Chapter 192: The Needs of the Family's Future Development
"Did you hit too hard?"
Under the quiet night sky, Ryosuke carried the old cat—fainted, bloodied, and barely breathing—as he walked home.
Beside him, Hinata asked softly, "Won't this kind of intense training put a strain on his body?"
She wanted to ask if Ryosuke had gone too far with the beating.
Hanabi, who had come to call them for dinner, stood nearby with a tense expression. Both girls looked up at the battered old cat. If he hadn't still been breathing, they might've thought Ryosuke had accidentally killed him during training.
"His body is no longer ordinary," Ryosuke replied. "Ever since he ate the Devil Fruit, his physique has changed."
He continued calmly, "On the first day I tested and taught him, I noticed it. Even when he sustains serious injuries, his body doesn't show irreversible damage like a regular person would. In fact, he improves every time. It's subtle, but real."
"Every time he's hurt, his physical strength increases slightly. Maybe the mythical beast his Devil Fruit represents is a god of battle—one with divine endurance."
Hanabi's expression wavered. "…So getting beaten makes you stronger?"
Ryosuke gave her a sideways glance. "You don't grow just by getting beaten. It's the fight itself—the real combat—that triggers growth."
"The old cat improves because he focuses, analyzes, and adapts. He learns from our battles. The Devil Fruit is only the catalyst. His real growth comes from sweat and effort."
The sweat I forced out of him, Ryosuke thought silently. If the old cat had trained on his own, he might not even be able to extract chakra yet, let alone fight with it.
"Remember this, Hanabi," Ryosuke said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Devil Fruits, Byakugan, even the First Hokage's Wood Release—these are powerful, yes. But what matters more is having the heart and will to control that power."
"People should wield power—not be controlled by it."
"The same ability can lead to vastly different results depending on who uses it. Some will be strong. Others, weak."
"It's better to find a couple of techniques that suit you, study them deeply, and truly make them your own… rather than hoarding many powers you don't understand."
The ninja world was changing. Foreign power systems had begun to appear, giving even non-shinobi the ability to wield formidable strength. Devil Fruits were a prime example—gifts of immense power the moment you consumed them.
Such rapid success would inevitably breed envy.
As Hinata's sister, Hanabi would have more choices than most. And knowing her competitive nature, Ryosuke worried that those choices might lead her astray.
She had grown up under the protection of Ryosuke, Hinata, and their father. Compared to others, she had a smooth path. That made her heart even more important.
Hanabi blinked, trying to understand.
She couldn't grasp it all—weren't all powers just tools to defeat the enemy? Why did Ryosuke make them sound so different?
Beside her, Hinata smiled faintly, recalling the days Ryosuke used to train her.
He had said the same things to her, too. She hadn't understood them then. But now, she did.
It was all about staying true to yourself—knowing what path you want to take, no matter how many temptations or shortcuts appear.
---
The next morning, Hyuga Hiashi went to the Hokage Building for another meeting. Ryosuke, as usual, declined to attend.
This time, the meeting wasn't interrupted. It dragged on so long that Ryosuke and the others didn't see Hiashi for two whole days.
It wasn't until midday on the third day that Hiashi finally returned, exhausted. He said nothing, simply excused himself and went straight to bed.
Meetings like that were mentally taxing—far more damaging than any physical battle.
Since ancient times, even brilliant minds capable of shaping nations often died young—burnt out from endless strategizing. Some suffered malnutrition. Others collapsed from pure mental exhaustion.
Even tonics couldn't restore spent spiritual strength.
This was why Ryosuke never thought too deeply. No matter how superior his body and mind were, he didn't believe in wasting energy overthinking everything.
Later that night, around midnight, Hiashi got up and quietly drank some porridge.
Ryosuke and Hinata hadn't gone to sleep yet. They were waiting for him.
"The situation in the Land of is a mess," Hiashi finally said.
"There are still some surviving Rain Ninjas, but not enough to maintain order. And none of the remaining Akatsuki members are willing to take control."
"The inside's rotten—like a hornet's nest, riddled with holes."
"External forces have begun flooding in. Even wandering ninjas who don't qualify as Genin are invading and looting…"
Inside the Hyuga dining room, bright candlelight glowed warmly.
What was normally a dinner table covered with dishes was now buried under a giant map.
The map was covered in detailed information—topography, terrain, economy, defense lines—everything about the Land of Rain.
In less than a week since the fall of Hidden Rain, the country's military, commerce, and resources had all been laid bare.
"Here… here… and here," Hiashi pointed out. "These are major mining zones—supplying most of the country's blacksmiths and smelters."
He took a bite of cold porridge, eyes still weary.
"From this region to that, towns with full administrative systems. Over there, inland freshwater resources."
"In addition to metals and wood, the Land of Rain produced many skilled professionals. They placed great emphasis on military readiness, but also raised top-tier talent."
"For example, Kuraki and Ryu—famous masters of agriculture and forestry—left the Land of Rain recently, accepting invitations from the Land of Wind."
"As for iron masters like Genryusei, Kusamukawa, and the others, I already sent people to contact them before the news could spread. Given the current chaos, I believe they'll agree to leave for another country and join us in Hyuga."
