69novels Chapter 246 Exchange
Chapter 246 Exchange
Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts drifted away, and the image of Kanan Hyuga involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
This legendary figure had been away from Konoha for many years, and upon his first return, he clashed fiercely with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Although the conflict was initiated by Hiruzen, Hyuga Kanan's displayed strength instilled in him an unprecedented sense of mortal threat. Subsequently, Hyuga Kanan engaged in a breathtaking battle with Sakumo Hatake, Konoha's strongest fighter at the time, ultimately emerging victorious with overwhelming force. Years later, Hyuga Kanan single-handedly intimidated the Cloud Village's border troops, preventing Konoha from going to war with the Cloud Village. His demonstrated strength had transcended the realm of ordinary ninja.
Now, Hiruzen Sarutobi has detected the same aura from Neji Hyuga. What does this mean? Could it be that Neji will become the next powerful shinobi after Kanan Hyuga? More importantly, he has deep feelings for the Hyuga clan. If this is true, it would undoubtedly be the biggest problem for Konoha right now.
Hiashi Hyuga noticed that Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent upon his arrival, only frowning in deep thought, his gaze occasionally drifting towards Neji Hyuga beside him. This stirred a sense of dissatisfaction and wariness within Hiashi. He knew that Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konoha, was adept at political maneuvering and scheming, and his current actions clearly indicated that he had set his sights on Neji.
In Hiashi Hyuga's eyes, Neji Hyuga, despite displaying a maturity and composure beyond his years, was still ultimately a child. Facing the schemes of those experienced and cunning old men, Neji might encounter considerable trouble. After all, the Uchiha clan was wiped out by Itachi Uchiha, a genius of the clan, who bore the brunt of all the blame. Would Neji now find himself in a similar predicament?
Hiashi Hyuga pondered to himself, beginning to suspect that Hiruzen Sarutobi intended to repeat Itachi Uchiha's tragedy with Neji Hyuga. If so, Neji would face immense pressure and challenges. However, Hiashi Hyuga did not want Neji to become a sacrifice; he was determined to protect his young nephew from any harm.
"Lord Hokage, why are you staring at my nephew like that? Is there something you want to tell me?" Hiashi Hyuga couldn't help but ask, deciding to break the silence and find out Hiruzen Sarutobi's intentions. He didn't want Neji Hyuga to get involved in any danger, so he had to figure out what Hiruzen Sarutobi was thinking of him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's reverie was shattered by Hiashi Hyuga's words, and his eyes regained their clarity. He knew now was not the time to dwell on those matters; the most crucial thing was to appease the Hyuga clan, giving them a way to save face and reduce their hostility towards him and the Konoha leadership. Before coming here, Hiruzen had already considered how to appease the Hyuga clan, but doing so would somewhat damage his authority as Hokage. However, compared to Kanan Hyuga's return to Konoha, this was already a relatively good outcome. But now, seeing Neji Hyuga, Hiruzen realized that ensuring his authority remained unaffected was virtually impossible.
“I’ve come to discuss the future arrangements for your daughter, Hinata Hyuga. As you know, this year’s graduating class of the Ninja Academy is about to complete their studies and become Konoha genin. They need instructors to guide them in becoming true ninjas. I’ve come to ask if you have any thoughts on this. After all, your daughter will be the heir to the Hyuga clan, so I need to discuss it with you before making any arrangements.” Hiruzen Sarutobi said, taking out a pipe from his pocket and lighting it.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his gaze fell upon Hinata Hyuga's father, Hiashi Hyuga.
Hiashi Hyuga looked at the other person calmly, but secretly pondered the other person's intentions.
His daughter, Hinata Hyuga, is about to graduate from the Ninja Academy. The Hyuga clan will arrange a tutor for her, and he will personally teach her most of the time, so there is no need for a tutor.
The Hyuga clan has always had its own traditions and rules, and as the clan head, he pays more attention to the interests and stability of the clan.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi proposed to discuss Hinata Hyuga's future arrangements, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel wary.
He knew that as the leader of Konoha Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi would not care about the affairs of an ordinary clan member without a reason.
Could it be that Hiruzen Sarutobi and his group intend to use Hinata Hyuga to threaten the Hyuga clan? That's unlikely, because Hiruzen Sarutobi should be very aware of the consequences of attacking Hinata. It would lead to a deadly conflict between the Hyuga clan and the Konoha leadership.
