The Boys

Time will not stop for anyone's troubles.

Hashirama and Mito were ultimately unable to come up with a perfect solution immediately.

The reality is staring us in the face.

They are adults, leaders who bear the heavy responsibility of their families and villages.

Their world and the children's world, though they overlap, are far less intersecting than one might imagine.

The mountains of official business, diplomatic negotiations, village development plans, and coordination of interests among various families occupied most of their time and energy.

Children may understand their joys and sorrows, the growing pains and confusion, but it's difficult for them to truly empathize with them at all times, let alone immediately find a good solution.

Hashirama originally wanted to talk to Izuna privately, since Izuna was the instigator and always had a lot of clever ideas, so perhaps he could help resolve Yūki's inner conflict.

But Mito stopped him.

This princess of the Uzumaki Clan is more thoughtful.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Izuna, but rather that she was concerned as a mother and didn't want to trouble Izuna.

Izuna was, after all, a member of the Uchiha. Although he was Madara's brother, someone recognized by Hashirama, and an important pillar of Konoha, he was ultimately not a direct relative of the Senju Clan.

Because of her own child's problem, Mito worried that troubling a stranger with a sensitive and powerful background would add unnecessary burdens to the other party and might even trigger some unnecessary speculation or discussion.

"Let's see. Maybe Yūki will come to its own eventually," Mito finally said, her tone carrying a mother's expectation and a hint of helpless compromise.

So, the next morning, the couple could only suppress their worries and watch their son, Yūki, put on his Ninja Tool Pouch and meet up with his friend, Senju Ichiyo, who was waiting at the door.

Ichiyo saw Hashirama wife, she bowed politely in greeting, then whispered something to Yūki, and the two of them walked together toward the usual Training Ground.

Watching the backs of the two boys walking side by side, Hashirama and Mito felt a mix of emotions.

But they didn't have time to indulge in those emotions.

There are piles of documents waiting to be reviewed in the Hokage Building; the integration of the Uzumaki Clan with the Konoha Sealing Jutsu system requires Mito's personal oversight; the initial construction of the open area is about to begin; and preparations for the Hokage Appointment Ceremony have entered a crucial stage...

The relentless flow of life pushed them forward, forcing them to once again plunge into their busy work.

And so, two days passed quietly amidst busyness and a few worries.

That afternoon, after finishing a training session, Yamanaka Harukawa wiped the sweat from his brow and rested with Uchiha Hinata and Uchiha Takuma under the shade of a tree by the Training Ground.

They originally wanted to train with Yūki and the others, but Yūki refused. Akimichi Shiro and Akimichi Takahiro, who were playing the Sukemori, were too busy to help pick vegetables, so it was just the three of them who had nothing to do and played together.

Harukawa unscrewed the water bottle, took a sip, and glanced at the Training Ground and the distant street, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Speaking of which..." He put down the kettle, his tone slightly uncertain, "Have you guys noticed... we haven't seen many people from the Hyuga Clan today?"

Hinata was wiping his Short Sword with a towel when he heard this, he paused and looked around.

"Now that you mention it..." Hinata stroked his chin, "When I came this morning, I didn't see those Hyuga Clan members who usually come to train. The Hyuga clan groups that used to be on the streets weren't there either."

Harukawa asked, "Is it some kind of collective activity or temporary task within their tribe?"

Takuma shook his head. "For group activities or temporary missions, we usually leave someone behind on the outskirts of the clan or in the village to keep watch. But I just came from the Commercial Street, and the herbal medicine shop that Granny Hyuga usually Hyuga to is closed today. The uncle selling Ninja Tools next door said it hasn't been open since yesterday afternoon."

Hinata's expression turned serious.

After each clan established itself in Konoha, although their clan territories were relatively independent, they were not completely isolated from the world.

All the families run small businesses in the village or take on patrol and maintenance duties in public areas.

Such a collective disappearance is extremely rare.

"Where's Ren-chan?" Takuma suddenly remembered something and looked at Hinata. "Hinata, haven't you looked for her?"

Hinata shook his head. "I went to the Hyuga Clan Compound yesterday afternoon, but I didn't see her."

Hinata wanted to ask her how her leg injury was healing and whether she was changing her dressings on time.

However, upon reaching the outskirts of the Hyuga Clan Compound, they were politely but firmly stopped by the Hyuga clan members guarding the gate, who said that Miss Rei needed to rest and was not available to receive guests.

At the time, he didn't think much of it, only that the Hyuga Clan had many rules and was particularly strict in caring for the wounded.

But now, combined with the findings from the Harukawa...

Hinata swiftly sheathed his sword and stood up.

"Something's not right." He frowned. "It's too quiet. The Hyuga Clan... something might have happened."

Harukawa and Takuma also stood up, their expressions grave.

Although they are young, they are all young Ninjas who have experienced clan changes and participated in the construction of Konoha. Such an unusual situation definitely needs to be taken seriously.

The Hyuga Clan is an important part of Konoha, and their members are their companions.

Furthermore, Hinata also likes Rei, and became anxious when she learned that Hyuga was in trouble.

What happened to the Hyuga Clan? How is Ren-chan doing now?

"We can't just sit here and wait!" Harukawa spoke first. "We need to find out what's going on!"

Hinata said, "Let's go check on the Hyuga Clan Compound. If there's anything wrong, perhaps... we can help."

Takuma: "Ren-chan is our comrade, and Hinata, you like her, right? We have to take care of this."

"Furthermore," Takuma lowered his eyes, "If something truly goes wrong within the Hyuga Clan, and it's left unchecked, it could affect the stability of the entire Konoha."

