DAIMYO: Chapter 66/68

Chapter 66: Come and Farm!

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Several venomous snakes shot out from Orochimaru's sleeves, their scales glistening in the moonlight, carrying a foul, fishy stench as they lunged toward the Shadow Guard on the eaves.

This was one of Orochimaru's most frequently used techniques, swift and malicious.

However, the Shadow Guard didn't dodge.

Just as the snakes were about to strike, another Shadow Guard appeared out of thin air, and the two of them formed hand seals simultaneously.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Boom!

A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, blocking the path of the snakes precisely.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The snakes slammed into it one after another, their heads splitting apart, but the wall remained uncracked.

"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Jutsu!"

A third Shadow Guard followed closely, waving his hands as several sharp wind blades shot through the air, slicing the stunned snakes into bloody pieces.

The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, their coordination flawless.

Orochimaru's expression darkened.

The level of coordination between these guards meant they had undergone incredibly rigorous training.

Failing with his first strike, he didn't hesitate. His body twisted unnaturally as he slid along the ground toward the shadows on the western side.

"Soft Physique Modification!"

Once he entered the shadows, he had countless ways to escape.

"Don't even think about it!"

Two dark figures suddenly emerged from the shadows ahead, their short blades flashing in intersecting arcs, cutting off all his escape routes.

Their movements were cold and precise, without wasted motion, each strike aimed at his vital points.

Forced to halt, Orochimaru tapped the ground with his toes, launching himself upward to break through from above.

However, just as he leaped, his feet were suddenly bound tight.

At some point, several massive hands made of mud had burst from the earth, gripping his ankles firmly.

Even underground, there were ambushes.

A trap from all directions.

Orochimaru's expression finally changed completely.

From the moment he had acted until now, only a few seconds had passed, yet his three attempts to break through in different directions had all been intercepted.

These guards were like precise killing machines, predicting his every move before he made it.

Cornered, a flicker of madness crossed Orochimaru's eyes.

If he couldn't escape, then he would destroy everything.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Biting his thumb, he rapidly formed hand seals, preparing to summon his contracted beast.

Manda.

That colossal serpent was enough to flatten the entire Daimyo's manor.

He refused to believe these guards could stay calm in front of such a creature.

Just as his blood-stained hand was about to hit the ground, Arashi, who had been standing and observing from a distance, finally frowned slightly.

"This won't do," he said softly.

The next instant, he moved.

No one saw his motion clearly.

Only an afterimage flashed past.

Orochimaru's body suddenly froze.

A hand had stopped him.

That hand didn't use much strength, yet it instantly disrupted all his Chakra flow.

The Summoning Jutsu he was about to complete came to an abrupt halt.

His contract with Ryūchi Cave was forcibly severed by an incomprehensible, overwhelming force.

Orochimaru stiffly turned his head.

At some unknown moment, Arashi was already beside him, still wearing that calm smile.

"When you're a guest, behave yourself," Arashi said as he withdrew his hand, his tone casual, like scolding an unruly child. "If you damage my courtyard, it's troublesome to clean up."

Orochimaru staggered backward, his face filled with disbelief.

It was as if Arashi were a monster.

How was this possible?

How did he do that?

In a daze, Orochimaru felt a cold kunai press against his throat, pulling him back to reality.

He had lost.

Looking at Orochimaru, Arashi smiled faintly.

"Don't struggle. You can't escape."

"You…" Orochimaru began to speak.

But Arashi didn't give him the chance.

"Let me guess why you're here."

"I killed Danzō and disbanded Root."

"So, your funding source was cut off."

"Your research on the First Hokage's cells, without Root's protection, you can't continue that either, right?"

"And your immortality experiments, also stuck?"

With every sentence Arashi spoke, Orochimaru's pupils shrank further.

By the end, his eyes were filled with sheer shock.

How could this man know secrets that only he and Danzō knew?

"So, you set your sights on me." Arashi spread his hands, a mocking smile on his face. "You wanted to turn me into your puppet, to satisfy all your desires?"

"Tsk, tsk."

"Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, reduced to such despicable methods, how pitiful."

For the first time, his sinister face showed unease. "What, what do you want?"

"Simple." Arashi snapped his fingers. "I want you to work for me."

Orochimaru froze, then sneered, his voice hoarse and mocking. "Work for you? What makes you think I'd submit?"

"Because I have what you need." Arashi's smile didn't fade.

"You want money. I can give it to you, enough to last ten lifetimes."

"You want experimental materials, including the First Hokage's cells. I can provide as many as you need."

"Even the immortality you seek, I can show you a path toward it."

Arashi's gaze bore into him, deep and unwavering, filled with confidence that saw through everything.

"As long as you obey."

Orochimaru fell silent.

Money.

Experimental materials.

First Hokage's cells.

Immortality.

