Chapter 34: We're All Students
Without question, war was a risky method—once started, you became a gambler at the table.
And gamblers never win.
"Sensei, I believe war should always be the last resort."
Before Hyuga Kiyonari had even awakened his system, he'd never craved war.
And now, he couldn't simply adopt some so-called "higher perspective" to discuss war's pros and cons just because his identity had changed—as if those lives as insignificant as his former self were merely numbers on paper.
"Konoha and the Uchiha are the brothers in the story. The conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha is just dividing inheritance—not a contradiction that must be resolved through force."
Contradictions typically divided into two types.
If someone wanted to study but also wanted to slack off, this internal conflict was an internal contradiction. If someone wanted to study but external interference—like noise—prevented proper studying, this conflict between person and environment was an external contradiction.
Scaled up to groups, the method for distinguishing internal and external contradictions was seeing whether the group's fundamental interests aligned.
"Konoha's and the Uchiha's fundamental interests align. They both hope Konoha Village will improve, that they can live better lives."
"However, whether you, Lord Third, or even within the Uchiha... you all seem to accept by default that both sides will inevitably reach a pessimistic ending of crossed blades."
"So! Is it imagining the other as an enemy first that causes the result, or is the hostile ending's inevitability what spawned current thinking?"
Tsunade's hand holding the sake bottle froze mid-air. Her motion to pour completely halted—as if triggering time-stop play—not moving at all.
Shizune looked at Kiyonari in surprise, then at Tsunade. This powerful ninja adorned with numerous accolades actually showed an almost bewildered expression.
"Sensei?"
Only after Kiyonari called out did Tsunade slowly lower the bottle.
Clearly, she'd left the village because she detested those "pointless sacrifices." Yet after returning, she'd unknowingly become the very thing she once most hated.
Because of that drift bottle's described future, for the sake of... the so-called bigger picture.
She didn't drink again. Instead, she walked to the window, gazing at the lights outside.
Tsunade looked deeply at them, as if imprinting every single lamp in her heart—constantly reminding herself.
"Then what do you say... we should do?" She turned around, asking Kiyonari like a student seeking instruction.
And Hyuga Kiyonari was also seeking instruction from his teacher.
How to resolve a group's internal contradictions?
First, criticism was needed. Who would criticize?
Tsunade. Only she had the qualifications to criticize the Uchiha, criticize Konoha's current leadership, to tell them: "You were wrong."
Next, how to make the Uchiha and Konoha villagers engage in self-criticism?
"Give the choice to the Raikage." Hyuga Kiyonari answered thus.
The moment those words fell, both Tsunade and Shizune froze.
"What do you mean?" Tsunade didn't understand why they'd suddenly jumped to this answer.
Hyuga Kiyonari's eyes gleamed with light as he grew increasingly excited. "We shouldn't wait for the Cloud Village's response. That way, we remain passive. Since that's the case, we might as well give the choice of whether to fight to the Raikage. Let him worry about war's impacts. Let him agonize over other nations' attitudes."
"We proactively deploy troops to the border, display a posture of willingness to fight, and spread the word: 'We just don't want to fight—doesn't mean we don't dare fight.' This way, we can resolve Konoha's most pressing current issue."
"But we absolutely cannot provoke conflict first. Even if the Cloud Village also deploys border troops, unless they release the first jutsu, we absolutely cannot initiate war."
Tsunade nodded, expressing approval of this proposal. "But how does this relate to the Uchiha?"
"Because our goal isn't war." Hyuga Kiyonari drank some water to moisten his throat.
"What we should truly do is use this opportunity for military exercises. Break up the Uchiha and other Konoha ninja, mix them into various squads. Force them to eat and live together, execute various reconnaissance missions daily, conduct drills. Force them to communicate, understand each other. Before the Cloud Village—this greedy neighbor—whatever conflicts the brothers have are secondary."
Almost instantly, Tsunade's eyes also brightened, but Hyuga Kiyonari's words continued.
"Then the primary task becomes providing more missions where they can build bonds. For instance, reduce supply allocations, make them complete wilderness survival missions themselves—this also saves village expenses. Or regularly hold competitions between squads. For higher honor, squads will inevitably deepen their coordination, establish combat chemistry."
"And most critically!"
Kiyonari paused, burning gaze locked on Tsunade. "You must personally command this force, completely preventing interference from other village leadership—even Lord Third is no exception."
"As long as this force hasn't achieved integration, it can remain at the border. Even if the Cloud Village proactively seeks peace, you should deliberately create appropriate conflicts to drive them away. If the Cloud Village provokes conflict, we must also control the situation—don't let it develop into all-out war."
"If fighting truly breaks out, I have no solution. Between Konoha and the Cloud Village exists true enemy contradiction solvable only through force—that becomes the historical responsibility the Raikage must bear."
"Excellent! Truly excellent! Kiyonari, you're a genius!"
Tsunade shouted happily, waving her hands like a little girl. But soon, amidst her excitement, she realized another lurking problem.
"But... shinobi need to earn commissions completing missions to live. If they're just stationed at the border indefinitely, how will their families survive?"
Kiyonari thought briefly before answering. "Rotation system, plus village-issued monthly salaries. Salary range can be negotiated between you and Lord Hokage, determined by Konoha's actual economic situation. Also... we can use the Cloud Village as an excuse to ask the daimyo for funds."
"Use stable income plus creating positive public opinion within the village to attract new generations from Konoha's clans to voluntarily join this force. To a certain extent, it can even replace the genin teams after ninja academy graduation."
"And you can cultivate within this force someone who truly understands you, understands our ideals. In my view, Uchiha Shisui might be a suitable candidate."
Though his ideas were still somewhat immature, as long as they found the right direction and took the first step, they could gradually refine based on actual circumstances.
Tsunade looked at him—at him being happy about solving the village's problem.
She suddenly remembered Grandfather's original intention in establishing Konoha, remembered the true Will of Fire.
And Hyuga Kiyonari was precisely that newborn flame.
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