"At least I know where the Ten-Fist Sword is."
Raizen exhaled, the tension in his shoulders loosening. This world belonged to shinobi now. Shrines, onmyōji, spirits—yeah, they still existed, but they didn't command armies. And the Fire Daimyō sure as hell wouldn't start a national crisis to protect a ceremonial blade if Konoha wanted it.
Konoha was the Fire Country's military.
And he was its Hokage.
So if Nangka Shrine didn't feel like handing it over… well, he'd take it. One clean strike before anyone grew bold enough to hide it.
"Shunrai."
"Master Hokage!"
His Anbu knelt instantly, mask lowered, posture straight.
"Have Thunder Squad prep. We move on Nangka Shrine."
"Yes!"
Shunrai vanished, and within minutes reappeared with the Seventh Anbu Squad—silent, masked, efficient. Raizen scanned them once.
"You ready?"
"All prepared, Hokage-sama."
"Good. Shunrai—go inform Uzumaki Mito that I'm leaving the village. The rest of you—on me."
"Yes!"
He left one Wooden Clone behind to deal with paperwork—poor bastard—and then Raizen and the Anbu flickered out of the Hokage office, disappearing into the wind.
By the time they crossed the Fire Country's border and reached the mountain city where Nangka Shrine stood, Raizen didn't bother concealing his chakra anymore. He walked openly, deliberately, like a warning wrapped in confidence.
The townsfolk recognized the red-and-white cloaks and the carved masks instantly.
"…K-Konoha shinobi…"
"Why are they here…?"
They parted like water, bowing, backing away, praying they weren't about to witness a political disaster.
Raizen ignored them. He had no time for whispers.
But deep inside Nangka Shrine, the whispers were louder.
Several elderly onmyōji sat in a solemn circle, their shikigami hovering faintly behind them. One old man—hair white as falling ash—spoke first.
"My shikigami reports that Amamiya Raizen—the First Hokage—is approaching the shrine as we speak."
A ripple of unease passed through the hall.
A younger onmyōji slammed his hand on the tatami.
"What is Konoha thinking? Marching into a sacred shrine as if they own it?"
A shrine maiden shook her head sadly.
"They're here for the Ten-Fist Sword. And they will not be denied."
Onmyōji and ninja didn't share the same system, but any fool could tell when an Anbu investigation was happening. The shrine had known for days that masked operatives were circling, probing, mapping their defenses.
But the moment Raizen himself arrived, any hope of deflecting the issue died.
Another old onmyōji clenched his teeth.
"Our shrine is protected by the Daimyō! We cannot simply surrender—"
"Protected?" the maiden interrupted sharply.
"Do you honestly believe His Majesty will anger Konoha—for us?"
Silence.
Because everyone knew the answer.
The Fire Daimyō feared Konoha as much as he relied on them.
Another argument was about to ignite when the eldest onmyōji—Masayori—finally raised his hand.
"Enough."
His voice shook, not from weakness, but age and mastered discipline.
"If the Hokage comes personally, our shrine will not greet him with hostility. Prepare yourselves. We will receive him with dignity."
No one argued again.
When Raizen and his masked escort reached the shrine gates, Masayori and his group were already waiting.
The old man stepped forward, wearing a polite smile that didn't reach his wary eyes.
"Welcome to Nangka Shrine, Hokage-sama. This is an unexpected honor."
Raizen regarded him—calm eyes, measured breath. Jōnin-level aura. Old, but strong. A relic of a power system this era forgot.
"I've heard of Masayori-dai Onmyōji," Raizen replied. "Your reputation reaches even the ninja courts."
He scanned the old onmyōji's presence—there was strength there, fibered deep, like slow-burning charcoal.
Nangka Shrine isn't just some roadside altar. They've got Jōnin-tier mystics… maybe even Kage-tier hiding behind the curtains.
Interesting.
This world had more shadows than the shinobi histories admitted.
Masayori bowed lightly, gesturing inward.
"Please, Hokage-sama. As you have come to our shrine, you are our guest. We shall receive you with all due respect."
Raizen nodded and stepped forward.
His Anbu disappeared instantly into the surroundings, shadows becoming part of shadows.
Masayori's eyes narrowed.
Every one of them… Jōnin.
Nonsense. Even we cannot summon that many elites without crippling the shrine.
Konoha's strength pressed on the air like a silent storm.
And Raizen walked into the heart of the shrine as though he owned it.
...
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