Every word struck precisely at his greatest desires.

He couldn't refuse.

And at this point, he didn't have the right to.

After a long silence, his throat moved, and he spoke hoarsely, "What do you want me to do?"

"Two things." Arashi raised two fingers.

"First, develop a plague vaccine."

"Vaccine?" Orochimaru blinked, momentarily stunned.

Arashi continued as if he hadn't heard him. "The southern plains were hit by floods, submerging seven towns and displacing over a hundred thousand people.

"The floodwaters have receded, but plagues always follow disasters. Signs of infection have already appeared among the survivors.

"By normal medical means, isolation, diagnosis, and antidote development take too long.

"By the time the plague is contained, at least thirty percent of the victims will have died."

Arashi's voice was calm, but his gaze was cold and calculating.

"I don't have that much time to wait. Nor that many lives to waste."

His eyes locked on Orochimaru, as though he were evaluating a rare specimen.

"And you, Orochimaru, are a genius in this field. I want you to solve it in the shortest time possible."

Orochimaru understood.

He was to use his scientific expertise to stop an epidemic.

For him, that wasn't difficult.

He just hadn't expected the forbidden arts he spent his life studying would one day be used to save lives.

It felt absurd.

"Fine," Orochimaru nodded. For him, it was a trivial matter.

But what about the second?

"And the second?"

Arashi's smile widened. "The current crop yields are too low. I need you to use your techniques to double all agricultural output across the Land of Fire."

"..."

Orochimaru froze completely.

His golden eyes widened in disbelief.

Had he heard that right?

Crops? Yields?

He hadn't misheard, had he?

This man had gone to such lengths, overpowering him, offering irresistible temptations, all for this?

Not to assassinate foreign dignitaries.

Not to destroy ninja villages.

Not to develop weapons of war.

But to have him farm?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 67: I Want to Build an Eternal Foundation

Orochimaru froze on the spot.

His mind went blank.

Farming?

That word had long been erased from his world the moment he became a shinobi.

That was the work of civilians, those who faced the earth with their backs to the sky, struggling for a few mouthfuls of food.

He, on the other hand, was one of the Legendary Sannin.

His hands were meant for forming hand seals, for dissection, for exploring the mysteries of life.

And now, this man actually wanted him to research ways to increase crop yields?

It was more absurd than killing him outright.

The absurdity was so great that Orochimaru wondered if he had misheard.

Or perhaps he had fallen into a genjutsu.

"I can do more valuable things than this."

Orochimaru's hoarse voice trembled as he tried to steady himself, forcing his words to sound firm.

"Assassination, war, intelligence… or, I can develop forbidden Ninjutsu weapons capable of destroying an entire village."

"These are my true value."

In his eyes, the desires of those in power were always the same.

Stronger armies, greater wealth, wider lands.

If he was being asked to research crops, it could only mean one thing. The Daimyo wanted to collect more taxes by increasing food output to fund a more extravagant life.

That was what all nobles were like.

Extravagant, indulgent, and endlessly greedy.

Arashi looked at Orochimaru's confused and incredulous expression and smiled.

"Do you think I'm asking you to do this just to squeeze more money from the farmers, so I can live like other nobles in luxury?"

Orochimaru said nothing.

But his thoughts were obvious.

Arashi shook his head slightly, pity flickering in his eyes as though he were looking at a primitive man.

"Ninja are ninja. You always see the world in such a simple, pitiful way."

Those words hit Orochimaru like a slap to the face.

Yet, he had no rebuttal.

He truly couldn't understand what other reason a Daimyo could have for caring about peasants covered in mud.

Arashi had no intention of explaining further.

Trying to lecture a scientific fanatic about what true foundations of livelihood meant was meaningless.

Orochimaru's use would not end with this task, but that would come later.

He didn't need Orochimaru to understand, only to obey.

For a brief moment, Arashi's thoughts wandered.

He remembered his previous life.

If he had been an ordinary man in his previous life, perhaps he would have only wanted to make his own family's life better.

Even after transmigrating, without the System, he might have simply adapted to this world quietly.

But now, he was the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

If he couldn't reshape this world according to his vision, then what was the point of his transmigration?

Position determines perspective.

He didn't mind improving the lives of those at the bottom, so long as it also secured his own interests.

Now, the fate of hundreds of millions of people in the Land of Fire rested in his hands.

Of course, he could ignore them. He could treat the commoners as livestock that paid taxes, as the previous Daimyo had done.

But he wouldn't.

A truly strong nation could not be built upon endless exploitation.

If even the lowest people couldn't fill their stomachs, then the ruler was a failure.

Of course, he didn't need to explain these grand ideals to Orochimaru.

Letting others guess his intentions was, in itself, a display of power.

"Saku."

Arashi's voice was calm.

The moment he spoke, a figure appeared silently beside him, kneeling on one knee as if he had been part of the air all along.

