Chapter 46: Ambition and Secrets
MINATO NAMIKAZE
Observation skills were crucial for a shinobi. In a world shrouded in secrecy and subterfuge, the ability to see beyond the surface was paramount. Thus, Minato couldn't help but notice Kushina's somber mood upon her return from the capital. He waited patiently, hoping she would confide in him, but weeks passed without a word about her meeting with the Daimyo. Finally, he decided to broach the subject.
He had met the Daimyo himself and knew Tsunade had also been present. However, the nature of their discussion, which had left Kushina so contemplative, remained a mystery. Since his ascension as Hokage, especially during these tumultuous times, Minato had little time for himself or Kushina. Leading the village through the tribulations of the Third Great Ninja War demanded his full attention.
Peace talks with Kiri were progressing smoothly, and the capital had allocated funds to ensure the village's recovery and rebuild its reserves.
"Kushina."
He called out, deciding to take some time out for a quiet meal together. It wasn't much, but he knew he needed to make time for her and their unborn child.
Lost in thought, Kushina jolted when she heard his voice. "Yes?" she asked. Minato smiled and gestured towards her now-cold ramen bowl.
"Oh," she sighed as he chuckled and took it.
"Let me heat it up for you," he offered, walking towards the kitchen. She nodded in appreciation.
"You've been very quiet since returning from the capital," he remarked as he placed the bowl in the microwave. He couldn't miss the way she perked up at his words, though she didn't deny it.
"What happened there?" he asked, seeing her chew her lip nervously.
"If it's confidential..." he began and shook her head.
"No, he said I could talk about it with you, if I wanted to," she said, making him frown. What kind of conversation required such secrecy?
The microwave beeped. He retrieved the ramen and returned to the table.
"What do you think of the new Daimyo?" she asked, the tenth person to ask him that very question.
"He seems highly ambitious and practical," Minato replied.
"One shouldn't underestimate him because of his age." And clearly, one with a lot of secrets, Minato thought. The Daimyo had somehow convinced Lady Tsunade to reject his offer, and now the Senju Princess was an advisor in his court.
"Did you know I asked Jiraiya and Tsunade about the Uzumaki they rescued?" Kushina began, reminding Minato that she had also met with her clansmen.
"I wanted to know if they, or the village, ever had any information about them."
This was an interesting question, one that hadn't even crossed Minato's mind.
"Both gave the same answer," Kushina continued. "The village had no intel on their whereabouts. Nothing, not a single thing."
"Yet, this young lord from the capital not only knew they existed, but also had a good enough idea of their location to hire a team specifically suited for the rescue mission," she said, leaning forward, her voice growing heated. "A team he knew would keep it quiet from the village."
"It's as if he was aware of the danger they'd be in if they came here, or understood their importance," she added. "He knew of their existence, their location, and the connection between the Uzumaki and Tsunade to get her on the mission. A young lord barely into his teens."
Minato's mind raced. The pieces didn't fit.
"And somehow, he knew about my pregnancy as well," Kushina said, her words widening Minato's eyes.
"What?" he exclaimed, surprised. She nodded.
"Yes, he congratulated me himself," she confirmed. Minato's mind reeled. Kushina's pregnancy was a high-level secret due to the implications for the seal restraining the Nine-Tails. If word got out, enemy villages could launch an attack while the seal was weakened.
"Could Lady Tsunade have told him?"
Kushina shook her head. "She learned from him as well. She was unaware of it herself. Jiraiya hadn't told her yet," she explained. Minato gulped, surprised and perplexed. He had to re-evaluate his thoughts on their young Daimyo.
"And he congratulated you on it," he repeated. Was this what had upset her? But there seemed little to worry about if he hadn't raised any concerns. Such a matter wouldn't be his domain, yet he could have expressed some reservations. But he hadn't, despite knowing about the secrecy, if his own suspicion about the young lord were correct then also the dangers this pregnancy would pose to the village and the nation subsequently.
"Yes, he did," Kushina said. "But he also made me witness something I had never truly thought about," Kushina finished, her gaze dropping to her stomach.
"You said so yourself that our new Daimyo has great ambition, that he wishes to seek peace, true peace," she said, meeting his eyes again.
"I think I saw firsthand how he plans to do such a thing," she continued, her voice gaining conviction.
"How?" Minato leaned forward, intrigued.
"By using the nine bijuu," Kushina revealed, dropping a bombshell.
Minato's breath hitched. The tailed beasts, the nine colossal forces of nature, were legendary creatures of immense power. Each village coveted their might, and the thought of using them as tools for peace seemed...unrealistic, at best.
A heavy silence descended upon them, broken only by the clinking of chopsticks against bowls. The weight of Kushina's words hung in the air.
"Are you sure?" Minato finally asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Kushina nodded solemnly.
"He spoke of a future where the bijuu are not seen as weapons, nor as bargaining chips to force the other nations to the negotiating table.
Minato frowned. While the idea sounded noble on the surface, the potential for disaster was immense. The bijuu were unpredictable and difficult to control. Using them as instruments of peace seemed illogical and something that had never been imagined.
Yet he also knew that the young daimyo was not one to believe in fairy tales. Their short meeting and the deep surveillance he had run on the young lord cast an image of a practical mind that did not believe in hubris.
Just what did the young lord know that he believed such a thing possible, and what it meant for them and the whole world?
"But wouldn't that just make them even more valuable targets?" Minato pointed out.
"And more importantly how does he even plan to accomplish such a thing?"
"That's the question I also asked myself," Kushina admitted.
"But the Daimyo seemed confident. He spoke of a way to tame their power, to somehow make them work for the greater good, and I believe I caught a glimpse of that as well," she added as she gained a look of guilt on her face.
