Chapter 224: If You Can't Handle It, Step Down
Lost in thought, Hyuga Fuji bent down to pick up a small fragment from the ground, examining it closely.
A piece of the Gedo Statue—blown off during their battle by his Typhoon Release.
"Better than nothing," he muttered.
Previously, even White Zetsu, who had infiltrated the Akatsuki, hadn't managed to retrieve a fragment of the Gedo Statue. It was either too risky to attempt or beyond White Zetsu's capabilities to break off a piece.
But now, this opportunity had presented itself, and Hyuga Fuji wasn't going to waste it.
In addition to this...
Hyuga Fuji's gaze shifted to the center of his left hand, where a jet-black diamond-shaped mark shimmered faintly. Within it, a blue chakra flickered intermittently.
It was Nagato's chakra.
Thanks to the Rinnegan, Nagato had mastered all six chakra nature transformations, except for Yin Release, by the time he was ten years old. This allowed him to use nearly every mainstream ninjutsu.
"With Nagato's chakra combined with the all-attribute chakra of Madara and the six-attribute chakra from Hashirama's cells, I can start studying the state of full elemental compatibility," Hyuga Fuji mused.
In the ninja world, people with multi-element chakra affinities weren't common, but they weren't rare either.
Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, Obito, and Nagato were examples.
Of these, the last three had six chakra natures, while Madara possessed all seven.
Nagato's six affinities came from the transplanted Rinnegan, while Obito's were due to Hashirama's cells.
In other words, the simplest way to achieve all-element chakra compatibility was to transplant Madara's cells.
But Hyuga Fuji had better options.
As approaching footsteps echoed, Hyuga Fuji put aside his thoughts and turned his head toward the figure approaching from the distance.
It was Hyuga Miyuki.
Her signature long black hair was tied into a simple ponytail, and her normally gentle expression was somewhat complex. "It's been a while."
"It has," Hyuga Fuji replied calmly, nodding slightly. "What about Sasori?"
"He turned himself into a puppet. Only his heart is a weakness. Even if I disassembled his limbs, there was a risk he'd escape. So, I killed him outright."
Noticing Hyuga Fuji's indifferent reaction, Hyuga Miyuki suddenly felt her earlier concerns might have been unnecessary. She let out a small smile.
"Want to take a break in the Land of Hot Water? It's a famous tourist destination, and it's my treat."
Taking in the devastation of the forest around them, it was clear to her that Hyuga Fuji had intervened for her sake. Questions she'd wanted to ask suddenly felt less pressing.
They hadn't seen each other in over a year; first, she should treat him properly. The rest could wait.
Hyuga Fuji glanced at the faint blue glow in her Byakugan, seemingly uninterested. "No need for that. I'll take you to the Daimyo's palace."
According to White Zetsu's reports, the nobility in the Land of Hot Water were getting a bit too bold. It was a good time to settle the matter since he planned to use the Daimyo in the future.
"?" Hyuga Miyuki tilted her head.
When did the Land of Hot Water become your territory?
Does this mean all the money I've spent here is wasted? Can I get it back?
…
The Daimyo's palace in the Land of Hot Water was ablaze with light, as servants bustled about, carrying trays of gourmet food.
In the grand hall, music filled the air. Young nobles danced gracefully to the rhythm, as flutes trilled, lutes strummed, and wind instruments played a sorrowful yet elegant tune, soothing the hearts of all who listened.
The quality of the music was undeniable, even to those who were not musically inclined.
Tables lined the sides of the room and the elevated dais at the head of the hall, laden with fine wines, delicacies, and fresh fruit for the guests to enjoy.
At the center of the dais sat Hyuga Fuji, his expression calm and unreadable. To his left sat the Land of Hot Water's Daimyo, visibly trembling and drenched in sweat.
"Lord Fuji, are you satisfied with the arrangements?" the Daimyo stammered, his voice quivering.
He never would've guessed that the person who had recently coerced him into cooperation was a subordinate of Hyuga Fuji.
Hyuga Fuji—the man who killed the Fire Daimyo!
He'd even heard rumors that the Wind Daimyo's death was linked to Hyuga Fuji. A veritable executioner of Daimyo!
If Hyuga Fuji had no qualms about killing the rulers of great nations, how could he possibly care about the life of a mere small-country Daimyo?
What if, one day, I step into a room with the wrong foot first and offend him?
The sweat on the Daimyo's brow intensified as he kept his head bowed, not daring to look Hyuga Fuji in the eye.
Hyuga Fuji glanced at Hyuga Miyuki, who was elegantly working through her meal on his right, before turning his attention back to the Daimyo. Ignoring the question, he went straight to the point.
"What's the situation with the Jashin Cult?"
"That group has been in the Land of Hot Water for a long time," the Daimyo explained hastily. "They've even established ties with the local ninja village, but they have nothing to do with me, my lord!"
The nobles who had been enjoying the music and dancing froze at the Daimyo's panicked tone, their gazes shifting toward the head of the hall.
The position of a small-country Daimyo wasn't particularly high—certainly not in the eyes of the great nations.
It was common knowledge that great nations often dispatched small teams of ninja to resolve issues in smaller countries.
So the nobles, accustomed to seeing visitors from the great nations, had assumed Hyuga Fuji and Hyuga Miyuki were simply emissaries of some larger power.
After all, both carried themselves with the poise and refinement of nobility, thanks to their upbringing in the Hyuga clan.
But seeing the Daimyo so utterly terrified of Hyuga Fuji made them reconsider.
The nobles exchanged uneasy glances, a faint sense of dread creeping into their hearts.
Hyuga Fuji lifted his teacup, taking a sip as the Daimyo continued.
"…The Jashin Cult emerged during the First Shinobi World War. Their strange abilities quickly gained them a foothold in the Land of Hot Water. I couldn't deal with them, especially with a group of corrupt officials undermining my authority."
The Daimyo gestured toward the nobles below.
"Lord Fuji, those who have secretly colluded with the Jashin Cult are all present here. Please, deal with them as you see fit!"
Hyuga Fuji ignored the bewildered nobles and turned to Hyuga Miyuki, who had just set down her chopsticks.
"Finished eating?"
"Mm."
Hyuga Miyuki covered her mouth as she let out a soft burp, her cheeks flushing slightly. She nodded.
It seemed she had been the only one eating—no one else had touched their food.
Satisfied, Hyuga Fuji shifted his gaze to the nobles below. With a subtle movement of his finger, a breeze swept through the hall.
The speaking nobles opened their mouths to continue their denials, but no sound came out.
A collective look of terror spread among them as they realized their voices had vanished.
Their faces flushed an unnatural red as they clutched at their throats, gasping for air that wouldn't come.
Moments later, one by one, the high-ranking nobles collapsed to the ground, convulsing. Their bloodshot eyes bulged as their bodies ballooned grotesquely before bursting in showers of blood.
In less than a minute, silence returned to the hall.
Hyuga Fuji rose from his seat, addressing the now-petrified Daimyo.
"Clean this up. Document their crimes. When the Fire Nation initiates the next inter-nation council, use this as leverage to elevate your status."
He paused, his gaze sharpening.
"If you can't handle this... then step down."
(End of Chapter)
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