Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Safe Journey
Chapter 212: Safe Journey
In the Hyuga clan’s meeting hall,
The elders, who had just been heatedly debating whether Ryosuke should go to Saki Castle to fulfill his appointment with Shanks, suddenly fell silent due to a single sentence.
"Better be careful. In addition to the Iroha Corps still on their mission, there are still many strong fighters in our clan."
The elder looked at Ryosuke with cloudy yellow eyes. "When the time comes, we can send a team to Saki Castle to investigate the situation first. Once we confirm that there are no problems, you may enter the city."
He spoke in a negotiating tone.
"The clan doesn’t need to waste its resources on me."
Ryosuke shook his head with a chuckle. "Numbers don’t matter to me anymore. You all understand that, don’t you?"
At the long table, the seated elders exchanged glances but said nothing in rebuttal.
Because it was true.
It felt like just yesterday when the Kirigakure Ninja Army, confident in their numbers and dismissive of Ryosuke, was completely annihilated.
And not long after that, Ryosuke had stormed into the Land of Rain alone, turning the Hidden Rain Village—a place that once gave rise to legends like Hanzo of the Salamander and Pain, both considered demigods completely upside down.
With such strength, if something ever happened that even he couldn’t handle, then ordinary ninjas wouldn’t stand a chance either.
But that raised a troubling question: if Ryosuke didn’t need protection, how could the clan still support him?
Hyuga Hiashi and the other elders all silently pondered the same issue.
"The things the family should help with... haven’t they already been accomplished?"
Ryosuke, seemingly aware of their distress, continued, "Finding people from another world, investigating Shanks’s whereabouts, conducting the initial negotiation on behalf of the clan... All of that was your contribution."
After a short pause, he glanced around the room before resting his gaze on Hinata.
"When it came to early-stage negotiations with the people from another world, I didn’t have the time or energy to handle those time-consuming tasks. So I entrusted them to you. And now, those efforts have come to a relative end."
"Shanks’s strength is beyond your comprehension. He’s not someone other members of the clan can face or assist with. So it falls to me to handle the final phase of this matter, a direct contact with him to reach an outcome beneficial to both sides."
Ryosuke’s words rang with undeniable truth, but they also cast a heavy weight over the room.
There were indeed things that they simply weren’t capable of helping with, no matter how much they wanted to.
Just like how Hinata had been chasing after Ryosuke all this time.
Whether it’s love, family, or friendship... emotions are two-way. Both sides must give something to build a meaningful bond.
If only one party keeps giving, then the affection will gradually fade until they become strangers.
Right now, the Hyuga clan was steadily progressing toward resurgence, but most of that momentum stemmed from one person—Ryosuke.
If he was the only one contributing, while the family could not provide any meaningful support, then their bond would eventually cool.
Especially now, with more and more visitors from other worlds arriving, there was no guarantee that Ryosuke wouldn’t someday step through a portal and simply never return.
So they were all trying their best to shine desperately wanting Ryosuke to notice their efforts.
But... it felt like there was no opportunity.
"I’ll handle the Shanks situation, don’t worry about that," Ryosuke said calmly. "What matters more now is managing the clan’s resource supply. The Land of Fire delegation’s negotiations in the Land of Rain about joining the alliance should be nearing completion."
"This phase is crucial. It determines how much benefit our clan can reap from this alliance, and how many vacant posts within the clan we can finally fill. Father has been focused on this matter, and I hope you can give it your full attention."
He knew what they were thinking. But there were no guarantees in life.
Instability is a shared human trait.
An immature person might confidently declare he will never change, but a mature one understands that even he could change in the future.
Ryosuke couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t leave the ninja world one day. Nor could he promise to always hold the Hyuga family as his highest priority.
Although the clan was thriving, its population size made its combat strength uneven.
If things continued this way, it was likely the family would be left far behind by Ryosuke.
He couldn’t promise the impossible.
To him, his own family mattered more than his extended clan.
Ryosuke could promise Hinata and Hiashi that he would protect their home—but not the entire clan. He couldn’t carry them all on his back.
The meeting room fell into silence.
Since Ryosuke had spoken so frankly, the topic gradually shifted to the next issue of concern: the Land of Rain’s possible alliance.
It had already been some time since the diplomatic delegations from various nations arrived in the Land of Rain.
After Hidden Rain Village was destroyed, the country had been thrown into chaos. But slowly, it was reuniting under the guidance of one individual, who now served as the main contact for the foreign delegations.
To everyone’s surprise, the person who had unified both civilians and scattered ninja factions wasn’t a shinobi at all—but just a regular man.
Before stepping forward, he had simply been the village chief of a small, obscure settlement in the Land of Rain.
He was neither nobility nor an official—just the head of a remote mountain village.
"His name is Kusanagi. He’s thirty-seven this year and doesn’t fit the image we have of someone from another world. He really is just an ordinary person. His physique is slightly better than most, but he doesn’t seem special otherwise."
As the second topic was raised, Hyuga Hiashi stood and began to brief the council.
"According to reports from the Iroha Corps, his background is clean and straightforward."
"The Kusanagi family has lived in the Land of Rain for generations, working as blacksmiths."
"Their village lies in the eastern mountainous region of the country. Although sparsely populated, it’s officially registered in the Land of Rain, so their identity records appear legitimate."
"He’s just an ordinary person? Are you sure he didn’t just show up out of nowhere without any past?"
Ryosuke, who sat down next to Hinata again, was slightly surprised.
"So... what are his physical features? Do they match the information registered in the records?"
"It has been secretly confirmed," Hiashi nodded. "He’s handsome, but a bit mature and old-fashioned for his age."
