Chaos

Chaos was not a pit. Chaos was a ladder.

Many tried to climb, but failed, and would never have another chance—they fell to their deaths.

Some had the chance to climb, yet refused. They clung to their kingdoms, their gods, their love—all illusions.

Only the ladder was real. Climbing was all there was to life.

Neji stood atop Hokage Rock, looking down over the chaotic village, the lingering tremor of Inner Qi still clinging to his fingertips.

For some reason, a passage he had liked in his previous life suddenly resurfaced in his mind. Seeing how fitting it was for the present situation, Neji felt as if a dream had shone into reality.

At some point, the moonlight had turned blood-red. He suddenly remembered the scent of Dreambell Flowers in the shrine last night—that poison, which should have induced pleasant hallucinations, was now burning an icy clarity into his veins.

"Abnormal chakra flow?"

The Medical Corps captain had rushed over with her hair loose, medical chakra circulating around Xiao Jie's body. "There are no external injuries at any of his chakra points, but..." Her voice suddenly trembled. The waveform on the monitor was displaying an eerie heartbeat rhythm—one no human should possess.

"I'm sorry, Elder, but I haven't found anything. Did this happen suddenly? Has he met anyone recently, or suffered any injuries?"

The elder's clothes were disheveled. Though he stood straight, he could not hide the panic in his eyes. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Nothing unusual. Xiao Jie has been under this old man's watch these past few days. It was impossible for him to have contacted anyone else. Think of something else. No matter the cost, cure him."

"Save me... It hurts... It hurts so much... Mm... Aah... Grandpa... It hurts so much..."

Kosuke Hyuga's cries echoed through the mansion like the wails of a ghost. Everyone who heard them felt their hairs stand on end, unable to imagine what kind of agony could produce such miserable screams.

When members of the Branch House met, their faces remained grim, but they could not suppress the schadenfreude in their eyes.

"Clan Head!"

"The Clan Head is here!"

"Clan Head, this is what happened... At present, everyone is at a loss, and even the Medical Corps has no clue!" Someone described the events to Hiashi Hyuga.

Hiashi silently surveyed the room, taking in everyone's expressions. When he saw the elder standing beside the bed with a dark face, an inexplicable flicker of satisfaction rose in his heart.

"Does the Nara Clan have any solution? Ask the Yamanaka Clan to see whether he has been struck by some kind of mental secret technique..." Hiashi said after a moment of silence.

"Yes!"

One of the accompanying men answered and left.

When Neji returned from the Konoha training grounds, he saw members of the Nara Clan and Yamanaka Clan leaving the Hyuga Clan District while shaking their heads, and he could not help sneering inwardly.

Even Tsunade wouldn't be able to find out what happened. Hmph, but this is part of my plan. Go on, hurry up and find her. Bring Tsunade back, and I'll show some mercy.

"What? Cough... cough... Even the Nara and Yamanaka families have no solution?" An aged voice, mixed with coughs from inhaling tobacco, sounded in the Hokage Tower. After hearing the ANBU report, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage known as the Professor, could not help voicing his doubts.

"No. They said there were no traces of residual spiritual power, nor were there any physical wounds. It seems as though he has been cursed. He just keeps screaming!"

"A curse..." Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone was thick with suspicion. "What are the Hyuga Clan plotting now?"

"Lord Hokage, the Hyuga Clan Head and the elder request an audience." An ANBU came to report.

"Let them in!" Hiruzen said, then turned and sat behind his desk. The portraits of the previous Hokage on the wall radiated imposing authority even through the curling smoke.

"Lord Hokage, please immediately send someone to bring Tsunade back. This old man's grandson may not be able to hold on much longer."

The elder spoke in a low voice as soon as he entered.

"Tsunade's whereabouts are uncertain. The Jonin have all gone on missions, and there are not enough people stationed at the border. There is nothing I can do, either. If I send Chunin or Genin, you know Tsunade's temperament. She will not show them any respect."

Hiruzen took a draw from his pipe, slowly exhaled, and refused.

The elder's face darkened further. "The Hyuga Clan should contribute to the border defense. This old man will have Hyuga Ryota lead a Hyuga squad and place them under the Hokage's command."

The elder lowered his head as he spoke.

The Third Hokage's eyes lit up, and his pipe crackled as he smoked. "I will dispatch ANBU to search for Tsunade's whereabouts. But you know Tsunade's fee for making a move..."

The elder's cheek twitched as he looked up at Hiashi.

Hiashi merely turned to look at the portraits of the previous Hokage, as if their mighty bearing had drawn his attention, ignoring the elder's plea for help.

"Twenty million ryo!"

The Third Hokage said nothing.

"Twenty million ryo. As long as Tsunade comes, she will receive it upon arrival. If she cures Xiao Jie, there will be another thirty million ryo." The elder nearly crushed his molars before forcing out those words.

"Good, hehehe. Your luck is truly quite good. Tsunade just happened to send word that she is in the capital of the Land of Fire. I'll send someone to invite her at once, hehehe..." The Third Hokage chuckled as he summoned ANBU and gave the orders.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage..."

Hiashi and the elder took their leave together.

After turning away, Hiashi sneered inwardly. What message? I'm afraid the whereabouts of all three of your disciples are completely under your control.

Hiashi understood this Hokage's methods better than anyone. He wanted everything under his control and would not allow anything unexpected to occur.

As the victorious side, they could have resolved the Raikage's demands simply by taking a firmer stance. Yet, in order to seize the chance to suppress the Hyuga Clan, the Hokage had initiated the conflict first, forcing the Hyuga Clan to lose a Jonin in order to balance the weakened position of the Hokage's faction after the war.

Hiashi had once naively entertained fantasies about that position as well. But after experiencing all this, he was no fool. Naturally, he could see that the position of Hokage would never be allowed to fall under the control of someone from a great clan.

From then on, playing along with the Hokage became part of his daily life.

Neji did not know what had happened in between, nor whether things were unfolding according to his expectations, but it did not matter. As long as the result was right, that was enough.

That was how schemes and conspiracies worked. First, lay the cards in one's hand on the table, then decide which one to play according to how events developed.

As for whether Tsunade would give the village face, Neji could not help wanting to laugh when he thought of Tsunade's nickname, the Legendary Sucker. In the Naruto World, nothing was more worthy of being called metaphysical than that.

Tsunade, who was drowning in debt, would not refuse money delivered right to her door. Once she returned to Konoha and treated Xiao Jie, Neji would step in to ease the Soul-Seizing Needle's effects, preserving Tsunade's image as a miracle doctor. When the time came for Neji to approach her, things would surely go much more smoothly.

With the village's efficiency and the Jonin's speed, Tsunade should return within the next few days. I need to find a secluded place to meet her.

The major gambling houses of Konoha began flashing through Neji's mind as he compared their locations one by one, analyzing the places Tsunade frequented.

When the casino closest to the Senju Clan Compound crossed Neji's mind, he raised an eyebrow. It should be you. There is a chance she would deliberately avoid it because of her debts, but having unexpectedly made a fortune for free, she is more likely to go show off in front of people.