Chapter 126: Lacking Power is the True Sin
While the master-student pair of Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato unwrapped their disposable chopsticks and began enjoying the pork cutlet rice Kakashi had brought them, the master-student pair of Hiruko and Hyuga Ritsu were also accepting Orochimaru's hospitality at a rather high-class restaurant.
However, this meal didn't last long.
It ended before eight o'clock. During the meal, both Orochimaru and Hiruko only lightly clinked glasses twice. Neither cared much for alcohol. If it had been Tsunade and Jiraiya here instead, they'd definitely drink until the world spun.
In any case, not only did this meal finish unexpectedly early, but during it, Orochimaru didn't even mention the Fourth Hokage election. Instead, he enthusiastically kept inquiring about the details of Ritsu's daytime affairs while showing tremendous interest in Ritsu's Wood Release Kekkei Genkai.
The three parted at the restaurant entrance. Orochimaru returned alone to his residence in Konoha. He temporarily didn't need to go to the frontline camp—village matters were more important. Moreover, with the Mist ninja beaten into crushing defeat and flight, there shouldn't be any accidents to worry about for now.
"Ritsu, want to come sit at my place?"
Hiruko looked at Ritsu, extending an invitation.
"Then I'll impose on Sensei for the evening."
Ritsu readily agreed.
Tonight, he didn't plan to stray far from the Hokage building, lest something happen and he couldn't arrive in time. Though the Hyuga compound wasn't too far from the Hokage building either, Sensei Hiruko's residence was even closer to the Hokage building.
"Arima, go back and tell the clan elders that tonight everyone should stay alert. Arrange people for watch shifts. If there's any situation, send signals immediately!"
Ritsu turned to look at Hyuga Arima following behind them like a ghost.
Though Sarutobi Hiruzen and others were currently imprisoned, ANBU had suffered significant losses during the day, the remaining members ordered to confine themselves in the ANBU base. Root was under strict Uchiha clan supervision. Theoretically, tonight, as long as everyone in Konoha didn't go crazy, there shouldn't be any disturbances.
Or rather, everyone in the village was guarding against Ritsu triggering unrest. He himself was the troublemaker in many people's eyes.
However, Ritsu had no such self-awareness. Nor did he believe he enjoyed causing trouble. Everything he'd done was to protect himself and fight for his rightful interests.
What he considered was Black Zetsu, Uchiha Madara, and Uchiha Obito hidden in the shadows. During the day, Kakashi's Sharingan evolution made him judge Obito might be nearby and had received some degree of stimulus. Otherwise, how could Kakashi's Sharingan have evolved?
But the problem was Nohara Rin remained safe and sound. Even if Obito received stimulus, it shouldn't be significant. It shouldn't directly awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan... but who could say for certain?
In any case, at such a critical juncture, being careful was right.
He himself wasn't afraid of encountering dangers he couldn't handle. But he wasn't the type who only loved himself. He cared about his parents, relatives, and clansmen with whom he had good relationships. He didn't want anything to happen to them.
"Yes, Clan Head."
Hyuga Arima responded loudly.
After Arima departed, only the master-student pair of Hiruko and Ritsu remained. Because of the wartime lockdown during the day, even though it had been lifted, tonight's village still seemed exceptionally desolate and cold.
The two walked slowly along the main road. After several hundred meters, they hadn't encountered a single passerby.
"Ritsu, tomorrow the Fourth Hokage election begins. What are your plans?"
With no one in sight, Hiruko directly asked.
"No plans."
"No plans?"
"Sensei, what do you think I can scheme? Recommend you to become Fourth Hokage? Or participate in the election myself? Neither of us master and student have a chance!"
"I understand that. Ritsu, though your strength is sufficient, your reputation isn't enough yet. You lack sufficient supporters in the village. I'm even less possible—neither strength nor reputation is adequate. The Fourth Hokage position has nothing to do with us master and student."
Hiruko sighed somewhat regretfully.
