"The Hyuga clan's defection must have a reason."
"In other words, the rumors previously spreading about Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Hyuga clan were true?"
"The Fourth Raikage's interview was true?"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi's public declaration was a lie?"
"As expected, Jiraiya really was betrayed by Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"Hyuga Hizashi did dirty work for Hiruzen Sarutobi, so he was dealt with."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi truly was suppressing the Hyuga clan."
"…"
The crowd discussed endlessly.
Shisui Uchiha looked toward the Hokage Building and shook his head.
"One thing after another. One case after another. With so many incidents, they cannot all be coincidences."
"So the ones who were wrong back then were not the Uchiha after all."
"I made the wrong choice."
"Clan Head Yamatake and Clan Head Fugaku both made the wrong choice."
"Senior Yashiro and the others were right."
"But Senior Yashiro and the others are only escaping right now. They cannot truly change the fate of the Uchiha and Konoha. The entire shinobi world is that terrible."
"I hope what Senior Kakashi said is true."
"Otherwise, there is no hope left for the shinobi world at all."
Jiraiya looked deeply in Konoha's direction.
But in the end, he still did not return to Konoha to question Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Instead, he looked toward the direction of Konoha's army.
During this period, Jiraiya had been searching for an opportunity.
An opportunity to test Uchiha Fugaku and find out whether Fugaku was the person who had caused the Nine-Tails' rampage.
"But Uchiha Fugaku is playing a decent role on the front line."
"Once I attack Uchiha Fugaku, Konoha, which is already at a disadvantage, will fall into an even worse position."
"That is not what I want to see."
"Perhaps this is also why Orochimaru received my letter but did not make a move against Uchiha Fugaku."
"I will wait a little longer."
"Even if Teacher Sarutobi truly made mistakes, Konoha is innocent."
Iwagakure.
Onoki closed the secret letter in his hand.
"Given the Hyuga clan's situation, without the protection of a ninja village, they are far too endangered in the shinobi world. To force them to the point where they still insist on leaving Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi really went too far."
"Needless to say, those matters must all be true."
"How foolish."
"For the sake of consolidating the Sarutobi clan's rule, he actually went this far."
"If Konoha is gone, who will the Sarutobi clan rule over?"
A middle-aged man quickly arrived before Onoki.
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
"Immediately lead a team to the Land of Water and make contact with the Hyuga clan. Tell them that Iwagakure is willing to accept their entire Hyuga clan. I can guarantee that we will never target them."
"Once they come, they will be people of Iwagakure."
"I, Onoki, will absolutely not act like Hiruzen Sarutobi."
The middle-aged man nodded.
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama."
But then he asked,
"Tsuchikage-sama, what if the Hyuga clan refuses?"
"If they refuse, persuade them. Lure them with benefits and move them with reason…"
"Tsuchikage-sama, what if even then, they still refuse?"
Onoki's eyes flickered slightly.
"In that case, you cannot make the trip for nothing. At the very least, bring back a pair of Byakugan. There may be few members of the Hyuga main family, but you should still be able to find an opportunity to strike."
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!"
Kumogakure.
The Fourth Raikage made the same arrangement as Onoki.
Even if Kumogakure had already obtained a pair of Byakugan—
What ninja village would ever dislike having more Byakugan?
One more Byakugan meant possessing a tremendous intelligence advantage in one more location.
Long-distance vision combined with x-ray vision could render many enemy arrangements meaningless.
"Bring back as many Byakugan as possible!"
"Yes, Raikage-sama!"
Even small ninja villages like Kusagakure, Amegakure, and Takigakure began to move.
Some daimyo also issued orders.
After leaving Konoha, the Hyuga clan was like a person with no strength to truss a chicken, yet carrying a precious treasure.
Of course, the Hyuga clan could not truly be considered powerless.
But under the temptation of the Byakugan, many people were willing to take that risk.
Even if dozens of shinobi had to die, as long as they obtained the Byakugan, it would be a massive profit.
"They're here!"
A great ship sailed across the sea.
Before it even reached the shore, attackers appeared first.
They hid within the seawater and quietly approached.
However, under the Byakugan of the Hyuga shinobi, that kind of concealment had no effect.
"Air-Palm!"
Hiashi Hyuga arrived at the bow of the ship and struck out with one palm.
Bang!
The long-range Air-Palm accurately struck one attacker.
A large amount of blood immediately rose from the sea surface.
But what shocked those attackers even more was not the death of their companion.
It was Hiashi Hyuga standing at the bow.
His forehead, now without a Konoha forehead protector, was not smooth.
Instead, complex and ugly markings had appeared there.
"That is the Caged Bird Seal?"
"But isn't he the clan head of the Hyuga clan? Isn't he from the Hyuga main family?"
Hiashi Hyuga gave an order.
"Expose all your foreheads! Let them see clearly!"
The former main family members hated Hiashi Hyuga deeply. For no reason, he had stripped them of their lofty status.
But even if Hiashi Hyuga had now branded himself with the Caged Bird Seal as well, he had gained the loyalty of the branch family members.
In terms of sheer numbers alone, they were enough to completely suppress these former main family members.
They had no choice but to obey orders.
These former main family members came to the deck and revealed their foreheads one after another.
Hiashi Hyuga looked toward the sea and let out a cold snort.
"From today onward, the Hyuga clan no longer has any distinction between main family and branch family. Everyone has already been branded with the Caged Bird Seal. Even if you kill us, you will not be able to obtain the Byakugan."
"If you still wish to attack us, then come."
"My Hyuga clan does not seek trouble, but we do not fear it either."
"Whoever wishes to harm us—we will fight them to the end!"
The shinobi below fell silent.
They had come for the Byakugan.
But now that the Caged Bird Seal had appeared on the members of the Hyuga main family, their thoughts were directly extinguished.
If they went all out, paid the price in casualties, and killed a Hyuga clan member, but still could not obtain the Byakugan, then all they had done was kill a Hyuga clan member.
What meaning was there in that?
"Hiashi Hyuga actually branded himself with the Caged Bird Seal?"
"He no longer wants the lofty status of the main family?"
"He's ruthless enough!"
"Hiashi Hyuga is quite the character!"
"No wonder the Hyuga clan dared to defect from Konoha and abandon Konoha's protection."
"The main family is gone. Now everyone is branch family."
"Attacking the Hyuga clan no longer has any meaning."
"We withdraw!"
Waves of attackers appeared, then withdrew one after another.
The existence of the Caged Bird Seal made them shrink back.
This made Hiashi Hyuga feel even more strongly that he had made the correct decision.
Hiashi Hyuga looked at the coastline entering his field of vision, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Our Hyuga clan is free!"
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