Konoha: The Soul King from the Uchiha Clan

Chapter 263 The Arrival Was Frightening! (4400 words)

Because he was going to meet the distinguished guest, Uchiha Gen, Hyuga Hizashi took off the clothes he wore when he committed seppuku and put on a proper set of clothes.

In the living room, the three knelt around a table. Hyuga Hiashi, as the host, sat in the center, Uchiha Gen on the left, and Hyuga Hizashi on the right. On the table were three cups of fine tea, their aroma rich and fragrant.

"What brings Minister Xuan here so suddenly?"

Hiashi Hyuga silently looked at his younger brother for a moment, then looked at Gen Uchiha with a serious and solemn expression.

"I've heard about the leader of the Cloud Village ninja. I wonder what your rules are?"

"Please don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to make fun of you."

"I just wanted to understand the attitude of the nobility and then exchange my thoughts with the two of you."

Uchiha Gen took a sip of tea, a smile on his face, and spoke in a gentle tone.

"Alas, to my shame, I..."

Hiashi Hyuga sighed, but before he could finish speaking, Hizashi Hyuga interrupted him.

"I intend to die in place of my brother, to die voluntarily, to give Kumogakure an explanation and to prevent war between the two sides," Hyuga Hizashi said resolutely.

"I disagree. I'm on guard now. Don't think you can knock me out and then do whatever you want."

Hiashi Hyuga stared intently at Hizashi Hyuga and shouted in a deep voice.

Hyuga Hizashi, however, had already made up his mind, so the two brothers soon started arguing.

Uchiha Gen watched this scene with deep emotion.

The fate of Neji Hizashi and his son was truly a complete tragedy.

Hizashi died in place of his brother, and before he died, he asked Hiashi to take good care of Neji.

Neji was indeed well-off in terms of food and clothing, but that was all; he always served as Hinata's sparring partner.

Neji, dissatisfied with his lack of progress in sparring with Hinata, revealed a hint of murderous intent, just like Hizashi, before being tormented by the Caged Bird Seal.

Its pained and ferocious appearance was so similar to that of Hizashi in the past.

At that time, Hiashi had not given up on Hinata. In order to protect his daughter, he activated the Caged Bird Seal. Although it was understandable, it was still a bit harsh on Neji.

Warnings could have been given, and other forms of punishment could have been used, but the bird seemed to instinctively provoke the caged bird...

His father died in your place...

However, there's no need to make a fuss, because at that time, Japanese football still prioritized family rules, and kinship and such took a back seat.

It wasn't until he saw Hinata, Neji, and Naruto's performance in the Chunin Exams that his beliefs began to waver, and he gradually began to value family ties over family rules.

With the strict rules of the large family, the clear class divisions within the Hyuga clan, and Hiashi Hyuga's rigid and serious personality...

Neji probably hasn't enjoyed his uncle's love and care over the years.

Neji finally got to learn the main family's secret techniques without having to figure it out on his own, and he could enjoy some of his uncle's care, but he died on the battlefield of the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Neji's good days were indeed few; his short life was full of suffering.

If Hizashi Hyuga hadn't died, Neji's situation would probably be much better, right?

He didn't come specifically to save Hyuga Hizashi or change Neji's fate, but he was happy to do this as a side job.

Sacrificing our own people to negotiate peace?

Or is it when one side is in the right?

To hell with that! His principles, to paraphrase a phrase I saw in my past life, are: no ceding of territory, no paying indemnities, no vassalage, no tribute, and no marriage alliances.

As his thoughts raced, Uchiha Gen's expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "You two, stop arguing and hear my opinion."

The two brothers, who had been arguing heatedly, temporarily ceased their attack upon hearing this.

"Phew... I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Minister Gen." Hyuga Hiashi exhaled deeply.

"How could we laugh at you two? Your brotherly bond is rare and admirable."

