CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NOT DARE TO FACE IT

Chapter 149: What Does It Mean to Not Dare to Face It

"Watch where you’re going!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Aren’t you going to apologize?"

"Tch. Who the hell are you?"

On a busy street in Konoha, two Hyuga clan members playfully shoved each other as they walked, not paying attention to their surroundings. In their carelessness, they bumped into a passing villager. But instead of apologizing, they barked at the man like he was in the wrong.

The passerby—just an ordinary chunin—could only lower his head and apologize, even though he wasn’t at fault. He recognized their clan status and didn’t want trouble.

Perhaps sensing his submissiveness, the Hyuga duo grew bolder. Their tone turned mocking, throwing out casual insults and belittling his character. Still, they didn’t escalate it into a real fight—it was just another typical street squabble in Konoha.

From a distance, Ryosuke witnessed the entire exchange.

He didn’t step in.

Instead, he quietly shook his head and walked away.

He could’ve stopped those two, sure. But even if he did, there’d just be more like them. When a clan becomes too large and its leadership slackens, these kinds of people start showing up—fools with inflated egos and no sense of consequence.

Just like the two he saw just now.

And truthfully, it wasn’t the first time he’d seen something like this lately. Anonymous reports about the Hyuga clan had been piling up. Ever since the death of the Sandaime, the once low-key Hyuga clan had started changing.

But Hiruzen’s death wasn’t the sole reason.

There were deeper shifts happening within the clan—old wounds reopened, internal power structures reformed. These changes were stirring the pot.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ryosuke headed home, the soft patter of a chubby gray-and-white cat trailing behind him.

It had been nearly a week since Sarutobi’s death, and Jiraiya still hadn’t returned with Tsunade. Word was that convincing her hadn’t gone well.

Meanwhile, the Hyuga clan’s internal reform had reached its final stage. All agreements had been settled, and the clan’s ancient traditions were beginning to give way to a new order.

The main family no longer held absolute power.

The branch family had gained rights—real ones—and the curse seal, the Caged Bird, was no longer a tool for control. And with their shackles gone, those long suppressed had begun to emerge... loudly.

The Hyuga had always taken pride in being Konoha’s foremost clan—rivaling even the Uchiha in stature. While their public image had been one of grace and humility, in truth, that restraint had been enforced more by circumstance than by character.

Now that the structure had shifted, the leash had snapped.

Without the fear of punishment and without oversight from the main family, arrogance began to bloom unchecked. They no longer feared consequences, not when they believed their name alone was enough to shield them.

And that kind of pride—ignorant, entitled, and unearned—was dangerous.

Ryosuke knew: this wasn’t good for the future of the Hyuga clan.

Still, it might only be temporary.

When he returned home, Hinata hadn’t arrived yet—still at school, training hard as usual. With most of the internal clan matters now resolved, she’d begun returning to her normal routine.

Hyuga Hiashi, however, had come home early.

He sat waiting in the courtyard, sipping tea with Ryosuke as the two men of the house shared a rare quiet moment.

"Jiraiya’s back in the village," Hiashi said simply.

Ryosuke raised a brow. "He didn’t bring Tsunade, did he?"

"No."

The two continued drinking in silence, the warm fragrance of tea drifting into the air.

With power no longer centralized in one person, Hiashi no longer needed to remain cloistered in his study all day. He could finally enjoy moments like this—small but meaningful.

"...So what now?" Ryosuke asked. "Is the village still considering Jiraiya for the Fifth?"

"It was the plan," Hiashi replied. "Before Hiruzen passed, the elders wanted Jiraiya to succeed him. But Jiraiya refused outright. He even suggested bringing Tsunade back instead."

Ryosuke nodded slowly. That made sense. Tsunade hated politics, but she loved Konoha. In the original timeline, Naruto had been the one to push her into taking the mantle.

But Naruto wasn’t here now.

"If Jiraiya won’t take it, and Tsunade won’t come back, who’s next?" Ryosuke asked. "Surely the village has a backup candidate?"

"They’ll have to involve all the major clans," Hiashi said. "This kind of decision can’t be made in secret. If the Hokage has no support from the clans, their rule will be hollow."

He paused, looking into his teacup before adding, "And the villagers may even get a say this time."

"As for Jiraiya," he continued, shaking his head, "he still refuses. Apparently, he’s searching for someone else to ’suffer’ in his place."

Hiashi chuckled softly. "He’s always been unpredictable. Sometimes he’s dependable... and sometimes I wonder if he just wants to run away from responsibility altogether."

Ryosuke smirked. "If Danzo were still alive, he’d probably die from anger."

After all, that old snake had coveted the Hokage seat for years but never managed to claim it. And here was Jiraiya, rejecting it like it was a bad joke.

"As for Jiraiya’s ’personal style’... well," Ryosuke muttered, "maybe that’s just how men like him are wired."

He leaned forward, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "So... who’s the village pushing now? Any rumors?"

Hyuga Hiashi shook his head with a trace of helplessness.

"As a disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi, it’s only natural that the position of Hokage would be passed on to Jiraiya after his death. But now that he’s refused, the village is left in a difficult position. So instead of forcing his hand, they’ve given him a choice—"

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Find a suitable candidate for the Fifth Hokage within three months... or take the position himself."

It was clear from his tone that, even after years away, Jiraiya’s status and influence in Konoha had not diminished one bit.

"Anyway, as long as neither Hiruzen nor Shimura Danzo is calling the shots, it won’t affect us Hyuga much. We’d be better off focusing on our own clan. There are still plenty of termites that need rooting out."

