Uchiha Soren waved his hand lightly.
"You don't need to report political formalities to me. After eliminating groups like the Eight Fingers, what changes have occurred inside the royal capital?"
Uchiha Lei raised his head slightly, his tone respectful.
"Due to our shinobi's outstanding performance, the people of the capital now hold ninja in extremely high regard."
"Additionally, the shinobi teams registered under the Adventurer Guild have gained significant reputation during the suppression missions. Four steel-rank teams and over twenty bronze and mithril-rank teams have all been promoted."
Lei paused before continuing.
"This world has no television, no fast news. Information spreads slowly. Many native citizens never leave the village they were born in."
"Taking advantage of this, the staff division plans to use adventurers and the nobility we replaced to gradually elevate ninja to the forefront—quietly allowing us to guide the kingdom's lands over time."
Soren took a slow sip of milk tea.
"Troublesome, but gaining full access to a nation's land and resources isn't a bad trade."
"What about the royal family now?"
Lei responded immediately.
"The eldest prince, who lacked good judgment, attempted to escape using a secret passage beneath the palace. He was captured and now awaits your verdict. This incident helped the king and the second prince understand the situation. They have become… obedient."
"However, within the royal family, there is one notable figure—the Golden Princess, renowned for advocating the abolition of slavery. She wishes to request an audience with you."
Lei paused again, recalling the meeting.
"Her name is Lana. Her talent is no less impressive than her beauty. She could become a tremendous asset to Konoha."
Soren raised an eyebrow.
Princess Lana—
The witch of a fallen kingdom, an intellect bordering on inhuman.
In the original world, on the night the Nation of Re-Estize was erased by Nazarick, she danced a song of ruin—elegant and terrifying as a blooming red spider lily.
Her brilliance outshone nearly everyone on the continent.
(Someone like her… if used well, could drastically accelerate the development of our forces. But loyalty from such a mind is difficult to secure.)
Compared to Lana, even Minako and Kaori—formidable administrators in their own right—were ordinary.
If someone like Lana helped plan for Konoha or the shinobi world, the rate of growth would skyrocket.
But brilliance came with danger.
(Should I exploit her weaknesses… or let Uchiha Teiri use Kotoamatsukami to reshape her will entirely?)
With Uchiha Mitsu's Eight-Point Spear providing support, Teiri's ocular power could recover in just a few years now.
Kotoamatsukami had shifted from a once-in-a-decade trump card to an occasional, world-changing tool.
The implications were immense.
And then there was the Church Nation's world-class artifact—
"Allure of the Nation", capable of nearly controlling even a level-100 Nazarick NPC.
A mental-domination tool superior even to Kotoamatsukami.
(I must acquire it.)
Soren's mind raced.
Eventually, he settled on a conclusion.
"Arrange a meeting for me and the Golden Princess tomorrow."
"Yes, Supreme Leader."
With the main matters resolved, Uchiha Lei formed a Flying Thunder God array inside the carriage.
Soren turned to Lilinet.
"Lilinet, collect the kunai from the floor. Then continue to the capital with Sukama. Find me at the royal castle of Ro-Lent. If anyone questions you, reveal the kunai. Or you may go to the Adventurer Guild—upgrade Four Weapons' rank while you're at it."
A flash of light filled the carriage—then Soren and the shinobi vanished.
It took a long moment before Lilinet finally blinked back to herself.
"Am I dreaming?"
She pinched her thigh, then her cheek.
The soft sting felt real… too real.
Yet the world still felt surreal.
"Master Soren… really took control of the kingdom? Then… does that mean I might become… a royal consort?"
She quickly shook her head.
Lilinet wasn't stupid—Soren was a man with overwhelming power and influence.
A man like that wouldn't remain with only one or two women.
The attitudes of the six shinobi earlier—respectful yet distant—made that painfully obvious.
To them, she was simply one more woman near the Supreme Leader.
Nothing more.
"No wonder he can casually give away equipment worth tens of thousands of gold without blinking."
Her gaze drifted to the ornate staff resting beside her.
Its output surpassed her previous weapon several times over, enabling her to cast fourth-tier magic—enough to rise to bronze-rank adventurer strength.
"With this, getting promoted to bronze shouldn't be a problem. Then… 'Four Weapons' needs more members…"
Power. Wealth. Opportunity.
Lilinet's eyes gleamed.
"We need to recruit girls who are talented—and have very different strengths from Sukama and me."
"If one person can't hold Master Soren's attention… then the entire team must shine."
She sat cross-legged on the soft cushions, plotting.
They already had a "warhorse" and a "battle cow," as she jokingly categorized their team's styles.
Now they needed someone new—fresh, surprising, memorable.
Sukama noticed Lilinet leaning out the window and raised a brow as the priestess spilled every rumor, suspicion, plan, and theory she had gathered.
Sukama froze.
"…Lilinet, I'm not dreaming, am I?"
Her silver eyes glazed over. Her mind blanked from shock.
"Sukama! Sukama!"
Lilinet thumped her back, bringing her out of the daze.
"If we don't prepare ourselves, we'll just be passing travelers in Master Soren's life. You don't want him to remain only in your dreams forever, do you?"
Sukama pulled the carriage to the roadside, then stepped into the cabin to speak more privately.
"Lilinet, we are running an adventurer team, not a brothel."
Lilinet offered a helpless shrug.
"I know that. But opportunities like this don't come twice. If we can make a lasting impression on Master Soren, we could gain things a lifetime of adventuring could never provide."
Sukama's expression softened.
She touched the half-armor Soren gifted her.
Memories of their struggles—their long climb from nothing—flowed back.
Finally, she nodded.
"Four Weapons can evolve… but we cannot lose our principles."
She took a deep breath.
"Our value must be something Master Soren respects, not something based on charm alone. Beauty fades. Skills, loyalty, competence—those last."
Lilinet smiled faintly.
The path ahead was clear.
They had much to learn.
Much to prove.
And much to seize.
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