"Hmph, a bunch of clowns, daring to act so brazenly before ." The Fire Daimyo sneered internally, completely unconcerned by the threats from the other four nations. The previous daimyo might have used this incident to suppress Konoha's influence, but he was no longer in control. Now, as Kagami's puppet, he would never move against Konoha.
After the other daimyos left, he imdiately reported the incident back to the village. The leaders of the four great nations would never have imagined that one of their own had already turned against them.
"So, the daimyos of Earth, Water, Wind, and Lightning have united to demand that we, Konoha, compensate the other villages for their losses?" In the Hokage's office, Kagami listened to Shikaku Nara's report, a sneer forming on his lips. He couldn't believe their audacity. Their villages had initiated the attack, and now, after he had killed them in self-defense, they were demanding compensation. The sheer shalessness of it was almost comical.
"Yes," Shikaku confird with a wry smile. "They've threatened to declare war on the Land of Fire if we don't comply." He was speechless at their hypocrisy.
"What are your thoughts on this?" Kagami asked, looking at the assembled clan leaders. He wanted to gauge their courage and resolve.
Hiashi Hyuga was the first to speak, slamming his hand on the table. "The daimyos are going too far! They attack us, and then demand we pay them for it? What do they take us for?"
Shikaku adjusted his glasses, his brow furrowed. "They're testing our limits. If we compromise now, they will only beco more unscrupulous in the future."
"That's right," Inoichi Yamanaka added, crossing his arms. "If we back down now, what becos of Konoha's reputation? Where is our dignity?"
"The Akimichi clan has never shied away from a fight!" Choza Akimichi bood, his fist shaking the table. "If they want to fight, let them see our strength!"
The other clan leaders voiced their angry agreent. "This is too much! We will not pay a single coin! Let them bring war if they dare!" No one wanted to pay, mainly because they couldn't afford it, but also because they were incensed by the four nations' actions.
Kagami nodded, secretly pleased. Despite their different personalities, they all showed unyielding backbone in the face of this crisis.
At this mont, Shikaku sighed, his voice heavy with worry. "But if we refuse, and the four nations attack, I'm not sure the Land of Fire can withstand it. Though their ninja villages are gone, their true strength lies in their armies of millions of samurai. The four nations combined could field an army of tens of millions. Even if Lord Kagami leads us to victory, Konoha and the Land of Fire will suffer heavy losses. It would take a long ti to recover." He looked at everyone present. "If possible, we should try to avoid war."
Kagami nodded in agreent. While he could defeat their combined forces, he couldn't guarantee there would be no losses on his side. More importantly, he needed a large labor force to develop the ninja world after he unified it. Ruling over a world of the old, weak, and sick held no appeal. This was the main reason he hadn't already unified the world by force.
Hearing Shikaku's pragmatic assessnt, the clan leaders fell into deep thought. They didn't want war, but they refused to pay compensation. The entire room fell silent as they wracked their brains for a solution.
"How about this!" the Inuzuka clan leader finally said, breaking the silence. "We compromise. We don't give them money, but we offer so other resources or technology. That should satisfy their appetites."
"But will they agree?" Hiashi asked worriedly. He doubted a small offering would sate their greed. The other leaders all looked to Kagami, awaiting his decision.
"That's unnecessary," Kagami said, shaking his head. "They won't agree. These n are greedy. No matter how much you give them, it will never be enough."
"Then what do you propose?" Shikaku asked cautiously.
Everyone looked at Kagami, waiting for his answer. Since he had a plan, they were eager to hear it.
Kagami's lips curled into a slight, cold smile. "The four nations want compensation? Then let them co and get it themselves."
The others were stunned, not understanding his aning.
"Compensation is, of course, out of the question," Kagami clarified with a faint smile. "When they co, I will simply take control of all of them. With the four nations leaderless, a major war can be averted. This will also save a lot of trouble when I unify the world and reform their political systems later."
He didn't want to waste ti scheming against these daimyos; controlling them directly was far more efficient. He had plenty of chakra to spare. He could use their identities and status to promote his unification efforts. Simply killing them was pointless; other nobles would just replace them, and they might even unite to boycott Konoha, which would be even more troubleso.
Instead, by controlling them, he could make them exploit their own civilians. When public resentnt boiled over, he could then step in as a liberator, overthrowing their "tyranny" and winning the hearts of the people. It was an age-old strategy. As soone from another world, he knew better than to rely solely on brute force to conquer a world.
Reviews
All reviews (0)