met free Chapter 184 Deterrence
Chapter 184 Deterrence
Hiruzen Sarutobi's flustered expression did not escape Hiashi Hyuga's keen eyes. Hiashi knew that Hiruzen was deeply shocked by the news of Kanan Hyuga's impending return to Konoha. Once Kanan returned to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other Konoha leaders would likely be restless and sleepless.
The appearance of a figure with such immense power, capable of altering the rules of war, in Konoha would not deter the ruling class from taking any chances, even if he harbored no intention of seizing power. If he so desired, the village's political power could potentially shift, with another group taking control. However, Hiashi Hyuga understood Kanan Hyuga's character quite well. He had no interest in Konoha's political power, even considering it a troublesome affair, and therefore would never choose to settle quietly in the village. Nevertheless, his presence in the ninja world and his actions on behalf of the Hyuga clan would deter the village's leadership from further schemes against them, thus ensuring the Hyuga clan's continued stable development.
As a seasoned and shrewd politician, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer cared as much about saving face as he did in his youth. He knew that power was paramount in the political arena, and he would stop at nothing to maintain his rule in Konoha. At this moment, his primary concern was preventing Hiashi Hyuga from recalling Kanan Hyuga to Konoha, thus lest he pose a threat to his rule.
"Clan Chief Hiashi, you should understand that Konoha Village has always been the Hyuga clan's strongest support. For you, Hyuga Kanan, who has long since left the village, is not a necessary ally. This time, Kumogakure dared to kidnap a member of the Hyuga clan within our village, which undoubtedly seriously threatens the safety and stability of Konoha Village. Even in the face of the threat of war, Konoha will never back down! However, if Hyuga Kanan really returns, it may cause other ninja villages to misunderstand and think that Konoha Village is involved with a traitor, thus damaging Konoha's reputation in the entire ninja world. Therefore, regarding the matter of recalling Hyuga Kanan, I hope Clan Chief Hiashi will think carefully before making a decision," Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly.
Hiashi Hyuga quietly gazed at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose hair had turned completely white, his heart filled with doubt and confusion. He simply couldn't understand why Hiruzen, at his advanced age and with his strength clearly declining, still clung to the Hokage position. In the ninja world, a world where strength reigns supreme, without powerful backing, the so-called Hokage position was merely a title, unable to gain the true recognition of the people of Konoha. Even if one could temporarily maintain a dominant position through various political maneuvers, they would ultimately be betrayed by the other Konoha ninja. As the head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi Hyuga deeply understood the importance of strength for a clan's long-term prosperity in the ninja world.
Ever since the Hyuga clan produced a ninja of exceptional strength like Hyuga Kanan, Hyuga Hiashi deeply understood this point. Back then, Hyuga Kanan single-handedly defeated thousands of elite ninja troops from across the ninja world, and since then, no ninja village has dared to covet Hyuga Kanan's Byakugan.
However, in reality, the Caged Bird Seal possessed by the Hyuga clan was merely a self-protective measure developed out of necessity due to their own lack of strength. Conversely, the Uchiha clan, whose Sharingan is one of the most powerful dojutsu bloodline limits, dared not covet it, even though most ninja villages did not dare to covet it. The reason for this was the Uchiha clan's overwhelming strength and immense power throughout the ninja world; other ninja villages naturally dared not easily massacre Uchiha clan members to obtain the Sharingan. Even today, the Kumogakure only dared to scheme against the Hyuga clan, never daring to easily scheme against the Uchiha clan. They knew perfectly well that if they dared to attack the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha clan would not submit to the Kumogakure under the threat of war; instead, they would only rally the entire clan to declare war on the Kumogakure and utterly crush them on the battlefield.
The Konoha leadership was well aware that if this incident had occurred within the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi would never have dared to so directly pressure them to hand over the culprit. However, given the Hyuga clan's involvement, they dared to directly confront them, demanding the killer's capture and even resorting to various forms of coercion. But upon learning of the clan's connection to Hyuga Kanan, their attitude immediately changed. This was the deterrent effect of power. Furthermore, the Hyuga clan was still in a period of growth, and more powerful clan ninjas would appear in Konoha in the future. At that time, the Konoha leadership would certainly not dare to pressure the Hyuga clan in this way.
