CHAPTER 163: CHAPTER 163: DO YOU WANT TO BE A HOKAGE?

Chapter 163: Do You Want to Be a Hokage?

"There are more than 600 thank-you letters piled up. Are you really not going to meet them, Ryosuke?"

In the Hyuga clan’s courtyard, Ryosuke stood silently in the center of the training grounds, his upper body bare under the sweltering summer sun.

Golden sunlight danced across his sculpted frame. Beads of sweat shimmered on his skin, sliding down his body with each precise movement and dripping quietly onto the stone tiles below.

With every breath he drew, his muscles pulsed—sometimes as hard as tempered steel, reflecting a faint blue gleam, and other times soft and fluid, like unshaped clay.

"...Not seeing anyone," he muttered, his voice low and focused.

His attention remained entirely on the internal rhythm of his body. He was experimenting—adjusting his breathing, muscle tension, and chakra flow in sync, trying to engrain this new training method into his instinct.

On the wooden walkway nearby, Hinata Hyuga sat with her feet dangling. She pouted. "But you can’t keep hiding from them forever."

"The villagers are manageable. They’re too nervous to step past the clan gates, so they keep sending letters instead. But the clan members are a different story. They want to meet you in person and thank you directly."

She crossed her arms. "Father and I had to pull a few strings just to keep them from barging in."

Ryosuke didn’t answer. His concentration was absolute. Every movement, every shift in his stance, was driven by his desire to master a deeper connection between mind and body.

Hinata watched quietly. She didn’t really understand the training, but the tranquil air was oddly comforting.

The chorus of summer cicadas, the rustling leaves, the snoring of a fat cat nearby, and the rhythm of Ryosuke’s breathing blended into a strange but peaceful tune in her ears.

She stayed seated for the entire afternoon, letting the stillness wash over her.

There were no classes today. Due to recent turmoil in the village, the Ninja Academy had temporarily shut down. Students were expected to study at home, but Hinata wasn’t one to slack off.

Since being named the heir to the Hyuga clan, she’d taken her duties seriously. Hiashi had stopped micromanaging her training. Ryosuke hadn’t made her a plan either, so she’d started setting goals for herself.

"Cold..."

A sudden voice broke the calm.

A figure stood at the courtyard gate. One of Ryosuke’s trusted messengers had come to deliver news.

"Shh..." Hinata held a finger to her lips.

She hopped off the walkway and approached the gate. "You can tell me."

"Lady Hinata..." the messenger hesitated, glancing nervously toward Ryosuke. "The village is planning to commend those who distinguished themselves during the recent crisis. The Hokage sent this letter. He hopes Lord Ryosuke will attend the ceremony."

He handed her the sealed envelope, stepping back quickly.

Hinata took the letter, confirming the authenticity of the seal. She nodded. "I’ll let him know when he finishes."

"Thank you, Lady Hinata. I won’t intrude any further." The messenger bowed deeply toward Ryosuke before leaving, his respect bordering on reverence.

Hinata watched him go, her mood subtly shifting.

He didn’t even look at me that way... I’m the future head of the clan...

But the jealousy passed quickly, replaced by thoughtful silence as she returned to her seat.

A week had passed since the brutal invasion by Kirigakure.

The village had already held funerals for the fallen. Now, most of the population was focused on rebuilding Konoha’s shattered outer district.

The war was over—but the aftermath remained.

Victory without purpose only led to shared suffering. Nearly 95% of Konoha’s outer infrastructure had been destroyed. The damage to lives and property was massive, even for the winning side.

And Kirigakure? Though they had lost, they had yet to offer any explanation for the attack. Worse, they showed no interest in recovering the thousands of ninja who’d been captured. As if they’d simply abandoned them.

Why? What were they hiding?

Even with her access to the Hyuga clan’s intelligence network, Hinata could find no answers. Information from other Villages was difficult to obtain, even for someone in her position.

Just then, a voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"I won’t go to the commendation ceremony."

Ryosuke had finished his training. Draped in a white towel, he walked toward her, his skin steaming faintly from exertion.

"Thanks for handling all the social stuff. I know it’s annoying, but I really don’t have the energy for it."

Hinata blinked, slightly dazed by the scent and heat radiating off him.

The summer was already hot—but this was ridiculous.

She scooted away a bit and muttered, "You stink. Go shower already."

Her cheeks were glowing, not with irritation, but with something warmer, softer.

"Right away," Ryosuke chuckled.

He sat down beside her and picked up the envelope she had placed nearby. Breaking the seal, he skimmed through the contents.

It was from Jiraiya.

The wording was casual, respectful. Jiraiya clearly anticipated that Ryosuke might decline, and didn’t pressure him—just asked for confirmation.

Ryosuke smiled faintly.

"Jiraiya-sensei already knows me too well. No need to worry about appearances or formalities."

Instead of giving speeches or standing on a platform receiving applause, he’d rather spend that time completing his training regimen.

Being a hero?

He had no idea what that felt like—and frankly, he didn’t care to find out.

"I still think you should go... at least this once."

Hinata’s voice was soft, hesitant. "Won’t people misunderstand if you keep hiding like this? They might start thinking you’re arrogant... or worse, that you look down on them."

She paused, watching Ryosuke’s expression, then continued, "Even the strongest person has limits. If the people lose faith in you because of silence, their hearts may change. They’ll start guessing—making up their own reasons. And those reasons might not be kind."

Her thoughts drifted to Konoha’s history.

