Chapter 227: Stable Situation
Konoha was established sixty-four years ago.
The Chunin Exams, originally scheduled to be held in cooperation with the Sand Village, had been postponed due to the capture of the One-Tail Jinchuriki.
As for the aftermath of the incident, nearly no information had been leaked.
There was no news about whether the Jinchuriki would be rescued, what losses the village had suffered, or whether any high-ranking officials of the Sand Village had perished in the attack.
That same year, the Rain Country's application to join the Alliance was approved, and the Hyuga clan formally announced the launch of its migration plan.
Under the leadership of Hyuga Hiashi, personnel, materials, and clan secret techniques were gradually relocated from Konoha to the Land of Rain in batches.
However, during the migration, hostile forces frequently launched ambushes, slowing the process considerably.
After over a decade of peace, many forces in the ninja world had stockpiled old grudges and long-held hatred.
Power-hungry rulers endured the calm like a boiling pot with a sealed lid. The political chessboard grew increasingly intricate and obscure.
Everyone had their own plans, but none dared to ignite a large-scale war. Even the smallest conflicts had to be carried out in the shadows.
"To avoid ambushes by unknown forces, we've set up temporary contact points along the migration route," someone reported.
"They include Orange Town on the Land Of Fire coast, the borders of the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Springs sea areas, and finally the Land of Rain's coastal border."
"Among these, in the 303rd Sea Area bordering the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Springs, the migration team was once again attacked by an unidentified force. Fortunately, under Captain Hoshicaii's leadership, no one was killed."
At the former site of the Hyuga clan, Ryosuke stood inspecting the eastern edge of the clan's territory.
He was overseeing the next batch of migrants, making sure the clansmen packed their luggage in an orderly fashion while also listening to their field reports.
Though he didn't particularly enjoy dealing with such tedious matters, the migration was a major undertaking. As a Hyuga, he had to play his part.
"This is the detailed battle report from Captain Hoshicai. The enemy consisted of six Chunin and seventeen Genin. None of them survived,"
Hyuga Tamao said, respectfully handing over a document.
"Same as the previous ambush. They were all dead soldiers. The moment they died, the nerve tissues in their brains were destroyed. No memories could be extracted, even with special techniques."
The arm Tamao had lost during a mission with Ryosuke had been replaced with one regenerated from primary cells.
Even so, it wasn't his original limb, and his combat capability was still limited. Given his already average strength, he could hardly be counted as fighting power within the clan now.
But Ryosuke didn't mind.
Combat ability could be cultivated. As long as one was loyal enough, he was more than willing to invest in them.
As for the ambush, Ryosuke's expression didn't change.
"As usual, notify them to preserve all recoverable corpses. Do not dissect or analyze them on their own."
He needed to conduct tests personally, to see if anything—information or residual memory—could be salvaged.
Attacks like this didn't surprise him. He had already anticipated the migration wouldn't be a smooth journey.
In fact, this incident conveniently gave the clan a reason—and the perfect stage—for Hyuga to display their strength.
"Perhaps... we should spread the news about the capture of the tailed beasts in other villages? That way, the ninja world might focus less on our migration,"
Tamao suggested.
"A distraction?"
Ryosuke chuckled and shook his head.
"No need. This is just a training opportunity. Let those born during peace witness real bloodshed."
The capture of the Sand Village's One-Tail Jinchuriki had only been known thanks to confidential intelligence shared within the Alliance.
Both Kumogakure and Iwagakure had strictly enforced an information lockdown. The Jinchuriki captured from their villages had not been publicly disclosed.
Aside from the countries directly involved, only the Hyuga clan—with its advanced intelligence network—knew what was happening behind the scenes.
As a result, with information tightly controlled, few forces in the ninja world could even begin to guess Akatsuki's true actions.
Ryosuke suspected that only Jiraiya—who had long pursued Akatsuki's trail—might have a clue. Hence, only Konoha gave particular attention to the organization, seeing them as more than just a band of rogue ninjas.
As for the Hyuga, they had no Jinchuriki to be targeted and no desire to get tangled in the matter.
At that moment, another clansman approached and whispered,
"Master Ryosuke, a branch member of the Yamanaka clan has accepted our invitation. They're willing to migrate with us."
"Then tell them to pack quickly. Arrange for them to settle outside our territory until the next batch of migrants departs."
Ryosuke nodded, his tone calm, showing no emotion.
In recent days, members of many renowned clans—Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, Sarutobi—had responded to the Hyuga's invitation.
Whether they were genuine allies or hidden spies sent by Konoha didn't concern Ryosuke much.
Time would reveal everyone's true loyalties.
Eventually, each individual would choose where they stood. Patience would expose those wearing false faces.
"Since Hoshicai and the others were already in the Hot Springs Country's waters when the report was sent, factoring in delivery time, they should have reached the Land of Rain by now."
…
"Long time no see. You look… much more mature than before."
Along the coastline of the Land of Rain, a massive cargo ship was quietly anchored.
Hyuga ninjas—slender in build but possessing tremendous strength—were unloading crates and supplies at an impressive speed.
They moved the cargo from the ship to a caravan of carriages lined up so far down the shore that it was impossible to tell where the procession ended or began.
On the shore, Hoshicai stood beside Hinata Souji, watching their fellow clansmen work.
They hadn't seen each other in quite some time.
On his shoulder, a fat, fluffy cat squatted lazily.
"You've changed a lot too. You've become... more concerned about your appearance," Hoshicai said, his tone slightly amused.
He looked the man in front of him up and down. Dressed in luxurious robes, the man radiated charisma and polish. It was hard to reconcile this version of Hyuga Souji with the one who had once fought at his side to protect Lord Ryosuke.
