The last of the Ueshi clan's ninjas fell, and the Amamiya clan erupted in victorious cheers. The battle was over. The Ueshi clan had been utterly crushed. Raizen—still going by his covert name—watched as his clanmates celebrated, knowing that this victory would cement the Amamiya clan's dominance in the Warring States era. Absorbing the Ueshi clan's resources would make them stronger, more feared, and more influential.
After the battlefield was cleared, Raizen returned to the family estate, where Patriarch Amamiya Gen had gathered the clan at the gate. Even though the Ueshi residence had been destroyed before, this time, with every last ninja gone, the Ueshi clan had been completely wiped from the Warring States period. The Amamiya clan had finally achieved a true victory.
The cheers rang out again as Raizen entered. Clansmen celebrated the prosperity of their family and the success of their campaign. Once the revelry settled, Patriarch Gen convened a council to discuss the spoils. The greatest prize was the Tiannan ore vein, along with vast stocks of weapons and ninja resources. With these assets, the Amamiya clan could grow from a small family into a formidable mid-tier power within three years.
Amamiya Gen then brought up another pressing matter: two rival ninjas in the southeastern city of Yicheng—Kashiwagi Makoto and Jinen Takuto—were on the verge of open conflict over resource control. Normally, this would not concern the Amamiya clan, but the family's weapons were key trade goods in the city. A war between these two could disrupt commerce and the clan's new dependence on city trade. Gen worried over how to maintain fair arms dealings without offending either party.
Raizen reflected on this carefully. Peace had returned to the clan, but the Warring States period was far from stable. His goal—to end the chaos—could not be achieved overnight. To succeed, he would need more than raw chakra and combat skills; he needed strategy, administrative acumen, and political foresight. Only by mastering these could he hope to become a patriarch capable of guiding the Amamiya clan to true power.
Turning to Patriarch Gen, Raizen made his request. "I want to go to Uiseong to study firsthand—not to manage the family's business, but to understand it. As the young patriarch, I need this knowledge for the future."
Gen raised an eyebrow. "You mean you want to go to Uiseong and handle the clan's property there?"
"No," Raizen said firmly. "I'm not here to take over the business. I'm here to learn it, to understand its workings so that when my time comes, I can lead wisely."
Gen studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. Raizen's reasoning was sound. As young patriarch, he had to know the inner workings of the clan, not just its battlefield might. And so, the path to both war and wisdom lay ahead.