Good afternoon, Jonin Aizen.
"Thanks for your hard work."
After the surgery, Aizen Sousuke walked through the arc-shaped corridor of the Hokage Building.
Sunlight streamed through the diamond-shaped window lattice, scattering into flowing golden spots on his shoulders. The research ninjas along the way stopped to pay their respects, their eyes filled with longing.
He maintained a perfectly balanced smile, neither distant nor overly intimate, as he walked step by step toward his private office.
After pushing open the door and sitting down at the desk, he took out a wooden box that had been perfectly preserved by being sealed with seals.
"Is this the token that can summon the moon?"
Aizen Sousuke examined the box in his hand, muttering to himself.
By searching through Hiashi Hyuga's memories, it was discovered that the Hyuga clan no longer held any secrets for him.
The only thing that piqued his curiosity was the 'Otsutsuki clan,' which was described vaguely even in the ancient records of the Hyuga clan.
His fingers lightly traced the surface of the sealed box, and the complex and intricate sealing patterns were no obstacle to him at all, easily broken one by one.
Then, with a click, the box slowly opened using the mechanism.
Preserved in the center is a spherical object that is as smooth and brilliant as jade, crystal clear.
Like a...
"Eye?"
Even with just a sliver of his sensory power, Aizen could easily sense an immense and unique power emanating from within the sphere.
It's not chakra, but more like a special eye power unique to the Byakugan.
"Was it through the call of eye power that the vast distance between the Earth and the Moon was instantly traversed, thus establishing a connection?"
Aizen picked up the bead, but did not make any rash moves.
He has always been cautious by nature.
Unless absolutely necessary, one would never expose oneself before the time is right.
It's better to leave the risks to others.
"only..."
"They are actually able to independently produce this kind of artificial energy product."
"The Otsutsuki clan's control over energy should be far superior to that of the ninja world."
"I don't know why, despite having this ability, they chose to live on the moon—is it because of that legend?"
"Their strength isn't bad either."
Aizen Sousuke leaned back in his chair, somewhat lost in thought as he sorted through the memories he had received from Hyuga Hiashi.
Just as he had guessed, the Hyuga clan's trump card was this heirloom that could directly connect with the moon.
According to the ancient secret records of the Hyuga clan, this token has been used three times in the past thousand years, all to resolve the crisis of the Hyuga clan's extinction.
The Otsutsuki clan members are much stronger than ordinary ninjas. At least the Otsutsuki aiders who appear in front of them all possess seven chakra natures.
In addition, it also possesses the ability to directly turn people into puppets.
Moreover, according to the last time this secret record appeared, in order to resist the siege of three Mangekyou Sharingan users, the Otsutsuki helpers who descended summoned a 'light that could destroy the world' from the moon, which broke through the Susanoo of the three in one blow.
To say it could destroy the world is clearly an exaggeration.
However, the fact that it broke through Susanoo in a single blow is something that ordinary people cannot do.
This corresponds to the historical records of the Uchiha clan.
Although the details are somewhat vague, there have been no records of large-scale wars between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans since then.
"interesting."
Aizen gazed quietly at the eye, his curiosity growing stronger.
Isn't this why he spent so much time on the Hyuga clan?
This fascinating world still holds countless things for him to explore, little by little.
Now, there's only one thing he's unsure about.
"After a long period of observation, although there are indeed traces of large-scale human activities on the moon, no corresponding signs of life have been detected."
"According to the records of the Hyuga clan, the last time they appeared was at least two hundred years ago."
"Is it because there are too few people?"
"Or... does it no longer exist?"
As Aizen Sousuke pondered this, he gently closed the box in his hand.
Although he was puzzled, he wasn't too worried.
After all, even if they didn't actually show up, he still had a backup plan in terms of controlling the Hyuga clan's movements.
Aizen Sousuke turned his head and reached out to hook to the side.
