While Ning Feng was still deep in thought, Uchiha Fugaku cast him a profound glance and said calmly,
"Feng, you should step out for now."
Hearing this, Ning Feng frowned.
Even an idiot could tell that the two Konoha advisors had come specifically for him.
"I am also one of the decision-makers of the Uchiha clan, and the clan's young leader," Ning Feng said firmly.
"I naturally have the right to participate in clan deliberations."
Seeing Ning Feng insist, Uchiha Fugaku let out a quiet sigh and gestured for him to sit to the side.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
Suddenly, several sharp sounds rang out. Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui appeared in the council hall as well, both of them fixing Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu with icy gazes.
They were clearly waiting to see what tricks these two advisors would pull.
"Ahem, ahem, ahem. Since the person involved is also present, I, Homura, will save us all some time,"
Mitokado Homura said, coughing lightly as he spoke.
As he said this, he subconsciously glanced at Utatane Koharu, then continued with an air of righteousness:
"Yesterday, your clan's young leader, Uchiha Feng, killed dozens of Kumogakure jōnin and even detained the Raikage's secretary, Mabui."
"This should have been a matter worth celebrating—one of Konoha's most outstanding victories against foreign ninja in recent years."
"However, last night the Raikage of Kumogakure issued a demand." On the grounds that dozens of their jōnin—especially his secretary Mabui—had gone missing, he demanded the right to search the Uchiha compound. Otherwise, they would launch the Fourth Great Ninja War."
"We Konoha high officials have discussed the matter and concluded that, given Konoha's current state, we absolutely cannot withstand another great war. Moreover, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and others would certainly take advantage of the chaos…"
"Therefore, the purpose of our visit today is simple: we wish to use Uchiha Feng as a hostage in exchange for temporary peace for Konoha, buying time for the village's development."
"Of course, Uchiha Feng's life will be carefully protected…"
"Fugaku, you know this well. Every ninja of Konoha must be prepared to carry out the missions assigned by the village."
As he spoke, Mitokado Homura even put on an expression of deep sorrow.
"Uchiha Feng, don't blame us. You shouldn't have become so famous…"
"Yes," Utatane Koharu quickly followed up,
"Uchiha Feng, we know you're a rising star, but if your life can be exchanged for decades of peace for Konoha, what could be better than that?"
Only now did Ning Feng fully understand.
They wanted him to go to another village—as a hostage.
In the original story, something similar had happened to the Hyūga clan.
Back then, Kumogakure sent a jōnin to abduct Hyūga Hinata in an attempt to steal the Byakugan. The Hyūga clan discovered and killed him.
In the end, Kumogakure shamelessly demanded that Konoha hand over the culprit on the grounds that their ninja had died in Konoha.
Hyūga Hizashi, the younger brother of Hyūga Hiashi, had no choice but to take the blame and go to Kumogakure in his brother's stead.
When Ning Feng had first seen that scene, he had thought Konoha unbearably weak—unable even to protect its own people.
But he never imagined that after slaughtering so many Kumogakure jōnin himself, the same kind of so-called "compromise" would now be forced upon him.
Go to Kumogakure as a hostage?
And they'd "protect his life"?
Heh.
Now he finally understood how so many tragedies had occurred in Konoha's history.
It was because there were far too many weak, appeasing figures like Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu—people who, at the first sign of trouble, chose to sacrifice their own people and grovel for peace.
Worse still, they were masters of moral coercion—always cloaking everything in the rhetoric of "the greater good," "peace for the people," and "righteous sacrifice."
"Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu,"
Uchiha Fugaku finally spoke, his voice cold and resolute,
"I have already made my stance clear. I do not agree."
"And not only do I disagree—if the Fourth Hokage, Lord Minato, knew of this, he would never agree either!"
"Uchiha Feng is a hero of our Uchiha clan, and a hero of Konoha in this incident. What you're doing will chill the hearts of countless ninja!"
"Hmph!" Mitokado Homura sneered.
"So you're willing to disregard the peace of millions of Konoha civilians for the sake of a single person?"
"How selfish!"
Then, in the blink of an eye, his expression softened again.
"Fugaku, in my eyes, Uchiha Feng truly is a hero—a hero in all our hearts."
"But don't you think that if Uchiha Feng willingly goes to Kumogakure as a hostage, his image as a hero will become even greater?"
"Yes," Utatane Koharu hurriedly added,
"This would only elevate Uchiha Feng's heroic legacy, letting more people remember the hero of the Uchiha clan."
From beginning to end, Ning Feng said nothing—he merely sneered inwardly.
How could he not see through them?
All this talk about making him an even greater hero was just pretty words.
Their real goal was to use this opportunity to suppress the Uchiha clan.
And behind all of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen's shadow was unmistakably present.
"Two honored Konoha advisors," Uchiha Itachi said coldly, his eyes burning with anger,
"I address you with respect. But if you continue like this, then don't blame me, Uchiha Itachi."
"Yes," Uchiha Shisui echoed, fury evident,
"If you keep pushing, don't blame us for throwing you out."
"Itachi, Shisui!"
Uchiha Fugaku quickly raised a hand to stop them, worried that offending the senior advisors would damage their futures.
Then he turned back to Homura and Koharu.
"I believe you've seen clearly—the entire Uchiha clan opposes this."
"And if you insist on forcing the matter," Fugaku's voice grew dangerously cold,
"then what the Uchiha clan might do next… is hard to say."
As he spoke, Fugaku was about to wave his hand to have them escorted out.
But suddenly—
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu clapped their hands.
Instantly, sharp sounds filled the air as several ANBU appeared, surrounding the council hall completely.
"Uchiha Fugaku," Mitokado Homura said with his hands clasped behind his back,
"if you hand over Uchiha Feng to Kumogakure as a hostage, then this matter ends here."
"Otherwise, you should understand the consequences of offending Konoha's senior advisors."
Just as the situation teetered on the brink of violence, the Ning Feng—who had been silently observing all this time—finally spoke.
"What powerful Konoha senior advisors."
"When facing Kumogakure, you bow and scrape."
"When facing your own people, you strike with full force."
"To outsiders, you compromise and grovel. To your own people, you squeeze and sacrifice whenever you can."
"So tell me—is this the brilliance of Konoha's senior advisors?"
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