Chapter 26: The Tempted Daimyo

Staring at the eerie mask, confusion slowly gathered on the Daimyo's forehead.

Could this voice truly be coming from within the mask?

But how could a mask possibly speak?

Just then, that alluring voice sounded once more.

"Stop looking; it is I who am speaking."

Upon hearing the voice again, the Daimyo's pupils instantly contracted, and he drew in a sharp breath through his teeth.

And for some reason.

The moment he laid eyes on the mask, an impulse surged within the Daimyo's heart to place it upon his own face.

Subsequently, the Daimyo crouched down, poked the mask, and asked softly:

"Who are you? Why have you appeared here?"

Hearing the Daimyo's question, a bewitching voice emanated from the mask.

"You need not know who I am; you only need to know that I am here to help you."

Upon hearing these words, the Daimyo paused slightly in surprise.

"Help me?"

Then, the Daimyo let out a cold laugh.

"What help could you possibly offer me? I am the Daimyo of the Land of Fire; is there anything I do not possess? Would I still need your help?"

After the Daimyo finished speaking, the bewitching voice sounded once again.

"Oh? Are you certain?"

"Are you certain you can obtain everything? Then do you possess ninjutsu? Do you have chakra? Can you control the Hidden Leaf Village?"

These few questions from the mask completely stumped the Daimyo.

Indeed, these questions struck at the pain points shared by himself and all previous Daimyos.

Simultaneously, upon hearing these words, the Daimyos of every nation were pondering these very questions at that moment.

Like the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, they too lacked chakra and could not control the ninja villages within their nations; this was the pain in their hearts.

Hearing this question from the mask.

Almost every village leader immediately dispatched ninja under their command.

They ordered them to go to the capital and tell their respective Daimyos to absolutely not fall under the bewitchment of this object.

At the same time, they secretly cursed the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, wishing him to die quickly.

Within the Hidden Stone Village.

Watching the Daimyo being tempted by the mask on the light screen, Onoki knitted his brows tightly.

This fellow is far too skilled at temptation; his words make even Onoki want to put this mask on his own face.

In Onoki's view, the degree of terror posed by this mask far exceeded that of the previous two.

Inside the light screen.

Upon hearing these questions from the mask, the Daimyo paused slightly in surprise, then immediately stood up in anger.

"Bastard! You dare attempt to sow discord between myself and the Hokage!"

"Let me tell you! The Hokage and I are close, friendly partners! So what if I lack ninjutsu?"

"I believe the ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village will surely guarantee my safety!"

Hearing the Daimyo's words, the Third outside the light screen paused slightly in surprise.

Had he misunderstood the Daimyo?

Did the Daimyo truly trust him so deeply?

However, the very next moment, the words spoken by the mask caused the Third to freeze instantly on the spot.

The mask spoke to him with an extremely mocking tone:

"Heh, close, friendly partners? Daimyo, do you even believe the words you just said yourself?"

Hearing the mask's mocking tone, the Daimyo, seemingly struck at his weak point, immediately retorted:

"You bastard! Do you have any idea what you are saying!"

As if mocking the Daimyo's impotent rage, a hearty burst of laughter actually emerged from within the mask:

"Hahaha! Of course I know exactly what I am saying right now."

"Daimyo, shall I expose the fact that you secretly sent people to the Hidden Leaf Village to steal ninjutsu, and supported those who defected from the Hidden Leaf Village?"

Upon hearing the mask's voice.

Inside the Hidden Leaf Village, the Third's eyes widened instantly.

The Third had originally thought he had previously misunderstood the Daimyo.

Yet he never expected that the man would actually send people to the Hidden Leaf Village to steal ninjutsu, and even shelter missing-nin from the Hidden Leaf Village!

This made the Third furious.

Simultaneously, inside the light screen.

Hearing that the mask could reveal matters he had kept so secret.

The Daimyo was so frightened he collapsed to the ground, raising a trembling finger to ask:

"Y... Who exactly are you! How do you know so many things!"

Subsequently, only a highly bewitching voice was heard emanating from the mask.

"I already said, I am here to help you."

"I have already learned every ninjutsu in this world; as long as you wear me, I can help you become the most powerful ninja in the world."

"By that time, you will no longer need to rely on the strength of the Hidden Leaf Village; you could even annihilate the Hidden Leaf Village and make all ninja your subordinates!"

"You can mass-produce ninja and unify the entire ninja world."

"Even better, you can achieve immortality!"

Upon hearing this, the Daimyo, who had been utterly terrified, suddenly calmed down.

And amidst the mask's bewitching voice, the Daimyo's face grew redder and his excitement mounted.

To become the strongest ninja in the world, to unify the ninja realms, to live forever!

Each of these phrases constantly tempted him, drawing him step by step closer to the mask.

At the same time.

Outside the light screen.

The common people were all discussing whether the Daimyo of the Land of Fire would reach out and take the mask.

Meanwhile, the Daimyos of the various nations were acting as if possessed.

In the Land of Water.

"Quick! Mobilize the troops for me! I will attack the Land of Fire!"

The Daimyo of the Land of Water, upon seeing that the mask spoke of dispatching an army to attack the Land of Fire and seize the occupied mask, reacted thus.

In the Land of Lightning.

"Mobilize the troops! Mobilize them for me; I will attack them!"

Similarly, the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning went completely mad upon witnessing this scene.

Had his lower ministers not firmly held him back, the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning would likely have already led his troops to the Land of Fire.

After all, the temptation of unifying the ninja world and achieving immortality was immense.

Simultaneously, within Konoha.

When this scene appeared, many lower-ranking genin and even some chunin below became extremely agitated, having felt the mask's bewitchment.