Chapter 19: The Shinobi World Needs a Sun
The courtyard fell into deathly silence.
Tsunade sat back down, pouring herself another cup of sake. She'd stopped expecting to hear any answer that would satisfy her.
Just then, Hyuga Kiyonari—who hadn't spoken until now—made his move.
"I believe the First Hokage's greatest achievement in his life was making shinobi into human beings."
Tsunade's drinking motion froze.
She slowly turned her head, looking at this three-year-old child with a gaze both astonished and scrutinizing.
"Continue."
Hyuga Kiyonari took a deep breath, then released it slowly. All he could say was that Tsunade's "guaranteed gambling losses" truly lived up to her canonical character setting. The correction points needed to make her win big at casinos these past two days had far exceeded his estimates.
His remaining correction points weren't enough to use a script to make Tsunade stay in Konoha. He could only step forward personally and give her a reason to remain.
He believed in himself. Believed in the education he'd once received.
"People don't come into this world to perpetuate hatred. But in that era, from the moment of birth, everyone carried the mission of perpetuating hatred."
"When they could open their eyes, the elder who'd been playing with them yesterday might never return tomorrow. When they could walk, they were taught to take up weapons and learn how to kill. Their sole purpose in living was to avenge dead clansmen, then be killed by their enemies' descendants."
Kiyonari's voice continued. Tsunade's eyes grew increasingly focused.
"Such shinobi—rather than call them people, you might as well call them... tools."
"They came into this world because their parents sought revenge, because their clans needed to continue. From the moment they arrived in this world, they had no right to choose. Either become a tool for killing or become a target to be killed. They couldn't state their surnames. Couldn't have true friends. Couldn't do what they wanted to do."
"But after Konoha was established, war stopped—at least within the Land of Fire it stopped. Shinobi finally gained breathing room. They finally had time to think about what they could do besides killing."
Hyuga Kiyonari's pace quickened, words flowing more smoothly. Clearly, he'd completely entered his element.
"You just said modern shinobi have even learned noble customs, with some sarcasm in your tone. But I think that precisely shows shinobi have begun to have choices—begun taking their first steps."
"They started feeling lost, so they started learning. But people obviously don't learn from those below them, so shinobi learned noble etiquette. Unable to distinguish good from bad, they also learned that rigid hierarchical order."
Hyuga Kiyonari's eyes burned with intensity, his entire being seeming to radiate light.
And Tsunade's body unconsciously leaned forward, like a student listening to a teacher's instruction, or like a... seeker of truth.
"Now Konoha has established a ninja academy, built parks, built commercial districts... Those without shinobi talent who can't pass graduation exams can choose not to become shinobi—can choose to be ordinary people instead. But in the Warring States period, this was impossible. Even without talent, you still had to carry weapons onto the battlefield... to die."
"Only when people have the right to choose are they truly people. Making all decisions yourself, taking all responsibility yourself—that's life."
"Though war still exists," Kiyonari's voice lowered, "though the First, Second, and Third Shinobi World Wars still claimed countless lives—at least the era is progressing."
"Lady Tsunade, I understand your feelings. Your brother died in the Second Shinobi World War, proving Konoha was still sending children to battlefields then. The proposal for at least one medical ninja per three-man squad still hasn't been implemented, proving even now the village doesn't sufficiently value shinobi's rights as human beings."
"You can think of these things because Senju Hashirama was your grandfather. But they're too far from the God of Shinobi, too far from the First Hokage. They can only admire him from afar, and admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."
"They can only see that after Konoha was established, war in the Land of Fire stopped. Children who once had to fight at three or four could now grow safely until eleven or twelve. They believe only if Konoha exists can peace exist. To protect Konoha, they'll stop at nothing, spare no cost."
After speaking so much in one breath, Hyuga Kiyonari's throat had grown hoarse. Just as his gaze shifted toward the table, Tsunade sitting across from him directly handed over her sake cup.
He said helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, I'm not old enough to drink yet."
Only then did Tsunade belatedly realize, pulling the cup back and immediately shouting, "Shizune, water!"
After accepting the water Shizune brought and gulping it down, Hyuga Kiyonari rubbed his throat before continuing. "I believe Konoha with people in it is Konoha. Konoha without people is meaningless. I once read a military text that said: 'Preserve land and lose people, you lose both land and people. Preserve people and lose land, you preserve both people and land.'"
"The principle connects. If Konoha's leaders continue placing Konoha above Konoha's shinobi, how does it differ from Warring States clans? Modern shinobi exist only as tools to perpetuate Konoha. I think... that's the real reason you left Konoha."
"Therefore, I believe the First Hokage's greatest achievement wasn't ending the chaos of one era, but giving shinobi the possibility of becoming human. Only when more and more shinobi become human beings can true peace possibly arrive."
After finishing this speech, Kiyonari seemed to have exhausted all his strength. Even his body trembled slightly.
The courtyard was utterly silent.
Shizune stared slack-jawed at Hyuga Kiyonari, completely unable to believe such profound insights had come from a child's mouth.
Beside her, Hinata's eyes were wide as well, looking at Kiyonari with something approaching worship.
And Tsunade—tears glistened in Tsunade's eyes.
Actually... she'd left Konoha simply because of hate. She hated that Konoha had killed her brother, her lover.
Because they'd both charged recklessly forward for their dream of becoming Hokage, for the village—casually sacrificing their lives for the village.
She'd seen more. Seen more shinobi like Nawaki, like Kato Dan, who harbored dreams of becoming Hokage in their hearts before throwing themselves at the village like moths to flame.
They were... cheapening their own lives. And Sarutobi Hiruzen, Konoha's leadership—they had no objections.
She was a doctor, but her medical ninjutsu couldn't cure this disease.
But now, she'd found it. Found the person who could cure this disease.
Shinobi needed a teacher!
Tsunade slowly stood and walked before Kiyonari, kneeling on one knee to bring her gaze level with this child.
"What's your name?" she asked, though she'd already asked once before.
"Hyuga Kiyonari," the boy answered again.
"Will you... become my student?"
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