Atakichi POV
"It's been a while, Atakichi!" Fuji greeted.
Me and Fuji have met more than once on the battlefield. Although not close, we were acquainted. He was much older than me, so friendship didn't build like usual.
I nodded with a smile, "It has, Elder Fuji. And how's Mashiro doing lately?"
Fuji smiled, "He's still a brat."
I chuckled, knowing the weight of his words. He was probably the only person that could call Mashiro, the Judge, a brat. After all, Fuji was the right-hand man of the previous clan head.
Cutting to the chase, I asked Fuji, "What brings you here, Elder Fuji?"
"We didn't come here to make trouble, but to propose something for both clans," he said.
I was skeptical, since the Hosai clan haven't allied with anyone since the last patriarch. Or maybe it wasn't an alliance.
"An alliance?" I asked.
Fuji shook his head, "It's best if we talk in private, alongside your elders and clansmen."
I nodded and said, "Alright, I'll lead the way. But for safety reasons, please leave all the ninjas outside of the fences, and only you and a few selected others may enter."
Fuji didn't feel offended and picked out four people. One was Elder Nori, a person I recognized. Then he picked out two skilled shinobi and…
"A child?" I asked in confusion.
The child smiled at me, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Taro, Taro Hosai."
If I remember correctly, Mashiro's wife gave birth to their youngest child five years ago.
"Are you the youngest kid of Mashiro?" I asked.
He simply nodded and said, "Yes I am. And I'm here as a representative of my clan."
I looked at Fuji, trying to confirm if he was telling the truth. And to my surprise, Fuji nodded.
"He's speaking the truth! I'm merely here as an assistant to little Taro."
"Is that so…"
As we continued to chat, I sensed multiple ninjas heading this way.
The ninjas were all from my Netsudoku clan, led by my only child, Fushida.
When Fushida and the others reached us, they began surrounding all the Hosai clan members, causing a standoff between the two clans.
From the Hosai clan, there were only thirty ninjas, but two elders. While we had over 120 ninjas with me and a few elders. However, from the power of Fuji alone, he could take out the elders and fight me in a standstill.
I raised my hands and was about to order them to stand down, until my daughter yelled, "Who sent you?! Kise?! Where is he?! We haven't settled our fight from three years ago!"
I sighed and told everyone, "Stand down. False alarm."
I told everyone what was happening and all things calmed down. Well, except for Fushida who was now staring at Taro, "Why do you look like that bastard Kise? Are you his son? N-No way… Did he get married already?!"
"Enough," I demanded, "This way." I led the Hosai representatives into our humble clan hall, where we would discuss the future of the clan.
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Taro and Atakichi sat across from one other, causing the Netsudoku clan members to question what was happening.
Without waiting for someone to ask, Taro introduced himself, "Hello everyone, I am Taro, the third son of Mashiro, and the representative of the Hosai clan."
Everyone began chatting, until an elder coughed, "What exactly are you doing here, if not for an alliance?"
Taro stared at the elder and gave a blunt answer, "I'll be honest here and get straight to the point. We want to integrate the three surrounding clans into the Hosai clan."
Chakra burst out from everyone, even Atakichi himself.
Fushida slammed the table, "I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have trusted someone who looked like that bastard Kise!"
One of the elders threatened, "Watch your tongue, boy. We might not be strong, but we'll put up a fight, even if it costs us our death."
Elder Fuji's chakra burst out, causing all the chakra to pale in comparison, all except the clan head, Atakichi.
Taro cleared up the confusion, "We aren't here to belittle your clan, or to start a fight. But we want to offer a peaceful integration."
Atakichi scoffed, "Peaceful integration? You want us to lose our history and bear the name of Hosai? We fought and died for the name, what makes you think we'll carry your name because you told us to?"
An elder added, "What can you even give us? From my point of view, we're all in the same boat. The only thing you have is a few more wheat that you got from the Daimyo."
Taro disagreed, "We are the same, and that's why we all should integrate. The larger clans are already running amok after the assistance of the Daimyo, what makes you think they won't come for you? What I propose isn't just power in numbers, but a safety net for the future of our clan!"
Fushida asked, "Let's say we do join together to put up a fight with the bigger clans. Then what? We don't have enough food or money to maintain ourselves. That's the sole reason why smaller clans are still not united, all because of—"
Before she could finish, Taro interrupted her, "The Hosai clan will give you forty tons of wheat as compensation right now. And once you integrate, the clan will provide a steady income and food."
Fushida's jaw dropped, "W-What?"
Fuji nodded, "Yes. The wagons we were carrying earlier weren't weapons, but food. Forty tons of wheat to be exact."
Nori finally spoke, "I'd also like to add that you aren't the only clan we're talking to. Currently, a convoy has already been sent out to the Hoki clan, with their own forty tons of wheat. You know what this means, right? We have more."
Fushida trembled and thought of the starving children and dying soldiers every day trying to feed their clansmen.
He was tempted. So tempted that he would've said yes, if it weren't for the fact that he bore the name Netsudoku.
"We've had the name Netsudoku since birth. We have a proud history, we won't just—"
Before Atakichi could speak, Taro stopped him, "Your name doesn't mean anything if no one can tell its history. Your children are dying, and you have more 50 years old in your clan, then people who are below 20. Give it up, or are you gonna cling to that name, when your clan's extinction is happening right in front of you?"
Taro paused and looked at the man who was so close to breaking, "You don't have to change your name to Hosai. All we ask is that you integrate with us and have the children of your clan bear the name Hosai, and not Netsudoku."
Atakichi and the others wanted to argue, they wanted to defend the name they risked their lives for. The name they had since birth, and the name they gave their kids. But now, they had no words to argue. No clansman, no father, and no mother would want to see their kids starve in the middle of the street. To die a meaningless death.
Taro broke the depressing tension by adding a buy one get one free, "If you were to join now, I'll even add in a special weapon," he glanced at Fushida, "that could possibly help you beat my big brother."