HSU: Ch. 325

When it came to making decisions in meetings, Masashi used to dislike it. But once he slowly realized the benefits, he ended up loving it.

In youth one doesn't know the value of meetings, and takes ruling alone as a treasure.

The truth proved that behind one-man decision-making there's always a group dragging you down, and they can even infiltrate perfectly, acting just like the best undercover agents.

A bunch of old rascals, every one of them top-class actors.

Now, sitting in front of Masashi, was exactly such a rookie, thinking that ruling alone equals efficiency, and fully believing there wasn't the slightest problem with themselves.

Well, maybe that wasn't quite right, after all, Kaguya's version of one-man rule first ensured the whole world only had her alone...

This woman was simply too wild.

He figured he'd have to impart the right ideas to her.

"Three basic principles." Masashi held up three fingers.

"First: let others say what you want to be said. As the final judge, you mustn't casually join in arguments, and you especially shouldn't express your own opinions, you just need to support one side."

"Second: if no one says what you want to hear, or not enough people do, don't make a decision, shelve it, and afterwards expand that faction outside the meeting."

"Third: you must create an atmosphere where, if this issue isn't resolved, then nothing else can proceed. And you mustn't let anyone notice or think you engineered it, you need to guide others into doing it."

Kaguya listened, her expression growing more and more impatient.

"Too troublesome!" she said loudly. "My Infinite Tsukuyomi is still better!"

"Then I can only refuse." Masashi showed he wasn't buying it. "I have no intention of turning my family into weapons of war."

"I won't touch your family." Kaguya patted her chest boldly. Ever since she stopped wearing that big robe, her figure had been revealed.

...Dangerous.

That slap of hers was very attention-grabbing.

A real kill-you-with-fanservice moment.

"It's not about whether you touch them or not." Masashi acted unaffected and continued, "I only trust my own eyes. I can understand you, but I also need to protect my family, and my life." Masashi summarized.

For once, he was being quite straightforward.

He really could understand Kaguya. But if she couldn't understand him, then there'd be no way for them to talk further.

Just imagining waking up one day to see a tree covered in cocoons of people was enough to chill one's bones.

Absolutely unacceptable.

He still preferred the happiness of walking down the street and seeing all kinds of pretty girls, though now he couldn't act on it, at least he could feast his eyes.

Not to mention the joy of food, drinks, and tea houses, for a married man, that's what happiness relied on.

Wasn't such a life worth protecting?

Since Kaguya was sensitive, he couldn't reject her too bluntly. He could only explain his difficulties.

"I think... I understand a little." Kaguya did take his words seriously, her personality was earnest.

She understood what Masashi wanted.

He really cherished his current way of life.

"But relying only on so-called ninjas cannot protect all of this." Kaguya said. "In the face of true chakra power, ninjutsu is worthless. What you value will eventually be lost."

"But hasn't ninjutsu changed a lot over the past decades?" Masashi replied. "Ninjutsu arose from the need for people to fight each other. When I say ninjas can be more effective than White Zetsu, I have my reasons."

"Organizing beings with independent will is certainly more troublesome than using White Zetsu. But their potential for growth and creativity is something White Zetsu can't compare with. Kaguya, your enemies are long-term ones. Facing endless White Zetsu, all alike, is only effective as a first strike surprise." Masashi patiently analyzed for her. "Tactically, they won't help you much. Against a real enemy, your margin for error will be tiny."

"And what about ninjas? White Zetsu don't truly die, but humans do. Once dead, they're gone." Kaguya countered. "That only brings more grief and fear. And fear robs them of resistance."

"No problem." Masashi said with great confidence. "We've got Edo Tensei now."

Kaguya choked.

Even though she'd been sealed inside the sphere for so many years, she still knew how people in this world viewed death.

Worse than dying was not being at peace even after death.

This concept was foreign to the Ōtsutsuki clan. With their parasite-like reincarnation, true death didn't exist for them. As for Kaguya, being truly immortal, she couldn't be destroyed, only sealed.

Because of their immortality, the Ōtsutsuki could never understand human fear of death, nor the strong aversion to being disturbed after death. But not understanding was one thing, knowing about it was another.

She just couldn't grasp why Masashi could state this so righteously.

Who was really the villain here?

"Special circumstances, special methods, people will understand." Masashi saw her confusion, clenched his fist energetically, and said, "The Will of Fire is very powerful."

"...I will think about it."

Kaguya realized her observation of Masashi was still insufficient.

She decided to keep watching him, and also study those three principles he mentioned.

At the same time, she resolved to seek out Black Zetsu.

From him, she might learn another side of Masashi.

"I'm glad you're willing to consider it." Masashi sighed in relief, his tone softening as he added, "Then I won't disturb you any longer today. I'll take my leave."

