I, Uchiha: Split Konoha

Chapter 85: A Clash of Ideas at the Top (Large Chapter)

Orochimaru in the study seemed like a completely different person, a wise politician who had a clear understanding of the situation in Konoha.

Uchiha Yoru was secretly shocked. Yes, everyone overlooked one point: how could someone who could become a strong contender for Hokage not understand politics? You must know that the Fourth Hokage's failure to be elected was due to the Third Hokage's decision. Otherwise, the Fourth Hokage would not have fallen to Namikaze Minato so easily.

"The initiative has never been in our hands. After all, this is still the last peak period of the King. At this time, the most dangerous thing is for anyone to cross the King's bottom line."

As Orochimaru looked at the forbidden technique scroll in his hand, a mocking smile appeared on his face. "Teacher, is this your choice? You've abandoned me once again. So what method will you use next? Will you transfer me away like last time, or something else?"

The first time, Orochimaru chose to remain silent and accept everything!

As he thought of this, Orochimaru suddenly revealed his unique and frightening smile again, his hoarse laughter echoing in the dimly lit study.

"Heh, although I, Orochimaru, am not the White Fang, I still have my own ninja way, and isn't this the very ninja way that you, teacher, tacitly allowed me to find in my heart that has been buried for so long!"

Amidst the echoing hoarse laughter, Uchiha Yoru understood his teacher's meaning: all the political maneuvering he had employed was, in essence, a waste of time.

If the Third Hokage chooses to stand by and watch, his chances of winning are naturally higher. But if the Third Hokage steps forward, then his chances are almost unshakeable.

The Third Hokage's decades of rule and his reputation for turning the tide and preserving the village during the Fourth Hokage's death are unshakeable.

The Third Hokage may seem like a kind old man, but he was always a dictator in politics! More importantly, his strength was terrifying; the Third Hokage, who still maintained his peak strength, was an extremely formidable figure.

It seems that in this distorted historical context of the ninja world, every leader is a political dictator. For example, wasn't the First Hokage the one? His ideal of peace was something that even Madara Uchiha could not violate.

"What a perverted and distorted world!" Uchiha Yoru smiled as he thought of this, but the glory and power brought by the wealthy family also filled him with intoxication.

"Night Lord, your strength has improved rapidly, but unfortunately you still lack refinement. However, if you improve your skills a little more, perhaps you will become the new windmill of this decaying village."

At this moment, Orochimaru spoke in a hoarse voice with an extremely perverted smile, as if he had seen some interesting toy, which made Uchiha Yoru's scalp tingle.

"Teacher." Before Uchiha Yoru could finish speaking, Orochimaru's hoarse laughter interrupted him.

"Yoru-kun, I've said from the beginning that you have ambition in your eyes. Your arrogance is different from other Uchiha. You've always seemed so confident, and at the same time, you have ambition! Although you hide it very well, I can see that you enjoy everything that power brings you."

After Orochimaru bluntly exposed his disguise, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but smile. His usual fake smile slowly disappeared, replaced by a smile that was three parts arrogant and three parts domineering.

"Orochimaru-sensei, if the highest position were held by someone with immense strength, who would dominate the ninja world, and possess endless life, what do you think the ninja world would be like?"

At this point, Uchiha Yoru suddenly paused, as if he had thought of something, and a playful smile appeared on his face as he continued, "At the same time, when there is only one village in this ninja world, when there is only one voice! Then wouldn't there be no brutal ninja world war? Wouldn't I be indirectly becoming the savior of the ninja world?"

As Orochimaru listened to Uchiha Yoru's words, which revealed his undisguised ambition after he removed his disguise, the smile on Orochimaru's face grew wider and wider. Finally, he burst into a hoarse laugh in the dimly lit study.

"Hehe, I didn't expect you, Lord Night, to have such great ambitions. However!" As he said this, Orochimaru slowly narrowed his eyes, revealing a longing and desire for the future.

"At that time, the ninja world will probably welcome a legendary Sage of Six Paths. No! Sages have all disappeared into the river of history. Instead, a true sage will be welcomed."

Looking at Orochimaru, Uchiha Yoru smiled, "No! It should be two sages, or rather, these two sages will create a ninja world ruled by sages!"

The two immortals are referring to these two people, and they also said that these two people created the ninja world ruled by immortals. Doesn't that mean there will be other immortals who live forever?

