Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 283 Incomprehension

Jiraiya sat there quietly, his gaze fixed on Hyuga Kanan across from him. She sat there silently, expressionless and silent, yet her eyes conveyed a sense of detachment. This atmosphere made Jiraiya somewhat nervous; he didn't know how to begin.

Jiraiya took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew this conversation was crucial for Konoha. If the Hyuga clan really decided to leave, Konoha would lose a powerful force, and it would also cause dissatisfaction and unrest among other clans. However, when he saw Hyuga Kanan's indifferent gaze, he found himself unable to utter the words he had prepared.

He recalled the Hyuga clan's contributions to Konoha Village. They had always been one of the village's most loyal supporters, quietly contributing in both war and construction. Now, the actions of Konoha's leadership had deeply disappointed them, filling Jiraiya with a profound sense of guilt.

“Kanan…” Jiraiya finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with helplessness and apology, “I know that your Hyuga clan has suffered great injustice, but please believe us, Konoha will not forget your sacrifices.”

Hyuga Kanan slightly raised his head, glanced indifferently at Jiraiya, and then lowered his head again. His attitude sent a chill down Jiraiya's spine; he realized that his words had not moved him.

Jiraiya sighed and continued, "We understand your anger and disappointment, but Konoha needs you. We can't let you leave like this. Please give us a chance to solve this problem together."

Hyuga Kanan remained silent, his gaze still indifferent. Jiraiya knew he had done his best; now he could only wait for Hyuga Kanan's response.

Hyuga Kanan looked at Jiraiya before him, a sense of helplessness welling up inside him. He knew Konoha had been trying to persuade him to change his mind, but he had already made up his mind not to get involved in the conflict between the Hyuga clan and Konoha. He took a deep breath and said calmly, "You don't need to waste your time anymore. I have no interest in the Hyuga clan's decision. Their choice to leave Konoha is their right and freedom, and I respect their choice. I believe they will have their own considerations and plans, and they don't need my interference. Konoha shouldn't waste time and energy on this matter, because it's already an irreversible situation. Once a clan loses the most basic trust in a place, it's very difficult to win it back."

Jiraiya frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Kanan's answer. He believed that Kanan, as an important figure in the Hyuga clan, should stand up for the interests of Konoha. However, Kanan firmly stated that he would not interfere with the Hyuga clan's decision and believed that Konoha should respect their choice. Finally, Kanan emphasized that parting amicably was the best way to preserve friendship and perhaps have a chance to repair the relationship in the future.

Jiraiya remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly: "Since that's the case, then I won't say any more. Let the matter between the Hyuga clan and Konoha be left in the past. Hyuga Kanan is right; the Hyuga clan has lost trust in Konoha. Forcing them to stay will only cause more conflict. And all of this is beyond my control. As for the future of the village and the Hyuga clan, let the next Hokage handle it."

After saying this, Jiraiya turned to Hyuga Kanan and asked in a serious tone, "Kanan-kun, I'd like to ask you about Orochimaru. After all, you were the only one inside the barrier who observed the battle, so you should know more about Orochimaru's strength than the others. Would you be willing to share with me the information you've observed about Orochimaru? I need this information to better deal with any potential threats. Also, I hope to have the opportunity to speak with Orochimaru face-to-face and find out the purpose of his actions. If we can do that, perhaps we can avoid many unnecessary conflicts."

Hyuga Kanan's eyebrows rose slightly, a sudden realization dawning on him. So that's it. He finally understood why Orochimaru had said those words—that he was the only one who truly understood him. Standing before him was Jiraiya, who had grown up alongside Orochimaru, once a close ally, having weathered countless life-or-death trials together. Yet, despite their comradeship, Jiraiya had never truly grasped Orochimaru's deepest thoughts and desires. He had only tried to change Orochimaru, instead of seeking to understand the true nature of his inner world.

Even after enduring countless trials and tribulations over many years, Jiraiya still couldn't understand Orochimaru. To this day, he still sees Orochimaru as a potential threat and categorizes him as a dangerous individual.

Hyuga Kanan suddenly found it all rather ridiculous. Everything he had done for Orochimaru seemed pointless. He had sacrificed so much for Konoha, even bearing such a heavy burden of infamy, only to receive this in return. And his closest ally had actually said something like, "Orochimaru is a dangerous element." This made Hyuga Kanan feel utterly astonished.

