Uchiha's personal opinion

Three hundred monks from the Fire Temple were driven by the Uchiha ninja army and gathered in the front courtyard. Many of them had resentful expressions on their faces, glaring angrily at Uchiha Tokumitsu, who had desecrated the sacred ground.

But more often than not, they trembled and bowed their heads, awaiting the conqueror's judgment.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's gaze swept over them, and even the monks who were still filled with resentment couldn't help but lower their heads and avoid him, their faces filled with fear.

Two Uzumaki ninjas also escorted the high priest to bring him before Uchiha Tokumitsu.

Witnessing the highly respected monk being treated in this way, the monks below the court couldn't help but feel a little unsettled.

But the pleading look in the head monk's eyes and the gleaming blades of the ninja soldiers calmed them down again.

Even the iron barrier of the seal couldn't stop Uchiha Tokuko's Susanoo attack. Now that he's been subdued, if he still tries to resist, it's destined to end in bloodshed.

Including the head monk, none of the monks of the Fire Temple dared to gamble on whether Uchiha Tokumitsu had the courage to kill.

"All monks who possess chakra or practice secret techniques, go to the right."

After observing the monks' expressions for a while, Uchiha Tokumitsu spoke coldly.

Upon hearing this, the monks became somewhat agitated again.

They didn't know what Uchiha Tokumitsu's intentions were, so they were very hesitant.

The senior monk looked sorrowful and nodded repeatedly, indicating that they should comply.

More than a hundred monks hesitated and walked to the right.

"All the learned monks went to the left."

Uchiha Tokumitsu spoke again.

This time, without hesitation, more than eighty monks followed the instructions and went to the left.

In this way, the monks who were originally gathered together were divided into three groups.

"And what are you people?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu asked the monks who were still standing in the middle.

The monks looked at each other in bewilderment.

"They were all the temple's cooks..."

The monk was speaking in a low voice.

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded slightly, then instructed: "Seal all those on the right with chakra seals and lock them up. All those on the left, return to your scripture pavilions and close the doors. Fireworkers and other servants, go back to your respective duties!"

The monk on the right looked angry, but faced with the pressure from Uchiha Tokumitsu and the ninja army, he couldn't muster the courage to resist.

The Uzumaki ninjas and the Uchiha ninjas who practiced sealing techniques stepped forward and easily grabbed them one by one, sealing them with chakra, just like eagles catching chicks.

The scholarly monks were driven to the scripture pavilion and placed under house arrest.

The workers scattered and returned to their posts to work diligently.

Fortunately, no bloodshed or death occurred inside the temple...

The senior monk tried to comfort himself.

"Lord Deguang, an unknown ninja has appeared in the north. After observing from afar, he left..."

An Uchiha ninja leaped down from the bell tower and whispered to Uchiha Tokumitsu, "It should be a Daimyo's guardian ninja. Should we pursue them?"

"...Ignore it."

Uchiha Tokumitsu thought for a moment, then shook his head and rejected his subordinate's suggestion: "They are probably just here to check on the situation. The daimyo should be sending envoys again to 'offer condolences' soon."

"As ordered!"

The subordinate acknowledged and was about to leave.

"Then issue another order to the Red Guard to split off a third squad and attack Settsu County east of Daimyo Prefecture."

Uchiha Tokumitsu gave the order.

"As ordered!"

The subordinates withdrew upon receiving the order, and then a team of messenger ninjas quickly sped towards Izumi County Castle in the north.

The high priest heard the entire conversation and arrangements between Uchiha Tokumitsu and his subordinates.

"Jonnin Tokuko... How could it have come to this..."

The high priest couldn't help but speak up, advising, "The daimyo's authority is universally acknowledged; please do not offend the sacred authority any further!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu gave him a strange look, too lazy to respond.

"Stop! The Fire Temple is a solemn and revered place for all people. If you believe me, please release the monks inside. They are innocent worshippers. If you have a grievance, I can also seek justice for you from the daimyo!"

The senior monk tried to persuade him earnestly.

"Big bald guy, how much farmland does Shiranui-no-ji own? What is its annual yield? How much rent do they collect?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Our temple, donated by noble officials and entrusted by believers, has a total of 300,000 mu of farmland, with an annual output of 500,000 shi..."

The head monk fell silent as he spoke.

"Keep going! How much rent are you charging?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu sneered repeatedly, "Do you still think that ninjas can't check the field book?"

"...collected 350,000 shi of rent."

The head monk's expression also turned grim.

Even though he was defeated by Uchiha Tokumitsu, as the head of the national temple, he had never been subjected to such verbal harassment and coercion.

"His name is sacred, his temple is solemn, and he is deeply loved by all people, right?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu sneered again, "If I massacre the Fire Temple, burn down the land register, and declare all the land to belong to the tenant farmers and serfs, do you think the solemnity of the temple will still be of any use?"

