Chapter 194: Konan: "Jūzō Biwa has defected?"
"Hah... hah..." Hinata Hyūga held her sister Hanabi's small hand, panting as she followed closely behind Kenzō Hyūga. A few other Hyūga Main House women and children followed behind her.
"Ichiraku Ramen, we're here."
Kenzō Hyūga looked up at the ramen shop's sign. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and said to the group behind him, "I'll go in first. If I come back out, you can all follow me. If I don't..."
He paused, then continued, "Run away immediately."
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous!
Kenzō Hyūga mustered his courage and walked into Ichiraku Ramen. The terrifying Izumi Uchiha he had imagined was not there; only a few customers eating ramen and the busy owner, Teuchi.
He turned back and said to the others, "Come on in!"
Hinata Hyūga carefully walked in. She held Hanabi's hand, sat down in an empty seat, and whispered to Hanabi, "If you see that man later, don't say a single word to him."
She was afraid that her young, ignorant sister would anger Izumi Uchiha.
Even though she herself wasn't that much older.
Hanabi Hyūga's big, innocent eyes blinked twice in confusion.
All the Hyūga Main House members were on edge, making the atmosphere in Ichiraku Ramen very strange. It caused the owner's daughter, Ayame, to have a conflicted expression, wanting to say something but holding back.
Finally, Kenzō Hyūga came to his senses.
They were occupying seats at Ichiraku Ramen but weren't ordering anything. Ahem! That was indeed a bit rude...
Kenzō Hyūga said to the group, "You can order any ramen you want, no matter how much or how expensive it is. I'll treat you all tonight."
"R-really?!" Hinata Hyūga immediately looked up.
"Really," Kenzō Hyūga said with confidence.
The salary of a Special Jōnin was quite high.
The Main House now had so few people left.
Treating them was no big deal for him.
However.
An hour later, Kenzō Hyūga suddenly started to regret his decision. The other Main House members were fine; they would get full after two medium-sized bowls of ramen at most. But what was with Young Mistress Hinata?
How many bowls had she already eaten? And every single one was a large! The stack of empty bowls next to her already numbered eleven!
And Young Mistress Hinata was still eating her twelfth bowl of Ichiraku Ramen!
"Young... Young Mistress Hinata?" Kenzō Hyūga was breaking out in a cold sweat, afraid that something was wrong with Hinata Hyūga. He wouldn't know how to explain it to Lord Hiashi.
"Are you... full?" Kenzō Hyūga wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"I'm... about eighty percent full..." Hinata said sheepishly.
She felt like today was the fullest she had ever been.
The most important thing was that she had been treated to ramen by two different people.
"Eighty percent..." Kenzō Hyūga was dumbfounded. He wanted to ask a question—did Lord Hiashi not feed Young Mistress Hinata normally? Otherwise, why was Young Mistress Hinata eating like she had been starving?
Of course.
He didn't voice these words directly. Even though Hiashi Hyūga was in Konoha's prison, the prestige of being the clan head was still present, and he certainly wouldn't dare to openly criticize Hiashi Hyūga.
It's just that...
Now there was a big problem.
Kenzō Hyūga touched his money pouch and felt that the money he had brought might not be enough.
This is bad.
"Orochimaru's location?" When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard this from the ANBU ninja, he furrowed his brows: "Ikeizumi didn't tell me. It seems he doesn't want me to get involved. He probably thinks I'll be lenient with Orochimaru..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he had figured out what Ikeizumi was thinking.
He shook his head, sighing in resignation: "Ikeizumi always suspects my actions with malicious intent. He thinks I'll collude with Orochimaru. He just doesn't trust me after all."
"Heh!"
Koharu Utatane's voice reached Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears: "Ikeizumi Uchiha does more than just maliciously speculate about you! He probably thinks you and Orochimaru are one and the same!"
Koharu Utatane had also heard the ANBU ninja's report. She narrowed her eyes and said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Hiruzen, Orochimaru has many research files that even Danzō coveted before his death. These are all very valuable things."
"But since Orochimaru conducted his human experiments with extreme methods, if Ikeizumi Uchiha really finds Orochimaru's hideout, he will undoubtedly destroy all the research files."
"That is originally Konoha's property and can be used by Konoha. I will not allow Konoha's precious property to turn into dust."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Are you trying to find Orochimaru before Ikeizumi and take him and all his research files?"
Koharu Utatane said, "That's right."
"But... my two elders."
The ANBU ninja interjected: "I didn't get the specific location of the Sannin, Orochimaru, from Anko Mitarashi or Izumi Uchiha."
Koharu Utatane said, "I will send people to figure it out."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and warned Koharu Utatane: "Koharu, don't be reckless, and don't take extreme measures."
Koharu Utatane took a deep breath: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
The Land of Rain, at a hidden rendezvous point.
Jūzō Biwa shook the rain from his body. He stood on a cliff's edge, his feet on the muddy ground.
He hesitated, then cleared his throat and said to Izumi Uchiha's Wood Clone, "She said the rendezvous point is here, but... I'm not sure if that woman will still show up to meet me after she sees you. She seems very suspicious."
The subconscious meaning was—you might get in the way.
Of course.
His strong will to survive prevented Jūzō Biwa from saying this outright, so he said it in this roundabout way.
Even though the one in front of him was only a clone of Izumi Uchiha.
One second, five seconds, ten seconds... Seeing Izumi Uchiha's Wood Clone stand motionless, Jūzō Biwa began to wonder if his "hint" was too subtle.
Perhaps a clone couldn't understand?
"Um... maybe you should..."
"No need." The Wood Clone interrupted him coldly, its cold gaze already fixed on a spot on the opposite cliff top—a place where two cliffs faced each other across a chasm.
"She's already arrived."
The Wood Clone said.
Jūzō Biwa was startled. He immediately followed the Wood Clone's gaze and indeed saw a petite, aloof figure standing on the opposite cliff. She was like a flower on a desolate peak, her amber eyes filled with a cold expression.
"She saw my true appearance without any disguise and still didn't leave. Either she's confident in her own strength and has nothing to fear, or she didn't come here as her true body either. As you said just now, she is a very suspicious person."
The Wood Clone said indifferently.
"Ikeizumi Uchiha..." Konan stared at the unfamiliar figure.
She looked deeply at his young, stern face.
"Jūzō Biwa... has defected from the Akatsuki?"
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