paws to tug at the edge of the pocket, clinging to its body, while tilting its head and thinking about what Yan Sheng had said. Its hoarse voice carried a sense of sudden realization: "Oh right! Now that you mention it, I also found it strange! I was so busy fighting and sleeping before that I never thought about this in detail."
The Five-Tails flicked its tail, its tone relatively gentle but also tinged with confusion: "Hmm... Is it alright? It seems like it's always been like this since a very, very long time ago? Ordinary people hire ninjas, and ninjas protect ordinary people." Its thinking was more inclined towards habitual perception.
The Seven-Tailed Choumei buzzed as it flew up slightly, echoing the One-Tailed Choumei: "That's why it's strange!"
The three tailed beasts, one after another, surprisingly began discussing the rationality of the ninja world's social structure amidst the tense atmosphere. Although their voices were not loud, they were very clear in the deathly silent hall.
Daming was stunned; his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and his mouth was agape enough to fit an egg.
He pointed at the three small creatures that were clearly not normal beings, his fingers trembling like leaves in the wind, his voice becoming shrill: "What...what are these things?"
"Things?" One-Tailed Beast bristled instantly. Despite its miniature size, it still had a fiery temper. It leaped out halfway, pointing at the daimyo with its tiny paws, so angry that sand was falling from its body. "You're the thing! Your whole family are things! You ignorant, foolish humans! Lord Shukaku is a noble tailed beast! Do you understand what a tailed beast is?!"
It wanted to continue cursing, but Yan Sheng had already raised his hand expressionlessly and pressed his thumb precisely on its little head made of sand, roughly shoving it back into his pocket, leaving only a series of indistinct "woof woof" protests.
Upon seeing this, the Five-Tails and Seven-Tails immediately and wisely withdrew their heads, pretending that they had never appeared.
This incident completely shattered the daimyo's last psychological defenses. This boy before him was not only dangerous in his thoughts, but also accompanied by this bizarre, unheard-of talking creature. Just who was he?
Yan Sheng turned his gaze back to the terrified Daimyo, his tone calm: "Alright, it seems you don't know the deeper reason either. So—"
The magnificent and eerie kaleidoscope patterns in his pupils swirled rapidly, like a vortex in an abyss.
Daiming tried to look away in terror, but found his body stiff and unresponsive. His gaze was fixed on those "demonic eyes," and his consciousness sank into a quagmire.
Not only the daimyo, but everyone in the hall, their eyes became empty and dull at the same time, losing all their luster, as if they had become soulless puppets.
Yan Sheng's icy voice was imprinted deep within their defenseless consciousness:
"Remember, nothing will happen tonight."
"The dancer suddenly fell seriously ill and has been dealt with."
“I, Jiguo Yansheng, am your indispensable and most important ally and collaborator. My will is equivalent to your own highest interests.”
"We will fully support Konoha Village and meet its reasonable needs..."
"......"
Instructions were meticulously implanted, altering memories, distorting cognition, and weaving an invisible yet powerful web of control.
When the illusion wears off and they awaken, they will remember nothing of the terrorist attack, only a banquet that ended well despite some unexpected mishaps. The daimyo, on the other hand, will have an additional ally he absolutely must value.
-----------------------
Author's Note: We should be more discreet in the Land of Fire; making too much noise will attract the attention of Madara and Hashirama. We weren't so "lucky" in the other countries though. [cat emoji]
After all, we're short-handed, so there's no need to pretend. Let's just go for it. The remaining four countries, one with a tailed beast, one with a tailed beast, and one more... the last one will be overseen by him personally. [Applause]
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