[FGO]: 102 

What Jeanne had caught was a 12-year-old girl—a petite loli ninja. She had jet-black hair tied into a single ponytail, a small oval face, and eyes as dark as the night sky. Even though her features weren't fully developed, it was clear that she was a budding beauty. She had a small, intricately designed shuriken-shaped hair ornament tied with a red string on the right side of her head. She only came up to slightly above Jeanne's waist and wore a small, red-and-black ninja outfit.

Jeanne was momentarily stunned that the intruder she had discovered was such a small child.

The loli ninja, however, was fierce. Seizing the moment of Jeanne's surprise, she slightly parted her lips and bit down hard, revealing that her teeth were laced with deadly poison!

However, to Jeanne, the movements of a human seemed like slow motion. Jeanne easily pinched the girl's cheeks, retrieved the small poison pill, and casually tossed it into a nearby pond.

"Damn you, you big-chested demon! Now that you've caught me, go ahead and kill me or whatever! But don't think for a second I'll spill any secrets!"

Seeing her suicide attempt fail, the little lolil started hurling curses, which left Jeanne at a loss, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Not far away, hidden behind a pillar, Ayame watched the two of them with a curious expression, her big eyes shining brightly as if she were observing something novel.

An hour later, in the lord's meeting chamber, Masamune Makino was so embarrassed he could barely stand it.

What was meant to be a precaution to protect his granddaughter, leaving behind a secret backup plan, had been discovered in just a few days. It was humiliating.

Thinking about this, Masamune glared fiercely at the loli ninja girl beside him, who was dressed in a ninja outfit.

The loli ninja, sensing her lord's gaze, turned pale. She had failed her mission, been captured, and hadn't even committed suicide on the spot. Such a failure, even if her grandfather was the clan leader, couldn't save her. Her fate would either be forced suicide by poison or becoming a lowly courtesan, selling her body for information.

The thought of countless men using her body made her shiver, her future bleak.

Sitting at the head of the table, Ryou glanced back and forth between Masamune Makino and the loli ninja girl that Jeanne had caught, a smile playing on his lips.

Particularly when his gaze fell on the loli ninja, his eyes took on a peculiar glint. It wasn't because he had any inappropriate thoughts, but because when he casually had the system scan her, it revealed that this loli ninja had a rare four-star growth potential, only one star less than Ais.

Right now, in the world of Kabaneri, he was acutely aware of the shortage of personnel. He only controlled one area, Aragane Station, which was about the size of a small county, and already he was feeling the strain. As his territory expanded, the problem of talent shortage would only worsen.

The most critical issue was that in the rigid hierarchical structure, this was a significant problem.

In Japan, only the sons of samurai went to school, while the sons of peasants only learned to farm. The people here seemed to have no concept that education could change their fate.

Fortunately, with the introduction of the McRucky Engine and steam technology, a large number of steam engineers emerged in Japan. From the original work, it was clear that these steam engineers could understand complex mechanical diagrams, so a basic education in mathematics and other subjects was undoubtedly part of their background.

For the time being, it should be possible to promote a group of management personnel from among them. Afterward, when the territory expanded and stabilized, he would naturally think of ways to establish a complete education system.

As for Masamune Makino sending a ninja to secretly follow Ayame, he wasn't surprised.

After all, Masamune Makino was a seasoned politician, having been in the game for decades. Until Ryou achieved substantial results, it was impossible for him to fully trust him.

Masamune Makino's affection for Ayame surprised him. With Ayame serving as a bridge between them, it was far more reliable than a relationship based purely on interests.

Interest-based relationships are the most unstable—once greater interests appear, such relationships immediately collapse.

Seeing Masamune Makino forcing himself to remain calm and the utterly dejected loli ninja girl, Ryou laughed heartily.

"I was just worried that Ayame didn't have a playmate her age. You've been very thoughtful, and I thank you for that!"

After saying this, he bowed.

Masamune Makino, a master of understanding indirect speech, immediately understood that Ryou was giving him a way out of the situation. Touched by this, he couldn't help but admire Ryou's magnanimity.

"There's no need to be so formal. It's the least I could do."

