Chapter 278: Game
"I can predict."
Ryosuke's voice was calm, as if he were speaking about something trivial.
"Predicting the future, literally means—as you imagine."
That simple sentence fell like thunder in the silent hall.
At first, confusion rippled through the crowd. Most couldn't comprehend what he meant, or simply couldn't accept such a possibility.
But when they saw the seriousness in Ryosuke's gaze, they were stunned.
This… Is this real?
Even the oldest elder, known for his unshakable calm, sat frozen in disbelief.
The vast hall—shaped like a grand theater—remained utterly silent. Not a word, not a breath.
"The information I'm about to share," Ryosuke continued, "is about prediction."
He swept his gaze across the clan. "But before I begin, there's something important I must remind you—destiny can be changed."
"Any small action taken after learning the future can alter the outcome. So the future I foresee is not set in stone."
"The information I provide should be taken as reference, not as an unchangeable truth."
His words were both a warning and an assurance—a statement of his ability, and a reminder of its limits.
Almost everyone in the room either stared blankly or whispered to their neighbors, trying to digest this incomprehensible truth.
Ryosuke said nothing more, allowing time for the revelation to settle.
Since childhood, he had pretended to know the future.
Back then, it was a bluff—"foresight" borrowed from his identity as a Transmigrator. But now, it was different. He could truly see fragments of the future… though not with perfect accuracy.
Hinata, Hiashi, Hanabi, and a few others already knew. So they weren't shocked—only mildly surprised that Ryosuke had chosen to say it so openly.
But this semi-public revelation wasn't originally planned.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. After witnessing the ambition and growth of the clan firsthand, Ryosuke no longer felt the need to hide this power.
He had once concealed his abilities because he lacked the strength to defend himself.
Now, that was no longer the case.
He was already the strongest in the ninja world.
If someone truly dangerous appeared—someone even he couldn't defeat—then Hinata and the others wouldn't stand a chance regardless.
Sharing this truth would only strengthen the clan's unity. With clarity, they could move forward without hesitation or fear of revealing too much.
"There are three pieces of information I want to share," Ryosuke said at last. "The first one concerns the ninja world."
Now that the initial shock had faded and attention had returned to him, Ryosuke continued.
"You're all aware of the current state of the ninja world."
"Once led by five great nations, the world has now changed. Only four major countries remain."
"The Land of Water, which became the central battlefield, has all but ceased to exist."
"And the other four nations suffered heavy losses—especially Iwagakure and Kumogakure."
He paused briefly.
"In one future I foresaw, the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning formed an alliance. Their territories are adjacent, and their strength relatively balanced."
"But this time, they didn't just form a temporary coalition. They merged, establishing a new ninja village."
Ryosuke's voice dropped slightly.
"The village was named Ishigakure. Led by the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki. They even recruited many former Kirigakure shinobi, including Mei Terumi."
"The Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, once allies, followed suit. Though they didn't merge villages, they began sharing resources—cooperating in education and military, creating joint ninja exams, and exchanging secret techniques."
"But make no mistake—these moves were made with one purpose: to guard against us, the Land of Rain … and Uchiha Madara, who now wanders freely through the ninja world."
"They may be separate on paper, but when it comes to us, the four remaining nations stand united."
This scenario wasn't a rare glimpse. It had appeared many times in the countless futures Ryosuke had witnessed.
An unprecedented war, one that shattered the worldview of many.
Only then did people begin to grasp the true might of shinobi.
They were all stunned by the power some individuals wielded on the battlefield—especially Might Guy, the forgotten god of taijutsu, who was revered as a hero by Konoha.
It was then that the world began to shed the pride of "great nations" and reevaluate its place in the new ninja order.
Hyuga had become a steady pillar—one that could be reasoned with. But Uchiha Madara… that was another story.
Madara was a nightmare—a soul without a purpose, a force of chaos. And worse, it seemed like multiple consciousnesses were fused within him, making communication near impossible.
In such chaos, the only way the weaker nations could survive… was to unite.
Nagato had once said it best:
Only when an enemy so powerful arises—one the entire world cannot ignore—will the nations set aside their hatred and stand on the same side.
"…This future," murmured Hizashi, the elder diplomat, his voice uncertain. "I believe it's highly likely."
"During past negotiations with other countries, many leaders tested us—specifically trying to gauge whether Ryosuke could defeat Uchiha Madara."
"They were clearly probing… hinting that they wanted to hire us to deal with him."
"But we never gave a definite answer," Hizashi added, glancing at his brother beside him. "From their tone, though, I sensed their attitude toward us was no different from their attitude toward Madara."
"It's that old tactic—drive away the wolf, then swallow the tiger."
"If brute strength isn't an option, they'll rely on strategy instead."
Hiashi nodded solemnly. "The gap in power is too great. Their plans are crude."
Then, his tone grew darker.
"But in matters of life and death, even the proudest shinobi villages abandon their principles."
"Our spies report that the great nations have begun digging up the remains of past Kage."
"They're preparing to revive them at any moment—ready to send them into battle."
"And Konoha… seems to have shared the Impure World Reincarnation technique with the leaders of each nation."
Once, disturbing the dead was considered a forbidden act—a final boundary never to be crossed.
Now, even that line had been erased.
"In life-or-death crises, no line remains sacred," Hiashi said coldly.
