Chapter 225: Hyuga's Departure
"Really... is there nothing we can negotiate at all, Hiashi?"
The room fell silent for a moment before Jiraiya spoke again, his tone bitter.
"I know Ryosuke's presence has brought a lot of change to your clan. I also understand that Hyuga can't live a low-profile life anymore... but must you really leave? Konoha hasn't treated them unfairly all these years, has it?"
His voice carried the tone of negotiation—unusual, almost uncharacteristic, for someone in the position of Hokage. But then, Jiraiya had never viewed himself as superior just because he wore the title. If anything, he felt caged by it—restricted, uneasy.
"In fact, the tailed beast from the Sand Village was just captured. The Akatsuki has begun moving again."
Jiraiya spoke more solemnly now.
"After abandoning the Land of Rain, their movements have become harder to track—like shadows with no permanent home."
"Though we don't yet understand their ultimate goal, one thing is certain: it's not just about a single tailed beast. They're after all the Jinchūriki—every last one. All nine tailed beasts, under their control."
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Even if Ryosuke is far stronger than most, I doubt he can take on nine tailed beasts alone. Especially with those twisted, powerful rogue shinobi standing behind them. And from what we know… that boy with the Rinnegan isn't dead yet."
On the surface, the ninja world seemed calm. But that calm was brittle, like ice just beginning to crack.
Its fragile peace was held together by one thing: the alliance.
The alliance forged by the Fire Nation and its neighboring countries had long served as a deterrent. Even the once-aggressive Lightning Country hadn't made a move since the Fifth Raikage took power. Gone were the days when they extorted tributes from their weaker neighbors.
Now, they tread carefully—too afraid to give the alliance a reason to retaliate.
"This peaceful surface is thanks to the alliance's presence," Jiraiya continued.
"But now that the Akatsuki is making moves, and your Hyuga clan chooses this moment to leave Konoha... if the alliance begins to fracture from within, there will be consequences."
He looked straight at Hiashi.
"There are countries and factions quietly preparing to act. If this balance shatters, the war that erupts may be worse than any of the past Shinobi World Wars."
Jiraiya was no fool. He stood from a place high enough to see the whole board—the entire ninja world.
Even if Hyuga's departure might benefit them, and maybe even Konoha in the long run... the timing couldn't be worse.
At the very least, they had to stay until the next generation was strong enough to take over. Until Konoha had the strength to suppress unrest.
"In truth," Hiashi said calmly from across the room, "if the alliance is as strong as you say, then our departure shouldn't cause much disruption."
"The Land of Rain will soon join the alliance. The Hyuga's relationship with Konoha is simply shifting to one of cooperation. That much will not change."
"Konoha has always been our friend, which is why we chose to say farewell rather than leave quietly."
His words were deliberate—measured. They revealed the Hyuga's true stance: they weren't cutting ties. But they also couldn't be swayed by appeals to unity or the common good. If negotiations were to happen, they would need to be rooted in tangible, practical terms.
Jiraiya understood the subtext. This wasn't a door slammed shut. It was slightly ajar.
The problem? He had nothing left to offer.
If Hiashi truly hadn't wanted to negotiate, she would've already been gone. The fact that they were still talking meant a sliver of possibility remained.
"So that's it?"
Jiraiya stared at Hia0shi for a long while before exhaling deeply.
"Then... if I were to offer the position of Sixth Hokage to Hyuga Ryosuke, would that be enough for you to stay?"
"A shame," Hiashi replied, his expression unchanging.
"Ryosuke is focused solely on strengthening himself. Titles like Hokage mean nothing to him. He's not interested in that position."
But that response revealed something to Jiraiya—a subtle crack in the Hyuga's stance.
"So, what you're saying... is that if someone from the Hyuga were to become Hokage, then the clan might reconsider leaving?"
This time, Hiashi didn't respond. He simply stared at Jiraiya in silence.
It wasn't a yes. But it wasn't a no either.
Silence settled over the living room once again.
After a long pause, Jiraiya gave a small nod.
"Alright."
He straightened his posture and spoke with rare seriousness.
"I, Jiraiya, don't consider myself a great Hokage. I've worked hard since I took the position, and though I've kept Konoha stable, I haven't been able to help it grow."
"I'm not suited to rule behind a desk. I'm the kind of man who should be out there—fighting, leading from the front."
"There's no obvious successor right now. But if your Hyuga clan can produce someone worthy—someone with the right skills and heart—then I'm willing to step down and let that person lead. But only under one condition."
Hiashi didn't ask what it was. He waited.
"You must put the village first."
Jiraiya's tone turned steely.
"You can lead Konoha. But you cannot treat other clans or villagers as beneath you. You must treat everyone—regardless of status—as equals, as part of the same whole."
"Konoha is built on the Will of Fire. Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn bright. That fire gives life to the village and allows new leaves to sprout."
"Every person in this village is a leaf—no matter their bloodline or surname. That's the Will of Fire. That's the belief that created this village and keeps it alive."
"If Konoha loses that, if it becomes nothing more than a stage for one family's dominance, then it ceases to be Konoha."
His words echoed with a quiet conviction.
This had always been the village's unspoken line in the sand. The reason clans were kept at arm's length from the highest seat. Power concentrated too narrowly would rot the village from the inside out.
Konoha was not a family's empire. It was a shared dream.
The room fell into silence again.
Jiraiya waited. Hiashi stared into the distance, deep in thought.
Time passed slowly. The sky outside dimmed, shifting from gold to amber, then to the deep blue of evening. Shadows stretched across the floor as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Finally, Hiashi let out a long sigh.
"Senior Jiraiya," he said softly.
