69novels Chapter 318 Helplessness
Chapter 318 Helplessness
Tsunade couldn't imagine the consequences of losing the Hyuga clan, as they had always been one of Konoha's most important forces. Their existence not only provided Konoha with strength but also solidified its position in the ninja world.
She knew that although Konoha Village appeared peaceful on the surface, it actually faced many potential crises. The covetous eyes of other ninja villages meant that Konoha could be plunged into war at any moment. And the departure of the Hyuga clan undoubtedly made Konoha Village's situation even more dire.
Therefore, Tsunade hoped to do everything in her power to ask Shikaku if there was any way to bring the Hyuga clan back to Konoha. Only in this way could Konoha maintain its strength and cope with any future challenges.
Nara Shikaku sighed inwardly. He was all too aware of Tsunade's concerns. However, through communications with members of various clans, he discovered a troubling fact: the Hyuga clan was now living a comfortable and harmonious life, showing no intention of returning to Konoha. Worse still, even those sent to the clans seemed to have lost interest in returning, even expressing a desire to remain in the Hyuga clan's new territory. This deeply worried Nara Shikaku, as it meant the rift between the Hyuga clan and Konoha might deepen. He knew this situation was bad for the village, but he didn't know how to resolve this problem.
Seeing Nara Shikaku's helpless expression, Tsunade's anger surged even higher. She couldn't help but slam her hand on the table, saying indignantly, "It's all the fault of those idiots, Shimura Danzo and his gang! They completely eroded the Hyuga clan's last shred of affection for Konoha. What were those fools thinking? Not only did they completely offend the Hyuga clan, but they also caused the village such huge losses, and it's taken so long to recover. If it weren't for the fact that the village has finally regained stability, I really would have slaughtered every single one of those useless bastards."
Tsunade truly harbored the intention to kill all those former high-ranking officials of Konoha. After becoming Hokage, she had access to many of the village's sealed archives and hidden information. If it were merely about the Hyuga clan incident, while she was furious, she didn't feel the urge to kill. However, during this time, in order to quickly grasp the village's situation, she reviewed many of the village's hidden files, much of which was utterly appalling, even potentially destructive to the village. For example, there were accounts of embezzlement of frontline supplies during wartime, withholding frontline compensation, and oppression of civilian ninjas. She almost didn't recognize the Konoha her grandfather had founded; the darkness within it left her speechless. If it weren't for the profound foundation left by her two grandfathers during their reigns, any other village would have long since perished in the ninja world.
Tsunade used to think these useless people were just vying for power, but at least they cared about Konoha and wouldn't endanger the village's survival. However, after seeing the recorded details, she instantly realized she had overestimated them. They used the guise of "everything for Konoha," but they were constantly undermining the village's foundation. If Orochimaru hadn't planned the Konoha Crush, and Konoha had continued under their rule, its destruction would have been only a matter of time, and likely very soon.
After all, Konoha Village has essentially lost an entire generation, with no new, powerful ninjas emerging. This has left Konoha, the village with the deepest foundation of its people, facing a crisis of succession. Even a ninja of exceptional talent like Kakashi Hatake has lost his ambition due to their machinations. Over the years, his strength has not only failed to improve but has actually regressed. Furthermore, those geniuses from ninja clans have been secretly eliminated, leaving Konoha Village reliant solely on the three legendary Sannin, all over fifty years old. This situation is truly lamentable. It's only because the ninja world is currently at peace that Konoha Village might be completely divided up by other ninja villages if a ninja war were to break out.
The once-glorious Konoha ninja now face a severe decline in quality. In the past, Konoha ninjas dominated their respective ranks, possessing an absolute advantage in combat. However, times have changed. Today, the quality of Konoha ninjas is almost indistinguishable from those of smaller ninja villages, often putting them at a disadvantage in missions and leaving them struggling to keep up with the superior ninjas from other major villages. This has led to the gradual loss of Konoha's prestige in the ninja world, with many merchant caravans losing trust in Konoha ninjas and no longer willing to hire them for missions. Over time, Konoha's mission share has drastically decreased, undoubtedly placing a heavy economic burden on the village. Tsunade now faces this dire situation; Konoha must take action to improve the quality of its ninjas and restore its former glory. Otherwise, Konoha will struggle to survive in the fierce competition and may even decline.
