The Kamizuru delegation arrived two days after the assassinations.
They came through the western gate at midday. Twelve shinobi dressed in dark traveling cloaks formed a tight procession.
Shinji watched from the palace balcony as they made their way through the streets. The citizens gave them a wide berth and stepped aside with wary eyes. Word had spread quickly about the murders. Everyone saw shinobi as potential threats now.
"Twelve," Advisor Takeo said. He stood beside Shinji. "A small delegation."
"Too small." Shinji's fingers drummed against the railing. "Ishikawa should have come himself."
"Perhaps he's making a statement."
Shinji turned away from the view. "Bring them to the council chamber. I want to hear what they have to say."
---
The council chamber felt different with shinobi in it.
The air was charged and tense. The twelve Kamizuru stood in a loose formation near the entrance. Their postures looked relaxed but ready. Shinji could see the subtle shifts in their weight. Their eyes tracked every movement in the room.
A middle-aged man stood at the head of their group. He looked perhaps in his middle thirties. He had sharp features and dark eyes that reminded Shinji uncomfortably of Ishikawa himself.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
"I am Kobuchi," the man said and bowed slightly. "Son of Lord Ishikawa. I bring greetings from the Kamizuru Clan and apologies for my father's absence."
Shinji's eyes narrowed. Ishikawa had sent his own son instead of coming himself.
That was a gesture of trust and peace.
"Your father was expected to attend personally," Shinji said. His voice was cold and controlled. "This meeting concerns matters of great importance."
"My father regrets that he cannot be here." Kobuchi's tone was respectful but firm. "He is currently engaged in battle at the Land of Stone. The Daimyo's army has been defeated. Within a few weeks, the entire territory will be under Kamizuru control. He felt that securing our victory there took precedence over attending in person."
The room went quiet.
Several of Shinji's advisors exchanged glances. The Land of Stone was a significant conquest. It would make the Kamizuru Clan even more powerful than they already were.
Shinji leaned back in his seat. "I see. And he sent you in his place."
"Yes, my lord. I am authorized to speak on behalf of the clan in all matters concerning our alliance with the Land of Iron."
Shinji studied the man for a long moment.
Kobuchi held his gaze without flinching. His posture was straight and confident. There was strength in him. Not just physical strength, but the conviction of someone who believed absolutely in what he was doing.
"Very well," Shinji said finally. "Let us discuss why five of my officials were murdered two nights ago."
Kobuchi's expression didn't change. "The Kamizuru Clan had nothing to do with those deaths."
"The methods suggest otherwise." Shinji's fingers tightened on the armrest. "And the timing is remarkably convenient. Your previous delegation just left the night before. Or did they?"
"We have lost two hundred sixteen shinobi," Kobuchi said. His voice remained steady, but there was an edge to it now. "Slaughtered by an unknown enemy while operating under agreements made with the Land of Iron. We have every right to demand answers, yet we came here in good faith to discuss the situation peacefully."
"Good faith." Shinji let the words hang in the air. "Yes. Good faith. I allowed you to use my land. I sold weapons in bulk to you for half the price. Even then my officials died. And now you expect me to believe you had no involvement in these assassinations?"
"We expect you to honor the agreements you previously made." Kobuchi stepped forward. "The Kamizuru Clan has upheld every term of our alliance. After the Kamizuru Clan takes over the Land of Stone, we will cede the northern territories to the Land of Iron, as promised. Three provinces, rich in iron ore and coal deposits, will become yours. That alone will double your nation's mineral wealth."
He paused, letting the words settle in the room.
"Furthermore, once we consolidate power in the Land of Earth, you will have exclusive mining rights in the Kannabi Bridge region. Your smiths will have access to chakra-conductive metals that currently sell for ten times what you charge for ordinary steel." Kobuchi's eyes remained locked on Shinji. "The Land of Iron will transform from a minor neutral state into an economic power that surpassess all the nations."
The offer hung in the chamber.
Advisor Takeo cleared his throat. "The Land of Iron has not authorized any attacks on Kamizuru camps. We have been investigating the incidents, but the perpetrator remains unknown."
