Uchiha's personal opinion

As Hattori Heiji closed the distance between them with a series of quick steps, he drew his sword and slashed like lightning!

At the same time, the condensed chakra sword energy remained still on the blade, in preparation for Hyuga Hizashi's counterattack.

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

Hyuga Hizashi didn't even bother using his signature Gentle Fist technique, nor did he awaken his Byakugan; facing an extremely close-range Iai Slash, he simply spun around in place, then unleashed a burst of immense power at incredible speed—

A first kick struck Hattori Heiji's wrist, interrupting his sword stance, while a second kick from below struck his jaw, knocking Hattori Heiji over.

Moreover, Hyuga Hizashi controlled his strength very well. Although he used the Konoha-ryu Gouken technique, he applied some Gentle Fist techniques at the moment of power explosion, so that Hattori Heiji was paralyzed on the ground without suffering any obvious external injuries.

At least, there were no obvious injuries.

Even after Hattori Heiji fell to the ground, he remained in a dazed state.

He couldn't even see how Hizashi had closed the distance, how he had struck his own wrist before Hizashi could react; and after falling to the ground in a daze, he only felt his head buzzing and couldn't remember anything.

"You need to understand..."

The refined and gentle Hyuga Hizashi straightened his clothes slightly and looked down at the prostrate Hattori Heiji, saying, "Konoha ninjas and wild ninjas are completely different beings. Don't try to understand or even glimpse our power with your shallow understanding..."

"Furthermore, if you offend me again, I will deal with you personally... I hope you recognize your place and behave yourself!"

After saying that, Hyuga Hizashi left the bewildered Hattori Heiji behind and walked away with a flourish.

"Konoha..."

"Shogunate..."

After a long while, Hattori Heiji finally got up shakily, his expression a mixture of sorrow and tears.

If even a top-tier retainer of the ninja army like him couldn't withstand a single blow from a mere Hyuga ninja, then what role could the retainer ninja army of the daimyo, who was at a significant disadvantage in both strength and numbers, play when facing the shogunate's army?

After his last shred of hope vanished, Hattori Heiji felt only relief.

……

When will the secret meeting between the two houses be held?

Before returning to Konoha, Hatake Sakumo once again brought up the matter of a meeting between the two academies of Konoha regarding the ninja army's northward march to unify the ninja world.

"I'll go to Fubo City first..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu pondered for a moment, then said, "It's almost the end of the month, so let's start in early September!"

"can!"

Sakumo Hatake didn't ask any further questions and readily agreed.

"Has something happened in the Land of Water?"

"No..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu shook his head. "It's just that the pig has been fattened up, and it's time to slaughter it and hold a feast..."

"Has the shogunate achieved effective control over the entire Land of Water?"

Sakumo Hatake raised an eyebrow, understanding the meaning behind Tokumitsu Uchiha's words.

"Taxation and the judiciary are already fully and effectively controlled. As for civil affairs... it's much better to leave them alone than to try to control everything."

Uchiha Tokumitsu said, "Therefore, it's time for the daimyo, nobles, and bureaucrats to step down from the stage."

"Try to keep the news under wraps."

Sakumo Hatake whispered something.

"Don't worry! Apart from the Shogunate's merchant ships, no one can cross the sea to reach the Land of Water!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded, expressing his gratitude for Hatake Sakumo's kind reminder.

"That's right, it's time to speed things up..."

Sakumo Hatake couldn't help but sigh as he stroked the bluestone city wall of the county town.

"The division of the ninja world will surely become a thing of the past..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu wholeheartedly agreed, "Only the unification of the ninja world and the unity of the four seas can ensure the long-term peace and stability of the ninja world!"

May your military fortune endure!

After exchanging pleasantries, the two said their goodbyes for the time being.

Hatake Sakumo never mentioned how to set up the governing body or how to divide power after the "unification of the ninja world"; Uchiha Tokumitsu never said who would be the ruling class at that time.

But both of them knew the truth in their hearts.

Some things, some events, once they happen, can never be undone.

"Peace..."

After instantly disappearing into the distance, Hatake Sakumo couldn't help but look back at the direction of Fushimi Castle below the horizon, feeling somewhat lost.

Chapter 403 Deposing the Ruler

The nobles and daimyo of the Land of Water were already feeling suffocated by the pressure.

The Shogunate's branches throughout the Land of Water are generally operating very well, and the various new tools produced by the Shogunate's Whirlpool Research Institute have played a positive role in liberating the Land of Water's productivity.

As for the daimyo nobles of the Land of Water, who were the traditional rentier class, after losing their power and military strength to oppress and exploit the local people, they could only sit and eat their savings away under the dual pressure of the shogunate and the emerging middle class of the Land of Water.

Although the shogunate still allowed them to retain their land, houses, and wealth, and some minor nobles were able to serve as tax collectors or judicial officers at the grassroots level of the shogunate, overall, the daimyo nobility no longer had the ability to influence the economic and political trends of a country.

Of course, living off one's savings is nothing. Just as a rich kid can spend his whole life eating, drinking and having fun without spending much of his family fortune, the private treasuries of famous nobles are basically enough to support their extravagant lifestyle for five generations.

Moreover, after the daimyo aristocracy completely lost power, some of the disgraced nobles rose to prominence and became new elites in the shogunate system thanks to their decent education.

