Chapter 128: Important Matters Discussed in Small Meetings
Deep beneath the ground somewhere in the Land of Hot Water, White Zetsu had hollowed out this space, then used Earth Release to reinforce the overhead rock layers so they wouldn't collapse. Because of sufficient depth, there was no fear of ninja skilled in Earth Release underground techniques infiltrating. Or rather, if anyone did infiltrate and discover this base, they'd have no possibility of leaving alive.
This was one of the underground bases Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu had prepared.
Similar bases existed throughout the shinobi world. The reason for establishing these bases was to facilitate their plan's implementation. When necessary, they'd relocate between different bases. After Uchiha Obito was dealt with, Madara and Black Zetsu had left that underground base in the eastern Land of Fire and come to this one in Hot Water.
The reason was simple: they needed to guide another chess piece to replace Uchiha Obito here.
"There was a coup in Konoha?"
Uchiha Madara sat in a stone chair, his aged body completely supported by the chair and tubes behind him to keep from collapsing. But his thoughts remained clear, his consciousness still lucid.
Hearing Black Zetsu report this rather interesting matter, he couldn't help feeling somewhat intrigued.
"Yes. The Hyuga Clan Head staged a coup, forcing the Third Hokage from power. Konoha should now be busy electing the Fourth Hokage."
"That little monkey was driven from power? What a useless thing."
Uchiha Madara sneered.
Then his brow furrowed slightly. "You're saying the Hyuga Clan Head drove that waste of a monkey from power? The same Hyuga Ritsu who ruined our plans last time?"
"That's right—Hyuga Ritsu. Moreover, when overthrowing the Third Hokage's rule, he used Wood Release and even executed the Wood Human Technique!"
When speaking Hyuga Ritsu's name, Black Zetsu ground his teeth.
"Wood Human Technique?"
Uchiha Madara's pure white eyebrows moved. A smile appeared on his aged face. "Interesting. He can actually master the Wood Human Technique. If I remember correctly, this Hyuga Ritsu also wields the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku? The ability to usurp others' Kekkei Genkai? I didn't expect such a declining era would still birth such an interesting fellow."
But Black Zetsu found nothing interesting about it.
Before Uchiha Madara awakened the Rinnegan, he'd constantly searched for geniuses who could awaken it. But now, he hoped the shinobi world contained only useless mediocrities. He didn't need so many geniuses interfering with his plan to resurrect Mother!
He hid in shadows, watching the old man seated in the stone chair. "I think now is an excellent opportunity. Konoha's most formidable experts in Hot Water are Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato. Both have currently returned to Konoha due to internal village upheaval. Konoha's Hot Water frontline camp no longer has variables capable of interfering with the plan. If we initiate the plan now, we shouldn't encounter last time's unexpected circumstances."
As they say, once bitten, twice shy.
Last time's plan to make Uchiha Obito awaken his eyes had miscarried midway precisely because of the variable Hyuga Ritsu. Ultimately, they'd been forced to deal with Obito, who'd become difficult to continue controlling.
So this time, Black Zetsu very carefully screened all participants' circumstances in the plan, striving to ensure no one would sabotage it. Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato were undoubtedly two variables—especially the latter. That damned Flying Thunder God Technique was truly troublesome!
"Then do it."
Uchiha Madara showed no hesitation or delay, decisively making the decision.
"Yes."
Black Zetsu acknowledged.
The next instant, Black Zetsu merged into the darkness while Uchiha Madara slowly closed his eyes, continuing to rest his spirit.
In a room in the base's corner, under White Zetsu's surveillance, a black-haired, black-eyed youth with a pale left arm and legs was training.
Harboring intense longing to return to the village, return to the clan, return home, he endured loneliness and pain. In these depths devoid of sun and moon, day and night, with only flickering candlelight for company, he shed countless drops of sweat, bit by bit mastering this reborn body.
Konoha Village—
News of Namikaze Minato succeeding as Fourth Hokage had been officially announced. Though somewhat hasty, with strong support from the village's many ninja families, they still held an inauguration ceremony that wasn't shabby—in fact, it could even be called grand.
