Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

What will the innocent people of the Land of Earth think? Will they believe that their daimyo has betrayed them, that the nobles they trusted have sold them out?

Upon hearing this, the nobleman's expression changed drastically. He had not expected the daimyo to refute him so fiercely, nor had he expected the daimyo to value integrity and face so much.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but in the end it only turned into a helpless sigh.

Seeing this, the daimyo continued, "I know that you are worried that the war will affect your territory and wealth, and that you will lose your current status and glory."

But you must understand that true nobility does not maintain its status and wealth by selling out its country, but by earning the respect and admiration of the people through loyalty and courage.

Chapter 223

"Now that our country is in trouble, we should unite as one to resist foreign enemies, instead of scheming against each other and killing one another!"

At this point, the daimyo stood up and surveyed the crowd in the hall with a firm gaze: "My mind is made up, and I will never surrender to the Land of Water! If you still want to stay in the Land of Earth, then we will overcome this difficulty together; if you want to leave, I will not stop you."

But I must remind you, wherever you go, never forget that you were once nobles of the Land of Earth, and never forget the responsibilities and missions you bear!

Upon hearing this, the nobleman glanced at the daimyo with a complicated expression, then silently bowed and turned to leave the hall.

He knew that his attempt to test and persuade had completely failed; the lord's mind was made up, and he could no longer change anything.

The daimyo stood in the center of the hall, gazing intently into the distance, as if pondering the path ahead.

Upon hearing the daimyo's resolute words, the nobleman's face turned deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He had not expected the daimyo to be so forceful, completely deviating from his expected course of action.

His lips trembled slightly as he said urgently, "My lord, please don't act rashly! The situation is critical now; resistance will only increase casualties and is utterly meaningless."

Even if you don't consider yourself, you should at least consider the people in this capital! If the Water Kingdom were to breach the capital, it would be a scene of utter devastation and death!

The lord sneered, staring intently at the nobleman, and said coldly, "Hmph, you certainly know how to use the common people as a shield."

Do you really think I don't know what you're plotting? You just want to use the opportunity of surrender to gain even greater benefits for yourself.

As for the lives of ordinary people, have you ever truly cared about them?

The nobleman was rendered speechless by the great name, and secretly lamented his misfortune.

He never expected that the seemingly incompetent and tyrannical Da Ming would be so clear-headed and wise at this moment, seeing through his thoughts at a glance.

His eyes darted around, and he put on a compassionate expression, saying, "Sir, you have misunderstood me."

Although I am not talented, I know the principles of loyalty to the emperor and love for the country.

The Land of Earth is now in imminent danger. I only wish to find a way for you to survive and to preserve a bloodline for the Land of Earth.

If you insist on resisting, then the Land of Earth will truly be doomed!

Upon hearing this, the nobleman slammed his hand on the table, stood up, glared angrily at the nobleman, and shouted, "Shut up! How dare you mention loyalty to the emperor and patriotism?"

“You nobles, all you know is how to fight for power and profit and exploit the people. When have you ever truly cared about the safety of the country?”

Now that a formidable enemy is at hand, instead of thinking about how to unite and resist the foreign invaders, you are thinking about surrendering and betraying your country in order to save yourselves.

You are a disgrace to the Land of Earth!

The nobleman trembled with fear at the lord's wrath, his legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

He forced himself to stand firm, head bowed, avoiding eye contact with the daimyo.

He knew in his heart that the daimyo was truly enraged this time, and if he tried to persuade him further, he might only bring about his own death.

The daimyo glared at the nobleman and continued, "The Land of Earth has a history of hundreds of years and has weathered countless storms. There has never been a precedent of us kneeling and surrendering."

Although I am incompetent and allowed Ōnoki to seize power, as the daimyo of the Land of Earth, I absolutely cannot allow this centuries-old foundation to be destroyed in my hands.

Even if I fight to the last man, I will never surrender to the Land of Water!

At this point, the daimyo took a deep breath to calm himself down, then slowly sat down, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, and said firmly, "If you still want to stay in the Land of Earth, then join me in facing the national crisis and swear to defend our country to the death; if you want to leave, I will not stop you."

But I want to tell you, wherever you go, never forget that you were once citizens of the Land of Earth, and never forget the responsibilities and missions you bear.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall lowered their heads and remained silent.

They each had their own plans, and some were moved by the daimyo's words and decided to stay and live or die with the country.

Some are still hesitating, pondering their future path.

The nobleman gritted his teeth, secretly plotting how to find another way out.

After a moment, the nobleman raised his head, forced a smile, and said to the daimyo, "My lord, your words have deeply moved me."

I am willing to stay and defend the Land of Earth with you, sir.

Daming gave him a cold look, naturally not believing his nonsense, but not wanting to cause any more trouble, he simply said, "I hope you are telling the truth."

Then, the lord waved his hand, signaling everyone to step back.

He sat alone above the main hall, gazing at the empty space, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He knew that the road ahead would be extremely difficult, but he was determined to uphold his beliefs and defend the dignity and honor of the Land of Earth, no matter how great the difficulties he encountered.

The nobleman's face turned grim the moment he left the hall.

He cursed the daimyo inwardly for being so tactless, while at the same time plotting how to secure his own survival before the Land of Water conquered the capital.

As Yagura listened to the conversation between Onoki and Hiruko, his brows furrowed slightly, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

To him, the self-immolation of the daimyo of the Land of Earth was both a tragic end and a somewhat absurd and helpless one.