"My opinion is that the Hyuga clan doesn't need to give any explanation; instead, the Kumogakure delegation should give the Hyuga clan and Konoha an explanation."

"what?"

Hearing these earth-shattering words, the two brothers were stunned. Had they heard correctly?

"Don't you two realize the oddity of the Cloud Village ninja leader appearing at the Hiashi clan chief's residence?"

"Silently bypassing the police department, the ANBU, and the Hyuga clan's patrols, they precisely arrived at Hinata's bedroom and made their move."

"Tsk tsk, is this something a Cloud Village ninja leader who's completely unfamiliar with the area could do?"

"Are all the ninjas of the two clans good-for-nothings who only know how to eat?"

"Furthermore, it's perfectly reasonable to kill thieves who broke into the mansion and stole people in retaliation."

The two brothers exchanged a glance, and then Hiashi Hyuga said with a wry smile, "We two brothers can more or less sense the strange things that Minister Gen mentioned."

"But they're threatening war, and the higher-ups don't want to start a war; they're only interested in peace and using righteous indignation as leverage. What can our Hyuga clan do?"

"If we refuse to give an explanation and cause a war to break out, I'm afraid countless people will resent our Hyuga clan."

"The reputation of our Hyuga clan will likely plummet, perhaps even becoming utterly disgraced..."

"Such a price is unbearable for me, Hizashi, and the entire Hyuga clan."

Reputation and honor are things that many families in this world care about very much, and it is not uncommon for people to sacrifice their lives for them.

The Hyuga clan sacrificed Hizashi Hyuga for this, and the Uchiha clan suffered even more.

In the original work, Itachi Uchiha was overlooked because he and Obito wiped out the entire Uchiha clan.

One of the main reasons Itachi took action was that he didn't want the Uchiha clan to be branded as traitors for their hopeless rebellion.

As the eldest son on whom Fugaku Uchiha placed high hopes, Itachi was instilled with the importance of the Uchiha clan's reputation and honor from a young age by Fugaku, Mikoto, and the elders of the clan.

Sasuke was also significantly affected.

Uchiha Gen valued reputation and honor quite a bit, but not to the point of "treating reputation like dirt, disdaining the ridicule of the benevolent."

If necessary, such as for survival or for greater benefits, these things can be discarded at any time.

"I understand your concerns, but don't you feel too stifled?"

"Kumakuya only made peace because they couldn't gain any advantage on the front lines."

"You can't gain an advantage in small-scale wars, but you can in large-scale wars?"

"One-on-one, who is Konoha afraid of?"

"Yes, Konoha needs to recuperate, but doesn't Kumogakure also need to?"

"If it's not necessary, why would Cloud Village negotiate peace?"

"I think the Cloud Village is just bluffing and pretending to be powerful; they don't dare to start a large-scale war."

"If anything unexpected happens, then we'll fight!"

"We'll fight them as long as they want, until they win!"

"If other ninja villages harbor ill intentions, we'll drag them down with us."

"At worst, the Fourth Shinobi World War will break out earlier, and the five great shinobi villages will fight to the death, giving other smaller shinobi villages a chance to rise. The worst consequence is that the five great shinobi villages will all be wiped out."

"If we drag the Cloud Village down with us, we'll be at a loss; if we drag other ninja villages down with us, then we'll make a profit."

"What are you afraid of?"

"Don't be a coward, just do it!"

Upon hearing Uchiha Gen's words, the Hyuga brothers, Hiashi and Hizashi, were filled with mixed emotions.

They also felt aggrieved, thinking that Yunyin was bluffing, but they didn't dare to gamble, because the consequences of losing would be too severe.

The other two brothers felt that Uchiha Gen was truly tough, much tougher than Danzo, to the point of being almost fanatical.

However, while it's terrifying, it's also incredibly inspiring!

Actually, there were some things that Uchiha Gen hadn't said yet.

Since Konoha no longer exists, then the other ninja villages have no reason to exist either. Let's just destroy them all and return to the Warring States period.

