The coup is over.
It wasn't as cinematic as Kiyoshi had thought, but then again, he was doing this in a small ninja village treading on the path of extinction. He wasn't trying to usurp a country—how cinematic could it even be?
With the fall of the supreme leader, most of the resistance quickly surrendered. Some who were too loyal to surrender were subdued. His father and Takami were both tied up and locked in a cell.
In a single night, the power shift within the village had changed. And this fact quickly spread throughout the silent village even before the sun rose. In such a small village, how long could it take for everyone to become aware of such a drastic change?
But the issue wasn't just that everyone knew—it was that this shift made everyone nervous and somewhat afraid. Not only the Clan Heads, but even the normal villagers felt it.
"Is the village going to be alright?"
"I don't know."
Such small conversations became the norm among the people. A new person had taken up the role of Leader. What would he do?!
To put it simply, most people in the village—especially the Clan Heads—were conservative. They knew that the village was suffering, declining, and that change was needed. But change also meant taking risks. And treading a new path made all of them fearful. They didn't want to take the road not taken. What if the change failed and only accelerated the downfall?
That was why most Clan Heads didn't oppose the previous Leader's so-called "super ninja" experiment plan. In a way, it was a conservative approach that didn't deviate much from what they already did, yet still seemed to have some potential. If it worked, wouldn't it be even better? And the loss wasn't much either. After all, the Leader was using his own sons for it.
But now… all the Clan Heads knew that after this coup, the road not taken was about to be taken.
...
"Why are you all looking so serious? I won't eat anyone alive. Hahaha!"
Kiyoshi cracked a joke, but unfortunately, no one laughed. His father-in-law, who was present along with the other Clan Heads, slapped his forehead, while Tengen, standing behind him like a guard, looked at him blankly.
Kiyoshi clearly understood that his attempt to lighten the mood hadn't worked.
'Maybe I shouldn't joke anymore.'
Kiyoshi sighed inwardly and looked at everyone. All the Clan Heads were sitting in front of him in the traditional seiza posture. Truthfully, he didn't like that—his knees hurt a lot. So he sat in a more comfortable position, with his legs crossed.
Unknown to him, his posture made the meeting even more tense. Everyone else sat properly while he stood out—and with a ninja behind him as a guard, the Clan Heads felt that if they opposed him, a sword might fall on their necks at any moment.
Understanding that jokes wouldn't work, Kiyoshi began the meeting. And right at the start, he dropped a bombshell.
"Now, I am the Leader. Does anyone have any objections?"
'I have an objection!'
All the Clan Heads wanted to say it outright. But of course, they didn't. At the same time, they didn't agree either. All of them had already discussed silent protests. How could someone come out of nowhere, kill the Leader, and claim the position? For those who followed rules and tradition, it was unforgivable.
Unfortunately, they had a traitor among them.
"I have no objections."
Everyone's heads turned toward the voice. Who else could it be other than Kiyoshi's father-in-law? Kiyoshi showed a look of appreciation, while the rest of the Clan Heads were filled with anger.
Damn! How could there be a traitor among us?!
Then they realized—this man was the father-in-law of this new Leader. But it was his other identity that made things worse. He was also the Clan Head of the second-largest ninja clan in the village.
If the largest and second-largest clans stood together, how could the others oppose them?
And soon, the dominoes began to fall.
"I have no objection."
"I also have no objection."
One by one, all the Clan Heads began voicing their lack of objections. It didn't take long before it reached the last man—the leader of the alliance of these clans. He was the most conservative among them.
Everyone's eyes were on him. With no way out, he slowly raised his trembling hand, filled with fury and unwillingness, to give his approval.
"I-I also have no—"
"Alright. Stop there."
Kiyoshi interrupted him. His sudden interruption made everyone tense again. Even the leader of the Clan Alliance panicked, wondering why Kiyoshi had stopped him specifically. Had he discovered that he was leading the protest?
"Sigh… If you vote like this, it won't be meaningful."
