blogombal Chapter 280 Political Turmoil
Chapter 280 Political Turmoil
Just then, a group of Konoha ninja arrived at the scene like a whirlwind. Their faces displayed a complex mix of emotions—shock, sorrow, anger, and more—especially those of the ANBU ninja who were fiercely loyal to Hiruzen Sarutobi. When they discovered that Hiruzen Sarutobi showed no signs of life, their hearts were filled with fear and unease. Their first thought was to stop Hyuga Kanan from leaving, as he had been observing the battle from within.
However, just as these ANBU ninjas were preparing to take action, Kakashi Hatake stepped forward and blocked their path, signaling them not to easily provoke Hyuga Kanan. Kakashi knew that although he didn't fully understand Hyuga Kanan's strength, he was certain that Konoha at the moment couldn't afford to offend such a figure. At this moment, Konoha's most urgent tasks were, on the one hand, to quickly eliminate the remaining forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure, and on the other hand, to restore order to the entire village and get it back on track.
Hyuga Kanan completely disregarded those Konoha ninjas, not even bothering to acknowledge them. He immediately returned to the Hyuga clan's territory and entered seclusion.
His trip to Konoha Village had indeed yielded some unexpected gains. Now, he needed to seize this inspiration and opportunity, continuously refine his understanding, and seek a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the Hyuga clan maintained its usual order and did not descend into chaos due to the turmoil within Konoha. Members of the clan continued to fulfill their duties, protecting the land.
Konoha's strength was indeed formidable; in just one day, they successfully annihilated the remnants of Sunagakure and Otogakure. However, while the battle was won, the cost was heavy—the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, tragically died in battle. His departure plunged Konoha into chaos, making various affairs difficult to manage. After all, this old man held immense prestige in Konoha, and his existence played a crucial role in the village's stability. Now that he was gone, many things needed to be readjusted and arranged to ensure Konoha could continue to function normally.
The Konoha leadership also discovered a fatal problem: after losing Hiruzen Sarutobi, maintaining their power became extremely difficult. Lacking the strength and ability to secure their power, they immediately turned their attention to Jiraiya, who had returned to Konoha. They were acutely aware that their power stemmed from the Hokage, but without the Hokage's support, they were no longer entitled to enjoy the resources that came with that power. This was the consequence of holding high positions in Konoha without the necessary capabilities.
Jiraiya was the perfect Hokage candidate in their eyes. They knew very well that Jiraiya wasn't interested in power, nor did he have the energy or interest to assume the responsibilities of Hokage. If Jiraiya became Hokage, then they would be needed to ensure the smooth operation of Konoha. At that time, they might gain even greater power.
Unfortunately, while Jiraiya wasn't power-hungry, he wasn't politically naive either. He knew perfectly well that he wasn't cut out to be Hokage, and that Konoha truly needed change. However, he lacked the ability to lead Konoha through its revival and get it back on track. He also understood the Konoha leadership who supported his becoming Hokage; these people were obstacles to Konoha's development, using his position to maintain their power. But Jiraiya, a man deeply devoted to Konoha, had the opportunity to change the village and revive it. How could he allow these people to continue feeding on Konoha? He decisively refused to become the next Hokage.
Jiraiya was well aware that he lacked the ability to lead Konoha to revival; his best role was to serve as Konoha's external fighting force. He knew in his heart that Orochimaru was the most suitable person to become the new Hokage, but his defection and current plans to destroy Konoha meant the villagers wouldn't support him. The next best option was Tsunade, who had supported Sakumo Hatake's rise to Hokage and had her own insights into Konoha's development. While she wasn't interested in becoming Hokage, she was capable of inheriting the position. The only problem was persuading Tsunade to return to the village and inherit the Hokage position—capable but uninterested. Furthermore, Hiruzen Sarutobi's methods against Sakumo Hatake and his leadership of Konoha over the years had already deeply disappointed Tsunade, even diminishing her feelings for the village. Convincing her to return and inherit the position wouldn't be easy. However, Jiraiya believed there was still a glimmer of hope. After all, Konoha was founded by her two grandfathers, who had invested immense effort in its development; she couldn't possibly watch Konoha perish in the ninja world.
