In the lavish throne room of the Daimyo's palace, a stout figure sat on the ornate throne, his crown slipping down his forehead.
He gazed with disinterest at the small man standing before him, hands clasped together in respect.
The man was impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, complete with small sunglasses and a neatly trimmed mustache, giving him a refined look.
"Daimyo-sama," the man began, his voice dripping with flattery, "I am Gato, president of the Gato Company. I've come to propose a deal."
The Daimyo didn't respond right away. He opened his mouth, allowing a maid to pop a grape into it, before he deigned to speak.
"And what," he drawled, "might that be?"
Gato's smile grew even wider. "Why, to bring prosperity to the Land of Waves, of course!"
He produced a map of the island nation, spreading it out before the throne.
"Daimyo-sama, the Land of Waves is rich in natural resources, but its remote location makes it hard to turn those resources into real wealth. As a result, the country's finances have suffered."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"But if the Gato Company took over all shipping and trade for the nation, we could turn those resources into real wealth. The Land of Waves would thrive like never before!"
Gato's gaze flicked to the Daimyo, his eyes glinting behind his shades.
"Imagine it, Daimyo-sama - this palace could be even more magnificent. Golden thrones, lavish tapestries, the finest delicacies from around the world..."
A murmur of approval went up from the assembled ministers, many of them nodding in agreement.
Even the Daimyo seemed intrigued, a spark of greed igniting in his eyes at the thought of such luxuries.
It was clear that Gato had done his research. He had already won over key ministers, and he knew exactly how to appeal to the Daimyo's desires.
But not everyone was convinced by his persuasive words.
"I object!" A lone minister stepped forward, bowing low before the throne.
"Daimyo-sama, the sea is the lifeblood of our nation. Our economy, our way of life, depends on it. Handing control of our shipping to an outsider is unthinkable!"
"I agree," another minister chimed in. "The risk is too great."
More voices joined the chorus of dissent, until the throne room erupted into argument.
Gato's smile faltered, his eyes narrowing in annoyance.
If only he had arrived sooner, he thought bitterly. He could have bribed a few more officials, arranged a few convenient accidents.
But no matter. He would still come out on top. He always did.
The Daimyo, for his part, seemed uncertain. He raised a hand, silencing the bickering ministers.
"What, then, do you propose as an alternative?" he asked. "How would you fix the Land of Waves' maritime problems?"
"I believe the answer lies in cutting back, Daimyo-sama." The first minister stepped forward again, his head held high.
"If we reduced spending, both in the palace and in the ministries, we could save enough over a few years to fund the construction of a bridge to the mainland."
He turned, spreading his arms wide. "And if we called on the people of the Land of Waves to help build it, as a national project... it would bring the country together like never before!"
"The bridge would be a symbol of our strength, our independence. And it would open up new opportunities for trade and travel, securing our prosperity for generations to come."
The throne room erupted again, the ministers divided.
"Ridiculous!" one cried. "Cut back on palace spending? Unthinkable!"
"The Daimyo's court is the face of our nation!" another agreed. "To scale it back would be to diminish us all!"
The argument raged on, with voices growing louder and more heated. Finally, the Daimyo slammed his fist on the throne, silencing the room.
"Enough!" he bellowed. "I've had enough of this bickering!"
"I'm tired of this nonsense," he said, his voice petulant. "We'll table this discussion for now and revisit it later."
He waved his hand dismissively. "You're all dismissed."
The ministers bowed and began to file out, some shooting angry glances at their opponents.
Gato remained standing, his smile now a tight, forced thing.
But before anyone could leave the throne room, a figure emerged from the shadows.
It struck one of the ministers in the forehead, sending him crashing to the ground.
As he fell, the others saw clearly what had brought him down.
A shuriken, its edges glinting in the torchlight.
"Assassins!" someone yelled. "Guards! To arms!"
But it was too late. As the palace guards rushed in, a dozen figures emerged from the shadows.
They fell upon the ministers and guards like wolves among sheep. Blood sprayed everywhere, painting the walls and floor in a gruesome pattern.
Screams echoed off the ceiling, the stench of blood and death filling the air. It was a scene from a nightmare.
Gato, paralyzed with fear, could only watch as the massacre unfolded around him.
He had seen violence before, but this... this was something else.
His bladder let go, a warm wetness spreading down his leg. He hardly noticed, his eyes fixed on the bald, grinning killer who now stood before him.
The man was clearly from Kiri. He held a short curved blade, its edge still wet with blood.
"Please," Gato begged, his voice trembling. "Please, I have money. I can pay you. Anything you want!"
But the ninja's cold, cruel smile sent chills down his spine. Then, the blade sliced across Gato's forehead, exposing the bone beneath.
His high-pitched scream echoed through the room as blood poured down his face, blinding and choking him.
He stumbled, tripped over a body, and crashed to the floor.
As his face hit the marble, his teeth shattered. The ninja's blade struck again and again, biting deep into his back...
And then, everything went black.
The Daimyo cowered by his throne, frozen in horror as the twelve assassins finished their brutal task.
They moved methodically, ensuring no one was left alive to tell the tale, their blades rising and falling like scythes in a wheat field.
And then, as one, they turned towards him.
"W-wait!" the Daimyo cried, throwing up his hands. "I am the Daimyo of the Land of Waves! We can come to some arrangement, I'm sure!"
He fell to his knees, groveling shamelessly. "Take the throne, the palace - it's all yours! Just spare my life, I beg of you!"
The lead ninja, a towering figure with blue skin and gill-like slits on his cheeks, stepped forward.
His cold, dead eyes regarded the Daimyo with contempt.
"Is this what passes for faith in this land?" he asked, his voice a rasping growl. "Offerings of wealth and power?"
He shook his head, a sneer twisting his lip. "Our great Father, the Savior, has no use for such petty offerings. Nor for such pitiful creatures as you."
The Daimyo's eyes widened in horror as the truth dawned on him. He opened his mouth to scream, to beg, to pray to gods who had long abandoned him.
But all that emerged was a wet, choking gurgle as the ninja's blade sliced his throat from ear to ear.
The Daimyo collapsed, his lifeblood pooling on the cold stone floor.
The ninja watched with a dispassionate gaze as the light faded from his eyes, as the last, fitful twitches stilled.
And then, with contempt, he kicked the body aside and ascended the dais to take his place on the throne.
Kojiro smiled out at the carnage he had unleashed. At the birth of a new era.
"This land," he declared, "is now a holy place. A kingdom of the faithful, blessed by the touch of our Savior."
He raised his blood-soaked blade to the heavens.
"In His house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming! And we, His chosen, shall pave the way for His glorious return."
The silence that followed was broken only by the steady drip, drip, drip of blood... something stirred in the shadows.
Something ancient, and hungering, and unutterably evil.
And it smiled.
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