"You can't be rude when dealing with noble officials," Souji replied, stroking his styled hair with theatrical flair. Even his voice had shifted—silky, magnetic, deliberately seductive. "They care more about etiquette than results."
"If I showed up wearing a plain combat vest, they'd think I was insulting the entire meeting."
"If you botch the first impression," he added with a light shrug, "then everything afterward—negotiation, cooperation—becomes much more difficult."
Years of navigating the political elite of the Land of Fire had taught him the value of diplomacy. He had invested great effort into mastering the intricate customs of court life. Fortunately, because he didn't personally reject those customs, it had all come naturally to him—so much so that the refinement now felt second nature.
"Your illusion skills have improved," Hoshicai said, his tone sharp, eyes narrowing. "You even weaved Yin Release into your speech. Impressive."
He wasn't interested in the etiquette lesson. What caught his attention was Souji's subtle Genjutsu.
"If I hadn't studied some of Lord Ryosuke's Yin Release techniques, I might not have caught your illusion at all."
Souji's prideful smirk faltered into something more vulnerable. "Ah… I really envy you. You got to stay in Konoha. You stayed by Lord Ryosuke's side."
"But I heard you ran into some serious trouble on the way," he added, his voice turning cautious. "Have you figured out who they were?"
Hoshicai shook his head. "No. When the fighting started, their techniques and taijutsu were unusually complex."
He frowned. "One of them committed suicide with poison. He'd even carved a seal into his brain to sever nerve connections. There was no time to extract anything."
"They were just hired thugs," Hoshicai muttered coldly. "We'll catch them eventually, and then settle the score—properly."
He had no doubt the Hyuga clan would pursue justice. They had only recently made their presence known in the ninja world as an independent power. Backing down now, especially from something that could undermine their foundation, wasn't an option.
"Let's change the subject. What's the situation in the Land of Rain now?"
Hoshicai tone turned serious. "The clan head has ordered us to establish our authority as the new ruling force and take full control of the country."
Souji chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. The moment the Land of Rain was incorporated into the Alliance, their lord—Kusanagi Akebi—reached out to Captain Iroha. He offered to hand over control of the country to us directly."
"A wise man," he added. "No wonder he was able to take charge of the Land of Rain despite being a non-combatant. He seized the right moment."
Hoshicai hesitated. "Is he... really an ordinary person?"
He asked the question softly, clearly doubtful.
The Land of Rain had always been a militarized country. Even if Amegakure had been dismantled, its ideology should still echo in the hearts of its citizens. How could someone without chakra, without combat ability, rise to power?
Souji nodded. "We've tested him several times. He's just a regular civilian."
"Still," he continued, "he's surrounded by former Rain Village ninja. There aren't many of them, but from the moment we arrived, we saw the truth—he's the one holding the reins. Not a puppet. They defer to him."
"I don't know how he gained their loyalty, but they obey him. Maybe that's why he succeeded."
"A civilian commanding ninja with combat prowess?" Hoshicai muttered. "It just doesn't add up."
A new voice suddenly rasped through the air, cutting off the conversation and making Souji stiffen. His hand shot to his kunai. Byakugan activated. His gaze zeroed in on…
The cat?
He stared, stunned. "Chakra? There's chakra... inside that cat?"
"Oh yeah," Hoshicai said casually, like it had just occurred to him. He pointed to the fat gray feline still perched calmly on his shoulder.
"This is Lord Ryosuke's... disciple. For now, I'm tasked with guiding him on ninja practices."
"...Huh?!"
Souji blinked, genuinely taken aback. "Ryosuke-sama's... disciple?"
A talking cat that trained under Ryosuke? A beast nin like that—just walking around?
As expected of Lord Ryosuke. Nothing he did ever followed logic.
"Well, we didn't exactly hold an official ceremony," the cat said lazily, licking his paw. "But he taught me a lot about combat."
He paused, eyes distant. "I wanted to be part of his family. Guess I didn't make the cut. So now... maybe I'm a disciple. Or a subordinate. Something like that."
Even if it sounded absurd, Souji immediately gave a formal bow. "An honor to meet you. I'm Hyuga Souji—once Lord Ryosuke's bodyguard, now a diplomat of the Hyuga clan."
"Call me Old Cat. That's what everyone does," the feline replied nonchalantly.
"Yes, Master Old Cat," Souji said respectfully.
"Ahem... just a note," Hoshicai added, clearing his throat.
"Since Lord Ryosuke asked me to train him, he usually calls me Teacher Hoshicai."
"Got it, Old Cat," Souji said quickly, dropping his respectful expression in a flash. There was no way he was calling Hoshicai his senior. Not happening.
"Anyway," he continued, shifting gears, "the situation in the Land of Rain is stable. After the envoys from other nations submitted their applications to join the alliance, most of them left."
He returned to his briefing, now sounding more official.
"Our clansmen who arrived earlier have been assigned across various towns and villages. They've replaced the local lords, chiefs, and officials."
"Part of this is to win the hearts of the people. The rest is to block opportunistic factions from trying to capitalize on the transition."
"As for the capital city where the Hyuga will reside, construction is already underway..."
Although the key elders hadn't yet arrived, all instructions and infrastructure plans for the Land of Rain had already been distributed.
Originally, the Hyuga had come as envoys from Konoha and the Land of Fire. But when their allegiance shifted, they remained to oversee the transition.
Following orders from the clan, Souji and Iroha spearheaded the deployment, ensuring every village and district was brought under proper management.
As more Hyuga clansmen migrated in waves, the operation accelerated. With each passing day, the country grew more organized, more stable—and more firmly under Hyuga control.
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