Orochimaru's pupils shrank once again.

When did this man appear?

His sharpened perception, refined through countless battles, hadn't detected the slightest sign of movement.

He had thought the Shadow Guard who had surrounded him earlier were the Daimyo's most elite forces.

But now, this new presence, undetectable even to him, appeared effortlessly.

Just how much power was hidden within this manor?

Even if he had broken through earlier, could he have really escaped? The thought sent a chill down Orochimaru's spine.

"Daimyo-sama." Aono Saku bowed his head, his voice steady.

Arashi pointed at Orochimaru. "From today onward, Orochimaru will serve as the Land of Fire's Special Chief Researcher."

"Whatever experimental materials he needs, whatever funds he requires, whatever personnel he asks for, you are to handle it. Grant his requests to the greatest extent possible."

"Yes!"

Aono Saku replied respectfully, then moved aside.

Arashi turned back to Orochimaru. "Once you complete the two tasks I've given you, you will receive everything you want."

"Now, follow him to choose your new laboratory."

He waved his hand.

"You may go."

Orochimaru looked deeply at Arashi.

From the strength this man had shown and his promises, he no longer wished to flee.

Perhaps following such a person would be far more interesting.

Thinking that, Orochimaru smiled faintly, excitement flickering in his golden eyes.

"Hehehe, as you command, Daimyo-sama."

Led by Aono Saku, Orochimaru turned and left.

Inside the bedchamber, the sweet incense in the censer had long burned out.

Mei knelt before the soft couch, motionless, though her muscles were tightly tensed.

Humiliation? Anger?

She had buried those emotions the moment Arashi disappeared and the three Shadow Guard appeared.

She was a shinobi.

An elite of the Hidden Mist Village.

In any desperate situation, the first thought should never be emotion, but survival.

Her mind raced.

The three guards, each with Chakra levels at Jōnin rank, surrounded her in a perfect triangle formation.

There were no blind spots.

Forcing her way out had a near-zero chance of success.

She mentally simulated countless escape routes and jutsu, rejecting them one after another.

Then suddenly, noise erupted outside the hall.

The sound of Ninjutsu clashing, the hiss of serpents, the rumble of rising earth walls.

A battle.

Someone was fighting the Daimyo's guards.

Soon after, a hoarse voice echoed faintly, yet clearly enough for her sharp ears.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Mei's eyes widened.

Orochimaru.

One of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru!

How could he be here?

Her shock quickly turned into joy.

If someone like Orochimaru was attacking, chaos would soon follow.

The manor's defenses would be drawn away.

It was her best chance to escape.

But the joy didn't last.

There was no sign of the roaring giant snakes she expected.

The Summoning Jutsu's massive Chakra fluctuation vanished abruptly.

Then, silence.

Complete silence.

Even Orochimaru's presence disappeared.

It was over.

That quickly?

How long had it been? One of the Legendary Sannin, defeated just like that?

A chill colder than before crept into her heart.

For the first time, Mei truly understood the power of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

Even Orochimaru couldn't shake him.

What was her own strength worth in comparison?

Escape?

To where?

Just as she fell into despair,

Creak.

The door of the hall opened.

Arashi stepped back inside.

The three Shadow Guard melted into the shadows once more, vanishing completely.

Only he and she remained.

Arashi walked to the couch and sat down as if nothing had happened.

He picked up the list of materials, glanced at it, and tossed it into the charcoal brazier at his feet.

The scroll caught fire instantly.

Watching the list slowly turn to ash, Arashi smiled faintly, his voice gentle yet playful.

"My beauty, have you been waiting long?"

"Come, let's continue."

His face still held that same relaxed, affectionate expression as before.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 68: You Are Mine

Inside the bedchamber, a deathly silence reigned.

In the charcoal brazier, the scroll had already turned to ash.

The last wisp of smoke dissipated, and the crimson flame flickered weakly.

Arashi's face still bore that look of infatuation, hazy and filled with lust.

His voice was soft, smooth enough to drip water.

"My beauty, have you been waiting long?"

"Come, let's continue."

He reached out, as if to pull Mei back into his arms, to resume their interrupted act of intimacy.

Mei looked at him.

She looked at the perfect mask of desire on his face, at the feigned blur in his eyes.

A wave of uncontrollable fear rose within her.

In this man's eyes, she was nothing more than a clown for his amusement, from start to finish.

He hadn't even bothered to expose her. He simply played along, enjoying how she performed, how she believed herself clever.

And then, at the height of her supposed triumph, he shattered her pride and dignity completely.

Mei's body trembled slightly.

She raised a hand, tugging the nearly transparent silk gown tighter around herself, inch by inch.

It was her final defense.

The flirtatious smile had vanished from her face, replaced by the cold stillness of her icy gaze.