"And what hint was that?" Minato pressed, his concern growing.
"I cannot say much. I was only allowed a glimpse of it, but if it was what I think it was then I believe that the young lord is even more complicated and complex figure than we realise," she added filling him up with even more suspense.
Minato pondered this for a moment. The young Daimyo, Akihito Shirahoshi, was undeniably ambitious. His actions so far had been bold and decisive, shaking up the political landscape of the Fire Country. But using the bijuu for peace? It seemed like a fantastical notion, bordering on insanity.
"We should keep an eye on him," Minato finally decided. "This ambition of his... it could be a force for good, or it could lead to unimaginable chaos."
Kushina nodded in agreement.
"We should, but be careful not to make a move against him. His actions until now have shown that he trusts you, me, and the village. Breaking that trust could prove detrimental for everyone."
"I will be careful," he added as he rubbed his chin.
"Perhaps I need to have a talk with Lady Tsunade."
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HYAKUYA SOSUKE-The Prime Minister
Hakuya Sosuke, the Prime Minister, prostrated himself before the young Daimyo, Akihito Shirahoshi. The young lord had been everything Sosuke had expected – a whirlwind of action and change.
Months into his reign, the Fire Country had undergone a transformation. Stricter adherence to laws, prosecution of corrupt lords – Akihito was moving swiftly, capitalizing on the confusion of his rise to power to push through reforms before the more conservative factions could gather their bearings.
"Is it truly wise, my lord?" Sosuke ventured, his voice measured.
Despite his youth, Akihito cut a formidable figure as he sat on the throne of the fire country, ruling wisely and with intention as the daimyo of the greatest province of the continent. The young lord regarded the Prime Minister with a piercing gaze.
"What troubles you, Sosuke-san?"
"The appointment of a shinobi as advisor. The lords are already tense over your more unorthodox measures. Making a shinobi an advisor could further unsettle them and potentially lead to more dangerous actions," Sosuke explained, offering his counsel as was his duty.
Akihito scoffed.
"Let them wag their tongues. Words are wind Sosuke-san, they matter little to me. The lords shall all fall in line or suffer the consequences of their unthoughtful actions."
Sosuke hesitated. He understood the young lord's belief, but such an iron-fist approach could backfire, and though he hoped it would not, it was his duty as a counsellor to speak to the dangers of such an approach.
"My lord, if I may," he began, seeking permission to speak further. Akihito inclined his head, a silent signal to continue.
"I understand you must have some profound reason for your actions, but I must caution you that this all seems a bit too rushed. Perhaps it would be better to pace such decisions," Sosuke offered, hoping his words would be received well.
Akihito, however, seemed unfazed as the young lord's eyes darted toward the skies, and he exhaled deeply.
"I do not think we have the time," he answered, a hint of tiredness leaking into his tone.
"We move ahead with this," the young daimyo declared, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Sosuke bowed his head, accepting the Daimyo's decree.
"As you wish, my lord," Sosuke replied, his voice laced with a hint of worry, yet he would do as he was bid for that was his duty.
"Speaking of that," he continued, his sharp gaze shifting, "you asked me to allocate grain and other supplies for Amegakure. Our land itself has just come out of a war. Allocating such funds could disrupt our own food prices and cause unrest."
The young lord's action spoke of his more pious and altruistic nature, of helping the poor and the destitute yet Sosuke feared the implication such a move would have on their own people, and cautioned the young lord once more.
A confident smirk spread across lord Akihito's face.
"That will not happen. After the implementation of the newer farming techniques we discussed, our new production will be greater than the projected numbers. The higher yields will help us keep the prices in control."
Sosuke raised an eyebrow, surprised. The Daimyo had indeed mentioned these new techniques a while back, but Sosuke had dismissed them as youthful enthusiasm.
"And Sosuke-san...." Akihito added, his voice hardening,
"....keep an eye on any lord who may try and hoard grain for undue profit. I will not allow such actions. Send the lords a warning that if they try to incite turbulence, I shall deal with them as I did with the other claimants."
Sosuke gulped. The young Daimyo's ruthlessness was on display once more. He remembered the swift and decisive way Akihito had handled the power struggle following the death of the previous Daimyo. Several rivals had been dealt with swiftly, leaving no room for dissent.
"As you say, my lord," Sosuke murmured, mentally vowing to ensure the grain distribution went smoothly.
Just then, the doors to the throne room slid open, and a woman of striking beauty entered, followed by another woman with a gentler demeanour. The first woman, adorned in regal attire, was Lady Miyuki, the Daimyo's wife and the Empress of the land.
The young lord's gaze softened slightly as Lady Miyuki approached. She bowed gracefully. "My lord," she greeted.
"Miyuki," Akihito acknowledged with a nod, his tone softer than it had been ever in their little talk.
"What brings you here?"
Lady Miyuki flushed her hand lingered on her stomach for a fleeting moment, offered a radiant smile. "I bring great tidings, my lord."
A beat of silence hung in the air before Miyuki continued, her voice filled with joy.
"I am with child."
A gasp escaped Sosuke's lips. The revelation sent a jolt through him. An heir to the throne would undoubtedly solidify the young daimyo's position and potentially appease the more conservative lords who craved stability, offering a new avenue in the pursuit of suitable alliances.
Lord Akihito's eyes widened in surprise. Then, a slow smile spread across his face, which was soon erased as the lord's concubine standing beside the Princess spoke up.
"Shall we announce a celebration for this great news?" she asked, and Sosuke looked toward the young lord, who seemed to be conflicted on the decision for some reason.
"My lord, it would raise the morale of the masses," he added, and the young lord nodded in the end.
"We shall have a celebration, issue the missives."
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