Chapter 205: Neji, Don't Be So Extreme
Just as Shikaku Nara struggled with his decision, a communications shinobi suddenly ran over from the village, shouting from a distance:
"Jonin Nara! Lord Hokage sent word—he's returning immediately! He wants you to quickly summon Enma!"
Upon hearing this, Shikaku immediately felt relieved. He hastily formed hand seals and slapped the ground.
After a puff of white smoke, the Monkey King Enma's figure appeared.
Without wasting words, Enma also rapidly formed seals, activating the Reverse Summoning Jutsu.
With a "poof," Hiruzen Sarutobi's figure materialized.
After emerging, his gaze swept left and right like lightning, taking in the situation. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good. We're still in time."
However, when he saw the reanimated army besieging the Hyuga Main House, his eyes narrowed again, his mood growing heavy.
With successive explosions of white smoke, Jiraiya, Itachi Uchiha, and others made their dramatic entrances.
The situation on the scene immediately reversed.
Neji couldn't sit still either. He descended directly from the distant treetop, leaping to the front lines to confront Hiruzen Sarutobi face to face.
Hiruzen coldly glanced at Neji, raised the Adamantine Staff in his hand, and shouted loudly:
"Everyone—stand down!"
When the village's main force returned, Neji knew he'd lost the initiative. He could only say with a dark expression:
"Branch House—hear my order! Pause temporarily and see how our Lord Hokage will judge this matter."
Though the Branch House members were deeply unwilling, they had no choice but to reluctantly stop fighting.
The surviving Main House members were delighted, about to step toward Hiruzen Sarutobi's side. But the moment they lifted their feet, the reanimated bodies blocked them again.
"Let them through!" Hiruzen commanded.
"Absolutely not!" Neji immediately refused stubbornly. "Lord Hokage, regardless of how you rule, the Branch House will absolutely not turn back today."
"I'll say this now—today either all Main House members die, or all of us rebellious Branch House members perish! There is absolutely no third option!"
"If the village supports us Branch House, we'll remain Konoha shinobi from now on."
"If the village doesn't support us Branch House, we... we'll fight you to the end today!"
"That's right—fight the village to the end!" All the rebellious Branch House members shouted in unison.
"You..."
Hiruzen looked at these Hyuga Branch House members before him—filled with righteous fervor, faces marked by death's resolve, the word "determination" written all over them. His heart couldn't help but tremble with pain.
These were all elite members of Konoha Village!
In the shinobi world, spirit could truly influence the body. Mental determination could genuinely create miracles!
Such excellent shinobi material—how could they die here due to internal conflict?
But if he chose them, did that mean he had to abandon the Hyuga Main House?
That absolutely wouldn't work!
The Main House represented legitimate authority!
Once legitimate authority was destroyed, would order in the shinobi village still exist?
By what right had Hiruzen Sarutobi always firmly grasped the village's power?
Was it because he could fight better?
The cunning old fox Hiruzen immediately abandoned his hard-line stance. He lowered the Adamantine Staff in his hand and forced out a stiff smile.
"Neji, don't be so extreme!"
"Being too extreme makes you easy to manipulate."
"If I'm not mistaken, today's events are once again that Uchiha Yasushi causing trouble from behind the scenes."
"He harbors deep hatred for our Konoha Village and only wants to see us torn apart by internal conflict. He won't rest until Konoha is completely destroyed."
"You absolutely mustn't fall for his tricks!"
"Fall for his tricks? Heh..." Neji looked at the Third Hokage before him with a mirthless smile, already sick of this hypocritical facade.
"Lord Hokage, I don't deny that I've reached this point today partly due to Lord Yasushi's influence."
"It was under his guidance that I truly realized the Branch House and Main House are fundamentally incompatible."
"If you say he's deceiving me, then I'm willingly deceived!"
"If he's using me, then I'm also using him!"
"He uses me to avenge the Uchiha clan's destruction. I use him to seek a free future for the Hyuga Branch House."
"Don't waste your breath on me. Between us Branch House and the Main House today, only one side can survive. Either the Main House dies, or the Branch House perishes."
Having finally confirmed his suspicions through Neji, Hiruzen ground his teeth in hatred toward Yasushi.
Why couldn't this damned Uchiha have a bit more perspective!
Only by letting go of hatred could the future be opened!
Seeing ordinary talk jutsu ineffective, with Neji's side adamant about irreconcilable conflict with the Main House, Hiruzen lowered his head gravely, slightly bowing as he apologized to all the Hyuga Branch House members:
"I know the Hyuga clan's Main House and Branch House have deep-seated conflicts. Previously, bound by village rules, I didn't interfere too much in Hyuga clan internal affairs."
"This is my mistake!"
"I, as Hokage, failed to fulfill my proper responsibilities!"
"I promise you—starting today, the village will directly control the Main House's behavior within the Hyuga clan, strictly forbidding the Main House from taking any actions that harm clan solidarity."
"As for your concern that the Main House will retaliate against Branch House members who participated in the rebellion—that absolutely won't happen."
"In the name of Hiruzen Sarutobi, I make this promise to all Branch House shinobi: if any Main House member dares retaliate against the Branch House, you need only report to me. I'll personally investigate and punish any Main House member who dares disrupt village harmony."
His performance was extremely effective.
The Main House members were all political old foxes who immediately saw through this scheme.
Though they secretly cursed Hiruzen for wanting to use this opportunity to interfere in Hyuga clan management and consolidate clan power under Hokage authority, the current situation left them no choice but to yield.
They immediately played along with Hiruzen, weeping bitterly:
"It was all Elder Hishi's reckless actions that drove the Branch House to this!"
"Please rest assured, Lord Hokage—the Main House will absolutely not engage in any retaliatory behavior in the future. We'll absolutely prioritize the village's greater good and maintain good relations with our Branch House brothers."
"From now on, the Main House will absolutely never dare misuse the Caged Bird seal again."
The Branch House members on the Main House side immediately rejoiced as well, chiming in to call out to the rebellious Branch House:
"Fellow Branch House members, do you see?"
"Now Lord Hokage is here to uphold justice for us—what more could you distrust?"
"Look at the current situation—the village could easily annihilate you."
"Yet Lord Hokage would rather bow and apologize to you than bear harming his own comrades. What magnanimous spirit this shows!"
"You must deeply appreciate Lord Hokage's sincere heart!"