Hiashi Hyuga knew perfectly well that he could only rely on Kanan Hyuga's formidable reputation to deter both Konoha and Kumogakure from plotting against the clan in the short term. This would give the clan more time to develop and strengthen itself, and avoid constantly troubling Kanan, with whom the clan wasn't particularly close. After all, Hiashi understood Kanan's personality; he knew Kanan disliked being bothered. This time, Hiashi dared to ask for Kanan's help only because Kanan had promised to lend a hand to the clan once.
Despite his immense resentment towards Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was acting unusually amiable at this moment, Hiashi Hyuga didn't want to completely sever ties with him. After all, his clan had long been deeply rooted in Konoha, and they were currently in a golden age of rapid development, allowing them more time to grow and expand. If, in the future, Hiruzen Sarutobi attempted to use the same tactics to force his clan into submission, then there would be no need to trouble Kanan Hyuga, who was far away, to intervene personally. The meeting concluded smoothly in a harmonious atmosphere. However, the elders of the main branch who had previously pressured Hiashi Hyuga alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi were quite frightened upon learning that Hiashi Hyuga had forced Kanan Hyuga to return to Konoha. It should be noted that they were well aware of Hyuga Kanan's attitude towards his main family members. If he knew that they were willing to threaten Hyuga Hizashi's life in order to seize power, he would probably not hesitate to eliminate all of them, the main family elders, immediately.
Subsequently, Konoha's attitude changed drastically during negotiations with Kumogakure. Gone was the previous weakness; instead, the stance became extremely firm. The Konoha negotiators unhesitatingly rejected the plan targeting the Hyuga clan. Even when the Kumogakure delegation again threatened war, the Konoha negotiators showed no compromise. They even went so far as to hold the Kumogakure delegation accountable for the unauthorized kidnapping of Hyuga clan members within Konoha, a serious provocation against Konoha's dignity. The two sides ultimately parted on bad terms, and the peace talks reached a stalemate.
After returning to their lodgings in Konoha, the Cloud Ninja delegation didn't dare delay. They immediately used their summoning beasts to relay a message back to the Cloud Village, allowing the village's leadership to decide on the next steps. Upon receiving the message, the Cloud Village was filled with suspicion and uncertainty. However, the hot-tempered Fourth Raikage believed Konoha was bluffing and shouldn't be intimidated. Hearing that Konoha intended to hold the Cloud Ninja delegation accountable for kidnapping members of the Hyuga clan, he was enraged and determined to teach Konoha a lesson. Following discussions among the Cloud Village leadership, an order was issued for the ninja forces stationed in the Land of Hot Water to advance towards the Land of Fire's border. The aim was to avoid direct conflict while simultaneously exerting maximum deterrence on Konoha's border defenses, making them feel that the Cloud Ninja forces might launch a war at any moment.
In reality, the Hidden Cloud Village is now merely a facade, outwardly strong but inwardly weak. Their large-scale garrison along the border has consumed an astonishing amount of the village's resources, placing immense pressure on it and rendering it unable to sustain the supplies needed for a war. Moreover, their previous attempt to encircle and annihilate Hyuga Kanan with a force of over 500 elite ninjas was a devastating defeat. This crushing loss undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to the Hidden Cloud Village's overall strength. Currently, the village is relying on its dwindling resources to try and gain some leverage in negotiations with Konoha. However, if war were to break out, the Hidden Cloud Village would likely be the first to fall.
With the frequent troop movements along the border of Kumogakure, the high command of Konoha quickly noticed this unusual situation. As the leader of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi was among the first to learn of it. He felt a surge of anxiety and confusion, and was somewhat at a loss in the face of such a complex situation.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew he bore the heavy responsibility of protecting Konoha, and he understood that he needed to show resolve and courage at this moment. Even if war broke out with Kumogakure, it would only result in the loss of some Konoha ninja. Even if they were ultimately defeated, it wouldn't be a major issue for him personally, as the Hyuga clan would bear all the responsibility. Moreover, this war wouldn't significantly impact his rule over Konoha.
However, if Hiashi Hyuga were to actually recall Kanan Hyuga to Konoha, while it might avoid war with Kumogakure, his own position as Hokage would likely be jeopardized. More importantly, the Hyuga clan, with Kanan, is incredibly powerful. If they successfully defeat Kumogakure, Kanan could very well become the new ruler of Konoha, thanks to the prestige gained from that victory.