Chapter 190: Third Hokage: I Am The Hokage
Inside Konoha Prison.
Hyuga Hiashi stared at the water droplets condensing on the prison ceiling due to leaks, watching them drip down continuously, forming small puddles on the damp floor.
The puddle could barely reflect his weary face.
Although it had been less than a month since he was locked in Konoha Prison, Hyuga Hiashi already felt a sense of bewilderment brewing in his heart.
Perhaps it was because he had nothing to do every day squatting here that so many thoughts flooded his mind.
Hyuga Hiashi began to reflect: had the Hyuga Main Family really done something wrong in recent years?
He lowered his head to look at the puddle on the floor; the face reflected in it appeared somewhat blurry and distorted, suddenly making him hallucinate Hyuga Hizashi’s face, which caused Hyuga Hiashi’s pupils to contract slightly.
Back then.
Had the Hyuga Clan really not put any pressure on Hyuga Hizashi internally?
Had he, Hyuga Hiashi, really not been cowardly and afraid of death?
Did the Hyuga Clan really need to care about the pressure from Hidden Cloud Village? Clearly, the Hokage had already hinted to the Hyuga Clan at the time that Konoha would take a hard stance against Hidden Cloud Village on this matter.
But in the end, the Hyuga Clan still knelt, and Hizashi ultimately died in his place.
And what had he done before that?
—Indifferent!
—Ignoring everything!
“Hoo…” Hyuga Hiashi exhaled a turbid breath slowly with a complex expression.
He seemed to have understood many things.
All that indifference…
Stemmed from his own weakness, from his own cowardice and fear of death.
If he had truly resolved that impending conflict between Konoha Village and Hidden Cloud Village with his own life back then, as long as he had acted decisively and straightforwardly chosen suicide, there wouldn’t have been so many subsequent events; Hizashi wouldn’t have died for him, and the conflict would have been resolved.
“So…”
“This is my true character, this is my real heart.” Hyuga Hiashi muttered to himself in a daze.
After truly seeing himself clearly, intense guilt and shame made Hyuga Hiashi’s face flush hot.
He fell into deep silence.
…
In another cell not far from the one holding Hyuga Hiashi.
Koharu Utatane had already learned through a Root Ninja what had happened in the village.
Koharu Utatane was silent for a full half day before finally sighing helplessly: “Sigh… Hiruzen has ultimately paid a heavy price for his indecisiveness and excessive indulgence.”
She had long ago reminded Sarutobi Hiruzen not to continue indulging Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Even if it meant paying an extremely heavy price, even if it led to mutual destruction, Uchiha Ikeizumi, that scourge, had to be eliminated.
Otherwise, his absolute justice would definitely backfire on Sarutobi Hiruzen, this Hokage.
After all, the two of them could never stand on the same stance.
The fact that they hadn’t moved against each other before was merely because the conflict hadn’t escalated to a deeper level.
Now that it had reached that level, it was too late to curb Uchiha Ikeizumi’s absolute justice!
Too late!
Although Koharu Utatane was quite dissatisfied with some of Sarutobi Hiruzen’s recent actions, after all, they had reached a consensus for so many years; she couldn’t help but feel a sense of sorrow for the fallen.
“Hiruzen probably truly realizes now that Uchiha Ikeizumi threatens everything in the village. Even that man has extended his tentacles to the foundations of Konoha’s establishment.”
Koharu Utatane gritted her teeth: “Once everything we’ve few Konoha higher-ups have managed for years is destroyed by him, this Konoha Village will no longer bear the Senju name, nor the Sarutobi name. This Konoha Village will become the Uchiha Clan’s backyard!”
“Those extreme Uchiha ninja lunatics will become the true elite of the village. They will ride over everyone’s heads, wielding a long whip called justice, enslaving all!”
Koharu Utatane continuously speculated about absolute justice in the most malicious way.
This also made her realize that the village’s situation had reached a critical point; it couldn’t go on like this.
Something had to be done.
Even if it meant risking everything, even if it cost her life. As long as the goal could be achieved, as long as Konoha could be preserved, as long as that evil Uchiha brat could be stopped, wouldn’t it be worth it?
