"Linto, obey!"
The envoy from the Land of Wind opened the scroll in his hand:
"You captured a city and killed officials, violating the laws of the Land of Wind. You should be punished. Considering you defeated the Sky Ninja Corps and this is your first offense, if you return Gelang City within three days, we will let bygones be bygones. Otherwise—"
"Enough with the 'otherwise'."
Linto waved his hand, not wanting to hear any more.
He gave a slight nod to Rasa and the other Konoha Village ninjas who had arrived at the entrance, gesturing for them to wait. Then, he refocused his attention on the envoy who had come to 'deliver the decree.'
"Is that message from you, or from the Daimyo?"
The envoy puffed out his chest, wanting to say, 'The Daimyo's decree is my decree,' to show toughness. This was a common negotiation tactic.
But as Linto's gaze fell upon him, the envoy shivered inexplicably.
Linto chuckled and said:
"Legend has it there was a country called 'Han' that would send envoys. Once the envoy arrived in another country, they would rack their brains to get the locals to kill them, so Han could then legitimately send troops.
There was also a country called 'Yan' that sent an envoy named Jing Ke to assassinate the enemy leader, employing a decapitation strategy.
Mr. Envoy."
Hermit Purple appeared, snatched a kunai from Sasuke's waist, and flicked it. With a 'thud,' it landed on the table in front of the Land of Wind envoy.
"Which kind are you?"
Are you here to seek death, so the Land of Wind Daimyo can send troops?
Or are you here to assassinate Linto?
Either way, Linto was accommodating him, personally delivering the weapon to him.
The Land of Wind envoy looked down at the kunai on the table, vibrating subtly and rapidly. He cautiously swallowed. His years of experience as an envoy told him:
It was over.
His momentum had been completely crushed by the other party.
After a long silence, the envoy said, "I... I am just conveying the Daimyo's wishes."
Linto nodded.
"Then I understand. You've had a hard journey, but I'll have to ask you to endure it a little longer and head back."
"Back... when?"
"Now."
"Huh?"
The envoy was stunned.
He had ridden himself ragged, killing several horses during his four-day non-stop rush, and had even lost weight from the ordeal, just to get here.
Now, right after reading the decree, he was being told to turn around and go back immediately, without even a sip of water...
As if sensing the envoy's thoughts,
Sasuke walked over, pulled the kunai from the table, and handed him a bottle of water.
The envoy looked at the water bottle in his hand, then at an orange that had appeared in his other hand at some unknown time. A rush of frustration swelled in his chest, and he finally sighed, head bowed, and walked out.
What complaints could he possibly have?
At least he had saved his life.
To put it simply, one's confidence ultimately stemmed from military strength. In the past, he had always been full of confidence.
But today...
"When you go back, please carry a message to the Land of Wind Daimyo for me."
Linto's voice came from behind him.
The envoy turned his head.
"I will visit in half a month for a heart-to-heart talk. Ask the Land of Wind Daimyo to use this time to carefully weigh his options, think about what words he should say and what actions he should not take."
"Yes, yes..."
After the envoy left, Rasa strode over.
He was filled with excitement. What he had seen and heard was utterly exhilarating.
Rasa had initially wanted to suggest Linto kill the envoy as a warning to the Daimyo's government. But upon hearing Linto's message, he changed his mind, thinking this way was even better—
The Land of Wind Daimyo would spend the remaining half month in dread and uncertainty.
"So, in half a month, you're going to go and kill the Daimyo?"
Rasa excitedly rolled up his sleeves: "Perfect timing! I'll have people sharpen their blades and prepare their armor. We'll be waiting for you in fifteen days to storm the Daimyo's mansion and lop off that old scoundrel's head!"
"Hold on."
Linto quickly calmed down the excited elder, saying, "I just want to talk with him."
Rasa nodded: "You're the leader, you decide."
"Leader...?"
This statement stunned not only Linto but also Kakashi and the others behind him.
