Just as Kazuyama was thinking of how to refuse, Yanagimura spoke slowly, smiling.
"I wonder... have you ever heard of Nadeshiko Village?"
Nadeshiko Village? The moment Kazuyama heard that name, his eyes widened.
That was the legendary "Land of Women" of the shinobi world. Located atop two mountains, one large and one small, with a village on each peak, the two settlements were connected by a massive wooden bridge.
The village had a unique rule: to marry, a woman had to defeat a strong warrior and make him her husband.
It was even said that Jiraiya had once been lucky enough to visit Nadeshiko Village and had a rather interesting encounter with its village head...
Seeing Kazuyama's stunned expression, Yanagimura immediately knew he was familiar with it.
And of course, that made sense. A man like Kazuyama, who barely hid his playful nature, had to know about a village filled entirely with beautiful women.
"Heh heh heh, the Daimyō's manor has trade ties with Nadeshiko Village. While the village isn't part of the Land of Fire, it's still within its surrounding territories. So tell me, would the beauties of Nadeshiko Village catch your eye?"
"It's a nation of true beauties. From the village head to the citizens, every woman there is stunning. Especially the village head—each generation's leader is always the most breathtaking in the village."
"If you agree to join the Daimyō's service, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to arrange an introduction."
Kazuyama was speechless.
Seriously? They're using Nadeshiko Village as a bargaining chip?
No wonder the Daimyō held such power. Even though he wasn't featured in the original story, it was clear he was a man with real influence.
Still… did they really take him for a fool?
Nadeshiko Village? That place required marrying in.
He was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. He had beautiful women waiting for him at home—why in the world would he willingly marry into a village?
"Mr. Yanagimura, let me think this over for a while."
"Heh, I know about Nadeshiko Village, and I understand how things work there. But I'm not the type to give up an entire garden just for a single flower."
"It's just not worth it."
"My mission is nearly complete. I'll consider everything once I return to my village."
Yanagimura frowned slightly.
Kazuyama was proving to be far more cautious than he had expected.
But he wasn't about to give up. The Daimyō had high hopes for this young shinobi. If he could bring him in, his own future retirement would be secured.
"That's fine. Take your time to think it over, Kazuyama. The Daimyō will never mistreat those who serve him."
"And if money isn't enough... well, everything is negotiable."
"Heh heh heh..."
There was a hint of cunning behind the seemingly kind laughter.
Yanagimura was a textbook example of a "smiling tiger"—harmless on the surface but dangerous underneath.
But men like him didn't worry Kazuyama.
What truly mattered was the Daimyō lurking behind him.
Too bad, Kazuyama thought, smirking internally. I've never been one to follow the script.
"Sounds good, sounds good. There are still a few days left in my mission, so I'll leave things in your care for now."
"Now that the enemy has been dealt with, I might as well relax and enjoy my time here at the Daimyō's manor."
The moment Kazuyama mentioned "enjoyment," Yanagimura's mind immediately flashed back to the chaos at the casino—first, the brawl, then the massive payout, followed by the unexpected robbery...
Truly, life is unpredictable.
Thinking of all this, Yanagimura suddenly felt uneasy.
Still, he couldn't help but offer a small word of caution.
"Kazuyama, you can enjoy yourself, but some things should only happen once."
"If it happens again, the Daimyō might not take it so lightly. You understand, right?"
Kazuyama grinned. Ah, so he's warning me about the gambling house incident? Hmph, as if I'd use the same trick twice.
"Don't worry, Yanagimura."
Besides, he had no intention of causing trouble anymore. The past few days had been exhausting—constant battles had drained him, and he needed a break.
"Kakashi, Obito, Rin, starting tomorrow, we'll be staying here at the Daimyō's manor."
"Once the mission is complete, we'll return to the village."
"Until then, you're free to move around, but Obito—you're banned from going to the gambling house again."
Obito immediately pulled a long face. He had been hoping to get in a few more rounds, but now it was over before it even started.
"Kazuyama-sensei, I want to find a place to train. I feel like the Lightning Blades are perfect for strengthening my body through lightning tempering."
"Is there anywhere in the Daimyō's manor suited for that?"
Kakashi looked at the twin blades in front of him, determination flashing in his eyes.
Lightning tempering could significantly enhance physical endurance, though it came with side effects—possibly even harming the body. But he was already experimenting with this method.
As his father had said, If you don't endure hardship, how can you become strong?
"It's good that you're thinking this way, and I fully support you. But there really isn't a suitable place within the Daimyō's manor."
"If you're going to train, I'd suggest heading to the nearby forests or mountain slopes. At least that way, if lightning strikes, you won't end up electrocuting anyone else."
Kazuyama's mouth twitched as he looked at Kakashi's serious expression. Did I somehow lead this kid astray?
Since when did he develop such a masochistic streak? Lightning tempering? What does he think he is, the Third Raikage? Or the Fourth? With his small frame, a direct hit from lightning would fry him on the spot!
Then again, his logic did make some sense. After all, Kakashi was the kind of person who would later try to cut lightning itself. Even though Lightning Cutter hadn't been created yet, it was probably only a matter of time.
"But Kakashi, if you keep relying on external lightning for training, haven't you ever thought about developing your own Lightning Release technique?"
"Wouldn't it be better to wield that power yourself rather than depend on nature?"
Not wanting Kakashi to go too far down the path of self-destruction, Kazuyama decided to steer him in a better direction.
To his surprise, Kakashi shook his head firmly. His conviction was clear.
"Kazuyama-sensei, I've already thought about what you said before. But after learning about how the Third Raikage fought off ten thousand enemies alone, I had a revelation."
"Instead of blindly pursuing offensive power, I should focus on making myself indestructible."
"My father once told me that his ability to dominate the battlefield wasn't just because of the Hatake clan's swordsmanship. It was also due to his superior reflexes and movement speed—far beyond anyone else's."
"That's what made the name 'Konoha's White Fang' legendary."
"I'm still young. I have time to refine myself. My goal is to forge my body to the point where, even without ninjutsu, I can become an enemy's worst nightmare with just the sword in my hand!"
His words left both Rin and Obito nodding in agreement, impressed by his determination.
Kazuyama, on the other hand, was staring in shock.
Oh no... It's happening.
History has changed.
Sakumo Hatake never died in this timeline. Because of that, Kakashi's personality hadn't taken the same turn as in the original story.
And with his father now fully invested in his training, constantly offering guidance, Kakashi had veered off onto an entirely different path.
At this rate, the cold and aloof Kakashi of the future was gone.
Instead, they might end up with a muscle-bound warrior named Kakashi...