The Hokage building was undergoing further renovations, gradually transforming into a grand palace.
Uchiha Shin remained at home, pushing all recent affairs onto Tsunade. Unifying the Land of Fire wasn't just about assassinating the daimyo. The country was vast, with numerous lords, generals, and officials spread across various cities and villages. True domination required more than brute force.
The military aspect posed no issues, but the primary challenges lay in communication and infrastructure.
A country's ability to maintain its rule depended largely on the speed of information transmission.
Even after eliminating a considerable number of the opposition, the total number of Konoha's ninja was still only in the thousands. Killing the daimyo and his generals was the easy part—managing the cities and controlling the populace afterward was the real challenge.
Uchiha Shin needed to establish signal towers and roads to ensure long-term stability and governance.
There was no rush. After all, Uchiha Madara and the Sage of Six Paths were still watching the shinobi world from the shadows. Whether he liked it or not, Uchiha Shin had to consider them in his plans.
To be honest, Madara himself wasn't much of a concern anymore. What worried Shin was the Sage of Six Paths. No one knew where the old bastard was hiding, and yet, he was always watching. In the original events, he had raised both Naruto and Sasuke's powers to Six Paths level.
Even as a soul, his strength was nothing to underestimate.
Although he rarely interfered directly, there was no telling if he would make an exception this time.
Shin sighed to himself.
"At the very least, I need to reach the Six Paths level as my base strength instead of relying on the Eight Gates for temporary power."
Sitting comfortably at home, he carefully planned his next steps.
At that moment, the keypad phone in his pocket buzzed.
This was one of the many technological advancements from his Research Division, a group composed of the best scientific minds in the village. If they could eventually launch signal satellites, remote communication would become effortless.
Shin answered the call, and Tsunade's voice came through.
"Something's happened. Get over here."
Before she even finished speaking, Shin disappeared from his spot, reappearing beside her in an instant.
Hanging up the phone, he turned to face her. Tsunade, now wearing a more modern and form-fitting outfit, stretched, accentuating her already stunning figure.
"This communicator of yours is really something."
"It's called a mobile phone," Shin corrected with a smirk. "Alright, what's so urgent?"
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Tsunade's waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her plush, curvaceous body pressed against him, filling his senses with her intoxicating scent.
"Cut it out~ I'm being serious."
Though her words protested, she made no real effort to resist.
Shin's hand wandered upward, cupping her ample chest as he grinned. "Can't you talk like this?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes but leaned into him slightly. The snug fabric of her uniform clung to her form, emphasizing her gravity-defying assets.
Neither of them seemed particularly concerned about the laws of physics at the moment.
Sighing, she finally spoke, "The daimyo of the Land of Fire sent his minister."
Shin raised an eyebrow.
"He also sent an envelope and dozens of chests filled with gold and jewels as apology gifts. Apparently, his minister convinced him to take action against you. Now he's throwing him under the bus, fully supporting your position as the Fourth Hokage."
Tsunade smirked, enjoying Shin's reaction. "The minister has been delivered to you for punishment. The daimyo hopes it'll appease your wrath."
Shin exhaled slowly before chuckling darkly. "Appease me? He's just trying to buy time."
Tsunade turned slightly, tracing a delicate finger along Shin's jawline. Her golden eyes glimmered with amusement.
"So, what's your move? Play along for now? Negotiate peace? Or just ignore him?"
She had spent enough time at his side to understand his mindset. Lulling the enemy into a false sense of security was a valid strategy. But she also knew that diplomacy wasn't really his style.
Without hesitation, Shin answered, "Kill him."
"Figured," she murmured with a smirk.
Shin scoffed. "Like I need his approval. If the daimyo hadn't pulled this stunt, I would've ignored him for a while longer. I have bigger things to deal with than some decadent fool sitting on a throne."
But now? Now, the daimyo had forced himself into Shin's line of sight.
Conquering the Land of Fire was inevitable. The sooner its capital fell, the easier things would be. The daimyo's cowardly attempt to shift blame changed nothing.
"For now, our first target is the capital of the Land of Fire."
Having made his decision, Shin wasted no time.
That night, before the Konoha ninja army could even mobilize, he alone set out for the daimyo's palace.
Originally, Shin hadn't cared much about capturing the capital. The daimyo's pathetic attempts at resistance were laughable.
But Shin was petty.
Before Konoha's army even arrived, he wanted the pleasure of breaking the daimyo himself.
Word of Konoha's movement reached the daimyo's ears within hours.
It was intentional—Shin wanted the fool to stew in terror.
"He's coming! He's really coming!"
The daimyo's frantic screams echoed through his palace.
"What do I do?! Where are the envoys?! Where are the envoys from the other nations?! They need to save me! I am the daimyo of the Land of Fire!"
His face was drenched in sweat, his entire body trembling in panic.
His samurai guards exchanged nervous glances, reluctant to speak. Finally, one brave soul stepped forward.
"Daimyo… the messengers we sent out… they responded."
The daimyo's bloodshot eyes snapped to him. "Well?! What did they say?!"
The samurai swallowed hard before muttering, "They… refused. No one is coming."
Silence.
For a brief moment, the daimyo said nothing. Then, his eyes widened in horror.
"N-No… No, no, no, NO! That's not possible!"
He clutched his robes, his breathing ragged. Three thousand elite ninja had perished in that last battle. The other nations had felt that loss. The once chaotic shinobi world had fallen into a tense, uneasy peace.
Uchiha Shin had terrified them all.
And now, not a single daimyo dared lift a finger to help the fool who sat on the throne of the Land of Fire.
As he collapsed onto the floor, trembling, a shadow loomed over the palace.
The Hokage had arrived.
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