boyutpedia Chapter 185 Meeting
Chapter 185 Meeting
Faced with this difficult choice, Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into deep thought. He had to weigh various factors, considering both the long-term interests of Konoha and his own political standing. Every decision could have unpredictable consequences, and he had to bear those responsibilities. In his inner turmoil, he decided to adopt a compromise strategy: to safeguard Konoha's security while preserving his own power as much as possible.
After careful consideration, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hiashi Hyuga decided to send Kanan Hyuga to lead the Leaf Village's border forces against the Kumogakure army. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, Kanan Hyuga would not return to Leaf Village. It was because of this arrangement that Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to take a hard line against Kumogakure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was well aware that he had to meet Hiashi Hyuga's conditions. He had to ensure that no further incidents targeting the Hyuga clan occurred within Konoha, and he also had to clearly explain the true reasons for the war to the villagers to ensure they received fair and impartial information. Furthermore, Hiashi Hyuga emphasized to Hiruzen that no one in Konoha was allowed to spread false information detrimental to the Hyuga clan, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts.
Hiashi Hyuga knew that these conditions would offend the Third Hokage, but he didn't care. Hiruzen Sarutobi had already attacked the Hyuga clan; did he really expect the other party to treat his clan as a direct descendant? Moreover, it would also keep the Hyuga clan away from Konoha's political system, preventing them from getting involved in Konoha's political disputes and ensuring that the Hyuga clan could stay peacefully in Konoha.
Hiashi Hyuga saw very clearly that if Hiruzen Sarutobi continued to govern Konoha in this way, serious political disputes and armed conflict would inevitably erupt sooner or later. His own clan should not get involved in this mess; firmly maintaining neutrality and quietly developing their strength was what was needed now. With a strong foundation, no matter which side won the political struggle in Konoha, they would not attack his clan.
Meanwhile, Hyuga Hizashi, who had been traveling at breakneck speed for seven days without sleep, finally arrived at the address given by Hyuga Hiashi. Looking around, Hizashi found the surroundings exactly as Orochimaru had described – completely devoid of any signs of human activity. Hizashi initially thought he had come to the wrong place, searching the area extensively without finding any trace of Hyuga Kanan, even after activating his Byakugan. Hizashi didn't believe his brother would lie to him about such a matter, especially given the family's current dire situation; he wouldn't have misremembered the address. This meant the address Kanan had given was incorrect, or perhaps Kanan had already left the area. After all, many years had passed; Kanan couldn't have remained in the same place waiting for the Hyuga clan to find him.
But how could they resolve the crisis facing the clan if they couldn't find Hyuga Kanan? Hyuga Hizashi was truly panicking, showing signs of a mental breakdown. After all, the belief that he could find Hyuga Kanan and get him to help the clan overcome this crisis had sustained him for days. His exhaustion from the relentless journey had already drained his mental strength, and he was on the verge of fainting. He searched the surrounding area again, unwilling to give up, but still found nothing. Finally, his mental strength gave out, and he collapsed.
Hyuga Kanan, who was cultivating in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them. His keen senses, penetrating the outer barrier, detected a familiar chakra fluctuation. This chakra fluctuation contained the unique power of the Hyuga clan—the aura emanating from the Byakugan's might.
Hyuga Kanan's perception of this chakra fluctuation was exceptionally clear, as if he could discern every subtle change within it. He thought to himself, "It seems the visitors are members of the Hyuga clan. Their investigation here must be related to the promise I made to Hyuga Hiashi years ago. Now, it's time to fulfill that promise."
With that thought, Hyuga Kanan no longer hesitated, and his figure vanished from the secluded training room in an instant. The next moment, he appeared like a ghost at the outermost edge of the barrier, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. He quietly observed the movements around him, trying to find traces of those uninvited guests.
......
Hyuga Hizashi suddenly awoke with a start, looking around at his unfamiliar surroundings with a sense of disorientation. He quickly regained his composure, a look of anxiety on his face. Although he didn't know where he was, he couldn't afford to waste time here. He hadn't found any trace of Hyuga Kanan, and his mission wasn't yet complete. He had to hurry, expand his search area, and find Kanan as quickly as possible so he could return to the village and help his clan overcome this crisis.