He then turned to the loli ninja girl and said, "Natsume! Hurry and pay your respects to your new lord!"

The loli ninja girl showed a hint of reluctance, but still obediently performed a perfect kneeling bow toward Ryou and said, "Sarutobi Natsume, elite ninja of the Sarutobi clan, pays her respects to the lord."

Switching lords was still better than becoming a courtesan. Natsume quickly adjusted her mindset and spoke with utmost respect.

Hearing this familiar name, Ryou instinctively echoed it, "Sarutobi?"

Masamune Makino spoke with a hint of pride in his voice, "That's right! Natsume is a descendant of Sarutobi Sasuke, the legendary ninja god of the Sengoku period. She's also the most talented ninja the Sarutobi clan has seen in a hundred years, with a talent said to rival that of the ninja god himself."

After saying this, Masamune Makino shot Natsume a fierce look, clearly conveying, "Is this the level of a once-in-a-century genius of the Sarutobi clan!?"

The loli ninja girl's face immediately showed a look of grievance. It was truly bad luck—on her first mission, she had run into Jeanne, a Servant far beyond any normal human.

This wasn't just hitting a brick wall; it was like slamming against a diamond wall at full speed.

Ryou, after hearing Masamune Makino's introduction, fell into deep thought.

It seemed he had been mistaken.

This Sarutobi wasn't related to the Sarutobi clan from Naruto, which included the Third Hokage.

Sarutobi Sasuke was indeed a historical figure, the leader of the Ten Braves of Sanada under Sanada Yukimura, known as Japan's greatest warrior during the Sengoku period.

The three great ninjas of the Sengoku period were Hattori Hanzo, the fifth-generation Fuma Kotaro, and Sarutobi Sasuke.

In history, Hattori Hanzo's exceptional judgment, coupled with good luck, allowed him to follow Tokugawa Ieyasu and surpass the other two, becoming known as the God of Ninja.

In Ryou's view, the three were likely evenly matched in skill, but history is written by the victors, so Hanzo's fame far outshines the others.

However, in a parallel world like Kabaneri, where the Western Army won, Sarutobi Sasuke naturally gained more fame.

What he valued was not so much her lineage but Natsume's four-star potential. With the right training, she could easily surpass her ancestor.

Getting caught by Jeanne was both Natsume's misfortune and her luck. If she remained in this low-tier world, how could she ever grow into a true God of Ninja?"

...

Time passed quickly.

Under the Shogun's orders, Japan's entire military began gathering from across the country at the strait between Kyushu and Honshu. They boarded ships, crossed the strait, and set foot on Kyushu Island, which had been completely overrun by Kabane.

Standing at the bow of the flagship, 12-year-old Biba Amatori gazed into the distance at Kyushu Island. The sea breeze blew through his long red hair, making it look like flames dancing beside him.

If any unmarried girls or married women were nearby, they would surely be screaming for Biba Amatori. At this moment, Biba was full of youthful spirit, overflowing with passion and determination. Since that night, he had gradually distanced himself from his father, but now they were close again, with his father entrusting him with an important task.

At this age, Biba did not yet possess the calm and composed demeanor he would have ten years later. He was like a young man eager to gain the approval of his father and those around him, brimming with energy and passion. Unfortunately, he would never know the kind of despair that awaited him.

As certain individuals with ulterior motives watched eagerly, the 400,000-strong army gathered from across Japan formally set foot on the land of Kyushu Island.

At first, everything went smoothly—so smoothly that Biba could hardly believe it. This situation was to be expected. The population density in Kyushu was never as high as that of the bustling Honshu Island, and ordinary Kabane, lacking intelligence, only acted on instinct and had no concept of stopping a human landing.

The army quickly occupied the coastal areas near Honshu. At this point, Biba demonstrated extraordinary strategic insight. His youth and newly gained power did not make him eager for quick success. He patiently built a large number of defensive fortifications along the coast, planning to steadily and methodically eliminate the Kabane.

At that time, the population of Kyushu was only around one million. Even if all of them had turned into Kabane, they were spread across such a vast island that the number near the coast would be limited.

If nothing unexpected had happened, Biba might have indeed won a glorious victory with minimal losses. But, unfortunately...

