Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 333 The Bloodshed Beneath the Glamour

The first rays of dawn dispelled the night's mist.

Three seemingly ordinary carriages slowly approached the massive city gate of the Fire Kingdom's capital, their wheels rolling over the neatly paved stone slabs along the wide, smooth official road.

Inside the carriage, after a bumpy night's journey, most of the young men and women traveling with them were still fast asleep, or drowsily and curiously peeking out the window at the approaching magnificent silhouette.

Naruto Uzumaki, who had been closed-eyed and immersed in the sealed space, suddenly opened his eyes just as the carriage was about to stop.

He opened his eyes along with Sasuke, who was taking a nap.

"This is……"

The two instinctively wrinkled their noses, smelling the scent in the air, and exchanged a glance.

There's the freshness of morning dew, the rich fragrance of carefully cultivated flowers lining the roads, and the faint aroma of breakfast wafting from the city...

But beneath this seemingly harmonious atmosphere, an extremely subtle yet undeniable scent crept into his nostrils.

That was a rusty, fishy smell.

It was very faint, so faint that it was almost masked by all the pleasant smells, but for Naruto, whose perception was far beyond that of ordinary people, and Sasuke, who was particularly sensitive to the smell of blood, it was clearly pungent.

Naruto frowned slightly, reached out and lifted a corner of the car window curtain to look outside.

The first thing that catches the eye is the towering, endless, massive city wall.

The walls are made of neatly cut giant bluestones, covered with lush vines that gleam with a moist sheen in the morning light, giving them an ancient and sturdy appearance.

On the city walls, watchtowers stand in rows, flags flutter in the wind, and brightly armored warriors can be vaguely seen patrolling, creating an imposing atmosphere.

Outside the city walls, the moat is as wide as a mirror, reflecting the city towers and the blue sky.

The riverbanks are lined with meticulously maintained green gardens, where exotic flowers and rare plants vie for attention, and the trees are exceptionally lush and verdant, showcasing the grandeur and prosperity of the Land of Fire.

However, compared to the other children who were quietly exclaiming in surprise and excitement, Naruto's gaze did not linger long on these magnificent sights.

His gaze swept over the base of the city wall, where the flowers and plants grew exceptionally lush and vibrant, the soil faintly revealing a dark red hue.

—The smell of blood is so strong.

What happened here not long ago?

"Naruto," Kazuma, who was in the same carriage, suddenly said in a gentle tone, "try not to let anyone see you."

Upon hearing this, Naruto didn't turn his head, but simply said with emotion, "Sorry, I was just curious. I didn't expect the capital to be so much more magnificent than Konoha."

After saying this, he took a deep look at the flowers and plants at the foot of the city wall, then gently lowered the curtain, withdrew his gaze, sat up straight again, and his face returned to calm.

Uchiha Sasuke's black eyes also seemed to have become deeper and more profound.

At the same time, the carriage came to a complete stop in front of the massive city gate.

The elite warriors guarding the city stepped forward and carefully examined the travel permit handed over by the coachman...

Click, click, click!
After confirming that everything was in order, the heavy iron gate was slowly opened with the sound of a heavy winch turning, revealing the scene inside the capital city.

A wide, clean central avenue stretches into the distance, flanked by bustling streets beginning to awaken.

The carriage started moving again, slowly entering the heart of this seemingly prosperous and splendid land of fire.

However, shortly after the carriage entered the city gate passage, a sudden commotion and disturbance came from the city wall behind, breaking the tranquility of the morning.

Near the fork in the road leading to the main road, a small group of people had gathered. Most of them were looking up, pointing at the top of the city wall, whispering and discussing amongst themselves, their faces showing expressions of mockery, curiosity, or sadness, blocking the way.

Although some people noticed the three seemingly ordinary carriages approaching, and the crowd instinctively moved aside, their speed was too slow and still hindered the carriages' passage.

"what happened?"

Kazuma, sitting in the lead carriage, saw this scene through the crack in the window, and his brows furrowed, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

If it were the carriages that nobles or officials usually travel in, these commoners would have panicked and scrambled to make way for them!
But for now, he was disguised as an ordinary caravan, with a few kids from Konoha in the carriage. He couldn't show any domineering or violent side, lest he arouse unnecessary suspicion and resentment.

He hesitated for a moment, then bent down, gently lifted the curtain in front of the carriage, and whispered to the accompanying warriors guarding outside the carriage, "See what's going on? Have them disperse and not block the way."

"Yes." The warrior nodded.

Inside the carriage, the other boys and girls were also drawn by the commotion outside, curiously peering out.

Looking beyond the city walls, one can vaguely see the rooftops of the buildings inside the city, with their upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, far more magnificent and intricate than the buildings in Muye.

Further away, the golden glazed tile roofs of the Daming Prefecture palace complex could be seen, shimmering brilliantly in the morning sun, causing the group to overlook the source of the commotion.

After a brief wait, the crowd cleared a path under the guidance of the warrior, and the carriage slowly resumed its journey.

"My lord, we've found out. It's that second prince."

The samurai quickly returned and came to Kazuma. He bent down and whispered, "He and several high-ranking monks from the Fire Temple were on the castle wall praying for the civilians who had died earlier."

Upon hearing this, the muscles on He Ma's face tensed almost imperceptibly, and a hint of undisguised dissatisfaction and annoyance flashed in his eyes.

Noticing the samurai's hesitation, he understood and said sarcastically, "Is our 'merciful' second prince unable to hold back his tears in front of others again?"

The samurai lowered his head and did not answer directly, but his silence was an admission of guilt.

"Hmph!" Kazuma snorted coldly, his tone filled with undisguised contempt. "As the son of a daimyo, such behavior is truly unbecoming!"

In his view, it was a disgrace for a member of the public to show such a weak attitude in front of ordinary people!

However, it doesn’t matter anymore.

Anyway, His Highness is still young, and the eldest son, the Crown Prince, is also very outstanding. The second son can just be a parasite.

Kazuma took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his displeasure, and quickly regained his composure.

He retreated back into the carriage, just in time to meet the probing gazes of Sasuke, Naruto, and Karin.

Clearly, the commotion outside had caught their attention.

Kazuma's face immediately broke into a gentle, slightly apologetic smile, as if he hadn't been the one who had just been looking at him with a mocking expression.

He explained in a relaxed tone, "There are too many people in the capital, so there may be some minor issues from time to time. Please forgive me."

After saying that, he naturally looked away and said no more.

The carriage returned to silence for a moment, but a subtle atmosphere permeated the air.

Sasuke and Naruto turned and looked at each other, both understanding the meaning in each other's eyes.

—In the capital of the Land of Fire and the capital of the Great Ming, things are probably not as glamorous as they appear on the surface.

(No color stuff!! Some people always think I'm going to write about Naruto being involved in something patriotic, but I must clarify, no! And it's impossible for me to!)
(It's simply a matter of eliminating the daimyo so that the protagonist can take control of the Land of Fire and reap points and spiritual energy!)
(As far as the ninja world is concerned, choosing between the Kage and the Daimyo, keeping one, and truly turning the ninjas into a national army would already be a huge step forward!)

(End of this chapter)