With that, his figure vanished from her mindscape.

For the first time, Kaguya didn't immediately go back to watching dramas. She remained seated on the sofa, deep in thought.

As an Ōtsutsuki, her life was, in the eyes of this world's people, anything but colorful, one could even call it dull.

And Kaguya hadn't lied to Masashi about one thing: she truly did treasure this world.

For now, Masashi was still her best option.

The so-called Ten-Tails, that was her.

To be more precise, only one who could summon the Gedo Statue could release her from the seal.

The Ten-Tails of legend was Kaguya. But Kaguya herself was not a complete Ten-Tails.

She was the consciousness of the Ten-Tails, while the God Tree was its power.

The Gedo Statue served as the Ten-Tails' vessel. Once the nine tailed beasts were reclaimed and combined, it would return to being the Ten-Tails' power, the God Tree itself.

In Black Zetsu's Eye of the Moon Plan, a wielder of the Rinnegan would summon the Gedo Statue, gather the nine tailed beasts, become the "Ten-Tails' jinchūriki," and then, using the chakra harvested through Infinite Tsukuyomi, break the Sage of Six Paths' seal, reuniting Kaguya's "consciousness" and "power."

But this plan never accounted for someone forming a direct spiritual bond with Kaguya and gaining her power that way, thus awakening the Rinnegan.

Once such a person existed, it would only take controlling the Gedo Statue to collect the tailed beasts' chakra, and Kaguya's consciousness could directly escape the seal.

Through those Rinnegan, the Ten-Tails' power would naturally draw her consciousness back.

Without Rinnegan derived from Kaguya, however, one would have to absorb the Gedo Statue and become its jinchūriki, using their own body as the "bridge."

In other words, the Ten-Tails of the Eye of the Moon Plan was not the same as the true Ten-Tails, it was actually the jinchūriki of the Gedo Statue.

But now, there was Masashi.

As long as he was willing to help, for Kaguya, breaking free from the seal would be smooth and risk-free.

The Eye of the Moon differed from Infinite Tsukuyomi, the latter was a technique, while the former was a scheme.

Its essence was a fraudulent plan designed to trick future generations into freeing Kaguya. But now, with such a "channel" as Masashi, she and Black Zetsu could, in theory, revise the plan and come up with something better.

Yet Kaguya still hadn't gone to Black Zetsu.

In her interactions with Masashi, she had faintly sensed that perhaps there had been problems with her methods in the past. Otherwise, how could one explain her own children betraying her?

They had been so well-behaved and adorable when young, and they had adored her.

She sat on the sofa for a long time.

---

Meanwhile, outside, Masashi had already left his home and was heading to Setsuna's residence.

If even Kaguya had no technique to prolong Setsuna's life, then truly none existed.

Studying something new now would be too late.

He felt heavy in his heart, he knew Setsuna would not make it through this trial.

Entering Setsuna's home, he first went to the backyard.

There, only Madara sat.

"You're back?" Madara glanced at him. "Setsuna was too exhausted. I told him to rest."

"All right, then I'll go check on Setsuna." Masashi nodded, turning to leave.

Halfway, he stopped and looked back at Madara.

"Madara... once Setsuna is gone, will you be leaving too?"

At this point, he could ask directly.

Madara answered bluntly, without evasion.

"You already know the answer. Go see Setsuna."

"Understood." Masashi nodded, heading back inside.

He entered Setsuna's bedroom, where a strong smell of medicine filled the air.

Setsuna lay on the bed, asleep after taking his dose. He still looked stable.

A medical-nin from the Hyūga clan, invited especially, was examining him.

Masashi waited quietly until the check-up was finished.

After a while, the medical-nin stopped and began packing his things.

"How is he?" Masashi asked.

"You should begin making preparations." The man sighed. "If it's quick, it may be tonight."

"Wasn't it said he still had a few more days?" Masashi didn't blame him, medical-nin differed from ordinary doctors.

Ironically, for ninjas, regular medicine was far less effective than medical ninjutsu.

"His body is deteriorating too fast." The medic shook his head. "I'll go report to Fugaku-sama."

Setsuna was well-respected among the Hyūga too.

The man sighed heavily.

The Uchiha clan was indeed strong, but lifespans among them were generally short. Setsuna's age was already rare for their clan.

"I understand. Thank you."

Seeing the Hyūga medic off, Masashi returned to the bedroom and sat on a stool by the bed.

On the bed, Setsuna's breathing was steady.

But whether he would open his eyes again, no one knew.

On that aged face, one could still faintly see traces of the man he once was.

Decades of time, like a fleeting dream.

At some point, Madara had also entered the room.

Masashi realized then that Setsuna truly would not last the night.

