Danzo Demands Personnel

The Main Family Elder's expression froze. Frowning, he said, "Clan Leader, I am of the Main Family. The meaning of my existence is to protect the Byakugan and promote the clan."

"The Hyuga Branch Family should be the ones fighting and protecting the Main Family. That is their responsibility."

"Is that so?" Hiashi Hyuga said lightly, "Then you have truly worked hard, Elder, bearing such an important duty!"

"You... Hmph!" The Main Family Elder fiercely flicked his sleeve and said, "Then what do you intend to do about the Uchiha? Hiashi, do not forget that you are the Clan Leader of the Hyuga Clan. Everything you do should put the clan first."

Hiashi Hyuga took a sip of tea and said indifferently, "Rest assured, I am very clear on my identity. That is why, at this moment, the Hyuga Clan should remain quiet and must not provoke the Uchiha!"

The Main Family Elder frowned deeply. "But the village high command..."

Hiashi Hyuga said coldly, "One Uchiha Clan is enough to keep them busy. How would they have time to trouble my Hyuga Clan? Besides, compared to that, I am more curious why Danzo believes I am cooperating with the Uchiha."

His brows drew tight, his face full of confusion.

Among the clan leaders in the village, he was the most dissatisfied with the Hokage and the others.

Hizashi Hyuga had been responsible for protecting the Main Family, but he was still his younger brother. Yet he had been sacrificed just like that.

Where was the Will of Fire written in your Ninja Academy textbooks?

The Main Family Elder tested the waters. "Are you truly working with the Uchiha...?"

Hiashi shot him a cold look.

The Main Family Elder looked embarrassed and lowered his voice. "Clan Leader, I think we should still obey the village's orders. At the very least, we should cause the Uchiha some trouble and let the village high command see our attitude. Otherwise..."

Compared to the Uchiha, he was clearly more afraid of the Hokage and the others.

"Hmph!" Hiashi Hyuga snorted coldly. "We do not even know the Uchiha's current strength. If we act rashly, do you really think those red eyes are easy to bully?"

Were the Uchiha easy to deal with?

Bullshit!

If they were truly easy to deal with, Danzo would have struck long ago.

The Darkness of Shinobi did not understand mercy!

Oh, no, they had already made a move. They had merely failed and been fiercely counterattacked.

Danzo had probably come knocking because of that.

Therefore, Hiashi Hyuga treated the orders of the Konoha High Command like fart!

Returning to the original question: why did people like Danzo believe he was cooperating with the Uchiha?

Hiashi Hyuga instinctively felt there was a problem here.

Seeing that the Main Family Elder still wanted to say something, Hiashi sighed.

"Elder, I will tell you the truth. Not only can the Hyuga Clan not become enemies with the Uchiha, to a certain extent, we must also support them!"

"Why?"

The Main Family Elder was utterly dumbfounded.

Was this trying to go against the village?

Hiashi said in a low voice, "Think about it. If the Uchiha fall, who will the village target next?"

"The Hyuga!" the Main Family Elder blurted out. Then cold sweat poured down his face. "No way, would they really move against the Hyuga...?"

Hiashi said, "Among all the ninja clans in Konohagakure, which one has more than thirty Jonin? Only the Hyuga and Uchiha. That alone is enough to make them wary of the Hyuga."

"So, we cannot move against the Uchiha. We must even secretly help them a little, letting them continue standing at the front and facing the Hokage and the others directly."

Looking at the silent Main Family Elder, Hiashi said, "I know what you want to say. Nothing more than that the Hokage and the others would not do such a thing. But I must also say this: I am the Clan Leader of the Hyuga Clan. I have to consider everything comprehensively. There can be no gambling involved, so maintaining the current situation is best!"

"All right!"

The Main Family Elder was persuaded.

Seeing this, Hiashi also sighed in relief, though he cursed inwardly.

Someone actually believed that?

Damn it!

Was he a pig?

Could the Hyuga compare to the Uchiha?

Their numbers of Jonin might look similar, but if the Uchiha sent out fifteen, that would be enough to crush the Hyuga's thirty-odd Jonin.

Especially in terms of top-tier combat power.

The entire Hyuga Clan had only one Elite Jonin: Hiashi Hyuga.

The sacrificed Hizashi Hyuga could only be said to have been close to that level.

As for Kage Level ninja, that had been a matter of how many years ago?

Other than the Hyuga Main Family people admiring themselves here and thinking their clan was incredibly powerful, who else thought highly of the Hyuga Clan's scouts?

In the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku and Kazuna were very likely both Kage Level!

During the previous chaos, he had secretly taken a brief look with his Byakugan.

Both of their chakra were extremely active.

And there were Yashiro Uchiha and the others, all solidly Elite Jonin.

That was the ninja clan the Konoha High Command needed to fear.

The Hyuga Clan... Heh heh!

"But if I really let slip a hint that I want to cooperate with the Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi, will you become anxious? You forced this on me. Who told Shimura Danzō to keep jumping around in my Hyuga Clan!"

A flash of icy coldness passed through Hiashi Hyuga's eyes.

Bang!

Inoichi Yamanaka slammed his hand down on the table, instantly shattering it into pieces.

Everything on the table fell to the floor as well, clattering everywhere in a complete mess.

Shikaku Nara said painfully, "That was fine tea I bought from the Tea Country."

Inoichi Yamanaka glared at him fiercely and said irritably, "At a time like this, you are still thinking about tea?"

Shikaku Nara leisurely drank his tea. "Wasn't this something we expected long ago?"

Everything had gone just as Shikaku Nara had expected.

Just moments ago, Root had sent over a list, ordering everyone on it to report to Root immediately.

If they had asked for only a few people, Ino-Shika-Cho would not have said anything.

It had been expected. After all, Root had suffered enormous losses, and Danzo urgently needed fresh personnel.

At a time like this, the Hokage could not possibly abandon Root.

But that list was far too long.

Even Inoichi Yamanaka could not keep his composure.

"Cut the crap!" Inoichi Yamanaka said coldly. "Your two clans are doing all right. Our Yamanaka Clan has apparently caught Danzo's eye. Look at this list. From the Yamanaka Clan's younger generation to its middle-aged and young members, he does not intend to spare a single one. Why not take me as well? Or better yet, have the entire Yamanaka Clan join Root and let Danzo become the Yamanaka Clan Leader!"

Shikaku Nara mocked, "Danzo is very picky. He does not even think much of ordinary people."

Choza Akimichi glanced at the list and shook his head. "This is indeed excessive. If we send people to Root according to this list, the Yamanaka Clan will inevitably suffer severe losses and will not recover for decades. Shikaku, this will not do!"

"I know."

Shikaku Nara said calmly, "Reject it. Sign it with the names of all three Ino-Shika-Cho clans."

"One sentence: the three Ino-Shika-Cho clans will provide no people and not a single coin!"

"Good!"

The two men's expressions turned solemn.

They both knew what this represented.

The three Ino-Shika-Cho clans had already developed a rift with the Third Hokage.

This time, that rift would continue to widen.

The two could not help feeling worried.

At a time when the Hokage Faction might clash with the Uchiha, Ino-Shika-Cho's actions were equivalent to stabbing them in the back.

If the Uchiha were destroyed, Ino-Shika-Cho would inevitably be purged.

They might even deal with Ino-Shika-Cho first before moving against the Uchiha!

Shikaku Nara saw their concerns and smiled faintly. "Do not worry. This time, Ino-Shika-Cho will not be the only ones rejecting Danzo."