He was about to apologize—which meant he still couldn't resist the lure of this A-rank ninjutsu.
Then he'd make sure to humiliate him properly.
In an instant, Haku Mū had already made up his mind.
But to his surprise, a voice rose unexpectedly.
"Sorry, but I don't think I did anything wrong. If anything, it's your smug attitude that really gets on my nerves. It's just fifty thousand ryo—why act so high and mighty?"
When Shiki Uzumaki spoke up, everyone in the hall sensed the tension behind his words.
"What kind of kid is this? How dare he talk back to a Chunin from the Hyuga clan at his age?"
"Yeah, and not just any Chunin—one working at the Mission Hall."
"Just wait. That kid's going to regret it."
"You know what? I actually think he has a point. Haku Mū from the Hyuga clan always grovels in front of Jonin but puts on airs around Genin. People like that are annoying."
"Shh, let's just see if that red-haired brat can actually come up with fifty thousand ryo."
Gradually, whispers spread across the room, though most people didn't seem to support Shiki Uzumaki.
Tobahara also hadn't expected things to go this far. Though he generally understood Haku Mū's personality well, this wasn't the place for such a conflict.
Especially not at the Mission Hall, where not only Konoha ninja gathered, but clients from other countries came to request services.
If two Konoha ninja ended up fighting here, it would bring shame to the entire village.
"Silence! It's just a mission. Why has it turned into this mess?"
Wanting to end the incident as soon as possible, Tobahara—who knew Haku Mū was more at fault—chose to remain neutral. Otherwise, knowing Haku Mū's petty nature, this matter could drag on forever.
"No! Today, I want an apology from that brat!" Haku Mū felt completely humiliated by this young punk.
He roared, trying to intimidate Shiki Uzumaki into backing down.
"Whatever. I don't feel like arguing with someone like you. Although I don't understand what's going through your head, let me give you some advice—don't assume everyone is as easygoing as they appear."
With that, Shiki Uzumaki took Ka Natsuko's hand and walked out.
As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.
"Oh, by the way, regarding this mission—I'll definitely complete it. So why not deduct the required tax in advance? My account is listed on the ninja registration form. Just take fifty thousand ryo from there."
After saying that, Shiki walked out.
Leaving everyone inside in shock.
Only Haku Mū stood there, face flushed red with anger. With a slap, he struck his own table.
Seemingly furious beyond words, yet deep down, he was already plotting revenge.
If it must be so, then he would report to his clan—Shiki Uzumaki was an absolute threat.
[To Be Continued]
Chapter 229: Action
Shiki Uzumaki naturally didn't know what Hyuga Haku Mū was thinking. In his mind, he also believed that the Hyuga Clan probably wouldn't do anything to him.
Because in the original storyline, even though Hiashi Hyuga—the clan leader—was somewhat rigid-minded, and had once used his authority as head of the clan to demonstrate to Neji Hyuga how unbridgeable the gap between Main House and Branch Family could be, at least he was someone gradually changing. In fact, lately he'd often been personally guiding Neji in [Gentle Fist] techniques and speaking with him, clear signs of this evolution.
Perhaps he still insisted on the view that the Branch Family must absolutely obey the Main House. But thanks to what happened with his younger brother Hizashi, he wouldn't be completely biased in these matters anymore.
Because when Hizashi sacrificed himself for his older brother, he had said, "I hate the Main House deeply—even now, I really do."
"Therefore, what I am doing is not for the sake of the Main House."
"Please tell Neji—my death isn't for the Hyuga Main House, but for my older brother and the village."
So instinctively, Shiki Uzumaki believed the Hyuga wouldn't target him directly.
But that was only Hiashi's opinion. Within the Hyuga Clan, not everything revolved around Hiashi's views alone.
Some Branch Family members would naturally defend the authority of the Hyuga as a whole—the authority of the Main House.
"Shiki, what are you thinking about?"
Ka Natsuko noticed that Shiki Uzumaki had slightly narrowed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought, so she couldn't help asking.
By now, they were already on their way toward Nikamura. Before leaving, Shiki Uzumaki had returned home and left a letter for Sena Hoshino.
It simply said he had another mission to handle.
However, it was a bit strange for just Shiki Uzumaki alone to go on a mission—it drew some suspicion from the Konoha ninja guarding the East Gate.
After all, Konoha wasn't currently at war, and unlike Kusei, Shiki wasn't exactly an experienced Jonin yet.
While lost in thought, he suddenly heard Natsuko call out to him, asking the question. He then tapped his nose and grinned, "Me? Just thinking about stuff back in the village."
"You're so young, but it always feels like you've got a million things on your plate."
Shiki shook his head. "Sometimes, you can't judge a person just by how they look. You never know what they're really carrying inside."
At that moment, Shiki suddenly thought of Sasuke. Actually, he too carried many heavy responsibilities.
The Sound Four sent by Orochimaru should come looking for him soon enough, no matter how much influence Shiki might have added into the mix. What decision Sasuke would make in the end remained unpredictable.
"Oh right, Nee-san, remind me again—what exactly does that guy Harada want?"
Shiki had a vague feeling that this man called Harada might possibly be useful somewhere along the line.
He understood clearly enough—he would definitely clash with Danzo eventually. Relying solely on his own strength would place him at a disadvantage.
He needed to look for external support.
And Nikamura seemed like a pretty good option, even if this village practically amounted to nothing nowadays.
The last time Shiki Uzumaki visited, he saw that just about every kid in the village was going through [Sword Training], and a few were even practicing [Ninjutsu].
In the Land of Rain—a place always caught in chaos and conflict—this kind of scene wasn't actually unusual.
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