"Lord Chiba, forgive my presumption, but may I ask—did you come here this time solely for this matter?"
Facing Chiba's thanks, Hyuga Hiashi sat upright and dipped his head slightly, maintaining the same level of courtesy as Chiba. He did not make Chiba feel as though he was lowering himself; even when expressing apology and gratitude, he did so from a position of equal etiquette.
Clearly, Hyuga Hiashi still attached great importance to Chiba and held him in a very high place in his heart.
After all, although the young man before him was far younger than he was, in terms of status and ability, Hyuga Hiashi knew himself to be inferior.
It had to be said that, even though there had been bad blood between them, in Hyuga Hiashi's eyes, the young man before him was still Konoha's Future—someone who could lead Konoha toward greater prosperity and perhaps even change the entire Shinobi World.
Moreover, as things stood, as long as this young man remained in Konoha, Konoha would have the strongest backbone in the current Shinobi World.
Because the Shinobi World was no longer what it had once been. Uchiha Nobuhiko's existence had, without a doubt, produced another Madara Uchiha—an existence completely above the Five Great Ninja Villages. And the only one capable of standing against Uchiha Nobuhiko was the young man before him.
Even in Uchiha Nobuhiko's debut battle, the one who had faced him head-on was this young man, who had also dealt Uchiha Nobuhiko his first defeat.
It could be said that the entire Shinobi World both feared and relied on the young man before him. Everyone needed him, and Konoha, as the village where he resided, naturally benefited greatly.
Although Hyuga Hiashi rarely left his home, he was still well informed and knew quite