"Uchiha?!"
Standing nearby, Kazuma showed an indignant expression. He glared at Uchiha Shisui and said in a deep voice:
"What does Konoha think it's doing?! Sneaking into the palace in the middle of the night—are you trying to assassinate the Daimyō?!"
Kazuma was a staunch supporter of the Daimyō's faction. He had always held unfavorable opinions about Konoha's shinobi, and seeing Shisui disregard protocol like this only made him even more furious.
On the other side, Chiriku had already considered much more, though he did not speak out. Instead, he simply stood quietly to the side, choosing to observe the situation.
Facing Kazuma's accusation, Shisui's expression remained completely calm.
"I did not come here as a Konoha shinobi, but as a member of the Uchiha Clan," he explained evenly.
"What I represent is only the Uchiha Clan."
Kazuma was no fool. Hearing those words, he quickly realized the implications and narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Fire Daimyō remained silent, studying Shisui thoughtfully.
After a moment, Chiriku could no longer remain quiet.
"What exactly do you mean by that, Lord Shisui?" he asked. "Are you suggesting that the Uchiha Clan intends to defect from Konoha?"
Chiriku was a warrior monk from the Fire Temple, effectively acting as its representative.
The Fire Temple was the third major force in the Land of Fire, alongside Konohagakure and the Daimyō's court. Although it usually stayed out of worldly affairs, it quietly safeguarded the peace of the Land of Fire.
Chiriku understood the delicate balance between Konoha and the Daimyō's court. That was why, years ago, when the Daimyō's residence faced threats, he had stepped forward to become one of the Daimyō's protectors—maintaining stability within the nation.
And now, Shisui's sudden appearance once again made him sense a looming crisis.
Shisui shook his head.
"You misunderstand, Master. The Uchiha Clan is one of the founding clans of Konoha. How could we possibly betray it?"
Naturally, Chiriku would not be satisfied with such a simple explanation.
Frowning deeply, he pressed further.
"If that is the case, then what is your purpose here?"
"As a member of Konoha, you bypassed the Hokage and secretly contacted the Daimyō in this manner. What exactly does the Uchiha Clan intend to do?"
His tone was extremely sharp—he was practically accusing the Uchiha Clan of rebellion.
Yet Shisui's expression still did not change.
"Our purpose is simple," he said calmly.
"The Uchiha Clan merely seeks a way out from the Daimyō."
After a brief pause, he added:
"Perhaps… a path to survival."
Shisui deliberately lowered his posture, but his words caused Kazuma and Chiriku's expressions to change drastically.
"Hmm…"
The Daimyō chuckled softly.
"Uchiha Shisui—I've heard of you. You are Uchiha Kagami's descendant, aren't you?"
Shisui's eyes flickered slightly in surprise that the Daimyō knew of him.
Seeing this, the Daimyō continued.
"Back when the Second Hokage was still alive, your grandfather Uchiha Kagami served as his personal guard. I met him several times."
"You recently distinguished yourself in the war against Kirigakure. It seems you have not tarnished Kagami's reputation."
Shisui responded calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Thank you for your praise, Lord Daimyō. I merely survived the war by chance."
The Daimyō neither agreed nor disagreed.
"There's no need to be modest," he said. "I acknowledge your ability, and I do not doubt your sincerity."
"But tell me—can you truly represent the entire Uchiha Clan?"
"With your seniority, you shouldn't have much authority within the clan."
The Daimyō had indeed met Uchiha Kagami before, and Shisui reminded him strongly of that man.
His evaluation of both was the same:
They were far too humble to seem like typical Uchiha.
If Shisui had come here on his own behalf, the Daimyō would have been delighted—even willing to accept his allegiance immediately.
But the fact that this unusual Uchiha claimed to represent the entire clan made the situation feel strangely inconsistent.
Shisui explained calmly:
"The Uchiha Clan has always spoken through strength."
"Please rest assured, Lord Daimyō—I can now represent the entire clan."
The Daimyō narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are you alone?"
Shisui shook his head.
"Of course not."
A trace of surprise flashed through the Daimyō's eyes.
"Are you the one leading them?"
Shisui shook his head again. His voice carried a hint of reverence.
"I am merely Brother Ren's messenger."
"Ren?" the Daimyō murmured.
After thinking for a moment, he said:
"You mean the Red Sun of Konoha, the one said to rival the Yellow Flash?"
"That's right."
Shisui nodded.
"Brother Ren said that after this war ends, he will become the next clan head of the Uchiha Clan."
The Daimyō thought for a moment.
"So… he intends to become the Fourth Hokage?"
The Daimyō was well aware of the Uchiha Clan's difficult position within Konoha.
For years, they had been targeted by the Hokage faction.
The clan had long sought ways to change that situation.
The most effective solution would be to enter Konoha's core leadership circle—or become Hokage themselves.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi had managed Konoha with meticulous control. The Uchiha Clan had no allies and little room to maneuver.
Under such circumstances, seeking a breakthrough outside Konoha seemed inevitable.
And the Fire Daimyō was undoubtedly their best option.
But if that was all there was to it, then this Uchiha Ren was being far too naive.
Becoming Hokage was not that simple.
Yet, to the Daimyō's surprise, Shisui shook his head.
"Brother Ren has no intention of becoming Hokage."
"Oh?"
Now the Daimyō was intrigued.
"Then what does he want?"
"An opportunity," Shisui replied without hesitation.
"An opportunity for the Uchiha Clan to no longer be controlled by others."
"I wish to join the Daimyō's court and become one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve under your command."
The Daimyō did not answer immediately.
Frowning slightly, he said:
"Has the Uchiha Clan fallen into such dire circumstances?"
Shisui slowly exhaled.
"In this war, sixty-eight members of the Uchiha Clan have died."
"And among them, twenty-nine disappeared under mysterious circumstances."
"They act so openly, and with the Senju Clan's fate as precedent, the Uchiha Clan has no choice but to seek a way out."
"But the Uchiha will always be Uchiha of Konoha."
"And Konoha is not the Hokage's Konoha alone."
"The Uchiha Clan will never betray Konoha."
"That is why I could only come to the Daimyō's court."
The Daimyō smiled faintly.
"How rare," he said.
"Your Uchiha Clan has finally produced someone who understands how to think."
In the Daimyō's eyes, the Uchiha possessed extraordinary abilities and intelligence.
But their political awareness was nearly nonexistent. For years, they had been manipulated by Hiruzen Sarutobi and his faction.
He had never expected that someone in the clan would finally start using their brain.
Shisui immediately dropped to one knee.
"Please grant us your protection, Lord Daimyō."
The Daimyō pondered for a moment before smiling again.
"Stand up."
"In these dull days, something interesting has finally happened."
"Helping you… might not be such a bad idea."
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