“Someone!”
Although she was in Konoha Prison, Root had quietly inserted quite a few personnel in the prison.
As soon as Koharu Utatane said these two words, three Root Ninja instantly appeared outside the cell.
“Elder Koharu.” ×3
Koharu Utatane said slowly with a grim old face: “Open the cell door and let me out.”
The three Root Ninja were stunned.
“Hurry!”
After hearing Koharu Utatane’s urging, they didn’t think too much and directly opened the cell door, releasing her.
“Pass the order: all Root Ninja assemble immediately at Root headquarters!”
Koharu Utatane said coldly.
“Yes! Elder Koharu!”
After watching the three Root Ninja leave swiftly, Koharu Utatane walked along the Konoha Prison corridor, trying to head outside. But at that moment, she stopped, turned her head, and looked toward a cell.
Through the iron bars of the cell, she could clearly see the person sitting inside was an acquaintance.
“Hiashi…”
Koharu Utatane turned around to face Hyuga Hiashi in the cell and spoke.
“Are you interested in standing on my side? Your Hyuga Main Family has been tormented enough by Uchiha Ikeizumi, right? Don’t you have even a bit of anger in your hearts?”
“As far as I know, the Hyuga Branch Family is already preparing to elect a new Main Family to replace you. Then your Hyuga Main Family members will be caught between a rock and a hard place.”
Koharu Utatane said darkly.
“Hiashi, some people in your Hyuga Main Family only need to stay in Konoha Prison for a few months to get out, right? Do you want them to go out and find themselves at the very bottom of the Hyuga Clan, enduring discrimination?”
“Do you want them to be branded with the Caged Bird Seal by the Hyuga Branch Family, bearing that Hyuga Clan curse too?”
“Hiashi, I can let you out, and I can let all of your Hyuga Main Family out. As long as you support me, I will naturally seek justice for your Hyuga Main Family.”
When Koharu Utatane had talked herself dry, she finally saw Hyuga Hiashi, who had been silently hanging his head, slowly lift it.
Seeing his utterly haggard face, Koharu Utatane was almost startled.
Hyuga Hiashi’s current state looked as if he had aged a dozen years.
“So… in Elder Koharu’s eyes, the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird is also a curse… I see! Hoo, so that’s it; now I understand, I finally understand.”
Koharu Utatane heard Hyuga Hiashi say this in a hoarse voice.
Koharu Utatane: “???”
No.
What exactly did you understand?
Koharu Utatane found that the current Hyuga Hiashi seemed somewhat difficult to communicate with, and he showed no intention of agreeing to stand on her side.
—This guy has probably been driven mad by Uchiha Ikeizumi! If she had been locked up that long, she would probably end up with the same mental instability as Hyuga Hiashi!
Koharu Utatane gave Hyuga Hiashi a deep look.
She said nothing.
And turned to leave directly.
…
“It seems the Hokage’s Anbu is nothing special. After Ikeizumi gave the Hokage a little pressure, the Hokage didn’t dare utter a word and just let us take away the criminal Anbu Ninja.”
“Heh, next we interrogate those Anbu Ninja. Of course, we need Yamanaka Clan ninja to check their memories first.”
Inside the Police Force, a Police Force Ninja stood with arms crossed, his face full of excitement and agitation.
How long?
How long had it been since the Uchiha Clan felt so triumphant?
Before, when facing the Konoha Hokage, the Uchiha Clan could only retreat step by step, even pushed to the edge of Konoha.
If they retreated further…
They would probably be expelled from Konoha!
Now.
The Uchiha Clan had finally launched a counterattack, leaving the Hokage speechless and forcing him to yield. They even made those “arrogant” Anbu Ninja understand that the Uchiha Clan, who believed in absolute justice, was not to be trifled with!
Beside him, a Police Force Ninja with a senbon in his mouth reminded: “Don’t get too carried away. Don’t act on personal hatred with private punishment on those Anbu Ninja. Everything must follow regulations; otherwise, it’s evil in the name of justice, which is even more vile than pure evil deeds.”
The excited Police Force Ninja took a deep breath after the reminder and calmed down a bit.
