Konoha's Mission Master

"You two must be ninja masters from Konoha! Let me show you to your seats." The young man in the gray robe smiled warmly, his face full of kindness, and this enthusiasm did not diminish in the slightest when facing the child Yakumo.

"Oh right, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am the youngest son of the daimyo. You two can call me Shinichi." When introducing himself, he remained humble and enthusiastic, as if he did not think he was particularly noble.

At this moment, Yakumo suddenly remembered that Tsunade had once introduced this Third Prince. He was a product of drunkenness, someone who had been despised since childhood. In another world, he would definitely be a protagonist template.

He was bullied by his two older brothers since childhood, but he never fought back. A temper when powerless will only lead to destruction. Temperament is nothing. How many people who achieve great things have not gone through hardships?

Might Guy was called a loser for many years, but he almost kicked Madara Uchiha in the final battle. Obito Uchiha was also a loser who was bullied by his clan members and endured it all... but he eventually ascended to the Six Paths and split a mountain with a single sword.

Yakumo suddenly looked forward to tonight's banquet. The reception room was filled with all sorts of antiques, which were originally the heirlooms of other nobles, but were destroyed and became spoils of war to demonstrate the power of the daimyo clan.

Amidst the dazzling array of spoils, Yakumo seemed to see the bloody battles of the past, and Hashirama Senju annihilating all the nobles for his ideals.

Under the bright, incandescent lights, Shinichi led the two to their seats, next to Tsunade, whose cheeks were flushed and who reeked of alcohol.

"Escape may be shameful, but it's very useful," Yakumo thought to herself. After the successive deaths of Kato Dan and Nawaki, Tsunade began to gamble and drink heavily, as if only in this way could she temporarily forget those pains.

"Lady Tsunade, please stop drinking." Reiko Aoyama squatted down and gently shook Tsunade's body with her hands, and something beautiful began to dance up and down.

"Hiccup... I'm going to drink it, don't worry about me, Reiko."

Tsunade let out a burp, broke free from Reiko Aoyama's hands, and picked up the bottle again.

Seeing this, Yakumo sighed inwardly. He didn't say anything to persuade Tsunade, after all, everyone has the right to choose their own way of life, and he wasn't confident enough to help Tsunade rediscover her lost original aspirations with just a few words like Naruto.

Yakumo looked around and saw the eldest son and his wife, a very charming woman, sitting in another seat, along with a child of about ten years old beside them.

The eldest son sat there like a tiger lying still, his eyes bright and piercing, exuding an aura of imposing presence.

The other seat belonged to the somewhat effeminate second young master, who seemed to be in a good mood, sipping the sake on the table with a smile in his eyes.

It was a simple private dinner, with only eight or nine people attending, but the large reception room did not feel empty at all.

The number of service staff at the banquet was at least three times that of the guests. Butler Takahashi, dressed in an exquisite and well-fitting suit, commanded the entire banquet like a conductor, his aged face full of pride.

Finally, after Yakumo had eaten about 80% of his fill, the daimyo arrived at the reception room surrounded by servants. He was wearing a black kimono with gold thread embroidered on the collar and cuffs, and his expression was solemn and dignified, as if he were attending someone's funeral.

He sat down in the main seat and looked around. Everyone subconsciously stopped what they were doing and stared at the old man in the center of the reception room. Only Tsunade was an exception. She was still drinking heavily, as if nothing in the reception room had anything to do with her. Her stomach was like a bottomless pit, pouring down jar after jar of wine.

"Takumi," the old man called softly. This was the eldest son's name.

"Father." The eldest son, Takumi, respectfully rose and knelt on both knees in the aisle of the reception room, which was covered with a cashmere carpet.

"You are very much like me in the past." Daming spoke slowly, with a hint of reminiscence and admiration, his face full of affection at this moment.

"Ambitious, persevering, willing to work hard to hone their physique, and like me, they are extremely eager for power."

Daimyo was still sighing, as if praising his son, and the loving look in his eyes was like a warm holy light, making Takumi smile involuntarily.

“You even possess the ruthlessness… even cruelty that a person in a position of power should have. You have the determination to crush anyone who stands in your way, even if that person is me.”

The name suddenly changed its tone, and the original warmth and kindness instantly turned into an extremely cold and chilling atmosphere, causing everyone's expression to change subconsciously.

