Naruto Online: Hyuga Branch Family? Let's go all out!

Chapter 120 Inviting Pharmacist Nonou

"We don't have much good tea here, please excuse our poor tea-making!"

"No, no!"

Expecting to drink fine tea at an orphanage? What kind of despicable person would do that!

Ning Yuan politely deferred while observing his surroundings.

It's clear that this house has a long history, as the walls are cracked and the windows are broken. There are now some wooden boards used to patch up the gaps, but it's only a small part of the repairs.

Even sitting here, Ning Yuan could feel that there were still drafts seeping in from certain places.

"This orphanage was established when Konoha was first founded, but it only lasted for more than 20 years. I only picked it up this year, and it is still in the reconstruction stage. However, because the funds are not enough, and I am not very good at woodworking, there is not much progress!" Yakushi Nonou said with a smile.

Her smile was warm, a warmth that came from pure kindness from the heart.

If Minato Namikaze's smile is like a little sun, then her smile is practically like a mother sun.

"What made you decide to do this job?" Ning Yuan asked. "And you don't look that old to me!"

"Maybe it was just a chance encounter!" Yakushi Nonou smiled and said, "I don't have much talent as a ninja. My efficiency in completing missions is often not as good as that of ninjas my age. It's been six years since I graduated, and I'm still a genin. Sometimes I often think, what can someone like me do for the village? Until one mission, I met two orphans."

Ninjas often encounter orphans on missions, both during times of war and even more so during times of peace.

For example, when it comes to tasks like clearing out bandits, the common people are actually quite tolerant. If the bandits' destruction weren't so severe, they wouldn't be willing to pool their money to hire ninjas.

Reaching this point means that the bandits have committed many tragedies and created a large number of orphans.

"You adopted them?" Ning Yuan asked.

"I'd love to!" Yakushi Nonou sighed, "But back then I was a ninja, how could I do something like that? In the end, I could only miss out."

"Uh-huh."

"Until a few months later, during a mission, I passed by there again!" Yakushi Nonou sighed. "The two orphans were gone, leaving only traces of wild animal attacks and bloodstains everywhere!"

"Huh?" Kurenai Yuhi immediately covered her mouth. Where had she ever heard such a story before?

Ning Yuan frowned and asked, "Didn't you find any villagers or anyone to take care of these two orphans?"

If you rely on the charity of many families, you can probably still survive.

Just like the Nagato trio, they always manage to steal food successfully every time they go out. Is it really impossible for an adult to catch three hungry children?

It's just that everyone is struggling, so there's no way to directly offer help.

Pharmacist Nonou shook her head: "I wanted to do that, but time is tight, and the captain said those two have legs and will find food themselves. Who knows, who knows?"

Before she could finish speaking, Nonou burst into tears: "If only I had fought harder back then, if only I had been stronger and could have led the team myself, if only..."

Ning Yuan sighed. How should I put it?

Blame the team leader? Maybe this mission is very important, and it's also a matter of life and death? Besides, the team leader's thinking isn't wrong. There are only two children, and the village is right next door. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be that easy for something to happen to them, right?

But who knew that this would happen? That's just how the world is!

Xianglin's child was taken away while she was shelling beans at the door.

"This isn't your fault!" Ning Yuan patted Nono's shoulder, gently comforting her, "Who could have predicted this?"

"I just feel guilty. It was only a short time to deliver a message." After all, it was a year ago. Although it still makes me a little sad when I think about it, Nono is still able to get through it.

"Later I thought, if I could take these orphans in and give them a home, wouldn't that count as doing something for the village?" Nonou said. "I expressed this idea to the Third Hokage, and the Third Hokage told me that there used to be an orphanage in Konoha that had been abandoned for many years, so I picked it up and became its director."

In the ninja world where children can go to war at the age of 7, it's no problem for someone to become the head of an academy at the age of 15.

As for why Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to Nono's request, it was beneficial to Konoha. He could also find some loyal followers from the orphanage to train, so why not?

Those who think he did something important are really wronging Hiruzen Sarutobi; in reality, he didn't do anything important at all.

Despite having already taken control of the orphanage's finances and being able to use that to make Nonou do things, he deliberately delayed the allocation of funds, which led to Nonou being controlled by Danzo and ultimately being killed by his adopted son in a fit of pique.

Konoha Village really can't tolerate good people!

"By the way, I haven't asked your names yet?" Nono wiped away her tears and asked gently.

"Nene Hinata, this is my girlfriend, Kurenai Yuhi!" Neiyuan said earnestly.

He didn't believe that a walking shrine maiden wouldn't recognize the Byakugan. Even if she wasn't working as a spy now, observation and analytical talents are innate. Besides, she came from the Ninja Academy. Hadn't her classmates seen the Hyuga clan before?

Considering her crying just now, Nono's tears and sadness may not be fake, but it couldn't simply be a recollection of painful memories.

It's probably also to gain sympathy and play the victim.

As for the purpose, just look at this destitute orphanage and you'll know; it must be for money.

Ning Yuan sighed in admiration again.

Previously, Ning Yuan only had a general understanding of her from anime. It was only after actually visiting the Konoha Orphanage and meeting Yakushi Nonou that he truly discovered Yakushi Nonou's greatness.

One person, without the support of the village, and with his life and even his son threatened, still managed to raise the Konoha Orphanage.

This behavior reminded Ning Yuan of a woman surnamed Zhang.

Compared to Yakushi Nonou, Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen are like flies on a warrior's corpse, utterly stinking!

Danzo, Sarutobi, you deserve to die!

"Hyuga, Yuhi!" Yakushi Nonou's eyes lit up. These are both powerful clans!

