9.9 seconds.
A gray and white space, Linto's time alone.
Linto picked up Terumi Mei, Zabuza, and Kambara Hayato. He hesitated for half a second, then kicked Oda Ieyasu in the waist. He flew into the air and landed on top of Zabuza.
Linto couldn't let him die.
At least, he couldn't let Oda Ieyasu die during talks with him.
This was a complete and open plot.
As long as Linto and Oda Ieyasu left the meeting in front of everyone, the trap was set. Whether or not Linto actually killed Oda Ieyasu—
The blame for "killing a wise ruler who reduced taxes" would be put on Linto.
Even if it wasn't true, it would be believed.
Oda Ieyasu's death was just the first shot. As the bullet was fired, the entire Land of Water... no, probably not just the Land of Water, but the whole world would likely see "Awakened" people like Hori Masaji appearing one after another.
Even if Linto killed day and night, he wouldn't be able to kill them all.
Within a year, people wouldn't believe Linto's ideas. They'd be scared of "Awakening." Linto would go from being the creator of a new way of thinking to a simple criminal.
No one would listen to him anymore.
At that point, Linto would only have two choices:
Either start a war, kill everyone who disobeyed him, and become the new king.
Even if he could do that, because his ideas would be missing, Linto would just be a king under the old rules, still having to use business groups and officials to control the people.
Or give up his ideals and just be a strong person.
Both of these options are what the business groups and officials wanted, because they still had a place to live in either of those worlds.
After understanding everything, Linto looked at Oda Ieyasu frozen in time stop, still smiling.
"You're the first bullet that the business groups and officials behind you threw out, but... why?"
Linto felt like this wasn't Oda's plan.
With the spirit and talent that Oda Ieyasu had shown, he should have been able to think of other ways to fight back.
Throwing dirt with his life as the cost was...
Too much like a politician.
Linto sighed and stopped trying to figure it out for now. He called out Star Platinum and punched the barrier. After three punches, the red barrier had a crack in it.
He carried the four people out of the barrier's range and ran as fast as he could. Because he wasn't sure how much force the explosion from the crack in the barrier would have, Star Platinum picked up everyone they met and carried them.
9.9 seconds ended.
One by one, the servants and warriors fell to the ground and cried out in surprise. They looked around and realized that they were outside the lord's house. Then, they heard a loud explosion behind them.
Countless bricks and pieces flew high into the air, then fell down like meteors, hitting the ground with a clang. People ran around holding their heads, afraid of being knocked out by a brick.
"What happened!"
The ninja from the different ninja villages stood up and looked toward the burning fire.
They heard a lot of shouting outside. Some people were shouting to put out the fire, and others were shouting to save people, but most people were shouting—
"The lord is missing! Close down the capital!"
Kurenai left the party and jumped onto a roof. She saw the barrier that was almost completely destroyed.
Even from this far away, she could still feel the extremely strong Chakra coming from the red barrier.
"If that barrier hadn't been there to stop it, the entire lord's house would have been blown away by that explosion."
Not long ago, the Land of Water's lord, Oda Ieyasu, and Linto's group had left for secret talks. It had only been a short time, and now there was an explosion and someone was missing...
Kurenai felt her lips dry. Suddenly, someone else jumped onto the roof from the party hall.
It was Omoi from Kumogakure.
The two looked at each other and saw the same thought in each other's eyes—
"Is this Land of Water lord going to become the next Danzo/Raikage-sama?"
...
Capital City's outer area, a dark and empty street.
Oda Ieyasu slowly opened his eyes and met Zabuza's fierce eyes.
"Am I in hell?"
"You're not dead yet."
Zabuza said, reaching out his hand, "Besides, even if you were dead, if you got to see my handsome face, you'd be in heaven."
Oda Ieyasu grabbed Zabuza's hand and stood up. He looked at Linto, who was sitting on the side, and said, "It's no use saving me. From the moment the explosion happened, the person named Oda Ieyasu was already killed by Linto."
