Uchiha's personal opinion

Hozuki Masahiko grinned, revealing a mouthful of shark-like sharp teeth.

Even the Rain Ninja, who, despite their lack of strength, had robbed and killed many nobles in the Eastern Islands, couldn't stop smiling.

Perhaps in the past they might have been somewhat afraid of the powerful nobles, but after a series of attacks and massacres, they realized that the so-called nobles were actually worse than ordinary people.

Once one's thinking falters, one's perspective immediately expands.

In the eyes of the Shogunate ninjas and Rain Ninja mercenaries, the nobles of the Land of Water were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter. Noble bloodlines and prestigious status were all equal before the kunai!

"The daimyo's conditions are simply laughable. Why don't you listen to my requirements instead?"

After a round of ridicule, Uchiha Tokumitsu spoke to the messenger, Konoe Atsushi.

"General Deguang, please speak!"

Although he was furious at the shogunate for insulting his daimyo, he restrained his anger and prepared to deal with Uchiha Tokumitsu's questions with a relatively calm demeanor.

"The Shogunate's requirements are not high..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu pondered for a moment.

"First, the Mizukage should step down, return the stolen treasures and hidden valuables to the three clans, and settle accounts with the ninjas who wielded the swords against the three clans."

"Secondly, the borders should be open, and the movement of people should not be hindered."

"Thirdly, pay the shogunate one hundred million gold coins in compensation!"

"Fourth, the four major ports of the eastern and southern islands will be ceded, and the Tokugawa Shogunate will send officials to the tax bureau to supervise port tax affairs!"

Fifthly, a great man lacks virtue and should abdicate and retire into seclusion!

"That's all. If your daimyo agrees to all of them, I will consider withdrawing my troops."

After saying that, Uchiha Tokumitsu calmly picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The messenger, Konoe Atsushi, was completely stunned.

He originally wanted to lash out, but the murderous gazes of the Jonin sitting cross-legged on both sides were like a bucket of ice water poured over him on a sweltering summer day, and even the fiercest anger dissipated without a trace.

"General Deguang, you're being too demanding..."

After hearing Uchiha Tokumitsu's words, the envoy Konoe Atsushi realized that the Uchiha had no intention of negotiating peace before the war.

Konoe Atsushi said no more, for the conditions offered by Uchiha Tokumitsu were clearly aimed at waging war. After receiving the proclamation from the attendant ninja, the messenger Konoe Atsushi bowed to Uchiha Tokumitsu expressionlessly and then took his leave.

After seeing the messenger off, Uchiha Tokumitsu said to Hozuki Masahiko, "Checking out his background and family history might be useful."

"As ordered!"

Hozuki Masahiko immediately obeyed and leaped out.

Being a ninja is not just about fighting and killing; it also requires learning how to cultivate and support influential figures.

Just like what the daimyo did in the ninja village.

Chapter 194 Open the Gate! The Black Ship Knocks on the Gate!

"The color of this boat is no good; the paint job needs to be changed to black!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu stood at the Midway Island pier and pointed to the three ironclad warships at sea.

These three ships were the first batch of finished products from the secret shipbuilding base of the Land of Whirlpools. They were equipped with iron outer armor, but their power source was still a relatively primitive combination of sails and oars.

Logically speaking, such power and armor levels wouldn't be of much use to a ninja with strong individual combat capabilities, but Uchiha Tokumitsu still came up with something different.

At Uchiha Tokumitsu's request, the Uzumaki researchers set up a sensory barrier on the ship to detect the Hidden Mist ninjas lurking underwater; at the same time, they modified the traditional crossbows into torpedoes carrying special detonating tags to attack underwater enemies.

While the power source is still primarily traditional sails, after modifications by the researchers at Uzumaki, a wind-style blower was added as an auxiliary power system, allowing acceleration using the basic wind-style ninjutsu, Gale Palm.

As a result, the ironclad ships, which were originally of medieval standard, acquired attack methods similar to those of modern warships.

Although they lacked direct-fire weapons like cannons, it didn't matter; ninjas were the most formidable artillery.

"...Black paint job, that works too."

The Uchiha ninja in charge of ship construction and sea trials wiped the sweat from his brow and decided to compromise.

Nowadays, the ship's paint scheme still uses a combination of the Uchiha clan's traditional red and the gray commonly used for ships at sea, but since the lord has made a clear request, then black it is.

"Lord Deguang, now that the ship has successfully completed its trial voyage, why not take this opportunity to name it?"

Another ninja immediately chimed in.

Sycophant!

The Uchiha ninja in charge of shipbuilding immediately glared at him, glancing sideways at this arrogant fellow who had the audacity to steal his chance to flatter him.

"...Koue Jonin!"

The speaker was Uzumaki Kaori, one of Uchiha Tokumitsu's attendant ninjas, and the only female ninja in the attendant department who came from the Uzumaki clan.

Although she was from a collateral branch, after moving to Konoha, the Uzumaki clan opened up the sealing techniques to all surviving members, so she quickly showed remarkable talent and was recommended by the Konoha Sealing Team as a special Jonin specializing in sealing techniques. When Uchiha Tokumitsu recruited ninjas from various clans to fight, it was Uzumaki Ashina who personally recommended her to Uchiha Tokumitsu's command.

"Can't afford to offend them..."