Ryosuke remained composed.
"Consider this information carefully," he said. "But don't treat it as absolute."
"Our Hyuga clan is no longer what it once was."
"We possess secret treasures from another world, techniques unknown to the shinobi world, and the backing of powerful allies from beyond. And with the determination of our clansmen, even without me—Hyuga can stand against the united nations of the ninja world!"
"So you don't have to take this news too seriously."
As Ryosuke spoke, his expression turned serious.
"Next is the second piece of news."
The shift in his demeanor was palpable. Conversations ceased. Everyone focused.
"Roughly a month from now—thirty-six days to be precise—in an unknown town in the eastern region of the Land of Hot Springs, Hidan and Konan, the two surviving Akatsuki members from the battle in the Land of Water, will become targets of a space-time gate."
"In other words, if I intercept them beforehand, there's a high probability I can reach the gate."
"And this time," Ryosuke said firmly, "the prediction is highly likely to come true. The appearance of the space-time gate is an external anomaly—something unaffected by the fate of our world. The only exception is if the targets—Hidan or Konan—are killed beforehand."
He paused for clarity, then continued.
"From what we've gathered, the space-time gate selects specific individuals. It will not absorb additional bystanders."
"I still don't fully understand the criteria behind the gate's selection, but if I want to keep the gate open, I must engage it directly. I'll need to prove—within a short window—that someone from our world has the qualifications to travel through it."
"With my current power, if I can confirm the time, location, and target beforehand, keeping the gate from closing shouldn't be a problem."
Sure enough, only matters involving another world seemed to command Ryosuke's full attention now.
His announcement drew mixed reactions—worry, excitement, hesitation. The uncertainty of what lay beyond the gate was unsettling. No one could say whether the world on the other side was superior to theirs, whether it was a utopia or a battlefield.
This wasn't a plan backed by certainty. It stood on shaky ground—something that clashed with the Hyuga clan's traditionally cautious approach.
But to Ryosuke, it was something more.
"The opportunity we've waited for… has finally arrived."
Excitement laced his voice, unhidden.
Everyone could feel it—Ryosuke's anticipation, the fire that had long been burning inside him.
He had waited so long for this moment. Though he already had a direction, that path was intertwined with fate and time—too grand, too unpredictable.
So he had always searched for alternatives.
Three years had passed since acquiring the Tenseigan, and only recently had he glimpsed the path forward.
He had heard tales of enlightenment—those who achieved greatness in an instant. But crossing realms and mastering the flow of fate… that was no simple leap.
At least, not for him.
Ryosuke wasn't arrogant. Despite his overwhelming strength and status, he remained cautious—more so than most would expect of someone in his position.
"…Are we really ready to touch another world? Our preparations are far from complete."
The voice belonged to Hyuga Neji—the youngest person in the room aside from Ryosuke, Hinata, and Hanabi.
Once the most gifted of the Hyuga in another timeline, this Neji had walked a different path.
The clan's techniques, once split by tradition, had been unified through reform. With his talent, Neji had mastered all of them.
And with the curse seal removed, his Byakugan was no longer restricted. He no longer needed to turn his body while using Kaiten, as he once did.
Neji had also become the first Hyuga to master the Six Powers of the Navy, and he was now preparing to join Shanks' team for inter-world development.
In terms of raw combat ability, Neji was the most promising Hyuga next to Ryosuke himself.
"Our clan's overall level isn't where it needs to be," Neji said. "There's a significant gap between our high-end and mid- to low-tier forces."
He spoke clearly and without hesitation.
"When you were away, Ryosuke, we had the confidence to strike because we had external support—Shanks, Sakata Gintoki, and Armin."
"As foreigners, their fighting styles are unlike anything in the shinobi world. It frightened our enemies."
"But more importantly, the other nations were declining rapidly, while we were steadily advancing."
"If we exclude you, our total combat strength still wouldn't match any of the five great nations in their prime."
His meaning was clear. Without Ryosuke, Hyuga wouldn't have stood a chance against the united powers of old.
"We have room to grow, but it takes time," Neji concluded.
Around the hall, many eyes nodded subtly in agreement.
"Indeed, you're right," Ryosuke acknowledged. "The time given to Hyuga for development has been too short."
"Yes, disciples surpass their masters… but most techniques and training methods have now been made available to every clan member. You're already standing on the shoulders of giants."
"Still, the time hasn't been enough."
"I'd love to give you more… but have you considered this?"
He looked around the room—not just at Neji, but at everyone.
"The gateway to another world is already open."
"We've been fortunate—nothing beyond our world has descended yet. But maybe… that too is part of the 'rules' of this game."
"If so, that's fine. Perhaps we won't face beings beyond our limit."
He paused.
"But what if that's not the case?"
His voice remained calm, but an undercurrent of resolve ran beneath it.
"We've been blessed with a period of peace. If we were allowed to grow undisturbed, we could have begun our expansion at the perfect time."
"But what if, one day, before we're ready, a stronger world comes to us?"
"If that day comes… and we haven't even begun our development plan…"
"Then we won't even have the ability to run."
"This game—" Ryosuke said, voice sharpening, "—isn't waiting for us to be ready."
"It's already started. And we… we're just one of the players."
"If we don't push forward, if we don't evolve, someone else will."
"And when that happens… the world we live in will be swallowed whole by another."
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