Hinata: I'm in charge of Konoha.

Chapter 90: Explanation? Explain what?

Confess? Confess what?

Konoha, upholding the ideals of peace between the two villages, invited Sunagakure to participate in the Chunin Exams.

Unexpectedly, the Fourth Kazekage disregarded the safety of the examinees and actually sent out the One-Tailed Jinchuriki to participate.

During the second exam, the One-Tailed Jinchuriki treated the lives of many examinees as a joke and went on a killing spree. Fortunately, Hinata, the legitimate daughter of the Hyuga clan, intervened to stop him.

Unfortunately, swords and blades have no eyes in battle, and the One-Tailed Jinchuriki was too weak and only had the appearance of strength, and died on the spot.

Hinata Hyuga acted rashly, but she did manage to save the lives of all the examinees.

Shouldn't Sunagakure give Konoha an explanation for sending such a dangerous person despite the friendship between the two villages?

The above is the advice given by Nara Shikaku, whom Hiruzen Sarutobi urgently summoned.

This ability to turn the tables on Hiruzen Sarutobi was truly putting him in a difficult position.

But upon closer reflection, isn't that exactly it?

Sunagakure actually arranged for the One-Tailed Jinchuriki to enter the Chunin Exams.

If the stability of the One-Tailed Jinchuriki were as solid as Naruto's, that would be fine, but Gaara's performance was clearly extremely unstable, like a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

"The most important point is—"

The man with the pineapple-shaped haircut sat on the sofa in the Hokage's office, smoking a cigarette. He calmly looked at the Third Hokage and continued, "Since the Hokage has already made up his mind and has already presented the 'Treatise on Hokage' to the Daimyo,..."

"Then we shouldn't consider Sunagakure as an ally."

"But the enemy."

"When facing the enemy, we shouldn't have much to say."

Nara Shikaku's words left Sarutobi Hiruzen somewhat dazed.

Yes, that's right.

From the moment that "On Hokage" was presented to the Daimyo, Konoha no longer had any true allies.

Nara Shikaku continued, "Hinata's strength has already caught up with the older generation."

"She has transformed her talent into strength."

"The Hyuga clan has produced such a talent; even if they exhaust all their resources, they will never give up on such a genius."

"As long as Hinata is around, the Hyuga clan will never decline unless they end up like the Uchiha clan."

Hyuga, Uchiha.

They are all ninja clans that have existed in the ninja world for thousands of years.

Nara Shikaku understood this very well.

Whether in the Warring States period or the era of the ninja villages, the Uchiha clan always seemed to be incredibly powerful, producing many skilled fighters. However, in reality, this strength was built upon the corpses of countless enemies.

Strength is certainly important.

But every family has its weak moments.

If one can maintain superior combat power, then naturally there will be no trouble.

The consequences of a power vacuum would be unimaginable.

The bones that once bore that great reputation will turn into a swamp, completely swallowing up that reputation.

The Hyuga clan has never fought with outsiders.

Even during the Warring States period, they only developed quietly. If a foreign enemy attacked, they would use their superior ability to defeat the enemy with lightning speed. As long as the enemy did not go too far, they would never confiscate their property or exterminate their clan.

With strength and conservatism coexisting, after a while, no one is willing to tackle this tough issue anymore.

Even in the current era of the ninja village, the same model from back then is still maintained.

Do whatever the Hokage tells you to do; it doesn't matter who the Hokage is.

I'll just listen to Naruto, and I'll always support Naruto.

If you're capable of becoming Hokage, then I'll listen to you, but the prerequisite is that you have to become Hokage first.

In Nara Shikaku's view, this was an extremely wise choice.

If it weren't for the deep bond between the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and Sarutobi, he would have wanted to adopt the Hyuga clan's way of life.

"Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat silently in the Hokage's seat."

He pondered Nara Shikaku's words and finally sighed.

Yes, the Naruto theory has been handed over to the Daimyo, and Konoha has no way back.

What was I hesitating about before?

"Lord Hokage."

Nara Shikaku looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi's confidant, he had been watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's performance all these years.

Honestly—

Although he understood Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was still somewhat disappointed.

Let's leave the Uchiha clan's affairs aside; after all, there have been three coups already.

But in this matter, Nara Shikaku never expected that Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had long decided to become the enemy of the entire ninja world, would hesitate at this moment.

"What's wrong, Shikaku?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi perked up and looked at his chief strategist.

"Hinata, the legitimate daughter of the Hyuga clan, is both brave and resourceful. What are your plans for her in the future?"

Nara Shikaku stared directly into Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes, which made Hiruzen feel slightly stinged.

Hinata Hyuga's abilities so far are simply too outstanding.

He mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique at nine, wrote "On Naruto" at ten, and slew Shukaku at twelve.

Talented, strategic, and capable.

In Nara Shikaku's view, this kind of anomaly, a genius who can be described as a monster, is almost the only candidate for the future Hokage of Konoha, apart from the First Hokage.

However, due to his mental state, Hiruzen Sarutobi subconsciously kept him at arm's length.

This was something he found truly incomprehensible.

"this----"

Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a moment.

He had intended to reply, "Wouldn't it be good if Nara Shikaku became the head of the Hyuga clan in the future?"

but----

The Nara Shikaku before me is the leader of the Konoha Jonin team, whose status is second only to the Hokage, and he is supported by the Konoha elders and the Hokage.

In terms of real power alone, even Shimura Danzo back then couldn't compare to Nara Shikaku.

So the question they asked was what position they planned to assign Hinata.

After all, he couldn't just stay in the Hyuga clan with the title of Konoha Jonin like Hyuga Hiashi.

Doing so would be the greatest waste of Hinata Hyuga's potential.

Looking at the hesitant Hiruzen Sarutobi in front of him, Nara Shikaku's eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment that was hard to detect.

As expected, the Hokage has grown old.

"Shikaku, what should you say?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his trusted confidant with a troubled expression.

"Lord Hokage, please forgive my bluntness."

"A successor should be prepared in advance for the position of daimyo."

"Lord Hokage, you are already sixty-nine years old this year, which is considered long-lived among ninjas. I would like to ask you something."

"Who do you intend to pass the Hokage title to?"

"Is it Lady Tsunade or Lady Jiraiya?"

"Or perhaps there is another candidate for Hokage?"

Nara Shikaku stared directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He knew his words had seriously overstepped their bounds, but times had changed.

Conflicts with the other four villages are imminent, and the current Hokage is old and frail, his ambition no longer what it once was.

At such a time, any unexpected event would be a devastating blow to Konoha.

At that time, there will be no need for external enemies; Konoha will fall apart due to internal strife.

That's why Nara Shikaku was so desperate to ask Hiruzen Sarutobi what he was thinking, even at the cost of his own principles.

"I----"

Gazing into Nara Shikaku's familiar eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily at a loss for words.

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