novel-bin Chapter 211 Location
Chapter 211 Location
Hyuga Kanan remained indifferent, gazing at the longest-serving Hokage of Konoha before him, offering no comment and simply waiting for the other to reveal his intentions.
Seeing Hyuga Kanan's silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew he was waiting for an explanation. Kanan's nonchalant attitude ignited a flicker of anger within Hiruzen. He, the Hokage of Konoha, a figure among the elite of the ninja world, felt utterly insignificant before Kanan. But the thought of Kanan's strength instantly extinguished that anger. Kanan's disregard for Konoha and its people made Hiruzen realize that Kanan had transcended the realm of a mere ninja, harboring higher aspirations.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, setting aside his Hokage status, addressed Hyuga Kanan, saying, "Hyuga Kanan, it's been a long time. This time, the Konoha ninja attacked you, arranged by Elder Danzo Shimura. The same thing happened with the attack on the Hyuga clan last time; it has nothing to do with Konoha. I hope you don't harbor any hostility towards Konoha."
Hyuga Kanan looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with a mocking expression, offering no response and giving the impression that he was saying, "Go ahead."
Seeing Hyuga Kanan's expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that the other was fully aware of the incident and was deliberately trying to make a fool of him and the other Konoha high-ranking officials. However, he could only endure it; he didn't want to clash with him again and had no choice but to accept his attitude.
Seeing the utterly embarrassed Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hyuga Kanan decided to stop beating around the bush. His gaze hardened and calmed, and he spoke in a flat yet resolute tone: "I don't care what your Konoha leadership is thinking, nor do I want to know your true thoughts. I know you thoroughly enough. This is my last warning. If something like this happens again, the consequences will be unimaginable. The Hyuga clan has no intention of launching a coup in Konoha. We only wish to live peacefully here, far from the vortex of political struggle. No matter how Konoha's government changes hands, the Hyuga clan will adhere to the principle of neutrality and will never easily intervene. I hope you Konoha leadership can truly understand our position."
Hiashi Hyuga stood silently to the side, listening without interfering too much in the conversation. Although as the head of the Hyuga clan, these matters should fall within his authority, he was well aware of Kanan Hyuga's intentions. He was exerting pressure on the Konoha leadership in a forceful manner, striving for a more favorable environment for the Hyuga clan's survival.
Hiashi Hyuga understood that Kanan Hyuga's actions were not impulsive, but a well-considered decision. He wanted the Konoha leadership to recognize the Hyuga clan's resolve and strength, thus deterring them from easily taking action against the Hyuga family. Only in this way could the Hyuga clan continue to live peacefully in Konoha, avoiding being drawn into endless conflicts. This was his final act of help and contribution to the Hyuga clan; he would not offer any further assistance.
After hearing Hyuga Kanan's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that the other party would not pursue the matter of the Konoha ninja attacking him, nor would they demand compensation from Konoha. He finally felt relieved. Today's events had left these Konoha high-ranking officials in a state of anxiety for a long time. They were very afraid that Hyuga Kanan would attack them without any regard for the situation of Konoha. In that case, regardless of whether they won or lost, Konoha would be severely weakened, and they, the Konoha high-ranking officials, would probably not survive.
Without the pressure of renewed conflict, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt much more relaxed. He now finally understood Hyuga Kanan's general personality traits. As long as he didn't bother him, cause him trouble, or threaten the survival of the Hyuga clan, Kanan had absolutely no interest in Konoha's political power, and might even find it troublesome. Did this mean that as long as Konoha didn't cause him trouble, it was even possible to establish a good cooperative relationship with him? With a good cooperative relationship, if Konoha faced any major crisis in the future, they could rely on this relationship to seek Kanan's help and perhaps overcome the crisis.
Thinking this through, Hiruzen Sarutobi made his decision. A powerful figure capable of dominating the ninja world, if he could establish a good relationship with Konoha, would further strengthen Konoha's foundation. So he inquired, "I wonder what brings you back to Konoha this time, Kanan-kun? If you need any special materials or ninjutsu techniques, Konoha has a considerable collection that can satisfy your needs. Moreover, our last transaction with you deepened Konoha's foundation, and we look forward to a second transaction!"
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose attitude had changed so quickly, Hyuga Kanan couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. Despite having just been threatened by him, Hiruzen Sarutobi was able to adjust his mindset swiftly, becoming as warm and friendly as a long-lost friend. This composure and adaptability were truly admirable.
