With Yicheng now firmly under their control, the Amamiya Clan finally held a true center of power. Trade could flourish, merchants could be taxed, and in time, Uiseong itself could blossom under their influence. The clan's shinobi, young and old alike, felt a surge of pride—Yicheng was theirs, and nothing could stop the rise of the Amamiya.
But power always attracts attention. Even though Kashiwagi Makoto and Amamiya Jane were gone, other small and mid-sized families in Uiseong were already moving, testing the waters. The immediate task was clear: secure every corner of Yicheng, declare it as Amamiya territory, and demonstrate that the clan's authority was absolute.
Patriarch Amamiya Gen was aware of the delicate balance. Some Kagenami Clan members had surrendered instead of being wiped out, unlike the Baimu remnants. What to do with them? Executions or forced labor were options, but the Amamiya mines were already full. For now, Gen held them in custody, knowing they could be useful later.
By dawn, the Amamiya Clan had completed their sweep. Ninjas patrolled every street, alley, and gate—Yicheng was entirely under their watchful eyes. Ordinary townsfolk and wandering ninja noticed the first signs early in the morning: a new banner fluttered over the city walls, marked with an unfamiliar family emblem.
Shock rippled through the streets. Yicheng had long been Baimu and Kagenami territory. Yet this morning brought an announcement: both rival clans had been annihilated by the Amamiya the night before. Yicheng now had a new master. The city's ninja were stunned—entire territories shifted hands in a single night, a reality even the boldest couldn't have imagined.
Local families began to stir. Some whispered plots; others calculated their odds.
"My lord is changing Yicheng's gates… does our family hope to claim it?" a short, nervous man asked a middle-aged man quietly.
"No. Our efforts here would be wasted," replied the elder.
This was Kaguya B, a scion of the great Kaguya Clan of the Land of Fire. Known as a formidable family in the Warring States, their shinobi could manipulate bone and body as weapons. Kaguya B oversaw trade in Uiseong, not conquest. The short man, disappointed, knew in the end, control would fall to Kaguya B—not him.
Meanwhile, smaller families began to reconsider. Some had hoped to test the Amamiya Clan's strength, but reports returned of the Baimu and Kagenami homes being reduced to ash. Any ideas of seizing Yicheng evaporated immediately. Only a handful of middle-class families still toyed with ambition.
One of these, the Koizumi family, gathered in a shadowed room.
"Ichiro, are you sure we can take Yicheng?" a brother whispered.
"Relax. The Amamiya Clan is tiny. They aren't our match. One decisive strike and we can crush them," Ichiro replied with disdain.
His older brother, Dalang, frowned. Yicheng offered no solid foundation to hold power, but the Amamiya did have experienced Jōnin and Chūnin. Dalang could only sigh at Ichiro's arrogance. Still, ambition burned in him. Tonight, he would scout the Amamiya Clan himself—test their defenses. If they proved weak, Koizumi would seize Yicheng. If not… they would retreat.
Night fell, and Dalang donned a black ninja suit, slipping through the shadows toward the Amamiya estate. What he didn't know: the clan had anticipated such moves and prepared layers of defenses to catch spies and attackers alike.
No sooner had Dalang stepped onto the property than a shout rang out:
"Enemy intrusion!"
From the darkness, Amamiya ninjas emerged, encircling him. Dalang froze, caught entirely off guard. His careful stealth had failed—he'd walked straight into their trap.