This might be one of the extreme aspects of Uchiha Gen's personality.

Those who possess the Mangekyou Sharingan, even if they evolved it through special means, are probably a bit extreme, right?

"Clan Head Hiashi, Clan Chief Hizashi, do you still remember what our initial reasons were for joining Konoha?"

Upon hearing this, the two brothers fell into reminiscence, and without waiting for their reply, Uchiha Gen answered on his own.

"It's to protect family members, to better continue the family line, because of a sense of security, and ultimately, for peace."

"This order cannot be reversed, and the primary and secondary aspects cannot be confused."

"Now, the mighty Konoha, even with Kumogakure in the wrong, can't even protect a single clan member? Are Konoha ninjas?"

"Furthermore, even if war breaks out, the Hyuga clan's reputation is not entirely beyond redemption..."

Upon hearing this, the two brothers' eyes lit up, and they were completely captivated.

Hiashi Hyuga bowed respectfully and said, "I would like to hear Minister Gen's insightful opinion."

Uchiha Gen took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, then waved his hand and said, "I wouldn't call it insightful; it's just some immature ideas."

"What do ordinary ninjas and villagers of Konoha know?"

"They are prone to blind obedience; if there's only one piece of information, they'll basically believe whatever the higher-ups release..."

"In that case, let's fight public opinion with public opinion."

"If the Konoha leadership pins the blame for the outbreak of war on the Hyuga clan, then the Hyuga clan will spread rumors about the despicable misconduct of the Cloud Village ninja leader."

"It's acceptable to exaggerate this behavior to some extent, and it's also possible to bring up past grievances."

"As far as I know, the Hidden Cloud Village used to send people to kidnap the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki when he was still young, and now the Fourth Hokage's wife, Kushina Uzumaki."

"Besides those from Konoha, we can also add the theft committed by Kumogakure against other ninja villages and clans."

"Although it may be difficult to collect all the information in a short time, it doesn't matter. We can create something out of nothing and mix truth with falsehood."

"In short, the goal is to portray Kumogakure as a habitual thief who premeditated his crimes!"

"To make ordinary ninjas and civilians believe that the Hidden Cloud Village simply enjoys stealing, and when stealing fails, they resort to war to forcibly seize property."

"If the Hidden Cloud Village is the villain, then the Hyuga Clan is naturally the hero."

"In this way, the reputation of the Hyuga clan will basically be preserved."

"Even if the former type of public opinion causes some damage, it doesn't matter, because the latter type of public opinion will counteract it and naturally gain the support of some supporters."

"As long as public opinion isn't one-sided, people will gradually forget about it over time..."

Time can make people forget everything.

"If the Hyuga clan wants to restore its reputation among the opposition as soon as possible, there are ways."

"All you need to do is bend down the waists of the powerful clans and nobles and do more good deeds for the ordinary ninjas and common people of Konoha."

"For example, donating money to elderly people living alone, children, and other people in need in the village."

After saying that, Uchiha Gen picked up his teacup and took another sip. He was just wasting his breath talking so much.

The two brothers were dumbfounded. How could someone so young have so many complicated thoughts in their mind?

This is so different from the ordinary Uchiha, isn't it?

Compared to Fugaku and others, he was several times more cunning.

But today's actions were truly eye-opening. In that case, there's really no need to compromise with the Konoha higher-ups and the Cloud Village...

"Minister Xuan is a man of great talent; I admire him greatly."

As Hiashi Hyuga spoke, he personally picked up the teapot and poured tea for Gen Uchiha.

"Minister Gen, I'd like to offer you a cup of tea instead of wine," Hyuga Hizashi said solemnly, raising his teacup.

If it were possible, who would want to die?

Neji was still so young, and he wanted to watch his son grow up, become successful, get married, and have children.

"I wouldn't call myself a great talent, just someone with some cleverness."

