Invitation

"Drip..."

Cold sweat trickled down Kato Fuko's forehead.

He felt that he had grasped the key point.

Uchiha Kazuna had used an advanced Transformation Jutsu to personally visit a Hyuga Clan business. What did that signify?

Under normal circumstances, it would not have aroused suspicion.

What was so strange about going out for tea?

Even if he had visited a Hyuga Clan establishment, it could have been Uchiha Kazuna deliberately throwing out a smokescreen.

Yet there was one enormous coincidence involved... Kato Fuko's abilities had recently improved, and he had witnessed Uchiha Kazuna's power earlier that day.

That was why he had noticed him.

Otherwise, even a Sensor Ninja at the Elite Jonin level might not have discovered that Uchiha Kazuna had come here.

Those two coincidences made Kato Fuko's heart pound violently.

"I need to report to Hokage-sama immediately!"

With a relaxed smile on his face, Kato Fuko strode toward his home.

Bang!

A figure suddenly hurried over. Moving too quickly, he accidentally bumped into Kato Fuko's arm.

"Sorry!"

The man wore a Kage Hat and loose robes, his voice low.

Outsiders could not possibly tell who he was. They could only tell from his voice that he was a man.

"It's fine!"

Kato Fuko smiled and paid it no mind.

Kato Fuko then continued on his way, while the Kage Hat-wearing man entered the teahouse without slowing his pace.

That alone showed how familiar the other man was with the teahouse.

"Ow!"

Kato Fuko suddenly slapped his forehead and muttered, "I nearly forgot. I still need to buy some tea leaves."

With that, he entered the teahouse.

The Hyuga Clan's teahouse did not just serve tea; it also sold tea leaves.

The instant he entered, Kato Fuko keenly noticed that someone had locked onto him.

He vaguely sensed that it was the Kage Hat-wearing man from earlier.

Kato Fuko's expression did not change. Still smiling, he bought some tea leaves in the teahouse before leaving.

In a private room on the teahouse's second floor, two figures stood side by side, watching Kato Fuko's departing back.

"Impressive!"

Fugaku sighed. "How did you do it? You actually made him mistake you for a member of the Hyuga Clan?"

The two people Kato Fuko had discovered just now were Uchiha Kazuna and Fugaku Uchiha.

However, Kato Fuko had gotten the order wrong.

The first person to enter the teahouse had been Fugaku Uchiha.

The one who had come into contact with Kato Fuko had been Uchiha Kazuna.

Even Fugaku could not help but marvel. That had been a Sensor Ninja, and one at the Jonin level.

Yet Kazuna had managed to confuse him.

How had he done it?

"To be precise, he mistook me for Hyuga Hiashi."

Kazuna smiled. "He mistook you for me, and me for Hyuga Hiashi. The two of us concealed our identities and appeared in the same teahouse. Tell me, once that news reaches the Hokage, what will Konoha's F4 think?"

Fugaku did not know what Konoha's F4 meant, but he said in a low voice, "The Hyuga and Uchiha are two equally ancient clans, both holding extraordinary status in Konohagakure. The Hyuga Clan ranks among the strongest in Konoha—or rather, they are second only to the Uchiha."

If two such clans joined forces, Hiruzen Sarutobi's head would explode.

"Be careful," Fugaku said gravely. "Be careful that Hiruzen Sarutobi might go mad and truly strike at us."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was known as the Shinobi Warlord. Even though he was old and no longer possessed his former drive, who could guarantee that he would not go mad once?

"Then let him strike."

Kazuna did not care. Smiling, he said, "If you were Hiruzen Sarutobi, would you deal with the Hyuga, the Uchiha, or both at once?"

"If it were me, I would deal with the Hyuga first."

Fugaku answered without the slightest hesitation.

The Hyuga Clan had once been glorious. Even Madara Uchiha had regarded their Heavenly Ninja highly.

But since that man's death, the Hyuga Clan had never produced another truly formidable expert.

The Hyuga had quite a few Jonin, no fewer than the Uchiha—more than Thirty in total—but most were merely ordinary Jonin. Their Elite Jonin did not even number a full hand, much less Hokage-level fighters.

The Uchiha were different.

To put it bluntly, one Uchiha clan could easily fight two Hyuga Clans!

Even without using the Mangekyō Sharingan, Fugaku and Kazuna had both reached the Hokage-level.

And there was also Shisui, who possessed a Mangekyo as well...

Fugaku glanced at Kazuna. If this fellow had not told him, he would never have known that Shisui had awakened a Mangekyo too.

What a headache!

Was he really so unworthy of trust in the eyes of the clan's younger generation?

Fugaku shook his head and stopped dwelling on it.

No matter how lacking the Hyuga Clan was in top-tier combat power, they still possessed more than Thirty Jonin.

That was a powerful force no one could ignore.

Otherwise, the Konoha High Command would not have propped up the Hyuga Clan in recent years to compete with the Uchiha.

Over the years, the Hyuga Clan had constantly been competing against the Uchiha. Both clans possessed Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai, greatly dividing the Uchiha's attention.

If the Hyuga Clan suddenly changed direction and went from opposing the Uchiha to supporting them, the Uchiha side would instantly gain more than sixty Jonin.

Even Fugaku could not help drawing a sharp breath.

How many Jonin did Konoha have now?

Around three hundred!

If the two great clans joined forces under the leadership of Uchiha Kazuna and Fugaku, they would be nearly unstoppable!

"If they want to deal with the Hyuga, then let them. What does that have to do with my Uchiha?"

Kazuna spread his hands.

Fugaku shot him a glance and asked, "If all you needed was to use the Transformation Jutsu and become you, why did it have to be me?"

Kazuna chuckled. "Clan Leader, haven't you noticed? Your Dojutsu, like mine, is filled with misfortune."

"What about Shisui? Isn't his Dojutsu the same?"

Fugaku asked in return.

Though Shisui was rather naive, no Mangekyo's Dojutsu was shallow.

Kazuna replied frankly, "Shisui is too naive. I was worried that he might reveal a flaw. In this regard, Clan Leader, you are more experienced."

"Clan Leader, I do not mind telling you that the power that disrupted him just now—the power that made Kato Fuko mistake you for me and me for Hyuga Hiashi—is contained within my right eye."

A calamitous triangular symbol surfaced in Kazuna's eyes.

"This kind of suggestive Dojutsu is extremely convenient to use, but it has one fatal weakness. If the target notices even the slightest inconsistency, it will be broken just like a genjutsu."

Fugaku frowned. "You do not trust Shisui?"

"How could that be? I trust Shisui very much, but Clan Leader, you are better suited to play me!"

Kazuna spread his hands and smiled. "Body Flicker Shisui—whether that title is exaggerated or not, it is at least normal. But me? Kazuna of the bloody Blood Flame. Just listen to it. How ominous."

Several black lines appeared on Fugaku's forehead.

The hell are you looking at me like that for?

You dare mention my title, and I'll beat you to death!

If you are talking about your own title, then talk about your own title. Why are you looking at me?

Fugaku glared viciously at Kazuna.

Kazuna gave a dry cough. "All right, the bait has been cast. Now we will see whether Hokage-sama is willing to cooperate with us. In the meantime, hurry up and complete the orders I gave!"