"Talent, resources, secret inheritances, treasures—these are all things Hyuga needs. But above all, it's talent that matters most, especially masters in various professions. They'll be a powerful asset as we explore other worlds and accumulate strength in the future..."
There was no mention of what Konoha planned to do next. Hyuga Hiashi had no interest in the meeting's agenda or Konoha's arrangements for the Land of Rain. He spoke only of the Hyuga clan's next steps.
Hiashi's thinking was clear.
With access to superior information channels, he could see precisely what the Hyuga needed right now.
Talent came first. Resources followed. As for land—so coveted by most nations in the ninja world—he didn't even mention it.
While land is indeed the foundation of resources, the Hyuga clan already controlled a vast amount—enough to rival a small country. In fact, much of it had become abandoned due to a lack of manpower to manage it.
Rather than invest time and effort developing it themselves, Hiashi had chosen to temporarily rely on ready-made resources, even if it seemed shortsighted in the long run.
Although he believed both Ryosuke and Hinata could understand his reasoning, Hiashi still felt compelled to explain himself.
"Just days after receiving the initial reports, we already found signs of suspected aliens within the Land of Fire. There must be many more hiding throughout the ninja world."
"Where they came from, what kind of personalities or intentions they have—none of that is clear."
"I want to arm the Hyuga as much as possible. Whether or not the ninja world descends into chaos because of these outsiders, with enough strength, we can always secure land of our own—even if there are some losses in the early stages."
Setting aside other concerns, just the technological capabilities of the Gintama world where the Yorozuya trio lived were enough to force Hiashi to take these "aliens" seriously.
Different worlds had different development priorities. While the people of Gintama weren't particularly powerful individually, their technological advancement was beyond anything the ninja world had seen.
Just recalling what Ryosuke had said—space battleships capable of flying into orbit, weapons with firepower powerful enough to wipe out vast stretches of land—made Hyuga Hiashi realize that the ninja world's "cannons," which took forever to charge and fire, were pitiful in comparison.
To think… weapons usable by ordinary people could become so devastating once properly developed?
"I second that," Hinata nodded.
"Our clan's rapid expansion has recently led to a small-scale resource shortage. We've even temporarily halted research on barrier techniques, production of detonating talismans, and ninja tool forging."
"It's best if we can replenish those soon—and stockpile supplies in the clan's warehouses. If someone from another world brings us research plans or technological blueprints in the near future, we might not be ready to begin development."
"I second that," Ryosuke agreed, nodding. He had no objections to his father's suggestion.
Then, turning to Hinata, he added, "We can now terminate the resource allocation on my end. Our research into the Sharingan, First Hokage cells, and Wood Release has reached its conclusion. Only one final project remains before we dissolve the R&D team completely."
"Hm?"
Both Hiashi and Hinata turned toward him.
"The few Sharingan we recovered from the Uchiha clan before their extermination—along with Danzo's arm—totaled fifteen. All have now been successfully transplanted into the bodies of non-clan members. With the support and chakra regulation provided by First Hokage cells, they can use these mismatched abilities with only minor side effects."
Ryosuke calmly reported the R&D team's results.
"As for the First Hokage cells, we've developed a chakra-injection serum that significantly raises a person's chakra capacity. There are some side effects—minor petrification in localized areas—but we've reduced the risks as much as current technology allows. The survival rate is now at 98.9%."
"In addition to raising chakra levels, two recipients showed improved chakra control and even awakened supernatural abilities."
He paused—then continued before they could ask further questions.
"The chakra injection can't be mass-produced yet. Supply is still very limited. A portion has already been given as rewards to loyal personnel around me."
Hiashi and Hinata both looked slightly regretful upon hearing that.
Still, compared to the benefit of increased chakra reserves, the side effect of slight petrification was negligible.
"It's decided, then," Hiashi nodded.
"For Konoha's upcoming mission, I plan to send a Hyuga team led by five jonin. Since this is a multinational cooperation mission, our clan should seize the opportunity to show our strength and foundation to the rest of the ninja world."
"As for command, I plan to have Hizashi lead. He has experience directing teams and can handle the task well."
"Maybe… we can also send younger members like Neji to gain field experience. With five jonin on the team, it'll be an excellent training opportunity."
"But the mission's true focus remains talent and resources. I'll instruct Hizashi to recruit as many professionals and specialists as possible. If we must trade short-term benefits to secure long-term assets, then so be it."
Five jonin was no small number. There were only a handful in all of Konoha.
By that time, with the Konoha team and the Hyuga team combined, nearly ten elite ninjas would be heading to the Land of Rain. As long as no large-scale disasters—like tailed beast rampages—occurred, the team's safety was relatively assured.
"Let's have Souji go too," Ryosuke suggested. "He's spent years negotiating with the Fire Daimyo's court. His political instincts and diplomatic experience will be helpful."
He had no objections to Neji and the newly promoted Genin participating. If the clan wanted to grow, relying solely on his protection would never be enough.
Ninjas had to be baptized in war and blood to grow stronger.
Yes, the Hyuga clan regularly accepted bounty missions, but only after witnessing life-and-death battles and the horror of real battlefields would the younger generation understand the true value of strength—and train with genuine purpose.
In the ninja world, there was no rule that protected the people around the protagonist from death.
Even Naruto, the protagonist, only came to understand the importance of strength after several painful separations—after witnessing those he cared about die or nearly perish.
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