The Hyuga Clan's Shifted Conflict

Under the cover of night, the sleeping Main Family of the Hyuga Clan Konoha was also disturbed. Countless Main Family ninjas were seen in shock and anger, filled with panic.

The Branch Family has spiraled out of control! The Caged Bird is no longer useful! After so many years of enslavement, they are well aware of the resentment the Branch Family of the family harbors towards the Main Family. If a real conflict were to break out, only one person would survive.

"Patriarch, those ungrateful bastards from the Branch Family must not be let Branch Family this time."

"Has the Branch Family forgotten their ancestral teachings? Forgotten the rules of the Hyuga Clan?!"

The entire Hyuga Clan compound was teeming with people, and Hyuga Hiashi, his face grim, roared at the arriving clan elites, "What kind of time is this? Don't you know the importance and urgency of things?"

"Hyuga Daiji and Gōzan, you two quickly go and lead the Main Family's elite to bring all their families to the shelter."

"Clan head, this is the time to hunt down the Branch Family members!" an elder roared angrily, but Hyuga Hiashi retorted with bloodshot eyes, "The Hyuga Branch Family is just fleeing to find a backer. If we hunt them down now, what will we use to withstand Branch Family frenzied counterattack? Do you want to become a sinner of the Hyuga Clan?"

Hyuga Hiashi shouted sharply, and the elite members of the main Main Family who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion finally reacted, breaking out in a cold sweat.

If the feud between the Branch Family and the Main Family were to escalate into a full-blown conflict, it would be a fight to the death, with only one side able to survive.

"As the head of the Main Family, I, Hyuga Hiashi, am responsible for the entire family and for the continuation of the Hyuga! I cannot act for momentary pleasure. If we pursue the Branch Family now, who among you is confident in annihilating Branch Family? Then I, Hyuga Hiashi, am willing to lead the charge and obey your orders!"

Hyuga Hiashi had never been so domineering at this moment. He stood tall in the courtyard and surveyed everyone. The elders were so intimidated by his aura that they shrank back. Some of them were sobered up by this cold water after their anger subsided.

"Yes, Hiashi is right. If the Branch Family were to pursue them now that they have broken free of the Caged Bird, it would lead to civil war! It could even become the fuse for the decline and destruction of the Hyuga Clan."

One of the elders immediately thought of the Branch Family's fighting strength. Their Main Family had some secret techniques to limit the Branch Family, but the branch Branch Family was almost always on the most dangerous front lines, and their combat experience far surpassed that of the Main Family. No matter what, the Main Family and the Branch Family were both Hyuga Clan, and once a war broke out, only they would suffer.

"Quickly, the Hyuga Clan is on high alert! All non-combat personnel, move to the shelters!"

"All Hyuga Clan ninja have entered combat readiness mode, and are simultaneously setting up defenses and traps on clan territory! Ready for battle at any moment!"

At this moment Hyuga Hiashi displayed the composure of a great general, calmly and loudly commanding the main branch of the Main Family.

This was the first time the Hyuga Family had encountered such a situation. No one had expected that Branch Family entire branch family would defect. In the midst of the panic, fortunately, Hiashi. All the ninjas within the Hyuga Compound began to prepare for battle with great tension. The cries of countless family members and babies echoed under the night sky as they sought refuge in shelters.

"Explosive Tag! Each Chunin be equipped with one hundred Explosive Tag, Genin fifty, Jōnin one thousand! The entire Hyuga Clan is on high alert! All Jōnin of the Main Family are ready to lead their clan members into battle at any time!"

Hoo hoo~

With Hyuga Hiashi creating a certain atmosphere, the Hyuga Clan suddenly became the complete opposite of the outside world, practically a war machine like an iron fortress.

The heavy, sealed crate was opened, and stacks of thick Explosive Tag were carried out, along with countless sets of armor, Kunai, Shuriken, and everything else needed for war that the Hyuga clan had prepared. In less than half an hour, the Hyuga Clan had formed a defensive formation.

Standing atop the highest point of the Hyuga Clan Hyuga Hiashi gazed solemnly at the first rays of dawn, thinking to himself, "Hizashi, I've tried my best to buy you time. You must hurry! The Hyuga Clan can split, but it absolutely cannot have a civil war, otherwise we will both be sinners against the Hyuga Clan."

"Reporting to the clan leader, the scout team has sent word that all members of the Branch Family have arrived at the Seventh Division of the Konoha Military Police Force building, and have announced their allegiance to Root! They have pledged allegiance to Lord Orochimaru of Root!"

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Hiashi's eyes flashed with a sharp light. A perfect opportunity! This was an excellent chance. Realizing this, he immediately feigned fury and roared, "Prepare for war! Summon all elders Jōnin for a meeting!"