"Come on, drink."

"I'll also raise a toast."

After finishing his tea, Hiashi Hyuga said with a serious expression, "Minister Gen, after listening to your words, I am willing to take a tough stance against the Konoha leadership and Kumogakure, but I need your support."

"Without the support of the Uchiha clan, our Hyuga clan alone probably wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure from the Konoha leadership..."

Uchiha Gen laughed and said, "That's natural."

"Since I have come to your residence today, I have voluntarily chosen to wade into these troubled waters, and there is no reason for me to stand idly by."

"I just think that the Uchiha and Hyuga can stand together not only in this matter, but also in other matters."

"With these two powerful clans joining forces, how dare the Konoha leadership act rashly?"

"Let me tell you that Hiruzen Sarutobi's policy is to suppress powerful clans and support smaller clans."

"You can recall his various policies and actions after he came to power, and you will surely be able to draw a conclusion."

Hyuga Hizashi recalled this, but Hyuga Hiashi, too lazy to recall, gritted his teeth and said, "No need to recall, based on his actions this time, he is the one."

"I am willing to join forces with the Uchiha clan."

"But if we want the two clans to join forces completely, it will be easier after I clean out the traitors in my clan."

"Otherwise, if those people collude with the Konoha leadership to obstruct things, it might cause some kind of trouble..."

Uchiha nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

Hiashi Hyuga's eyes flickered for a moment before he said, "Captain Gen, why don't you take Hinata as your apprentice?"

Uchiha Gen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He was going to take Hinata as his student?

No, how can you do that?

They're not like Little Dragon Girl and Yang Guo; they're just too beastly. How will they ever have the face to face Hiashi in the future?

It's better to have an older brother; it's easier for him to switch roles at will.

"Hinata is too young, and the path I'm taking isn't really suitable for teaching her. Besides, given her status, it's best if you teach her."

"If we really want to deepen our connection, how about this: I'll take Neji as my apprentice."

Hyuga Hizashi was overjoyed upon hearing this, unable to maintain his serious and dignified demeanor, and his mouth stretched into a wide grin.

His father, as the head of the branch family, couldn't completely protect Neji within the unique Hyuga clan, but at least the Uchiha clan head, who held a position of equal status to the Hyuga clan head, could.

Although Hiashi Hyuga was somewhat disappointed, he readily agreed.

How could he possibly stop a younger brother who was willing to die for him?

Besides, Neji was also his nephew. With this relationship, no elder in the clan would dare to insult either his younger brother or his nephew.

"Minister Xuan, how exactly do we proceed?"

"First, get the family's opinions in order, then act decisively and prevent them from tipping off the higher-ups in Konoha, so they have time to prepare."

"Then take your trusted confidants to the Hokage Building to express your new attitude to the Hokage, then follow the Hokage and the others to the police department, and finally act according to my instructions."

"Why go to the police department?" Hiashi asked, looking puzzled.

The Japanese were equally puzzled. What was this all about?

"The leader of the Cloud Village ninja broke into a private residence and kidnapped a child, which has seriously violated the Konoha's law of law and order."

"The person may be dead, but the matter cannot be left unresolved."

"The leader of the Cloud Village ninja won't go to jail, but he still needs to give the statements he's required to make and pay the fines he's owed. Someone else should take his place," Uchiha Gen said with a smile.

"what?"

The two brothers were instantly dumbfounded, completely stunned.

No, you mean you're launching a heavy attack on foreign friends?

Even if you break the law and die, you still have to give a statement and pay a fine?

That was really well done... fantastic!

"Isn't this going a bit too far?"

"They're just making a statement, fining us a little money, and not asking us to go to jail for them. Where's the overreaction?"

"Foreign friends who break the law are guilty of the same crime as the common people!"

After saying this, Uchiha Gen picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. Then, amidst the astonished gazes of his two brothers, he got up and left.

(End of this chapter)