Daimyo /Chapter 58: Fire Rain Begins

Shimotsuki Kōmei wrote a reply letter to Tsunade.

"Tsunade, long time no see. I truly miss you. Every time I look up at the starry sky, it's as if your smiling face is on every star, smiling back at me."

"I wonder how you've been lately? Have you lost weight? Is your training hard? Are your missions dangerous?"

"Today, Guo Er's father urged me to get married, but I want to have the wedding with you all. You'll agree, right? I'll always wait for you in the Land of Water."

A few days later, Kōmei received another reply from Tsunade.

"Kōmei, I miss you too. I hope you're doing well. I'm already a Jonin, and I'll be able to protect you soon."

"You and my sister Guo Er can get married first. I don't care about the order. Let me tell you, I've already moved into the room you used to live in, and I'm sleeping in the bed you used to sleep in."

"I can't leave yet. Little Nawaki keeps shouting about becoming Hokage; he's very impulsive. The Ninja World isn't peaceful these days, so I need to watch over him. Once he grows up, I'll come find you."

Shimotsuki Kōmei and Tsunade continued to exchange letters.

Hanzou declared war on the Land of Iron, and the war between the two nations began.

At this time, Hanzou had already earned a fearsome reputation; the samurai corps of the Land of Iron would turn and flee in terror whenever they encountered Hanzou.

Mifune didn't run; he even fought Hanzou and discussed their ideologies.

There was a sense of mutual appreciation between them. Hanzou thought Mifune was a good young man, saying, "I don't kill nobodies. I will spread your name throughout the Ninja World."

Mifune then made an audacious move, offering his life in exchange for Hanzou not pursuing his companions.

Never mind how far his companions had run or his current state; he was poisoned by Hanzou, his head was bleeding profusely, and he was sprawled on the ground, unable to get up.

If Mifune were left alone, he wouldn't live much longer. Was that life even his to offer?

Upon hearing this, Hanzou, impressed by the young man's integrity, saved Mifune and retreated with his subordinates! Just like that, the war between the Land of Rain and the Land of Iron ended.

Konoha Village, Root Headquarters.

In the base beneath the surface, streetlights cast a perpetual dim glow, unable to dispel the deep-seated darkness of the underground Root.

The air was filled with a chilling fragrance that captivated some, making them utterly infatuated.

In the leader's office, Danzo extinguished all sources of light and heat, sitting silently in his chair.

Light, stealthily slipping through the window, illuminated half of Danzo's face, making him appear even more sinister and terrifying.

Suddenly, Danzo violently plunged a kunai into the desk, simultaneously piercing a photograph of Hanzou.

Danzo's proposal to declare war on the Land of Rain was decisively rejected by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Danzo had clearly explained that Hanzou was a huge threat to Konoha, and the rise of the Land of Rain would seriously jeopardize Konoha's interests.

As Konoha's 'darkness' buried deep underground, Danzo never felt there was anything wrong with his methods; all individuals and organizations that threatened the Village had to be eliminated.

Danzo was pained by Hiruzen Sarutobi's lack of understanding. He hated even more that he wasn't Hokage. He thought that if he were Hokage, he would surely do a better job than Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Someone, please summon the two Advisors."

"Yes."

Danzo still wanted to declare war on the Land of Rain; he would first persuade the two Advisors, then together they would force Hiruzen Sarutobi to agree.

Danzo rose from his chair, turned on the office lights, and pushed open the window.

A gust of wind blew into the office, scattering several documents on the desk, faintly revealing photographs of Nawaki and Hashirama. Danzo quickly walked over, grabbed the documents, and tucked them into the deepest corner of a drawer.

Half an hour later, Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu arrived together at Root Headquarters.

"Danzo, what strange wind blows today that you invite the two of us to Root?"

"That's right. Root has always been hidden and kept secret by you; one couldn't even enter if they wanted to. You must have something to discuss with us today."

Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu spoke first.

"Please sit down. I intend to eliminate the threat of the Land of Rain in its infancy; we must declare war on the Land of Rain."

"No!"

"No!"

As expected, Danzo was rejected again.

Danzo's expression remained as calm as water. He bent down, took out a map of the Ninja World, and spread it on the desk, making not a single sound throughout.

"Look, the Land of Rain is adjacent to the Land of Fire. Once the Land of Rain rises, it will inevitably threaten the Land of Fire. We must prevent its rise."

Homura Mitokado shook his head.

"That's just your hypothesis. To rashly start a war based solely on your personal conjecture does not align with the Village's interests."

"Mitokado is right. The Land of Rain is a small country; victory may not yield sufficient benefits, and it could also leave the Village vulnerable to attack by other Villages while its forces are depleted," Utatane Koharu echoed Homura Mitokado.

Danzo was not one to give up.

"Hanzou is known as the 'Ninja Demigod.' He dared to declare war on the Land of Iron. Who can guarantee he won't declare war on the Land of Fire?"

"We must blunt his edge, make him dejected, and strip him of his fighting spirit."

Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu were silent for a moment, their positions wavering slightly.

Homura Mitokado thought for a moment and asked, "War will undoubtedly come at a cost to the Village. What benefits can we gain?"

Danzo felt a sense of relief upon hearing Homura Mitokado's question. He thought, the two Advisors are wavering; if I persuade them, Hiruzen Sarutobi will surely agree to war.

"As long as the Village wins the war, we can dictate the terms. The Land of Rain, hmph, would they dare refuse?"

"How do we prevent the Village from being attacked? Have you considered that?" Utatane Koharu was most concerned about Konoha being vulnerable and other Villages launching a surprise attack.

Danzo clenched his fist, a cold smile on his face, making the scar on his chin appear even more sinister.

"With us here, if they dare to come, we'll kill them all."

Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances and nodded.

"Hahaha, Danzo, you're right. Let's go talk to Hiruzen."

"Hmph, as the Root of Konoha, I must eliminate all threats to the Village."

"Indeed, Danzo, you've done very well."

"Everything I do is for the Village. Let's go to the Hokage Office and see how Hiruzen can still refuse me."

The three left Root, chatting and laughing, heading towards the Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was engrossed in reviewing documents, a daily routine of tedious work, yet he found great joy in it. Suddenly, there was a knock on his office door.

"Enter."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed slightly as he saw Danzo enter, thinking, Danzo still hasn't given up. Declaring war on the Land of Rain is not in the Village's best interest, and the two Advisors wouldn't agree either.

"How did you three come together? Is there something important?"

"Hmph, I told you you'd regret it. Mitokado and Koharu have already agreed to declare war on the Land of Rain. What do you have to say now?"

Danzo leaned forward, hands braced on the desk, his eyes fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi without a blink.

After years of contention, he had finally won a round. He wanted to remember Hiruzen's expression at this moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened. He looked at the two Advisors in disbelief.

He couldn't understand how Danzo had persuaded Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu; their wisdom was no less than his, and they were rational enough. Did they also believe that war was in the Village's best interest?

"Hiruzen, Danzo is not wrong. The Village cannot allow the Land of Rain to rise unchecked. We both agree to declare war."