"Yes!"

Despite appearing calm and collected in the face of danger Hyuga Hiashi seemed to be acting in the best interests of the Hyuga Clan, but every command he gave seemed to be a delaying tactic, albeit a cautious one.

Before long, the elders of the Hyuga Main Family and the Jōnin who could come arrived at the Hyuga Clan.

"Hiashi, Jōnin who could come have come, and those who couldn't are preparing for battle."

Upon seeing the arriving members of the main Main Family, Hyuga Hiashi glanced around, his expression grave, and then said in a deep voice, "Everyone! The Hyuga Clan is facing a life-or-death crisis!"

"What happened to the clan leader?"

"Hiashi, what's wrong?"

The changes that night were too drastic, and no one could react in time. Hyuga Hiashi's sudden change of attitude shocked and changed the expressions of all the elders.

Hyuga Hiashi glanced around at everyone, lowered his head, and said in a deep voice, "The information has been gathered. This time, the Branch Family was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes— Root! The entire Branch Family has arrived at the Seventh Division Office Building. You should know that's Orochimaru's territory, and Orochimaru is the Root Deputy Commander."

As soon as Hyuga Hiashi finished speaking, the usually extremely well-mannered Main Family turned red in the face and burst into curses.

"I knew it! Nothing happened for so many years Branch Family split up, but something happened tonight. There must be something fishy going on. Sure enough! Only the Root in the entire Konoha has the ability to develop the method to break the Caged Bird."

"Shimura Danzō! Damn it, that one-eyed rat hiding in the shadows is truly ruthless."

"Damn it, Shimura Danzo and his Shimura Danzō are clearly in cahoots. First the Land of Lightning Envoy, and now the Branch Family. This is obviously the Hokage Faction using this opportunity to put pressure on our Hyuga Clan."

"A warning? What kind of warning is this? Do you know that if we had been even slightly careless and discovered this before the Branch Family evacuated, the scene right now would probably be the devastation of the Hyuga Compound. This place would be a battlefield!"

"Shimura Danzō! Hiruzen Sarutobi! The Konoha High Command are ruthless! They actually interfered in our clan's internal affairs! They deserve to die!"

"What is this?! This is the split Hyuga Clan! How dare Sarutobi and Danzo!"

The usually well-mannered Main Family were now roaring with conflicted expressions, clearly wanting nothing more than to kill these two filthy creatures.

That's fucking ruthless! Only Danzo from Root could pull off such a tactic, and Sarutobi too. Nobody else can do that. With a single move to break the Caged Bird Technique, he split the Hyuga clan, the Konoha's Second Noble Clan Hyuga Clan Konoha, in two without firing a single shot. He could even have brought the Hyuga Clan to the brink of extinction if he hadn't been careful.

Hyuga Hiashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the hatred being diverted. Fortunately, he and Hizashi had discussed it and tried to avoid an internal war within the Hyuga. Just then, the Hokage Faction wanted to put them in a bad light, so wasn't this a perfect scapegoat delivered to their doorstep?

"Everyone!"

Hyuga Hiashi's gloomy gaze swept over the crowd, immediately drawing everyone's attention. He suppressed his rage and roared, "Such a terrible thing has happened to the Hyuga Clan under my watch! I, Hyuga Hiashi, am undeniably responsible. But Hyuga Clan a life-or-death crisis. I, Hiashi, am willing to commit seppuku before the ancestral tablets to atone for my sins, but the matter at hand is the division of the Branch Family!"

"Hyuga Branch Family has assembled at the Seventh Division Office Building, I am willing to lead the elite of the Main Family directly to the Konoha Military Police Force. The Branch Family members are in disarray and will surely be at their most relaxed. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we can definitely wipe out these traitors in one fell swoop!"

Good heavens, this is all set up so it's ready for slaughter! At this moment, Hyuga Hiashi furious, clearly ready to mobilize everyone to join the battle.

"No!"

Seeing Hyuga Hiashi on the verge of mutual destruction, some of the elders panicked. Damn it, this was clearly a treacherous scheme Hokage the Hokage's higher-ups. If they started a civil war, wouldn't that be playing right into their hands?

"Hiashi, you mustn't act rashly!"

"Exactly! You brazenly stormed into the Konoha Military Police Force. Yes, you're right, the Branch Family members are in a chaotic mess with their families, but what about the Konoha Military Police Force? That's Uchiha territory, not to mention the Root are there too! If a war breaks out, it's like throwing an egg against a rock."

After an elder considered a possibility, he panicked and hurriedly spoke out the terrifying thing that had been on his mind. As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the people around him changed drastically.

The Branch Family alone is enough to give them a run for their money, not to mention the Konoha Military Police Force. The Uchiha Clan is no pushover; even if you add the branch Branch Family to the Main Family, they might not be able to defeat them.

