novel-bin Chapter 411 Acquaintances
Chapter 411 Acquaintances
Chapter 411 Acquaintances
"I successfully met Itachi; thankfully, they weren't moving too fast." Shisui's voice was slightly ethereal, but it sounded cheerful. "I used the follow-up appointment as an excuse again, and Itachi agreed. They'll be going with us to the next location. However, even I can't hold them off for long."
"As long as we prevent them from attacking the Fire Temple from both sides, we can handle two of them." Naruto's answer was quite confident.
"Heh, don't come begging to us for help later." Tobirama scoffed, his behavior somewhat odd.
"Naruto, if things really come to a head, just run away. Don't worry about the Daimyo's life or death; it might be easier if he's dead." Izuna indiscriminately hated anyone who was bad for ninjas.
"Um... let's not do it. We finally managed to negotiate some terms..." Fugaku weakly advised.
"Of course we can't let the Daimyo die now. Who knows what kind of person his successor will be?" Naruto desperately didn't want to recall that guy and decisively refused. "Don't worry, those two just have special abilities; they're basically no threat to me."
"If all else fails, I'll just throw a Truth-Seeking Ball. Surely being blasted to smithereens doesn't mean you can revive?"
"Yeah, that move is really good. Remember not to throw it into the temple." Hashirama agreed.
There's a saying: "An army marches on its stomach." In Hui's case, it means: "Never engage in a battle of chance!"
Before the battle, gather intelligence; there's plenty of support outside the arena, and you must be ready to provide support at any time during the battle. Only a fool would ignore their backup forces and insist on a one-on-one duel!
After confirming that Itachi and Kisame's target didn't seem to be the Fire Temple, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and refocused his energy on the guard duty. So far, the Daimyo hadn't approached him directly; he'd only briefly met the Perverted Sage, and even the liaison work with the ninjas was handled by his subordinates.
However, this subordinate is someone I know.
"Naruto-kun, it's been almost three years since we last met. You've changed so much!"
"Lord Kobayashi is too kind. I should grow taller."
"Don't be so formal. Just call me Kuancheng. I didn't hear you call me that last time."
The person responsible for the daimyo's safety is naturally someone deeply trusted by the daimyo, so it's not surprising that Kobayashi Hirozumi would take on this important task.
"It was I who strongly recommended you to the daimyo. Even though we haven't seen each other for a long time, your name still occasionally reaches the daimyo's residence."
Kanzumi's expression was quite sincere, and Naruto's repeated searches yielded no trace of Black Zetsu. This was unexpected, but Naruto was always skeptical of what people he didn't trust said. Who knew if this was a test from the Daimyo?
"Huh? I was just following the Hokage's instructions step by step. I never expected it to turn out like this." Naruto scratched the back of his head, perfectly embodying the child who was clearly happy after being praised but insisted on keeping a straight face.
Kuan Cheng believed him and laughed a few times, saying, "Naruto-kun, you mustn't underestimate yourself. Those missions were probably impossible for anyone else to complete. These honors are rightfully yours."
For some reason, Kuan Cheng seemed to really enjoy chatting with him. Whenever he was free, Kuan Cheng would immediately come over. Moreover, their conversations consisted mainly of mutual compliments when they met, and Kuan Cheng would ramble on about his political achievements over the past few years, as if he desperately wanted to be affirmed.
When it comes to government decrees, Naruto listens attentively. Kanzumi truly carried out his ideals to the end, making many radical changes to protect people's livelihoods. However, these changes were somewhat detached from reality, so the results were not ideal.
Moreover, it was precisely because of his radicalism that he affected the interests of many people, and his image changed from a spirited major general to an eccentric figure ostracized by the court. The contrast was so stark that it was truly lamentable. Fortunately, the Grand Commandant still trusted him and was willing to protect him; otherwise, he might not have even been able to keep his position.
"Can you tell me what the current situation is of the people who are opposing you?" The political struggles in the Land of Fire have never stopped, and "Hui's" intelligence can't be accurate about everyone's situation; it can only keep a firm grasp of the general direction. Naruto intuitively sensed the strangeness in the Daimyo's behavior and immediately got to the point.
Kanzumi, who was filled with gratitude towards the daimyo, hadn't thought about it in detail before, but after reviewing the situation, he realized something was wrong. It seemed that the most vocal people had either been dismissed or exiled. Few of those who had spoken up for him fared well either; some were demoted because of their families, while others were found to have problems themselves, and were imprisoned while also having their property confiscated and being ordered to pay compensation.
“This is probably a problem with their family values; it was bound to come to light sooner or later,” Kuan Cheng said.
Naruto was a little speechless, and then asked, "Do you still have any colleagues you can talk to?"
Kuan Cheng blinked and looked at him.
"...I mean, your colleagues in the capital."
"Um... do my subordinates count?"
Naruto was so angry he laughed. He had initially thought this kid was a talented individual with the potential of the Chen family, but it turned out he was just a fool who was being used as a shield and was happily working for the instigator.
"Never mind, I didn't ask." What's it to him? Why should he meddle in the affairs of the Land of Fire? The more intense the fighting in the court, the better. Once it's over, the daimyo will probably have all the power in his hands, and when the next generation takes the throne, that guy will dare to use government funds as leverage to boss him around...
Kuan Cheng probably sensed that his smile wasn't one of praise, and cautiously asked, "Um... what do you think of my performance?"
"Your decree?"
"Yes! Do you think that if they continue to implement these measures, it will benefit the people?"
"Excuse my bluntness, but I suggest you check the accounts first." Naruto's answer was always so unconventional. "It is indeed convenient to distribute money, but it is also easy for someone to tamper with it."
"Why don't you pick a day, go alone, pretend to be an ordinary passerby, and wait outside your shelter to see what kind of people are collecting money?"
That's all Naruto could say; any deeper and he'd expose himself. Kindness is a good thing, but it's also the easiest thing to be exploited. He could only wish Kanzumi good luck.