Chapter 39: Preparing to Return to the Village
"Master Ryosuke, I really believed it at first—that you came to meet with the Daimyo because the clan leader wanted to persuade the Third Hokage to reconsider his stance and start by dealing with the Daimyo instead."
It was already noon on the fifth day when Ryosuke and his two companions left Fire Nation. As soon as they stepped through the city gates, Hyuga Souji, standing behind him, spoke up with a trace of impatience.
Beside him, Hyuga Hoshisai nodded in agreement, clearly believing the same thing based on what Ryosuke had said yesterday.
A few days ago, Ryosuke had delivered a passionate speech to Tokugawa Shigeshige at the Daimyo Prefecture—laying out his views on national spirit and dignity. His ability to stir emotions had been so effective that he directly persuaded Tokugawa to sign several treaties that benefited the Hyuga clan.
For example, over the next few years, the funds allocated to "private commissions" would be appropriately increased. Additionally, the Hyuga would be granted a formal position as guardian ninja to the Daimyo.
These concessions, as Tokugawa explained, were meant to compensate the Hyuga clan for their sacrifices in recent events. Even though he suspected Ryosuke might be manipulating the situation, Tokugawa wasn't willing to gamble on that.
After all, this wasn't the first time ninja had carried out impossible tasks with absurd determination.
"If spending some money keeps the peace and lets people enjoy their lives, then giving up a slice of the pie isn't a big deal," Tokugawa had said.
"For most officials, this would be a perfect excuse to retreat. Forced by both circumstance and strength, they would agree without hesitation. After all, literati are proud people."
Ryosuke's voice was calm now, in stark contrast to the fiery conviction he'd displayed during his meeting with the Daimyo.
"But someone like His Highness Tokugawa... Even though he was raised under the influence of scholars, wielding absolute power for so long has made him adopt the same greed typical of a merchant."
"No ordinary tactic would make him give up his interests willingly. So, I took advantage of his ignorance and applied some psychological pressure."
Despite being a taijutsu-focused clan, the Hyuga were also renowned for their perception. Because of this, they had a well-developed intelligence network.
In fact, whenever a decision was made in the Hokage's office, the Hyuga were often the first to know.
As a member of the clan's main bloodline, Ryosuke had access to some of the most advanced intel in both Konoha and the Land of Fire.
For instance, he knew that Sarutobi Hiruzen had not yet informed Tokugawa Shigeshige about the Cloud Village incident.
Likely out of pride, the higher-ups in Konoha had no intention of informing the Fire Daimyo's government. Instead, they planned to quietly resolve the issue. Once proper compensation was settled, both Konoha and Kumogakure would sign a confidentiality agreement to ensure the matter didn't leak.
That gave Ryosuke an opening.
The plan to secure more benefits from the Daimyo's court was one he and Hyuga Hiashi had devised together.
Thanks to Ryosuke's "foresight," they'd avoided becoming scapegoats in this incident. And having predicted the village's passive response, they didn't feel emotionally slighted.
But since Konoha was fighting for its own interests, why shouldn't the Hyuga clan do the same—and take a bigger share?
More importantly, this gave Ryosuke a rare chance to travel outside the village and experience the broader ninja world.
Only someone of the main bloodline could represent the Hyuga in a diplomatic capacity. That made Ryosuke the natural choice for the mission.
Unfortunately, because the trip had been kept so secret, there hadn't been any unexpected incidents on the way to Daimyo, no real opportunities for Ryosuke to gain combat experience.
But... the way back was different.
---
"Master Ryosuke," Souji asked, frowning, "the Daimyo's lifestyle was so comfortable. Why don't we stay a few more days?"
They had spent a total of five days in Fire Nation, and with the round trip included, the whole mission had taken less than two weeks. There was still plenty of time before the one-month deadline set by Hiashi.
Except for the first day, which had been spent negotiating serious matters, the second and third days had been full of luxurious banquets hosted by the Daimyo and various nobles. The trio had lived like royalty—eating well, sleeping better, and being served from morning till night.
To be honest, it was easy to get used to such a decadent lifestyle.
At least for Souji, those days had been absolute bliss.
"I had originally planned to leave sooner," Ryosuke replied with a smile as he looked back, "but I stayed a few extra days to make the return trip more interesting."
He could tell from Souji's expression that the guy truly enjoyed the noble's life.
But Ryosuke didn't judge. Everyone had their own goals and desires. If Souji wanted a life of luxury, there was nothing wrong with that.
Besides, that kind of life was undeniably beautiful.
After experiencing the past few days, Ryosuke had revised his earlier thoughts—no matter how decadent this world could get, nothing compared to the comfort and stimulation of his past life.
Still, this feudal-style existence had its own charm—especially for those at the top. The level of happiness it offered was on par with the entertainment-driven society of his previous world.
But even so, compared to training and growing stronger, such pleasures brought Ryosuke little satisfaction.
---
Souji and Hoshisai both caught the key word in Ryosuke's sentence. Their relaxed expressions turned serious, and the chakra in their bodies surged as they scanned their surroundings, instantly on alert.
"It seems all that pampering hasn't made you forget you're ninja," Ryosuke chuckled and kept walking along their planned route. "Relax—we haven't encountered any enemies yet."
"But the road ahead won't be peaceful. I hope you two can stay alert. If either of you still wants to indulge in luxury, you're free to head back to the village now."
"You've received intel, Master Ryosuke?" Hoshisai asked calmly.
Hoshisai had always been more composed and mature than Souji. He was quick to catch on to subtle cues.
(TL: In this Chapter revealed that Hoshicai/Hoshisai is a woman but I'm changing her to him in this book because in early chapters he is man.)
"No news," Ryosuke replied, shaking his head. "Just a guess."
"Do you remember what the Daimyo said about increasing mission rewards? Besides us—has any other clan brought that up recently?"
"You mean... the Uchiha?" Hoshisai's brows furrowed.
"It's just speculation," Ryosuke said with a calm tone, "but there's a high chance they'll make a move."
He showed no worry. In truth, he had predicted this scenario from the start.
His first priority on this trip had been to negotiate with Tokugawa and secure benefits using the Cloud Village incident as leverage—for the clan.
The second objective, however, was his personal goal: actual combat experience.
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