Konan didn't say anything; she simply gave Itsuki a hug, holding him tightly in her arms.
She pampered Itsuki like this, to the point where he missed her intensely if he didn't see her for a while.
To Konan, life had always been tough since childhood.
She only had three loved ones in her entire life.
Yahiko died.
Jiraiya was half an enemy—she couldn't afford to get too close to him.
Nagato, on the other hand, was always lost in darkness. Although they were family, something always felt missing.
Itsuki was different!
He had truly entered Konan's world.
With two lifetimes to his name, even though his combat skills were lacking in the first one, when it came to dealing with women, it was as if he were fighting on an entirely different level.
Because of this...
Itsuki was now Konan's hope in life.
He took up 90% of her life!
The last 10% was reserved for Nagato, her family member—she had to leave a bit for him.
Itsuki thought, "I do mind, though. Gotta find a time to deal with him!"
…
The person stopping Itsuki from leaving and demanding to see him immediately was an ordinary person.
But!
He looked at the people of Hidden Fire Village with arrogance, like he was above them all.
Strangely enough, even people like Fugaku showed an attitude of complete deference.
The person snorted and said, "Shinobi these days are losing all sense of propriety."
Itsuki looked at the man, a bit helpless.
Here we go!
Another absurdity of the shinobi world.
This guy was just an ordinary person, so why was he acting so high and mighty?
Because he was a daimyo's emissary.
He represented the daimyo.
Yes, the daimyo of the human nobility.
Honestly, Itsuki couldn't understand it.
Why did the shinobi of the shinobi world hold the daimyo in such high regard?
They completely acted as if they were the daimyo's subordinates.
Not just Sarutobi Hiruzen, even Senju Hashirama had great respect for the daimyo.
Why?
Wasn't he just an ordinary person?
Or could it be, as the legends said, that the nobility had the bloodline of the gods?
I honestly can't see it.
To me, it just looks like I could punch them out with a single hit!
If I had Susano'o, I'd even be careful not to step on them by accident.
And don't give me that "funding" nonsense.
Yes!
War costs a lot for shinobi, and funding is needed from each country.
Itsuki wanted to ask, "If I demanded it, would they dare not to fund me?"
If they could just be tools, why make them masters?
So!
Itsuki tilted his head, thoroughly examining the daimyo's emissary from head to toe.
The emissary looked uncomfortable under Itsuki's gaze and yelled, "What are you looking at?"
"Oh, just seeing if there's anything special about you."
Itsuki replied casually.
And then he felt something was off.
"Did you just yell at me?"
Itsuki pointed to his own nose, staring at the emissary in disbelief.
Uchiha Itsuki was used to being yelled at.
Be it from the Uchiha clan, Konoha, or other shinobi villages—many people yelled at him.
But those people, to be fair, had been provoked by him.
Who the heck are you?
"Screw this!"
*Bang!*
Without thinking, Itsuki threw a punch.
It landed squarely on the guy's nose.
"Ugh!"
The emissary flew several meters back, landing like a rag doll on the ground, stunned, with blood gushing out.
Everyone else was also dumbfounded.
"Stop!"
Fugaku quickly shouted, "Lord Mokukage, what are you doing?"
"Beating him up!" Itsuki said unhappily. "Can't you all see? Are you blind!?"
"You, you..." Fugaku was stunned. "How could you hit the daimyo's emissary? He represents the daimyo!"
"So what if he represents the daimyo?"
Itsuki sneered, "The daimyo is just an ordinary person. If he dares yell at me, I'll hit him too! Damn, does he think he's Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara?"
"This is outrageous, outrageous!"
The daimyo's emissary, having come to his senses, clutched his nose and trembled in fury, as if utterly humiliated, "Are you trying to rebel!?"
"When was I ever under the daimyo's command? I wasn't aware of it."
Itsuki squinted his eyes, saying, "I'm an Uchiha, one of the founders of Hidden Fire Village. What does this have to do with the daimyo?"
The emissary said, "The land beneath your feet is the land of the Land of Fire."
"The land beneath my feet is the land of Hidden Fire Village!"
Itsuki said disdainfully, "If I say it's mine, then it's mine. Not convinced? Then send troops and fight me!"
"Mokukage!!"
The emissary shouted, "Do you intend to declare war on the Land of Fire!?"
"Yes!"
Itsuki gave a cold smile, "I'm declaring war on the Land of Fire. Tomorrow, I'll take a thousand shinobi to attack the Land of Fire—get ready."
Everyone present was stunned.
Fugaku swallowed, "Lord Mokukage, are you serious?"
"Of course!"
Itsuki sneered, "Dare to act arrogant in front of me? Damn it, do I owe them something? All of them, need a good beating!"
"You, you..." The emissary was furious, "How dare you disrespect the daimyo?"
"Lord Mokukage!"
Fugaku and others tried to reason with him.
Itsuki was puzzled, "I just don't get it—he's just an ordinary person, no, not even as good as an ordinary person, so why are you all acting so subservient?"
Those nobles of the Land of Fire were all weakened by indulgence; they really were no better than ordinary people. Why were Fugaku and the others so afraid?
"This, this... he's the daimyo, he, he..."
Fugaku and the others couldn't explain.
It seemed like, from the very beginning, respecting the daimyo was instinctual, just natural.
Looking at the trembling emissary, Itsuki sneered.
"Get lost. Tomorrow, I'll personally lead the shinobi and attack your Land of Fire. I'll take down a city, and all the nobles will be executed."
"You dare!"
The emissary yelled, "We are nobility."
Itsuki looked at him, smiling kindly, "You think I don't dare? Get out!"
Two Anbu members appeared and dragged the emissary away.
Itsuki turned to Fugaku, "Gather a thousand shinobi. I'm going to the Land of Fire's capital for a visit."
"Lord Mokukage, are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Itsuki's voice rose sharply.
At the same time, an astonishing aura emanated from him, scaring Fugaku into silence.
Although Itsuki still didn't act seriously...
He was the Mokukage!
No matter how awkward that title was, it put him on par with the Kage of the Five Great Nations.
He was the supreme leader of Hidden Fire Village.
To question or provoke him was to seek death.
"As you command!"
Fugaku bowed slightly, "But please allow me to explain the pros and cons of this."
"No need!"
Itsuki waved his hand dismissively, "I'll kill the Land of Fire's daimyo and have his son take over. Hidden Fire Village is in need of a lot of supplies anyway. I think he'll provide them for me."
Who would say no to more money?
"This, this..."
Fugaku and the others were dumbstruck once again.
Is this really how it's done?
Setsuna quietly asked, "What if his son refuses?"
"Then I'll keep killing! I hear the daimyo has quite a few sons."
Itsuki said casually, "Someone's bound to be willing to listen, right?"
(End of this chapter)