Orochimaru froze on the spot.
His mind went blank.
Farming?
That word had long been erased from his world the moment he became a shinobi.
That was the work of civilians, those who faced the earth with their backs to the sky, struggling for a few mouthfuls of food.
He, on the other hand, was one of the Legendary Sannin.
His hands were meant for forming hand seals, for dissection, for exploring the mysteries of life.
And now, this man actually wanted him to research ways to increase crop yields?
It was more absurd than killing him outright.
The absurdity was so great that Orochimaru wondered if he had misheard.
Or perhaps he had fallen into a genjutsu.
"I can do more valuable things than this."
Orochimaru's hoarse voice trembled as he tried to steady himself, forcing his words to sound firm.
"Assassination, war, intelligence… or, I can develop forbidden Ninjutsu weapons capable of destroying an entire village."
"These are my true value."
In his eyes, the desires of those in power were always the same.
Stronger armies, greater wealth, wider lands.
If he was being asked to research crops, it could only mean one thing. The Daimyo wanted to collect more taxes by increasing food output to fund a more extravagant life.
That was what all nobles were like.
Extravagant, indulgent, and endlessly greedy.
Arashi looked at Orochimaru's confused and incredulous expression and smiled.
"Do you think I'm asking you to do this just to squeeze more money from the farmers, so I can live like other nobles in luxury?"
Orochimaru said nothing.
But his thoughts were obvious.
Arashi shook his head slightly, pity flickering in his eyes as though he were looking at a primitive man.
"Ninja are ninja. You always see the world in such a simple, pitiful way."
Those words hit Orochimaru like a slap to the face.
Yet, he had no rebuttal.
He truly couldn't understand what other reason a Daimyo could have for caring about peasants covered in mud.
Arashi had no intention of explaining further.
Trying to lecture a scientific fanatic about what true foundations of livelihood meant was meaningless.
Orochimaru's use would not end with this task, but that would come later.
He didn't need Orochimaru to understand, only to obey.
For a brief moment, Arashi's thoughts wandered.
He remembered his previous life.
If he had been an ordinary man in his previous life, perhaps he would have only wanted to make his own family's life better.
Even after transmigrating, without the System, he might have simply adapted to this world quietly.
But now, he was the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
If he couldn't reshape this world according to his vision, then what was the point of his transmigration?
Position determines perspective.
He didn't mind improving the lives of those at the bottom, so long as it also secured his own interests.
Now, the fate of hundreds of millions of people in the Land of Fire rested in his hands.
Of course, he could ignore them. He could treat the commoners as livestock that paid taxes, as the previous Daimyo had done.
But he wouldn't.
A truly strong nation could not be built upon endless exploitation.
If even the lowest people couldn't fill their stomachs, then the ruler was a failure.
Of course, he didn't need to explain these grand ideals to Orochimaru.
Letting others guess his intentions was, in itself, a display of power.
"Saku."
Arashi's voice was calm.
The moment he spoke, a figure appeared silently beside him, kneeling on one knee as if he had been part of the air all along.
Orochimaru's pupils shrank once again.
When did this man appear?
His sharpened perception, refined through countless battles, hadn't detected the slightest sign of movement.
He had thought the Shadow Guard who had surrounded him earlier were the Daimyo's most elite forces.
But now, this new presence, undetectable even to him, appeared effortlessly.
Just how much power was hidden within this manor?
Even if he had broken through earlier, could he have really escaped? The thought sent a chill down Orochimaru's spine.
"Daimyo-sama." Aono Saku bowed his head, his voice steady.
Arashi pointed at Orochimaru. "From today onward, Orochimaru will serve as the Land of Fire's Special Chief Researcher."
"Whatever experimental materials he needs, whatever funds he requires, whatever personnel he asks for, you are to handle it. Grant his requests to the greatest extent possible."
"Yes!"
Aono Saku replied respectfully, then moved aside.
Arashi turned back to Orochimaru. "Once you complete the two tasks I've given you, you will receive everything you want."
"Now, follow him to choose your new laboratory."
He waved his hand.
"You may go."
Orochimaru looked deeply at Arashi.
From the strength this man had shown and his promises, he no longer wished to flee.
Perhaps following such a person would be far more interesting.
Thinking that, Orochimaru smiled faintly, excitement flickering in his golden eyes.
"Hehehe, as you command, Daimyo-sama."
Led by Aono Saku, Orochimaru turned and left.
Inside the bedchamber, the sweet incense in the censer had long burned out.
Mei knelt before the soft couch, motionless, though her muscles were tightly tensed.
Humiliation? Anger?
She had buried those emotions the moment Arashi disappeared and the three Shadow Guard appeared.
She was a shinobi.
An elite of the Hidden Mist Village.
In any desperate situation, the first thought should never be emotion, but survival.
Her mind raced.
The three guards, each with Chakra levels at Jōnin rank, surrounded her in a perfect triangle formation.
There were no blind spots.
Forcing her way out had a near-zero chance of success.
She mentally simulated countless escape routes and jutsu, rejecting them one after another.
Then suddenly, noise erupted outside the hall.
The sound of Ninjutsu clashing, the hiss of serpents, the rumble of rising earth walls.
A battle.
Someone was fighting the Daimyo's guards.
Soon after, a hoarse voice echoed faintly, yet clearly enough for her sharp ears.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Mei's eyes widened.
Orochimaru.
One of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru!
How could he be here?
Her shock quickly turned into joy.
If someone like Orochimaru was attacking, chaos would soon follow.
The manor's defenses would be drawn away.
It was her best chance to escape.
But the joy didn't last.
There was no sign of the roaring giant snakes she expected.
The Summoning Jutsu's massive Chakra fluctuation vanished abruptly.
Then, silence.
Complete silence.
Even Orochimaru's presence disappeared.
It was over.
That quickly?
How long had it been? One of the Legendary Sannin, defeated just like that?
A chill colder than before crept into her heart.
For the first time, Mei truly understood the power of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
Even Orochimaru couldn't shake him.
What was her own strength worth in comparison?
Escape?
To where?
Just as she fell into despair,
Creak.
The door of the hall opened.
Arashi stepped back inside.
The three Shadow Guard melted into the shadows once more, vanishing completely.
Only he and she remained.
Arashi walked to the couch and sat down as if nothing had happened.
He picked up the list of materials, glanced at it, and tossed it into the charcoal brazier at his feet.
The scroll caught fire instantly.
Watching the list slowly turn to ash, Arashi smiled faintly, his voice gentle yet playful.
"My beauty, have you been waiting long?"
"Come, let's continue."
His face still held that same relaxed, affectionate expression as before.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)