The village was co-founded by Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama—legends whose accomplishments far surpassed Ryosuke’s. Yet, over time, the Senju gained favor, building alliances and cultivating trust. Meanwhile, the Uchiha were feared, treated as weapons, and ultimately isolated.

"Maybe," Ryosuke replied after a pause, his voice calm, almost indifferent. "But what does that have to do with me?"

He adjusted the towel on his shoulders, then clarified, "What the rest of Konoha thinks doesn’t matter much to me. As for the clan, with you and Father managing things, there won’t be any real backlash."

Ryosuke understood her concerns. He knew she was suggesting that he make a public appearance—not for vanity, but to leave a positive impression. To protect his future. To ensure no one could twist the narrative.

But to him, it was unnecessary.

It wasn’t that Ryosuke couldn’t handle fame or didn’t know how to shape public opinion. He simply found it tedious. If needed, he had countless ways to build a reputation. But for now, there was no urgency.

After a brief silence, he sighed and spoke more seriously, "Truth is... the next few months are going to be turbulent. The ninja world is heading toward something big."

Hinata blinked. "You... saw something?"

She was referring to Ryosuke’s strange ability—his flashes of precognition.

"...It’s like a wish," Ryosuke said, evasively. "Say it out loud, and it won’t come true."

He stood up, stretching slightly. "There are things I need to confirm first. When the time comes, I’ll tell you and Father everything."

Whether it was another world... or an invasion from beyond... even he didn’t fully understand it yet. And if he couldn’t explain it to himself, he certainly couldn’t explain it to others.

"...Alright."

Hinata didn’t push further. This was their rhythm. He rarely explained everything, and she rarely questioned it. Their trust ran deeper than words.

She stepped forward and took his hand.

The shy warmth from earlier had vanished, replaced by quiet resolve.

"No matter where you go, or what path you take... I’ll be right behind you. So will the clan."

Ryosuke was caught off guard for a moment by the sudden seriousness in her voice. But then, he smiled and squeezed her hand back.

"Then stay close. You’ll get to watch me break the limits of this world."

---

The next morning, Ryosuke’s refusal to attend the commendation ceremony reached the Hokage Tower.

Surprisingly, Jiraiya—the Fifth Hokage himself—arrived at the Hyuga estate not long after. Unlike his last unannounced visit, this time, Hyuga Hiashi was home.

However, Hiashi didn’t linger. After breakfast, he nodded politely to Jiraiya and left without engaging. He trusted Ryosuke to handle matters himself.

Hinata and Hanabi also left soon after to continue their suspended school training.

Within moments, Ryosuke found himself alone in the house with Jiraiya.

"I’ve missed this kind of peace," Jiraiya said as they sat in the receiving room, surrounded by a modest spread of tea and fruit. "Hard to believe it’s already been a year..."

"Yeah," Ryosuke replied, glancing outside. "Last time you came, you weren’t the Hokage yet."

Time had moved quickly—too quickly.

"I’ll skip the formalities," Jiraiya said bluntly, his expression turning serious. "Some shinobi reported seeing you fly over the battlefield when the Hidden Mist attacked... but they also said you didn’t engage immediately."

"There are a few... murmurs. Questions about why you didn’t intervene right away to minimize Konoha’s casualties."

He held Ryosuke’s gaze. "I’ve silenced those voices for now. But I need a proper explanation. One the village can accept."

Jiraiya leaned forward slightly. "I don’t believe for a second that you ignored the fighting. From the time you were spotted above the battlefield to when you reappeared, nearly half an hour passed."

"There were signs of a major battle in the forest. Scorched earth, shattered trees, deep chakra burns... I believe you encountered someone—someone important—who was pulling strings behind the scenes."

"That’s why the Mist ninja retreated in that direction. They expected to regroup with their secret ace. But they never got the chance... because you had already dealt with him."

He sat back, watching Ryosuke.

Unlike their usual casual conversations, Jiraiya’s tone now was heavy. Calculated. Fitting for a Hokage.

It wasn’t just intuition speaking. Someone—whether Jiraiya himself or the ANBU analysts—had pieced this together with frightening accuracy.

Ryosuke was speechless.

He wanted to say, You’ve already said everything. What more is there for me to add? But he swallowed the thought.

"...Yeah," he finally admitted. "You’re right."

Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed, his face growing even more solemn.

Without another word, he stood up—and bowed.

Ryosuke stared at him, stunned.

"The traces of battle were overwhelming. It had to be an opponent far stronger than the average jōnin. Something that took your full attention for that entire time."

"If not for you... Konoha’s losses might’ve been catastrophic. Maybe the entire inner district would’ve been overrun."

"So, as Hokage, and as someone who was raised in this village... thank you, Ryosuke. For protecting us."

His voice was calm and unwavering, without the slightest hint of exaggeration or politics.

There was no false humility. No performative gratitude.

Just real, unfiltered respect.

"Hokage-sama praises me too much," Ryosuke said, lowering his gaze slightly. "I just did what needed to be done."

Of course, he wasn’t about to admit that he’d passed over the battlefield just to chase a powerful opponent for his own growth. That part would stay between him and the trees.

Jiraiya didn’t respond to his modesty.

Instead, he sat back down and got to the heart of the matter.

"In truth, for this alone... if you’re willing, I can put your name forward as a candidate for the next Hokage."

He said it without pause. Without hesitation.

"If you accept the responsibilities and pass the necessary evaluations... you’ll be the Sixth Hokage."

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