The head monk's expression grew even more unpleasant.

"If I were to storm into the daimyo's capital again and replace him with a different daimyo, would the daimyo's status still be so sacred?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu's eyes revealed a contemptuous look, as if he were looking at an ant.

The head monk's face turned deathly pale, and his head drooped deeply, no longer daring to maintain his 'dignified' arrogance.

"Times have changed..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu strolled leisurely toward the largest pavilion in the temple, his hands behind his back.

"Samurai, priests, monks, shrine maidens... all the powers of the old era have been swept into the dustbin of history by the ninja's ninjutsu. Even if figures like daimyo pull you out of the dustbin, attempting to use you to counterbalance the ninja's power, to use you to appease the ignorant masses, and to make them accept exploitation even heavier than during the Warring States period..."

"Even if you've learned to use chakra... trash is trash, and its inherent nature won't change whether or not you possess chakra!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu's words also have a basis.

According to the records of the Uchiha clan, farmers were a relatively valuable resource during the Warring States period. In order to win over farmers to serve as foot soldiers in the front lines, daimyo would often make concessions on land rent, generally only collecting 50% of the harvest, and it was a tax in kind.

After the establishment of the one village, one country system, the ninja world basically returned to peace. Even the Ninja World War did not have much impact on the civilians of major countries, but the lives of farmers became even more difficult.

The land rent in the Land of Fire has now risen to 70%, and it has been changed to a monetary tax.

Every year at harvest time, tax collectors and merchants would collude to drive down grain prices, further exploiting farmers who were eager to sell their grain to pay rent. Unable to endure the exploitation, the farmers would often abandon their fields and join bandit gangs in the mountains.

Therefore, it is precisely because of the various forms of exploitation that cause people to constantly flee to other places, the mission centers of the major ninja villages always have the most low- to mid-level missions to clear out bandits.

"What a hopeless world..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu sighed inwardly.

"That's the temple's secret chamber! Please stop!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was about to push open the door to the attic and enter when the head monk spoke up again in an attempt to stop him.

"The Secret Pavilion? A place that stores secret techniques?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was somewhat surprised; he had only wanted to find a larger space to rest.

"That's wonderful! I love secret techniques! This means I'm destined to use this technique!"

With a casual wave of his hand, Uchiha Tokumitsu had two ferocious Uchiha ninjas grab the high priest and drag him away, then push open the door and went inside.

Among the secret techniques passed down in the Fire Temple, what interests Uchiha Tokumitsu the most are the "Talent of the Sage Clan" and the "Welcoming Thousand Hand Kill" used by the Great Monk in battle.

At least from the appearance, it seems to have some connection with Hashirama Senju's "Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands", and it is unknown who copied whom.

Upon entering the attic, a huge scroll was placed openly on a shelf in the hall. Uchiha Tokumitsu stepped forward, picked it up, and tore off a corner. Sure enough, it was the Fire Temple's secret technique scroll!

So he casually pulled up a chair and started reading.

According to the scroll's description, the so-called "talent of the immortal race" refers to a secret art style passed down by the Fire Temple lineage, and "Welcome - Thousand Hand Kill" is one of its secret art techniques.

Uchiha Tokumitsu only briefly tried chakra manipulation and technique model construction based on the scroll's records, but he always felt that something was wrong.

There was an indescribable awkward feeling, as if chakra itself was not suited to this secret technique, but could only be forcibly used through the simulation of the technique.

Moreover, according to the scroll, cultivating "the talent of the immortal race" requires a series of complicated steps such as taking secret medicines, sitting meditation, and transferring power to have a certain chance of success. Therefore, Uchiha Tokumitsu's interest also diminished.

"With such cumbersome and cumbersome processes, it's no wonder it declined..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu made his evaluation of it.

However, there was also a description of natural energy in the scroll, which gave Uchiha Tokumitsu some new inspiration.

"Lord Tokumitsu..."

Just as Uchiha Tokumitsu was pondering a secret technique, a Uzumaki ninja gently knocked on the door and entered.

"A group claiming to be envoys of the daimyo has been intercepted by our companions on patrol. What should we do?"

"Bring them in."

Uchiha Tokumitsu pondered for a moment, "Have the temple's cooks prepare some cold dishes; after all, we can't be impolite, can we?"

"Hmm...you're right."

The Uzumaki ninja hesitated for a moment, trying to understand whether there was another meaning to the 'etiquette' in Uchiha Tokumitsu's words that he could not understand.

"Just do it normally. If you're unsure, just ask that old bald monk for help."

Uchiha Tokumitsu didn't explain, waved his hand to dismiss the Uzumaki ninja, and continued reading the contents of the secret technique scroll.

……