Besides, they have people with them, Root! That's the darkest organization in Konoha.

"Chieftain, don't act rashly! This is a treacherous plot by the enemy. You must not act impulsively."

"That's right, Hiashi, you are the only hope of the Hyuga Clan. If something happens to you, there will be no one in the Hyuga Main Family who can shoulder the responsibility."

"How can you, as the head of the family, so easily resort to force! Do you know that once we go to war with the Branch Family, do you think the Root, the Konoha Military Police Force, and the branch Branch Family that already hates us will let it go? It's not that we're afraid, but once war breaks out, only one of the Main Family and the Branch Family can survive."

"Hiashi, shut up! How could you be so impulsive? Do you want the honor of the Hyuga Clan to perish in your hands?"

Each shout was a declaration of their unwillingness to start a war. Hiashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his face still betrayed his resentment.

"Elders! Shimura Danzō too far! The Hokage has gone too far!"

Good heavens, that was a masterful transfer of hatred! Sure enough, everyone who heard Hiashi's frustrated and resentful shouts instantly revealed their anger.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, what a brilliant move! He split our Hyuga Clan into two factions without firing a single shot. Well done! No wonder he's the longest-reigning Hokage, and no wonder he's developed the Sarutobi Clan into the third largest clan in Konoha. I admire him!"

One of the elders spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with a hatred that seemed etched into his very bones.

"What are you trying to say? Do you mean you're going to go find Hiruzen Sarutobi? That old fox has probably already found someone, otherwise why would someone from the Branch Family be using the Root's name?"

"Shimura Danzō! Well done! Hiruzen Sarutobi plays the good cop, Shimura Danzō the bad cop, and with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu mediating, they really know how to play their tricks."

"I was wondering why that Sarutobi Old Thief was so kind three days ago. We thought a little warning would be enough, and we'd just let it go. But we never imagined he had such big ambitions; he's completely determined to crush the Hyuga Clan in one fell swoop!"

"Damn it, even if we go after Hiruzen Sarutobi, what good will it do? In the end, we'll just have Shimura Danzō the blame."

The Hyuga Clan has now completely focused their hatred on the Hokage's higher-ups. It just so happens that three days ago, Sarutobi came to warn them, saying he would delay for a few more days before leaving, which was clearly meant to lower their guard.

"Hiashi! We absolutely cannot start a war with the Branch Family at this time!" The Great Elder, barely suppressing his anger, gritted his teeth and said, "Go! Go now and unite with the other major clans. Ask them why the Hokage's higher-ups are interfering in clan affairs. We must work together to force Sarutobi to give us an explanation."

The Great Elder's heart was bleeding when he said those words. This betrayal by the Branch Family had completely broken the backbone of his Hyuga Clan.

Their most prized century-old heritage is now on the verge of collapse, and the situation could worsen at any moment.

"Great Elder!" Hyuga Hiashi feigned a frustrated expression, but the Great Elder, seeing this, became even more furious and said, "Hiashi! You are the clan leader! At this time, you should consider the clan's interests. Do you really want to start a war and lead the Hyuga Clan to its destruction?"

"What's more!" The most prestigious Great Elder of the Prestige Hyuga Clan looked around at everyone and said through gritted teeth, "I hate it! But even if the Branch Family is wrong, we are still family and blood relatives. Are we going to do something that hurts our relatives and pleases our enemies?"

"If we start a war with the Branch Family now, the Konoha Military Police Force, Root, and everyone in Konoha will be watching the show. In that time Hyuga Great Clans of Konoha will decline in the face of this upheaval, becoming an insignificant little clan, or even extinct!"

As the Great Elder described it in his hoarse voice, everyone seemed to be infected by the atmosphere, and they all showed sorrow. Their Hyuga Clan had not declined in the war, but had instead been plotted against and declined within their own village.

"Ah, clan leader, the Great Elder is right. No matter how much resentment the Main Family and the Branch Family have, they are still of the same blood. Going to war will only lead to the decline of the Hyuga Clan."

As the Great Elder explained, everyone came to terms with reality. It wasn't that they didn't want to deal with the Branch Family, but rather that they couldn't afford the consequences if war broke out.

Hyuga Hiashi glanced around at everyone, suppressing his anger and gritting his teeth as he said, "The Great Elder is right, our Main Family's enemy isn't the Branch Family, but Danzo! We must ask the Hokage-sama what he's up to! How dare Root interfere with the Hyuga Clan!"

With the conflict shifting, the Hyuga Clan all revealed their anger. This was clearly a premeditated rebellion by a Branch Family, and they absolutely could not let go of those who had destroyed the century-old heritage of their Hyuga Clan.