Land of Fire Capital.
On the first day of their stay, when Bai Ye and his two companions arrived, no one came to welcome them.
Inside the inn.
Shisui Uchiha said angrily, "He's obviously trying to put us in our place!"
Shisui was no longer the same as before.
He used to waver constantly between the village and the Uchiha.
But now that Bai Ye had become Hokage, there was no reason to hesitate anymore.
Bai Ye was the Hokage, and the Hokage was Bai Ye!
He no longer had to worry about problems between the village and the Uchiha, nor did he have to keep wavering.
At that thought, the village's old Shisui felt a sudden surge of pride.
Naturally, he was more than a little pissed off by this treatment.
Bai Ye had come here as Hokage, yet not a single person had welcomed him.
Wasn't this a blatant attempt by everyone in the Land of Fire to put Bai Ye in his place?!
"That's only natural. The Land of Fire never approved of how Bai Ye took power. And aside from the First and Second, who might have enjoyed some autonomy, the Land of Fire has stood above Konoha since the Third's time.
"The economy determines the foundation. Shinobi don't produce goods, and most of their missions actually come from here.
"So whether it's Konoha or another village, they all depend heavily on support from the great nations now.
"Take Sunagakure. With the Land of Wind cutting back its support, they can't even wage war against Kirigakure anymore."
Hyuga Hiashi explained slowly.
As far as he was concerned, there was no way around it.
Shinobi were people too. They needed to eat.
And shinobi consumed more than ordinary people in every respect. Food, soldier pills, ninja tools-all of those cost a great deal of money.
The vast majority of missions came from the Land of Fire.
There were missions within the village too, along with some from outside it.
Even then, resources remained insufficient, and the great nations had to provide more every year.
Wasn't that exactly the situation in the relatively poor Land of Wind?!
When it couldn't support Sunagakure and the village neared internal collapse, Sunagakure had to wage war against other villages to ease its internal tensions.
Konoha might have been better off than the other villages.
But if it lost the Land of Fire's support, it would inevitably fall into that same cycle.
That was why they were doing this.
They were certain that Konoha couldn't survive without the Land of Fire.
So even if they tried to put him in his place, he would ultimately have to swallow it.
"Let me ask you something. Why did I get rid of the Third? Because my legs don't bend-I can't kneel!"
"So you want to earn money standing up? Then you'd better go back to the Uchiha Clan!"
Hyuga Hiashi felt rather helpless.
He understood Bai Ye's thinking, but things were different now from when they had been dealing with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"I don't get it. I'm already Hokage, so how am I worse off than a clan head?"
"In the villagers' eyes, you're the Hokage. But in the Daimyo's eyes, you're begging on your knees. You're making money. There's no shame in it!"
That might have been putting it a little harshly.
But Hyuga Hiashi felt that their shinobi village really wasn't much different from a beggar.
After all, they regularly came to the Land of Fire every month to ask for money and resources.
In other people's eyes, wasn't that begging?!
They were simply beggars with considerable strength!
"It's shameful! Fucking shameful!"
"Then do you want to stand, or do you want to make money?"
He was at a loss...
If they swallowed their pride now, the Daimyo would probably still be willing to negotiate.
But Bai Ye clearly had no intention of doing that.
"I want to stand and still make the money!"
"..."
After hearing Bai Ye's words, Hyuga Hiashi didn't know what to say.
This guy...
He clearly wouldn't back down, but Konoha needed their resources right now. What were they supposed to do?!
Konoha was the one asking for help.
Surely Bai Ye wasn't planning to use the same methods against the Daimyo that he had used against Hiruzen Sarutobi?!
That probably wouldn't work, would it?!
"Lord Hokage, how about... letting me handle it?"
Shisui had remained silent off to the side, but now he felt that he ought to step forward.
This matter could be difficult, but it could also be simple.
They just needed to approach it from another angle.
Then it could naturally be resolved, and it was something he could do.
"You're not planning to use Kotoamatsukami, are you?!"
Hyuga Hiashi was shocked.
This...
He actually intended to control the Daimyo with genjutsu?!
