They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 71 The Liu Ze Clan

That night, Hozuki Shingetsu went alone to Kusaka Masato's residence and talked with him all night, discussing various details.

Kusaka Masato didn't say much about Hozuki Shingetsu's sudden suggestion to become the daimyo's niece—Kusaka Masato was still unaware that Hozuki Shingetsu already had a way to change the daimyo's impression of him; he at most thought that Hozuki Shingetsu wanted to take this opportunity to ease the conflict with the daimyo.

Moreover, this move will also help Hozuki Shingetsu find an excuse to contact the eldest prince in the future. After all, as sworn brothers, it is a very normal thing for them to meet. So Kusaka Masato did not say much, but instead promised to create an opportunity for it.

Since Hozuki Shingetsu has been confirmed as a collaborator, Kusaka Masato has also specified certain timelines for Hozuki Shingetsu.

"Although the daimyo is now over fifty years old, his children were all born after he became daimyo. So even the eldest prince, Mizuhiko, is only sixteen years old, and the youngest prince is only twelve. Therefore, now is not the best time to start a rebellion."

Kusaka Masato explained to Hozuki Shingetsu, hinting that he should not be impatient. In the meantime, he would do everything he could to change the daimyo's impression of Kirigakure and create an opportunity for Hozuki Shingetsu to contact the eldest prince.

Upon hearing this, Hozuki Shingetsu felt reassured. This was a turbulent time, and his plans in the capital were not yet complete. If he were to launch an attack now, his plan would be unlikely to succeed in such a rush.

Taking the opportunity to relax, Shingetsu Hozuki asked Kusaka Masato how he knew she had come here the night before—it turned out that Kusaka Masato had developed a habit of waking up every two hours at night to make scratches on the back of the wooden print hanging above his bed. When he woke up this morning, he found that two of the scratches were missing, and that's how he learned that something had happened last night.

Combining this with Hozuki Shingetsu's visit during the day yesterday, I realized that it was Hozuki Shingetsu who had come last night.

After listening, Hozuki Shingetsu looked at the simple bedroom and, for the first time, felt admiration for Kusaka Masahito.

The fact that this became a habit proves that for at least several years, or even decades, this is how Kusakabe Masato has spent every night. Regardless of his character, his willpower alone is truly remarkable for an ordinary person without chakra.

After resolving all doubts and briefly discussing the details, Hozuki Shingetsu got up and returned to the embassy. After checking all the details again, he quietly awaited the daimyo's summons.

As expected, Masato was not boasting. No one knows what method he used to persuade the daimyo, but the daimyo changed the time of his summons to 9:00 AM that day.

Now, Hozuki Shingetsu's preparations can finally come in handy.

-

Time passed quietly, and two days went by in the blink of an eye. Today was the day the daimyo summoned the envoy from Kirigakure.

The change in the daimyo's summons time caused no ripples in the capital. For these nobles living in luxury, even the arrival of the Mizukage wouldn't stop their hedonistic lifestyle, let alone Hozuki Shingetsu.

Ninja?

Aren't they just thugs for nobles?

Hidden Mist Village?

Isn't it just a dog kept by a powerful figure to guard the country's borders?

Therefore, apart from a few people, the vast majority of people did not even know that the envoy from Kirigakure had entered the capital, let alone the important matter that Hozuki Shingetsu and Kusaka Masato were secretly plotting.

"This castle tower is completely different from the one in Uzushio Village!"

Led by the guards, Yukinagi arrived at the castle tower. Looking at the castle tower, which resembled a tower reaching to the heavens, she couldn't help but compare it to the one in Uzushio Village.

"After all, the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools is not only the Daimyo himself, but also the head of the Uzumaki clan. He is also a ninja. Therefore, the castle tower of Uzumaki Village was designed with many war functions in mind. It can even be used as a fortress during wartime," explained Yagura Karatachi, who had gathered a lot of information from the Uzumaki clan.

Because he wanted to become the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and serve the village, Yagura Karatachi had been frequently visiting the Uzumaki clan's territory, hoping to gain some knowledge of sealing techniques ahead of time.

Hozuki Shingetsu ignored the conversation between his two companions behind him, his attention focused entirely on the guard leading the way.

The guard was dressed in a gray-white vest with a ninja tool pouch slung across his back. He was tall and lithe, and his steps were light. He never left any blind spots in his defenses. After a quick glance, he should be a Jonin-level ninja.

"This must be the Yanagisawa clan who protect the daimyo." Hozuki Shingetsu looked at the ninja, recalling information about the Yanagisawa clan in his mind.

Unlike the Land of Fire, which has a good relationship with Konoha, the ninja sent by Konoha were to guard the daimyo.

From the very beginning of the Land of Water, the daimyo has had his own ninja guards, namely the Yanagisawa clan.

The Yanagisawa clan possesses a unique bloodline limit called "Life Link," which allows them to distribute the injuries of the wounded to themselves through chakra, thus buying time for the injured. Furthermore, the effects of this bloodline limit can be stacked, meaning that if there are enough people, it is possible to bring a person on the verge of death back to a minor injury level.

It is precisely because of this bloodline limit that the Yanagisawa clan was able to gain the favor of the daimyo and thus serve as the daimyo's guardian clan for a long time.

"Don't wander around here, or you might offend someone important! Don't bring your country bumpkin habits here; this is the castle tower, the center of power for the entire Land of Water!"

Seemingly noticing his gaze, the Jonin of the Yanagisawa clan leading the way glanced back at Hozuki Shingetsu, then at the gift boxes they were holding, before turning away with disdain.

How to describe that look? It's as if I'm living off the government's stipend for generations, never having to worry about survival, while you all have to beg the government for funding. That's roughly the feeling of superiority that those on land feel over those in water.

Hozuki Shingetsu was not angry about this, after all, there was no need for these ninjas who had long been tamed to communicate with each other.

As for making threats, there's absolutely no need. However, if we have the chance to meet on the battlefield, Hozuki Shingetsu would be very interested in having a deep philosophical discussion with him.

Let's explore whether these domesticated ninjas can still be considered ninjas.

Soon, under his guidance, Hozuki Shingetsu and his two companions finally arrived inside the castle tower and met the current ruler of the Land of Water, the creator of Kusaka Masato's tragic fate, the troublemaker, Daimyo Mizu Keita!

(End of this chapter)