The Daimyo's assistant stepped forward, bowing slightly in apology before speaking.
"I am deeply sorry to interrupt your reunion, especially after you have returned from your missions with such precision and excellence," he said, his voice polite but urgent. "However, Lord Daimyo has summoned you. He wishes to speak with you regarding an important matter."
Erza looked towards the assistant. "A new mission?" she asked, her tone calm but curious.
The assistant gave a single, firm nod.
"Very well," Erza replied without hesitation. She turned to address her clan siblings. "Let's go meet Lord Daimyo."
The others exchanged brief glances and nodded in agreement. Together, the nine Uzumaki clan siblings rose from their tables. The group, accompanied by the Daimyo's assistant, left the warm, bustling atmosphere of the restaurant and stepped out into the cool air, making their way towards the grandeur of the Daimyo's mansion.
A short while later, they entered the meeting hall—a spacious, elegant chamber with polished wooden floors and banners hanging from the high walls. At the far end, the Daimyo sat in the main seat of honor, a presence of quiet authority. The ten siblings took their places respectfully, five seated to his right and five to his left, forming a symmetrical formation around him.
"I have called you here today," the Daimyo began, his voice steady but carrying the weight of importance, "to assign you a mission of considerable difficulty. I want you to escort my son to the Daimyo's mansion of the Land of Rain for an important meeting there."
Antares, sitting near the middle of the right-hand row, leaned forward slightly. "I don't see much of a problem with that," he remarked. "Yes, it might be challenging, but I doubt it will be overly difficult."
The Daimyo's expression darkened slightly as he shook his head. "The mission can be either small in scope or dangerously large—depending on how events unfold. You may already know that the Land of Rain's military power lies entirely in the hands of the Amekage, the legendary Hanzō the Salamander. The Daimyo of the Land of Rain and I are in the process of negotiating a deal. However, he has deliberately kept Hanzō completely out of the loop. This is his way of asserting his authority—demonstrating that, despite Hanzō's control over the military, he remains the ultimate ruler."
He paused, his voice taking on a more grave tone. "I fear Hanzō might take offense and act rashly. For that reason, I want you to ensure my son's protection on the journey. There will be other guards accompanying your envoy, of course. But if Amegakure chooses to intervene… the mission will escalate in difficulty instantly."
Erza, as the one who held the highest authority among the ten Uzumaki siblings, was left to make the final decision. She fell silent, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly as she considered the implications of the mission.
Before she could speak, the Daimyo added, "And regarding remuneration—each of you will be compensated at a rate no less than that of an S-rank mission. Should Amegakure ninja attack, the payment will be increased accordingly, based on the scale and severity of the assault."
Erza finally nodded, her voice steady and confident. "I believe we can accept this mission with all ten of us together. There are very few in this world who could stand against our combined strength."
It was not arrogance that colored her words, but a clear and unshakable trust in both her own abilities and those of her siblings.
The Daimyo's lips curved in satisfaction at her reply. "Very well. Five days from now, my son's convoy will depart."
"Understood," Erza replied. With that, the meeting was brought to a close. The ten Uzumaki siblings rose and left the grand hall, their footsteps echoing off the polished floor as they made their way outside.
----
Five days later
The morning sun bathed the Daimyo's mansion in a soft golden light as Erza approached a young man, no older than twenty. She stopped before him and cupped her fist in greeting.
"Your Highness," she said formally, "I am Erza Uzumaki, and I will be responsible for the protection of this envoy caravan."
This young man was none other than the Daimyo's son—the person they were tasked to escort to the Land of Rain's Daimyo mansion. He had long heard stories of Erza's unmatched strength… and of her beauty. But until now, he had never laid eyes on her in person.
The moment he did, he froze—his thoughts scattering, his gaze lingering longer than it should. For a heartbeat, the bustle of the surrounding seemed to fade away.
A sharp voice shattered the moment. "Hey! My Onee-san is greeting you. Why are you staring like that?"
The Daimyo's son blinked rapidly, startled back to reality. Realizing his lapse, he stammered, "I… I'm very sorry. I was just—" He cut himself off, his face heating with embarrassment.
Erza, ever composed, spared him further discomfort. "I understand," she said with a faint smile. "If you're ready, please board your carriage. The envoy is about to depart."
"Yes—yes, of course," he replied quickly, grateful for the reprieve.
Erza gave a brief nod and made her way toward the front of the caravan, her posture straight and commanding. Behind her, the Daimyo's son found his gaze drawn to another figure—this one also bearing the distinctive crimson hair of the Uzumaki clan.
It was Mereoleona, the same young woman who had sharply broken his earlier trance.
She stopped just long enough to deliver another blunt remark. "Don't go filling your head with wild fantasies," she said without a shred of hesitation. "Erza Onee-san will only ever look for someone who can remind her—at least in shadow—of my Shanks Onii-san's strength and abilities. If a man can't measure up to that, he won't even catch her eye. I'm sure you've heard of Shanks Uzumaki—how formidable he is, and what kind of power he wields."
Her words were sharp, each syllable carrying the weight of unfiltered truth. It wasn't meant to be cruel— Mereoleona simply had no patience for dancing around a subject.
With that, she turned on her shoes and walked away, leaving the Daimyo's son in thoughtful silence. He understood well enough what she meant, though her delivery was anything but gentle. Shaking his head, he finally stepped into his carriage.
At the very front of the caravan, Erza was already overseeing final preparations. She had carefully arranged the positions of her nine siblings, scattering them at key points along the convoy to ensure maximum coverage. Each of them was mounted on horseback—there was no need for any of them to be on foot for such a journey.
Aside from the Uzumaki siblings, the caravan boasted around fifty armed guards, their armor glinting faintly under the morning sun. Together, they formed an imposing column that promised both strength and vigilance.
----
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