Rasa then gestured behind him toward the Konoha Village ninjas who had come to provide support:
"The day after you defeated the Sky Ninja Corps and took Gelang City, Konoha Village made a decision: to join your ranks—"
He trailed off, as if just realizing something.
"Um... you're not going to welcome us, are you?"
Linto's mouth was half open.
"No, wait a minute."
Is this the time to ask that?
If Linto was unwelcoming, how would Rasa face the Konoha Village citizens who had undergone much internal struggle before deciding to abandon the Land of Wind and risk joining Linto's faction?
And how would he shamelessly ask the Land of Wind for funding the following year?
The normal logic is to get the job offer before quitting, right!
Previously, Linto had thought Rasa was coming to provide support and rescue civilians.
No matter how thick-skinned or how boastful he was, he never would have imagined that after only one meeting, Rasa would lead Konoha Village to defect from the Land of Wind and pledge allegiance to him.
Rasa's actions were,
to put it nicely, decisive. To put it bluntly…
he was truly reckless.
But—
Linto let out a long breath.
"Your arrival is too timely."
Decisiveness has its drawbacks, like putting oneself in danger. If the choice is wrong, it can lead to utter ruin.
However, it also has benefits.
Currently, Gelang City appears to be stable, but this stability is like a college student who has spent all their living expenses by the end of the month. They can still survive on instant noodles for a day or two, but as time goes on, more problems will surface.
The Annihilation Army will arrive in Gelang City in two days, escorting officials from the Land of Water to help manage affairs.
But the customs, culture, and environment of the two countries are vastly different.
One is surrounded by the sea, perpetually shrouded in mist, while the other is a desert region with scarce water resources.
They urgently need people familiar with the environment and powers of the Land of Wind.
The addition of Konoha Village is like sending charcoal in the snow.
Linto extended his hand. "Welcome aboard."
Rasa also extended his hand, and the two shook hands tightly.
"Also."
Linto said seriously, "Thank you."
He would not forget any friend who offered help in times of need.
"You're welcome."
Rasa also said seriously, "When you go to kill the Daimyo, remember to bring me along."
Linto was speechless for a moment, then smiled.
"Okay."
Two days later, a unit of two hundred soldiers, riding horses and clad in heavy black armor, arrived at Gelang City.
Their armor bore various scratches. Even after being thoroughly cleaned, a faint scent of blood could still be detected.
A stray dog passing by caught the scent and immediately collapsed onto its fours, whimpering.
A Konoha Village ninja on duty, alongside a rat, recognized the insignia inlaid on their heavy armor.
"Golden flame patterns on both sides, and a straight greatsword in the center. They are..."
"The Annihilation Army!"
The Konoha Village ninja thought this and looked at the tall, burly man at the front.
"Could this be the 'Lion of Death'— Amber?"
The Konoha ninja did not deliberately lower his voice.
Amber heard the name and his mouth twitched slightly.
He used to be an honest fisherman and was unaccustomed to such grandiose titles in the ninja world.
He led his men to the gates of Gelang City.
"Dismount and proceed on foot."
"Yes."
The two hundred men dismounted in unison, pulling hard on the reins to control their horses, and walked into the city.
Besides the rhythmic sound of their footsteps, there was no other sound.
If not for their masks, one could glimpse their young faces. Otherwise, one might truly believe this was a troop belonging to Death.
"Lord Linto."
Amber saw Linto waiting at the entrance of the factory. Linto was sitting on the steps, eating a flatbread, which had a small plum blossom pattern in the center, clearly the handicraft of Iwamine Genyako.
Linto looked at the greatsword on Amber's back, which still bore traces of blood.
"Did you just finish a battle before coming?" Linto asked.
Amber said, "There are still occasional rebel forces within the Land of Water."
Linto nodded.
"Are you still strong enough to fight?"
Amber gave a simple, honest smile.
"Of course."
"Good."
Linto broke off half of the flatbread in his hand and gave it to Amber.
"Eat something to line your stomach, then we'll be on our way."
"To the capital of the Land of Wind."