Chapter 228

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The ninja world underwent a major change in a single day.

The structure was about to shift.

The Five Great Nations remained the same, but the Land of Fire had become a thing of the past. Although Kyomu had not yet agreed to return to the Land of Fire, everyone knew that once he did, the Land of Fire would disappear into the annals of history.

The Four Great Nations were in a panic, especially the Daimyos.

"Daimyo!"

In the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Fire, a guardian ninja presented a document. "These are diplomatic messages from the Daimyos of the Land of Lightning, Wind, Water, and Earth."

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire nodded, taking the documents and quickly flipping through them.

His emotions were a mix of bitterness and relief.

The Daimyos of the Four Great Nations all guaranteed that they would not seek the Land of Fire's territory and would fully support the reconstruction of Konoha.

They also stated that they would collectively help gather the ransom demanded by the Akatsuki, with the only condition being that Kyomu must not return to the Land of Fire.

Did the Daimyo of the Land of Fire want this? Of course not.

But compared to the Daimyos of the Four Great Nations, he knew Kyomu was closer. Regardless of the right and wrong, Kyomu was originally from the Land of Fire.

Moreover, based on Kyomu's consistent behavior, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire preferred to trust him over the other Daimyos.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire and Kyomu had their differences, but in the royal family, there was no affection, only conflicts of interest and power.

It was clear that the current Daimyo of the Land of Fire had been utterly defeated. If he accepted the offer from the Four Great Nations, he might live comfortably for a while.

But in the future, the Land of Fire would surely be divided by the Four Great Nations, and his fate would be grim.

However, if he directly invited Kyomu to return, even if the Land of Fire was renamed the Land of Dragons, it would still be under their own control.

The current Daimyo of the Land of Fire might even be praised for his wise decision, enjoying a peaceful old age and even benefiting future generations.

The reason the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had this idea was due to Kyomu's consistent behavior, which reassured him.

Regardless of Kyomu's true intentions, he was straightforward and kept his promises. As long as everything was clear, Kyomu would not break his word.

This was the power of charisma, often more persuasive than many arguments. Kyomu didn't need to boast about his virtues; his past actions spoke for him.

Most importantly, the three broken kunai Kyomu had left as a promise gave the current Daimyo of the Land of Fire a way to reconcile.

Rip~ The Daimyo of the Land of Fire tore the diplomatic documents from the Four Great Nations into pieces.

"Pen and ink." The Daimyo called out, and a servant quickly brought them.

Writing swiftly, the Daimyo's eyes showed both resignation and determination.

Sometimes circumstances leave one with no choice, and he finally understood Kyomu's intention behind leaving the three kunai.

The kunai were not for blackmail but for seeking Kyomu's help.

Three refusals and three offers—he understood now.

If he didn't follow through, with Konoha in ruins and only a few survivors left, he didn't dare not to act. Doing so would allow him to retain some dignity; failing to act would result in Kyomu ensuring his dignity in a different way.

Finishing the letter and sealing it with his stamp, the Daimyo wearily sat back and instructed his attendants.

"Keep a copy of my decree for records and announce its contents throughout the Land of Fire and the entire ninja world.

Remember, this is not coercion but a request."

The high-ranking official, holding the decree, glanced at its contents and immediately knelt down in shock.

"Daimyo, you are... handing over power to Kyomu?"

"Yes, willingly."

"But Daimyo, this... this..."

"This ensures survival and a couple of generations of prosperity. If we don't do this and the Four Great Nations take over, none of us will survive."

"But if Kyomu..."

"By handing power to Kyomu, he gains it legitimately and can quickly, easily, and appropriately take control of the Land of Fire.

Even if this is Kyomu's plan, it shows his skill and strength. By following his plan, he owes me and will ensure my dignity."

Is this hypocrisy? Perhaps, but it's the best way to cleanly shift power from Kyomu's perspective.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire insists on handing power over to me; what can I do?

As expected, Kyomu initially refused.

Meanwhile, news of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire voluntarily handing over power to Kyomu spread rapidly, becoming a hot topic of conversation.

"Have you heard?"

"About the Daimyo of the Land of Fire handing over power to Kyomu?"

"Yes, what's the story?"

"Well! Have you heard about the Akatsuki organization? Their leader single-handedly destroyed Konoha. Without Konoha's protection, the Daimyo's position is unstable."

"But why give the Land of Fire to Kyomu? Couldn't the Daimyo find another solution?"

"You don't know? Kyomu is said to be Konoha's once-in-a-century genius ninja, but in his childhood..."

The traveling merchant narrated Kyomu's past deeds vividly, explaining how he was driven away from Konoha but still honored his promises with the three broken kunai.

"Bravo!"

Applause erupted, with people praising Kyomu's righteousness and the merchant's knowledge.

Smiling, the merchant bowed, basking in the admiration.

No one here knew more than him! "Kyomu is truly righteous, and the Daimyo feels guilty. In the letter, he asked Kyomu to return to the Land of Fire.

But Kyomu has already established his own domain. How can he return?"

The merchant clapped his hands. "However, the Daimyo said that if Kyomu agreed to return, he would hand over his position.

But Kyomu insisted he didn't want to take advantage of the situation. He would help if needed but could not accept the Daimyo's position."

Bang! As the merchant spoke passionately, a burly man in a straw hat with long white hair and holding a baby flipped a table.