Unfortunately, Ritsu was too young, and the Fourth Hokage election came too early. If it could be delayed three to five years, with Ritsu's abilities plus the Hyuga clan's momentum, the Fourth Hokage position might not be beyond reach.
But currently, it was absolutely impossible.
And missing this opportunity might mean never having another chance. Because if Namikaze Minato succeeded as Fourth Hokage, considering he was only in his twenties, they might have to wait decades before the Fifth Hokage election began.
Hiruko shook his head, suppressing his regret, not dwelling on such distant matters. He refocused attention on current affairs, saying seriously, "I'm talking about Orochimaru. His state isn't right!"
Ritsu's expression showed no change because he'd also noticed Orochimaru's mind wasn't on the Fourth Hokage election.
He hummed in acknowledgment. "I know."
Hiruko looked at his unhurried student, immediately frowning. "Ritsu, if Orochimaru himself has no interest in the Fourth Hokage position, then no matter how hard we try, it's meaningless. But the problem is—aside from Orochimaru, who else can we support? Didn't you say before that only letting Orochimaru rise to power could..."
"Sensei, times have changed."
Ritsu smiled. "When I said those words before, I wasn't strong enough!"
He looked at the road illuminated by dim streetlamps, smiling as he said, "Back then, when I encountered Suikazan Fuguki, even joining forces with Uchiha Shisui only managed to force his retreat. But after obtaining Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, everything changed again."
"Sensei, researching forbidden techniques isn't a sin. Lacking power is the true sin!"
"Too extreme!"
Hiruko shook his head. He looked seriously at Ritsu, speaking very solemnly, "Ritsu, this thinking of yours is too extreme. Power can't represent everything. If you become obsessed with it, sooner or later it will harm you!"
Watching Sensei Hiruko earnestly admonishing him—
Ritsu momentarily felt dazed. Sensei Hiruko and the traitorous ninja Hiruko from his memories who'd coveted Kakashi's Sharingan had walked completely different paths.
However, this wasn't strange. Change—moreover, positive change—was a good thing. It showed his arrival had ultimately helped some people.
He still smiled, defending himself. "Sensei, when I say this, I don't mean that having power lets one do whatever they want. I mean that having power prevents others from doing whatever they want."
"It's best you think this way. Having power doesn't mean one can do whatever they want. Moreover, forbidden techniques are classified as forbidden for necessary reasons. Like the Chimera Technique I researched—this forbidden technique absolutely cannot be widely disseminated. Aside from you, Ritsu, I don't plan to teach it to anyone else. I also hope that if you take students in the future, you'll remember to be cautious teaching this dangerous forbidden technique!"
Hiruko said at length.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had said these words before, intending to use this excuse against him.
But though it was an excuse, the reasoning within wasn't fabricated.
The Chimera Technique's danger was indeed immense.
Because the shinobi world's foundation was bloodline. Bloodline strength and weakness often equated to personal strength and weakness. The Chimera Technique could usurp others' Kekkei Genkai for one's own use. Once widely disseminated, many would inevitably target ninja possessing Kekkei Genkai to grow stronger.
At that time, the shinobi world would experience endless bloody storms.
Even if the Chimera Technique's difficulty was extremely high—not something anyone could casually learn and put into practice—as long as there was a thread of hope, people would still pursue it. Not too many were needed; just three to five people succeeding could throw the shinobi world into chaos.
Moreover, this world never lacked geniuses. Perhaps someone could further improve the Chimera Technique or, like Hiruko, use it as a foundation to develop even more terrifying forbidden techniques!
"Taking students is still far off for me. Sensei, your concerns are a bit too long-term."
"This is called being prepared."
"Rest assured, Sensei! If I don't encounter a satisfactory student, I absolutely won't teach out the Chimera Technique."
Ritsu guaranteed.
In fact, he truly had no intention of teaching out the Chimera Technique. Such a forbidden technique was sufficient with just him and Sensei possessing it.
Moreover, though his current combat power mostly came from the Chimera Technique, his true foundation remained the "Physical Regeneration" superpower. Without this superpower, his chances of successfully cultivating the Chimera Technique would be infinitesimal.
