Chapter 218: Being Manipulated by Others
"What?" Several main family members were stunned, completely not expecting to pass so easily.
If this were the Sarutobi Hiruzen era, even during peaceful times they'd still be frequently dragged in for reprimands. If encountering such a major incident, they wouldn't escape without being stripped of a layer of skin.
But now...
Could it be...
The several people's gazes met, immediately understanding each other with tacit agreement reached silently.
One person immediately opened his mouth to probe cautiously:
"Lord Jiraiya, to help the village rebuild, our Hyuga clan is willing to donate three hundred million ryo to the village. Please accept it, Lord Jiraiya."
"Oh, this is truly wonderful!" Jiraiya was extremely pleased, his furrowed brow relaxing considerably. "The village currently needs rebuilding desperately—precisely when money is needed. Your willingness to donate so much money to the village is truly a tremendous help."
"Of course, it's all for the village. This is what we should do!" The smiles on several main family members' faces grew more fawning, but their previously bowed backs straightened considerably.
Their previously discussed psychological bottom line had been planning to donate three billion ryo. But discovering this Hokage Jiraiya seemed unexpectedly rather "reasonable," they simply took a massive cut, reducing the originally prepared donation amount from three billion ryo to three hundred million ryo.
Originally they'd been anxious, eyes tightly watching Jiraiya's expression. As long as Jiraiya frowned even slightly, someone would immediately jump out to play the generous role, increasing the money's amount.
Poor political novice Jiraiya fundamentally didn't know this money was "life-buying money" the Hyuga main family used to evade responsibility. He truly thought these main family members were just contributing to the village!
He completely wasted the excellent opportunity presented by the Third's murder. He didn't take advantage to ruthlessly extort the Hyuga main family for a bamboo pole's worth. Instead, his heart felt pleased, thinking the village's centripetal force was strong enough, that the Hyuga clan was willing to make sacrifices. He praised the Hyuga main family quite enthusiastically several times.
At this point, what didn't the Hyuga main family understand? Immediately they placed their hearts back in their stomachs, straightened their backs, restored the main family's bearing, and began speaking officiously with Jiraiya, saying polite pleasantries.
Jiraiya hated these things most. After speaking with them a few sentences, he turned to handle affairs, no longer paying attention to them.
At this time, the battlefield had been cleaned up almost completely. The rebellious branch family members had almost all died. Only some remaining were heavily wounded—nothing much left to handle. Just collect the bodies and be done.
After a simple count, they discovered that at some unknown time, Hyuga Neji had also disappeared—most likely rescued by Uchiha Yasushi.
At this point, the life or death of one branch family shinobi was no longer that important. Even if he was the rebellion's chief villain, there was no need to pay excessive attention.
"Later issue a wanted order listing him as an S-rank rogue ninja!" Jiraiya frowned and sighed.
According to his true feelings, he didn't feel Neji's choice was wrong. But his position stood there. He was now the next Hokage and could only do this.
On another side, Yasushi had already reunited with Zetsu and others.
"Is this person still useful? Why did you want to save him again?" Zetsu handed the captured Neji to Yasushi, asking with a smile.
Yasushi activated his ocular power, treating Neji's severe injuries somewhat, then handed him back to Zetsu, pointing at White Zetsu:
"Give Neji a White Zetsu arm."
"I remember that Hyuga Hanabi is also in your hands. Send her over to me later—I have use for her."
"What scheme are you plotting now?" Zetsu asked curiously.
Yasushi ignored him, merely walking forward with a grin.
Zetsu followed behind, chasing to ask:
"I thought you'd kill Itachi. Why didn't you attack in the end?"
"Hehe..." This time Yasushi didn't play coy, directly answering with a laugh: "I said long ago—death would be far too cheap for him."
"Eyes closing, legs stiffening, not caring about anything anymore—that would be too blissful."
"I'm still living in this hell. How could I bear to let him enjoy blessings in the underworld?"
"Itachi now only has his obsession collapsed, his entire person utterly despairing, but it's not desperate enough yet!"
"Don't underestimate Itachi. Sooner or later he'll emerge from that state. At that time, I'll arrange new plots for him."
"Oh, so that's how it is. But what if he can't emerge?"
"Hehe..." Hearing Zetsu's question, Yasushi laughed strangely. "Then I'll arrange people to help him, guide him out!"
"Look how kind I am, how willing to help others!"
"Tsk tsk, your twisted interests are growing heavier!" Zetsu laughed once, then asked: "What about Jiraiya? Did you also arrange new plots for him?"
"Of course!" Yasushi spoke animatedly: "There's a saying: liars die from honesty, the loyal die from betrayal."
"Jiraiya is an idealist, so he should be killed by his own ideals!"
"I hope he'll enjoy the little gift I carefully prepared for him!"
In Yasushi's strange laughter, the group walked farther and farther, gradually disappearing under the setting sun.
In Konoha Village, after a bout of chaos, they finally roughly cleaned up the mess brought by the Hyuga rebellion.
But very quickly, Jiraiya encountered his first difficulty.
"What do you mean they can't be buried in the clan cemetery?"
"Exactly what it sounds like!" The main family member interfacing with Jiraiya spoke righteously: "These branch family members are traitors! How can they be buried in the clan cemetery?"
"We haven't displayed their corpses publicly—that's already considering we're all one clan."
"Lord Jiraiya, this is our Hyuga clan's internal affair. You'd better not interfere?"
"But..." Jiraiya's gaze looked past that main family member. Behind them, many branch family members currently showed mournful faces. Quite a few people stood before certain corpses silently weeping—clearly unable to let go of feelings for these rebellious branch family members.
Though their philosophies differed, these surviving branch family members actually knew the rebellious branch family had fought for the branch family's future, only their methods were too extreme. Having been instigated by bad people, this led to tragic results.
If asking these branch family members' opinions, even though they'd previously killed each other with these deceased, at this moment most would probably be willing for them to enter the clan cemetery for eternal rest, right?
The dead settle all debts!
"Hmph!" As if detecting Jiraiya's sympathy for those rebellious branch family members, that main family member spoke with a cold, displeased expression: "Lord Jiraiya, if you have any objections to this, why don't you send these people into the village's public cemetery?"
"Alright, then..." Jiraiya sighed, just about to agree. Nara Shikaku behind him hurriedly spoke to stop him.
"Wait a moment, Lord Jiraiya."
"I understand your pity for these former village comrades, but they've already been designated rogue ninja—they cannot enter the village's public cemetery."
"You... should at least consider the village's other fallen shinobi's relatives, as well as their clans' views on this matter!"
"This..." Jiraiya wasn't completely ignorant of worldly affairs after all. Just sometimes when considering problems he was rather single-track, following his heart completely without considering so much. Now reminded by Nara Shikaku, he immediately understood.
He stammered for a long time, ultimately having no choice but to compromise, sighing: "Then... then handle them as rogue ninja!"
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