"Unknown." Kobuchi's eyes flicked to Takeo, then back to Shinji. "Two hundred sixteen of our people are dead, and you claim to know nothing about who killed them?"
"There's no reason for us to antagonize the Kamizuru," Shinji said. "But I don't know if you guys feel the same way about the Land of Iron. Do you?"
The tension in the room was thick.
The Kamizuru shinobi behind Kobuchi shifted slightly. Their hands drifted closer to their weapons. The samurai guards along the walls mirrored the movement. They were ready to draw at the first sign of aggression.
Kobuchi took a slow breath.
When he spoke again, his voice was calmer and more measured. "My lord, I did not come here to escalate tensions. I came to find the truth. The Kamizuru Clan has no interest in breaking our alliance with the Land of Iron. But we cannot allow our people to be killed without consequence."
"Nor can I allow my officials to be murdered inside my capital," Shinji replied.
They stared at each other across the chamber.
Two opposing forces. Each convinced of their own righteousness. Each unwilling to yield.
Finally, Kobuchi bowed again. "Then perhaps we can agree to investigate these matters together."
Shinji considered this.
It was a reasonable proposal. One that would allow both sides to maintain face while working toward a solution. But he didn't trust the Kamizuru. He doubted they trusted him.
Still, open conflict would benefit no one.
"Very well," Shinji said. "We will investigate together. You will be assigned quarters in the eastern wing of the palace. My guards will escort you." Shinji stood. The movement signaled the end of the meeting. "We will reconvene tomorrow to discuss our findings."
Kobuchi nodded. "Of course, my lord."
The Kamizuru delegation bowed and filed out.
Their movements were synchronized and precise. Shinji watched them go. The weight of the situation pressed down on him.
When the chamber was empty except for his advisors, Takeo spoke quietly. "My lord, could it be that the same person who is attacking the Kamizuru is behind the assassinations?"
"It's quite obvious that someone is pulling the strings from behind. But for now, let's observe the Kamizuru," Shinji said.
---
The quarters assigned to the Kamizuru delegation were in a separate wing of the palace.
The rooms were away from the main residential areas. They were comfortable but isolated.
Kobuchi stood at the window of his assigned chamber.
He looked out over the capital. The sun was setting. It painted the sky in shades of orange and red. Below, the city was settling into evening routines. Merchants were closing their shops. Families were returning home.
Life continued despite the tension hanging over everything.
Behind him, three of his fellow Kamizuru sat in quiet discussion.
"Two hundred sixteen dead," a woman named Hachiko said, her voice tight with controlled anger. "And the Daimyo acts as if we should be grateful he's even listening to us."
"He's the Daimyo of Land of Iron after all," another shinobi said. "It's natural that he will try to assert his authority."
Kobuchi turned away from the window. "We cannot force the Daimyo to answer to us. But soon the battle in the Land of Earth will come to a conclusion. We can't antagonize the Land of Iron before that.
"Moreover he might genuinely know nothing." Kobuchi sat down at the low table. "He is a shrewd person. There's no way he would let someone such strong run rampant."
"Then who is behind all this?"
That was the question that had been gnawing at him since they'd arrived.
The timing was too perfect. The attacks on the camps. The assassinations. The way everything seemed designed to drive a wedge between the Kamizuru and the Land of Iron.
Someone wanted them to fight each other.
"Get some rest," Kobuchi said. "We'll need clear heads tomorrow."
The others nodded and dispersed to their rooms.
Kobuchi remained at the table. He stared at the lamp flame. It flickered and danced. Shadows stretched across the walls like grasping fingers.
He thought of his father.
Ishikawa was leading the siege at the Land of Stone. He had trusted Kobuchi with this mission. He believed Kobuchi could handle the negotiations. But Kobuchi felt the weight of that trust pressing down on him. It grew heavier with each passing moment.
If he failed here, if the alliance collapsed, it would mean war.
Not just skirmishes or isolated conflicts. Full-scale war between the Kamizuru Clan and the Land of Iron. Thousands would die.
He couldn't let that happen.