Chapter 61: The Curtain Falls

A curse.

This is what had befallen upon him. A curse that had first taken away from him his son, then his health and now even the chance to hold his own grandson in his arms and shower him with love.

The daimyo of the land of fire was in such a state of mind. His war-happy ministers were eager to lead his citizens into another senseless war while his own son, his first born, his flesh and blood and his heir had been conspiring against him, poisoning him just so he could die the rotten brat could sit on the thorne a few years earlier.

The weary old man sighed as he looked upon his city. Even at night, it was shimmering like a chest of gold. He could hear the liveliness of the city all the way here in his palace. His eyes scanned the city and inevitably landed on a construction site where a huge building was being constructed day and night.

'I believe Lord Hirano called it a… Center for Shopping… an indoors shopping and entertainment district.' he recalled with a smile as he remembered his son-in-law. The only source of solace he had in his condition.

Not only was the boy a prodigious doctor and powerful ninja but also a genius when it came to business. His personal line of hotels and cafes had sprouted everywhere in the country, in every major city.

'If it's him, he might be able to reign in my wayward son… alas… it's all because I am too weak.' he sighed deeply. The sigh soon turned into a violent and bloody cough which included small, thin and white wiggling worms along with blood.

The man cursed as he closed his fist with as much strength as he could muster, wanting to kill these wretched things inside him. He had been in complete quarantine now as he could not risk it spreading especially now since there was a young grandson living in the palace.

The old man sighed once more and moved his withered hands to close the window when he saw it.

A brilliant pillar of fire exploded in the distance, engulfing an entire district of the city in flames.

*BHOOOOM!*

A shockwave rippled outwards, knocking him off his feet as soldiers rushed inside the room to protect him.

The soldiers pulled him away from the window but the old man's eyes were fixed on the distant fire as it rose high into the sky. He knew that place all too well, he knew it because that was where his son lived along with his family.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" a gut wrenching scream erupted from his throat as he imagined the fate of his son.

But he tried to calm himself, thinking that perhaps his son had survived the explosion. But the flower of hope withered before it could even bloom as a massive creature emerged from the ruins of the burning district.

A giant beast made of blue flames stepped out and a soul shaking roar echoed throughout the city, its two massive tails waved in the air behind him as it wreaked havoc in his city..

"It's over…" he watched the beast raise its paw before slamming it onto the ground, razing dozens of buildings to ruins in a single strike. "Kami has abandoned us…" a tired and hopeless voice escaped his mouth as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"It's Lord Hirano!" a jubilant voice sounded next to him, he followed the soldier's gaze and saw a young man rush towards the flaming blue beast at impossible speeds and just as the beast was about to slam down another paw,

*CRACKLE!* *BHOOOM!*

Lightning struck the beast as it cried out in pain, its paw didn't come down and instead it staggered backwards.

"He did it! Hail Lord Hirano!" The soldier next to him exclaimed as others praised and prayed for Lord Hirano.

A distant voice sounded, "I will take the beast elsewhere, take care of the rest!" and with another shockwave, the beast disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

The daimyo watched as his soldiers and citizens moved about, trying to put off the fires and rescue the people from the rubble.

"Thank the gods, Lord Hirano was here! Or else the capital would have been wiped out!" a soldier exclaimed and others nodded in approval.

*cough cough*

Another violent fit of coughs assaulted the old man as the soldier moved to give him water and a cloth to wipe away the blood. But the old man ignored them and instead looked at the city before him, at the emptiness the beast had left behind. As if Its existence had been nothing more than an illusion, if one were to discount the burning ruins and the anguished screams it had left behind.

Finally after a while a resolute gaze addressed the soldiers around him as he commanded them, "Bring me my writing brush and a parchment. And call Lord Matsudaira!"

The soldier all hastened to obey the given commands as the daimyo looked outside at his city one last time before sitting down at his writing table and picking up his brush.

.........….

Today was a day of sorrow, today was a day of memories and a day of convictions!

The capital had been attacked two nights ago by the two tailed beast of Kumogakure. The attack had killed dozens including the Crown prince and his entire family.

The daimyo had died soon after leaving a will in which he named the young son of the Princess Yukina and Lord Inuthe heir to the throne and entrusted the young monarch's education and guardianship to the Prince Shin Hirano, granting the latter the title of Imperial General in command of the entire army.

The third Hokage had been summoned to the royal court along with the elders and clan leaders of Konoha to discuss both the past mistakes and the present tragedies.

For the failure to protect the royal prince and the capital from the enemy attacks, having conspired to slaughter the Uchiha clan, failure to arrest and stop the late Sannin Orochimaru and showing weakening and dishonor to an enemy nation by sacrificing an innocent Hyuga Hizashi, The third Hokage of Konohagakure was subjected to immediate house arrest and removal of his position as the Third Hokage.

