Chapter 266: Executing the Daimyo

Chapter 266: Executing the Daimyo

Haneda left the golden Buddha standing on the battlefield.

While everyone else was cheering and celebrating, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport back to the command post—where Jiraiya and the others were waiting.

The moment Haneda appeared, some people noticed him and tried to call out excitedly.

But with a simple genjutsu, Haneda silenced those around him who were about to shout.

“Shh~”

With his index finger raised and a smile on his face, he quieted the crowd.

Jiraiya could tell that Haneda didn’t want to attract attention.

He chuckled and said, “Leaving quietly after the deed is done, hiding your accomplishments and fame—classic move.”

“Haneda, you sly kid, you’ve pulled it off again.”

Uchiha Haneda smiled faintly and replied casually, “It’s just capturing three people. Nothing worth boasting about.”

“Handling the aftermath is your job, Jiraiya-senpai.”

After giving these instructions, Uchiha Haneda turned to Itachi.

“Let’s head back. Sasuke’s academy entrance ceremony is coming up, and he really wants you to be there with him.”

“Alright.” Itachi recalled Sasuke’s expectant gaze and couldn’t help but smile as he nodded and walked to Haneda’s side.

Haneda placed a hand on Itachi’s shoulder, and in an instant, they vanished from the scene.

All that was left on the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure was a golden Buddha, a sea of fleeing Cloud ninja, and a massive, hundreds-of-meters-long gorge.

This gorge would later be known as the “Wound of Kumogakure,” or the “Valley of Despair”—a symbol of Kumogakure’s greatest humiliation and defeat.

And so, in the 55th year of the Hidden Leaf, Kumogakure unconditionally surrendered.

The two-year-long war between Kumogakure and Konoha came to an end.

...

After returning Itachi, Haneda teleported to the Land of Frost.

Inside a luxurious house, Zabuza was sitting on his massive sword, which was embedded in the wall, while Pakura applied makeup in front of a mirror.

Between the two of them, a large group of people was tied up. These were the individuals sent by the northern general’s estate to deliver supplies to Kumogakure. Among them was the northern general himself.

Uchiha Haneda pushed the door open and entered.

Zabuza and Pakura immediately greeted him respectfully:

“Mr. Haneda.”

Uchiha Haneda glanced at the group of bound people, and one figure in a luxurious fur coat caught his attention.

Isn’t that the northern general he’d seen in the Daimyo’s mansion?

Squinting slightly, Uchiha Haneda smiled and asked, “It seems the plan went smoothly. Well done, Zabuza, Pakura.”

Zabuza asked, “Should we transport them back to the Daimyo’s mansion, Mr. Haneda?”

Uchiha Haneda thought for a moment. Naruto and Sasuke’s academy entrance was four days away, but transporting the prisoners from the Land of Frost to the Daimyo’s mansion would take at least half a month.

This was the perfect time to settle the matter at the Daimyo’s mansion.

“There’s no need,” Uchiha Haneda said. “I plan to finish everything at the Daimyo’s mansion today.”

“You’re taking them directly to the Daimyo’s mansion?” Pakura asked curiously.

Uchiha Haneda nodded. “Pakura, Zabuza, continue expanding the Star Ninja Village as per my plan. Within ten years, ensure the village’s shinobi count exceeds five thousand.”

Zabuza chuckled. “Mr. Haneda, are you planning to start a war and unify the world in ten years?”

Uchiha Haneda gave a slight nod. When he achieved the power of the Six Paths and awakened the Rinnegan, it would be time for the Fourth Great Ninja War.

With absolute power, he would eliminate Black Zetsu and unify the world.

Awakening the Rinnegan would take at least ten years.

Uchiha Haneda used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring the northern general and his captives to the Daimyo’s mansion.

The Daimyo’s mansion was just as before, with a lone main hall used for administrative purposes.

The Daimyo sat like a puppet on the upper seat of the main hall, rigidly upright.

When Uchiha Haneda walked in with the northern general and the others, the Daimyo was dumbfounded, his face filled with despair.

The capture of the northern general meant that his covert supply of resources to Kumogakure was now fully exposed.

He had originally thought Haneda would overlook these actions, but now Haneda had brought the northern general and the others here. What was he planning to do?

The ministers in the hall also knew about the Daimyo’s covert support for Kumogakure.

They had assumed Haneda would deal with the northern general in secret, but now that he had brought them to the main hall, could he be planning to deal with the Daimyo himself?

Uchiha Haneda kicked the northern general hard, sending him sprawling into the hall.

Sweeping his gaze around the room, Haneda saw that no one dared to meet his eyes. All kept their heads low, signaling their submission.

Satisfied, Haneda smiled and announced:

“The Daimyo of the Land of Fire secretly sent the northern general to provide free supplies to the enemy nation, the Land of Lightning!”

“Meanwhile, Konoha’s shinobi fought on the frontlines against Kumogakure for the Land of Fire. This is treason!”

“As the Fifth Hokage, I declare that the Daimyo is guilty of treason against the Land of Fire!”

“For the crime of treason, the punishment is death!”

When Haneda pronounced the death sentence on the Daimyo, everyone in the hall was stunned.

The Daimyo was the head of the nation, yet Haneda was sentencing him to death for treason? The sheer audacity was unbelievable!

This was a blatant move to usurp power!

Was Haneda planning to abolish the position of Daimyo and have Konoha govern the entire Land of Fire?

But no one dared to object.

The ministers in the hall had already witnessed Haneda’s ruthless purges. They knew all too well the cost of betraying him—it would mean the destruction of their entire family.

Haneda clapped his hands, signaling for the loyal guards to approach the Daimyo.

Terrified, the Daimyo tried to retreat, but his indulgent lifestyle had left him weak and unable to evade the guards.

As the guards closed in, a servant suddenly stepped forward.

The servant swung a blade at the armored shinobi’s leg, standing protectively in front of the Daimyo.

But the Daimyo, seeing the dirt on his clothes from the servant’s touch, became furious and kicked the servant.

“You filthy dog, you’ve dirtied my robes!”

Immediately after his outburst, the Daimyo regretted his words. His only hope for survival now lay with this lowly servant.

The servant, kicked to the ground, knelt and repeatedly kowtowed to the Daimyo, pleading for forgiveness.

But the Daimyo, enraged, shouted, “What good is your groveling, you worthless mutt?!”

“Sacrifice yourself for your Daimyo! Go on!”

The servant slowly lifted his head, looking at the Daimyo—the man he had protected—as though he were gazing at an enemy.

The sound of footsteps approached.

Uchiha Haneda stepped forward.

“The Daimyo uses his inherited authority and hollow title to force you to kneel, to submit, to willingly die for him.”

“But I, Uchiha Haneda, command you to stand.”

“To rise under the light of freedom and equality, reborn in their radiance.”

“Let the world bear witness.”

A silver blade was thrust into the ground before the servant. Haneda, without hesitation, placed his hand on the servant’s shoulder.

“This blade is called Dawn, the light that pierces the darkness.”

“It is the most noble of weapons—the Kusanagi Sword.”

“Take it. Grasp its hilt. Reclaim your life through blood.”

The servant stared at the silver sword with its intricate patterns, dumbfounded.

The Kusanagi Sword, a weapon of legend symbolizing divine authority, was now being handed to him—a slave—to strike down his master, the ruler of the Land of Fire.

He picked up the Kusanagi Sword and stood. Step by step, he approached the Daimyo.

Under Haneda’s encouraging gaze, and the terrified stares of the mini

sters, he swung the blade down onto the Daimyo’s neck.

Blood splattered across his face as he was reborn under the light of freedom and equality.

...

(End of Chapter)