Although Yuhi was a small clan, in Nonou's eyes it was already a large clan.

These two kids should have some money on them, right?

"What do you two think of this place?" Nono asked.

"You want us to donate money here?" Ning Yuan asked directly.

Yakushi Nono was taken aback and immediately realized that Ning Yuan was no ordinary child.

I had actually realized it just now, but the child's appearance was so deceptive that it made people subconsciously overlook his maturity.

"Yes!" Since he's a smart person, there's no need to resort to deception. He'll just state the need directly: "You should be able to tell that money is indeed needed here. Of course, it doesn't have to be much, just a token of your appreciation. Of course, it's also fine if you don't want to donate; it's entirely up to you!"

As she spoke, she kept glancing at Yuhi Kurenai, hoping the young girl could say a few words in her defense.

However, Kurenai knew why the two were there, so she naturally wouldn't speak first and disrupt the negotiations.

Ning Yuan said, "The repairs here cost money, the children's food costs money, their clothes, shoes, books, and stationery all cost money, and they need to be replaced every year. Even if you get a grant from me, how long can it last?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Once the orphanage is successfully established, the village will allocate funds!" Nono said with a smile.

Ning Yuan now knew how Hiruzen Sarutobi had promised Yakushi Nonou.

Then he laughed: "What kind of logic is it to allocate funds only after construction is complete, not during the construction phase?"

"I'm just a genin after all, it's normal that the village doesn't believe in my abilities!" Yakushi Nonou quickly said.

"Then why not send a mature, stable, and sensible person to be in charge of this? Surely Konoha isn't lacking in talent?" Ning Yuan retorted. "Yakushi Nonou, you're a smart person too. Think about it carefully. If the village had fully supported the Konoha Orphanage, would it be in this state now?"

"This..." Yakushi Nonou was stunned, and her face turned pale.

The saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day," and Hiruzen Sarutobi's personality didn't suddenly change over several decades.

In reality, Minato was going to be gone a few years later, and then Hiruzen Sarutobi started cutting Naruto's living expenses.

Therefore, the debts owed to the Konoha Orphanage did not begin to accrue only after Danzo came into existence.

Since the establishment of the Konoha Orphanage, Yakushi Nonou's path to getting money has been extremely difficult.

Over the past year, Konoha's funding has been less than one percent of what was initially promised. Most of it came from the first three months, and in the following nine months, every time she went to ask for money, the Third Hokage would make excuses, and she would eventually get back only a negligible amount.

If the village was merely experiencing hardship, Yakushi Nonou could understand, but clearly that's not the case.

Because Yuan San's attitude was clear: he became more and more perfunctory and impatient with each passing day.

Yakushi Nonou was able to become a walking shrine maiden, though she was forced into it, it was also due to her talent.

Does she really not understand what Hiruzen Sarutobi means?

It's just that I can't believe it, and I don't want to believe it!

"Actually, the village, or rather Hiruzen Sarutobi's intention, was quite clear: you said you wanted to build an orphanage, so I agreed and even allocated funds to you—that would have been a huge boost to your prestige. But the matter was over the moment he signed the papers and it was publicized. Who would have thought you really wanted to build an orphanage!"

Ningyuan has seen plenty of vanity projects; as long as the villagers know about them, that's fine. As for how they are carried out afterward...

The villagers have their own lives to live; who would bother to care about an orphanage?

"You!" Yakushi Nono had also had this feeling vaguely, until today when it was completely brought up.

She slammed her hand on the table and stood up sharply: "Who are you? Why are you telling me this?"

That was indeed her first reaction. Although Hiruzen Sarutobi was only trying to save face, it was ultimately an internal conflict among the people of Konoha. Ning Yuan's words were clearly meant to sow discord, so how could she sit idly by?

"Don't panic, I'm not a spy!" Ning Yuan picked up his teacup and took a sip. "My surname is Hyuga, hers is Yuhi. We would never betray Konoha!"

"Then you, eh?" Yakushi Nonou was a smart person and immediately understood.

If you're not against Konoha, why are you saying bad things about Hiruzen Sarutobi?

So, instead of opposing Konoha, they oppose the Third Hokage?

The Hyuga clan wants to create a Hokage?

Then there's no problem.

Yakushi Nonou sat down again.

She was an ordinary person. Although she was very intelligent, she was not of a high level and had little to do with the position of Hokage, nor did she understand how the position of Hokage was passed down.

In her view, the Senju clan was a great clan, the Sarutobi clan was a great clan, and the Hyuga clan was also a great clan. If a member of the Sarutobi clan could become Hokage, then naturally a member of the Hyuga clan could too.

If it's just members of the Hyuga clan who want to become Hokage, then it seems quite normal for them to speak ill of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi does owe me money!

Is this a bad thing? It's the truth!

"I think I understand what you mean!" Yakushi Nonou frowned. "But this is just an orphanage. It doesn't affect your decisions, and I don't want it to become a stage for your power struggles!"

"What do you understand?" Ning Yuan retorted. "Don't overthink it!"

"Don't you want to use my support to gain prestige for your Hyuga clan to become Hokage?" Yakushi Nonou asked.

Ning Yuan smiled and shook his head: "You yourself said you're just the director of an orphanage; you can't influence the decisions made above! So, does it matter whether you have support or not?"

"Well, to be honest, although what I said was a bit insulting, it's the truth."

"Furthermore, I don't represent the Hyuga clan!" Ning Yuan stood up and extended his hand: "Let me reintroduce myself, Ning Yuan, leader of the Ning Organization. I invite you to join the Ning Organization!"

(End of this chapter)