Perhaps only when Orochimaru completely severs these bonds can he truly achieve spiritual freedom. Hyuga Kanan sighed inwardly, deciding to ignore Jiraiya. In his view, Jiraiya was merely a typical self-righteous person, always seeing himself as the representative of justice and his own understanding as truth. However, such self-righteousness only leads to narrow-mindedness and blindness. Hyuga Kanan knew that everyone has their own stance and values, and cannot be simply judged by right or wrong.

What's even more ridiculous is that they enjoy the fruits of others' labor while simultaneously belittling them. In Hyuga Kanan's eyes, people like Jiraiya are the most despicable. Jiraiya knew very well that if Konoha continued to be led by people like Hiruzen Sarutobi, it would ultimately be destroyed. He understood that the village needed to change, but he himself did nothing, choosing to stand by and watch to preserve his own position and status. However, when Orochimaru bravely stood up, willing to sacrifice his own reputation to promote change, Jiraiya suddenly jumped out, displaying his so-called "justice" in a self-righteous manner.

Seeing the disdain in Hyuga Kanan's eyes, Jiraiya frowned, filled with confusion. He couldn't understand why Kanan would show such obvious contempt upon hearing Orochimaru's name. Orochimaru was no benevolent figure; he had orchestrated the Konoha Crush and even cruelly murdered his mentor, the Third Hokage! Such a person was extremely dangerous, and someone needed to step forward to stop his evil deeds. Jiraiya believed himself to be the most suitable candidate. After all, he shared a deep bond with Orochimaru and understood his character and strength. Only he could personally handle this crisis. However, Kanan's dismissive attitude surprised Jiraiya. Did Kanan have some special deal with Orochimaru, or was he simply unaware of Orochimaru's power? These questions swirled in Jiraiya's mind, plunging him into deep thought.

"You actually think Orochimaru is a dangerous element! Is that how you view Orochimaru?" Hyuga Kanan's face showed a look of incomprehension, his voice becoming low and serious, as if carrying a hint of disappointment.

Jiraiya nodded without hesitation, his eyes firm and resolute. He trusted his judgment; Orochimaru was no longer the companion who had grown up alongside them. Since defecting from the village, Orochimaru's transformation had shocked and worried Jiraiya.

"Orochimaru's actions have crossed the line. His ambition and madness have brought an unprecedented crisis to the village. We can no longer stand idly by; we must take action to stop him." Jiraiya's tone revealed a sense of determination and responsibility.

Hyuga Kanan was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Perhaps this is why Orochimaru looks down on you. You have never truly understood Orochimaru, even though you were comrades for decades, you never thought of understanding him. As expected, Orochimaru was absolutely right, he has no true comrades."

Jiraiya sighed. He didn't know why Hyuga Kanan said that, but he firmly believed that Orochimaru had fallen too deep into darkness to easily turn back. "Orochimaru has lost himself, and his actions have gone beyond forgiveness. We cannot ignore the threat he poses because of past friendships."

The two fell silent, each pondering the other's perspective. Jiraiya didn't understand Hyuga Kanan's words, but he clearly recognized Orochimaru's danger. He decided to uphold his beliefs, continue pursuing Orochimaru, and try to bring him back on the right path.

Finally, Hyuga Kanan shook his head, a hint of helplessness on his face, and said calmly, "Forget it. You people are all like this, always thinking you're so great and never respecting others. Leave. I don't want to waste any more words with you. Anyway, you people will never truly understand someone's inner world. You always judge others based on your own self-righteous understanding, but you never truly try to see things from their perspective. Orochimaru will be coming to you soon to confirm one last thing. Just wait and see!"

Upon hearing Hyuga Kanan's words, Jiraiya felt a surge of anger. He found Kanan's words incredibly hurtful, as if they were all being belittled. He stared intently at Kanan, wanting to argue, but seeing Kanan's impatient expression, as if he wanted him to leave, he forcibly suppressed the urge. He knew this wasn't the time for argument; he had already obtained Orochimaru's information. So, he took a deep breath, turned, and left, deciding to have a proper conversation with him later.