Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World.

This daimyo's ambition was no longer limited to using economic means to maintain a relationship with Konoha and hinder its progress; he wanted to firmly grasp the hilt of Konoha, this sharp blade, in his own hands.

Given the Daimyo's past attitude, even if they coveted Konoha, it would only exist in their hearts and they would never take action.

So, what fueled their ambition?

Moreover, given the daimyo's extravagance and ambition, if he were to control Konoha, this sword...

As he pondered, the coldness in Naruto's eyes grew stronger.

(Oh my god, it's so cold! It's only October, how can it be so cold in Hebei? I'm wearing a down jacket and typing this, and my hands are so frozen. Why isn't the heating on yet? QAQ)

Chapter 341 Kindness, Compassion, Weakness, Foolishness

Luxurious private banquets must eventually come to an end.

The waiters cleared away the cups and plates and replaced them with tea. The guests understood that the banquet was over and it was time to get down to business.

They all rose to their feet, bowed respectfully to the daimyo in the main seat, and took their leave. The daimyo, with a warm smile on his face, nodded slightly and watched these nobles file out.

After the waiters finished tidying up, they bowed their heads and silently retreated outside the hall, gently pulling the heavy partition doors shut, plunging the room into silence.

In the blink of an eye, the once noisy banquet hall became empty and quiet, with only the occasional crackling of candlelight.

Of those present, only the Daimyo, Kazuma, Naruto, Sasuke, and Yuichi Kyuu, who had been deliberately left behind, remained.

At this moment, Yuan Shixiu's behavior was completely different from that at the banquet, with all the curiosity and amiability on his face disappearing.

Instead, he exuded a calm and composed demeanor befitting his status, with his hands naturally placed on his knees, his posture meticulous, and his figure even more upright and dignified.

"And the horse."

When the man spoke, his voice was not loud, but it carried the authority and composure of someone in a superior position.

"Your subject is here," Kazuma immediately bowed and replied respectfully.

"I have carefully read the detailed report you submitted earlier regarding the Konoha high-level meeting's recommendation of the Fifth Hokage."

The magistrate spoke slowly, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest: "The candidates mentioned in the report were all within expectations, but the final choice..."

"I originally thought that the next Hokage of Konoha would be chosen from Jiraiya or Tsunade, since both of them are the popular choice in terms of seniority, reputation, and strength."

He paused slightly, a hint of surprise and curiosity in his voice: "I never expected that Konoha would ultimately choose Hyuga Kumokawa, such a... young and talented person."

"It seems that after so many changes, Konoha is also seeking a new atmosphere."

"Your Highness, although Hinata Kumokawa is young, his performance in recent years..."

Kazuma respectfully replied, "Especially the strength and decisiveness shown in dealing with the previous crisis have earned the trust of the Konoha Jonin and the people."

"Hmm." The Daimyo nodded slightly. "Although it's not a master-disciple relationship, the Hyuga clan is still a prestigious family in Konoha. Since a consensus has been reached, I, as the Daimyo, should naturally respect it..."

At this point, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned his gaze to his eldest son, who was sitting quietly to the side: "Shixiu, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Yuan Shixiu turned his gaze to his father, who sat in the main seat, his eyes filled with obvious respect and obedience.

When the daimyo turned his gaze to him, he bowed slightly, the movement just right, expressing respect without losing his composure, clearly the result of years of strict etiquette training.

"Father."

Yuan Shixiu's tone was calm, with a composure beyond his years: "Konoha's choice of such a young leader can be seen as an attempt to break with the old and establish the new."

"If Hyuga Kumokawa can stabilize the situation and forge ahead, he might bring new vitality to Konoha, but..."

He subtly shifted his tone, revealing the prudence and indifference characteristic of someone in a position of power: "The position of Hokage carries immense responsibility, concerning the very foundation of a nation's military."

"Whether a leader who is too young can truly manage the various forces in the village and cope with the complex situation in the future remains to be seen..."

Upon hearing this, Naruto, who had been looking down, frowned slightly.

"Ah."

Looking at the dignified bearing etched into Yuan Shixiu's bones, the Daimyo's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible satisfaction, but he said nothing more, only looking at Kazuma and saying, "Then, as Konoha requests."

