Many things, whether they succeed or fail, depend on a chance.
For Oda Ieyasu, that chance was his child.
To protect his child's life, he didn't dare use his power or his hidden cards.
If it were normal times, Oda Ieyasu would act with only a 50% chance.
But when it came to his child, even with a 99% chance of winning, he wouldn't risk that 1%.
Now Linto helped him get back that most important "1%".
They arrived at the Saito mansion.
Being able to marry into the Daimyo family made the Saito family one of the wealthy groups in the Land of Water.
As the eldest daughter, Saito Ayame would become the head of the Saito family and control immense wealth when her father died.
But when Linto and his group arrived at the entrance of the Saito mansion, they found the gates wide open, with not a single servant, worker, or guard.
The huge house was silent, without a living sound.
Only the main hall had a faint light.
Kambara Hayato whispered, "Something's not right. We were flown here by Linto. The news of Hidan and Kakuzu being defeated shouldn't have spread yet."
He tiptoed and peeked inside.
"Could it be a trap?"
As he spoke, a faint, melodious sound drifted from the candlelit main hall.
"It's a shakuhachi."
Oda Ieyasu paused briefly, "That's my wife's best tune, and my favorite, "Wind"... She's the one playing."
That made it stranger.
A wife who stabs her husband in the back not only doesn't run away, but dismisses all the guards and servants, stays alone in the mansion, playing the shakuhachi...
What's going on?
Is this a show of weakness?
"She's waiting for me," Oda Ieyasu said, with certainty.
He stepped forward, crossed the threshold, and entered the Saito mansion.
Terumi Mei, Zabuza, and Kambara Hayato all held their breath, wary of possible traps or ambushes.
Linto wasn't nervous.
Of everyone there, besides Oda Ieyasu, Linto had dealt with Saito Ayame the most, and his gut told him she wasn't the type to play such tricks.
If she was, she wouldn't have betrayed Oda Ieyasu.
Oda Ieyasu carried little Hideyoshi in one arm and walked forward familiarly, as if he were visiting his wife's family, until he saw his wife again after a long time.
Saito Ayame wore a plain white robe, with light makeup, kneeling on the tatami mat.
The moonlight was soft tonight, shining on her, erasing the small wrinkles of time, making her look ten years younger.
Just as lovely as she was when she and Oda Ieyasu were newlyweds.
She bowed to Oda Ieyasu and Linto. When she saw her son's pale face and the stitches on his chest, Saito Ayame paused for half a second, her eyes turned red, but she quickly recovered.
Oda Ieyasu said, "You're waiting for me."
"Yes."
"Why?" Oda Ieyasu pointed at the empty mansion, "You shouldn't have received the news of Hidan and Kakuzu's failure."
Saito Ayame nodded, "I haven't, but I trust you, and I trust Mr. Linto.
When I learned that you hadn't died in the explosion, I guessed that the plan had failed."
Oda Ieyasu was silent.
Linto saw his profile, his emotions and anger churning inside.
After a full minute, Oda Ieyasu finally spoke again:
"Since you trust me, why... couldn't you keep trusting me?"
"Why did you betray me?"
Saito Ayame smiled and said, "Because I am a daughter of the Saito family."
What is important?
Is it her husband, or her son?
Is it her family, or the family that raised her?
Is it the tradition that has been upheld for dozens of generations, older than Senju Hashirama or the Sage of Six Paths, or a new, unknown world filled with fear?
To make Oda Ieyasu a sacrifice, and tarnish Linto's reputation.
This was the only answer that the major families, with thousands of thinkers, had found after months of consideration.
"Oda, I consider myself a smart woman, but I really don't know what to choose. People's choices are based on what they know, and I can only make choices that fit what I know."
"Now I've made my choice, it's your turn."
Saito Ayame took out two sake bottles, poured a cup of sake from each, and placed them on the table.
"One of these cups is poisoned, the other isn't. Oda, leave Hideyoshi outside, and choose. Which one do you want me to drink?"
Oda Ieyasu gave little Hideyoshi to Linto, took off his shoes, and walked onto the tatami mat.
He looked closely at the woman in front of him, as if he wanted to imprint her in his heart.
Saito Ayame met his gaze and gave him a sweet smile.
Oda Ieyasu stared into her eyes and pushed a cup of sake over to her.
Because of the angle, Linto couldn't see which cup he had pushed, but after making his choice, Oda Ieyasu stood up and bowed slightly to his wife.
"Thank you for taking care of me all these years."
Saito Ayame bowed as well, "Thank you for tolerating my stubbornness all these years."
"Goodbye, Oda."
"Goodbye, Saito."
Oda Ieyasu walked out of the room and took the child from Linto's arms.
Inside the room, Saito Ayame drank the sake in her cup in one gulp. She gently put the empty cup on the table and whispered, "I'm sorry, Oda, I lied to you."
"Both of these cups are poisoned."
That was why she was wearing a white robe.
She wasn't trying to make her husband remember the beauty of their wedding day and spare her, but had already prepared to kill herself, and put on her burial clothes in advance.
Oda Ieyasu didn't turn around, but held little Hideyoshi and strode away.
Linto looked back one last time at Saito Ayame, who had fallen on the tatami mat, lifeless.
Before she died, she blew out the candles on the table, and the faint smoke rose up and disappeared.
He looked at little Hideyoshi, who was biting his lower lip tightly, refusing to cry out even as tears streamed down his face.
Linto wanted to ask, was the cup Oda Ieyasu pushed really poison-free?
Or did Saito Ayame not want little Hideyoshi to resent his father, and say that on purpose before she died?
Linto shook his head. The answer no longer mattered. The smart woman, who he had clashed with politically several times, was dead.
This was Saito Ayame's end.
"If she hadn't relied on a large family, with her intelligence... she could have achieved great things."
They walked out of the Saito mansion and closed the doors.
The dark house was like a tomb, and the high-hanging plaque was its tombstone.
Oda Ieyasu turned around and walked away, his eyes returned to calm, recalling everything that had happened, his expression becoming more determined:
"Mr. Linto, I will help you push forward the "Awakening" plan.
I can't interfere in other countries, but at least in the Land of Water, I know the backgrounds, weaknesses, and desires of all the Akatsuki families. I can guarantee that your plan will move forward at the fastest speed.
I hope to become the last Daimyo of this country.
I hope to create a nation where wives, children, and siblings no longer harm each other for power.
I plead—"
Oda Ieyasu knelt down and deeply lowered his head.
"Let me be a part of this great cause."
His forehead touched the back of his hand, his eyes closed tightly, biting his teeth.
Only in this way could Oda Ieyasu stop his grief and prevent tears from falling.
"No."
Oda Ieyasu suddenly raised his head.
Linto smiled and held out his hand, "If you want to join, you have to get rid of that habit of kneeling."
Hot tears slowly rolled down, but Oda Ieyasu smiled.
"Yes."
He grabbed Linto's outstretched hand.
Linto used a little force and pulled Oda Ieyasu up.
"Welcome aboard."
At the same time, Linto heard the system notification again:
"Triggered world shift, gained 1000 soul fragments."
"Gained 1 higher dimensional core."
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