Having already planned ahead, Jiraiya calmly proposed to the Konoha leadership that Tsunade should inherit the Hokage position. He also stated that he would personally go to Konoha to bring Tsunade back to the village and let her succeed to the Hokage title. This made the Konoha leaders present understand Jiraiya's meaning.
The meaning is very simple and clear: Konoha will return to its rightful place, with a descendant of the Senju clan once again inheriting the Hokage position. Moreover, this descendant possesses both the strength and ability to succeed to the Hokage title. Jiraiya's statement indicates his full support. Most clans in Konoha clearly support this return to its rightful place, and Tsunade, in terms of strength, ability, and most importantly, her background, is perfectly suited to inherit the Hokage position.
The current Konoha leadership naturally opposes Tsunade inheriting the Hokage position, but they dare not express it. They are well aware of Jiraiya's intentions and the attitudes of the various ninja clans in Konoha. They can only place their hopes on Hiruzen Sarutobi's three equally powerful allies. After all, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane control the most powerful departments in Konoha, with Danzo even possessing his own private army. However, they were disappointed. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane immediately expressed their support for Jiraiya's suggestion, even proposing that Shikaku Nara, who had been sidelined from the Konoha leadership, join the existing management as the leader of the Jonin team to maintain Konoha's stability. They would then wait for Tsunade to return to Konoha and assume the Hokage position, after which Tsunade would make new arrangements.
Upon hearing this, Danzo Shimura's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint, but it vanished in an instant. He quickly concealed it, sensing Jiraiya's gaze fixed intently on him. Any hesitation would be met with a fierce attack. More importantly, Shikaku Nara represented not just himself, but the attitude of most of the ninja clans in Konoha. If he expressed opposition now, the united clans would not tolerate his continued presence in Konoha. Therefore, despite his deep reluctance to let Tsunade return to Konoha and inherit the Hokage position, he dared not voice his opposition. In Konoha, Jiraiya and the ninja clans had clearly reached a consensus: they firmly supported Tsunade's succession as Hokage, and their stance was exceptionally resolute.
In fact, the ninja clans of Konoha were extremely dissatisfied and disappointed with the village's current leadership. Whether for the sake of protecting their clan's lineage or for the future of Konoha, they were determined not to allow someone like Hiruzen Sarutobi to become the next Hokage. Danzo Shimura was a prime example of this. While ambitious, he lacked the practical ability to lead the village. Furthermore, his thirst for power and status bordered on greed. Such a person would only be a stumbling block to Konoha's development and revival, and he absolutely could not be given any opportunity to even consider the Hokage position. This was not only a matter of Konoha's future but also of the safety and happiness of all the villagers. Therefore, they were determined to prevent such a person from seizing the Hokage position.
After the discussion, Jiraiya showed a hint of helplessness. He was actually feeling very irritable. He didn't want to argue with these people about the distribution of power, but because of his emotional ties to Konoha, he could only grit his teeth and persevere, even though he was impatient. He believed that once Tsunade returned to the village, it would be revitalized and Konoha would be revived.
Now that discussions with the village have concluded, the final step needs to be completed within the village. Jiraiya's figure flashed, quickly heading towards the Hyuga clan's territory. He needed to have a proper conversation with Hyuga Kanan, letting him know the other's attitude towards Konoha. At the same time, he also needed to have a good talk with the Hyuga clan, getting them back into Konoha's system.
Jiraiya was filled with doubt and confusion. He simply couldn't understand why his teacher would treat the Hyuga clan this way, especially provoking a powerful figure like Hyuga Kanan. This perplexed Jiraiya, because the Hyuga clan had always been a crucial strategic force for Konoha, even more vital than the Uchiha clan.
Jiraiya knew full well that the Hyuga clan had never participated in Konoha's political conflicts, maintaining a neutral stance and dedicating all their energy to protecting the village. At the same time, the Hyuga clan generously sent its best ninja to join the Konoha ninja ranks to jointly safeguard the village's security. It could be said that the Hyuga clan was the most law-abiding, loyal, and reliable noble family in Konoha.
However, unexpectedly, this once harmonious family is now being ruthlessly forced by their teacher, completely isolated from Konoha Village. Worse still, Jiraiya hears that the Hyuga clan is considering relocating entirely out of Konoha. This news shocks him; he cannot imagine that his teacher's actions could lead to such dire consequences.