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"How dare he?! Doesn't he fear assassination?!" one of the Seven Swordsmen voiced the question on everyone's mind.
Zabuza stared at the decree, silent.
He had schemed, fought, built a reputation, all to ignite a revolution from below.
And now—Mei Terumī had simply—wiped the slate clean, rebooting the server??? This wasn't how the game was supposed to be played.
TOO UNFAIR!
Zabuza fell silent.
"Assassination?" Mei Terumī scoffed. "You're right, Zabuza-senpai. Kirigakure's elders are corrupt. How many of them would dare openly defy the Daimyo, bearing the crime of treason?"
"And what would they do? Recall the front-line forces to attack the Daimyo? Or dispatch a special assassination unit, like you, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, to carry out a decapitation strike?"
"Setting aside the fact that Konoha is now protecting the Daimyo—The Daimyo's decree will spread throughout the Land of Water by dawn. At that point, whether the Daimyo lives or dies is irrelevant."
"I've won!"
Zabuza grew even more silent, his Shinobi way beginning to crumble.
Kirigakure's elders—compradors, extremists—so corrupt they viewed the Shinobi way as a business transaction.
Faced with the Daimyo's decree, perhaps they lacked the courage to openly rebel. But ordering the Seven Swordsmen to assassinate the Daimyo—they certainly possessed that courage.
"So, instead of waiting until tomorrow's dawn, when the Daimyo's decree has spread throughout Kirigakure, and you receive the order to eliminate the Daimyo—why not settle things tonight?"
"Will you fight here, or join the newly established Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region?" Mei Terumī posed the question, a direct challenge to his Shinobi way.
Would he uphold the hidden Village system, defend his dignity as a Kirigakure Shinobi, becoming another dog for the Brahmin elders? Or would he cast aside the feudal concept of "one nation, one Village," join the Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region, and begin a new life?
"..." The other six swordsmen looked to Zabuza, awaiting his decision.
If he shook his head, they would follow their Shinobi way, fighting to the death. If he nodded, from this day forward, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would become a sharp blade in the hands of the Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region, a blade aimed at the necks of the Brahmin elders!
Without thinking, Zabuza smiled, a bloodthirsty grin. "I didn't pick up this sword to be someone's dog!"
He raised his blade, pointing it once more at Mei Terumī. "Being the elders' dog is one thing. Being your dog—is being Konoha's dog. Can you guarantee that Konoha won't become the new Brahmin oppressing Kirigakure? And you—won't become the lapdog assisting Konoha in that oppression??"
"From now on, there is no Kirigakure, only the Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region," Mei Terumī corrected. "What Konoha is like—I needn't elaborate. Just listen to the evaluations of those who've been there. You should know."
"Zabuza, you've been to Otogakure for the exams. I don't believe you're unaware of the quality of Konoha's people, of Konoha's Shinobi."
Mei Terumī silently added, 'At least, aside from Gojo Kaigetsu, most of them are good people.'
"Konohagakure is the Beacon of the Shinobi World..."
"From now on, the only ones looking down on ourselves—will be ourselves! It will be the self-loathing, the inferiority complex of the original Kirigakure inhabitants!"
"I, Mei Terumī, have allied with Konoha, yes. But I am also a citizen of the Land of Water. I will bring Konoha's progress and beauty to every corner of the Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region."
"This is my promise as the first Chief Executive of the Konoha-Kiri Special Administrative Region!"
Gradually, Zabuza lowered his blade.
He knelt on one knee, bowing his proud head, his fierce face, wrapped in white bandages, hidden in shadow.
"Yes, Chief Executive!"
———
Otogakure outskirts.
Killer B, seven swords strapped to his back, led the surprise attack squad, occasionally striking bizarre, incomprehensible poses.
He seemed completely unconcerned with the mission.
After all, Konoha's main forces had been deployed to the Kusagakure border. Even if some ninja remained stationed in Otogakure, these leftovers—were surely no match for the great Killer B.
Darui, trailing behind him, his expression grim, cautioned, "Lord Killer B, perhaps we should focus on completing the mission."
"Long nights are full of dreams, and delays breed complications..."
"Hold on, Darui, I'm shocked. You dream when you sleep?" Killer B exclaimed, his tone exaggerated.
Darui was momentarily speechless. Finally, he managed, "Lord Killer B, I think you should spend less time reading those—inappropriate books. That Young Ninja series—it's going to rot your brain."
"I'm a ninja. Practicing my ninjutsu is far more important than reading. What's the point of books?"
"Let me ask you this—do ninja always dream when they sleep? All this talk of long nights and dreams—surely not everyone dreams every time they sleep? Then what's the problem—Don't let those bookworms get to you, Darui. Think for yourself!" Killer B gestured wildly, occasionally brandishing one of the seven short swords on his back.
"YO, check out my blade of wisdom, YO!"
Darui fell silent, unable to utter another word.
Killer B hadn't always been like this. Before the Raikage had forbidden him from reading those—books, he'd been quite intelligent. Though his lyricism and composition skills were lacking, he was at least—pursuing a cultural path.
Not like now, his face practically sprouting—freckles.
Darui, possessing some degree of culture, recalled a passage from a book published in the Land of Fire:
"Ninjutsu is a fine thing. But compared to studying—let me put it this way: ninjutsu is for those who can't study. But those who manage ninja—are those who do study."
Darui agreed wholeheartedly.
Ultimately, no matter how powerful a ninja became, they were still subordinate to the Daimyo's civil officials. The amount of funding a hidden Village received each year depended on negotiations between those officials and the Daimyo.
Even in the most prosperous Konoha, wasn't the Fourth Hokage, in matters of policy, subordinate to a Chunin? He'd heard the Nara clan was regularly summoned to the Daimyo's mansion to offer counsel...
What did this signify?
Mastering ninjutsu to its peak only led to becoming a Kage. But mastering both ninjutsu and culture—that was the path to managing the Kage.
Killer B's group continued their advance.
Suddenly, the moonlight seemed to dim.
They instinctively looked up—
Three figures floated in the air, gazing down at the earth like Gods.
Enemy attack!
Darui reacted instantly, drawing his blade, his senses on high alert. Black lightning crackled around him, his Storm Release activated, ready to repel any attack.
Darui's name, in the Land of Lightning, meant "lazy." But his strength was undeniable. He was the sole inheritor of the Third Raikage's Black Lightning, possessing the Storm Release kekkei genkai, skilled in kenjutsu, Lightning Release, and Storm Release.
He'd become a Jonin at a young age, fiercely loyal to the Fourth Raikage. The Fourth had once publicly referred to him as his "right hand." And his "left hand"—was, naturally, Killer B.
Kumogakure's right and left hands!
Killer B, alerted by the Eight-Tails, also shed his playful demeanor, his expression hardening as he drew two swords from his back.
The rest of the squad, seeing the two leaders' vigilance, also drew their blades, their gazes fixed on the sky.
Gojo Kaigetsu, having made his grand entrance, slowly descended with Kushina and Tsunade. Even with Mahoraga and Katsuyu acting as power sources, maintaining flight for three people was still draining.
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