Chapter 134 - Jiriku
Land of Fire – Capital City
Reception Room of the Daimyō
The chamber was a semicircular, enclosed room. The Daimyō of the Land of Fire sat at the head seat, wearing a hat decorated with three flames. Behind his seat was a massive red backrest, emblazoned with the black kanji for "fire" (火).
To his left sat Hiruzen Sarutobi and the two former Konoha Elders, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
To his right sat a group of government officials from the Land of Fire.
"So… Sarutobi is stepping down as Hokage. That means a new Hokage must be chosen."
The Daimyō waved a fan slowly in his hand, feigning a casual tone as he addressed Hiruzen.
His feelings, however, were conflicted. He'd never liked Hiruzen much, but at least Hiruzen never disrupted his life. He had no idea what kind of temperament the new Hokage might have—or whether they would interfere with his authority.
"Yes, it's time to confirm a new Hokage. We unanimously recommend Orochimaru as the next Hokage."
Hiruzen sat calmly, sipping warm water from the cup before him as he delivered the statement with firm conviction.
His gaze was resolute. His tone held authority. He acted as if they were here not to request approval, but to inform the Daimyō of a decision already made.
It was hard to imagine this was the same man who, not long ago, had spoken of the Daimyō with such reverence in front of Orochimaru and Kazane.
"Oh, that one…"
A flicker of displeasure crossed the Daimyō's eyes, though he concealed it behind his fan, pretending to be surprised.
"Orochimaru, come in."
Hiruzen didn't bother replying to the Daimyō's reaction. As a top-tier shinobi and former Hokage, how could he possibly care about the opinion of a mere civilian?
Without waiting, he called toward the door.
Upon witnessing Hiruzen's blatant disregard for him, the Daimyō's grip on his fan tightened. Had it not been for the oversized sleeves of his robe, the veins bulging on his arms would've been clearly visible.
Not that Hiruzen would have cared.
What could a powerless civilian do to him anyway?
Creak…
The doors to the reception hall opened, allowing blinding sunlight to flood the dim interior.
Orochimaru stepped forward, bathed in light, striding into the chamber with calm authority.
But the Daimyō's gaze quickly shifted—not to Orochimaru, but to the scene behind him: warriors and rogue ninja lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
Fear gripped the Daimyō's heart.
Whenever Hiruzen had visited in the past, he had never shown deference, but he also never touched the palace guards.
What's going on today? Is Sarutobi planning to replace me as Daimyō…?
"Well… very good then."
"Excellent. Orochimaru, I hereby appoint you as the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure."
Driven by fear, the Daimyō wasted no time confirming Orochimaru's position.
He just hoped his prompt cooperation would demonstrate submission—and spare him from Hiruzen's wrath.
Hiruzen also noted the fallen bodies behind Orochimaru and silently sighed.
Even the Daimyō's title no longer holds sway over Orochimaru…
Looks like I won't be able to use the Daimyō's influence to secure my own position anymore.
In truth, the relationship between the Daimyō and the Kage was much like that of ancient Japan's Emperor and Shogunate.
The shinobi villages, with their military might, were like the shogunate—true rulers operating from the shadows.
The Daimyō, like an emperor, was a ceremonial figure pushed to the forefront to govern civilians.
But unlike the real world, in this ninja world, Daimyōs also had military power.
Ruling such a vast land required the Daimyō to rely on a bureaucratic system and thousands of samurai to govern the people. Thus, a delicate balance was maintained.
The Daimyō managed the nation's wealth and resources. In return, he sent funds—akin to military expenditure—to the ninja villages.
The ninja villages, in turn, defended the country from foreign threats, enabling the Daimyō to keep generating wealth.
So even though the Daimyō appeared subordinate to Hiruzen, he never feared for his safety—because he remained valuable.
But now… seeing the bodies outside the chamber, the Daimyō was terrified.
Had Hiruzen discovered his secret ninja forces and sent someone to replace him?
As for Orochimaru, he was confused.
Hiruzen had described the Daimyō as a prideful, difficult man—not easy to deal with.
