Once the Uchiha confirmed that a high council meeting would be held the next day, they sent people to notify all the elders.
The person sent to notify the Hyuga was Uchiha Norihiko.
Norihiko hadn't yet reached the Hyuga compound when he saw the Hyuga's signal flare shoot into the sky.
The Hyuga nearby him all rushed in the direction of the Hyuga grounds.
Norihiko felt something was wrong and quietly followed.
As he approached the Hyuga compound he heard shouts and calls for killing.
He looked around, there were no guards.
So he jumped onto the wall and looked down, and discovered the Hyuga were slaughtering one another; the sight stunned him.
Norihiko didn't linger to examine further; he immediately ran back to his own clan ground.
A short while later he arrived and quickly found Rengoku.
"Clan Head! Something's happened with the Hyuga."
"Hm?", Rengoku stood up in puzzlement.
"What happened?"
Sota had only just left here, how could something have happened so soon?
"I hadn't reached the Hyuga compound yet when I saw their signal flare."
"Although I didn't know the exact meaning of that flare, it should have been to call the clan back to the village."
"I saw Hyuga people along the way rushing toward their compound."
"When I got near their compound I heard very loud cries of battle."
"There were even sounds of explosive tags detonating."
"I jumped on the wall and saw the Hyuga were slaughtering each other, so I came straight to report it."
Rengoku was somewhat surprised.
'Did the branch family stage a coup?'
Although there was no such incident in previous timelines, undoubtedly this was the most likely possibility.
"I'll go and take a look. Tell Itachi to come as well."
"Yes."
Rengoku left the clan grounds like a wisp of smoke and hurried toward the Hyuga compound.
———
Others near the Hyuga grounds also sensed something was wrong.
Some Anbu had already reported to the Third Hokage.
By the time Rengoku arrived, the Hyuga grounds were already on full martial law.
Martial law meant a large number of clan members patrolling outside, refusing entry to anyone into the compound.
"No one is admitted, there are infiltrators in the Hyuga!"
Whether people from other clans or Anbu from the Third Hokage came, they were all turned away.
And the tone was very forceful. No one's appeals were listened to; it seemed like a single disagreement would lead to killing.
Other clans were surprised, and the Anbu were shocked. When did the Hyuga become this tough?
Rengoku thought for a moment, then walked inside with a composed demeanor.
The Hyuga who saw Rengoku come in were startled for a moment.
Then someone stepped forward, "Rengoku-sama, please come inside. Elder Sota has been waiting for you a long time."
He had stepped out because he remembered Sota's last words to him.
'It truly was all Sota's plan.'
Rengoku nodded slightly and prepared to follow the Hyuga inside.
At that moment Itachi arrived from behind and stood beside Rengoku.
The Hyuga who had spoken earlier reached out and stopped Itachi, "Sorry, Elder Sota only invited Rengoku-sama."
Itachi looked at Rengoku; Rengoku leaned close and whispered a few words in his ear.
His eyes full of shock, "Understood, senpai. I'll go first then."
Itachi flashed and left the gate; he wasn't going inside but first went to watch the Sarutobi family.
He didn't expect that Sota, who usually kept a low profile,nhad arranged something of this scale.
Itachi wasn't worried for Rengoku's safety; none of the Hyuga posed much danger to him.
Rengoku walked deeper into the Hyuga compound and saw stretcher-bearers carrying people out.
Some were unconscious, some grievously wounded.
More were corpses covered with white cloth.
On the faces of those present was a mixture of sorrow and joy.
Overall, the joy outweighed the grief.
When Rengoku entered the inner yard he found the intensity of the fighting far beyond what he had expected.
There were several large craters, obviously caused by high-yield explosive tags detonating.
Human fragments and severed limbs were scattered in pools of blood.
But the Hyuga were not cleansing the site; instead they carefully searched the ground.
Every tiny scrap of flesh or bone they picked up and inspected.
When Rengoku saw this his brow furrowed.
It wasn't that the place looked like a slaughterhouse, but because Sota still hadn't appeared.
"Where is Sota?", Rengoku asked aloud.
The Hyuga consulted briefly, then one of them walked over holding an envelope.
"This is a letter Elder Sota left for Rengoku-sama."
Rengoku opened the envelope.
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Rengoku-sama, if you are reading this it means the coup succeeded and I am dead.
I will not repeat here the deep and ancient conflicts between main family and branch family.
The complete extermination of the main family is the only way to save the branch family.
With this battle accomplished, there will no longer be main or branch families within the Hyuga.
But Hanabi and Hinata, Rengoku-sama's student, are closely involved; they are only to be imprisoned. Their final disposition is up to Rengoku-sama.
After my death, if any of Hyuga Asahi, Hyuga Kei, Hyuga Aoto, Hyuga Ryu, Hyuga Teru survives, any of them may take my place and continue to serve you.
Our clan has neither power nor ambition; we only seek the continuation of our people.
Please, Rengoku-sama, in consideration of our many years of friendship, give us your favor.
— Sincerely, Hyuga Sota
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Rengoku read the letter with a grave expression. He had not expected Sota's final words to mean this.
He had originally thought that once he became Hokage he could intervene in Hyuga affairs and gain a powerful ally.
But clearly, the world did not revolve around him; the branch family had their own intentions.
"Of the five, Hyuga Asahi, Hyuga Kei, Hyuga Aoto, Hyuga Ryu, Hyuga Teru, who is still alive?", he asked, looking up.
The Hyuga present seemed to have already arranged successors.
Two Hyuga stepped forward; one raised his left hand with his right arm bent, "I am Hyuga Asahi."
The other raised his hand as well, "I am Hyuga Aoto."
Rengoku raised an eyebrow, "Which of you will succeed Sota?"
They glanced at each other; Aoto stepped forward, "Me. Hyuga Aoto."
Rengoku nodded slightly, "Where are Hinata and her sister Hanabi?"
Aoto nodded, "They're both under house arrest in a room."
The main family members were to be exterminated by the branch family without mercy.
But Hinata and Hanabi were different.
First, these two children, Hanabi at most ten years old, knew nothing of the Caged Bird seal.
Second, Hinata was Itachi's student, meaning she had deep ties to the Uchiha.
Killing them casually might offend the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Rengoku was almost certain to become the Fifth Hokage.
Although the New Bud Plan had succeeded, many lives had been sacrificed.
With all the upper echelons dead, if the Hyuga wished to preserve their lineage they had to find a great tree, Rengoku was Sota's chosen great tree before his death.
For many years Sota had not only flattered Rengoku but also observed him closely.
He had basically understood Rengoku's character, so before launching the New Bud Plan he had told Rengoku, "The Hyuga's kekkei genkai is very beneficial to Konoha's development. I hope Rengoku-sama will continue to favor us."