Madara, often called the incarnation of power, was also highly skilled in medical ninjutsu. Having lived together for so long, he likely understood Setsuna's condition better than anyone.

"The things I wanted to do... Setsuna had guessed. But he never asked, and I never said." Madara looked at the man on the bed. "He did well. Back then, I didn't take him along because he was too weak, too reckless."

"Did you tell him that yourself?"

"...Yes."

"Then I understand." Masashi said no more.

He knew now why Setsuna's heart had finally eased.

Good, he had heard, at last, the one sentence he had wanted all his life from Madara.

No regrets remained.

"Setsuna, rest well." Madara said softly, and vanished from the room.

Masashi knew this time, Madara truly was leaving.

When next they met, friend or foe would depend on circumstance.

Setsuna's departure was both sudden and expected.

For someone of his age and physical condition, emotional extremes, great joy or great sorrow, were like poison.

The person he respected most in his life, and the clan he cherished most in his life, Setsuna could not accept the possibility that one day the two might stand as enemies.

What gave him peace of mind was that Masashi had already shown a deterrent power no less than that of Madara in his lifetime. Combined with Masashi's consistent actions, Setsuna believed the clan would be safe.

If the day came when they stood opposed, he also believed that reconciliation would eventually be possible.

So in the end, he passed away at ease.

But until his death, he never once asked Madara about such matters.

He returned to his original identity, an ordinary ninja of the Uchiha clan, and, like most clansmen of that era, admired Madara as clan leader.

Coincidentally, during Setsuna's lifetime, Madara also seemed, at least on the surface, to have played the role of an Uchiha once more.

That very night, Setsuna passed away. His funeral was held the next day, in great solemnity.

He was a man who had contributed immensely to the clan. Beyond that, the Uchiha leadership had a relatively good family culture, and Setsuna had been a leading example.

Many of the current Uchiha elites had been mentored by him.

Those who hadn't received his personal care held no ill will either, after all, one man could not look after everyone, but his deeds over the years were plain for all to see.

For instance, at the funeral, Tetsuka could not stop his tears.

The funeral was held on Uchiha grounds, but attendees were not limited to the clan.

Setsuna was no ordinary man. Since the era of the Third Hokage, his name had been on the Hokage Building's "special attention" list.

At the lowest point of Uchiha relations with the Hokage administration, whenever Setsuna stepped outside the compound, ANBU had to secretly guard him, he must not come to harm.

And this old man had a keen eye: the three Uchiha of Kage-level today had all been strongly supported by him in their youth. Personal bonds were deep, and for that reason alone, if anything happened to him, the whole village would not remain at peace.

Now that he had passed away, all the powers of Konoha participated in the funeral.

Even the Sarutobi clan, with whom Setsuna had had the worst relations, sent an elder to pay respects.

The Hyūga clan came in force, personally led by clan head Hiashi, accompanied by several elders.

Ordinarily, Setsuna's funeral should have been organized by immediate family, but Aki was no younger than him. No one would ask her to take on such a burden.

So Fugaku, as clan head, naturally assumed the responsibility.

Masashi and Shisui mainly took charge of receiving guests.

Thankfully, in the shinobi world, bowing to the ground wasn't a custom, otherwise, the three Kage-levels might have worn out the floorboards.

The Hokage's office also treated the matter with great seriousness. Minato and Kushina both came. The old members of Tobirama's team, once fierce rivals of Setsuna, also came with Hiruzen to see their old adversary off.

The three from Tobirama's squad had grown used to seeing familiar faces disappear one after another. Now even Setsuna, their long-time rival, was gone. They felt all the more that the era which belonged to them had passed.

On the one hand, they were filled with melancholy. On the other, their desire for full retirement grew stronger.

To be honest, ever since Hiruzen had assumed the Hokage mantle in a time of crisis, during his reign the village had hardly known peace for decades.

On the surface, life seemed better after the Fourth took office, but in truth it was only more troublesome.

They all knew, only by truly stepping down could they live in peace.

But for ninjas of their rank, true retirement only came in two forms: when one could no longer fight at all, or in death.

Even if they wished to relinquish power, there would be a crowd behind them making noise, unwilling to let them go.

"My condolences," said Hiruzen with formality. "How is Aki's health?"

"Thanks, she is well," Fugaku replied.

Truthfully, he had little personal connection with the Third Hokage's circle.

No private enmity either, just distant, strictly official dealings.

Hiruzen nodded, then turned to speak with Masashi and Shisui.

The achievements of these two young men today proved that his old judgment had been correct.

Unfortunately, Danzō's downfall had thrown everything into disarray.

Hiruzen had little connection with Fugaku, but he had once been close to Shisui. After exchanging a few words with him, he left.

Though Masashi himself said little, from the conversation between Hiruzen and Shisui, he clearly heard Hiruzen's intent to retire.