It is truly lamentable that a daimyo who once held a high position and controlled the fate of a nation ended his life in such a resolute way.

Ōnoki looked at Yagura and Hiruko, and after a moment of silence, slowly said: "This daimyo, although he was incompetent and foolish during his reign, handing over the power of the country to others and only knowing how to indulge in pleasure, showed a bit of integrity as a daimyo at the last moment."

Unfortunately, this realization came too late.

If he had had such determination and courage earlier, the Land of Earth might not have ended up in this state.

Hiruko nodded slightly, a subtle hint of profound meaning flashing in his eyes. He said softly, "A change of mind often requires a catalyst. Perhaps in the final moments of his life, he truly saw his mission and responsibility."

However, this also reflects the enormous influence of ideas.

As Lord Ōnoki said, the daimyo of various countries are paying attention to my works, not only out of curiosity, but also because they fear being swayed by new ideas.

Upon hearing Hiruko's words, Onoki felt a chill run down his spine, increasingly convinced that his guess might be correct.

If Hiruko truly influenced the thoughts of various daimyo and even the entire ninja world through educational materials and the spread of his ideas, then his ambition and methods are truly chilling.

"Hiruko, what exactly do you want to achieve by spreading these ideas?" Onoki stared sharply at Hiruko, his tone carrying a hint of accusation.

Hiruko smiled slightly and said calmly, "Lord Onoki, my purpose is very simple: to promote change in the ninja world."

The traditional ninja village system and the one-village-per-country system have hampered the development of the ninja world. We need a new order and new ideas to guide the future.

Through education, we can help more people embrace new ideas and unleash their potential and creativity, thus making the ninja world more prosperous and powerful.

Yagura's heart was stirred by Hiruko's words.

As the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure, he constantly pondered how to establish Kirigakure in the ninja world and how to lead the villagers to a better future.

While Hiruko's ideas were somewhat radical, they were not without merit.

"Hiruko, the reforms you're talking about sound wonderful, but I'm afraid they'll be very difficult to implement."

Each country has its own interests and traditions, and will not easily accept new ideas and orders. Yagura looked at Hiruko and raised his question.

Hiruko shook his head slightly and said confidently, "Change is never smooth sailing, but as long as the direction is right, it is worth our efforts."

Moreover, I have already seen some changes.

Like the daimyo of the Land of Earth, although he usually indulged in pleasure, he eventually made his own choice after being exposed to new ideas.

This shows that the power of thought is boundless; as long as it can penetrate people's hearts, it can change everything.

Ōnoki felt a mix of emotions as he listened to Hiruko's words.

He was both worried about Biluhu's ambitions and had to admit that his ideas had some merit.

In this turbulent ninja world, traditional systems have indeed gradually lost their vitality and need new ideas and concepts to guide them.

"Hiruko, even if your ideas have some merit, aren't your methods too radical? Trying to promote change by indirectly influencing the thoughts of various daimyo is undoubtedly playing with fire."

"If this provokes resentment and boycotts from various countries, the consequences will be unimaginable." Onoki looked at Hiruko and said seriously.

Hiruko smiled slightly, a hint of determination in his eyes: "Lord Ōnoki, I understand your concerns."

But the wheels of history will not stop because of anyone's will.

Change is an inevitable trend, and we can only follow the trend and move forward bravely.

Moreover, I believe that as long as more people can see the benefits of new ideas, they will eventually accept and support us.

Yagura and Onoki exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness and contemplation in each other's eyes.

They knew that Hiruko's ideas had already spread quietly throughout the ninja world, and a massive upheaval might be inevitable.

And they, as leaders of their respective villages, will have to make their own choices in this transformation.

At this moment, the fire at the castle tower was still raging, and the flames reflected on the faces of the three people, as if foreshadowing a new era for the ninja world.

In this era, the old order will be broken, and new ideas will lead people toward an unknown future.

And they will each play an important role in this torrent of history.

Onoki was so choked by Hiruko's words that his chest tightened and his face turned pale and then red. He had dominated the ninja world all his life, and he had never been so blatantly contemptuous and ridiculed.

But at this moment, the situation was beyond his control. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, stared intently at Hiruko, and said, "Hiruko, I admit that you have extraordinary methods. You were able to stir up such a huge wave of thought and make Master Mu do such an abnormal thing."

But I, Onoki, have been through many years in the ninja world, and my knowledge and experience are not easily replaced by others.

If you're willing to tell me why no one else is joining you, I might be able to offer you unexpected assistance in other areas.

Hiruko's lips curled up slightly, revealing a playful smile. He slowly said, "Lord Onoki, what bargaining chips do you think you have left to negotiate with me? Now that you are a prisoner and the Land of Earth has been destroyed, your so-called assistance is nothing but empty talk in my eyes."

Onoki frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Hiruko, although you have stirred up a wave of reform, the situation in the ninja world is complex and ever-changing, and the forces of various countries are intertwined."

Having lived in the ninja world for many years, I have a deep understanding of the relationships between high-ranking officials of various countries and the internal conflicts of ninja villages.

This information might play a crucial role in your path to unifying the ninja world.

Hiruko's eyes flickered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a light laugh, "Lord Ōnoki, what you said does have some value, but it is not enough to make me change my mind."

The reason why no one has joined me involves core secrets within my organization; how could I easily reveal them to others?

Seeing that Hiruko remained unmoved, Onoki steeled his resolve and said, "Hiruko, don't underestimate me."

Although I am old, the dignity of the Earth Shadow shall not be trampled upon.