"Very well," he said, his tone still calm.
The contrast between the Third and Fifth Hokage was immediately apparent.
Kawasaki glanced around and noticed Hizashi looking at him with a complicated expression.
"Alright, that's all. The clan has many matters to attend to, so I won't stay any longer."
"Farewell, everyone."
He then gave Hizashi a meaningful look and was the first to leave.
Seeing the main figure depart, everyone turned their gazes to Orochimaru.
The Fifth Hokage waved his hand, a hint of irritation on his face.
Only then did the elders rise and begin to file out.
Once everyone was gone, only Orochimaru, the Third Hokage, and Jiraiya remained in the conference room.
"What do you think, Jiraiya?" Orochimaru asked suddenly.
Jiraiya shook his head. "The alliance documents from the three villages are genuine. I do not approve of this course of action."
The Third Hokage lit his pipe, taking a deep drag. "It can't be helped. This is the only way."
Orochimaru spoke with profound meaning. "Good. I understand."
The elders who had left the conference room walked with hurried steps. The day's events had been too shocking. Who could have imagined that the Uchiha would actually leave Konoha? The crucial part was that Konoha was utterly powerless to stop them.
The Third Hokage had become the target of public criticism, and fortunately, the Fifth had managed to save some face for the village.
With the Uchiha's departure, the subsequent matters would be incredibly difficult to handle. The most critical question was where the Uchiha would go. No matter which Hidden Village they joined, that village's strength would surge dramatically. This shift in power, with Konoha weakening as another village strengthens, could very well sow the seeds of future wars.
All the elders were deeply worried, murmuring amongst themselves in low voices.
However, the newly appointed consultant elder, Hizashi Hyuga, stood alone. After a brief word with Hiashi, he departed in a hurry.
Hiashi watched his brother's retreating back, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
...
When Hizashi arrived back at his home, a servant greeted him at the door.
"Lord Kawasaki is already waiting for you in your study."
Hizashi nodded, realizing that Kawasaki did indeed have something to discuss with him. The two were on good terms, and he had previously instructed his servants to lead Kawasaki directly to his study if he ever came to visit.
Mulling over Kawasaki's intentions, Hizashi reached the door to his study.
Inside, Kawasaki had already poured himself some tea and was sipping it with relish, looking completely at ease, as if the matter of the Uchiha's secession from the village had never happened.
"Ah, Hizashi, you're back. Come, sit."
"I was starting to think you didn't get my signal," Kawasaki said, acting like the master of the house.
Hizashi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was this his house or Kawasaki's?
After sitting down, Hizashi asked, a little puzzled, "Why so suddenly?"
Kawasaki hadn't given him any prior notice, not even a whisper. After all, when Kawasaki had run for Hokage, he had made a grand show of it, spending money everywhere to gain support. He had seemed completely determined to become Hokage.
But the reality was, not long after failing his bid for the position, he chose to leave Konoha. Hizashi refused to believe this wasn't part of Kawasaki's plan all along.
The question was, if he had planned this from the start, why go through all the trouble of running for Hokage? Why spend so much time and energy vying for the position?
Kawasaki picked up the teapot and poured himself another cup. Hot water streamed into the cup, releasing wisps of steam that blurred his face.
"It wasn't that sudden, actually. I've had this idea for a long time."
"Recently, I saw a glimmer of hope, so I thought I'd give it one last shot."
Kawasaki lifted the scalding cup and took a light sip. "After trying and failing, I'm not dwelling on it anymore."
Hizashi couldn't help but ask, "Where do you plan to go?"
This question was of great importance to the people of Konoha. If Kawasaki went to another village, they might one day become enemies.
Kawasaki hadn't mentioned this during the high-level meeting, as there had been no need to at the time. However, the information would become public sooner or later, so telling Hizashi directly was no issue.
"Do you have a map?" Kawasaki asked.
Hizashi nodded and retrieved a moderately sized map from the bookshelf behind him.
Kawasaki pointed to several small islands west of the Land of Water.
"Here."
Hizashi's expression turned to one of shock and uncertainty. "You've joined the Hidden Mist?"
Kawasaki laughed heartily. "How could that be?"
"The Land of Water is in desperate need of funds for reconstruction right now."
"The Uchiha Clan bought these islands."
Hizashi was stunned. "You bought them!?"
"All four islands?"
Kawasaki nodded nonchalantly.
Though Hizashi was an important figure in the Hyuga Clan, he knew that these islands housed international trading ports and were incredibly valuable. Acquiring such a location would undoubtedly lead to immense profits from trade in the future.
"The Hidden Mist just sold them to you like that?" Hizashi found it hard to believe.
A trace of pride appeared on Kawasaki's face. "It couldn't be helped. They had no choice but to sell to us."
Hizashi thought about the strength of the Uchiha Clan and the current situation in the Hidden Mist. He began to understand.
...
"So, you're planning to establish your own nation?" Hizashi grasped Kawasaki's intention after a moment of thought.
Since the Uchiha had bought all this land, they surely intended to govern it themselves, much like how the Village Hidden in the Eddies had eventually become independent. And right now, the Uchiha certainly possessed the strength to do so.
"That's right. You don't have to worry about us becoming your enemies," Kawasaki said plainly.
Hearing this, Hizashi breathed a sigh of relief. The Uchiha Clan was simply too powerful. No matter which village they joined, there was a chance they would become hostile to Konoha in the future. As the current head of Konoha's Military Police Force, they were already on the front lines. Hizashi truly did not want to fight the Uchiha, especially with Kawasaki leading them.
If the Uchiha founded their own nation, Konoha wouldn't have to worry about that threat in the short term. At least, not for a few years.
Founding a nation was no simple task.
The new country would be a neighbor to the Land of Water. The major powers had already gathered a great deal of intelligence, not including the Akatsuki. The Hidden Mist still had several powerful elders whose strength was terrifying. Among them, the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku and the experts of the Yuki clan had once trapped nearly a thousand Hidden Cloud shinobi. Even with the Fourth Raikage present, he was powerless to intervene, forced to watch as his people were slaughtered. In the end, they had to rely on their Jinchuriki's Tailed Beast Transformation, using a Tailed Beast Bomb to blast a path to safety. Only then were the Hidden Cloud shinobi able to escape.
Now that the Uchiha were moving in next door to the Hidden Mist, they would likely have to be on their guard.
The alliance documents Kawasaki had presented at the meeting also showed that the Uchiha had not allied with the Hidden Mist. This wasn't surprising, considering the Uchiha had essentially snatched away a piece of the Land of Water's territory.
Upon receiving the news, other nations had proactively formed alliances with the Uchiha. The Land of Earth and the Land of Wind were separated from them by another country; following the strategy of "befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones," an alliance with the Uchiha was advantageous. As for the Land of Lightning, they had already allied with the Uchiha before. This formal renewal of their alliance might be a precursor to an invasion of the Land of Water.
Then, Kawasaki revealed his true purpose.
"Hizashi, I came to see you today to warn you about something."
Kawasaki took a sip of tea and smacked his lips. Just drinking tea was making him a little hungry. Doesn't the Hyuga clan even have any snacks?
Hizashi had no idea Kawasaki had a habit of pairing his tea with snacks.