"What did you say? The supply ships didn't arrive on time?"

Biba grabbed the quartermaster by the collar and lifted him. At only twelve years old, Biba had already grown tall and sturdy. At 1.7 meters, he had no difficulty lifting the short quartermaster.

"I'm very sorry, my lord! Not only the supply ships, but even the ships that ferried us across the strait have already withdrawn. There are only a few emergency vessels left on Kyushu Island now!"

The quartermaster explained, sweating profusely.

The implications of this were all too clear. The Shogun's son, along with the 400,000-strong army, had been abandoned.

Biba's face went blank as he let go of the quartermaster and slumped back into his seat, covering his face with his hand. He couldn't believe that his father—the father who had once held him closely on horseback, the kind and gentle father—could do this to him.

But the facts were undeniable.

Biba Amatori, the Shogun's only heir, had been discarded like a piece of trash.

"My lord, may I leave now?"

The quartermaster asked cautiously.

Biba weakly waved his hand in dismissal. The quartermaster, feeling as if a great burden had been lifted, turned to leave. But just as he did, Sahari, who had been silently standing by, suddenly showed a fierce expression. Without a word, he drew his sword, grabbed the quartermaster's shoulder, and plunged the blade into his back.

The quartermaster collapsed to the ground, dead.

Hearing the noise, Biba looked up in surprise.

"Sahari, what are you doing?"

Sahari discarded the sword and knelt in a formal bow before Biba.

"Please forgive me, my lord, but we cannot let this man leave alive. If word gets out, the morale of the entire army will collapse."

Facing such a drastic change, the 12-year-old Biba quickly matured.

"You did the right thing. Take care of the body, and make sure no one sees it."

"Yes, sir!"

As Sahari was about to carry the body away, he heard Biba's voice, as if he were talking to himself or asking a question.

"Father, have you given up on me...?"

A hint of pity flashed in Sahari's eyes, but he still offered some comfort.

"Don't worry, my lord. Perhaps... the supply ships were just delayed."

Sahari spoke words he didn't even believe himself.

After all, the Shogun's only son was here. Without direct orders from the Shogun, who would delay the supply ships?

"Leave me. I want to be alone."

Biba slumped back into his chair.

...

A month later.

The 400,000-strong army that had landed on Kyushu Island was pushed to the brink of annihilation. Biba tried every possible means to keep them alive, even fighting on the front lines himself to boost morale. But without supplies, ammunition, medicine, and food were rapidly dwindling, and reinforcements never arrived.

Outside the defensive lines was an endless horde of Kabane, seemingly impossible to kill off. Morale finally broke. Many soldiers threw down their weapons and jumped into the sea, but lacking food, they soon grew too weak and drowned.

The loss of defensive forces allowed the Kabane to quickly breach the lines, leading to a gruesome massacre. Biba stood atop the highest point, staring blankly into the distance, his eyes empty and unfocused. The endless Kabane horde flooded the positions, accepting no surrender, devouring both the living and the dead they found.

Many soldiers fought desperately, but without food or ammunition, they could only engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Kabane. Their last stand was futile. In their weakened state, they couldn't even pierce the iron-like membrane covering the Kabane's hearts.

Countless soldiers were overrun, and when they rose again, they had become Kabane, attacking their former comrades. The number of human soldiers plummeted while the number of Kabane surged.

"My lord! We can't hold on any longer, we must retreat immediately!"

Sahari grabbed Biba and started running towards the reserved ships. Biba, like a puppet, allowed Sahari to drag him along.

In this battle, almost the entire 400,000-strong army was wiped out, with fewer than 5,000 escaping. Among them were many who had been bitten by the Kabane. Soon, the Kabane spread across Honshu and Shikoku at a speed far faster than any plague.

As news of the defeat reached home, the Shogun, Okimasa Amatori, who had been prepared for this, immediately broadcasted nationwide, announcing that his son, Biba Amatori, was solely responsible for the disastrous defeat. He claimed he had severed all ties with his son for the greater good, and so on.

Ryou, who had been closely monitoring the situation in Kyushu, received the news a step ahead.

"The time has come! Mobilize the entire army! The target—"