"Konoha?" The Daimyō repeated the word slowly, his brow rising. "A village that unites all ninja?"
Even a man trained to hide emotion couldn't mask his surprise. He stared at Amamiya Raizen, barely twenty, with a face that still carried traces of youth but eyes that had already seen too much war. For a long moment, the Daimyō said nothing. Then, as if coming to some internal decision, he folded his fan and spoke.
"Douren-san, your dream is remarkable. If what you say is true, this era of endless killing might finally find its end. But building such a village... that is no simple task. I cannot yet agree to your proposal of One Country, One Alliance."
Raizen's tone was calm. "Then what would make Your Majesty agree?"
The Daimyō studied him, then spoke with quiet gravity. "If you can truly establish this 'Konoha'—make it real, not just a story—then I will formally recognize it. The Fire Country will stand with you."
Raizen's grin was sharp, almost feral. "A word is settled, then."
"A word is settled," the Daimyō echoed, smiling faintly.
And just like that, the deal was made—the kind that could rewrite history or end a man's life.
Raizen left the audience chamber with the faintest spark of satisfaction. The trip to the Capital had been worth it. He knew an alliance alone wouldn't impress the ruler of a nation. But a village—a permanent home that tied the power of every clan into one symbol—that was something even kings could believe in.
Now his only goal was clear: draw in more clans, one by one, until the Konoha Alliance became a living, breathing village.
Still, Raizen didn't leave the city immediately. The Daimyō's 40th birthday was only days away, and the man himself had sent a personal invitation. Word spread fast—ninja from across the Fire Country would attend to offer their respects.
Raizen frowned at that. The Daimyō celebrated every year, but this was the first time he'd invited shinobi. It didn't take a genius to guess the reason. A show of power, Raizen thought. A reminder to his brother who the real ruler is.
Not his problem. He'd play the guest, observe, and maybe enjoy the free food.
Five days later, the City of Fire was unrecognizable—crowded with emissaries, merchants, and ninja representing nearly every clan in the region. The streets shimmered with banners, and the air smelled of incense and wealth. Lavish gifts filled the courtyards: jeweled weapons, silk scrolls, rare herbs.
Raizen watched from the sidelines, hands in his sleeves. "Guess who forgot to bring a present."
He sighed. "Nice. Real smooth, Raizen."
Fortunately, the Amamiya clan wasn't poor. He had gold—he just hadn't planned for politics disguised as a birthday party. Within the hour, he arranged for a respectable offering: a forged blade tempered with lightning chakra, practical and deadly.
That would keep the clan's name respectable.
When the ninth clan arrived, the celebration began. The Daimyō's palace opened its grand gates, and ritual drums echoed through the streets. Dignitaries from every land marched in—the envoys of Thunder, Wind, Earth, and Water among them. Ministers followed next, then the ninja representatives, Raizen among them.
They were led into a sprawling inner garden lined with red maples and white gravel paths. At the center sat the Daimyō himself, dressed in formal robes, his posture impeccable despite the years. Raizen stood beside him, as requested—half honored, half suspicious.
"Announce them," the chamberlain called, voice carrying like a drumbeat.
"Envoys, ministers, shinobi—enter and pay respects to His Majesty, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire!"
The crowd bowed deeply. "We greet Your Majesty!"
The Daimyō's smile was composed and distant. "Rise. It brings me great joy to see you all gathered to celebrate this day. Please, be at ease."
Then came the parade of offerings.
"The envoy of the Land of Thunder presents his congratulations to His Majesty!"
"The envoy of the Land of Wind offers treasures from the desert sands!"
"The envoy of the Land of Earth, gifts of crystal ore!"
"The envoy of the Land of Water, pearls from the deep!"
And then—
"Lord Changling of the Fire Nation offers ten Moonlight Glass Beads."
Raizen's eyes flicked to the man stepping forward. Middle-aged, handsome, and unsettlingly similar to the Daimyō himself—except his smile was colder, more practiced.
The Daimyō chuckled softly. "My dear brother, you're too kind."
Lord Changling bowed, his expression tight. "It is only right to honor one's elder brother."
Brother, Raizen thought. So this is the famous rival. The air between them could've frozen a candle flame.
Next came the Daimyō's children. The royal line, once powerful, was fading. Most were daughters, and only one son—a frail boy with ghost-pale skin and a cough that echoed across the hall. Raizen caught the shadow in the Daimyō's eyes as he looked at him.
No wonder the brother's ambitious, Raizen thought grimly. If I were him, I'd be sharpening my kunai too.
At forty, the Daimyō was already considered old for this bloody era. Even if he reached fifty, his line would crumble the moment his heart stopped beating. A sickly heir and restless nobles—it was a fire waiting for wind.
Then came the next announcement:
"Princess Makoto of the Royal House presents her blessing and a gift of thousand-year ginseng!"
The garden went silent. Ministers murmured to one another as a girl stepped forward—a slender figure in white silk, dark hair pinned with jade, eyes calm and unreadable.
She couldn't have been more than thirteen. But even at that age, her beauty was startling, the kind that made the hall go quiet for a breath too long.
Raizen blinked. The Fire Lord has a princess like that? No wonder his brother's getting nervous.
The Daimyō smiled for the first time that evening. "You've grown, Makoto. The years pass too quickly."
The girl bowed gracefully, her voice soft. "Happy birthday, Father."
Raizen watched her return to her seat, the whispers rising like wind around the garden. Politics and beauty—danger wrapped in silk.
Great, Raizen thought. Another piece added to the chessboard.
And this time, he wasn't sure who was playing who.