C223

"I never expected that the so-called Darkness of the Ninja World would end up like this."

Hanzo's voice was muffled behind his gas mask, but his tone carried both mockery and pity as he addressed Danzo.

In the Second Great Ninja War, the man before him had used his cold, calculated ruthlessness to force the Hidden Rain Village into submission, shattering Hanzo's ambitions in the process.

He had once been revered as a demigod, yet now, he ruled over nothing more than a small, isolated village. Missions from within his own country were scarce, and those from other nations? Nonexistent.

Hanzo had long abandoned his dream of turning the Hidden Rain into the Sixth Great Village—now, he only sought to cling to his rule.

Danzo, however, remained unshaken.

"A temporary setback means nothing," he said coldly. "At least I haven't given up. And mark my words—I will reclaim what I lost."

Even as he stood before Hanzo, seeking an alliance, his arrogance remained unwavering. He showed no fear that Hanzo might turn him away.

"So," Danzo continued, "what do you think of my proposal? It's a mutually beneficial arrangement—for both of us."

Hanzo chuckled darkly.

"Mutual benefit?" he scoffed. "Danzo, why should I trust you? Have you forgotten how you earned your title as the Darkness of the Ninja World?"

His exposed face twisted into a sarcastic sneer.

Danzo had lost Konoha's backing—so what use did he have for the Hidden Rain now?

Danzo's smirk didn't waver.

"If I were you, Hanzo, I wouldn't be so confident."

Hanzo's eyes narrowed.

"Recently, the Land of Rain has been… restless," Danzo continued, voice calm but calculating.

"Not long after I arrived, I heard some lofty talk—all about peace and unity. A movement spreading through your lands. Their words were beautiful, almost poetic. And their name?"

Danzo paused, then smirked.

"Akatsuki."

Hanzo's expression darkened.

Of course, he knew about the Akatsuki.

They were the one organization in the Land of Rain that truly troubled him. Their ideals were too high, their numbers too large, and their leader too strong.

Worse still, many within his own village sympathized with them.

If Hanzo openly moved against Akatsuki, it could fracture his already fragile rule. He needed to tread carefully.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "What exactly are you suggesting?"

Danzo's voice was smooth, almost casual.

"You provide a safe passage for my men and block Konoha's interference," he said. "In return, I'll eliminate Akatsuki for you."

Hanzo's fingers tapped against the hilt of his weapon.

"And why," he asked slowly, "should I believe you? Why would you choose me over Konoha?"

Danzo smiled faintly.

"You and I both know," he said, "that I'm far more useful to you than those naïve idealists."

For the first time, Hanzo looked thoughtful.

If Danzo succeeded, the threat of Akatsuki would be eliminated without him having to lift a finger.

But there was one problem—

Danzo himself.

Hanzo had spent his life dealing with liars, traitors, and schemers—and Danzo was all three. Even in his current state, the man was dangerous.

Still, after a long pause, Hanzo finally nodded.

"Fine," he said. "But mark my words—if I sense even a hint of treachery, I will personally invoke my pact with Konoha."

The "pact" he referred to was the old agreement—signed after Konoha had defeated the Hidden Rain. One clause stated that the village was obligated to aid Konoha in hunting down traitors.

Now, ironically, that target could very well become Danzo himself.

Danzo didn't even flinch.

"Don't worry," he said flatly.

"I have no intention of doing anything… unwise."

With the Hidden Rain as his shield, he could begin laying the groundwork.

A small nation like this was just the beginning—

Soon enough, his plans would reach far beyond Hanzo's little village.

Konoha was no longer the village of his ideals.

Danzo felt it deeply—if he wanted to reclaim Konoha, he needed to accumulate more power.

As for the Shimura clan, he had already transferred all valuable assets in advance. The remaining members of his clan? They had dedicated themselves entirely to his cause.

After leaving the Hidden Rain Village, a Root ninja suddenly appeared at his side and reported,

"Lord Danzo, we have obtained the remains of the doctor who transplanted the poison sac for Hanzo, along with several powerful warriors from the Hidden Rain Village."

Danzo nodded.

"Well done. Increase efforts, but make sure it remains covert."

Then, after a brief pause, he asked,

"How is the Crow performing lately?"

The Root ninja responded immediately,

"Very well. She is currently studying under a renowned geisha in the Land of Hot Water. Given her determination and learning ability, I believe she will soon master the skills we need her to acquire."

Danzo's expression remained cold.

"That's enough," he said. "Next, look for opportunities to establish deeper cover."

The Crow was a pawn, one Danzo had spent considerable effort cultivating—a tool to use against Kain.

Her talent was promising, but her actions were driven by hatred. That made her unstable—not someone he could trust as a long-term subordinate.

In most areas, she performed at an 80 out of 100.

But when it came to revenge?

She had the potential of 200.

The Daimyo's seat had remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

Such a rare event as choosing a new Daimyo caused chaos.

Anyone remotely connected to the current Daimyo found themselves entangled in unexpected accidents.

After a thorough investigation, the Fire Nation's governing body determined that Tsunade and Nawaki, both from Konoha, were the most qualified successors.