Thinking of this, Hiashi Hyuga decided to sound him out first: "Hokage-sama, you're too kind. Hinata is still just a child. I will make the best arrangements for her, so you, the Hokage, don't need to worry about it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly and nodded: "Of course, the Hyuga clan has always been an important force in Konoha, and we naturally value the training of each clan member. However, I believe that since Hinata is the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, she should interact and communicate more with her classmates. Therefore, I would like to hear your opinion on how she can better build stronger bonds with her companions. What do you think?"
Hiashi Hyuga's heart sank; he understood the deeper meaning behind the other's words.
The so-called "more bonds" are simply meant to make the current conflicts within the Hyuga clan more closely integrated into the village, so that they can contribute more to the village.
Hiashi Hyuga originally had no objection to this, but the constant pressure from Konoha's higher-ups on the Hyuga clan led to the current situation. Hiruzen Sarutobi's words finally made Hiashi understand. It meant that Konoha's higher-ups should stop suppressing the Hyuga clan and allow them to interact and build bonds freely like other clans. In other words, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other Konoha leaders should back down to the Hyuga clan, allowing them to return to being a normal ninja clan in Konoha.
At this moment, Hiashi Hyuga could not directly refuse the other party's proposal.
After a moment of silence, he replied, "We will follow the Hokage's arrangements. If the village feels that Hinata can shoulder more responsibility, then our Hyuga clan will naturally provide our full support. However, please ensure her safety."
A hint of appreciation flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes; he knew that Hiashi Hyuga had understood his meaning.
He nodded in satisfaction. "Don't worry, I won't let you down. As for the specific arrangements, I'll consider them carefully. Also, there's something else I'd like to ask you. Is this young man beside you your nephew, Hyuga Neji?"
Hiashi Hyuga paused for a moment, then turned to look at Neji Hyuga standing beside him, before nodding and saying, "Yes, he is my nephew, Neji Hyuga. What, does the Hokage know him?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and said, "Back then, wasn't Hyuga Kanan's return to Konoha all for this child? I think his talent and strength must be outstanding, and he will definitely become an excellent ninja in the future."
Hiashi Hyuga was somewhat taken aback, finally understanding why Hiruzen Sarutobi had suddenly backed down. Neji Hyuga was Kanan Hyuga's disciple, and his return meant Kanan's focus had shifted to Konoha. If Hiruzen and his group continued to suppress the Hyuga clan, Kanan might very well return to Konoha. Hiruzen and his allies didn't want Kanan to return to Konoha again; otherwise, the village's political landscape might truly change.
He quickly replied, "Thank you for the praise, Hokage-sama. Neji is indeed very hardworking and talented. However, he is still young and has a lot to learn."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and continued, "Yes, young people are always full of potential. I'd like to ask you, have you ever thought about having Neji join the Konoha ninja ranks? That way, he can receive more professional training and accumulate more practical experience. This will be very beneficial to his growth."
Hiashi Hyuga frowned; he didn't want Neji Hyuga to get involved in Konoha's affairs too early.
However, he couldn't directly refuse Hiruzen Sarutobi's proposal. He knew it was one of the conditions for the Hyuga clan to return to Konoha's normal state.
After a moment's thought, he replied, "I need to think about this further. Neji is still young, and I don't want to put too much pressure on him. However, if he himself is willing, I won't stop him."
Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have anticipated Hiashi Hyuga's reaction. He smiled and said, "Well, that's fine then. You should discuss it with Neji and see what he thinks. In any case, I respect your decision."
Hiashi Hyuga nodded in thanks.
While Neji Hyuga remained silent, he understood that Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, was making a deal with his uncle. He wasn't interested in such schemes and plots. Kanan Hyuga had long ago taught him that in military organizations, any conspiracy or trickery would be futile in the face of absolute power. With absolute strength, everything could be changed. Therefore, whether or not one became a member of the Konoha ninja order depended on whether it would benefit their own strength.
Hiruzen Sarutobi left the Hyuga clan with a satisfied smile, as Hiashi Hyuga agreed to the exchange he proposed. Therefore, the situation in Konoha wouldn't change much, and power would remain firmly in his hands. Although giving up on further suppressing the Hyuga clan was somewhat regrettable, given that the Hyuga clan had the backing of Hyuga Kanan, a top-tier ninja in the world, he had no choice but to accept the situation.