Seriously?!
What on earth was he thinking?!
It seemed no one had ever considered this, not even in the days of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
Not even during the more chaotic Warring States Period.
Apparently, nothing like this had ever happened.
Yet judging by Shisui's expression, good grief, he really meant to do it?!
After Hiashi finished, Shisui nodded and said, "That's right. I'll use Kotoamatsukami to alter the Daimyo's will!"
Having said that, Shisui looked at Bai Ye, clearly waiting for his decision.
If Bai Ye agreed, he would go prepare right away.
Hyuga Hiashi said nothing. He simply stared fixedly at Bai Ye, unsure what choice he would make.
Such an act of defiance...
Surely Bai Ye wouldn't agree?!
That was what Hyuga Hiashi thought, but deep down, he felt it wasn't entirely impossible.
After all, what Bai Ye had just said, and what he had done before, were truly insane.
"No need for Kotoamatsukami."
Whew...
Thank goodness. He hasn't gone that crazy!
Hearing Bai Ye's answer, Hyuga Hiashi couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.
He had genuinely feared that Bai Ye would agree to Shisui's request.
After all, this would inevitably change the balance of the shinobi world, and no one knew whether that change would be good or bad.
That was why Hyuga Hiashi felt it was best not to do this.
The two sides could still talk.
Whether it was Konoha or the Land of Fire, even though Konoha currently depended heavily on the Land of Fire...
That didn't mean they were completely powerless against it.
After all, the Land of Fire occupied the richest lands.
All the surrounding countries coveted them.
So in Hyuga Hiashi's view, Bai Ye could actually use that as leverage right now.
Ultimately, things hadn't reached that point yet. Bai Ye didn't need to resort to such extremes immediately.
Fortunately, Bai Ye didn't seem to have that intention either.
But come to think of it, if he remembered correctly, Shisui used to be a moderate among the Uchiha. Why did he seem to be growing more and more extreme now?
Such extreme words had come not from Bai Ye, but from Shisui.
There was something indescribably absurd about that.
"If we don't do that, then are we going to..."
"No... I mean, why would we need Kotoamatsukami to control the Daimyo? I can just use genjutsu!"
Bai Ye shook his head and interrupted Shisui.
Why would this even require Kotoamatsukami?!
Seriously?!
Madara Uchiha and Obito both used their Mangekyo Sharingan to control the Mizukage.
Why would I need Kotoamatsukami to control an ordinary person?!
My genjutsu could control him effortlessly!
Surely I'm not worse than Obito?!
Controlling a Daimyo with his genjutsu would be easy.
And after hearing Bai Ye's words, Hyuga Hiashi went completely numb!
Too narrow!
My perspective was too narrow!
He had actually fallen for Bai Ye's bullshit just now.
He had actually thought Bai Ye had changed his ways and was preparing to take a more refined approach.
So Bai Ye hadn't meant that he didn't want to control the Daimyo at all. He simply didn't want to use Kotoamatsukami and planned to use ordinary genjutsu instead.
Good grief...
That was all he could think!
And these two were discussing this right in front of him, without even trying to hide it?!
He glanced at Shisui, only to find Shisui looking at him too. The moment their eyes met, even the air seemed to grow quieter.
An ominous feeling immediately rose in Hyuga Hiashi's heart...
"Um, should we?!"
Though Shisui hadn't finished his sentence, both of the others present understood what he meant.
Mainly because Shisui was staring straight at Hyuga Hiashi.
His meaning was self-evident.
Should they use Kotoamatsukami to control Hyuga Hiashi?
After all, however they looked at it, Hyuga Hiashi was the only outsider here. At least for now, Shisui was on Bai Ye's side.
And if that was the case, then it really did seem they needed to control him!
If Hyuga Hiashi leaked this matter...
What would the Uchiha and Konoha be branded as then?!
It hardly bore thinking about!
So the best approach was to eliminate every possible risk.
Anything risky was best avoided.
"Shisui, you're being too extreme!"
Bai Ye rubbed his forehead, thinking that Shisui hadn't been like this before!
