"Clan Head, do we really do nothing and just accept this?" A Hyūga branch family member tried once more to draw upon the chakra within his body, finding there was still no reaction, and said angrily, "If all this turns out to be just a trap set by the main family together with outsiders..."
Then the branch family is finished!
"Sigh!" Ōtsutsuki Chengyou sighed and said, "Right now, we have no other options."
He had also just tried to draw upon chakra, but still couldn't!
"This time we fell for the main family's scheme."
Looking at all the branch family members around him, he sighed helplessly. Every clansman who went to the scene was hit with a sealing technique...
"Now, without chakra, what can we even do?"
Especially with that red-haired youth from the shinobi world...
His strength is definitely not ordinary. To instantly seal all the branch family shinobi is simply not something the branch family can oppose now. Unless...
The Tenseigan passed down in ancient texts...
Perhaps only that can defeat that youth!
Ōtsutsuki Chengyou's expression shifted uncertainly, finally ending in a melancholy sigh...
"Everyone, prepare yourselves!"
"Let's hope this time can make the main family understand..."
"The shinobi world is already beyond saving!!"
What's the use of thinking about this now?
Our chakra is sealed. Even if we wanted to fight, we couldn't defeat the main family, let alone that red-haired youth!
Might as well use this chance to make the main family understand that our branch family's ideas are correct. Then...
Join hands to carry out our ancestor's true will!!
And...
Hearing the clan head's words, the branch family clansmen also sighed...
The tide has turned!!
They could only follow the clan head's words and go prepare!
Otherwise, even if they wanted to keep resisting...
They lacked the ability to resist...
Ōtsutsuki Chengyou watched the clansmen leave, shook his head helplessly, then looked down at the book he had crumpled and casually thrown on the table. He sighed, picked it up, and looked at the title on the cover...
"Guidelines on Red Ideology"
"This... can it really achieve peace?"
After thinking for a moment, Ōtsutsuki Chengyou felt it couldn't hurt to look. Since the outcome is already decided, the branch family's chakra is sealed, unable to resist anymore, then...
He wanted to see what confidence that red-haired youth had to bring peace to the shinobi world?
Just relying on this... ideology?
Ōtsutsuki Chengyou's lips curled into a trace of disdain, muttering, "How ridiculous!!"
Then...
He extended his right hand and slowly turned to the first page...
...
Konoha...
"You're back?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the travel-worn Jiraiya before him and said with relief, "I didn't expect you to be the one who made it back in the end."
Truly the inheritor of the Will of Fire!
"Sigh!" Jiraiya sighed and said helplessly, "Old man, what exactly are you trying to do?"
How did you let the situation get to this?
A thriving Konoha, yet...
When he entered the village, all he saw was lifelessness, all the villagers living with numb expressions. The harmony, smiles, and peace of the past were all gone!
"Why invade the Land of Whirlpools?"
If not for invading the Land of Whirlpools, perhaps the situation wouldn't be so bad!
Especially since Minato even learned space-time ninjutsu...
As long as he wasn't up against that Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools, that cheat, then facing anyone, even a Kage, Minato wouldn't be at a disadvantage. How did it come to this?
"You..." Hearing Jiraiya's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up melancholically, walked to the window, looked outside, took a puff of his smoke, and said helplessly, "It was all for Konoha!!"
"For the peace of the shinobi world!!"
He sighed, his gaze carrying a trace of worry...
"The Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools is simply too strong. I didn't expect that in just a few years he'd already possess the First Hokage's strength, and also..."
He turned back to look at Jiraiya...
"He is far too young."
"Once he desires to conquer the shinobi world, who will be able to stop him?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen held his smoke pipe behind his back with his right hand, shook his head, and said worriedly, "By then, the entire shinobi world will inevitably be thrown into turmoil again!"
"It's just..."
He showed a bitter smile...
"I never expected to ultimately misjudge his true strength, and also..."
"The national power of the Land of Whirlpools!!"
He truly didn't expect the Land of Whirlpools to become so strong. He originally thought that without a hidden village, the Land of Whirlpools would, like the countries during the Warring States Period, slowly decline!!
In the end, he truly never expected!
He actually...
Would grow to this extent?!
"..."
Hearing the old man's words, Jiraiya fell silent. Finally, he sighed and said, "What about the shinobi captured by the Land of Whirlpools?"
What do you plan to do?
"This..." Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned and said, "Right now, the village truly has no money!"
Tens of billions...
Probably only the Land of Fire's national treasury can cough that up!!
"But don't worry!!"
His eyes showed determination...
"I will absolutely not let Konoha's shinobi be wronged!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his smoke, looking melancholically at Jiraiya...
"Konoha..."
"Sooner or later must be handed over to your younger generation!!"
He looked at him expectantly...
"Come back and be Hokage! Jiraiya!!"
However...
"Sorry!" Jiraiya shook his head and said, "I will not stay in the village!"
"Once the war is over, I will leave!"
He turned around and walked to the door...
"So, for Hokage, you should choose someone else!"
"I will head to the battlefield to help tomorrow!"
He then walked directly out of the office door, closing it behind him...
"..."
Looking at the closed door...
Sarutobi Hiruzen propped his chin on his hands, frowning, lost in thought. Finally, he sighed and muttered, "Konoha..."
Who should it be handed over to?
Right now, Jiraiya and Tsunade are the best candidates, because...
Orochimaru was captured. This is a stain on his record. Without special circumstances, Orochimaru cannot gain the recognition of the others in the village.
But...
Tsunade?
Where is she now?
Why hasn't she returned yet?
If she wants to gain others' recognition and become Hokage...
The current war is the best opportunity!!
...
"Achoo! Achoo!" Tsunade rubbed her nose, frowned, and muttered, "Who's thinking about me??"
After thinking...
"It must be that bastard Jiraiya, cursing me!!"
She clenched her fist indignantly...
"Hmph, next time I see him, I'll definitely punch him a few times. Otherwise, I'll always feel..."
Weird inside!!
After cursing Jiraiya in her heart a few times...
Tsunade looked melancholically in the direction of Konoha and muttered, "I hope nothing happens!"
No matter what, Konoha is the village her granduncle founded. She...
Still can't quite rest easy!
But seeing that the Konoha prisoners in the Land of Whirlpools weren't abused or killed, she felt somewhat relieved.
At least...
Everyone is fine...
She took a swig of the ice-cold beer in her hand...
"Who knows where that Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools has run off to!" Tsunade shook her head helplessly and said, "I was planning to find him and see if he could let Shizune and Rin Nohara off!"
But...
He wasn't even in his office!
A daimyo running around everywhere is really irresponsible.
She sighed inwardly...
Forget it, I'll wait for next time. Anyway, I went to see those two girls a few days ago. They weren't harmed, it's just...
Working overtime through the night with no pay??
That's just too much!!
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