Upon hearing Kaisei's words, everyone present was momentarily stunned. However, the brief confusion quickly dissipated as most villagers began to show their enthusiasm and approval.
"I agree! If Natsuhane becomes our king, we won't have to fear being bullied anymore!"
"Yes, in these chaotic times, having him lead us might even turn us into powerful shinobi! I'm tired of this daily fishing life!"
"Me too! I fully support Natsuhane becoming our new daimyo. With him, I feel so much safer!"
"Exactly! And I no longer want to pay tributes to that unreliable Kirigakure! We're already poor enough. If things don't change, our future is bleak!"
The villagers' excitement grew, and they were confident that Natsuhane would change the future of their country.
Given that Kaisei and Kaijin vouched for him, the villagers' trust in them naturally extended to their chosen candidate, Natsuhane.
However, a few elderly villagers remained silent. They wanted to voice their opposition but felt overwhelmed by the growing support for Natsuhane. Reluctantly, they kept their concerns to themselves.
Kaisei and Kaijin, aware of the elderly villagers' hesitation, stepped forward. Kaisei approached the elders with a smile and said, "I understand your concerns. You're worried because Natsuhane isn't originally from our Land of the Sea. You fear he might bring harm to our country."
"Yes..." One of the old men nodded slowly and cautiously said, "Forgive me for being blunt..."
"I've lived a long time and seen the world's dangers. A young man of unknown origins suddenly appears and solves all our problems. I don't believe it's out of kindness; he must have other motives..."
"I sincerely hope you two will consider my opinion carefully. The daimyo is the ruler of our country; we can't make such a decision lightly..."
The villagers, who had been excited moments ago, calmed down. The old man's words were valid concerns.
Kaisei gently patted the old man's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know Natsuhane's background..."
"He's from the Land of Fire, specifically from Konohagakure, and he's part of the renowned Uchiha Clan."
"What?" Although the villagers weren't shinobi, they had heard of the Uchiha Clan's illustrious reputation.
"No wonder he's so strong..."
"Not just strong, he's incredibly handsome too. No, he's the most handsome man I've ever seen..."
"I trust Natsuhane. He genuinely wants to help our country. How could someone so handsome have ill intentions?"
The young women, smitten, cast adoring glances at Natsuhane.
Indeed, in every world, looks can be persuasive.
Kaisei waved his hand to quiet the lovestruck girls and continued, "You might not know this, but the Uchiha Clan was almost wiped out three years ago..."
"I don't know the details, but it was tragic. I believe Natsuhane is a wandering Uchiha survivor, without a place to call home. He came to our country and saved us from crisis after crisis..."
"Such a powerful ally must be kept. With him, the Land of the Sea might one day become a powerful nation, or at least secure its place among the great nations!"
"Exactly!" Kaijin chimed in, "Don't you all want to become shinobi? Don't the elders want to live out their days in peace? Doesn't everyone want to stop being bullied? Then let's support Natsuhane..."
"And understand, it's not just about accepting Natsuhane as our daimyo; we need to make him want to stay!"
Kaijin's words brought a stark realization to everyone.
In this world where the strong prey on the weak, they had no choice. Relying on a strong protector was their best option.
The hesitant elders no longer objected.
Five minutes later...
Kaisei and Kaijin, along with all the villagers of Daikoku Island, knelt before Natsuhane. Kaisei, bowing his head, loudly proclaimed, "Natsuhane, Kaijin, and I, along with all the villagers, petition for you to become the new daimyo of the Land of the Sea, for a better future for all of us!"
Kaisei's voice echoed through the area, even surprising Natsuhane.
"Keeping these two alive was a good decision. They managed to rally everyone to my side so quickly..."
Natsuhane felt pleased but maintained his usual serious demeanor. "Very well, you may rise. I accept your petition."
The crowd stood up and shouted in unison, "Welcome, Daimyo-sama!"
"Hmm..." Natsuhane scanned the crowd, frowning slightly. "Why are there so few villagers?"
Kaisei sighed heavily. "Daimyo-sama, the population of the Land of the Sea is already small. What you see here is almost everyone on Daikoku Island..."
"There's still some population on Jiro Island, but no one lives on the main island or Ghost Island due to past dangers. But now, thanks to you, those islands are safe again. Over time, our population will grow..."
Natsuhane shook his head. "Growing slowly won't do. Now that I'm daimyo, we need to quickly build up our strength. This land is too vast for so few people..."
"Uh, Daimyo-sama, what do you suggest...?"
"It's simple. Whether it's a nation or a clan, the quickest way to grow stronger is tried and tested..."
"What method?"
"Have children! Lots of them! Everyone should procreate!"
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