In this regard, the Hyuga clan contributed greatly.
The reason was simple: one of this village upheaval's instigators was Hyuga Ritsu himself. He and Sarutobi Hiruzen had fought openly, destroying the district near the Hokage building. Though timely evacuation meant no innocent casualties, it still constituted behavior that significantly damaged reputation.
Ritsu didn't care about others' praise or criticism of himself.
But as clan head, he had to consider his family and clansmen's situation in the village. He couldn't let them be treated like the Uchiha clan—spat at behind their backs wherever they went, could he?
So after consulting with the elders, the Hyuga clan expended great effort sponsoring Minato's inauguration ceremony, transforming it into a grand celebration to heal the wounds this internal strife had inflicted on people's hearts as quickly as possible.
Beyond this, another important reason was that Minato's reputation was sufficiently great in the village, his popularity sufficiently high. Nearly eighty to ninety percent of villagers felt delighted about Minato succeeding as Fourth Hokage and expressed strong support, believing Minato could lead Konoha out of war's quagmire and bring a sufficiently long period of peace.
Therefore, Minato's originally hastily held inauguration ceremony turned out not shabby at all. Its scale's grandeur arguably surpassed all previous Hokage.
The day after the inauguration ceremony ended—
Hiruko and Ritsu received an invitation from the Fourth Hokage. The master-student pair traveled together toward the Hokage building. Along the way, they could see villagers still brimming with excitement, all discussing what orders the Fourth Hokage would issue, when the war would completely end...
"Ritsu, do you think Orochimaru realized he couldn't possibly compete with Minato, so he gave up competing?"
Hiruko asked thoughtfully.
"Though it's true Orochimaru-senpai couldn't compete with Minato-senpai, given Orochimaru-senpai's personality, he's not the type to give up competing for that reason. His abandoning the Fourth Hokage competition could only mean he genuinely lost interest in the Hokage position."
Ritsu spoke frankly.
Hearing this, Hiruko raised his eyebrows and shook his head with a smile. "Ritsu, how come I feel you understand Orochimaru better than I do?"
"Though Orochimaru-senpai looks terrifying, actually he and you, Sensei, are the same type of person. Or rather, we're all the same kind!"
"The same kind?"
Hiruko froze, then nodded repeatedly. "You're absolutely right. That's well put, Ritsu. Though our abilities differ in level, we're all the same kind!"
He sighed with emotion.
Whether himself, Orochimaru, or Ritsu—all were willing to touch extremely dangerous forbidden techniques for the visions they harbored.
While talking, the master-student pair arrived before the Hokage building.
Earlier, Ritsu and Sarutobi Hiruzen's battle had destroyed the nearby district, but they'd both tried to avoid the Hokage building itself. So aside from Ritsu's Advent of a World of Trees lifting off the rooftop—giving it a green hat—the Hokage building suffered no other damage.
And with ninja abilities, though they couldn't restore everything to its original state in a short time, rebuilding it seventy to eighty percent wasn't problematic.
With the Fourth Hokage taking office, the Hokage building immediately resumed its function as Konoha Village's nerve center, beginning to gradually bring the entire village and all Konoha ninja under control.
"Ritsu, what do you think the Fourth wants with us? He's not settling accounts, is he?"
Entering the Hokage building, Hiruko asked jokingly.
"Impossible."
Ritsu shook his head.
With his current abilities and the Hyuga clan's status in the village, unless Namikaze Minato had lost his mind, he wouldn't settle accounts with the master-student pair.
Besides, his actions two days ago had been characterized as "setting things right," not rebellion. Unless Minato planned to go back on his word, he couldn't possibly use this matter to cause trouble.
Ritsu said, "In my view, the Fourth summoning us master and student is most likely to discuss how to handle the Third and Shimura Danzo!"
This matter had to be handled quickly and settled definitively.
After all, Danzo and the others were easy—just throw them in cells. But could they really send former Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen to prison too? What about the Hokage's dignity? These past two days, he'd been under house arrest in the Hokage building. But they couldn't keep using the Hokage building as a prison indefinitely. What kind of precedent would that set?
