"Oh, afraid I'll find out?" Mito tried to goad him.
To her surprise, Kyosuke nodded without hesitation. "Of course. A deal requires secrecy. Letting too many people know can cause unnecessary trouble."
"...Very well." Hyuga Tennin had originally intended to refuse outright. He saw no reason to get involved in the conflict between the two clans.
Not long ago, the Senju had also sent an envoy with plenty of tempting offers, and he had sent them packing without a second thought.
Now that it was the Uchiha's turn, nothing would change.
Agreeing to listen was merely his way of showing respect for an Army Commander.
Soon, the two onlookers left together, leaving only Kyosuke and the Hyuga Clan Leader in the reception room.
Yet Kyosuke still shook his head and said frankly, "Forgive my bluntness, but can you guarantee that no third party will overhear our conversation?"
Drawing a deep breath, Hyuga Tennin could clearly feel his patience wearing thin.
Still, considering the boy's status, he suppressed his irritation and activated the isolation barrier that came standard in the meeting room.
"Rest assured. Even the Byakugan can't peer into this room now."
"Good." Kyosuke nodded, then opened with a question that nearly made the Hyuga Clan Leader leap out of his seat.
"Do you know about the existence of the Tenseigan?"
He instinctively activated his Byakugan, the bulging veins completely dispelling his refined air.
Only now did he look like the leader of a clan whose might shook the Warring States Period.
"Where did you hear that name?" Hyuga Tennin asked.
In truth, he could not remain calm. As Clan Leader, he had access to every text in the clan's archives.
In certain incomplete books, he had read references to something called the Tenseigan, described as the ultimate evolution of the Byakugan.
They also contained obscure references to their ancestor Hamura, Ninshū, the moon, and dangers lurking in the shadows.
Tennin had once believed he would never uncover the truth from a thousand years ago. He had never expected to hear information about it today from a brat outside his clan.
"Please sit, Clan Leader Tennin." It was as though their roles had reversed; Kyosuke's every movement carried the calm composure of a host.
Realizing he had lost his composure, Hyuga Tennin had to make a considerable effort to force himself back into his seat.
He had to admit that the boy had come prepared.
His initial indifference had given way to keen interest. Now it remained to be seen how the boy would entice him.
"Legend has it that the Sage of Six Paths saved the world, founded Ninshū, and ushered in a thousand-year golden age of shinobi."
Hyuga Tennin's expression remained unchanged. He had heard plenty of myths like this and could readily recount several different versions himself.
"Of course you've heard those stories, Clan Leader. But I'm certain you don't know that the Sage of Six Paths actually had a younger brother."
A younger brother? He unconsciously leaned forward, his attention sharpening.
"That's right. His younger brother was named Ōtsutsuki Hamura."
Crack! The unfortunate armrest shattered in Hyuga Tennin's grip. Upon hearing his ancestor Hamura's name, he already believed roughly seventy percent of the story.
Even he knew only the name "Hamura." He had never been able to connect it to anything like Ōtsutsuki or the Sage of Six Paths.
He had a bellyful of questions, but soon stopped speculating because the boy's explanation was still continuing.
"For certain reasons, your clan's ancestor decided to leave the shinobi world and travel somewhere unknown to keep watch against an unseen threat."
"As a result, his bloodline split in two. The branch that remained in the shinobi world became the Hyuga Clan."
Sitting across from him, Hyuga Tennin felt as though he were listening to a myth being told in a tavern.
Is this brat feeding me a pack of lies?
To win his trust, Kyosuke thought for a moment and revealed a little more. "Your two clans each inherited a different part of Ōtsutsuki Hamura's power."
"You inherited his 'eyes,' while the other branch inherited his 'body.'"
"To awaken the Tenseigan, the eyes and body must be brought together. That will grant you power surpassing the Mangekyō."
The existence of the Mangekyō was no secret among the upper echelons of the shinobi world.
There had been a period when Mangekyō users emerged in large numbers among the Uchiha. They had once dominated the entire Land of Fire, only to fall to internal strife in the end.
The forbidden technique Izanami had been created to restrain shinobi wielding the Mangekyō. There was no record of this within the clan; Kyosuke had learned it through Impure World Itachi's memories.
He had brought up the Mangekyō to demonstrate the Tenseigan's power while also making it clear that he was no ignorant brat.
After a long silence, Hyuga Tennin suddenly regained his composure and said evenly, "Your story is vivid, but unfortunately, it isn't enough to convince me."
From his appearance, it seemed he had never believed a word Kyosuke said.
Unfortunately, that little trick had no effect on Kyosuke.
"I see. Since you don't believe me, Clan Leader Tennin, why not release the barrier?"
"If it's all nonsense anyway, why care whether someone else overhears?"
Kyosuke's words forced his hand.
You say you don't believe me?
Fine, then. Let's bring everything into the open and announce your Hyuga Clan's secrets to the world.
Another wordless silence followed. After a long while, Hyuga Tennin spoke again. "You must at least offer some evidence to convince me."
Faced with the temptation of the Tenseigan, he had to do everything he could to pursue it, even knowing the odds were slim.
"Evidence, huh?" Kyosuke shook his head in apparent distress, then suddenly leaned forward, a wicked curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "If you agree to ally with my clan, Clan Leader Tennin, I can personally take you to meet the other branch."
So that clan really is still alive... After a brief internal struggle, Hyuga Tennin said decisively, "Very well. As long as you prove that your plan is feasible, we Hyuga will be your staunchest allies."
He had not said "the Uchiha," but instead addressed "you" directly. These old hands certainly understood the art of negotiation.
Hearing that, Kyosuke smiled faintly and slowly extended his right hand.
"Deal. Here's to a pleasant partnership."
In the northern Land of Fire, Uchiha Maya and the Personal Guard she led had already spent a long time in the area.
Following the map her lord had given her, she had searched practically every inch of the region. At last, she discovered a Space-Time Barrier glittering with starlight inside a cave.
"The path to the moon."
She ordered her people to carefully conceal the cave and recorded its precise coordinates. The team soon left.
Now that she had found it, whatever came next was no longer her concern.
Soon, Kyosuke, who was staying with the Hyuga Clan, received Maya's message.
Using the Flying Thunder God Kunai placed along the route, he reached the cave in roughly half an hour.
Next came the task of studying the Space-Time Barrier.
Once he could replicate it perfectly, he would be able to lead the Hyuga Clan in fulfilling their dream of reaching the moon.
Before you continue