Mitokado Hamura paused, turning to fix a stern gaze on her.
"I hope you can control your temper before this war ends. Tsunade is not our enemy."
"And what about Hyuga Shinki?"
Koharu Utane's face darkened at being accused of a bad temper. She stood up abruptly.
"You also agreed to reveal the core secrets of the puppets and their production."
"So what?" Mitokado Homura replied indifferently.
"Hiruzen is more anxious than any of us. If Hyuga Shinki truly refuses to hand over the puppet and its core secrets, I believe Hiruzen will take the initiative to persuade Tsunade to maintain the cooperation."
If we cannot control the puppet's core secrets, we can always cooperate to produce the puppet. Isn't that the essence of it?
As I've said, everything is for the village.
Why not take a step back?
"... You're good, Homura. You always seem the most upright, but I think you have the darkest heart," Utane thought, clenching her fists.
"But are you willing?" she asked.
"What choice do we have if we're not?"
Mitokado Homura shook his head slightly. "If Hyuga Shinki refuses to hand over the secrets, and Tsunade refuses to cooperate, do you really think we could resort to force? Could we take what we want by force?"
Don't be absurd.
Hyuga Shinki...
You can covet his knowledge, you can even try to scheme your way to obtain it, but you can't touch him directly. The consequences would be too severe. "Keep a low profile for now to avoid Tsunade targeting us. Let Hiruzen deal with the puppet matter. After all, he's the Hokage, isn't he?"
Watching Mitokado Homura's retreating figure, Koharu Utane suppressed her urge to spit on the floor in frustration. Yet, when she thought about it carefully, there was truth in his words.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was the Hokage. Even if they got what they wanted, at most, they'd just reap minor benefits, while Sarutobi held all the power. As the Third Hokage, why should they expose themselves and attract unwanted attention?
Tsunade had already taken action against the Hyuga clan. If pushed further, they might become targets themselves.
So, leaving the mess to the Third Hokage was indeed the right move.
That evening, several elders of the Hyuga clan were released. However, only elders from the branch families were set free, while those from the main family remained guests in the Anbu's interrogation rooms, courtesy of Tsunade.
"Hahaha..." Shinki couldn't help but laugh as he read the scroll sent by Tsunade. This was too amusing.
With the clan head away, the elders had been detained in Anbu, forcing the clan leader to rush back to the village.
Tsunade's strategy was truly masterful.
"Let me see, let me see," Jiraiya said eagerly, peering over Shinki's shoulder. The sight of Shinki's grin made him desperate to know what was written in the scroll.
"Get your own look!" Shinki smacked Jiraiya's hand away, annoyed.
"There are so many beds, but you choose to squeeze in here. What's wrong? Is my lounge more comfortable?" Shinki asked.
"Heh heh," Jiraiya chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head. Hatake Sakumo, who sat nearby, coughed and averted his gaze.
While resting in the medical room, the two men had conspired to move their beds into Shinki's lounge the moment he left for the operating room.
"We're just trying to relieve the crowding in the medical room," Sakumo offered, his voice hesitant.
Jiraiya, unbothered by being scolded, still smiled mischievously.
"Yeah, right," Shinki replied dryly. "If it were just one bed, maybe I'd believe you, but moving *all* the beds? Come on."
When Shinki had returned from surgery, he'd been stunned to find two extra beds squeezed into his modestly-sized rest area, making it feel like a makeshift barracks.
"Alright, out with it—why are you here? If you don't tell me the truth, I'll have you move the beds back," Shinki warned. He wasn't keen on sharing his space with two grown men, especially Jiraiya, who could be insufferably obnoxious.
"Fine," Jiraiya admitted, exasperated. "The medical ladies were just too enthusiastic, and neither my senior nor I could handle it."
Hatake Sakumo covered his face, groaning internally. Why did he trust Jiraiya's antics?
Shinki's eyes glinted with sarcasm. Sure, he could believe that Sakumo, with his quiet charm, attracted admirers. But Jiraiya? The fact that they didn't brand him a pest was already generous.
Kicking the bed with annoyance, Shinki said, "Enough. I'll accept that Sakumo can't handle the attention. As for you, Jiraiya, I think you're just envious and dragged him here for company."
"Don't say I'm heartless. I don't want to share space with big men, so move your beds outside. During your recovery period, you're allowed to eat with me."
"That's my limit—no negotiations."
Jiraiya opened his mouth to protest, but Shinki cut him off with a sharp look. Begrudgingly, Jiraiya jumped up and started dragging the bed out, grumbling to Sakumo, "See? I told you Shinki wouldn't send us back to the medical room, just out of his lounge."
Sakumo sighed, moving silently, regretting every moment that led him here.
Once the beds were relocated, the two returned to the lounge. Sakumo settled on a chair and sipped tea, while Jiraiya picked up his pen and paper, returning to his scribbling.
Shinki sat on his bed, observing the worried look in Sakumo's eyes. Since returning for treatment, Sakumo had been burdened with guilt, convinced that his command failures had led to the elite unit's decimation on the battlefield.
Jiraiya, sensing his friend's struggle, had pulled him along to Shinki in hopes of lifting his spirits. But now, they sat in silence, with even the relief of company offering little solace.
"Senior," Shinki began softly.
Sakumo's eyes met his, forced into a strained smile.
Jiraiya set down his pen, scratching his head again, unsure how to break through Sakumo's guilt. He had tried in the ward, but nothing had worked.
"You can't avoid responsibility, but the comrades who fell wouldn't want to see you caught in this cycle of guilt," Shinki said carefully.
"I haven't avoided responsibility," Sakumo replied with a heavy sigh.
It was precisely because he accepted responsibility that he carried such weight.
"No, you have, in a way," Shinki continued, his voice steady.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 220 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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