After thinking for two seconds, Hiruko nodded. "Almost forgot—Sarutobi Hiruzen is still a big problem that needs handling."
Ritsu glanced at Hiruko's face at this moment. The deep exhaustion indicated he'd likely gotten insufficient rest these past two days. He advised aloud, "Sensei, training and research should be done in moderation. Don't wear out your body."
After eating with Orochimaru that evening, Hiruko had stayed home training his Kekkei Genkai and researching ways to break the Hyuga clan's Caged Bird seal. Alternating between these two matters, he'd become so obsessed he'd even forgotten to sleep.
"Ritsu, don't forget I'm like you—I also seized... mm, we're here."
Though Hiruko didn't speak it aloud—
Ritsu could understand. Sensei Hiruko was referring to the Senju Hashirama Wood Release cells seized from White Zetsu, which had granted them both vigorous, powerful vitality.
Ritsu said nothing more.
Because they'd already arrived at the Hokage office door.
Before the master-student pair could knock, Kakashi opened the office door from inside. He proactively said, "Hiruko-jonin, Hyuga Clan Head, please come in! Sensei is waiting for you both."
The master-student pair walked in.
They discovered that besides Minato, who'd replaced Sarutobi Hiruzen in that chair, the office also contained Jiraiya, Akimichi Torikaze, Uchiha Fugaku, Nara Shikaku, and others.
Minato greeted them. "Hyuga Clan Head, Hiruko-jonin—we were just waiting for you two."
Ritsu and Hiruko exchanged glances before sitting in empty spots on the sofa.
At this moment, Minato spoke. "I invited everyone here today mainly to discuss two matters. The first is the disposition of former Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, former Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzo, and former Advisor Elders Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. Because these four were once village leadership, their disposition shouldn't involve too many people. I could only invite you all to discuss together."
Everyone listened with unchanged expressions, clearly understanding in their hearts.
However, in this hasty moment, no one spoke up first to express opinions. Gazes moved across others' bodies, paying particular attention to Hiruko. They didn't understand why Hiruko appeared here. Could it merely be because he was Ritsu's teacher, so he could participate in this "small meeting" genuinely discussing important matters?
Honestly, Hiruko himself didn't understand why he'd been invited. But obviously, now wasn't a good time to ask the Fourth why. He could only close his mouth and play at profundity.
Beyond Hiruko, Uchiha Fugaku's presence also made everyone realize the Fourth differed from the Third. This one didn't guard against and hate the Uchiha clan like Sarutobi Hiruzen. During the Third's era, the Uchiha only got to participate in large meetings. Small meetings like this never included Uchiha participation.
However, recalling the earlier Hokage election voting, Uchiha Fugaku had unhesitatingly expressed support for Namikaze Minato. Perhaps the Uchiha clan and Fourth had established a cooperative relationship?
At this moment—
Uchiha Fugaku was first to speak. "Shimura Danzo secretly harmed multiple jonin from my clan. I'd love nothing more than to skin and flay him. However, the village has village rules. For someone who betrayed and killed comrades, my suggestion is to handle it according to village law. Execute those who should be executed, imprison those who should be imprisoned."
His response surprised everyone. So moderate?
Based on their understanding of the Uchiha clan, shouldn't Uchiha Fugaku be proposing something more extreme right now?
Ritsu also looked at Uchiha Fugaku with some surprise. In his view, this clan head with no opinions of his own—who only followed the clan's general trend—should be aggressively demanding they kill Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, shouldn't he?
However, he only thought about it briefly before stopping. He didn't care what changes the Uchiha clan underwent. It had nothing to do with his Hyuga clan anyway.
He was now more curious why the Fourth had summoned Sensei Hiruko along.
After thinking, he also said, "I think the Uchiha Clan Head speaks well. Though I personally was also nearly killed by Shimura Danzo and the person behind him, Konoha isn't a lawless land. Handling criminals can't involve personal emotions. Disposing of them according to village regulations is most appropriate."
Following Uchiha Fugaku and Ritsu's statements, the others successively expressed support for this disposition method.
But interestingly, everyone only mentioned Shimura Danzo's name, never mentioning former Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
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