Naruto Card King

Haruto Saito was well aware of the Black Warrior inheritance system. It wasn't exactly a secret—after all, the Black Warriors had existed for over a thousand years, and the records regarding their lineage were extensive. However, Haruto didn't learn about this from books. Instead, after obtaining the Black War Armor, he had personally inquired about the matter, and it was Jiraiya who had provided him with the details.

Yet, he pretended to be ignorant and asked, "An inheritance system? Isn't it passed from father to son?"

"That is not the case," Mifune replied. "A thousand years ago, when the first Black Warrior emerged and established the Black War Nation, the inheritance was indeed based on bloodline, with the armor being passed from father to son for several generations."

"But this had a major flaw—what if the Black Warrior's son was mediocre? Or if none of his children possessed great talent or strength? If the armor were passed down to an unworthy heir, the new Black Warrior would be weak, leading to ambitious and powerful warriors attempting to overthrow him."

"This actually happened before! The seventh-generation Black Warrior rose to power through rebellion! That was when the inheritance system changed. Simply put, there are now two ways to inherit the Black War Armor. The first is by decree! Before passing away, the current Black Warrior writes a succession decree, naming the next Black Warrior. It doesn't have to be his son—it could be his brother, nephew, or even a talented descendant from later generations. Besides family, the armor could also be passed to a trusted general or even a disciple."

"The second method is based on bloodline. If the Black Warrior dies without leaving a decree, the laws of the Black War Nation state that his trusted generals and ministers will nominate and elect a successor from his blood relatives, spanning three generations. Depending on how closely related they are, each candidate has different levels of inheritance rights. Unless all blood relatives are deemed completely unworthy, an outsider will not be chosen as the new Black Warrior."

"The decree takes precedence over bloodline selection, correct?" Haruto interjected.

"That's right," Mifune nodded. "Ever since the seventh-generation Black Warrior changed the inheritance rules, many Black Warriors have left decrees, and there have been numerous cases where the armor was passed to a trusted general rather than a blood relative. In such cases, the strongest warrior among the previous Black Warrior's followers is usually chosen. To become a Black Warrior, strength is far more important than lineage."

"So, what's the issue? Why do you think reviving the Black War Nation is difficult?" Haruto pressed.

"Because I don't know who my great-grandfather passed the armor to!" Mifune said seriously. "According to my family's records, my great-grandfather had the opportunity to write a decree before his final battle…"

"If he passed the armor to a general rather than a blood relative, then I would have no rightful claim to restoring the Black War Nation."

"There are many clans who can claim descent from the Black Warriors because the armor has often been passed to non-relatives. Over generations, this has resulted in multiple lineages, each believing themselves to be the rightful heirs."

Haruto tilted his head. "But wouldn't that change if you obtained the Black War Armor?"

"If I obtained the armor and became the next Black Warrior, there would be no issue," Mifune admitted, frowning slightly. "However, reviving the Black War Nation and simply founding a new one are two different things! The former means re-establishing a country with a thousand-year heritage, while the latter would just be renaming the Land of Iron. The essence would remain the same—it would still be the relatively young Land of Iron, not the ancient Black War Nation."

"You really want to restore the Black War Nation, don't you?" Haruto asked again.

Mifune hesitated before sighing. "I do. My grandfather often spoke of it when I was young, before he passed away. He wished for the Black War Nation to rise again."

"But the reality makes it impossible. As I mentioned earlier, many clans claim descent from the Black Warriors. Within the Land of Iron alone, I know of three such clans. Their ancestors were once Black Warriors, but the armor was eventually passed to outsiders…"

"So, if I publicly declare my intention to restore the Black War Nation, it will inevitably cause unnecessary conflicts! Anyone can become the Black Warrior. Even you—right now, you are the Black Warrior! But that alone doesn't grant you the right to revive the Black War Nation. You are not recognized as the legitimate successor to that ancient warrior state."

"I see," Haruto nodded, as if finally understanding.

"It seems Black Warrior Haruto is not very familiar with the history of the Black War Nation." Mifune's tone was awkward. "May I ask why you are asking all these questions?"

"No particular reason," Haruto shrugged before adding, "But I do have one last question—if you don't mind answering?"

"Go ahead."

"Could you tell me your grandfather's name?"

"Takitsugu."

"Takitsugu… a fine name."

Haruto praised the name nonchalantly before reaching into his robe and pulling out an ancient-looking scroll. With a flick of his wrist, the scroll partially unrolled, revealing its contents.

Mifune's eyes widened in shock. He instantly stood up, staring intensely at the scroll.

"This is the decree your great-grandfather, Mokumaru, wrote—naming your grandfather, Takitsugu, as his successor!" Haruto declared rapidly, holding up the scroll. "I found this decree alongside the Black War Armor. This proves that your grandfather, Takitsugu, was the rightful heir to the Black War Nation and should have been the next Black Warrior and supreme commander. However, due to certain circumstances, this decree never reached him."

"But that doesn't matter anymore! What matters is that we now have confirmation—your grandfather was the legitimate successor! And according to the ancient inheritance rules of the Black War Nation, when a decree is absent, the successor is chosen by bloodline selection… Your grandfather was the rightful heir, but since he never inherited the armor, he naturally didn't leave a decree. Thus, by bloodline inheritance, you—his grandson—are now one of the legitimate heirs to the Black War Nation!"

"I don't know how many other living relatives you have—siblings, uncles, cousins—but I do know that with your strength and your current status, if a bloodline selection were held, you would undoubtedly be chosen as the next Black Warrior! And, more importantly, the legitimate successor of the ancient Black War Nation!"

"You need this decree! I can give it to you! Along with the Black War Armor and the legendary weapon, Black Fang—they can all be yours!"

Bang!

Haruto slammed his palm onto the table, leaning forward and locking eyes with Mifune. His voice was serious and unwavering.

"I want three hundred million ryo. No negotiations!"