Yakumo adjusted his breathing slightly, and his entire body began to tense up subconsciously. He sensed the bloodlust in the Daimyo's words. This killing intent was so gentle, yet so cold, like a lake freezing over inch by inch.

The eldest son, kneeling on the ground, lost his smile, and his gaze toward the daimyo became incredibly complex.

"You are the successor I have groomed. The position of Daimyo of the Land of Fire will belong to you sooner or later. Even though you were so eager to kill me, I do not blame you." The Daimyo spoke with some excitement, as if praising his most outstanding creation.

The reception room fell silent. The once smug butler, Takahashi, was now covered in cold sweat. At this moment, everyone sensed that something was about to happen.

“Father…” Takumi spoke softly, his expression unusually calm, without offering any explanation.

"When he approached me, to be honest, I hesitated for only a moment, after all, I didn't have the patience to wait another ten years."

“You crave power, just like I did back then. So I don’t blame you, but you failed.” Daimyo shook his head and said in a low voice.

"Why don't you just kill yourself?"

His tone was so light, as if he were casually suggesting what to have for breakfast.

In a corner of the living room, Takumi's wife tightly hugged her crying son. He couldn't understand why his usually kind and gentle grandfather had become like this.

"I'm sorry, Father... please allow me to refuse."

The eldest son slowly rose to his feet, straightening his back completely. He drew the long sword from his back, its mirror-like blade reflecting a cold light. He raised his head and looked directly into the daimyo's eyes with a touch of presumption.

"Fantastic! You truly are my perfect successor. My clan should not have anyone who surrenders without a fight." The lord laughed heartily, completely unconcerned about the eldest son's retort.

"I'm sorry, Father." The eldest son's voice remained extremely respectful, but he gripped his double blades tightly, and with a leap from his waist, he covered several meters and slashed at the daimyo's head with a whistling sound!

Facing the deadly attack, the daimyo showed no reaction whatsoever, even a smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with admiration for the young master's actions. Everyone in the reception room held their breath at that moment!

Chapter 50 Unexpected People

Will the daimyo sit idly by and wait for his doom?

Yakumo thought it wouldn't happen. Just as the whistling twin swords were getting incredibly close to the daimyo's forehead, a figure dressed in black, bathed in lightning, stood between the two.

The roaring, murderous blades came to an abrupt halt. The man in black held only a white short blade, yet he was as unshakeable as a towering mountain.

"Swish!" "Swish!"

After two incredibly fast flashes of light, blood gushed from the young master's wrist in an instant, dripping onto the carpet and staining it with a blood-red pattern.

With a thud, the eldest son was sent flying backward at an even greater speed, landing heavily on the ground, a mouthful of blood gushing from his mouth.

"White Teeth!"

The young master raised his head and squeezed out the words through gritted teeth. The next instant, the man in black vanished into thin air, as if a trace of ink had been wiped away with a paintbrush. Even Yakumo couldn't find where White Fang was hiding, but he was certain that White Fang had just given him a friendly look.

The moment White Fang appeared, all the questions were answered. The Daimyo did not intend to retaliate, but was waiting for someone who could help him sweep away everything.

This person cannot be Tsunade, because she is a sentimental person. When Takumi was a child, he held her, bought her candy, and provided her with gambling funds... They are family.

Tsunade got drunk because she didn't want to see the power struggle between her grandfather and uncle. That's not what she wanted to see, which is why she got so drunk.

The emperor clapped his hands, and the armored guards took the eldest son and his family away. Even his ten-year-old grandson was no exception, crying as he was carried away by the guards.

Perhaps this is what the great name meant by... the ruthlessness... even cruelty that those in power must possess.

Perhaps in the morning he was kindly accepting his grandson's greetings, but now all that remains in his eyes is coldness.

At this moment, the second young master could no longer control the smile on his face. He felt no sympathy for his elder brother's plight, only a boiling excitement that no amount of wine could extinguish.

He had lived most of his life in that person's shadow, and at this moment he finally felt triumphant, a flame called ambition burning deep in his pupils.

"Clap clap." The magistrate clapped his hands again, and two guards in iron armor rushed into the reception room again, dragging them out to the second young master's astonishment.

"Father, why? I have nothing to do with this at all!?" The second young master instantly plummeted from a high mountain to the bottom of a valley, his eyes filled with resentment and his voice trembling slightly.