While a small number of these "new nobles" became obsessed with the "traditional" aristocratic life and aligned themselves with the daimyo and court nobles, the majority embraced everything related to the shogunate.

Overall, the rule of the shogunate was quite stable.

Therefore, Uchiha Tokumitsu officially began to consider stripping the daimyo of their noble status.

After returning to Fubo Castle, the headquarters of the shogunate, to take charge, the first shogunate edict was issued to Kirigakure and various local agencies in the Land of Water.

"Decree to Abolish Swords!"

The chief chairman of the Jonin Joint Conference of Kirigakure also received this edict.

However, this edict had nothing to do with the ninjas; it was aimed at the samurai class of the Land of Water.

As lackeys of the old nobility, samurai had the right to wear armor and carry swords, and command the palace army. At the same time, due to their controllability, they were also subtly superior to the more powerful ninjas in status.

But with the rise of Uchiha Tokumitsu, everything outdated and conservative from the past was ruthlessly swept into the dustbin of history, and the samurai were no exception.

After the nobles lost power and the government army disbanded, a large number of lower and middle-ranking samurai became ronin, wandering and colluding throughout the Land of Water, overestimating their abilities to try to "restore their former glory." Meanwhile, the mountain bandits and river pirates, who had previously disappeared, also gained momentum due to the surge in the number of ronin.

Under the constraints imposed by Uchiha Tokumitsu, Kirigakure adopted a near-laissez-faire attitude.

Besides the fact that some overly arrogant and domineering bandit groups were easily wiped out, a large number of ronin groups occupying remote and impoverished areas were deliberately let go.

Meanwhile, those ronin gangs, while lording it over others, began to confidently call upon their friends and relatives to gather together and prepare for "big things."

As for the common people of the Land of Water at the grassroots level, they naturally wouldn't know so much inside information. They only felt that their lives were much more relaxed than before. As for those ronin who occupied the mountains and fields, although they were despicable, they were nothing compared to the old samurai who used to exploit the government troops.

Therefore, the shogunate's rule gradually gained popular support, while the samurai, along with the nobles, became increasingly detestable and repulsive.

The "Sword Abolishment Order" was aimed at these remnants of the old era who had lost the support of the people.

In short, the edict required samurai without public office to surrender their samurai swords with blades longer than seventy centimeters, or they would be considered traitors.

For the shogunate, the only way to deal with rebels was to annihilate them.

Furthermore, since most ronin groups were concentrated in remote rural areas, they had no opportunity to learn about the latest edicts and announcements from the shogunate. In fact, their superiors would even actively conceal the information in order to avoid "shaking morale."

Three days after the edict to abolish swords was issued, Kirigakure ninjas and the shogunate's direct ninja forces began to move out.

Under absolute military suppression, those arrogant and conceited ronin also met their demise.

Almost overnight, the mountains, rivers, and lakes of the Land of Water turned red, and the chaos that had been raging all subsided.

Then, the shogunate issued a second edict—

"Imperial edict to transfer land registration to the military governor!"

Although the fiefdoms and people under the jurisdiction of the daimyo and nobles were brought under the rule of the shogunate, they were still nominally the lords of the Land of Water. The "Edict of the Transfer of Land Registration to the Shogunate" legally deprived them of their feudal rights.

In addition to their basic palaces and wealth, the daimyo and noble families also had their lands, which originally spanned multiple provinces and counties, confiscated by the shogunate.

This was a devastating blow to nobles who had no means of making money!

However, the bloody smell of the shogunate's ninja army pacifying the entire country of ronin overnight had not yet dissipated, so when faced with the ferocious Kirigakure ninja, most nobles obediently handed over their seals of office and household registers, as well as other old items symbolizing their legal rights.

All of this did not cause any ripples among the common people of the Land of Fire; they were simply busy working hard for their future, filled with anticipation for an ever-improving future.

As for the most secure stronghold of the noble forces, Uchiha Tokumitsu entrusted it to Hozuki Masahiko, the nominal leader of Kirigakure.

……

"Daimyo Shinju! You shall not dare to offend him!"

When Hozuki Masahiko led the Kirigakure ninja army to the daimyo's residence and surrounded the palace, the daimyo's direct retainers, whose long-handled weapons such as naginata and nodachi had been confiscated, could only nervously wave their ineffective dachi and shout.

"Get out!"

Kaguya the Ninja suddenly roared, startling the Hatamoto samurai so much that the small swords in their hands fell to the ground.

The civilians watching from a short distance couldn't help but laugh.

How strange! The once high and mighty Manchu nobles are actually like this?

If you can't even hold a sword properly, what kind of samurai are you? Wouldn't it be better to retire early and start killing pigs?

The murmurs among the common people grew louder, and the samurai were all red-faced, but they showed no intention of resisting or defending themselves.

After leaving some ninjas to keep watch, Hozuki Masahiko strode into the palace.

So many years...

Ever since learning that the daimyo was behind the destruction of the three clans, the survivors of the three clans, including Hozuki Masahiko, have always been deeply troubled by this, and their desire for revenge has never waned.

Although Uchiha Tokumitsu chose to preserve the existence of daimyo nobles in order to maintain stability in the early stages of the shogunate's rule, hatred continued to erode the minds of the three clans' ninjas like the most vicious worm.

However, Uchiha Tokumitsu never disappointed his subordinates.

"The day has finally come..."