"That's it…" Raizen muttered to himself, the pieces finally clicking together. Ueshi Tokusaka's ambush, the flames, the chaos—it all made sense now. The root of the disaster? Natsuke colluding with the Ueshi clan to launch a full-blown family rebellion.
Deep in the mine, a few surviving Amamiya ninjas who had been on the verge of death watched as reinforcements arrived. Their hope had been snuffed out, despair etched into their eyes—but when Miyame explained what had happened, their spirits lifted. Raizen had not only rescued them from the brink but had personally beheaded Ueshi Tokusei, the elite Jōnin of the Ueshi clan.
In that moment, Raizen's name transformed from just another ninja of the Amamiya clan to Lord Raizen. His legend grew instantly among the Songshan Mine troops. Even words from others carried less weight now—Raizen's actions alone dictated the battlefield.
Miyame, once a peer and protector, now became Raizen's first loyal subordinate. "Master Raizen, what are our next orders?" he asked, bowing with total sincerity. Seeing Miyame kneel, Raizen felt a flicker of discomfort—this wasn't the relationship he'd known before—but loyalty was loyalty, and it was the currency of survival.
"Report everything to the family first. Let the patriarch decide our next move," Raizen commanded. Miyame exhaled, relief washing over him. He'd worried that Raizen's recent victory might have inflated his ego, maybe even tempted him to strike at the Ueshi clan recklessly. But Raizen's tone was calm, calculated, and precise—victory hadn't clouded his judgment.
Miyame pressed further, eyes narrowing. "What about the southern vein? The Tiannan Mine… it's unguarded now. Can we take it?"
"Don't even think about it," Raizen said sharply. "The Ueshi clan won't give it up willingly. Sure, the mine is temporarily unguarded, but those ninjas who escaped will recover soon. And once Ueshi Tokusei's death reaches them, new reinforcements will be sent immediately. Even if that weren't the case, the Amamiya clan simply doesn't have the strength to seize it. Our people here are wounded—holding Songshan is hard enough."
Miyame's shoulders slumped as the reality sank in. They had fought valiantly, but taking Tiannan was a distant dream. Instead, he set about drafting a report to the family, detailing the victory, the losses, and the current state of the mines. Four hours later, the news reached the Amamiya Clan headquarters.
Celebration erupted. The clan had long suffered under the Ueshi, and now, for the first time in years, a major victory had been achieved. And at the center of it all was Raizen—his name sung, his deeds immortalized. Miyame made sure the report credited Raizen fully: killing Ueshi Tokusei and rescuing the Songshan Mine. Everyone in the clan now knew who the true hero was.
Yet, Raizen didn't feel triumphant. The sudden calm between the clans was unnerving. The Ueshi, beaten but alive, would be watching, plotting. Peace now was just a pause before the storm—a war that would only end when one clan fell completely.
...
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