The once-ambitious ninja hero now had little fire left.

To stir him to action again, the village itself would have to face a great threat.

And that was just fine.

Masashi thought of his retirement plan for Konoha's cadres.

Had Setsuna retired on time back then, without overworking, his health would not have ended worse than Hiruzen's.

To be blunt, Hiruzen might have kept himself in better shape, but Setsuna's strength and political skill were not inferior, he shouldn't have been so worn down...

But then again, even with a retirement system, Setsuna might not have had it easier. The two had lived in completely different circumstances.

Watching Hiruzen's departing back, Masashi cast aside these useless thoughts.

Both men had given their all for the things they wished to protect, there was nothing more to be said.

Setsuna's funeral proceeded in the usual way, lasting the entire day. By nightfall, his coffin was carried to the Uchiha clan's ancestral cemetery.

Unlike the Senju burial grounds that had become the Hokage's public cemetery, the Uchiha's graveyard remained private, inaccessible to outsiders.

But this was something that only came about after the founding of Konoha.

During the Warring States period, there were no such conspicuous family tombs. In those days, burials had to be hidden, and setting traps around graves was standard practice.

"If you love me, cover my body with explosive tags. If it doesn't blow them all apart, then the feeling wasn't deep enough."

After the establishment of the ninja villages, things changed. Ninjas could be buried like ordinary people, so long as their bodies hadn't been lost without a trace.

The only one not interred in the Uchiha clan's cemetery was Madara.

But that was because he faked his death, his true body had fallen into Black Zetsu's hands.

Speaking of which, Black Zetsu himself had also vanished along with Madara.

Hashirama had not appeared either, completely out of character for him.

Masashi felt it was almost certain: as soon as Madara slipped away, Hashirama had gone chasing after him.

But he'd wager Hashirama would never catch him.

That, too, had become a Konoha tradition.

From Madara in the beginning, to Orochimaru, to Sasuke later on, not a single one of them had ever been brought back.

Orochimaru had only returned because he'd suddenly changed his mind.

Sasuke only came back because he had decided he wanted to be Hokage.

These "runaways" were nothing but trouble.

Once Setsuna was laid to rest, everyone stood in silence for a while before gradually dispersing.

Masashi didn't go home. Instead, he went back to Setsuna's old residence. From today, Aki would have to live on alone.

For the elderly, loneliness was their greatest enemy.

When Masashi entered, he saw her sitting dazed in the living room, holding one of Setsuna's old coats, the one he often wore at home.

He walked over and sat beside her.

Back when he had still lived under the identity of Muzo, the young Aki had once been a well-known figure in the village.

She and Setsuna were the classic example of childhood sweethearts, and she had been one of the few people who could actually keep him in line.

She had attended the Ninja Academy, but was eventually deemed unsuited to become a ninja.

Her heart was simply too soft.

"Why don't you move in with me?" Masashi said gently.

"...Ah, Masashi." Aki returned to herself slowly, her mind sluggish from being lost in memories. Only after a long pause did she realize what he had said.

"No, no." She shook her head. "I'm used to this house. If I moved somewhere else, I wouldn't be able to adjust."

"Then if you ever feel unwell in any way, you must tell us."

"Mhm, mhm. I will," Aki answered with a smile.

Masashi did not press further. It would be enough to have family members visit her often.

The clan would never truly leave an elderly widow like Aki to fend for herself. They would certainly arrange for caretakers. But even so, that could not ease the heaviness in her heart.

He stayed and talked with her for a while, and only after she went to bed did he leave the house.

There were chakra sensors around the residence, guards specially assigned by the clan. Masashi wasn't the only one worried about Aki living alone.

Without disturbing the clan member on duty, he turned back toward home.

But as he reached his own door, he hesitated, then instead went to the neighboring household.

When he knocked, it was Sasuke who opened the door.

The boy's eyes were still rimmed with red.

"Masashi-nii," Sasuke said quietly.

Masashi patted his shoulder and comforted him: "Don't dwell too much on Setsuna. He finally has a chance to rest. You should be happy for him, understand?"

"...Oh..." Sasuke muttered, uncertain if the words had reached his heart.

But that was only natural. Masashi continued: "Where's your father?"

"He's in the study..." Sasuke replied, then added, "He drank tonight."

"I see. I'll go discuss something with him. You should go to bed early and not make your mother worry." Entering as he spoke, Masashi gave the boy a casual reminder.

Tonight had been hard on everyone.

"...Okay." Sasuke answered softly, then closed the door and obediently returned to his room.

Masashi, meanwhile, headed toward the study.

With Madara gone, the Eye of the Moon plan would surely be set into motion. Masashi had many matters to discuss with Fugaku to prepare for what lay ahead.