Thinking of this, Hyuga Hizashi struggled to sit up. The rapid travel of the past few days had taken a toll on his body and meridians. At this moment, his muscles throbbed with pain, and his chakra reserves were nearly depleted, accompanied by a dull, throbbing ache. He knew his body had suffered considerable damage, even affecting his very essence as a ninja. However, he had no time to worry about that now; he had to race against time to find Hyuga Kanan and avert this immense crisis facing his clan.
He firmly believed that since Hyuga Kanan had left this address, it meant he wouldn't have gone too far. As long as he thoroughly explored the surrounding area, he would definitely have a chance to find the other's trail. Although their relationship wasn't exactly harmonious, Hyuga Kanan was, after all, a member of the Hyuga clan, and once a promise was made, it wouldn't be easily broken.
However, just as he straightened up, trying to use his hands to support himself on the edge of the bed, a sharp pain and weakness throughout his body caused him to quickly fall back onto the bed. The intense pain even made him break out in a cold sweat, but he did not give up. As he endured the pain and prepared to get up again, the door to the room was suddenly pushed open, and dazzling sunlight and a figure entered the room together.
Hyuga Hizashi's gaze immediately shifted to the person who had entered. He thought to himself that this was a good opportunity to properly thank the person for saving him, inquire about the situation here, and also find out if there was any news about Hyuga Kanan.
As Hyuga Hizashi's eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, he recognized the figure entering and his expression lit up with surprise. The person inside was none other than Hyuga Kanan, whom he had been searching for. Kanan's appearance hadn't changed much, but the aura he exuded had become even more ethereal and mysterious.
"Second brother, you're finally awake! Quick, quick, lie down and don't move around! Your body can't take this kind of exertion right now, you need to rest and recuperate for a while~ During this time, just stay here and rest well!" Hyuga Kanan stood by the bed, his eyes fixed on Hyuga Hizashi, who was trying to sit up. Seeing his actions, he quickly stepped forward, gently pressed his palm against the other's body, and carefully helped him back to bed.
Although Hyuga Hizashi had already obediently lay down, he still seemed somewhat anxious. He opened his mouth, eager to tell his younger brother, Hyuga Kanan, why he had come here to find him. At the same time, he reached out and took out a rolled-up item from his pocket, handing it to Hyuga Kanan, gesturing for him to open it and see its contents so that he could understand the current situation.
Hyuga Kanan didn't say much, but silently accepted the scroll. He gently infused energy into the scroll, and the sealing technique on it was easily broken as easily as paper. Then, he stared quietly at the contents of the scroll, as if trying to imprint every word deep into his mind.
The scroll contains extremely detailed information. It first describes in detail how the Hyuga clan has made progress in recent years by utilizing the scroll he left behind. Then it reveals the political attitudes and methods of the Konoha leadership towards Konoha in recent years. Finally, it details the various forms of coercion and threats exerted against the Hyuga clan. More importantly, the later sections contain Hyuga Hiashi's profound insights and detailed analysis of the current situation in Konoha. Furthermore, he clearly points out the tasks that Hyuga Kanan needs to assist the Hyuga clan in accomplishing.
After reading the entire scroll, Hyuga Kanan's lips curled into a slight, contemptuous smile. He said calmly, "That old codger, Sarutobi Hiruzen, hasn't improved at all! Still using the same outdated and stale methods. It seems Konoha will be destroyed in his hands sooner or later. I'm just curious to see just how badly it will decline."
Hyuga Hizashi's expression brightened upon hearing Hyuga Kanan's words. He sensed a hint of excitement in Kanan's tone, a disdain and contempt for Hiruzen Sarutobi's Konoha leadership. This proved his elder brother's analysis was entirely correct. Kanan's strength likely far exceeded their expectations. If he made a move, both the Konoha leadership and Kumogakure would have no choice but to retreat, allowing the clan more time and space to develop.
A thought that Hizashi Hyuga had never considered before surfaced in his mind: his relationship with his younger brother was exceptionally good, arguably the best in the entire clan. Every time he thought of the Caged Bird Seal on his son Neji's forehead, Hizashi felt guilty for letting the child face the fate of separating from the family from birth. But looking at the smooth forehead of the boy before him, and his legendary strength, he wondered if he could ask the boy to raise and care for his son, thus averting the boy's fate of being separated from the family.