Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 161: Bitter Suffering for the People? That's Normal

Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared suddenly and disappeared just as suddenly.

It took Tazuna several seconds to come back to his senses, and then his expression drastically changed.

What had he just said?

And in front of a stranger?

Tazuna felt the urge to slap himself.

He was fully aware of the consequences of speaking rashly.

Especially when his words were so outrageous and rebellious.

Indeed, Tazuna had entertained thoughts of making the daimyo disappear.

After all, he had witnessed the fall of the once all-powerful Gato right before his eyes.

This made Tazuna realize one thing:

If a person is killed, they will die.

No matter how rich or noble.

Born and raised in the Land of Waves, and having devoted his life to it, Tazuna could not bear to see the country, which had just glimpsed hope, plunge back into the abyss.

However, he was ultimately an ordinary man.

Even if he hired the Leaf Village ninjas again, they would never draw their blades against someone like the daimyo.

So, he had muddled through until now.

Until he met Hagoromo Gengetsu.

Based on his past experiences with Team 7, Tazuna was certain that the person who had just spoken was a ninja.

But he didn't look like the ones hired by the daimyo.

Although he was unsure of the ninja's intentions, he hoped his words wouldn't leak out.

He was too old to flee, and if he were to die, he wanted it to be on the land he loved so deeply.

Tazuna could only hope for this.

As for the possibility of the ninja assassinating the daimyo, he hadn't considered it.

His thoughts were too rebellious, and there couldn't possibly be a ninja in the world who shared the same thoughts and conveniently appeared right beside him.

Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't immediately go looking for trouble with the daimyo.

After wandering around the area, he found two graves.

They were the graves of Momochi Zabuza and Haku, built by Team 7.

The graves were easy to find, mainly because Zabuza's executioner's blade was too conspicuous.

[Ding!]

[Main Mission: Operation in the Land of Waves (Completed)]

[After escorting Tazuna to the Land of Waves, the host and Team 7 discovered Tazuna's deceit about the mission's rank. Deciding to stay, they encountered Momochi Zabuza and Haku. Following battles, understanding, and mutual respect, it ended with the death of both.]

[Congratulations to the host on completing the mission. Unfortunately, due to the host's passive attitude, only the lowest grade reward can be given.]

[Mission Reward: Standard Chunin-level chakra; Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (44 seals version. It's complicated, but the process of performing seals is quite cool, isn't it?)]

As expected, after interacting with Tazuna, Zabuza, and Haku, the main quest had been completed with all key elements fulfilled.

However, the mission rating was low.

Although the system had a reputation for being untruthful, he indeed had not engaged Zabuza or Haku directly.

A modest reward was just that, modest.

Hagoromo Gengetsu was more concerned about the system's future rewards as the difficulty level increased over time.

For now, it seemed the system's timeline was still two years in the past, and he would need to continue completing main quests.

Since the system was currently silent, indicating no new mission triggers, Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't dwell on it further.

He turned his gaze to the executioner's blade.

Though he didn't understand why, as a Leaf Village ninja, Kakashi, who clearly knew the value of the blade, left it here instead of taking it back, nor worried about someone taking it.

Since he was here, he might as well take it.

While he wasn't personally interested in the blade, some of his subordinates would certainly appreciate it.

As for Haku's grave, he needed to maintain some dignity.

And so, it would stay as it was.

Taking the executioner's blade, Hagoromo Gengetsu vanished from Zabuza and Haku's graves.

In the newly renovated and expanded daimyo's mansion of the Land of Waves,

Thick wine aromas mingled with the sound of flutes and strings from morning till night.

The daimyo of the Land of Waves, who used to have a well-proportioned body, now sported an enormous belly, his eyes drunkenly watching as beautiful girls, collected from across the land, danced with forced smiles in the hall.

"Play the music! Keep dancing!"

The daimyo emptied his cup of fine wine, waved his hand excitedly, and shouted.

The dancing girls and musicians, exhausted, could only continue to please the daimyo.

"This is the life a daimyo should live!"

The daimyo burped and exclaimed joyfully.

When Gato was in power, life was unbearable.

A grand daimyo being threatened by a mere businessman was utterly humiliating.

After Gato's death, regaining control meant compensating for lost time.

Increased taxes! Forced labor! Seizing women!

One thing after another.

As for making the people of the Land of Waves suffer,

So be it.

This was entirely normal.

As the daimyo, he was the sky of the Land of Waves.

It was the people's duty to offer themselves for the daimyo's sake.

He felt quite benevolent for not stripping every household of their possessions.

The people could still eat, which made him feel like a pretty good ruler.

See, the leftovers from his banquets were given to the poor outside, not to wild dogs like a certain historical figure.

He felt he had done quite well.

So, how many should he take tonight?

The daimyo leered at the scantily clad dancers, contemplating whether to have them all at once or enjoy them slowly.

A voice suddenly spoke in his ear.

"The daimyo of the Land of Waves?"

"How dare you—"

In the middle of his revelry, the daimyo turned to see who was so audacious, but suddenly felt a cold kunai against his face, patting it insolently.

Not having entirely forgotten his survival instincts, the daimyo quickly changed his tone:

"Warrior, let's talk this out!"

Of course, it was Hagoromo Gengetsu who had appeared.

"Quite the hedonist, aren't you?"

He looked around, then asked the daimyo, "Do you have any heirs?"

"Huh?"

The daimyo was puzzled.

At that moment, the ninjas he had hired sensed something amiss and swiftly moved through the still-dancing girls to the daimyo's side.

"Quick! Kill the assassin!"

The daimyo, now overjoyed, shouted orders.

Unexpectedly,

Not only did the assassin remain calm, but even his hired ninjas seemed unaffected by his commands, remaining motionless.

Until Hagoromo Gengetsu, unhurriedly, turned his gaze toward the five arriving ninjas.

The five ninjas, dressed in the same uniform but in different colors, immediately knelt on one knee and respectfully said to Hagoromo Gengetsu:

"Nokizaru group, greets the clan leader!"