Chapter 201: Nobunaga's Gambit

"Ungrateful bastard!"

Homura Mitokado bit back a curse as he watched Hyūga Nobunaga walk away.

With Nobunaga gone, so too had his last hope vanished.

He hated his own weakness—that he lacked the strength to claim the Hokage seat. Otherwise, he wouldn't have minded being a puppet.

"Once the tea goes cold, people move on. He saw right through it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly composed himself.

Although the result disappointed him, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

After all, someone who'd led a clan for over a decade couldn't be entirely incompetent.

It had been a desperate last-ditch effort.

"I just don't get it," Homura voiced his frustration. "How did Fugaku Uchiha manage to cast a genjutsu right under your nose?"

Logically speaking, using an ordinary genjutsu on someone of Hiruzen's Kage-level perception should have been impossible.

"I considered that possibility."

"There's only one explanation."

"His Sharingan evolved."

It wasn't that Hiruzen underestimated Fugaku—it was because he had full confidence in his own genjutsu detection abilities.

Even with a Three-tomoe Sharingan, slipping something past him would be extremely difficult.

After all, Kagami Uchiha had trained with him extensively in genjutsu.

"The Mangekyō?"

Homura gasped, mouth wide open in disbelief.

He could still vividly recall Madara Uchiha charging across the battlefield in his Susanoo.

That was the power of the Mangekyō.

There was a vast difference between the standard Three-tomoe Sharingan and the Mangekyō Sharingan—the former couldn't even begin to match the latter.

"Yes. Most likely triggered by the death of his uncle."

Hiruzen understood the Uchiha much better than Homura did.

"I see now."

Homura fell silent. If it had truly been a genjutsu cast by the Mangekyō Sharingan, then he could understand.

"Tsunade now has Kawaki Hatake by her side, and she's closely tied to the Uchiha."

"We probably can't turn things around anymore."

Rubbing his slightly throbbing forehead, Hiruzen found himself unable to think of any plan.

"Is there anyone else suitable left?"

"What about Jiraiya?"

Suddenly, Homura stared intensely at Hiruzen, like a drowning man clutching at straws.

This was his final hope. Without Hiruzen's strength or family backing, Homura knew exactly how precarious his position would become once Hiruzen stepped down.

"Do you really think we can rely on someone we haven't even heard from recently?"

"Out of the three, he's actually the least suited to be Hokage."

"Plus, whether he'd even want the position is another question altogether."

Hiruzen understood his students well. The most suitable among them to succeed him had always been Orochimaru.

But things between them were beyond repair—he could never count on Orochimaru again.

"Then what do we do?"

"Are we just going to sit here and wait for disaster to strike?"

Homura was like an ant on a hot pan—desperate and frustrated.

Barely maintaining the calm dignity expected of a senior Konoha advisor.

"It's too late now. We're out of time."

Hiruzen sighed, as if resigning himself to fate.

He picked up the cup of cold tea and drained it in one go.

The quiet room grew silent, only the breathing of two people could be heard.

Nobunaga had returned home, and both Hiashi and Hizashi were still waiting in the living room.

"I'm back. You two should go rest."

He smiled at his two sons.

"Father, what did he call you for?"

Hiashi was bolder; Hizashi wouldn't have dared to ask.

Upon hearing his older brother's question, he also turned toward their father with curiosity.

"It's nothing. Go to sleep now."

"You still have training tomorrow."

Nobunaga didn't plan on telling anyone about this incident—pretending it had never happened.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts made him deeply realize the flaws within the clan.

This was something he'd never considered before.

The Hyuga clan lacked true strong individuals—they could only be controlled by others.

If there had been even one expert in the clan that Sarutobi feared, perhaps he wouldn't have dared to consider using him as a puppet.

On his way back, this profound sense of helplessness—and even shame—lingered, leaving him restless.

"Got it."

Hiashi sensed his father's reluctance to answer and led his younger brother toward the bedroom.

Watching the retreating figures of the two brothers, a flicker of guilt crossed Nobunaga's eyes.

Hizashi... your father failed you.

But tradition cannot be defied easily!

Although the Caged Bird Seal benefits Konoha and offers some protection to the clan members, it has severed the clan's roots.

Sighing deeply, Hyuga Nobunaga sat alone in the living room, with no intention of sleeping.

Kawaki's butterfly effect had already begun rippling through Konoha.

Some things had unfolded in ways he could never have imagined.

...

Another day passed, and morning arrived.

Still groggy, Kawaki reached out to the space beside him—only to find it empty.

He suddenly opened his eyes, then shook his head and chuckled.

Tsunade had gone home last night. All that effort was beginning to take a toll on him, though.

"Ahh~"

Kawaki sat up and stretched lazily. He had slept soundly today.

After getting dressed, Kawaki washed up and headed to the dining room.

He arrived just in time for breakfast—the others, including Sakumo, were already seated and ready to eat.

"Good morning."

Kawaki greeted everyone.

"Good morning, teacher."

The four kids obediently said, and Kawaki nodded approvingly.

"You're quite early today."

Sakumo's mocking voice cut in right away—such a buzzkill.

"Eat your meal."

Natsuki noticed Sakumo was about to speak again and stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth.

Those two must've had some kind of feud in a past life—she'd never seen siblings bicker that often.

"And you—don't talk. Come here and eat."

After scolding Sakumo, she redirected her attention to Kawaki.

"Sure thing, sister-in-law."

Kawaki quickly ran over and sat down at his seat.

Luckily, thanks to Natsuki's intervention, breakfast went off without a hitch.

"You all should keep training hard while you're at home."

Kawaki wiped his mouth and instructed the four kids.

"We know, teacher."

They were used to it by now and didn't even bother looking up.

Kawaki said this to them the most—more often than Sakumo trained him.

"Kakashi, wait 'til Uncle comes back; I'll bring you something fun."

Kawaki ran over to Natsuki again and kissed Kakashi on his little cheek.

"Hehe, okayyy~"

Kakashi replied in his cute baby voice, then smooched Kawaki loudly on the face when he leaned in.

"I'm heading out now."

Finally, Kawaki waved at Sakumo and Natsuki.

"Yeah, come back soon."

Sakumo muttered with half-hearted concern.

"Got it. Way too talkative, huh?"

After saying that, Kawaki took off running, clearly delighted by being playful.

Sakumo shook his head helplessly and smiled toward Natsuki.

Come on, who wouldn't be angry?

"You two～"

Natsuki sighed, shaking her head. She stood up and carried Kakashi away.

She hoped they wouldn't spoil the child any further—deep down, she wished for Kakashi and Kawaki's future interactions to remain peaceful and friendly.

Otherwise, if both the older and younger ones acted the same way, she was afraid she and Tsunade would end up dead from frustration.

Once Kawaki left home, he immediately headed straight to the Sarutobi clan compound.

Today, he was going to have it out with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

[If you enjoy *Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade*, please remember to bookmark it.]

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