In his stead, Danzo Shimura was named the fifth hokage.

War had been declared on Kumogakure which had denied any responsibility for the attack. Akatsuki were held responsible for the assassination attempt on Princess Youhi, murder of the second prince, poisoning of the daimyo and aiding Kumogakure in the attack on the capital.

The Imperial General on the other hand was currently seated in the daimyo's private chambers,seated as he looked out towards his city.

Behind him a few people knelt in absolute subservience.

Among them, five wore matching monkey tails and different color shirts. They were the Nokizaru Group that Shin had encountered when he had been sent to find Tsunade. He had put them under his genjutsu and had been using them to manipulate the first prince and the Akatsuki.

The assassination of the second prince, the attack on the Princess Youhi where he played the hero and rescued her. Poisoning the daimyo with the white ghost parasites and leading Obito to him at White Ghost Orchid were just a few of their notable uses during the last few years.

Next to them was Danzo Shimura who had been stripped of his sharingans and placed under the Kotoamatsukami. Danzo had supplied the information and conflict that had resulted in the wars between the land of wind and the land of earth, poking their old rivalries using new blood. His vast network of spies had done a wonderful job in tracking Itachi and Kisame, along with the jinchuriki of the two tailed beast.

Shin had used his Sharingan to control the Kumo ninja and used him to attack the capital and kill the first prince, essentially removing all obstacles to his succession.

A few well placed individuals next to the Daimyo that sung Shin's praises to him, the daimyo soon believed Shin to be the country's only hope.

Danzo was very useful, Shin had made Dazno the Hokage for this very reason. He had wondered what the most fitting punishment would be for the man and had decided on making the man's fears a reality. Using the Sharingan that he so feared to control him and the village that he wanted to to protect from its evil.

Next to Danzo was a Kiri ninja with a mask laid on the floor in front of her. It was the same ninja that had helped Itachi and Kisame capture their target and the same hunter-nin that Shin had encountered all those years ago in the land of Waves, Mizuki.

And finally, there was an armless, legless man with dead eyes, lying motionlessly behind them. It was Obito Uchiha who had been spending a lot of quality time with Shin in Tsukuyomi where he watched Rin die in his own hands again and again and again and again.

*Growl*

A panther walked next to Shin and layed down next to him, purring while getting sketches. It was naturally Pineapple 14 Pro Max Ultra:

 [Name: Pineapple

Level: 50(+25)(+120)

Title: Servant of The Overlord of Chaos/ The Strange Cat/ The Otherworld's cat

Age: 10

Stats:

Strength: 40(Limit)

Vitality: 40(Limit)

Agility: 70(Limit)

Sense: 90(Limit)

Chakra: 90(Limit)(+720)

Control: 90(Limit)

......…

Chi: 80

Chi Control:70]

Shin had sealed the two tailed beast inside Pineapple because both were cats.

Shin sipped some red grape juice that he had poured into the wine glass, as he looked at the courtyard where he saw Princess Yukina playing with her son… or more accurately, their son. Turns out the princess's dream on her wedding night was more than just a dream.

Shin had used a simple genjutsu to make sure Lord Inu was taken care of on the wedding night while Shin accompanied the new bride. He even caused the incident that crippled the groom soon after to make sure that nothing could happen between them.

His plan was originally to get the young princes Youhi killed and marry the Yukina but since he had inadvertently saved her life, his plans had to be shifted a bit.

No matter, he still got what he wanted in the end.

[Ding]

[Congratulations for reaching Level 5 as a Realm Lord]

[Would you like to unlock the full capabilities of the system?]

[Yes/No]

Shin was surprised at the sudden interruption but clicked YES, instantly he felt a great drain as energy flowed out of him.

When the drain stopped another window popped up.

[Congratulations for activating the Realm Lord System]

[You have passed the Tutorial]

[Would you like to claim this world?]

[Yes/No]

Shin gave a weary laugh, 'This is the tutorial? I wonder what comes next.' he hit the Yes button.

[This world will merge into your realm in: 100 Years]

[Alternatively, you may destroy this realm and absorb all its energy in: 5 years]

'I think I'll stick to absorbing for now.' Shin mused. He had spent so long here that he had grown attached.

'So what's next, Assal?' he asked the system.

[Anything you want.]

[Everything you want.]

[You are the Lord of your Realm]

[You may conquer universes]

[Or you may destroy them]

'Oh? I wonder what I should do next… What do you think?' he looked at you with a curious and expectant gaze.