Orochimaru had been prepared to activate the genjutsu imprint left in the Daimyō's mind by Uchiha Fugaku.
But to his surprise, the moment he walked in, the Daimyō immediately granted him the Hokage title.
---
Outside the chamber
"Hey, monk. Get up."
As soon as Orochimaru stepped into the meeting room and the door closed behind him, Kazane nudged the monk still lying at his feet.
Kazane had taken a liking to this monk—he had strong willpower and knew how to bow to strength. That was exactly Kazane's type.
So he decided to recruit him.
But the monk, hearing Kazane's voice, chose to keep playing dead.
This guy is terrifying! Just from his aura, I'm sure even the abbot of the Fire Temple couldn't beat him…
If I'd known this monster would be here, no amount of money from the Daimyō could've convinced me to come.
Clang!
"If you keep faking, monk, I'll have to use force."
Kazane frowned and flicked open a few inches of his sword Wado Ichimonji with his thumb. The sharp metallic sound rang in the monk's ears.
In his mind, the memory of Kazane's terrifying sword strike flashed again.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!"
The monk scrambled to his feet.
"What's your name, monk?"
Kazane admired his straightforward attitude and smiled as he asked.
"This humble monk is named Jiriku."
"You're Jiriku, huh?"
Kazane had suspected it.
There was only one temple in the Land of Fire, and only one monk of this age and skill level—it had to be him.
And that made Kazane even more interested.
He hadn't forgotten Jiriku's flashy, bizarre techniques—especially his Lai Geki: Thousand-Armed Murder, a miniaturized and weaker version of True Several Thousand Hands.
He couldn't help but wonder… If Jiriku used that technique in front of Tsunade, would she beat him to death?
With that amusing thought, Kazane said:
"Hey monk, come work for me. I'll protect you."
"This humble monk has renounced worldly attachments… I hope you can understand."
Terrified after witnessing Kazane's power, Jiriku wanted nothing more than to stay far away. He tried to decline politely.
But Kazane slid his hand back to Wado Ichimonji and, with a casual motion, slashed toward Jiriku's head.
The blade zipped through the air like lightning, grazing just above Jiriku's scalp—and returning to its sheath.
"Oops! My hand slipped."
Kazane feigned surprise and stared at his sword.
"Sorry, what was it you said just now? I didn't quite catch that."
He rotated the sword in his grip slightly so the edge now pointed toward Jiriku's neck.
"Boss! I meant to say you're my boss from now on! Whatever you need, just say the word! Also, uh… maybe put that big ol' sword away? Holding it like that must be tiring!"
Jiriku, ignoring the sweat pouring down his forehead, forced a flattering smile.
He had already realized—if he didn't say yes today, he might never see the gates of the Fire Temple again.
One more centimeter just now, and Kazane could've cracked his skull. And the man had still dared to say it was just a "hand slip."
If I say no again, who knows where his sword might slip next?
"Oh right, boss… I told you my name, but I don't even know yours."
Now that he'd fully accepted his fate, Jiriku suddenly realized he still didn't know who Kazane actually was.
But with strength like his, there was no way this guy was some nobody.
This genuinely surprised Kazane.
Wait, there's actually someone in the shinobi world who doesn't recognize me?
Silver hair, black kimono, three swords on his hip—his look was unmistakable.
In Konoha, nine out of ten kids dressed like him on the streets.
"Remember it well—your boss's name is Hatake Kazane!"
Kazane said with pride.
"Wait—Boss… you're that Hatake Kazane?!"
Jiriku had heard the name countless times. But the rumors painted an entirely different image—towering at 2.3 meters tall, six-armed, a sword-wielding monster of a man.
In the capital, filled mostly with civilians, information passed mouth-to-mouth—twisted and embellished with each retelling.
So by the time word of Kazane reached Jiriku, he had been transformed into a mythical beast.
Which is why, even after seeing Kazane's swordsmanship with his own eyes, Jiriku had never imagined this man could be the infamous Hatake Kazane.
Still… better not tell him what people are saying outside. He might get mad and use me for target practice.