Chapter 40 — A Shinobi World Isn't Ruled by Shinobi Alone
Yuki, the Cloud emissary, was sprawled over the corpse of the Grass envoy chief, wailing as if the heavens themselves had fallen.
Had the audience not already known their true identities—and the filth between them—
they might really have mistaken him for the dead man's bereaved grandson.
But because they did know…
everyone simply stared at Yuki with cold, contemptuous eyes.
Oda Nobunaga's expression remained impassive as his gaze swept over each Grass ninja—
and then the Cloud ninja quietly standing beside them.
---
"Oda Nobunaga! You killed a Grass envoy who came with peaceful intentions! You must pay!"
After wailing theatrically for a long time with no one responding,
Yuki abruptly stopped, wiped away nonexistent tears,
and stood up with a sneer.
"So?"
Nobunaga's reply was light, bordering on bored.
He had already prepared enough in the last few days.
A Cloud shinobi using blunt-force intimidation?
Nothing new.
Next, Yuki would probably demand that Nobunaga personally visit Grass Village to apologize.
Just like Cloud once forced Konoha to hand over the Hyūga clan head's brother.
The only difference now was that Nobunaga was a Daimyō—
and even Cloud didn't dare blatantly demand his life.
"Hmph! You are a Daimyō, yes—but even a Daimyō must answer for his crimes. Life for a life—yet we are merciful."
Yuki's eyes gleamed viciously.
"You will accompany us to Grass Village and kneel in apology before all!"
His heart leapt in triumph.
Finally—Oda Nobunaga was cornered.
Once he stepped into Grass Village, he wouldn't walk out alive.
With the Daimyō hostage, Sound would become Cloud's butchering board.
Nobunaga tilted his head slightly.
"He broke into my residence. Left Ma-no-suke—what is the punishment for unauthorized intrusion?"
Left Ma-no-suke immediately bowed.
"My lord, according to universally accepted law—
Intruders into private residences of Daimyō of any country may be killed without consequence."
Nobunaga turned back to Yuki.
"You heard him."
Yuki blinked.
"Killed… without consequence?"
For a moment he was utterly confused.
Since when did shinobi abide by laws?
Which shinobi village respected civil law enough to let it restrain them?
What law could bind a killer for hire?
It was absurd.
Ninja didn't obey laws—they wiped with them.
"Then it's war!"
Yuki snapped.
His mind, locked in shinobi logic, failed entirely to grasp Nobunaga's intent.
He only knew one language: intimidation and force.
Just like back then—
Cloud shinobi killed a Hyūga in their attempt to kidnap Hinata.
After threatening war, Konoha bowed their heads
and handed over the clan head's brother.
If even Konoha could give way…
What hope could little Sound have?
Yuki leaned forward, full of murderous arrogance.
"Oda Nobunaga! Your decision today will decide whether Sound burns in war.
Consider it well."
Even Mabui—still disguised among the Cloud shinobi—held her breath.
What would he say?
"Then we go to war."
Nobunaga answered as casually as if he were choosing tonight's supper.
Light.
Effortless.
Inevitable.
His eyelids lowered, calm and steady.
Yuki froze.
Mabui stiffened.
This was not the answer they expected.
Cloud Village—second only to Konoha—
the military titan even other great villages feared.
Sound and the fledgling Sound Village were dust in comparison.
Where did Oda Nobunaga find the courage—
the audacity—
to declare war against them?
For several seconds, Yuki simply stood there, stunned silent.
Only then did his mind snap back into place.
He stared at Oda Nobunaga—whose expression remained utterly unchanged—
as if he were looking at a lunatic.
His mouth opened wide in disbelief.
Then—
that wide-open mouth twisted into manic laughter.
Yuki doubled over laughing, finger trembling as he pointed at Nobunaga.
"Fine—fine—FINE! Just you wait!"
"The armies of Kumogakure will flatten your entire Sound!"
"And when that day comes, I'll personally greet our 'great Daimyō' with a sheep-led parade!"
He wiped away tears of laughter.
Even if Nobunaga didn't bow today,
it didn't matter.
A declared war was just as good.
Once Cloud's army marched, Oda Nobunaga would regret this for the rest of his life.
Without another word, Yuki turned and strode off, calling his men to follow.
---
"Where does Oda Nobunaga get his confidence?"
In the retreating crowd, Mabui cast one final glance back at the young Daimyō
standing calmly on the palace steps.
Her brows knit with doubt.
And then she left with the others, disappearing into the night.
---
Meanwhile, in Nobunaga's private quarters…
As soon as the Cloud and Grass envoys were gone, Orochimaru's long silhouette peeled out of the shadows.
His golden eyes flicked to Kimimaro and Jūgo—who still stood faithfully behind Nobunaga—
and the corners of his lips twitched in mild annoyance.
He had considered slipping away quietly.
Orochimaru did not wish to be dragged into a suicidal war—
especially not one that involved the Fourth Raikage's iron fists,
or the Tailed Beast Bombs of the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails.
"Nobunaga-dono… are you truly preparing to go to war with Kumogakure?"
"It is… not a wise choice."
Nobunaga calmly set up a tea set, his movements graceful.
A cup of steaming tea slid across the table toward Orochimaru.
"Afraid?"
he asked, voice smooth.
Orochimaru chuckled coldly.
A crude provocation like that would never work on him.
He blew the steam away and lifted the cup,
vertical pupils narrowing as he studied Nobunaga's unshakable calm.
He had once assumed Nobunaga was a clever partner—
someone whose wits could help him endure until he found
the "vehicle" that would lead him to the legendary Princess Kaguya.
But now…?
Now he wondered if Nobunaga was simply a fool
blind to the times he lived in.
"War is simply the continuation of politics by other means."
Nobunaga said calmly.
"And war has never been merely the clash of individual shinobi."
He drank his tea.
He understood well the original nature of war in this world—
And yet he also knew that the theories of war from the old era never go out of style,
not before the age of monster-tier shinobi fully blossomed.
Orochimaru raised a brow.
For the first time, he looked at Nobunaga differently—
and found himself… reluctant to leave.
---
Time passed.
News of the confrontation in Sound Village spread like wildfire.
Tensions in the ninja world surged again.
Every major power turned its gaze toward the triangle of conflict:
Sound — Kumogakure — Kusagakure.
But the war everyone expected did not immediately erupt.
Even Kumogakure—
known for its aggressive, domineering nature—
stopped its vast armies right at the border.
They gathered troops,
but did not cross.
Inside the Raikage's office…
BOOM!!
Even Mabui couldn't stop the Fourth Raikage from smashing another section of wall.
Thunder crackled around him, lightning dancing off his muscles.
"All of them—EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM—are getting in my way!"
"How dare they ALL line up to shield that Oda Nobunaga?!"
Cloud Village's greatest brute force was livid.
And the real horror was—
For once…
he wasn't wrong.