But when approached, Nawaki had no interest in ruling, so the matter was left unresolved.

Meanwhile, the current Daimyo was fading fast.

His health had declined rapidly over just a few years. Doctors found nothing wrong, yet he continued to weaken.

And strangely, he didn't seem to care.

To those who looked closer, the reason was clear—

His soul was no longer his own.

Controlled by black magic, he had become little more than a puppet.

"Today," the Daimyo began, his voice weak but steady, "I believe you all know why I have summoned you."

He coughed violently.

"The Minamoto clan… can no longer protect the Land of Fire. I have decided to choose a new Daimyo to ensure its survival."

His frail body shook, but he pressed on.

At his words, fourteen people—all prominent figures—felt a rush of excitement.

Only one person in the room remained silent.

The position of Daimyo was far beyond the reach of mere regional nobles. And among all the lands, Fire Country was the richest in the ninja world.

Those who learned of the Daimyo's plans wasted no time.

Some showered his wife with gifts.

Others bribed his ministers.

All desperate to secure the throne.

But then—

The Daimyo, still trembling, spoke the words that shocked them all.

"In my opinion, the only one capable of leading the Land of Fire is…"

He took a deep breath.

"His Excellency, Kain."

The room fell silent.

Kain?!

A Propaganda Minister?

The nobles had heard of his title—but barely knew anything about him.

He was too low-key, never involving himself in their affairs.

Yet now, suddenly, he was chosen as the next Daimyo of the Land of Fire?!

One noble couldn't contain his rage.

"Wait a minute, my lord!" he shouted. "Why him? This is absurd! We—"

Before he could finish his protest, the Daimyo's face twisted into a grimace.

"He Ma."

At his command, a ninja appeared instantly, kneeling before him.

"Daimyo."

"Kill him."

"Yes."

The moment the words fell, Guardian Ninja He Ma instantly disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique.

Before anyone could react—

A flash of kunai.

A head fell to the ground.

But it wasn't over.

The Daimyo, his face twisted in displeasure, issued another order.

"He Ma, take a team and capture his entire family."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

The entire room fell silent.

No one had expected the Daimyo to be so decisive—to execute a nobleman and order the arrest of his family over a single outburst of dissent.

Some were so terrified they nearly screamed—

But they clamped their hands over their mouths, fearing that making a sound might seal their own fate.

The man before them was no longer the Daimyo they had known.

The aura he exuded was madness, cold and alien.

"If there's nothing else," the Daimyo said flatly, "today's discussion ends here."

He cast a sweeping glance at the room.

"The succession ceremony will take place in seven days. Be there."

No one dared to object.

This was, after all, the most powerful man in the Land of Fire—one who held vast military power and even the authority to command Konoha.

If not for public scrutiny, he could slaughter every noble in the room within days, and no one could stop him.

This was Kain's plan.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was already dying—so why not use him for as long as possible?

If not for the prestige of their titles, the nobles of Fire Country would have long been wiped out by Konoha's shinobi, the same way bandits were exterminated.

News of the Daimyo's replacement spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Land of Fire.

Countless people wanted to meet Kain, eager to curry favor with the new ruler.

But there was a problem—

No one knew where to find him.

They knew of Ninja Weekly and Kain Pharmacy, but his exact whereabouts remained a mystery.

Naturally, they found nothing.

And Kain had no interest in meeting them, either.

At his level, why should he bother with petty social games?

Let them know his name—that was enough.

The only thing that required adjustment was the Kain Chamber of Commerce.

It was then that Kain made an unexpected discovery.

His chamber of commerce had suddenly gained a significant number of widows.

At the helm was Aya, and most of them were the wives of deceased Senju clan members.

They had joined through Tsunade's introduction.

But this wasn't important.

What mattered was that Aya's capabilities had earned Kain's trust.

Now that he was the Daimyo, Fire Country's power structure had to change.

Soon, the Kain Chamber of Commerce would replace many government departments.

And when that happened—

Aya and her followers would become the new ministers of Fire Country.

Pamphlet Street – A Local Izakaya

Tsunade downed her glass of shochu in one gulp, then clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction.

Even though this was the best shochu in the izakaya, it still couldn't compare to the ones Kushina had at home.

"But still, relaxing is the most important thing," she muttered.

Then her expression darkened.

"That bastard actually threatened me… Me—one of the Sannin!"

Even though days had passed, just thinking about it made her body heat up with anger.

Nearby, voices from the next table caught her attention.

"Hey, is it true? The Daimyo is being replaced?"

"What?! No way! Let me see that!"

Tsunade's ears perked up.

She had already heard whispers about the Daimyo's condition.

In fact, the Daimyo Prefecture had even approached her about succession.

But as a woman, she was barred from inheriting the title.

And Nawaki?

He wasn't interested.

Her gaze drifted toward the conversation.

Then—

She heard the name.

"Propaganda Minister Kain… Looks like he's the one who got it in the end!"

Tsunade nearly dropped her glass.

A few drops of shochu spilled onto the table.

"Him again?!"

…

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