"Hyuga Kumokawa is appointed as the Fifth Hokage. You will be responsible for handling the relevant official documents and ceremonial arrangements later."

"Yes, sir," Kazuma replied, bowing his head.

After announcing the appointment of the Fifth Hokage, the Daimyo turned his gaze to Naruto, Sasuke, and the other ten Konoha boys and girls, his superior aura slightly diminished.

"Have you settled into the capital city these past two days? Are you getting used to the environment here?"

With a warm smile on his face, he asked, "If there is anything you are not used to or need to add regarding your diet and daily life, please feel free to speak up."

Seeing this daimyo who could decide the fate of the Hokage, seemingly transforming from a decision-maker into an elder who cared for his juniors, most of the Konoha members showed expressions of being flattered and overwhelmed.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Everything is fine."

"The accommodation is very comfortable, and there is nothing inconvenient about it."

They tried to make their responses appropriate, but their faces still betrayed their excitement and unease.

"You'll get used to it."

The daimyo observed their reactions, his expression softening further as he continued, "You are all pillars of the future of the Land of Fire."

"I believe you came here not only for exchange, but also to broaden your horizons and learn some practical skills."

"For example, courses on economics and taxation can help you understand the fundamentals of a country's or village's finances, as well as etiquette, policy decisions, agriculture, sericulture, and water conservancy..."

Upon hearing this, Sasuke's eyes flickered, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

Without a doubt, these are things that cannot be learned in Konoha.

Once he learns these lessons, he can bring about some changes to Konoha after returning and becoming Hokage. It wouldn't be impossible for him to break free from the Daimyo's economic constraints in the future.

"These courses will be taught by doctors in my household who are well-versed in practical matters. You can choose to take several courses according to your interests."

The daimyo continued, "However, now that you've entered the classroom, you need to follow the rules and study diligently. I hope you will gain something from your time in the daimyo prefecture..."

Just then, a servant rushed into the hall, ignoring the people of Konoha present, and walked straight to the daimyo's side, leaning down to whisper a few words in his ear.

The warm smile on Daimyo's face froze instantly, then turned visibly grim, even revealing a hint of anger.

“That good-for-nothing idiot! How could he…” He blurted out almost subconsciously.

However, he had only uttered half of his curse when he suddenly realized there were other people present. He swallowed back the even harsher part of his sentence, though his chest still heaved slightly with anger.

“Since Your Highness has important matters to attend to, we shall take our leave.” Kazuma immediately said.

Daming took a deep breath, barely suppressing his anger, and waved his hand: "Okay, you can go now."

Kazuma immediately signaled, and led Naruto, Sasuke, and the others out of the banquet hall quickly and quietly.

Once the outsiders left, Daming could no longer contain his anger. He slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and shouted, "Go and bring that rebellious son back to me right now!"

"Once you catch him, immediately put him in solitary confinement! One month... no! Two months! He is not allowed to step out of the mansion for two months!"

"Yes, yes, Your Highness!" The guard who delivered the message was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly replied, almost scrambling out of the room.

Yuan Shixiu, who had been standing quietly to the side, stepped forward and calmly advised, "Father, please calm down. Don't ruin your health by getting angry over Litong."

“Ritsuto… he is just young and inexperienced, and his pure and kind nature has blinded him to the false piety of the Fire Temple. He did not intend to oppose you.”

It's better not to offer advice; offering advice only makes things worse, like adding fuel to the fire.

"Pure goodness?" Upon hearing this, the lord's anger intensified, and his voice suddenly rose, "He's just stupid!"

"You are my son, yet you do not strive for progress or study. Instead, you hang out with those bald monks from the Fire Temple, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures!"

"That was bad enough, but now it's gotten even worse!"

"How dare you openly defy me, stand with those lowly people, speak out for their so-called 'suffering,' and oppose the decrees I have issued!"

"Does he still have any respect for me as his father? Does he still have any regard for the dignity and authority of the royal family?!" The lord's roar echoed in the empty hall.

Although the Daimyo Kingdom needs the power of the Fire Temple, which has been the "state religion" of the Land of Fire for hundreds of years to maintain its rule and legitimacy, however...

He really disliked those meddlesome bald monks led by Di Lu.

Yuan Shixiu listened quietly to his father's roar, remaining silent, only a trace of indifference flashing deep in his eyes.

