"Alright, it is just a small conflict. Do not make it so serious."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and let the matter pass, then looked at the others present with a serious expression. "Back to the main issue. Regarding the proposal I just made, what are your views?"
Views?
Hizashi Hyuga was almost furious, yet he still did not dare say a single word. The example was right there, so what views could they possibly have, and what views would they dare to express?
But war was not a game. War meant people would die, and if ninja were drawn from the clans, those who died would be their relatives, friends, brothers, sisters, and lovers.
The meeting room fell into perfect silence, so quiet that people could hear their own breathing and even the rapid beating of their hearts. At last, a Jonin of civilian origin spoke up and stated that he was willing to follow the orders of Third Hokage.
"This matter also carries fault on the side of our Hyuga Clan."
Hizashi Hyuga finally spoke, his voice low and steady. "I formally represent the members of the Hyuga Clan and state that we are willing to follow the orders of Third Hokage."
Beside him, Hizashi Hyuga opened his mouth but in the end could not say anything. This meant that the authority to mobilize clan ninja had been completely handed over to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Very good!" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with satisfaction, his tone warm with approval. "The Hyuga Clan truly lives up to being one of the Konoha Great Clans. You clearly keep the safety of Konoha in your hearts."
When he heard the words Konoha Great Clans, Fugaku Uchiha's face twitched. No matter how poor his political sense was, he could tell that this was a pointed reminder aimed at the Uchiha Clan, and he could only agree, just like the Hyuga Clan.
In the crowd, Shikaku Nara sighed inwardly, then spoke at the same time as Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi. They said respectfully, "The Ino-Shika-Cho feels the same."
With the Hyuga Clan and the three clans of the Ino-Shika-Cho having declared their stance, the other ninja clans could only pretend to agree willingly, even if they felt reluctant. In the end, they began to rush to show their loyalty.
Ryuji Hyuga watched this display of arrogance turning into submission, and his mood was unusually calm, even faintly amused. Was he himself some loyal hound of Konoha? No, of course not.
People were unfortunate because they lived in a base world, troubled by baseness until even their own words and actions had to become base. Ryuji Hyuga agreed to act as the one to step forward not because he held any belief in self sacrifice for Konoha.
It was because, in his view, the ninja clans of today were no longer the same clans that once held absolute power during the founding of Konoha. This was also why he admired Tobirama Senju even more than Hashirama Senju.
Tobirama Senju's wisdom and talent were not only shown in his ability to develop Ninjutsu, but in political insight and strategic vision that surpassed his elder brother Hashirama Senju. From establishing the Ninja Academy and the Chunin Exams to cultivate talent from civilians, to openly teaching the Ninjutsu he developed, leaving other clans with stolen techniques unable to complain, to creating the ANBU and the Konoha Police Force to greatly strengthen the central authority of the Hokage.
He even guided the Senju clan to abandon the honor and surname of Senju and marry civilians. This move greatly improved the average potential of ninja of civilian origin and, in a real sense, turned the clan into nourishment that sank into the soil to feed the great tree of Konoha.
Tobirama Senju truly stepped beyond the narrow view of any single clan and led by example. His reforms shaped the entire Senju clan and even today's Konoha, standing in sharp contrast to the seemingly broad minded but actually arrogant and extreme path of Uchiha Itachi.
In fact, even without the so called righteous act of killing his own kin by Uchiha Itachi, the Uchiha Clan never had the ability to overturn the faction of the Hokage. The clans had long since been cut down to half strength by Tobirama Senju, unless the Uchiha Clan united all clans together.
Would the Uchiha Clan unite the other clans? Could the Uchiha Clan unite them? The answer was no, and also no.
The Uchiha Clan could not bend, and the other clans were not fools. If the Uchiha Clan were the type to bow and play along, they would not have been forced step by step to the brink of rebellion.
Even if Fugaku Uchiha truly bent his back to seek help from other clans, those clan heads would smile and agree on the surface. The moment Fugaku Uchiha left, they would report everything to Hiruzen Sarutobi, afraid that another clan might get ahead of them and brand them accomplices while showing loyalty.
The ninja clans were never a single solid block, and there were always factions close to the Hokage. Ryuji Hyuga even believed that Tobirama Senju chose Hiruzen Sarutobi to become the Hokage instead of Danzo Shimura for far more than the strange reason of who first said he would stay behind to sacrifice himself.
It was because the Sarutobi were on good terms with the Nara Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Yamanaka Clan. Only with Hiruzen Sarutobi in power could the major clans of Konoha be divided and balanced, because his background suited that seat better.
Danzo Shimura still thought that he had only missed the position of Hokage because of a moment of hesitation back then. In truth, losing to Hiruzen Sarutobi was not unjust at all.
"Very good."
