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( Translator: I miss some paragraphs for almost all the chapters and I added them sorry )
The night was hazy, and Wu Jie and Karin, cloaked in hooded robes, concealed themselves in the shadows. Following the intelligence provided by the Hidden Grass Village's ANBU, they approached the convoy of the Fire Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
As the most powerful secular figure in the entire shinobi world, the Fire Daimyō did not travel on foot like a ninja. His entourage included guards, attendants, chefs, medical personnel, and more—totaling over fifty people. The sheer size of the convoy naturally slowed its pace, and as befitting his status, rushing would have been unbecoming for the Daimyō.
Following tradition, the Fire Daimyō would leisurely tour the countryside with his retinue, enjoying the scenery, and only enter Konoha on the day of the Chūnin Exams.
This slow and predictable schedule provided Wu Jie and Karin with an opportunity to approach him.
"Who goes there!?"
They had made no effort to hide their presence, so the guards quickly spotted them as they neared the convoy.
Wu Jie lowered his voice and said, "We have nothing to say to small fry like you. Go inform your superior."
No sooner had Wu Jie finished speaking than a tall guard stepped forward. "I am the leader of the guards. Speak your piece."
Karin gave Wu Jie a slight nod. She could sense a strong chakra presence emanating from the man. Even if the two of them were to engage him, it would likely take some effort to subdue him.
"In that case," Wu Jie continued, "inform the Daimyō that envoys of Orochimaru have arrived to discuss a collaboration."
"Orochimaru?" The guard captain's brow furrowed. "His Lordship has no interest in speaking with someone who betrayed their own village. Leave at once!"
"Heh." Wu Jie let out a derisive chuckle. "Know your place. Are you really in a position to make decisions for your master? Only the Daimyō has the authority to decide whether or not to see us."
The guard captain bristled with anger, but before he could respond, a servant rushed out from the convoy. Whispering something into the captain's ear, the servant caused the latter to begrudgingly step aside. "His Lordship has decided to see you. You sneaky rats, if you dare harm His Lordship, my blade will sever your heads!"
Wu Jie ignored him, but as Karin passed by, she stared intently at the guard's neck. Her gaze sent a chill down his spine, leaving him uneasy.
Under the servant's guidance, the two entered the massive tent where the Fire Daimyō resided. Though it was merely a tent, it had been lavishly decorated to resemble a grand palace, complete with ornate furnishings and decorations. It was no wonder the Daimyō chose to camp outdoors rather than stay in a town.
After entering the tent, Wu Jie and Karin were stopped after only a few steps by the guards, who maintained their vigilance.
Looking ahead, they saw the Fire Daimyō seated high above, idly tapping a fan against his palm. He appeared somewhat foolish, yet carried an air of authority.
"Envoys of Orochimaru, you say? Yu remembers him as a rather unsettling fellow. What could such a person want with Yu?"
Wu Jie and Karin exchanged glances before slowly removing their hoods. "We have been sent by Orochimaru to negotiate with you… regarding a collaboration to destroy Konoha."
"Destroy… Konoha!? And what's with the hair color!?" The Fire Daimyō's mouth hung open in shock, unsure which revelation startled him more.
"Allow us to reintroduce ourselves," Wu Jie and Karin bowed deeply. "We are descendants of the late Daimyō of the Whirlpool Kingdom, Lord Uzumaki Ashimori. We are survivors of a fallen nation."
"Uzumaki Wu Jie."
"Uzumaki Karin."
"We pay our respects, Your Lordship."
The Whirlpool Kingdom, not the Hidden Whirlpool Village…
The Fire Daimyō fell into deep thought, then straightened himself, sighing softly. "Descendants of the Whirlpool Kingdom, you say? Yu met Lord Ashimori in his youth. He was a robust and vigorous elder. It's truly lamentable what befell the Whirlpool Kingdom afterward."
After speaking, Mujin narrowed his eyes slightly. "However, it seems you and Orochimaru aren't exactly on the same side, are you?"
"It's merely a collaboration, just as Orochimaru sought your assistance for his own purposes."
"To destroy Konoha? Heh, what an amusing joke. Why would I destroy my own village?"
"You're mistaken," Mujin replied calmly, shaking his head. "It's not your village—it's the shinobi's village."
"Shinobi obey the Hokage, and the Hokage obeys Fire Country. What difference does it make?"
Mujin chuckled softly. "But does the Hokage truly obey Fire Country? It is the shinobi who start wars, end wars, earn respect, and inspire fear. How many people today even remember the name of the daimyo? When have shinobi ever sought the daimyo's approval before declaring war? If you truly believe the Hokage answers to you... then why did you establish the Twelve Guardian Ninja?"
The Fire Daimyo's expression darkened instantly. "The Twelve Guardian Ninja have already been disbanded. That was a thing of the past."
"Was it because even half of your carefully selected guardians stood firmly by the Hokage's side?" Mujin pressed, his tone cutting. "And tell me—have you really disbanded them? Then who are these twelve powerful individuals hiding in the shadows right now?"
A cold smirk crossed Mujin's face. Through Karin's Kagura Shingan, he could clearly sense twelve figures concealed in the darkness.
The atmosphere inside the tent grew heavy. The memory of the Twelve Guardian Ninja was one the daimyo wished to bury forever. They were supposed to be his personal, independent force, yet six of them had unwaveringly sided with the Hokage. If even his private army couldn't remain loyal, how many others in this nation still supported him?
At that moment, Mujin let out a light laugh. "Of course, the so-called destruction of Konoha is nothing more than a lie Orochimaru uses to deceive others—even he doesn't believe it. He believes the Third Hokage wrongfully handed over the title that should have been his. Thus, his target in this operation is solely the Third Hokage himself. His plan is to infiltrate Konoha using your convoy to create chaos. As for my purpose here..." He paused, leaning forward slightly. "I've come to discuss another form of cooperation with you."
"Another form of cooperation?" The Fire Daimyo's interest piqued. Recently, he'd heard two rumors that weighed heavily on his mind:
One, shinobi were growing increasingly dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. Two, Shimura Danzo—a man known for his iron-fisted tactics—was rumored to be running for the position of Fifth Hokage.
The daimyo, stripped of all but his titular power, understood well that authority only mattered if others still feared and respected him. And these two pieces of news carried a chilling implication: the shinobi no longer revered the daimyo.
Of course, the timing of these revelations was too perfect, hinting at the scent of conspiracy.
But...
This was the truth. Though the daimyo ruled the nation in name, their influence had dwindled to a terrifying degree. Should the shinobi rise up in rebellion, the loss of the daimyo would barely cause a ripple in the country.
Yes, the shinobi had long possessed the capability to overthrow the daimyo—they simply hadn't fully realized it yet.
Moreover, Mujin strongly suspected that the shadowy figures behind the underground bounty exchange network spanning the entire ninja world were none other than the daimyos themselves. By issuing bounties and fostering internal strife among shinobi, they hoped to delay the inevitable day when the shinobi would awaken to their true potential.