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Minato Namikaze left.
The hem of his ceremonial robe swayed in the wind.
His back remained straight and tall.
But Arashi knew the Hokage's flagpole had broken.
And he had personally mended it, shaping it into the form he desired.
Konoha.
The Land of Fire's sharpest blade.
From today on, both the hilt and the blade were firmly in his grasp.
Only, some blades still needed a bit of sharpening.
Arashi leaned back against the armrest, tapping lightly.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Contentment.
Satisfaction.
To see the protagonist of an era, the hero of a world, kneel before him in heartfelt submission, this feeling was a hundred times more wonderful than crushing him with the power of the Six Paths.
Power was the confidence to overturn the table.
Authority was the utensil for enjoying the good things in this world.
Konoha Village.
Uchiha Clan territory.
The sharp whistling of shuriken on the training grounds and the dull thuds of sparring had vanished.
In their place came the sound of a zither and soft singing.
Three Uchiha maidens, dressed in simple kimonos, knelt on cushions.
They kept their heads lowered, their expressions solemn.
Mikoto sat at the head.
Her face was gentle, but her eyes were cold as iron.
She personally instructed the girls.
A flicker of the eye.
A turn of the wrist.
Any slight mistake drew her merciless reprimand.
This was no longer a consort selection.
This was a rigorous screening for the Uchiha, no.
This was for the future Mother of the Nation of the Land of Fire.
"Ragyō."
Mikoto's voice was soft, yet it made one maiden in the room tremble.
That girl resembled her seven or eight tenths. Her features were more youthful, with a trace of innocent charm still in her eyes.
She was Mikoto's younger sister, Ragyō.
"Sister."
Ragyō stood, nervously twisting her sleeve, her head bowed even lower.
"Your heart is not calm."
Mikoto lifted the tea Ragyō had just brewed, but did not drink. She only smelled it.
"The fragrance floats on the surface. It will be bitter when tasted."
Ragyō's cheeks flushed. She murmured, "I, I am just a little nervous, Sister…"
"Nervous?"
Mikoto set the cup down gently, but her expression was icy.
"In the future, in front of Daimyo-sama, will you also say you are nervous?"
"One mistake will not ruin only you, but the entire Uchiha Clan."
"Can your life pay for that responsibility?"
The last sentence was a sharp rebuke.
Ragyō's lips trembled, her face turned pale, and she could not speak.
The other maidens even softened their breathing.
Seeing her sister's distress, reluctance flickered through Mikoto's heart, but resolve quickly replaced it.
She walked up and straightened Ragyō's slightly disheveled collar.
"Ragyō, remember this."
"From the moment you stepped in here, your name ceased to matter."
"You are the future of the Uchiha Clan."
Her hand gently caressed her sister's face, so similar to her own, her eyes filled with complex emotion.
"Go and meditate beneath the backyard waterfall."
"When your heart is colder than pond ice, come see me again."
"Yes, Sister."
With tears in her eyes, Ragyō bowed and withdrew, her slender back seeming as if it might collapse at any moment.
Watching her sister's retreating figure, Mikoto's eyes turned distant.
How could she not know how cruel this was?
But she had no choice.
Compared to the future glory of the Uchiha, a girl's tears were insignificant.
Just then, Clan Head Fugaku stepped in from outside.
He glanced over the room, satisfaction in his eyes, and nodded to Mikoto.
"You've worked hard."
"For the clan…"
Mikoto replied coolly.
Fugaku moved beside her and lowered his voice. "There is still no movement from the Hyuga."
"As expected." Mikoto's tone was calm. "The arrogance of the Hyuga is engraved in their bones."
"Hmph, foolish arrogance." Fugaku snorted. "Does he think it is still the past? In Daimyo-sama's eyes, his Hyuga are no different from stray dogs on the roadside."
He paused, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
"However, that is perfect."
"The more stubborn the Hyuga are, the more our Uchiha loyalty stands out."
"I have already sent the ledgers of all Hyuga tax evasion and illegal operations in the Fire Capital to the Daimyo Manor."
This was the Uchiha pledge of allegiance.
A flicker of unusual emotion crossed Mikoto's eyes.
"What about the Ino–Shika–Chō families?"
"They are cunning." Fugaku's tone dripped with disdain. "They say they will wait for Daimyo-sama's orders."
"They will regret it."
Mikoto lifted her gaze toward the direction of the Fire Capital.
"When a child of the Daimyo, bearing Uchiha blood, is born, our clan will become truly eminent."
Hearing this, Fugaku's eyes blazed.
Yes.
That day would not be far.
Compared to the busy Uchiha compound, the Hyuga Main House was eerily silent.
"Smash!"
A valuable celadon cup shattered on the floor.
Hiashi's chest heaved, his face ashen, the veins at the corners of his eyes bulging with rage.
The tax official from the Daimyo Manor had just left.
They had said little, only that a decision must be made quickly.
Otherwise, all back taxes from the past ten years must be repaid, plus a threefold fine.
That astronomical figure could wipe out centuries of Hyuga wealth in an instant.
This was not an audit.
This was extortion.
"Too much. Too much."
Hiashi roared.
In front of him, several Main Family elders kept silent, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Clan Head, what, what should we do?" an elder stammered.
"You want me to send Hyuga daughters into that place as well?"
Hiashi turned, his pure white eyes bloodshot, glaring at the elder.
"I am telling you."
"Even if the Hyuga fight to the last person and shed the last drop of blood, we will never endure such humiliation."
The roar echoed through the empty room.
Only, it sounded more like a lament.
At the Daimyo Manor's concubine selection registration point in Konoha, another scene unfolded.
It was already overflowing with people.
The enthusiasm of the commoners was simple and direct.
To them, this was a true path that could change their fate.
At the edge of the crowd, several figures stood out.
The Inuzuka representative sat beside a ninja dog, eyes scanning the crowd.
The Aburame representative was wrapped in a trench coat, with a few insects fluttering restlessly.
And the Kurama representative stood by as well. Beside each of them stood a beautiful young maiden of excellent appearance.
These lesser clans did not expect to secure a concubine's position. Even a moment of favor from the Daimyo would bring great benefits to their families.
This fervor swept through all of Konoha.
Even some respected jonin could not stay aloof.
And Yuhi Shinku was among them.
(To be continued.)