"If you had come here today as the Hokage... instead of as a friend... I might've told you that the Will of Fire lives in every Hyuga's heart as well."
On the other side, Jiraiya paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. "I miss the days when we used to fight side by side."
As he spoke, he rose to his feet. "In that case, I won't bother you any longer."
Hinata Hiashi stood up as well. "Why not stay for dinner before you go?"
"No."
Jiraiya shook his head. "There are still a lot of matters to handle. I need to pass this news to the Konoha representative stationed in the Land of Rain."
After a brief pause, he added, "Is there anything you'd like me to pass along to Hyuga Iroha? I have special channels that can get messages there quickly."
Without hesitation, Hinata Hiashi escorted him to the door and declined politely. "No need. We have other means to send word."
In fact, a small number of Hyuga clan members had already migrated to the Land of Rain, and the letters needing delivery were already in the hands of the team leader.
"Just send it here."
After leaving the Hyuga's home, Jiraiya stopped, turning back to look at Hiashi.
"I hope… Konoha and the Hyuga will always remain friends."
Hiashi nodded solemnly. "Of course. I hope so too…"
. . .
With a heavy heart, Hiashi stood at the doorway, watching Jiraiya's figure slowly vanish from view.
Having lived in Konoha for decades, he had once dreamed of becoming a leader in the village. Naturally, he felt reluctant to leave this land behind.
But for the future of the clan, some attachments had to be abandoned.
"It's not easy for Master Jiraiya either," Hiashi murmured. "Konoha is in tatters right now. It'll take time to recover."
At some point, Ryosuke appeared beside him, standing silently at the door.
"Actually... I might've made the wrong decision," Hiashi admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "I could've just pretended to accept Jiraiya's proposal. Once we were firmly rooted in Konoha again, we could've shaped the village's future as we pleased."
"But I didn't want to lie to him. I didn't want to lie to the people I once fought beside. So... I passed up a better option."
Compared to the Rain Country, Konoha was undoubtedly the more promising choice.
It had an established governing system, powerful ninja clans, and steady funding from the Land of Fire.
Yet, his soft heart had made the call.
"Father, you're too hard on yourself."
Ryosuke chuckled. "It wasn't a wrong decision. With our Hyuga abilities, does it really matter where we go?"
"Even if we became Hokage, the other clans would constantly monitor and restrict us. Winning them over would take years—time better spent elsewhere."
To him, their current path was far more efficient.
"The Rain Country isn't as developed as Konoha or the Land of Fire, sure. But their local forces are practically non-existent."
"They've been humiliated, invaded, and manipulated. Of course they'll welcome a powerful clan like ours. If our terms are fair, they'll bend over backward to support us. We could easily become the backbone of their logistical and support systems."
In contrast, Konoha would have wrapped them in political chains.
Ryosuke saw the Land of Rain for what it was—untapped potential.
"I just hope everything goes smoothly," Hiashi said, no longer dwelling on the past.
"Speaking of which… what happened to Shanks and Nozomi Saki?"
"They moved out."
Ryosuke answered nonchalantly. "Word got around that we Hyuga are leaving Konoha and the Land of Fire to develop abroad. Nozomi Saki started distancing himself, and Shanks followed."
"His decision?"
Hiashi showed no anger, only quiet understanding. "They're ordinary people. Their roots are here. If they left, they'd lose everything. It makes sense."
"Maybe," Ryosuke said. "Maybe he's still undecided."
"In any case, our partnership with the Saki family is complete. We've already received the benefits. Whether they stay or not is up to them."
"As for Shanks… he's cautious, but he'll come to the Rain Country eventually."
"We, the Hyuga, are his best chance of seizing the Gate of Time and Space. If he wants to return to his own world—he'll need us."
The many agreements Hyuga had secured in the Land of Fire over the years wouldn't be affected immediately by their migration. Though some officials and corporations might not renew contracts later, the current deals would hold.
And with the Land of Rain expected to join the alliance, resource sharing would only deepen.
As long as Konoha didn't want to break ties outright, they would tolerate this—for now.
. . .
The Hyuga Clan's departure from Konoha was officially confirmed after Jiraiya's private meeting with Hiashi.
Upon leaving the Hyuga compound, Jiraiya said this to Utatane Koharu and urgently called a high-level meeting.
Naturally, Hiashi wasn't invited.
When the news spread, many prominent clans were stunned.
Though Hyuga's power had been increasingly acknowledged—largely thanks to Ryosuke—this still marked the first time a major clan had ever chosen to leave Konoha and develop independently.
The shock soon gave way to concern.
Without Hyuga, Konoha would lose a vital piece of its strategic strength—those all-seeing eyes that once guarded the village… might now become its enemy.
The thought weighed heavily on many.
And then the whispers began.
From the grand halls of noble families to the crowded alleyways of commoners, everyone was talking.
Soon, Hyuga's departure was the hottest topic in Konoha.
Even the students at the Ninja Academy debated what this meant for the village's future.
Still, while the major clans grasped the gravity of the situation, smaller families and ordinary villagers seemed far less anxious.
They didn't think much of the Hyuga's exit.
After all, when the Uchiha were wiped out, Konoha had continued on like nothing happened.
To them, the village was still the strongest force in the ninja world.
Hyuga leaving? It might stir conversation for a while—make the rounds at tea shops and dinner tables—but it wouldn't spark panic.
And yet, deep down, even the average villager felt it:
Losing the Hyuga's Byakugan… was not the same as losing the Uchiha's Sharingan.
There was a difference.
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on:
~ [email protected]/FanficLord03
~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the story in the rankings using your
[Power Stones]
~ https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9