Thinking of this, Orochimaru's smile became even more twisted, obsessive, and insane. "That's right, when there are many outcasts, then they are no longer outcasts."

Immortals who live forever are anomalies, but what if this anomaly is a powerful group? Then it becomes the orthodox one, and more interesting things will be born on its solitary path, and it will no longer be a terrifying anomaly in everyone's eyes.

Thinking of this, Orochimaru laughed hoarsely, and Uchiha Yoru also rarely revealed his true feelings.

"No one was born standing in the heavens, neither you nor I, not even the Sage of Six Paths. But this intolerable vacancy on the throne of heaven is about to end. From now on, it will be the two of us, teacher, standing at the top."

Beneath Uchiha Yoru's noble smile, Orochimaru also smiled; this was an ambitious man with the same goal as him.

Both of them pursued immortality, but the difference was that Uchiha Yoru wanted to rule the entire ninja world, while he wanted to have an endless lifespan and learn all the ninjutsu in the world. At the same time, he also wanted to see how far his disciple would go and how much of a storm he would bring to the world.

Windmill! Perhaps when he succeeds, it won't just be a windmill blowing in Konoha, but a windmill blowing across the entire ninja world.

The pronouncements of these two madmen would likely have been dismissed as nonsense by anyone else—madmen! After all, there's always a second one, but what about now? Nothing at all, just their arrogant ambitions and a single direction.

But Orochimaru didn't see it that way. He believed that without ambition, there was no power, and power always followed ambition.

Immortality! Others might think it's nonsense, and even his teacher, the legendary Hiruzen Sarutobi, would angrily denounce his unrealistic idea.

How narrow-minded and old-fashioned! That's what made him feel out of place with everyone else; these people's thinking was too narrow.

Before the advent of ninjas, would the Onmyoji and samurai have known that the emergence of chakra would bring about a world revolution? Did they ever imagine that chakra and ninjas would replace them?

No!

This is a narrow-minded mindset. At this moment, Orochimaru laughed hoarsely, but hope was revealed on his face. He was no longer alone on his path, and new people would join him in the future.

As the snow fell heavily, Konoha was peaceful, as if the war had come to an end.

Hyuga clan.

Inside the warm training room of the main family, muffled sounds emanated continuously. Those familiar with the place knew that these were the sounds of soft fists clashing, though the sounds seemed to be still too immature.

The heir of the main family, now just three years old, stands amidst the falling snow.

Hinata Hyuga, at just three years old, was taught Gentle Fist by her biological father, Hiashi Hyuga, under strict family rules.

In the center of the field, Hiashi Hyuga looked at his daughter's first training session, his eyes filled with disappointment, and at the same time, he felt a deep sense of shame.

Hinata Hyuga immediately noticed his eldest daughter's poor aptitude after her first attempt at Gentle Fist. Actually, it wasn't that she was bad; there was another child in the house whose aptitude completely overshadowed hers.

At the edge of the indoor training ground, Hyuga Hizashi sat on the tatami mat, calmly watching the father and daughter on the training ground, who were also his older brother and niece. For some reason, he felt only irony at this scene.

"Listen carefully, Neji. You were born to protect Hinata and the Hyuga clan."

"Yes, Father."

The father's conversation was filled with indifference, while the child's was full of sunshine.

Hyuga Neji, who had just been branded as a caged bird with white bandages wrapped around his head, was unaware of his fate. His innocent white eyes gazed at the young figures training in the arena, and at that moment, young Neji revealed a pure smile.

Is this the sister from the main family that Father said he would protect?

However, Neji's innocent smile was seen as utterly ironic by Hyuga Hizashi. Turning back to look at the figures training on the field, he was immediately filled with dissatisfaction.

Why is it that my son, with such talent, is controlled by fate, cast into a caged bird at such a young age, and my child knows nothing about it! Why should the main family's child, with such talent, enjoy the protection of the branch family! It's unfair!

Driven by years of resentment between the main family and the branch family, Hyuga Hizashi lost his composure for the first time. Or rather, he could accept this fate, but he was filled with resentment towards his child!

The veins around Byakugan bulged uncontrollably. Just then, Hiashi Hyuga, who was teaching Hinata Gentle Fist, suddenly froze and his figure flashed in front of his daughter.

There's a murderous aura about him!

Protecting his daughter, when he saw that it was his own younger brother, Hiashi Hyuga angrily formed a curse seal and suddenly shouted, and a scream echoed in the training room.

Even Hyuga Hizashi, who was known as an elite Jonin, clutched his head and screamed in agony when faced with the sudden corruption of the Caged Bird Seal. His mournful voice echoed throughout the room.

At the same time, it also terrified two young children. One was young Hinata Hyuga, who stared at everything with her innocent Byakugan eyes, filled with panic and having no idea what was happening.

The other was Hyuga Neji, who stared in horror at his father, who was usually so brave and great, now screaming in such a pathetic state.

"My head..."

"Father, what's wrong with you!" Hyuga Neji was filled with panic as he looked at his father, who was clutching his head and screaming in agony.

Just then, Hiashi Hyuga, who was holding a curse seal, walked over with an indifferent expression. "Go back. I will forgive you, you shameless scoundrel, but only for today. You must never forget your destiny."

Beneath the indifferent voice, young Hyuga Neji's eyes were filled with unfamiliarity. This uncle, who seemed like a complete stranger, controlled his father's fate. It seemed that he understood something, but being so young, he couldn't yet tell himself the answer.

Hiashi Hyuga, however, turned away indifferently as he watched his younger brother wail in agony, as if he were talking about something trivial, and left as if he were giving alms.

Hiashi Hyuga left with Hinata Hyuga. One adult walked away indifferently, while the other clutched his head and screamed in agony. At that moment, it seemed as if a rift had formed between the two young figures.

Hinata Hyuga watched this scene in horror, while Neji Hyuga looked at his departing uncle with tears welling up in his eyes; at this moment, he was no longer innocent.

"Father!" Under the terror of being a caged bird, Hyuga Hizashi was filled with embarrassment at this moment, especially when he saw the worried look in his child's eyes. He was filled with pain. He was not ashamed of losing face in front of his child, but hated himself for giving birth to him.

No father wants his child to be bound by fate from a young age. Every father sees his child as the best, but it seems that his child's fate is to protect the main family.

"Neji! Help me, let's go back."

Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain in his mind, Hyuga Hizashi had never hated the main family so much, nor the Caged Bird Clan so much! At the same time, the image of the Uchiha clan and those pale golden snake eyes flashed through his mind.

Orochimaru!

At this moment, Hyuga Hizashi was moved. With concern for his son Neji, the look in his eyes became even more resolute. He could not let his son follow in his footsteps.

He was willing to give his life for the main family, but he didn't want his own children to do the same.

While Hiashi Hyuga remained expressionless after leaving, it was clear that he was filled with anger. He was angry that his younger brother had shown murderous intent. Didn't he know the consequences if the other main families found out?

He was furious! He knew about the feud between the branch family and the main family, but he also loved his younger brother. Although his way of protecting him was somewhat abnormal, it was the only way he could protect him.

He even began to despise his own daughter because of this incident, believing that it was his daughter's low aptitude that caused his younger brother to have such bad thoughts.

Young Hinata Hyuga was terrified and uneasy, unaware that she had been blamed for this incident. Hiashi Hyuga snorted coldly and returned to the mansion, while Hinata Hyuga was too frightened to approach and slowly walked out of the Hyuga mansion in the snow.

……

As snowflakes danced in the air, a young figure appeared in the snow—it was young Hinata Hyuga, her Byakugan eyes seemingly filled with innocence.

"You're from the Hyuga clan? Show us your Byakugan. If you don't want to, don't look at us like that, those eyes are so creepy."

"Yeah, that's right, eyes like those are definitely monster's."

"The White-Eyed Monster".

In the snow, three children are loudly mocking Hinata Hyuga. Perhaps they don't understand, but they have already been taught by their parents.

Class distinctions have always existed. Since the young boy knew about the disdain, he still mocked them so recklessly. It can only be said that he was too young to understand the merits and demerits of bloodline families, and how ignorant he was in his youth.

Starting today, I'll be changing to longer chapters of 4,000 words each. Also, the editor informed me today that we'll try again next week to try for the Three Rivers Award. I ask you all to read and support me on Monday and Tuesday. If we fail to get it, I'll just put it on the shelves.

Thank you to: 'Book Friend 20230119112157703' for the 200 coins, 'Blind Eyes in Autumn' for the 100 coins, and 'Hochfartd' for the 100 coins.

(End of this chapter)