"Sigh!" Tsunade suppressed her anger; she truly felt the immense pressure. Her beloved teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had left her with a complete mess, one that was incredibly difficult to handle. The village's economic problems were relatively easy to solve; Tsunade was a princess personally appointed by the Land of Fire, with close ties to the daimyo. The Land of Fire's superior economic strength could easily provide Konoha with maximum support, ensuring the village's finances wouldn't suffer. However, the mission system wasn't just about earning small rewards; it also allowed Konoha ninjas to gain experience and enhance their strength. The biggest problem, however, was that many foreign caravans had lost faith in Konoha ninjas and were unwilling to issue missions to the village.
Now that Konoha has lost the strategic advantage of the Hyuga clan, and its ninjas are no longer strong enough to suppress other ninja villages and gain the upper hand, why would merchant caravans be willing to pay higher prices to hire Konoha ninjas? These merchants are the most shrewd group in the ninja world, and their attitude has been observed by the high-ranking officials of many countries. When merchants no longer trust Konoha ninjas and reduce their hiring of them, those countries will naturally make the same choice.
Thinking of this, Tsunade felt another surge of anger. She thought of the former Konoha Village, a place full of vitality and glory. But now, everything seemed unfamiliar and fragile. The loss of the Senju clan was undoubtedly a major blow to the village. The departure of the once-powerful Senju clan had damaged Konoha's reputation to some extent. Fortunately, during the Third Shinobi World War, the Uchiha clan displayed astonishing fighting power, and their presence allowed Konoha to maintain its prestige. At the same time, the Hyuga clan also played a crucial role, becoming a strategic force for Konoha.
However, the decisions made by Hiruzen Sarutobi and other high-ranking officials of Konoha were heartbreaking. Their annihilation of the Uchiha clan was not only a cruel act against one family, but also a significant weakening of Konoha's overall strength. Worse still, the Hyuga clan was also expelled from Konoha, undoubtedly another heavy blow. The Konoha of today is no longer the Konoha of the past. Although there are still other excellent ninjas, neither their strength nor their strategic position makes it easy to quickly reverse Konoha's decline. Tsunade knows that restoring Konoha to its former glory will require much more effort and time.
Seeing Tsunade's grim expression, Nara Shikaku knew the Hokage was troubled. He understood Konoha's situation far better than Tsunade did, and was well aware of the dire predicament the village faced. Although Konoha appeared harmonious and stable, anyone with a modicum of knowledge knew its true predicament. He couldn't think of any way to solve these problems; they weren't solvable by cleverness alone, but by overwhelming power and immense deterrence. While Tsunade held the title of one of the Legendary Sannin and possessed considerable strength in the ninja world, she was far from being able to intimidate other villages, even with Jiraiya's presence. If Orochimaru were present, the situation might be much better. After all, Orochimaru was exceptionally strong and intelligent. More importantly, he was rational, decisive, and possessed a far greater deterrent effect than the other two of the Legendary Sannin.
Nara Shikaku knew all too well that finding someone capable of dominating the entire ninja world was no easy feat. He had considered many candidates, but ultimately found Hyuga Kanan of the Hyuga clan to be the most suitable. This ninja possessed immense strength, comparable to the First Hokage. Kanan had once launched an attack on Kumogakure in the border region, inflicting heavy losses on their border forces and demonstrating unparalleled deterrent power. If he were stationed in Konoha, he could certainly buy enough time for the village to recover. However, fate intervened, and this peerless powerhouse was forced to leave Konoha by the former Hokage. Not only that, but the Hyuga clan was also forced to leave, and they were now irreconcilably at odds with Konoha. Now, expecting Kanan to return and help Konoha was virtually impossible; it would be a miracle if he didn't continue to target the village.
Nara Shikaku could only comfort Tsunade, saying, "Hokage-sama, the village can only tighten its defenses for now, while sending its true elite forces to deter others in places we cannot abandon. This will give the village as much time as possible to recover. I believe that with our village's foundation, given enough time, we should be able to recover to some extent, and at least maintain some of the village's prestige in the ninja world."