This reason was sufficient and enough to convince these young Ninjas to take action.

But they knew that for the three of them alone to directly storm the Hyuga Clan Compound would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

They need help, a more compelling reason, and a more meticulous plan.

"Find Yūki and Ichiyo," Harukawa said. "They're definitely concerned about Ren-chan's situation too."

"And there's Akimichi Takahiro and Akimichi Shiro."

"I'm afraid those two can't make it," Hinata shook his head. "When I came over just now, I saw the Akimichi Clan's kitchen was packed with activity, probably preparing food for the open area. The whole clan is busy. Takahiro and Bai have definitely been conscripted by their families and can't get away for the time being."

"Then let's find Yūki and Ichiyo first," Harukawa decided.

They quickly found Senju Yūki and Senju Ichiyo practicing in a relatively secluded corner of the Training Ground.

After explaining their purpose, both Yūki and Ichiyo's expressions immediately turned serious.

Especially Yūki; he was already burdened by his experiences on stage, and upon hearing that his companions might be in trouble, he was the first to respond.

"The Hyuga Clan... something's definitely not right," Yūki recalled. "Yesterday afternoon, I tried to visit her to check on her injuries, but I was stopped at the door. The guard's explanation was the same as Hinata had heard."

Ichiyo nodded in agreement. "I've indeed seen far fewer Byakugan these past few days."

The five teenagers huddled together, lowered their voices, and began to urgently Discussion countermeasures.

"Breaking in directly is definitely not an option," Hinata analyzed calmly. "We need a legitimate reason, or... we should find a way to sneak in."

"A legitimate reason..." Harukawa stroked his chin, "The reason of visiting the wounded has already been used, and it was rejected. Unless there's an order from the Lord Hokage or the Clan Head..."

Yūki's eyes lit up. "How about I go find my father..."

"No," Hinata immediately objected. "Lord Hashirama is currently Acting Hokage and is very busy. Besides, this is an internal matter of the Hyuga Clan. Without clear evidence of any danger to the village, Lord Hashirama cannot directly interfere. Speaking out rashly might alert the enemy or make things more complicated."

Takuma suggested, "Then... shall we pretend to be delivering something? Or passing on a message?"

"What to send? To whom?" Ichiyo countered. "The Hyuga Clan is clearly on high alert right now; any outside contact will trigger their suspicion."

A brief silence fell over everyone.

At that moment, Yamanaka Harukawa suddenly looked up.

"I've got it!" Harukawa lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming. "We can't force our way in, but we can lure them away."

"A diversionary tactic?" The other four looked at him.

"Hmm." Harukawa nodded and explained in detail, "The Hyuga Clan Compound is heavily guarded, especially during this special period, with many sentries, both visible and hidden. But their focus is mainly on preventing outsiders from entering and detecting any internal anomalies."

"If one of us could create a little trouble at the main gate or somewhere conspicuous, attracting the attention of most of the guards..."

He looked at everyone. "... Then, the others will have the opportunity to sneak in from the relatively weaker sides or rear!"

"Create trouble? How?" Yūki pressed.

Harukawa gave a slightly sly smile, "Leave this to me. Our Yamanaka Clan, besides our perception and psychic techniques, also has some expertise in creating chaos."

"I can possess a member of the Hyuga Clan, pretending to have urgent information to deliver to a certain lord of the Hyuga Main Family, or feign discovering a suspicious person loitering near the Hyuga Clan Compound... In short, I can make some noise and divert the guards' attention for a while."

"What about the infiltrators?" Hinata asked. "We're not familiar with the internal structure of the Hyuga Clan Compound. Even if they managed to sneak in, how would they find Ren-chan? And what if they were discovered..."

"The infiltration mission will be handled by me and Takuma," Hinata a deep voice. "I have the Sharingan, which gives me superior dynamic vision and observation skills. Takuma a master of stealth; avoiding patrols will be a piece of cake."

He looked at Yūki and Ichiyo: "You two stay, especially Yūki. Your identity is rather sensitive; you are the son of Lord Hashirama."

"If you are discovered to have infiltrated the Hyuga Clan Compound, it could cause unnecessary political misunderstandings. So you will stay outside, firstly to provide backup, and secondly, if Harukawa's attempt to divert attention fails, or if something happens to us inside, you can immediately seek help from Lord Hashirama or Lord Madara."

Yūki nodded. "Okay, Ichiyo and I will provide backup outside. You guys be careful."

Ichiyo nodded solemnly. "I will pay attention to the surrounding noise."

The plan has been largely finalized.

Hinata added some details, "After infiltrating, our primary objective is to find Lian and confirm her safety. If she's merely being held captive, we'll try to get her out. If we encounter other situations... we'll act according to the circumstances, prioritizing self-preservation and relaying messages."

"The operation is scheduled for the evening shift change, when the guards might be less vigilant and the light will be better for concealment." Harukawa glanced at the sky. "We still have a little time to prepare. Everyone check your Ninja Tools, and we'll meet here tonight."

The five boys looked at each other, their eyes shining with determination.

Although the plan was fraught with risk, they decided to take the plunge for the sake of their companions.

As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the Konoha in a warm orange-red hue.

On the outskirts of the Hyuga Clan Compound, everything seemed to be the same as usual.

However, upon closer inspection, one can notice that there are significantly more Hyuga Ninjas patrolling than usual, and they all have serious expressions with vigilance in their Byakugan.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out not far from the main gate of the Hyuga Clan Compound!