As the sun dipped below the rooftops of Konoha, bathing the sky in amber light, Naruto rested on the old swing near the training ground. He was covered in dust and bruises, the clear signs of a long day of sparring.

Next to him sat Uchiha Sasuke—equally battered, his usually pristine attire stained with mud.

"I saw how bold you were when you scared off Orochimaru. I thought you’d finally mastered the Nine-Tails’ power," Sasuke said between breaths, sneering. "But now you’re even weaker than before."

He sounded cocky—too cocky. After all, for the first time in a long while, Sasuke had beaten Naruto fair and square. It was a small victory, but to Sasuke, it felt monumental.

Naruto swung gently on the old chain, unbothered.

"It’s sealed for now," he admitted. "I’ve got a lot of weaknesses I need to fix first. If I want to control the Nine-Tails properly... I need to get stronger on my own."

He wasn’t upset by the loss. In truth, he’d expected it.

Ever since the Third Hokage died, he could feel the gap between them growing. With every match, Sasuke had changed—grown sharper, stronger, more focused. Especially after witnessing Hiruzen’s final battle, Sasuke had clearly gained new insight.

Meanwhile, Naruto had voluntarily stopped relying on the Nine-Tails’ chakra. The power might have helped him win fights—but it wouldn’t make him truly strong.

"...Not enough," Sasuke muttered. His expression turned serious, his earlier smugness fading.

"You’ve found a new path, haven’t you?" he asked cautiously.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. But it’s not going smoothly. The seal’s affecting my chakra control. A lot of techniques don’t work the way they used to."

He lightly touched his stomach—the spot where Ryosuke had placed the Five Elements Seal before leaving.

That seal didn’t just block the Nine-Tails’ chakra. It disrupted Naruto’s own chakra flow. But that was exactly why he kept it. It was a training tool, a challenge to overcome.

Sasuke fell silent. The swing stopped.

He clenched his fists tightly, staring at Naruto for a long moment.

"...I’m heading out."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away, not even glancing back.

As he left, his mind buzzed with mixed thoughts.

Naruto had been underperforming lately. He hadn’t realized just how much until now. That chakra imbalance, the sloppy technique—it all made sense. Naruto had been holding back, secretly training, working on something new behind his back.

Was it all an act to lure him into a false sense of security?

"Tch... sneaky bastard," Sasuke muttered to himself.

Naruto watched him leave and let out a quiet sigh.

He wasn’t completely sure what Sasuke was thinking—but he could guess. And deep down, he cared about that guy. Fighting him was one of the few times he could let go and just be himself.

No matter how long they had known each other—or how often they fought—Naruto felt that Sasuke might be the only one in this village, besides Ryosuke, he could truly trust.

Just as he was about to get up and head home to clean off the grime, a voice called out from the side.

"Hey, kid!"

Naruto turned around.

A tall, eccentric-looking man with pure white hair and a scroll on his back stood at the edge of the park, smiling.

"Tell me—where’s the best bathhouse in this village?"

---

Later, in a steamy bathhouse filled with fragrant mist, Naruto sat submerged in the hot spring, relaxing for the first time in days. The water was rich with minerals, imported from nearby springs, and melted away the fatigue from his muscles.

It was his first time in a place like this.

He’d never had the luxury—or the money—to enter before.

Across from him, the strange middle-aged man—now confirmed to be Jiraiya—peeked out from behind a wooden baffle. He’d tried (and failed) to sneak a look into the women’s section.

Disappointed, Jiraiya drifted back toward Naruto with a frown.

"I told you not to pay earlier. The boss said it was on the house!"

"And I told you," Naruto replied coolly, "you said you were inviting me, so of course you’re the one paying."

He tilted his head back, letting the steam rise around him.

"As for everyone else clearing out... I didn’t tell them to leave. They just didn’t dare stay when they saw me."

"Didn’t dare to stay?" Jiraiya looked puzzled. "I think you’re just too withdrawn. They probably didn’t want to bother you."

His tone carried a hint of unease.

"Don’t play dumb, Master."

Naruto’s voice was low, steady. His piercing blue eyes met Jiraiya’s without flinching.

"You know exactly what’s going on."

Jiraiya froze.

That word—"Master"—hit him like a punch to the gut.

He looked away guiltily.

"W-What master? I just invited you for a soak. I’m not here to teach you anything advanced. You’re still young—"

"Then why approach me like this?" Naruto cut him off. "White hair. Distinct forehead protector. A perverted personality. In all of Konoha, only one man fits that description."

Jiraiya gave a sheepish chuckle, scratching his head.

His cover was blown.

"Since you refuse to acknowledge me as your student, I won’t call you my master anymore," Naruto said flatly.

"You were my father’s student. But you never once visited me. Never once looked out for me. So let’s just drop the titles."

He turned his gaze forward, steam curling around his face.

"Now, tell me what you want from me. If it’s something I can’t do... then I won’t do it. Even if you beg me, I’ll say no."

His voice echoed in the stillness of the bathhouse—calm, detached, firm.

After everything he’d been through, he no longer felt the sting of rejection or abandonment from those who were supposed to be his "family."

And across from him, Jiraiya sat motionless, staring at the boy—so much like his beloved student Minato—and felt guilt swell like a tide.

Now he understood what they meant by "not daring to face him."

How many people in this village could look Naruto in the eye... with a clear conscience?

"...Naruto, I..."

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