Watching Sachinobu remain silent and obediently follow orders, Antares gave a satisfied nod and said, "Good. Just maintain your stance like this. We are not here to kill or assassinate you; our purpose is simply to speak with you in secret. Now, Makima will remove the kunai from your neck. You only need to stay calm and still. Do not attempt anything foolish. If you do, I promise you will die—without question. And not only you; everyone in this mansion will be slaughtered as well."
Sachinobu nodded immediately upon hearing the threat from Antares and replied, "Yes, I will cooperate fully." As soon as the words left his mouth, he had already begun to piece things together. From their sudden appearance and composed demeanor, he could easily infer the identities of the two intruders. He was certain they were members of the Uzumaki clan, and their presence here could only mean one thing—they had discovered the involvement of the Land of Sea with Kirigakure in the attempt to create chaos in the Uzumaki village during the celebration of its reestablishment.
After removing the kunai from the Daimyo's neck, Makima quietly took a seat beside Antares, both of them settling onto the cushion seats directly opposite Sachinobu. The tension in the room remained heavy, but the immediate threat of violence had momentarily subsided.
Antares was the first to speak. "With your intelligence, you must have already guessed that we are from the Uzumaki clan. We are here because of the matter you were just discussing with your subordinate a moment ago—that your eldest brother conspired with Kirigakure to bring harm upon our village. This act has greatly displeased my Onii-chan, and we have come to deliver punishment to the Daimyo of the Land of Sea for this audacity."
Sachinobu nodded after hearing this. He wasn't particularly surprised, as he had already suspected something like this even before Antares opened his mouth.
Although he was fully aware that, in terms of strength, he was no match for the two seated before him, years of holding authority had tempered his nerves. The initial panic that had seized him under Makima's killing intent gradually faded away, and a composed calmness returned to his face. Looking toward Antares and Makima, he finally asked in a steady tone, "So, what exactly are you going to do?"
Antares replied, "I won't go in circles with you, so I'll be direct. After conducting our investigation, we discovered that both of the Daimyo's younger brothers—you, Sachinobu, and your middle brother, Takeda Harunobu—are eager to seize the position of Daimyo for yourselves. Since you stand against the Land of Water, it is in our best interest to align with you. The Uzumaki are willing to assist you in ascending to the position of Daimyo, but in return, we seek the alliance of the Land of Sea. We promise you our friendship and protection. You will never have to fear retaliation from the Land of Water. We, the Uzumaki, will shield you from any threat they pose. Even if the Daimyo of the Land of Water wishes to retaliate against you, we will stand by your side and protect you."
After hearing Antares's proposal, Sachinobu gave a faint sneer before responding, "So, you're here to become another Land of Water for us? What I oppose is not the Land of Water itself, but our subservience to it—as if the Land of Sea were merely a vassal under their control. That is not who we are. We are an independent nation, with our own will and our own path. And you Uzumaki seem to share that same ambition."
Antares was not particularly surprised by Sachinobu's words. He said calmly,
"I understand what you mean, but we are not here to force you into submission or to make you serve us unwillingly.
Let's be honest. You see my sister here? She has a very peculiar ability — one that allows her to control anyone with her will. Any living being, whether it is a person, an animal, or any creature that is inferior to her, will become completely obedient, as if they were her slave.
If our intention had been to make the Land of Sea our vassal, I could have simply ordered Makima to take control of you. You would then have been bound to our will, following every command without hesitation, doubt, or question. I can guarantee that completely.
But we are not here to act in that way. Our presence here is proof of our sincerity. We are giving you a chance, a choice, to speak and decide for yourselves.
Honestly speaking, I admit that it would have been far easier, far more efficient, to simply control you and use all the resources of the Land of Sea for our own gain, enriching ourselves in the process. Yet my Onii-chan is not such a ruthless person. He has a kind heart, especially toward ordinary people, common folk who do not deserve cruelty.
If a battle arose against an entire army of shinobi, he is more than capable of slaughtering them all without the slightest hesitation or second thought. But when it comes to harming the innocent people of any country, he cannot bring himself to do so.
That is precisely why we are here today — to speak with you, to reason, and to extend a hand of friendship between the Land of Uzumaki and the Land of Sea. If we become allies, we can cooperate in many ways, grow together, and support each other. That is the true reason we stand before you, offering this opportunity for understanding and mutual prosperity."
Sachinobu was visibly stunned by Antares' words. At the same time, a wave of fear washed over him, and his back was slick with cold sweat. If even an ounce of what Antares had said was true, then the implications were terrifying. Refusing Antares' offer of cooperation could very well mean losing his autonomy entirely — becoming a puppet of the Land of Uzumaki, forced to act according to their will, stripped of his free choice.
Antares had spoken of friendship, claiming he wished to build a bond between the Land of Uzumaki and the Land of Sea. Yet by revealing the terrifying scope of his sister's abilities, he had simultaneously delivered a thinly veiled threat. It was an open conspiracy, one that Sachinobu could neither ignore nor easily counter. The realization settled over him like a heavy shadow, leaving him both awed and deeply unsettled.
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