Hiruzen Sarutobi swept his gaze across the room, his heavy heart easing as he spoke firmly. "As long as we stand united, neither Kumogakure nor anyone else can defeat us."
Konoha had indeed grown weaker, but that did not mean its former defeated enemies had grown stronger. Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Ryuji Hyuga standing nearby and thought of the Uchiha Clan's Shisui of the Shunshin, and of the still young Naruto Uzumaki like a blank sheet of paper.
A trace of relief passed through his clouded eyes. Konoha still had a future, and the road ahead was bright. kacha.
The meeting ended quickly, and the participants left one after another. Hiruzen Sarutobi kept Ryuji Hyuga behind, along with another person of similar age.
It was Kakashi Hatake, a member of the ANBU and one of the Konoha Jonin. Ryuji saw those lifeless eyes and recognized him at once.
"Let me introduce you. This is Kakashi Hatake," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile. "You two became Jonin at a similar age. You are both the future hope of Konoha."
After the light remark, his expression turned serious. "Ryuji Hyuga, I hope you will join Kakashi Hatake's unit and move out with the troops, then proceed to Land of Hot Water to investigate the so called Abyss. It is preliminarily judged as an S rank mission. What do you think?"
The Abyss? Land of Hot Water? An S rank mission?
Kakashi Hatake glanced at Ryuji Hyuga thoughtfully, considering what this so called Abyss might be. It seemed that the failure and casualties of the escort team were far more than just an ambush from Kumogakure.
"I am willing," Ryuji Hyuga agreed without hesitation. Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi had not brought it up, he would have asked for it himself, and joining Kakashi Hatake's unit was an unexpected gain.
He knew very well who was in Kakashi Hatake's team. The current Tenzo, and the future Uchiha Itachi.
Even for the sake of Tenzo's Wood Release cells, Ryuji Hyuga had to join Kakashi Hatake's unit.
After giving a few more instructions, Hiruzen Sarutobi dismissed the two of them. He still had many matters to attend to.
Before they left, Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Ryuji Hyuga on the shoulder and whispered with a smile, "Before you depart with the troops, remember to make a trip to the Forbidden Technique vault."
Hearing this, Ryuji Hyuga's eyes flickered slightly. He knew this was both compensation and an incentive to win his loyalty, because the Forbidden Technique vault and the Book of Seals were truly valuable. kacha.
A short while later, Ryuji Hyuga walked out of the meeting room and saw Hizashi Hyuga standing by the door. The wounds on Hizashi Hyuga's face had almost healed, but the injury and humiliation were etched deep in his heart.
"Ryuji Hyuga."
Seeing him come out, Hizashi Hyuga spoke in a cold, threatening tone. "Do you think that just because Third Hokage values you, I cannot deal with you?"
Ryuji Hyuga did not answer and did not even look at him. He brushed past Hizashi Hyuga and left, ignoring that dark stare.
If Hizashi Hyuga had activated the Curse Seal the moment Ryuji Hyuga stepped out, perhaps Ryuji Hyuga would have been surprised and even looked at him with new respect. Now, it was nothing more than the powerless barking of an old dog.
Hizashi Hyuga watched him leave, his whole body trembling, veins bulging on his forehead, yet he could do nothing. The moonlight outside the window shone on his temples, already white.
He truly did not dare to make a move. He truly was old.
Morning light shone into the Raikage's office in Kumogakure, when a violent crash shattered the early calm. A heavy blow smashed the solid wooden desk, scattering papers across the room, and the floor cracked in a web of fissures.
"How dare Konoha?!" Fourth Raikage roared, lightning wrapped around his body and his hair standing on end, his face filled with anger and shock.
Beside him, Mabui was equally serious as she looked at the declaration of war from Konoha in her hand. The fourth Ninja World War had begun.
The news spread quickly across the Ninja World, throwing the entire world into turmoil as open and hidden forces reacted in alarm. Many were shocked by how swiftly Hiruzen Sarutobi responded and how decisively he acted, and they immediately sent people to Land of Hot Water to investigate and contacted their spies in Konoha to gather information.
An indecisive Hiruzen Sarutobi and a firm, resolute Hiruzen Sarutobi posed completely different levels of threat. They wanted to know what had happened between Konoha and Kumogakure that made Hiruzen Sarutobi decide so quickly and unite the village and the clans at such speed.
Aside from Kumogakure and Konoha, the only ones who knew part of the reason were the Akatsuki, still lurking in the Rain Village and not yet seizing power. In the dark curtain of rain, a hoarse and doubtful voice spoke, then quickly turned calm.
"By Hiruzen Sarutobi's nature, he should hesitate and waver in such a situation. Why has he suddenly become so decisive this time?"
"Nagato, it seems the plan must change. You must act immediately."