Chapter 287: Chaos in the Imperial Capital
Using lofty ideals like faith, systems, and philosophy to inspire the clan toward greatness is certainly a noble choice.
But if you draw too many pie-in-the-sky promises, the effect inevitably diminishes.
The Hyuga clan still resides in the Ninja World. It has only been awakened for just over a decade. Naturally, countless members would risk their lives for the clan's future and prosperity.
Each of them is like a starving wolf whose ambitions and dreams have long been suppressed. Now, ignited by Ryosuke's power, that hunger surges anew.
But what about ten years from now? A hundred years? A thousand?
When these pioneers grow old, and their children and grandchildren are born into a new system, will they still burn with passion for dreams and ideals—things that might as well be castles in the sky?
This uncertainty exists even within the Hyuga clan. It is even more tenuous for those outsiders who have integrated into it.
Once the Hyuga walk beyond the Ninja World and begin conquering world after world—scattering power and manpower across them—if their only fuel is ideology, then internal strife is inevitable.
To prevent this, a complete system of rewards and punishments must be established early. Ruthless enforcers must be put in place.
Blood ties cannot always bind a growing clan.
Profit alone cannot restrain ever-expanding greed.
But if both are leveraged wisely—then anything is possible.
Ryosuke was mildly surprised that Hinata could see so clearly.
The moment she cast that hesitant glance toward him, he already knew what she was thinking—everything she wanted to convey.
Without hesitation, he chose to support her.
To most in the clan, those treasures were immensely valuable. But to Ryosuke, they had not yet touched the true core of the family.
"The rewards end here. Now… let's officially begin the meeting."
Hinata looked calmly at everyone present. With a firm and commanding tone, she asserted her authority as the final executor of the clan's decisions.
"How should we respond to the world of Imperial Weapons?"
---
…
"Oh? Missing?"
On the northern border of the Empire, atop a snowy mountain—
Temporary tents dotted the icy terrain, standing firm despite violent winds powerful enough to knock down grown men.
Flimsy tents patched together from coarse fabric somehow blocked the raging elements.
Because, once the howling wind approached the tents, it weakened—submissive, as if bowing to an unseen force.
Like a beast that had been tamed.
Faced with this unbelievable sight, every soldier training nearby stared toward the central command tent with eyes full of fervor.
That was the tent of their general—the Empire's strongest warrior—
Esdeath.
Her sheer presence alone quelled the blizzard and shielded the entire camp.
"Yes. After we lost contact, I dispatched two combat units—seven hundred men each—from the First and Third Garrison Legions to investigate," reported Daidas, one of the Three Beasts, speaking with reverent calm over the military phone.
"Within three days, the two teams met near the Second Garrison and joined forces to launch an assault on its perimeter."
"But they passed through the outer traps and entered the fortress without resistance."
"As reported, the entire camp was empty. Most of the supplies and daily necessities had been taken. The strange part is—there were no signs of battle."
"The soldiers checked the area multiple times. Not even the faintest trace of blood remained."
Once his report ended, Daidas said nothing more. He waited silently for his general's instructions.
"The entire battalion… vanished?"
A striking beauty, equal parts regal and savage, lounged on a sofa, gently tapping the microphone with her pale, slender fingers.
Her long, icy blue hair flowed freely—not disheveled, but wild and untamed.
Her flawless figure was wrapped tightly in a crisp, white military uniform, but even that couldn't conceal the terrifying bloodlust and power within.
"Keep investigating. My soldiers don't betray me."
Though her voice was calm, the menace it carried made Daidas break out in a cold sweat on the other end of the line.
"And pass this matter on to the Minister of State. Let him investigate."
"I don't want to be dragged into the Empire's dirty politics."
"All I care about is battle. Challenge after challenge."
"My soldiers should never fall victim to political games. If they must die—then let it be an honorable defeat on the battlefield."
"…Understood."
Daidas hesitated, tempted to say more. But in the end, he simply gave a quiet response.
"…Yes!"
He ended the call respectfully.
The current Imperial Minister held all the real power in the court. Even the young Emperor was nothing more than a puppet in his hands.
The vast Empire beneath their feet was ruled entirely by the Minister's will. The sky had long since changed hands, and the darkness of his greed grew deeper by the day.
The officers knew.
The nobles knew.
The merchants, the officials, the scholars—all knew.
But none could stand against him.
A mountain of gold towered above, and the Minister sat at its peak.
Below him, layers of nobles and officials clung to his power. This enormous web of profit was too vast to sever, too heavy for any ordinary man to bear.
Perhaps only the General—Esdeath—had the power to challenge him.
But she simply wasn't interested.
---
"The world grows more chaotic."
Daidas stepped out of the tent and gazed up at the stars. A grin stretched across his face.
"But that's no concern of mine."
"My loyalty lies with the General—not this Empire."
"As long as I follow her… we'll destroy everything in our way."
---
"So this is the Imperial Capital?"
At this moment, a figure of dazzling presence walked slowly through the city gates—drawing the fearful gazes of nearby soldiers.
None dared to ask for the usual steep entrance fee. All of them bowed low, eyes averted.
His aura was simply too overwhelming. His attire too refined. No ordinary man carried himself like this.
Even among the nobles of the city, few possessed such imposing courage.
A sharp, handsome face. Long white hair flowing down to his waist—majestic yet far from gentle. With a tall, well-built body, he exuded a primal strength.
