Chapter 244: Submission
Land of Rivers, Takumi Village.
The last time Kamekichi had led his team to ambush Uchiha Yasushi, three powerful companions were effortlessly crushed—dying like insects beneath a boot.
After barely escaping back to the village, Kamekichi spent considerable time sleeping fitfully, constantly dreaming of himself as an ant being casually crushed beneath that terrifying man's foot.
Even during daylight hours, he couldn't eat properly, perpetually terrified that Uchiha Yasushi would remember the assassination attempt and come seeking revenge.
But several months passed without anyone attacking the village. His anxiety gradually subsided.
Having survived that ordeal, Kamekichi finally gained perspective. He completely abandoned his former ambitions.
These days, he simply forged weapons honestly, crafting ninja tools, conducting arms deals with various nations to earn modest income. He no longer entertained dreams of resurrecting ancestors or restoring Takumi Village's former glory.
But trees longing for stillness cannot stop the wind. Though he'd abandoned troublemaking, trouble came seeking him regardless.
"Terrible news, leader!" A Takumi ninja burst through the door frantically. "Someone's attacking! The guards at the village entrance have all been defeated!"
"Who dares such audacity?" Kamekichi's eyebrows shot up. He grabbed his Blade of Light and strode toward the exit with heavy steps.
From a distance, he witnessed village ninja swarming three figures.
Through the chaos, he glimpsed the invaders—one adult and two children. Clearly a woman accompanied by two youngsters.
"Tch. After losing the three sacred artifacts, the village's strength has declined drastically!"
"Now Takumi Village can't even handle children?" Kamekichi muttered with self-deprecating bitterness, rushing toward the village entrance.
By the time he arrived, bodies lay scattered everywhere—all his own village ninja.
Kamekichi's heart seized with alarm. These weren't ordinary opponents.
Though Takumi Village wasn't particularly powerful and relied heavily on ninja tools, they could ordinarily handle common rogue ninja without difficulty.
Yet these enemies had effortlessly routed the defenders. Something was deeply wrong.
"Leader, careful! They're wielding—wielding the sacred artifacts."
"What? The artifacts?"
Kamekichi froze, looking up. His face went deathly pale, as though struck by lightning.
The three figures ahead—one wore the Infinite Armor, another gripped the Dark Blade, and the third wielded the Twin Swords.
These were unmistakably the three Takumi Village artifacts stolen by Uchiha Yasushi.
Examining the invaders' faces more closely, he noticed both red-haired women possessed crimson eyes—three tomoe spinning around central pupils. Clearly the Uchiha clan's Sharingan.
"You're Takumi Village's leader Kamekichi, correct?" Shinyo asked with a stern expression.
This was her first mission. She lacked any real experience. To avoid revealing her inexperience, she deliberately adopted a cold demeanor—projecting an unapproachable image.
After demonstrating their martial superiority, even if she acted arrogantly, others would consider it natural rather than daring any unnecessary actions.
In truth, Haku served as the actual supervisor from behind.
Though young, Haku had accompanied Zabuza Momochi on countless raids. His experience was extensive.
"I—I am Kamekichi." Kamekichi swallowed nervously, forcing an ingratiating smile. "Did some fool in the village offend you distinguished guests?"
He didn't fear the woman or two children before him. What truly terrified him was the monstrous figure lurking behind them.
His obsequious expression left every villager staring in stunned disbelief.
Ordinarily, Kamekichi maintained a composed, serious demeanor in the village—rarely smiling, presenting himself as a trustworthy leader.
Yet now he resembled something entirely different.
"Could the leader have been controlled by their Sharingan genjutsu?" someone whispered quietly.
The fallen ninja immediately tensed, instinctively averting their gazes to avoid the Sharingan's influence.
"Starting today, everything in Takumi Village falls under our control." Shinyo announced coldly.
"What?" Kamekichi hesitated, wavering for a long moment. Ultimately, he didn't dare refuse directly—only offering indirect objections: "We're just a small ninja village. A bunch of blacksmiths. We truly lack powerful shinobi or valuable assets."
"If you distinguished guests require anything, simply make your requests. I guarantee everything will be prepared perfectly."
"Whatever tasks need completing, let me handle them."
"As you've witnessed, these incompetents are completely useless!"
"Hmph." Shinyo glanced dismissively at the surrounding crowd. She genuinely found them pathetic—unable to defeat even her, a complete novice to the shinobi world. She couldn't fathom what Lord Yasushi saw in this village.
Though internally skeptical, she absolutely wouldn't compromise on Lord Yasushi's assigned mission.
"Enough chatter!"
"I give orders. You follow them. That's all."
"If you're dissatisfied, feel free to attack openly or covertly. See if you can shake us even slightly."
"Wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare." Kamekichi immediately bowed and scraped, smiling obsequiously. "Starting today, my lady becomes Takumi Village's leader. I'll immediately convene everyone and abdicate."
"Henceforth, anyone defying my lady's commands violates Takumi Village's will itself. Such offenders will face severe punishment."
"Much better." Shinyo waved dismissively, ordering: "Clean this up and prepare to receive Lord Yasushi."
Hearing Yasushi's name, Kamekichi's heart trembled with relief at having made the correct choice.
He hastily arranged for someone to escort Shinyo's group to comfortable quarters, then immediately convened an emergency council, summoning all village jonin.
"I know you're all dissatisfied with my earlier behavior. But I must be clear—we have no other options. Only obedient compliance can prevent Takumi Village's annihilation."
"This is ridiculous! Even with the sacred artifacts, they're only three people! If we swarm them together, we can definitely kill them!"
Watching these young hotheads shouting defiantly, Kamekichi saw reflections of his former self.
Left with no alternative, he recounted the past incident in detail.
"What forces my compromise isn't these three individuals, but the powerful Uchiha standing behind them."
"A shinobi capable of effortlessly killing Tachi and his companions isn't someone Takumi Village can casually oppose."
Seeing everyone's confused, demoralized expressions, Kamekichi shifted tactics to boost morale.
"Consider the positive possibilities."
"Konoha Village has already fallen. Even their territory was carved up by other nations."
"If the Uchiha clan settles in Takumi Village in the future, with Lord Uchiha Yasushi leading us, Takumi Village gains real opportunities to rise!"
"Perhaps in a few years, the Land of Rivers becomes one of the new Five Great Nations!"
"What everyone must do now is obey the new leader properly. Don't cause trouble. Otherwise, when you're killed, don't say I never warned you."
The crowd's spirits lifted. They nodded agreement and dispersed with complicated emotions.
But those young ninja gathered privately afterward, feeling deeply humiliated by the day's events, plotting opportunities for revenge.
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