In this dog-eat-dog world, excessive "kindness" and "sympathy" are nothing but synonyms for weakness and foolishness, and will only lead to being devoured by wolves and tigers.

Chapter 342 He's going to become a monster!

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the eaves of a courtyard outside Daming Mansion in a warm golden hue.

This is a residence specially arranged for the people of Konoha. Although it is not as luxurious as the interior of the Daimyo's mansion, it is still fully equipped and the environment is quiet.

"Bye-Bye."

"See you tomorrow."

After saying goodbye to his companions at the gate, Naruto went alone into his assigned quarters, closed the door, and shut out the last trace of noise from the outside world.

The black cat had run off to play somewhere, but Naruto didn't pay it any mind. As usual, he first checked all over the room, and then went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

However, around him, an invisible yet incredibly clear perception, like ripples on water, quietly spread out from him.

—Kagura's Mind's Eye.

Without needing to consciously concentrate, all the chakra within hundreds of meters around him was clearly reflected in his perception.

In his perception, two distinct streams of chakra were scattered across the east and west sides of the courtyard.

One of them was that Konoha ninja named Yamato.

The other one was an unfamiliar chakra, clearly belonging to someone from the Daimyo's mansion.

"Heh..." Naruto chuckled to himself, "Looks like we're quite popular, we have people 'protecting' us wherever we go."

"Hmph!" The only response he received was a cold, annoyed snort from the Nine-Tailed Fox within the sealed space.

A smile crept into Naruto's eyes. He said nothing more and continued what he was doing as if nothing had happened: washing rice and starting a fire. Everything seemed so natural and ordinary.

Since they want to see it, let them see what a "normal" child should be like.

However, Naruto calmly calculated the time in his mind.

In the past two days, he has figured out the patterns of the two groups of monitors through "Kagura's Mind's Eye," and that there are brief gaps in their movements at fixed times...

coming.

Naruto walked calmly into the small washroom in his residence and quickly formed hand seals.

With a soft "poof," a wisp of white smoke dissipated, leaving behind a shadow clone that looked exactly like him.

The two nodded to each other, and one of them, Naruto, naturally turned and walked to the kitchen to take over the task of preparing dinner.

Meanwhile, the other Naruto used the blind spots created by the trees and buildings to silently slip out of the back window and blend into the deepening twilight of the courtyard.

The residence was a separate courtyard on the outskirts of Daming Prefecture, and its defenses were not very strict.

Neither Yamato nor the Daimyo's sentries had expected that Naruto had not only known their locations long ago, but also mastered the skills of concealment and counter-tracking.

Transformation!

Another barely perceptible chakra fluctuation occurred, and Naruto's appearance had changed, transforming him into a plainly dressed ordinary person who blended into the gradually thinning crowd in the capital.

He kept his head down and walked hurriedly, just like an ordinary citizen who had been busy all day making a living and was eager to go home.

His goal was clear: the slums.

If you want to see the truth beneath the glamorous facade of the capital and glimpse the struggles of the masses in the shadows, there is no better place than there.

He avoided the main roads and instead chose to travel through narrow alleys. The further he got from Daming Prefecture and the bustling commercial streets, the faster the surrounding scenery deteriorated.

The magnificent samurai residences and neat townhouses were gradually replaced by low, dilapidated row houses.

A row house is a wooden house built in the narrow alleys of the downtown area. The kitchen is right inside the entrance hall. There are at most two rooms, a public toilet, but no bathroom.

In densely populated capitals, middle-class and higher-ranking merchants could still own independent shops on the main streets, but other commoners and artisans almost all rented these longhouses.

These row of wooden bungalows are crammed together, with low-hanging eaves and walls covered with weathered marks and patched planks.

The air began to fill with a damp, musty smell, the stench of rotting garbage that hadn't been cleaned up in time, and the stench of cheap, low-quality liquor.

The streets became muddy and murky, with potholes filled with stagnant water. The tattered clothes hanging on bamboo poles swayed helplessly in the evening breeze.

Some emaciated children were chasing and playing at the alley entrance, wearing clothes that were obviously ill-fitting and full of patches.

In the corner, an elderly person with a blank stare huddled up, or a group of idle wanderers, looked at every passerby with wary or numb eyes.

"..."