She stared at Arashi, her voice trembling. "What exactly do you want?"

As the words fell, Arashi glanced at her, and the false infatuation disappeared from his face instantly.

His eyes returned to their usual calm.

He leaned back on the soft couch, adjusting into a more relaxed posture as he watched Mei.

His face showed faint disappointment, as though regretting that the show had ended too soon.

"Boring," he said softly. "Not acting anymore?"

"I thought you enjoyed the performance."

His casual tone was more humiliating than any cruel insult.

"Do you think this is fun?" Mei gritted her teeth, forcing out each word.

"It is," Arashi admitted without hesitation, smiling. "Of course it's fun."

He stretched lazily, his movements slow and relaxed.

"Life in the deep palace is dull beyond measure."

"Every day it's either government affairs or dealing with scheming old men."

"I almost forgot when I last found something this entertaining."

His gaze shifted back to her, amusement deepening in his eyes.

"Especially an elite Jōnin from the Hidden Mist Village, trying to approach me in this way."

"Willing to offer her body for a few pitiful weapons and rations."

"Tsk tsk, how courageous."

Boom.

Mei's mind went blank for a moment.

He... he knew her true identity!

She had been careful, meticulous. She believed she had never left a trace.

Even the scroll she'd prepared contained no hint of Hidden Mist involvement.

There's a spy.

The realization hit her immediately.

But what good was that knowledge now?

All her secrets, all her plans, had already been laid bare.

While she, in turn, knew nothing about this man.

This imbalance of power made her feel a suffocating helplessness.

"You... you..."

Her lips trembled, but no words came out.

Arashi's smile deepened as he watched her confusion and despair.

He didn't press further, but instead asked lightly, "Don't ask what I want."

"Shouldn't I be asking what you want?"

Mei froze slightly.

What did she want?

She wanted the supplies for Hidden Mist, to save her comrades still trapped under the Bloody Mist's rule.

But now, everything had collapsed into nothing.

She was a prisoner.

When pride and dignity are crushed, only the instinct to survive remains.

"...Let me go." Mei's voice was very soft, carrying a faint plea even she didn't realize.

"Let you go?" Arashi chuckled, as if hearing a joke. "Why?"

He sat upright, leaning slightly forward, his gaze sharp as it locked onto her.

"Because you're beautiful?"

"Or because you entertained me earlier?"

His tone was calm, yet each word cut into her like a blade.

Mei's face paled even further.

She forced herself to regain composure, trying to reclaim the dignity of a top shinobi.

"I am a kunoichi from Hidden Mist. Capturing me could cause a diplomatic dispute between our two nations."

It was the only bargaining chip she could think of.

"Diplomatic dispute?" Arashi laughed coldly, his smile full of disdain. "A dancer sneaks into the Daimyo's bedchamber, attempting assassination through seduction?"

"Even if the truth came out, do you think Hidden Mist would protect you? Or would they immediately disavow you?"

Mei's heart sank completely.

Yes.

Tonight, her identity was that of Shizumi, a civilian woman from the Land of Fire.

Even if she died, it would have nothing to do with Hidden Mist Village.

All her paths were cut off.

Watching the last spark in her eyes die out, Arashi knew that the proud flower of the Mist had lost her thorns, one by one, under his hand.

He rose and walked toward her.

His tall figure cast a shadow over her trembling form.

He bent down, pinching her smooth chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Don't misunderstand, Terumī Mei," Arashi said softly.

"I wasn't the one who started this game."

"You came to me, trying to make me your prey."

"But you overestimated yourself and underestimated me."

"So don't pretend you're innocent."

"Now the game is over."

"And the roles of hunter and prey are reversed."

His thumb brushed against her jaw, feeling the trembling of her delicate skin.

"You're right. You are beautiful, and your identity is... interesting."

"So..."

"From tonight onward, you, your life, and everything about you..."

Arashi's lips curved into a faint, possessive smile.

"...belong to me."

His voice was soft, but it sealed off all escape routes.

The domineering declaration sent a shiver down her spine.

The trembling wasn't just from fear, but from the burning mix of rage and humiliation.

But she was Terumī Mei.

The woman who had survived the Bloody Mist and led resistance from the shadows.

After the brief shock, her mind began to race again.

Threats?

He wouldn't care.

Begging?

That would only amuse him.

Then... only a transaction remained.

Mei forced herself to calm down.

Taking a deep breath, her composure slowly returned.

She met his gaze head-on, her voice trembling slightly but no longer panicked.

"Fine."

The single word made Arashi raise an eyebrow, intrigued.

He waited for her to continue.

Mei steadied herself with one hand on the ground and rose slowly.

Even in defeat, her back remained straight, the posture of a proud warrior.

"I can serve you."

The words escaped her lips, but her body trembled despite her will.

(To be continued.)