Chapter 130

Hitoshi answered in the affirmative; it had to do with the division of territory.

As he walked through the prosperous ancient country of Roran, Hitoshi increasingly complained about the management of Kaze no Kuni.

How foolish were they to leave such a prosperous small nation with fertile land unattended?

Furthermore, during every Shinōbi World War, the ancient country of Roran enjoyed the protection of Sunagakure.

To be honest, the ancient country of Roran was practically guarded by Sunagakure.

Others staying in Kaze no Kuni faced no danger at all.

Looking at the merchants and prosperous people on the roadside, Hitoshi couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of jealousy.

"The ancient country of Roran must be brought completely under the jurisdiction of Kaze no Kuni and Sunagakure," Hitoshi said angrily.

Don't blame him. Just a moment ago, he saw a businessman who frequently conducted business in Sunagakure. The man was here as a transit point, reselling goods.

The significance of this businessman's presence was clear. Sunagakure had opened up a trade route for maintenance, which the ancient country of Roran was also exploiting without paying the protection fee.

And look at the Daimyo Mansion. Countless funds were being allocated there.

"You Roran people cannot discern what is good for you," Hitoshi said, taking a deep breath to calm his emotions.

Hitoshi had an evil hunch that in the original story, the destruction of the ancient country of Roran may have involved Sunagakure's intervention as well.

After carefully considering Roran's existence and its importance to Kaze no Kuni and Sunagakure, Hitoshi decided to meet with the Queen of Roran.

With that in mind, Hitoshi quickly made his way towards the Imperial Palace.

Encountering the Queen of Roran wasn't difficult.

When Hitoshi arrived, he found himself amidst a confrontation, brandishing a one-handed Knight sword and fending off an entire Imperial Palace guard.

"The beautiful Queen of Roran, I am Sāndaime Kazekage Hitoshi from Sunagakure. It is a pleasure to meet you," Hitoshi said, bowing respectfully and offering a faint smile.

With his charming appearance, Hitoshi seemed harmless to humans and animals, like a well-mannered gentleman, a ghost in disguise.

If not for the soldiers strewn across the floor, the Queen of Roran might have even appreciated Hitoshi's stunning face.

However, just moments ago, the Queen of Roran had witnessed Hitoshi single-handedly defeat a Hundred Men Squad guarding her.

"Dear Third-Kage Kazekage-sama, I wonder what brings you here," Queen of Roran said, taking a deep breath and attempting to suppress the fear in her heart, speaking in a composed voice.

She was the Queen of Roran, and she wanted to maintain her image and uphold the dignity of the ancient country.

"In the vast desert, there is only one country—Kaze no Kuni. What do you think I want?" Hitoshi replied, maintaining his smile as he looked at the Queen of Roran.

"The ancient country of Roran has existed here since ancient times. We established our nation with the help of Ryumyaku and have been blessed by the gods. We have survived to this day. We have never provoked Kaze no Kuni or Sunagakure. We have shown allegiance. Isn't that enough?" Queen of Roran retorted, gritting her teeth and glaring fiercely.

"Weakness is the original sin. Think carefully about how to choose," Hitoshi replied, shaking his head. He had no desire to engage in discussions with someone who possessed ample physical attributes but lacked mental capacity.

Had it not been for his reasonability, an army would have already descended upon the ancient country of Roran.

"Hurry, the intruder is inside!"

"Protect Your Royal Highness, the Queen!"

The sound of rapid footsteps filled the air.

Moments later, a large number of fully armed soldiers swarmed into the palace.

After a quick glance at the approaching Roran soldiers, Hitoshi quipped sarcastically to the Queen of Roran, "It seems that you have quite a devoted following."

"Third-Kage Kazekage-sama, you are indeed powerful, but I don't believe you dare to slaughter tens of thousands of people and destroy our entire ancient country," Queen of Roran declared, her resolve growing stronger as she faced the approaching army.

She refused to believe that Hitoshi would dare to slaughter an army of tens of thousands or destroy the ancient country of Roran.

"Tsk tsk, Milady Queen, this is your last chance: surrender or..." Hitoshi's sentence trailed off as dozens of sword qi attacked him.

"Kill!" a general roared angrily, and dozens of samurai from both sides launched a surprise attack. Simultaneously, soldiers near Hitoshi rushed toward him.

In a single fluid motion, Hitoshi gracefully sliced through the attackers with his sword, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake. He then stepped on a fallen soldier's body and addressed the Queen of Roran with aggression and coldness.

Hitoshi's strength was formidable, and his Taijutsu skills alone were enough to overpower 99.9% of individuals.

With one swift move, he had dispatched the samurai who had launched the surprise attack, as well as the soldiers who approached him.

"I am the Queen of Roran, and I cannot let Roran be destroyed under my watch. I must protect Roran's dignity," the Queen of Roran declared, pushing away the guard who held her and approaching Hitoshi slowly. There was no fear in her eyes.

"Do you think about your choice carefully," Hitoshi said, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.

Surveying the people present, the Queen of Roran met Hitoshi's gaze with firm determination and spoke in a resolute tone, "I choose to surrender."

The Queen of Roran's words shocked everyone present, including Hitoshi. He couldn't help but think, "Look at you with your righteous stance, ready to do anything for the sake of dignity. Finally, you surrender."

"Queen, you cannot surrender. We all believe in you!" a man who appeared to be a general stepped forward excitedly, his voice laced with anger.

"Believe in me or not, I've already made my decision. You can make your own choice," Queen of Roran retorted, disappointed in the group of subordinates who had disobeyed orders and launched a surprise attack. She knew they weren't reliable.

Now that her Imperial Palace guards had been defeated, and she was destined to become a puppet in the future, she decided to sell them off for a better life.

Hearing the Queen of Roran's words, the general choked back his anger, barely containing his urge to curse.

Amused, Hitoshi approached the Queen of Roran's side.

He had already figured it out—this woman had used him.

"Soldiers, attack! The Queen is dead! Avenge her!" the general angrily commanded, leading his men in a charge toward Hitoshi.

The soldiers began to split into two groups—some retreated while others continued their assault.

Hitoshi glanced silently at the Queen of Roran, adding a protective shield around her, and faced the oncoming soldiers alone.