With those thick brows and honest-looking eyes, how could he say something like that?!
He actually suggested using Kotoamatsukami on Hyuga Hiashi.
Besides, without Hashirama cells, wouldn't that mean he couldn't use it again for ten years?!
"Exactly! Far too extreme!"
Hyuga Hiashi gave Bai Ye a mental thumbs-up!
Truly extreme!
How could these Uchiha be so extreme?!
Hyuga Hiashi felt as though he had just walked past death's door.
Would he still be himself if Kotoamatsukami controlled him?!
Fortunately, Bai Ye had stopped Shisui's plan. Bai Ye really is the moderate, he thought. All the other Uchiha belong to the Radical Faction!
What do you mean, a Radical Faction? They're all radicals!
"Clan Head Hiashi, the reason I said all that is that I want to change this world. I think this world is sick."
"Huh? Oh... it is sick. You're right!"
Hyuga Hiashi had no idea what Bai Ye was trying to say.
When Bai Ye first said that, he was rather bewildered.
Seriously?!
You're saying this world is sick?!
He had a feeling that if he said, "No, Bai Ye, you're wrong," a Kotoamatsukami would immediately come his way.
At this point, Hyuga Hiashi truly didn't dare say anything careless!
Whatever Bai Ye said was right!
"It's the same as the problem between the Hyuga Main Family and the branch family. You've always wanted to change it, but you've never been able to. The real problem lies with this world, not the Hyuga Clan."
Bai Ye paid no attention to Hyuga Hiashi's attitude.
He could more or less guess what Hyuga Hiashi was thinking at that moment.
He had a fairly clear idea of how much of Hyuga Hiashi's agreement was sincere and how much was driven by other motives.
So he had never intended to wait for Hyuga Hiashi to say anything. In the end, the man probably wouldn't have much to say anyway.
He simply spoke his mind.
Hyuga Hiashi was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Bai Ye to bring this up so suddenly.
And the issue between the Main Family and the branch family?!
How did that become a problem with the entire world?!
An indescribable feeling stirred in his heart.
Perhaps Hyuga Hiashi had indeed been thinking exactly what Bai Ye had suspected earlier.
He had simply felt that he was in danger. After all, he had come along with Bai Ye mainly to discuss that particular matter.
He hadn't come to hear about a bunch of unrelated things.
And then somehow end up under Kotoamatsukami!
That was absolutely the last thing Hyuga Hiashi wanted.
That was why he had kept agreeing with Bai Ye earlier.
But now...
Bai Ye seemed to have something else in mind?!
Had he been too narrow-minded?!
"What do you mean?!"
After a moment of silence, Hyuga Hiashi asked.
Since Bai Ye said this wasn't a problem with the Hyuga Clan, but with the entire world.
He wanted to know exactly what Bai Ye had in mind.
Shisui was wondering the same thing.
Bai Ye's words reminded Shisui of their first meeting, when Bai Ye had said something similar to him.
Back then, however, he hadn't given it much thought. He had simply felt that Bai Ye was too extreme.
Of course, Bai Ye hadn't elaborated either.
So at the time, he had only gained a little understanding. Beyond that, he hadn't been very clear on anything.
But when Bai Ye brought up the same point again, curiosity stirred in Shisui's heart.
"Clearly, the problem lies in the world's structure. Why is such a small Shinobi World divided into so many ninja villages and countries?
Why should the daimyo stand above everyone else? They enjoy privileges generation after generation. A commoner's son becomes a commoner, a ninja's son becomes a ninja, and a noble's son becomes a noble.
What I want to do is change that situation and give everyone a chance to change their own destiny.
Instead of letting others lord it over us. We ninja risk our lives, and commoners toil away. But what about the nobles?!
The nobles control everything from behind the scenes and enjoy it all, simply because their fathers were nobles. And they keep enjoying all those privileges.
That's why I say that whether it's the branch family or the Main Family, any village, or even the commoners!
None of them ever needed to live this way in the first place.
So it's this world that's sick. The fault lies with this world of yours.
What we need to do... is turn this world away from the wrong path..."
Before you continue