Imagawa Shigeaki continued his duties as the shogun, just as he always did.
As he was listening to his aides report on the mountain bandit suppression efforts, an attendant from the Daimyō's mansion entered the room under the escort of guards.
"Shogun-sama, His Highness the Daimyō commands your presence at the palace."
The sudden summons did not disrupt Imagawa Shigeaki's composure. He knew that after that recording from a few days ago, the Daimyō must have already made up his mind.
"I understand."
Taking a deep breath, Imagawa Shigeaki ordered his guards to assemble.
Escorted by his personal guard, he arrived at the Daimyō's residence and was granted permission to bring two guards with him inside the palace — one of the privileges of his position as shogun.
His hand tightened on the sword hanging at his waist. For some reason, a strange tension ran through him.
Watching the attendant hurry ahead, Imagawa Shigeaki followed closely behind, glancing around the courtyard and the maids passing by, trying to spot any sign of abnormality.
Everything appeared perfectly normal.
"Shogun-sama, please."
The attendant suddenly stopped.
The doors slid open to the sides, revealing the Daimyō sitting at the head of the room, leaning over a low table, writing something with a brush.
Beside him sat a young boy Imagawa Shigeaki had never seen before. The boy leaned lazily against a pillar, eyes closed — seemingly asleep.
Who dares act with such disrespect?
"The Shogun has arrived. Bring a seat."
The Daimyō didn't give Shigeaki a moment to think. He set his brush aside and motioned for a cushion to be brought forward.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Imagawa Shigeaki bowed slightly, kneeling a respectful distance away, waiting for the Daimyō to state the reason for his summons.
He also noticed something unusual — the guards who normally stood by to protect the Daimyō were nowhere to be seen today.
Yet the Daimyō seemed to have completely forgotten Shigeaki's presence. After the latter sat down, the Daimyō picked up his brush again and continued writing.
Ten minutes passed.
Then another five.
Just as Imagawa Shigeaki's patience was wearing thin, the Daimyō finally set his brush down and let out a long sigh.
"Hmm... When my father was alive, he always praised my calligraphy."
As he spoke, the Daimyō opened his signature folding fan.
Imagawa Shigeaki's face darkened. So you called me here... just to show off your handwriting?
Of course — you were useless at everything since childhood. The only thing you ever excelled at was eating.
Even as a Daimyō, you still can't shake your nature as a fool.
But what the Daimyō said next drained all color from Shigeaki's face.
"I imagine the envoy you sent to Konoha has already arrived by now, yes?"
Nani?!
Shigeaki's hands trembled violently. He lifted his head, staring at the Daimyō in disbelief.
He knows?!
"When the Fifth Hokage feigned support for the Imagawa clan, you had already made a deal with her, hadn't you?"
The Daimyō continued to wave his fan casually, completely unbothered by the Shogun's breach of decorum in looking directly at him.
Behind Shigeaki, his two guards reacted even faster than their lord. As the Daimyō spoke, they drew their swords and charged forward.
They didn't know why the Daimyō's guards were missing today — but they had no other choice. Their only hope was to take him hostage and then find a way out.
"Yawn."
The boy who had been sitting idly on the floor suddenly made a sound, drawing their attention.
He swung his arm lazily, as if brushing away a fly — and a violent gust of wind tore through the room.
A second later, the two guards burst apart into a spray of blood mist, their remains floating through the air.
"Urgh... urgh..."
The stench of blood filled his nose, and only then did Imagawa Shigeaki truly realize what had happened.
All the dignity of a great general vanished in an instant. The man now kneeling on the floor, retching uncontrollably, was his true self.
A flash of disappointment appeared in the Daimyō's eyes, though it quickly faded.
He even mimicked the shogun's retching, as if to sympathize with his uncle.
"Take the Shogun to rest. Also, send word to Konoha — tell them this Daimyō requests an audience with the Fifth Hokage."
Using his fan to wave away the heavy metallic scent of blood, the Daimyō gestured to the guards now flooding into the room — men he had already stationed outside in advance.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"You saw my power yourself. If there's nothing else, I'm going back to sleep."
Ignoring the guards who gave him a wide berth, Sloth stretched lazily. Without waiting for the Daimyō's response, he tore open a rift in space and stepped through it.
With Sloth's departure, the tension in the room finally eased. The guards' faces relaxed, and even the Daimyō himself let out a quiet breath.
Watching as the unconscious Imagawa Shigeaki was dragged away, the Daimyō turned his gaze back to the document he had written moments earlier.
It was a plain-looking abdication edict. The only noteworthy detail was the name of the designated successor — the very man who had just been carried out: Imagawa Shigeaki.
"Eternal life, hmm? Eternal existence only breeds eternal conflict. That must be exhausting."
The Daimyō shook his head, dismissing the concept of immortality that so many of his ministers regarded as a sacred treasure.
"Artificial beings, shinobi... no matter which side wins their struggle, whatever awaits me will hardly be a pleasant end."
Pressing his seal onto the edict, the Daimyō carefully rolled it up and hid it away in a secret compartment.
It was time to prepare — to welcome his own end.
----------------
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (445 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)