“Understood.”
After suppressing his excitement.
He nodded.
Clearly, he knew why the Uchiha Clan could be so triumphant.
「Absolute Justice」 was the Uchiha Clan’s confidence.
Only by upholding 「justice」 and believing in it 100% without wavering could the Uchiha Clan always stand on the moral high ground.
“Ah… finally here.”
At that moment, an out-of-place voice sounded; a man walked into the Police Force Headquarters.
The ninja in the Police Force Headquarters lobby immediately focused vigilant gazes on him.
His unmasked face and that very conspicuous great sword allowed the Police Force Ninja to immediately recognize his identity.
“Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist…”
“Juzo Biwa?!”
Feeling the stares of Sharingan eyes, Juzo Biwa, who had entered the heart of Uchiha territory alone, felt a slight tension in his heart.
But Juzo Biwa forcibly kept calm on his face, smirked, and said candidly: “No need to be so vigilant; I’m not here to cause trouble, otherwise I wouldn’t be so open about it.”
“Heh… I’m pretty familiar with Uchiha Ikeizumi. I’m here specifically to find him, so where is he?”
…
Meanwhile.
Hokage’s Office Building.
After Sarutobi Hiruzen silently approved the resignation requests of the three Yamanaka Clan ninja and watched them leave, he suddenly saw a familiar person barge directly into the Hokage’s Office.
“…Koharu?”
Seeing Koharu Utatane before him, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s already chaotic mind almost couldn’t process it for a moment.
“Shouldn’t you be in Konoha Prison?”
He even asked this foolish question. After asking, Sarutobi Hiruzen realized it himself.
He frowned and said: “You used the Root Organization’s power to get out of prison directly? Koharu, if Ikeizumi finds out, a conflict is inevitable.”
Koharu Utatane said with a grim old face: “Hiruzen, if I didn’t get out, Konoha would be beyond saving! And if you keep worrying about conflict or not, it will only make you more indecisive and unable to make firm decisions.”
“Hiruzen, I need your cooperation.” Koharu Utatane said seriously.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned.
He vaguely guessed something, took a deep breath, his expression gradually steadying, and said in a deep voice: “Are you really prepared to risk everything? You don’t have to do this; I can still barely maintain stability in the current situation.”
Koharu Utatane said: “Hiruzen, stop pretending to be strong. If you could maintain stability, Uchiha Ikeizumi wouldn’t be riding roughshod over you, the Hokage.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word.
In the end, he could only sigh.
“As long as it doesn’t touch my bottom line, whatever you need, just tell me.” At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen made his choice.
Koharu Utatane said: “Try your best to hold off Uchiha Ikeizumi. As for Homura, you go talk to him.”
With that, she turned and left directly.
…
“What?!”
When Homura Mitokado was summoned by Sarutobi Hiruzen and learned of Koharu Utatane’s actions from him, Homura Mitokado couldn’t help but look shocked and immediately said: “Hiruzen, why didn’t you stop Koharu? She’s simply acting recklessly! She’s completely lost her head to anger and making irrational moves!”
“No matter what her plan is, it will ultimately lead to clashing swords with Uchiha Ikeizumi. Hiruzen, do you think Konoha Village can withstand a battle of that level erupting in the village? You actually let her do this; what are you thinking?”
Homura Mitokado couldn’t understand Sarutobi Hiruzen’s approach.
In his eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been compromising with absolute justice step by step.
He had even compromised to the point of a tacit understanding, reaching a very delicate balance.
But at this point, that delicate balance suddenly wasn’t so balanced.
Sarutobi Hiruzen actually wanted to stop compromising now. What were all those previous steps of compromise?
Joking around?
Homura Mitokado thus smelled the scent of war.
He also felt a sense of absurdity.
“Homura, let Koharu go all out.” Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t explain much, just said heavily to him.
“Hiruzen…”
Homura Mitokado said earnestly: “Changing your stance repeatedly like this will lead to regret.”
Just as he tried to persuade further.
He was interrupted by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
“Homura…”
“I am the Hokage.”
Homura Mitokado: “…”
…
…