However, Hyuga Kanan had already acquired those valuable collections of Konoha through a transaction with Orochimaru, so there was no need for him to engage in any further dealings with the Konoha leadership. Nevertheless, since Hiruzen Sarutobi had inquired about it with such humility, Hyuga Kanan felt he should still give him some face, and also leave some room for the Hyuga clan to live peacefully in Konoha in the future.
Hyuga Kanan then picked up his teacup, took a sip, and answered frankly, "My return to Konoha this time is actually at the request of my second brother. He hopes that I can bring his child with me to train, so I came here to bring my nephew Neji back to my side and leave Konoha to train together. I have no other intentions."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi was filled with regret. Why hadn't he waited a little longer to investigate Hyuga Kanan's true purpose in returning to Konoha before making a decision? Now, he had not only offended the Hyuga clan, pushing them towards the Uchiha clan, but he had also caused them to completely offend Hyuga Kanan. Although Hyuga Kanan claimed he would no longer pursue the matter of the Konoha ninjas attacking him, Hiruzen could still easily sense the estrangement and distance between him and Konoha. It seemed there was no hope of establishing a good cooperative relationship. However, he was extremely relieved that the other party had absolutely no interest in the Konoha government. Given the other party's strength and background, if he were truly interested in the Konoha government, he would have countless Konoha ninjas supporting him if he wanted to become Hokage. After all, all ninjas in the ninja world admired the strong and hoped to be led by a strong leader.
“Since Kanan-kun has no intention of making a deal with Konoha, then I will take my leave first, so as not to disturb your happy time with your family,” Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a slight smile, very tactfully. His tone was very polite, but a hint of disappointment was revealed in his eyes.
Having said that, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned and left, his steps hurried, as if eager to escape this place. His figure gradually disappeared into the distance, soon vanishing from Kanan's sight.
Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's departing figure, Kanan felt a complex mix of emotions. On one hand, he was pleased with Hiruzen's sensible decision, as he didn't want to have too much to do with Konoha; on the other hand, he also realized that the old fox Hiruzen wouldn't give up so easily, and seeing the Hyuga and Uchiha clans form an alliance might bring some trouble to both sides.
However, Hyuga Kanan didn't dwell on these questions. At the moment, he was more concerned with having a good talk with his nephew, Hyuga Neji.
Hiashi Hyuga, who had remained silent until now, spoke to Kanan Hyuga after Hiruzen Sarutobi left, saying, "I think Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude was very good this time. Is this incident really over?"
After listening, Hyuga Kanan calmly said, "You underestimate this Hokage! Don't be fooled by his humble demeanor just now. If his position as Hokage is threatened, he won't act like this at all. Even if it means the destruction of Konoha, he will mobilize all his forces to attack me and will never yield. He already considers Konoha his private property and will not allow anyone to even think about taking it. So I'm telling you now, if you want to form an alliance with the Uchiha clan, you must make the Uchiha clan give up any thoughts of becoming Hokage and peacefully guard their own territory. Otherwise, Hiruzen Sarutobi won't care about the loss of Konoha's strength, its powerful clans, or its strategic forces; he will definitely mobilize all his forces to besiege both clans."
Hearing Hyuga Kanan's words, Hyuga Hiashi was horrified. This was the first time he'd realized that Hiruzen Sarutobi had treated Konoha as his private property. No wonder the Uchiha clan had been suppressed so severely; no wonder Hiruzen had tacitly approved Danzo Shimura's Root forces to attack the Hyuga clan the moment Kanan returned to Konoha. Then Tsunade's departure, Jiraiya's departure, and Orochimaru's defection were probably all due to sensing Hiruzen's intentions and leaving quietly to avoid a real conflict. Was the death of the Fourth Hokage also partly Hiruzen's scheme? Recalling the highly respected Sakumo Hatake, who, despite being the most promising candidate for Hokage, ended up committing suicide, he wondered if continuing to live in Konoha was the right decision for the Hyuga clan. Would an alliance with the Uchiha clan jeopardize their survival?
Seeing Hiashi Hyuga's horrified expression, Kanan Hyuga shook his head slightly and said, "Don't worry, as long as the Hyuga clan maintains its original policies, Hiruzen Sarutobi will not continue to attack the Hyuga clan. But you should think carefully about whether you can persuade the Uchiha clan to give up their dream of becoming Hokage. If not, then give up on the alliance! Hiruzen Sarutobi will not allow any clan that wants to seize the Hokage position to exist. Even with my deterrence, they will not give me face."