The Uchiha ninja in charge of shipbuilding was just a low-ranking special jonin. He only got his current position as shipbuilding supervisor because of his limited knowledge of mechanical arts. Naturally, he was unwilling to compete for favor with someone with such a powerful background.

"Naming ships..."

This piqued Uchiha Tokumitsu's interest.

His passion for online politics began to burn brightly!

"The first... Free Trade!"

"Good name!"

Whether or not she heard what Uchiha Tokumitsu said, Uzumaki Kaori clapped and cheered before Uchiha Tokumitsu could even finish speaking.

The traditional naming rules for ships in the ninja world are generally to use place names or the names of historical figures. A few ships may also be named after the builder or owner, such as Uchiha Tokumitsu, who used a combination of two words that sound rather awkward.

But once the lord has spoken, it is a name universally recognized as good.

"The second one will be called the Ninja Clan Will."

The ninjas of the three Hidden Mist clans bowed deeply in respect.

What exhilarating it would be to sail back to the Land of Water, the land of sorrow for the three clans, aboard the Ninja Clan's Will battleship!

The hearts of the three clans' ninjas were filled with a desire for revenge on the eve of their deaths.

"As for the third ship..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu pondered for a moment and said, "Let's call it Fubo Sei-i!"

Needless to say, this was a way of reaffirming to his subordinates his determination to conquer Kirigakure and subjugate the Land of Water.

At this point, the ninja army's preparations for war were basically complete. All that remained was for the ironclad warships to have their paint jobs changed and be reloaded with supplies before they could set sail for the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village.

……

As for the Land of Water, the Daimyo was naturally unwilling to be bullied by a mere ninja leader from Konoha Village—even the Uchiha clan, the most powerful clan in the ninja world, was seen by the Daimyo as a barbaric group that only knew how to use force and indulge in killing.

However, the Mizukage was extremely dissatisfied with the extreme change in the Daimyo's attitude before and after the massacre of the Kirigakure clan. Therefore, in the face of the war initiated by Uchiha Tokumitsu, the Mizukage simply declared the Northwest Mutual Protection Pact and refused to participate in the war conflict in the Eastern Islands.

Although this move also aroused dissatisfaction among the emerging Blood Mist faction within the Mizukage's lineage, who considered it a humiliating act that ceded the village's sovereignty, the Kirigakure headquarters chose to remain inactive under the Mizukage's pressure, refusing to mobilize factional ninjas to form a fighting force despite the elders' tumultuous efforts.

This was a devastating blow to the daimyo of the Land of Water, like a bolt from the blue.

Unsurprisingly, the Third Mizukage was the strongest ninja in the Land of Water. Yet this highly respected ninja actually disregarded the daimyo's summons and stood by while the enemy's ninja army invaded. This was simply...

"A humiliating disgrace!"

Daimyofu, the Land of Water.

The daimyo could no longer maintain his usual elegance and composure. In a fit of rage, he grabbed the jade seal he usually cherished and hurled it at the newly returned envoy, Konoe Atsushi.

Before the Mizukage's anger had subsided, Uchiha Tokumitsu's ceasefire conditions added fuel to the fire, completely igniting the already furious Daimyo.

Konoe Atsushi withstood the daimyo's blow and even caught the jade seal to prevent it from shattering on the ground.

"How dare a mere ninja spout such nonsense!"

"Da Ming said coldly."

Konoe Atsushi remained silent, neither wiping the blood from his forehead nor speaking, simply maintaining his kneeling posture with his head bowed.

Seeing this, Daming didn't dare to scold him anymore.

"Get out!"

Upon hearing this, Konoe Atsushi gently placed the jade seal he was holding on the ground, wiped away the bloodstains, kowtowed, and then respectfully retreated from the hall.

Such a respectful attitude left the daimyo speechless.

"Atsushi Konoe was transferred to the position of Middle Counselor."

After Konoe Atsushi left, the daimyo issued an edict to the palace attendants to promote him.

"Letters were also sent to the prominent figures of the four major powers on the mainland..."

Daimyo's tone was unusually cold, "Since the dog in the house is disobedient, then it should be allowed to fight!"

After sending a letter to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire replied by suggesting that the two countries join forces to contact the other three major Daimyo and jointly put pressure on the ninja villages in their respective countries in order to suppress the expansion of the ninja clan's power, and form an allied army to strangle the Uchiha clan's power scattered throughout the ninja world.

However, the daimyo of the Land of Water has not yet made up his mind.

The consequences of the Kirigakure massacre were that Kirigakure was nearly completely split apart, with a large number of ninjas beginning to show resentment, and even the Blood Mist faction, which they secretly supported, no longer obeyed the daimyo's orders.

It was only under duress that the Daimyo chose to win over the elders of Kirigakure.

However, the performance of the elders was far from satisfactory.

However, faced with the humiliating ceasefire terms brought back by Uchiha Tokumitsu's messenger, the daimyo, though not showing much indignation, had completely lost control of his murderous intent towards the Uchiha clan.

The eunuch quickly drafted two edicts, and after presenting them to the daimyo for affixing his seal, he hurriedly left the palace.

"Even if it doesn't succeed, at most we'll just lose some more money, it's not a big deal..."

After the eunuch left, the still uneasy daimyo secretly comforted himself.

……

Faced with the increasingly tense situation, the Elder Council of Kirigakure tried their best to set up defenses, but they still felt overwhelmed.

While relentlessly plundering ninjas from various factions, the elders squeezed out an army of up to 5,000 ninjas.