The king merely smiled and said nothing more. The guards quickened their pace and dragged the second young master out, treating him like a dead dog.

"I heard from Lady Tsunade that... it was the Third Prince who secretly asked Konoha for help." Aoyama Reiko suddenly lowered her voice and whispered in Yakumo's ear to explain.

Yakumo quietly turned to look at the sorrowful young man, who seemed genuinely grieving for his brother's fate.

"Is the Third Young Master very sad?" Yakumo suddenly asked, for some reason he suddenly became very interested in this warm and kind Third Young Master.

If it weren't for his suggestion that Reiko Aoyama inform Lady Tsunade, the daimyo would have died in his sleep, and the eldest son would have inherited the position of daimyo of the Land of Fire. Due to his interference, the eldest son lost, the second son was implicated, and the third son, Shinichi, became the sole heir to the daimyo position.

"Brothers killing each other, relatives turning against each other with swords... Does Yakumo-kun think I shouldn't be sad?"

“Should be…” Yakumo was speechless. He suddenly couldn’t understand Shinichi in front of him.

This powerful figure, whom he helped to establish, seemed to have no interest in power whatsoever, and his personality and habits were nothing like those of the dignified old man sitting on the throne.

The purge of the daimyo is not over yet. Butler Takahashi was also taken away by the guards, along with many servants. Their fate is unlikely to be good.

The reception room suddenly felt somewhat empty, the stench of blood lingering and unyielding. Yakumo suddenly felt that the food in front of him had lost its flavor.

When everything was over, Aoyama Reiko helped the completely drunk Tsunade walk ahead, while Yakumo quietly followed behind them. The entire Daimyo's residence was filled with chilling screams, like a scene from hell.

"Hey…"

At this moment, Yakumo suddenly realized that perhaps because he was halfway up the mountain, Daimyo Prefecture made him feel a bit cold, just as a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

"Let's hurry up and go," Reiko Aoyama sighed.

"it is good."

The next day, after breakfast, Aoyama Reiko and Yakumo bid farewell to the Daimyo. As for Tsunade, she had already fled with Shizune after sobering up.

Every day here, Yakumo felt oppressed. The screams in the Daimyo's mansion continued until dawn. After all, the eldest son had many loyal subordinates, and these people had to be purged. Some of them were completely unaware of the eldest son's plans. When an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent.

The two happened to encounter Shinichi, dressed in a simple long robe, in front of the Daming Mansion. He looked like he hadn't slept well, with dark circles under his eyes, but still had a sincere smile on his face.

"I heard that the two gentlemen were planning to leave, so I came here to see them off."

"Third Young Master, you don't need to be so polite."

Aoyama Reiko's reaction seemed somewhat indifferent; the mission to Daimyo Prefecture had left her feeling quite depressed.

"You're welcome. I'm truly grateful. After all, you two have directly changed the course of my life."

Shinichi bowed to Aoyama Reiko and the other girl to express his gratitude, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"It's all for the mission..."

"Haha, you two are welcome to come back anytime."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Aoyama Reiko led Yakumo down the mountain. The cherry blossoms in full bloom could not wash away the gloom in their hearts.

Yakumo turned back to look at the young man at the gate of the Daimyo Mansion. He watched the two leave, his face always bearing a humble and warm smile that seemed to blend into the sunshine.

During the Warring States period, the current daimyo chose to bet on Hashirama Senju and ultimately unified the Land of Fire. Decades later, his most unremarkable son also gambled everything on a single decision and eventually won the title of daimyo.

The two did not linger in the City of Fire. After understanding Yakumo's true strength, Aoyama Reiko did not deliberately suppress her speed. The two arrived at Jihuo City at 1 p.m. Since it was still early, they strolled around the city and returned to the inn they had stayed at last night to rest.

"By the way, Sister Qingshan, remember to be careful. I suspect the mastermind behind this won't let us two witnesses go."

After all, his mission is not yet complete... Night Raven, when will you finally encounter yourself?

"You should also be careful."

"Bang." "Bang." "Bang."

Yakumo created several shadow clones by performing hand seals. Most of the shadow clones squatted in the corner and performed hand seals, while the real Yakumo sat at the table and started doing quests.

At midnight, Yakumo's main body hid in the wardrobe to rest, while a shadow clone lay on the bed, the enemy in the dark while he was in the light...

It's perfectly normal to be cautious, right?

Chapter 51 Assault