If Kiyoshi couldn't tell just by looking at them that they were afraid, then he might as well give up his position as the new Leader. All of them were voting out of fear.
He had called this meeting to gain their support for reforming the village. He wanted their full, wholehearted backing. If he only received votes out of fear, they wouldn't truly support him. Then what would be the point of this coup?
If possible, rather than ruling like a tyrant, he wanted everyone to have their own opinions and work together for the betterment of the village. He wanted them to follow him willingly—not through force.
"When I was joking that I won't eat you, while it was indeed a joke, I also meant what I said. Why are you all afraid that I will kill you here right now? All of you are shivering like old men with nothing but bones."
Kiyoshi sighed again and looked at Hanzo, the leader of the Clan Alliance. Sensing his gaze, Hanzo averted his eyes, and the same went for everyone else.
"I understand that you all are afraid. I came into leadership out of nowhere, and my arrival might change things for the worse, if not for the better. But I am sure that you all know this village needs change. Am I wrong?"
His words made everyone fall silent. Everyone was aware of the stark reality. Everyone knew that change was needed, but nobody wanted to take that step.
"I may have come into leadership through illegal means, but my desire to improve this village is no less than yours! I am also a person of this village, and because I didn't see it moving in the right direction, I launched a coup to change it. Time is crucial. If we are late, this village will disband like other ninja villages. And for this change, I need your wholehearted support. If you only support me half-heartedly out of fear, how can I make this village survive, let alone prosper?!"
Kiyoshi's words resonated with all of them. Putting everything aside, they were still ninjas—people who lived in this village. When it came to wanting the village to prosper, their feelings were the same.
But...
"Kiyoshi-sama."
"Oh? What is it, Hanzo-sama?"
"I just want to ask you one question. Can you really make this village prosper?"
Yes, their desire for the village to prosper was the same. But… could Kiyoshi truly lead the village to that future?
That was the question in everyone's mind.
All of them looked at Kiyoshi, waiting for his answer. Kiyoshi showed a confident smile and didn't mince his words.
"Yes. I can lead this village to prosperity."
Hearing his answer, Hanzo closed his eyes for a moment. Memories of his childhood, his struggles as a ninja, and the burdens he carried as a Clan Head flashed through his mind. His love for this village was no less than anyone else's.
As if he had made his decision, Hanzo opened his eyes and bowed before Kiyoshi.
"I welcome Kiyoshi-sama as the new Leader of the ninja village!"
This time, all the Clan Heads looked at each other and nodded. One by one, they bowed down and acknowledged the new Leader.
"We welcome Kiyoshi-sama as the new Leader of the ninja village!"
Looking at all of them, a warmth spread inside Kiyoshi's heart. This... it felt good. Kiyoshi's father-in-law, seeing the situation, was even more delighted. His son-in-law truly had the bearing of a leader. His bet was correct!
And Tengen, who stood like a pillar beside Kiyoshi, had his eyes shine as he saw the first steps of change beginning with the Clan Heads themselves. A sense of pride spread in his heart—after all, he too loved this village.
"Everyone, please rise. You don't need to bow so much. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable."
"But Kiyoshi-sama..."
"I order it. Everyone, please rise."
At his words, everyone returned to their original seiza posture. But the tension was no longer there. A new flame burned within them—one aimed at making the village great again.
Kiyoshi looked at their faces and wondered if he had a talent for being a motivational speaker.
'What a waste! If I had known, I might have made a career out of it in my previous life!'
Kiyoshi smiled lightly and then shook his head, putting the thought aside. With the initial discussions and leadership matters settled, it was time for practical matters.
"I have promised you all that I will lead you to prosperity, but that won't happen with words alone. Real action is needed. And with that, I am giving my first order as the Leader of the ninja village."
"Yes, Kiyoshi-sama!"
"My first order is this: putting aside the ongoing requests, from now on, our ninja village will stop assassinations, spying, and all of our other current jobs!"
"What?!"
No one had expected the Leader to drop such a shocking statement! Is it too late to say that "I have objections"?!