After inputting chakra into the kunai, the arm transford back into a swarm of insects and vanished, leaving only the Flying Thunder God Kunai on the spot.
White Ram left the Tenshu Castle and hid in a controlled attic in the capital. Through a window, he watched the distant Tenshu Castle.
One end of the capital held the resplendent, brightly lit Tenshu Castle; the other end was a slum.
One bright, one dark, a stark contrast.
White Ram wondered if Lord Fox would have ti to co here. Lord Fox was busy on the front lines dealing with the Iwa-nin.
If there was no news tonight, he would retrieve Lord Fox's Flying Thunder God Kunai.
Inside the Tenshu Castle, Yōkō appeared via instant transmission, grabbed the kunai, and imdiately vanished into the ground using the Epheral Technique.
The war in the Land of Grass was reaching its conclusion. The frontline forces were dispersing to pursue the Iwa-nin and planning to invade the Land of Earth.
The Sannin hadn't caught up to him yet, so Yōkō had ti to make so moves.
Infiltrating the Daimyō's bedchamber, Yōkō saw only two people inside: the Daimyō of the Land of Fire and the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools.
Two birds with one stone, Yōkō thought. A convenient task.
Their secret talks had excluded ninja; there were no Guardian Ninja beside the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
The Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools was saying:
"Your Excellency, I am very old, over eighty. I originally thought I would never leave the capital of the Land of Whirlpools again."
"But the changes happening in Konoha Village make my heart uneasy."
"They've created sothing called a Transport Altar. I inquired about it. It's based on Konoha's Flying Thunder God forbidden technique, allowing others to teleport using the Flying Thunder God's ability."
"I was able to co here this ti because the Transport Altar helped. I teleported from the capital of the Land of Whirlpools to Konoha Village, then from Konoha Village to here, saving more than half the journey."
"Those ninja... not only do they not share such good things with us nobles, but they also want to change the Guardian Ninja system."
"Their ambitions are too great. What they seek is for ninja to appear freely in all towns, eliminating the limits of distance, controlling all towns."
"If Konoha doesn't need nobles to maintain the country's operation, if they can do everything, then what will beco of us in the future?"
The Daimyō of the Land of Fire's voice was raspy like a drake's; he had overindulged with maids in his youth, damaging his health.
He said in his hoarse voice, "I have contacted Konoha's Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He promised he would not change the one-village-one-country structure."
"Those ninja within Konoha shouting for reform, those with wild ambitions—Sarutobi Hiruzen will deal with them."
"Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools, you need not worry. After the Great Shinobi War ends, I will personally go to Konoha Village to ensure they do not act recklessly."
"The one-country-one-village system was established by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. It's enough for them ninja to be good weapons for the Land of Fire. Governing the country, let us nobles handle that."
"Indeed," the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools said.
"Konoha Village is just too strong, so strong that it requires several other great hidden villages to unite against it. Is a Konoha that is too strong not in our interests?"
The Daimyō of the Land of Fire did not directly address this topic, instead saying:
"Ninja are skilled at assassination, and also fear assassination. Most of the ti, ninja stay huddled within Konoha Village. When not on missions, they rarely roam the Land of Fire."
"Ninja do not easily leave Konoha Village; that is the foundation of the one-country-one-village system. The Transport Altar's impact on the shinobi world is significant. We..."
Before he could finish speaking, the blade tip of a kunai erged from the Daimyō of the Land of Fire's chest.
The four-sided blade tip resembled a small pyramid, glistening with blood.
Seeing the kunai, the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools tried to scramble up in terror, to call for the Guardian Ninja. However, the four-sided blade tip of a kunai also erged from his own chest.
The kunai had stabbed in from his back, pierced his heart, and thrust out from between his ribs at the front.
The two Daimyō looked at each other in terror, never imagining the ninja could be more extre than they thought, directly resorting to killing.
Perhaps Sarutobi Hiruzen's promise was rely a delaying tactic...
White Ram felt no drowsiness, his eyes fixed on the Tenshu Castle.
Lord Fox's figure suddenly appeared, blocking the window.
"White Ram, the matter at the Tenshu Castle is finished. Take my Flying Thunder God Kunai and return to the village. Keep an eye on things there for . I'm returning to the front lines first."
White Ram took the Flying Thunder God Kunai, thinking that this was the only way to feel safe.
He wanted to ask sothing more, but found Lord Fox had already vanished.
White Ram waited a little longer, then heard the sharp sound of alarm bells.
The Daimyō was dead. The person Lord Fox wanted to kill was indeed the Daimyō.
With Lord Fox's power, the Guardian Ninja wouldn't even know who the killer was.
Inside the Tenshu Castle, chaos reigned.
Guardian Ninja Captain Sarutobi Shizutaka stood outside the bedchamber door with a grim expression, looking at the two corpses on the floor and the bloodstains beside them.
Blood had spread out and was now half-dried.
Guardian Ninja kept reporting in. Whether Hyūga Guardian Ninja or Inuzuka Guardian Ninja, none could find any clues.
The Daimyō's eldest son, the Crown Prince, arrived hurriedly at the Daimyō's bedchamber.
"Captain Shizutaka! Who was it? Haven't you found the culprit yet?"
Sarutobi Shizutaka said, "The Daimyō and the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools had important matters to discuss and forbade us from guarding them closely. I and the Guardian Ninja were stationed on the bedchamber's periter wall. We don't know the details inside."
"The culprit is extrely powerful, mastering top-tier infiltration ninjutsu. The Byakugan, ninja hounds, and other thods failed to detect the culprit."
"I don't want to hear your explanations!" the Crown Prince said angrily.
"Two Daimyō died deep within the heavily guarded Tenshu Castle. Shouldn't the Tenshu Castle in the capital be the second safest place in the shinobi world, after Konoha Village?"
"You must find the culprit! You must increase the defense level! You must ensure the safety of the Daimyō's family and the nobility!"
Having failed in his duty, Sarutobi Shizutaka offered no rebuttal.
"This matter is too grave. I will notify the Hokage-sama and let him decide."
"Of course, the Hokagemust co personally! They all say Konoha's power is growing, but I wonder if Konoha is just bluffing? Why can't they even guard a Tenshu Castle properly?"
After the Crown Prince had gone further away, Guardian Ninja Hyūga Masuyoshi said to Sarutobi Shizutaka:
"Captain, this Crown Prince was born when we Konoha were already protecting the Daimyō's family. Has this fool started taking this protection for granted?"
"Do not be disrespectful! That is the future Daimyō of the Land of Fire!"
Scolded, Hyūga Masuyoshi felt very dissatisfied inside.
What Daimyō of the Land of Fire? From what he knew, Lord Fox wanted to abolish the Guardian Ninja system, using Transport Altars to directly control the Land of Fire, rather than indirectly controlling it through the Daimyō and nobles.
He was sick and tired of being a Guardian Ninja, constantly confined to this Tenshu Castle, on duty day and night.
Who exactly killed the two Daimyō?
The Great Shinobi War was raging. Those who couldn't deal with Konoha Village, couldn't deal with the frontline forces, chose the soft target, attacking the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, attacking Konoha's supply lines.
Sarutobi Shizutaka said, "Quickly notify the Hokage-sama! Let the Hokage-sama decide! It's a pity there's no Lord Fox's Transport Altar in the capital of the Land of Fire, or we could send the news back imdiately. I hear there's a Transport Altar on the Land of Hot Water front. Use the village's Transport Altar as soon as possible to convey this terrible news to the Hokage-sama."
(End of Chapter)
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