Though now, "Physical Regeneration" seemed difficult to play its former role in combat, Ritsu never intended to abandon developing this superpower.
This was his fundamentally unique aspect.
His pathway transcending and dominating the shinobi world.
Currently, his "Physical Regeneration" had reached Level 3—the limit of Strong Esper. With just one more bit of refinement, he'd inevitably break through to Level 4, reaching Great Esper level.
After that came Level 5—Superpower!
If he could reach this realm, relying solely on his physical body would probably grant him top-tier shinobi world combat power.
But this wasn't what Ritsu craved. He already stood at the shinobi world's pinnacle. What truly made Ritsu pursue was the higher level—Level 6, Absolute Esper.
The level defined as "comprehending divine will with a non-divine body"!
Of course, relying solely on Ritsu's own bitter cultivation and training, perhaps until death he couldn't touch such a realm. His decade-plus of near-self-destructive intensity training, enduring torture-like training, had only barely climbed to Level 3.
However, after successfully using the Chimera Technique, he discovered his superpower had also greatly evolved. Using the Chimera Technique twice had already reached Level 3's limit.
So continuing to use the Chimera Technique, making his bloodline regress toward the Otsutsuki clan—what changes would occur? The Otsutsuki clan's life essence was already non-human level. Add the "Physical Regeneration" superpower, and it felt like a very surprising future!
Precisely because of such a bright future, Ritsu's thoughts and mentality had undergone obvious changes. Otherwise, today he truly might not have adopted such a forceful stance to resolve the problems brought by the Third Hokage and others.
"Good that you know. However... according to what you're saying, we do nothing?"
Hiruko asked again.
"The key isn't what we do. The problem is that without using violence, we can't accomplish anything."
Ritsu spread his hands, quite helpless.
Admittedly, the Hyuga clan had extensive connections—from major ninja families down to civilian ninja, they could contact anyone. But many upper-level relationships were previously controlled by the Main Family. Even though former Clan Head Hyuga Hiashi could salvage some by stepping forward, there would definitely still be many variables.
Most importantly, after causing such a huge incident today, aside from clear victims like Kakashi who'd been persecuted by Shimura Danzo or victims' family members, the vast majority wouldn't like his violent actions today.
Trying to rally people to support Orochimaru or anyone else was simply impossible.
"Then that means... Namikaze Minato is the foregone conclusion Fourth Hokage? Ritsu, can this truly work? Minato is Jiraiya's student. Jiraiya is Sarutobi Hiruzen's student. Don't let Sarutobi Hiruzen ultimately grasp power again. We can't have today's events happen again, right?"
"Why not? Naturally, one must rise up and resist when persecuted."
"Don't say willful things. Such matters can't be done repeatedly. Doing it too many times will provoke everyone's disgust."
"...Probably not."
Ritsu seriously considered for two seconds, slowly shaking his head.
This wasn't a judgment based on memories of that Fourth Hokage who died young, but an assessment formed from repeated contact with Namikaze Minato in this life.
Minato was gentle and courteous, cared for comrades, fought bravely, had his own opinions... His virtues were too numerous to count. Among them, the most important was "having his own opinions."
This Yellow Flash who'd killed enemies until they fled in terror was absolutely no one's puppet!
If it were a normally abdicating Third Hokage, naturally there'd be plenty of methods to constrain the Fourth from various angles. But now the Third was impeached and removed. Wanting to continue as shadow Hokage after abdication was absolutely impossible. Setting others aside, Ritsu was the first to disagree.
Perhaps at the earlier meeting, Minato's reason for immediately following the Uchiha clan in approving the Third's impeachment might have been precisely for this purpose.
"Sensei, rest assured! Don't underestimate the Yellow Flash. He won't willingly become anyone's puppet. Sarutobi Hiruzen's era has already passed."
Ritsu looked up at the bright moon in the sky, murmuring, "Besides, Sensei, as long as one grasps power, even doing it repeatedly, again and again—who could raise objections?"
***
50+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces