Chapter 38: I Can Hardly Afford to Eat
Uchiha...
When Ryosuke heard that Tokugawa Shige was planning to use the Uchiha as a scapegoat to dodge negotiations, he found it quite bizarre.
Others might not understand, but Ryosuke knew the truth.
Right now, the Uchiha clan's relationship with the village was hanging by a thread. Ever since the Nine-Tails Rebellion, the village leadership's suspicion and hostility toward the Uchiha had only intensified, reaching an all-time high.
If not for a small butterfly effect shifting the course of events, the Uchiha might have already been erased from existence within half a year.
Who would have thought that the Uchiha—this proud, powerful clan with deep roots going all the way back to the Warring States Period—would one day be reduced to just a few survivors, squabbling amongst themselves in the shadows?
Still, Ryosuke had no intention of getting involved in that matter for now. There was time—plenty of time.
Right now, his priority was contending with the daimyo for resources and influence.
He turned to Tokugawa Shigeshige, who was putting on a pitiful act and lamenting that the country had no money. Ryosuke's voice was calm and composed as he asked:
"Your Highness Tokugawa, I wonder—when Hidden Cloud Village came to the Land of Fire on a diplomatic mission not long ago, did they happen to visit you?"
"Hidden Cloud?"
Tokugawa Shigeshige paused, blinking in confusion. Then he nodded.
"Yes, they did. They brought some gifts from the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning."
He still couldn't quite grasp what Ryosuke was getting at.
"A gift? How generous of them," Ryosuke said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Actually… they brought a 'gift' for Konoha too. They tried to kidnap a member of our Hyuga clan in the middle of the night. Wanted to steal our bloodline for research.
Fortunately, we caught them red-handed."
"...A night raid?"
Tokugawa Shigeshige's face darkened in an instant. The usual mask of polite discomfort vanished—this was real.
Because he hadn't been informed.
Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't told him a thing.
The Hokage of Konoha and the Daimyo of the Land of Fire were separate powers. They generally cooperated but kept out of each other's internal affairs. Still, something like this—a foreign act of aggression that could lead to war—should have been communicated.
Yet Sarutobi had kept it quiet.
Has the old man lost his mind? Tokugawa thought bitterly. Does he really think we common officials don't need to prepare for war until it's already at our doorstep?!
His anger surged like a wave, but he managed to suppress it. He couldn't let it show—not yet.
Forcing himself to stay composed, he asked in a grave tone, "Is there going to be war?"
Because after something like that, it seemed inevitable.
The nation had just begun to stabilize again, and now the threat of war loomed on the horizon. Why can't these damn shinobi just sit still for once?
But Ryosuke only smiled faintly, sipping his tea as he answered.
"The Third Lord asked the Hyuga clan to keep things quiet. He hopes to resolve the matter peacefully. In return, we're negotiating for compensation. Right now, the village elders are still in talks with Hidden Cloud about the terms."
"...A peaceful resolution?"
Tokugawa blinked again, then let out a relieved sigh.
"Well, that's... sensible of Sarutobi. Finally realizing that our national strength can't handle another full-scale war. I was worried those battle-hungry ninja would charge straight into another fight."
Maybe age had mellowed the Third Hokage. In the past, something like this would have had him mobilizing troops within a day. But now…
Yes, Tokugawa saw it clearly—Hiruzen was changing. Getting older. Calmer. Maybe even wise.
But Ryosuke's eyes sharpened.
"So you believe," he said slowly, "that when someone bullies us and we choose peace instead of standing our ground, that's what makes us sensible?"
His voice had lost its gentleness.
He no longer called him "Your Highness."
"This..."
Tokugawa stiffened. He suddenly remembered that the person sitting across from him represented the clan most deeply hurt by this incident.
"W-Well... no, that's not what I meant. I mean—yes, I think it's unfair too. Very unfair."
He cleared his throat awkwardly, fumbling for a safe answer.
Ryosuke stood up with a snap.
"Exactly! It's too frustrating!" he declared, his voice ringing through the room. "Maybe we should head back right now and tell the Third Lord to abandon this humiliating strategy—mobilize the ninja corps and fight back!"
"N-No, no, Master Ryosuke, please calm down!"
Tokugawa rushed over to him, trying to ease the growing tension. "I understand the anger, but you must see the reality. Our Fire Nation simply doesn't have the strength for another war right now."
"But Hidden Cloud is bullying us!"
Ryosuke threw off Tokugawa's hand with exaggerated emotion. "We in the Land of Fire have never backed down! Even if we're weaker than before, our spirit—our pride—should never be lost!"
He took a deep breath and swept his gaze across the room.
"From Konoha to Fire Nation, I've seen firsthand how proud our people are to be citizens of this nation. And yet now, we're expected to swallow our anger and bend our knees in negotiations?"
Behind him, Souji and Hoshicai, who had been enjoying some snacks, froze.
It was the first time they had ever seen the gentle, always-smiling Master Ryosuke lose his composure like this.
But his words lit a fire in their chests.
Souji tossed aside the dessert in his hand and shouted, "He's right! Hidden Cloud went too far! They tried to kidnap the Hyuga clan's main branch heir! We must return and convince the clan head to pressure the Hokage into reversing his decision!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
How could something so vile be swept under the rug?
If they could get the daimyo's support, then maybe, just maybe, the Third Hokage would be forced to reconsider.
"Calm down, all of you! Please!"
Tokugawa was practically panicking now. He glanced at the carpet, now stained by the tossed sweets, and then at the three furious Hyuga clan members in front of him. He wished he could rewind time and take back every word that made it seem like he agreed with the attack.
"And from what I heard," Ryosuke continued, voice now colder, "the envoys we sent to negotiate compensation in Kumogakure haven't gotten anything solid. They're stalling. No resolution in sight."
He took a step forward.
"It's ridiculous! Our Hyuga clan has always sacrificed and served to protect this land, and now we're being treated like this? There are members of our clan who can't even afford to eat!"
He clutched Tokugawa's hand with both of his.
"Do you know what that feels like, Lord Tokugawa? I can't even afford to eat!"
The tension, the raw emotion, the flawless delivery—it left Tokugawa Shigeshige completely speechless.
Something about this didn't feel right, but at the same time…
He couldn't find a single thing to say in return.
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