"Kyomu is a traitor, a cunning villain!" His eyes were bloodshot. "The Akatsuki was secretly funded by him. He's the mastermind behind Konoha's destruction!"

"Hey, watch your mouth!" Someone immediately retorted. "Kyomu did so much for his comrades and villagers. Are his actions false? Can you risk your life to save a friend's girlfriend? Can you remember past kindness even when betrayed? You can't, so why are you here sullying his name?"

Suddenly, the burly man removed his hat, revealing his face.

It was Jiraiya.

"I'm one of the Legendary Three Ninjas of Konoha..." Jiraiya wanted to introduce himself but stopped, realizing Konoha was gone, and the Legendary Three had disbanded.

Closing his mouth, Jiraiya tossed some money on the overturned table, put his hat back on, and walked away, despondent.

Ignoring the curses and accusations behind him, Jiraiya looked down at the baby in his arms.

"Naruto, you will become the savior and set this twisted world right."

With these words, Jiraiya's eyes regained their light, his resolve firming. He believed in his ideals, his ninja way, and the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage and the words of the Sage of Six Paths.

He chose to continue living in his dream, ignoring reality.

Is it worth it? Kyomu didn't care. As long as Jiraiya thought it was, it was. But if he blocked his path again, not even the help of the Sage of Six Paths would save him from Kyomu's blade!

"Lord Ryukage, a second letter from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

Mei entered with a smile, "Maybe we should start calling you Daimyo."

"That's for later." Kyomu waved his hand. "Decline again, but word it sincerely."

"Ah? Another refusal?" Mei's eyes widened in confusion. "You should just accept. The public's support for you is strong."

"Not strong enough." Kyomu shook his head. "The more this drags on, the more we need to stay calm and not rush."

"But I think it's enough." Yugito sided with Mei. "If we refuse again, the Daimyo might accept the Four Great Nations' help."

"He won't." Kyomu waved the three broken kunai. "Three kunai mean three times. Not one less!"

"Then... I'll prepare the response." Mei didn't argue, placing the second letter on the desk and leaving.

"I'll oversee Mei's writing to make sure she doesn't mess up." Yugito followed closely.

It was clear that Yugito and Mei were very invested in the matter between Kyomu and the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

"Phew..."

Once they left, Kyomu exhaled, leaning back and closing his eyes to rest.

The process of three refusals and three offers had to be completed. This wasn't about being pedantic but about the process's significance.

Standing on the shoulders of giants meant doing things steadily. After all, a country with almost five thousand years of war history had deep roots not easily uprooted.

It wasn't just about defeating them but also conquering them, both physically and mentally.

Soon, Mei and Yugito drafted the diplomatic response, bringing it to Kyomu.

"Not bad, respond to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire with this."

The scene shifted. When the Daimyo received the message the next day, he didn't even look at it before sending another letter, humbling himself even more, almost ready to kneel to Kyomu.

With repeated refusals, the Daimyo's pride was thoroughly worn down.

Making Kyomu owe him? He needed to beg for that favor first! When the third letter from the Daimyo arrived on Kyomu's desk, public support for Kyomu had peaked.

It was almost as if the people would demand it if Kyomu didn't accept.

However, Kyomu refused once more, and it would be the last time.

But the public didn't care about that. The Daimyo had exhausted his reputation and dignity, while Kyomu's strength needed no further proof.

Was this the highest form of "mutual understanding and reconciliation"? To Kyomu, it was, as long as he had the strength to deal with those who didn't understand him.

Clearly, Kyomu had that strength, and it was formidable.

Not understanding was fine; first, a beating, then some reasoning. If they still didn't understand, replace them.

That was true mutual understanding. Kyomu wouldn't accept any argument, and no dead person could argue with him.

"Daimyo... Kyomu refused again."

"We should call him Daimyo from now on." The Daimyo of the Land of Fire sighed in relief. "I have no other thoughts. I'm content to live out my life peacefully."

"But..."

"No buts. I'm unwilling and even resentful!" The Daimyo picked up his pen. "But what's the point? When your life is in someone else's hands, survival is the priority."

Even ants cling to life, let alone the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

The first time, he thought Kyomu would grant him a noble title. The second time, he believed he could live in luxury. By the third, he just wanted to survive.

Kyomu had pressured him too much. The Daimyo couldn't tell if they were cooperating in an act or if Kyomu truly didn't care.

But his survival instinct made him write a fourth letter.

Meanwhile, the people of the Land of Fire and the Land of Dragons also urged Kyomu.

Everything was falling into place.

"Reluctantly accept it. I really don't want this mess." Kyomu stood up, sighing dramatically.

Yugito and Mei stifled their laughter, but their eyes showed a different kind of admiration for Kyomu.

Power was a poison for both men and women. Perhaps not universally, but having both strength and power would tempt anyone.

"Lord Ryukage, should we head to the Land of Fire now?"

"The Daimyo is already on his way with his officials and the seal, right?" Kyomu tilted his head, and Yugito immediately understood.

"I'll arrange an escort for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire." Mei spoke before Yugito.

"Kakashi, Guy, Obito—let them lead the team." Kyomu's eyes gleamed coldly. "The Four Great Nations won't just stand by."

"Understood!"

The two women nodded, their eyes also filled with resolve, and left to make arrangements.

"Ha." Kyomu chuckled. "The Land of Fire and Konoha will be history.

And the entire ninja world will also become history."

Standing up, Kyomu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, looking into the distance with determination.

Everything he saw and beyond was his to conquer!

(End of Chapter)