He held his head high and strode forward without hesitation.
This marked the first time Ryosuke officially appeared before the people of another world. At Hinata's insistence, he did not wear his usual plain white robes. Instead, she had arranged for him to don formal attire befitting his station.
The shrunken Tenseigain, now no larger than a marble, floated beside Ryosuke. Its cold, oppressive aura radiated outward, causing all who glimpsed it to avert their eyes in fear.
Before him, towering walls stretched toward the sky, and the emperor's palace loomed high in the clouds—majestic and solemn, a symbol of luxury and grandeur.
But Ryosuke remained indifferent.
He had seen countless bustling metropolises. Though he had lived in the Ninja World for over a decade, the grandiosity of this imperial city failed to move him.
"Mom…"
"Shh!"
"Don't move!"
…
At the silent city gate, no one entered or left.
The crowd around him stood frozen in fear, stunned into silence. No one dared to meet his gaze. Heads lowered, parents held back their children, terrified they might draw the attention of someone they should never cross.
This was the Imperial Capital—a city full of madmen.
Here, those with power, wealth, or connections could do as they pleased. Law and morality held no weight. Even murder, kidnapping, or robbery were considered common occurrences.
For the high and mighty, the lives of the common folk meant nothing. Torture and killing were mere amusements on idle days.
Though the city gleamed under the sun, beneath its surface was endless death and darkness.
And so, no one dared to provoke this unknown figure, whose presence alone screamed authority.
"Good."
Ryosuke nodded slightly and continued walking toward the heart of the city.
Everyone's thoughts lay bare before his eyes.
Morally, he felt sympathy. But from the perspective of clan development, he had long steeled his heart.
Now that the Hyuga clan had fully assessed the military capabilities and societal structure of this world, Hinata no longer barred Ryosuke from crossing the space-time gate.
The time had come to act.
Whether to pursue peaceful cooperation or military conquest—both paths carried immense risk.
The Hyuga clan's strength might seem overwhelming, but with only ten thousand members against a world of millions, direct force alone would be difficult.
Even if Ryosuke crushed all resistance, earning the loyalty of this world's people was another matter entirely.
Conquest through strength is never absolute.
In any world, sentient beings have their own thoughts and blood. No one blindly follows the strong.
If strength alone could guarantee obedience, there would be no endless wars in the Ninja World. No one would throw away their lives or drag their families into conflict just to resist.
"So… we need a proper identity."
Hinata's firm voice echoed in Ryosuke's mind.
His cold expression softened slightly.
He continued his steady pace toward the palace under the wary eyes of the people watching from both sides of the street.
At the same time, his Tenseigan's perception quietly spread—blanketing the entire Imperial Capital.
---
"Out of the way! Get out of the way!"
Wild laughter rang out.
A handsome young man, adorned with a golden crown, rode a monstrous beast through the streets at breakneck speed.
His mount—a hybrid between horse and dangerous species—roared with savage delight as it barreled down the stone roads.
It trampled civilians beneath its hooves, leaving trails of blood and destruction. At random, it plucked screaming peasants from the crowd, tearing into them like meat rations.
Behind the beast, armored guards and brutal attendants followed, also crushing civilians in their path.
"Run!"
"It's General Pingnan's eldest son—Carlo!"
"Why is he out again…"
…
Panic spread as people fled in all directions. No one dared to resist.
No one collected the mangled bodies left behind. Even the city guards, clad in armor and bearing the empire's insignia, turned a blind eye.
It was as if none of it existed. They continued their patrols unfazed.
"What a farce… have they gone numb to it?"
The entire scene unfolded clearly in Ryosuke's mind through his eye.
Fleeing civilians, unchecked arrogance, and city guards indifferent to bloodshed.
It was a perfectly rehearsed performance—each actor playing their role. Had he not witnessed it himself, he would've thought it a drama.
A drama in which everyone obeyed the script.
"But… how coincidental."
Without stopping, Ryosuke walked forward, prepared to meet this so-called general's son.
The giant beast's heavy footsteps began to shake the ground as it drew near.
On either side of Ryosuke, civilians lowered their heads in silence. Though they heard the approaching chaos, none dared to flee—not under the pressure of Ryosuke's overwhelming aura.
Two streets now stood in stark contrast.
One bloody, wild, and insane.
The other cold, quiet, and reverent.
But no matter which street you stood on, it was always the civilians who suffered.
---
"Wait—!"
Carlo, loud and arrogant moments before, suddenly pulled his beast to a halt at the edge of the next street.
He narrowed his eyes at the silent crowd ahead, finally landing his gaze on the lone figure calmly walking toward him.
Even the beast under him—bloodthirsty and frenzied—hesitated to charge.
Something primal warned it: this man was no prey.
"Y-Young Master Carlo…"
The guards and servants flanking him immediately gathered close, nervously watching Ryosuke's slow, steady approach.
"Who are you?"
Carlo leapt off his mount, landing with a thud.
Though he was known for being lawless in the capital, he wasn't foolish. He knew some people weren't to be trifled with.
Still, this man wasn't on any list of nobles or warriors he was familiar with.
But his aura—and his elegant, immaculately arranged clothing—clearly marked him as someone of great importance.
---
"Are you the son of General Pingnan…"
"…the one who dared covet the Hyuga Clan's millions?"
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