radicalducati Chapter 33 Even if it's only a sliver
Chapter 33 Even if it's only a sliver
Hiashi Hyuga subconsciously activated his Byakugan.
In his view, the chakra response within Hyuga Seiran's body was as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, having already plummeted to rock bottom.
"Qinglan?! What's wrong with you?!"
Hiashi Hyuga rushed forward and grabbed the boy's shoulder, his heart churning with turmoil.
He never expected that Qinglan's condition would be this bad.
I initially thought he was able to return from the hospital so quickly because of his youth and strong recovery ability, but now it seems...
This child was practically clinging to his last breath, barely managing to come back!
"Cough cough..."
Hyuga Seiran's voice was hoarse and weak, tinged with surprise: "Lord Hiashi...? You, why did you come in person...?"
"Don't speak yet!!"
Hiashi Hyuga's feelings at this moment were extremely complicated.
All the tests and inquiries prepared along the way seemed so despicable and laughable in the face of this pool of blood.
"Since you're so badly injured, why did you insist on being discharged from the hospital? Don't you care about your life?!"
His tone even carried a hint of anxiety and reproach that he himself was unaware of.
At this moment, several guards from the branch family who were waiting in the distance heard the commotion and rushed in in fear.
"Ahem... Chieftain, I was just thinking... there are still many details about last night that I haven't reported to you... that attacker..."
Hinata Seiran spoke haltingly, his tone full of sincerity.
Hiashi Hyuga's heart trembled violently as endless guilt overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.
Having narrowly escaped death, the first thing he did upon waking was to disregard his crippled body and return to his clan to report the enemy situation to his clan leader.
What loyalty!
"No need to say anything more!"
Hiashi Hyuga pressed down on Qinglan's hand, his voice low and deep: "I've already found out what happened last night from the other guards. Qinglan, you did very well... You've done more than enough for the clan."
He whirled around and roared at the stunned branch family guards, "What are you all standing there for! Take him back to the hospital! Get the village's best medical ninja! Now!"
"Yes, Chieftain!"
The guards snapped out of their daze and hurriedly carried the dazed Hyuga Aoran on their backs, rushing towards Konoha Hospital.
The noisy courtyard fell silent once more.
Hiashi Hyuga stood alone in the empty room, staring at his blood-stained hands, speechless for a long time.
At this moment, the interests of the main families, the threat of Danzo, and the appearance of Ao all seemed distant.
"Qinglan..."
He closed his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and his voice sounded incredibly lonely in the evening breeze.
"It's me... I'm so sorry."
-
The Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, with a long-extinguished pipe dangling from his lips, stood amidst a mountain of battle reports piled on the table, each one exuding the aura of gunpowder and death.
"The position is being pushed back step by step... Is Kumogakure making moves again?"
His gaze lingered on the urgent report from Jiraiya, his spirits plummeting to rock bottom.
The situation on the Iwagakure front is extremely strange.
Despite Konoha investing a large amount of resources, they not only failed to stabilize their defenses but were also overwhelmed by the attacks.
The frequency of intelligence leaks is alarmingly high; it seems that every mission team's sortie falls into the pocket of the Iwa ninja in advance.
If it weren't for Minato Namikaze repeatedly turning the tide on the front lines with his Flying Thunder God Technique, Konoha's logistics forces would probably have been completely wiped out long ago.
"The intelligence was stolen... Was there a spy on the front lines, or...?"
He didn't finish his sentence.
The second half of that sentence was so heavy that even he, the Hokage, was reluctant to say it easily.
If the source of the intelligence leak wasn't on the front lines, but within Konoha...
That means there's a traitor among the people he trusts.
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples wearily and looked toward Sunagakure on the map.
The fact that Sunagakure has remained inactive so far is more unsettling to him than an open declaration of war.
If Sunagakure were to join forces with Iwagakure to launch a surprise attack at this moment, tearing through Konoha's defenses from the west...
Nakonoha is facing the greatest crisis of destruction since its founding.
"teacher……"
From the shadows to the side, Orochimaru, who had been standing quietly, spoke softly.
He stepped forward, his long, slender fingers tracing the battle report, then he stuck out his thin tongue and licked his lips with a hint of excitement.
"Although that old man Onoki somehow got information from the front lines, he made that idiot Jiraiya suffer a lot."
"However, the Land of Earth ultimately lacks sufficient resources; compared to the Land of Fire, they cannot afford to waste time."
Orochimaru chuckled coldly, "Even if we organize some mercenaries and ninjas from small countries, and unite with the local ninjas to try and take down the village in one fell swoop... it will be in vain."
"After all, the ninjas left behind in the village are no pushovers..."
"The Daimyo has given his full support, and Konoha will ultimately prevail, but..."
He paused here, his gaze sweeping over Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face.
"However, it will take time and come at a cost."
"And the price will ultimately be paid by the village's young ninjas."
"I believe you, teacher, are very eager to preserve the village's fighting strength as soon as possible, right?"
"After all, that 'green' that suddenly appeared is ultimately a hidden danger."
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, his expression obscured by swirling smoke, waiting for Orochimaru to offer his solution.
"Since Hanzo the Salamander has already agreed to the alliance, why don't we invite another ally?"
"Kumakuya is greedy and can't be relied on, and Kirigakure is too busy to take care of itself... Only Sunagakure, which started the war but suddenly went silent, is the most suitable as a turning point."
Orochimaru stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi: "As long as you, teacher, personally oversee the front lines and suppress Onoki's prowess under the title of 'Professor of Ninjutsu,' the rest..."
"Leave it to me, your student, to share your burden."
A hint of longing lurked in Orochimaru's eyes.
He knew, of course, that in his teacher's heart, the radiant Minato Namikaze was the best candidate for the Fourth Hokage.
But he still wanted to give it a try.
I wanted to see how the teacher viewed him, the student who had been with him for decades...
How much selfishness and warmth is left?
……
Even if it's just a tiny bit.
"..."
The air seemed to freeze for a long time.
The moon was obscured by clouds outside the window, and the light in the office became even dimmer.
Hiruzen Sarutobi kept staring at the map, as if calculating the gains and losses of each defensive line, but he never looked up at Orochimaru.
"Then go ahead."
Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his tone calm and undisturbed.
"First, we should contact the border guards of Sunagakure and sound them out. If the Kazekage is willing to negotiate, then we can consider the next step."
He was completely focused on how to deploy the water gates for support.
Completely unaware of the last glimmer of hope in Orochimaru's eyes.
It was fading away little by little with those words.
"I understand... teacher."