"That stain is like a ghost stuck to your back. The more you don't want people to see it, the more they'll look into the dirt behind you."
"You son of a—"
Zabuza got angry and grabbed Oda Ieyasu's collar.
"You're still alive. As long as I throw you in front of the lord's house, I can prove Linto's innocent."
"Ha!"
Oda Ieyasu laughed softly and patted Zabuza's hand, "What makes you say that I'm 'me'?"
There were so many ninja tricks, like Transformation Technique and Shadow Clone.
Who could prove that he was the lord and not a ninja in disguise?
Oda Ieyasu even knew that Linto had a strong Illusion Technique that could write "commands" into people's minds.
But even if that command had many limits, and even if Oda Ieyasu walked to the lord's house because of the command, opened his arms, and shouted, "Everyone look at me, I'm the lord," would those business groups and officials who pushed him to this point...
Believe it?
They had a hundred ways to make the real thing look fake.
Oda Ieyasu quietly looked at Linto. He really wanted to know what Linto would do when faced with a hopeless situation.
Linto sat on a stone post.
"There's a saying, 'The one who tied the bell must untie it.' If I try to fix this, it'll be too much trouble, and too many people will die—including a lot of innocent people who are being used."
"I hope you can help me fix this."
That's right, the disk command was too limited.
But if Oda Ieyasu fully cooperated, with his political skills and Linto's power, they could definitely break this trap.
But...
"Why should I help you?"
Oda Ieyasu smiled. Linto must be crazy, really thinking that he was some kind of "succubus," and that anyone who came into contact with him would help him?
That was too much of a dream—
"I'll help you get your son back."
Linto's simple words stopped Oda Ieyasu.
His smile slowly disappeared, then turned serious, and his eyebrows were tightly furrowed.
"You saw my memories."
"I saw them, and they were boring."
Oda Ieyasu was completely different from his father, who had died tragically in the streets.
From the time he could talk, he was a good-looking young man, then a capable young master, and then, for political reasons, he married Saito Ayane and had a son.
In the past, Oda Ieyasu thought that the world was very important.
But after having a child, he realized what was even more important.
"You knew what those business groups were planning, so not long after you took power, you sent your wife and child to Kirigakure, thinking that they would be safe from danger under my protection."
"But you didn't expect your wife to betray you, using her own child to threaten you."
Linto said, "This is your deal with the business groups. Only if you die can your child live... as a 'puppet.'"
This was why Oda Ieyasu planned his suicide.
With his skills and style, he would have fought a long battle with Linto in a fair way.
The Awakened movement needed a bad social environment, but under Oda Ieyasu's rule, the country was peaceful. At least within the Land of Water, Linto's movement would just be like a religion.
A few people would believe it, but most people would just listen and forget.
Linto's progress would be delayed without end.
But the business groups didn't agree.
The longer it dragged on, the more they would lose. Besides, the Land of Water had Oda Ieyasu, but what about the Land of Fire, Land of Earth, Land of Thunder, and Land of Wind?
Killing Oda Ieyasu was the fastest way to make things happen.
Oda Ieyasu closed his eyes and took a deep breath: "So... you save my son, and I help you fix this? A fair trade."
"No, this isn't a trade."
Linto stood up and patted his butt, "Even if you don't agree, I'll still save that kid. After all, he called me teacher for a few months."
Oda Ieyasu realized what Linto meant when he first said, "I hope you can help me fix this."
It was just hope, not a threat.
"This is the legendary demon who 'confused' people."
Oda Ieyasu stared blankly at Linto, silent for a long time before sighing:
"I lost."
"I'm fully convinced."
Linto patted him on the shoulder, "Don't be convinced, hurry up and save the person."
Hermit Purple appeared.
Using Oda Ieyasu's blood and thoughts as the cause and effect, he used spirit photography.
A golden flame appeared in Linto's palm. Hermit Purple flowed into it, seeming to turn into firewood. The flame kept changing, and a shaking image appeared, and finally...
Linto saw a black robe with red clouds.
---
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