"Blond hair, all limbs intact, no visible defects. As an ordinary person, he didn’t carry any weapons during the meeting."
"The book recording his village’s identity information is quite old. The data shouldn’t be forged. Still, further confirmation may take time."
"... blond hair..."
Ryosuke frowned, lost in thought, trying to match the description to anyone in his memory.
But nothing about the name or appearance rang any bells.
"There are many possibilities, but two seem most likely. One—our assumption is wrong, and the Land of Rain truly has been reunited under a wise leader, not due to interference from someone of another world."
Ryosuke remained silent, still piecing together his thoughts.
But Hyuga Hiashi continued, "The other possibility is that he’s concealing his identity very well. This ’Kusanagi’ might be a shell—a mask. Either someone else resides within him, or his strength is so overwhelming that even the envoys from other nations can’t gauge his true level."
"In any case," Hiashi said firmly, "while matters involving other worlds demand caution, our immediate priority is still resource supply. Distant water won’t quench a nearby fire. For now, we must focus on joining the alliance..."
...
After that, Ryosuke didn’t stay for the rest of the discussion about the Land of Rain’s alliance.
He quietly rose and left the meeting hall.
No one stopped him.
As he stepped outside, clan members along the way bowed respectfully.
Ryosuke walked straight home, his steps steady and calm.
Just as he always said he cared about the big things.
But when those matters reached a certain point, the clan could rarely help.
As for small, routine matters, the clan could manage them without his interference.
The Land of Rain situation?
If it were simply political realignment, it’d be a minor affair.
Only if another world was involved would it escalate into something greater.
And with no confirmation yet, it didn’t fall within his responsibilities for now.
Once home, Ryosuke began packing his things. He was preparing to depart while waiting for Hiashi and the others to finish their meeting.
He wasn’t one to waste time.
Having already decided to go to Saki Castle in person to meet Shanks, he saw no reason to delay.
Originally, he had planned to go himself from the start.
It was only because his body had undergone a transformation recently, something that disrupted his plans. that Hoshicai and the others had gone in his place.
Had things gone as usual, Ryosuke would have sought Shanks out alone as soon as he heard of his arrival, to uncover the truth firsthand.
Still, no matter how urgent the mission, Ryosuke knew he had to inform his family before leaving.
And there were a few matters he wanted to consult Hiashi about.
That evening, after finishing dinner with Hanabi and old cat and resting briefly, Ryosuke heard the returning voices of Hiashi and the others from the hallway.
Moonlight and house lamps illuminated the corridor as the door opened.
Hiashi paused when he saw Ryosuke sitting, travel-ready.
He instantly understood what the young man was planning.
"Take the old cat with you," Hiashi suggested calmly.
"Though we’ve recently placed a secret line in Saki Castle, delivering messages still requires reliable hands."
"And besides, it’s always safer not to travel alone."
After a short silence, he added, "Have a safe journey."
Ever since Ryosuke had defeated him on the training ground and left the village for the first time, Hiashi had known, he could no longer control this boy.
All he could do was trust him completely and support him from behind, ensuring the clan never became a burden on his shoulders.
"I already planned to."
Ryosuke stood up and replied, "It’s definitely more convenient to travel with someone... but I don’t intend to bring an old cat along."
He turned to look at Hinata, who stood beside Hiashi.
"Father," Ryosuke said carefully, "I want to take Hinata with me on this mission. Would that be alright with you?"
His tone held caution.
Though he was now a live-in son-in-law, his words carried a different weight—like someone asking to abduct a noble daughter.
A proposal, almost.
Both Hinata and Hiashi were clearly caught off guard.
They exchanged glances, confusion flashing in their eyes.
Then, after running the sentence through their minds a few times, they frowned simultaneously.
"You’re serious? You want me to go with you?" Hinata asked in disbelief.
"I’ll only slow you down, and... I’ve never even been on an outside mission before."
Her voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the weight of conflicted emotion.
Although she was deeply moved, although part of her wished to accept, she also understood how unfit she was for the task.
Her strength, her experience—they weren’t those of a seasoned shinobi.
Even if she fought well for her age, most of it was thanks to her Hyuga blood and Ryosuke’s private instruction.
Without those, she probably wouldn’t have even graduated early from the Academy.
Her current status in the clan seemed impressive, and she held respect in the eyes of her peers,
But much of that came from her lineage and past events. not her personal strength.
Hinata knew her own shortcomings.
She was like a civilian—an heir who excelled at theory, not action.
If she joined Ryosuke now, she feared she’d become his burden.
"Father, I know you’re worried about me bringing Hinata along," Ryosuke said, shifting his gaze to Hiashi.
"But you know just as well, Hinata needs to grow. She can’t lead the clan forever from behind simulated battles in the village. She needs real-world experience and firsthand knowledge."
"Rather than letting others raise her, wouldn’t it be better for me to guide her?"
"...But I’m concerned she’ll cause you trouble."
Hiashi frowned deeply.
"Hinata is my daughter. I’ve watched you grow up since you were a child.
You are my son-in-law—but also like my own son."
"You’re both equally important to me.
This mission holds unknown dangers. Bringing Hinata... it may not be wise. She could slow you down."
"Hinata does need to grow, yes but not necessarily through this."
Despite Hinata standing right beside him, Hiashi didn’t sugarcoat his words.
They were blunt, even harsh—but true.
And Hinata didn’t flinch.
She didn’t protest or shrink away, because she had changed.
Hiashi saw it clearly.
She now bore the weight of the clan’s expectations, one burden after another
And yet, she stood firm.
She had become someone he could be proud of.
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