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375 Adopted by the Second Hokage!
🕑 Added 2025-11-20 06:14:01 +0000 UTC"Danzo, did we… cause a disaster?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the scene inside the grand hall, muttering to himself.
Everything Renya had done completely overturned the ninja principles he had upheld for over twenty years.
Even those desperate rogue-nin and bounty hunters would never consider targeting the Daimyō.
But Renya actually intended to kill the Daimyō and replace him with another.
It was simply—simply…
He no longer knew what words could describe Renya's actions.
Danzo shot him a glare before turning his gaze back toward the Daimyō in the center of the hall.
Although Renya's behavior was shocking, Danzo had already expected the outcome.
Why else would he have insisted Renya come along?
Wasn't it precisely to kill with a borrowed knife?
For the sake of the village's smooth development, what was one Daimyō's death?
Even if such treasonous behavior would be condemned by the world—
As long as no one knew, then it didn't matter.
And even if it were exposed one day, at worst, he would shoulder all the blame alone.
For the village's future—so what if people cursed him?
It was nothing.
"Don't kill me! I—I'm willing to donate three hundred million ryō to Konoha every month for free!"
"No—no, one billion ryō!"
The Daimyō begged desperately as he watched Renya slowly approach, blade in hand.
"Fool. If I kill you, all the Daimyō's estate will naturally belong to me."
Renya's words drained what little color remained in the Daimyō's pale face.
It made perfect sense—so much so that he couldn't even refute it.
If he died, then the money would indeed belong entirely to Konoha.
No! I can't die!
The Daimyō snapped back to his senses and hurriedly fell to his knees, kowtowing frantically.
To say he was crying rivers was not an exaggeration.
Such a pathetic sight could no longer be linked in any way to the lofty figure he had been moments ago.
Tap… tap… tap—
Renya's approaching footsteps echoed through the hall.
Each step landed like a stomp on the Daimyō's beating heart.
The kneeling Daimyō saw a pair of feet stop before him—his terror reached its peak.
"Tsk, Daimyō-sama." Renya's mocking voice came from above.
"Where did that lofty attitude from earlier go?"
"N–Ninja-sama, I was wrong! I was truly wrong!"
"Please… please spare me!"
"The Daimyō's estate will double its financial support to Konoha from now on—"
"Danzo… maybe we should have Renya stop," Hiruzen whispered.
"Idiot! Things have come to this point and you still want him to stop?" Shimura Danzo glared at him with irritation.
Did he not understand what it meant when the arrow was already nocked?
Fortunately, Tobirama-sensei never let an idiot like him become Hokage—otherwise Konoha would decline sooner or later.
Hearing that, Hiruzen silently closed his eyes.
He didn't dare watch what was about to happen.
He understood Danzo was right—the situation was already beyond saving.
Only by killing the Daimyō completely could the impact be minimized.
But Renya's behavior shattered the ninja mindset he had been raised with since childhood.
"Konoha's Renya humbly requests Daimyō-sama to take his own life."
Renya pulled a kunai from his tool pouch and tossed it before the Daimyō.
It stabbed upright into the ground.
The Daimyō shivered, and yellow liquid seeped from between his legs.
A pungent smell spread.
"Daimyō-sama, I intend to grant you a dignified death."
Renya instinctively stepped back a little and smiled.
"Pick up the kunai—and commit suicide."
The Daimyō's face was bloodless. He trembled as he lifted his head.
"C–Can… can I not die?"
"What do you think?" The smile on Renya's face gradually faded.
"I… uuuuu…"
Tears streamed uncontrollably down the Daimyō's face. His trembling hand grabbed the kunai's handle, struggling to pull it out.
But whether the kunai was lodged too deeply, or he was simply too terrified to muster strength—
He couldn't pull it free.
"I'll give you ten seconds," Renya said coldly. "Once time's up, I'll let you taste the most despairing death in the ninja world."
"Uuu… uuuuu…"
Terrified out of his mind, the Daimyō sobbed as he desperately tried to yank the kunai loose.
"Nine."
He gripped the kunai, pointing its tip at his own stomach—yet he didn't have the courage to act.
"Eight."
"Seven."
"Six."
"Five."
"Please! Don't kill me!" the Daimyō shrieked in total collapse.
Renya ignored him. The countdown continued.
"Four."
"Three."
This sort of countdown was pure torture.
Knowing he was about to die, yet being powerless to stop it—that kind of despair could drive anyone insane.
"Bastard! I'll fight you!"
At last, the Daimyō roared, twisting his wrist and thrusting the kunai toward Renya.
If he was going to die, he'd drag someone with him!
The ideal was bold—but reality was cruel.
Just as he moved, his left arm was severed.
"AAAAAH—!"
For the second time experiencing the agony of losing a limb, the Daimyō still writhed and rolled in pain across the floor.
His hateful gaze locked onto Renya.
"So Daimyō-sama wishes to experience the most despairing death in the ninja world."
Renya smiled, looking every bit like a lunatic.
It had to be said—ninjas more or less suffered from mental instability. Renya simply belonged to the more severe category.
"Enough, Renya!" Hiruzen opened his eyes. "Give him a quick end."
"Hiruzen, you're too much of a saint."
Renya curled his lip and ended the Daimyō's sinful life with a single slash.
Even upon death, the Daimyō still glared at Renya with hatred.
Renya, however, looked utterly indifferent.
Weak but wealthy people generally met such ends in the ninja world.
He simply had the title of Daimyō protecting him—nothing more.
Renya, who had long escaped the constraints of traditional ninja thinking, naturally had no reason to indulge such a man.
"Now that the Daimyō is dead, what should we do?" Hiruzen frowned.
At this point, he could only trust Renya.
"I already said—his death is fine. We just need a different Daimyō."
Renya's eyes fell on the several terrified maids curled together in a corner.
Seeing him look their way, their trembling intensified.
"Go summon the Daimyō's sons. I won't kill you."
The maids nodded tremblingly and hurried out of the hall.
"Remember—use the Daimyō's authority."
"W–We understand…"
"Renya, do you really plan to spare those maids?" Danzo frowned unhappily.
To prevent the matter from leaking, no witnesses could be left alive.
When cutting the grass, one must pull the roots as well.
"I promised them—I won't act," Renya said with a smile.
"Fine, I understand." Danzo nodded.
If Renya wouldn't do it, then he would have to.
Cruel as it was, it had to be done.
Before long, the maids returned with the Daimyō's sons.
More than ten of them entered at once—far more than expected.
Some were in their twenties, others only five or six.
"Father!"
As soon as they entered, they saw the ghastly scene and the Daimyō's corpse.
Realizing something was wrong, they immediately tried to flee—
But Danzo had already appeared silently at the doorway, blocking their escape.