A tall, slender figure with long, pale hair and draped in a long robe stood quietly beside him, gazing at him with pure, white eyes.
With a smile on his face.
...
That night.
As soon as Hiashi Hyuga returned to the clan's territory, the entire Hyuga clan territory was sealed off by a group of branch family guards, making it impossible to enter or leave.
Neji Hyuga, unusually, did not practice as usual, but instead sat at home, anxiously waiting for something.
The veins on both sides of his forehead were bulging, clearly indicating that he was keeping his white eyes open.
Only after watching the branch family guards, under the orders of the main family, block the exits of various clan territories, and seeing no one heading in his direction, did he begin to lower his guard.
"Weren't you coming for me?"
"Have other spies or rebellious organizations lurking within the clan been exposed?"
Hyuga Neji muttered to himself.
He had seen similar situations many times since Hiashi Hyuga started to 'go berserk', and he had gotten used to it.
While I breathed a sigh of relief, I also felt a strange sadness in my heart.
How could he be happy when another like-minded person had died?
Once his emotions had calmed down, Neji returned to the courtyard and looked at the slightly dim moonlight in the night sky.
I wonder... when will Aizen-sama's test finally end?
When will the main family finally be destroyed?
"Hopefully it will be soon."
...
While Hyuga Neji's gaze was still fixed on the clan's territory.
Led by Hiashi Hyuga, the main clan members had already gathered at a secret base outside the clan's territory, where they announced the shocking facts they had discovered that day, as well as the 'truth' behind Hiashi Hyuga's unusual behavior.
"Illusion?!"
"Kaleidoscope Sharingan?"
One terrifying reality after another crashed into everyone's minds. Almost all the members of the clan present kept their mouths agape the entire time, their minds completely blank.
However, things had already come to this point, and even though Hiashi Hyuga empathized with them, he couldn't help but worry about their helplessness.
He kept a straight face as always, and his tone was more serious than ever before:
That's just how it is.
"You have all witnessed my absurd actions as the head of the family these past few days."
"Let's set aside the question of right and wrong for now and discuss it later. Right now, the most crucial thing is the life and death of our Hyuga clan!"
Hiashi Hyuga had no intention of giving these pampered members of the main family any time to think, and immediately gave the elder a wink.
The Grand Elder immediately understood and stood up, suggesting, "That's exactly right."
"If Hiruzen Sarutobi realizes something is wrong and immediately attacks us, even the Uchiha clan, with their Mangekyou Sharingan, has met such a miserable end. My Hyuga clan will certainly have no chance of survival under the siege of the Hokage's faction!"
"Please give the order, Your Majesty!"
As soon as that word fell, the elders, who had already discussed their strategy in the hospital room, immediately bowed down:
"Please give the order, Your Majesty!"
The entire Hyuga main family consists of only a dozen or so people, led by the family head and elders, with the rest being their descendants and younger generations.
Seeing that the decision-makers had made their decision, these panicked and bewildered clansmen all joined in the shouting.
Seeing this, Hiashi Hyuga took a deep breath and made up his mind:
"very good."
"In the name of the patriarch, I command you to bring out the heirloom and go to the secret land of the Moon Crossing to summon the Upper Clan to descend."
"Slay Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Having determined the current situation, the Hyuga clan has no room for retreat.
Upon hearing this, the members of the clan below were initially taken aback, seemingly somewhat intimidated. However, recalling the records related to the upper clan in the past, they mustered their courage and shouted in unison again:
"Slay Hiruzen Sarutobi!!"
Looking at the figures of everyone shouting in unison, Hiashi Hyuga nodded slightly.
People's hearts can be won over.
Hiashi Hyuga immediately stood up from his seat, and although many members of the main family were uneasy, they still followed behind him.
Under the cover of night.
This small team of a dozen or so people broke out of Konoha and headed straight into the depths of the distant forest.
However, they did not realize it.
Several unfamiliar figures were trailing behind the group, moving at a leisurely pace.