Those Who Choose to Bear Fate Will Naturally Be Chosen by Fate

In another layer of "reality" behind him that he could not see, Daren Yi and the other two were quietly watching the show.

Sasuke Uchiha looked up at Daren Yi with excited anticipation, sighing in admiration. "Is this the genjutsu a senior who has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan can use?"

Daren Yi really wanted to tell him that this was all thanks to his own talent and hard work, but explaining it would be too troublesome, so forget it...

"Let's go. The gathering is about to begin. We'd better not be late."

After casually wandering the streets for a while, the three of them were personally ushered into the Hyuga Compound by a Hyuga Branch Family Jonin, right under Hiromi Sarutobi's "watchful eyes."

Joining them at the gathering were the young clan heads and future heirs of many Ninja Clans, including the Inuzuka Clan, Aburame Clan, and Ino-Shika-Cho families, as well as several Civilian Prodigy Ninjas.

Hiromi Sarutobi's expression grew darker and darker. He was both terrified and enraged. Why had none of these Ninja Clans reported this to Lord Third Hokage?

Everyone clearly knew that the village had been searching for Sasuke Uchiha's whereabouts.

Yet the Third Hokage knew nothing about the existence of another Uchiha survivor...

What exactly were these clan heirs, these Ninja Clans with unclear intentions and ambiguous attitudes, and the other Jonin thinking?

Inside the Hyuga Compound, the Konoha 11 were playing around in a lively mess. They were still children, after all. Having untangled the knot in his heart, Neji Hyuga wore a rare, genuine smile.

"Sasuke! It's great that you're all right..."

The two little girls, Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno, had eyes only for Sasuke Uchiha and immediately threw themselves at him.

Sasuke instinctively wanted to slip away, but when he saw the concerned and delighted looks from his classmates and friends at the Ninja Academy, he held himself back instead of dodging. Smiling faintly, he thanked them all.

"Thank you for your concern. I'm fine!"

"Wow! Sasuke actually smiled?"

Kiba Inuzuka had Akamaru perched on his head. Though he was also happy that Sasuke was safe, he was still a little displeased by how popular Sasuke was, and he blurted out a jab without thinking.

Sasuke's little face stiffened. The smile he had worked so hard to force out immediately disappeared, and he returned to the Uchiha's traditional cold-faced, arrogant demeanor.

It was all Sister Izumi's fault. She had insisted that he be nicer to the companions who worried about him today, and even told him to smile.

Smile? Did Uchiha ever smile when they weren't going crazy?

"Kiba!"

Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, the two little girls who were utterly intoxicated by Sasuke's handsome face, glared furiously at Kiba Inuzuka. They had wanted to preserve that smile forever!

"Ugh, troublesome. I'm suddenly starting to regret coming today!"

Shikamaru Nara swept his gaze over the Uchiha Clan Crests embroidered on Sasuke and Izumi's outer robes. With a headache, he tugged at his hair until his pineapple hairstyle became a mess.

Even he could not figure out why he had come to this gathering today, one that would definitely bring him a mountain of trouble.

Was he worried about Choji and Ino? Or was he unwilling to let go of feelings from the internet whose truth he could not confirm? Or had something been lodged in his heart ever since he heard Shisui Uchiha pour out his heart to all of Konohagakure yesterday morning?

Was it the hot-blooded spirit of a youth who wanted to do something after witnessing injustice?

Could someone as lazy as him possess something like that?

He had already guessed part of the purpose behind this gathering...

"Hello, everyone! I'm Daren Yi, the Ancestor of Shamate. I hope you're not disappointed to meet me in person for the first time!"

Daren Yi greeted the children with a smile, then introduced them.

"This beside me is my girlfriend, Izumi Uchiha. She wasn't in the Uchiha Compound on the night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall. Aside from Sasuke, she is the other survivor!"

At the mention of this subject, everyone fell somewhat silent. Even Rock Lee, who had been greeting them while doing push-ups, unconsciously slowed down. The beliefs they had been instilled with since childhood and the "facts" before their eyes left them conflicted and torn.

Shikamaru changed the subject. "Naruto didn't come today. These past few days, he's been running all over the village. Whenever he finds someone talking about the Third Hokage behind his back, he goes over to argue with them."

"He keeps trying to convince people that Lord Third Hokage is definitely a good person, that there must be some kind of misunderstanding... He's been repeating that over and over until now. No one can persuade or stop him."

"What do you think?" Daren Yi asked curiously.

Shikamaru Nara smiled bitterly in confusion. "I don't know..."

At that moment, Neji Hyuga respectfully stepped forward to greet Daren Yi, then walked to the center of the gathering and explained the purpose of organizing it.

"Konohagakure does not belong to the Hokage alone. It belongs to all of us. There are clearly major problems with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"I would like everyone to organize and call upon the Shamate Group across Konohagakure. Tomorrow morning at eight, we will gather in front of the Hokage Building and jointly request that the village thoroughly investigate this matter."

"I believe the Investigation Team Leader can temporarily be Kakashi Hatake, the Fourth Hokage's only surviving disciple. The heads of the Ninja Clans and Elite Jonin will cooperate and bear witness. Every result, every step, and every piece of evidence from the investigation will be made public to everyone through the internet and Television!"

Apart from Shikamaru Nara, who had anticipated some of this, everyone else was stunned. They had never imagined such an approach! Would it work?

"Was this the Hyuga Clan's decision?" Shikamaru Nara asked seriously. The Hyuga Clan had always preferred to respond to change by remaining unchanged, yet this time they had taken a side at an absurdly fast pace.

Neji Hyuga glanced guiltily at Hinata, who was quietly eating in a corner because Naruto was absent, then answered.

"Yes. The Hyuga Clan has already made its choice. This is a declaration I make as a candidate for the future Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan!"

"Wait, aren't you..." Shikamaru suspected he had misheard. Since when could someone from the Hyuga Branch Family become a Clan Head Candidate?

"This was Lord Hiashi's decision. Those Clan Elders who objected have already been ordered imprisoned by Lord Hiashi!"

Neji Hyuga's expression was complicated as he sighed. Who could have imagined that, in such a short time, the Hyuga Clan would undergo such earth-shaking changes without a sound?

The Caged Bird certainly had countless flaws, but it had also, in truth, established the Clan Head's absolute control over the Hyuga Clan. Once the Clan Head made up his mind to do something, everyone else's opposition became meaningless.

As long as the Clan Head's attitude was firm enough, as long as he refused persuasion and did not waver, he could completely unite the entire clan from top to bottom, inside and out, under one voice, one will, and one leader.

If it had been the free-spirited Uchiha, with its internally divided factions, then unless they first fought a major battle and killed or subdued every opponent, even the Clan Head would be unable to get anything done. Their efficiency was worlds apart.

"I'm going tomorrow! I just want to know the truth!"

After completing three thousand push-ups on the spot, Rock Lee's previously confused face suddenly became resolute. Just as firmly and directly as when he decided after waking up in the morning to run ten laps around the village, he spoke his mind.

Rather than hesitating endlessly and half-believing, half-doubting, he might as well go and see for himself.

This matter might have nothing to do with him. Doing it would bring no benefits, only harm. He could simply ignore everything, pretend to be deaf and mute, and wait for others to handle it.

But he wanted to get involved. He wanted to see the truth!

Having grown up in Konohagakure and deeply loved this land where he had been raised, he could not push responsibility onto others.

If everyone only thought of protecting themselves and their own clans, then who would deal with these matters? Rather than relying on others, it was better to take action himself.