Hyuga Hiashi returned to the Hyuga Clan compound brimming with rage. What he did not know was that the Hyuga Clan elders were also waiting for their young Clan Head with fury in their hearts.
Ming Jing strolled out of the Hokage Hall, with Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan immediately following behind him. Ming Jing narrowed his eyes. Once outside the Hokage Building, he said to Tsukishiro Yuexi, "Write to the Clan Head in the royal capital at once. Ask him to personally state that I will have full authority to act on behalf of the Kurama Clan during this period! I want his reply within two days."
"Yes!" Tsukishiro Yuexi nodded solemnly. Upon returning to the clan compound, she immediately used the carrier pigeons that were rarely employed by the clan. Only after personally releasing three pigeons did she finally feel relieved.
Meanwhile, as soon as Hyuga Hiashi returned to the clan, he was summoned by the elders.
Inside a dimly lit room covered in seals, the seven great elders of the Hyuga Clan sat in a semicircle, while Hyuga Hiashi, the Clan Head, knelt in the middle. This secret chamber was one of the Hyuga Clan's most confidential locations. The seals prevented sounds from escaping the room. Likewise, any living creature entering without permission would be discovered immediately.
"As the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan, your conduct at today's meeting was far too improper, Lord Hiashi." One of the elders spoke. He had also been among those who attended the meeting with Hyuga Hiashi.
Hyuga Hiashi frowned. He had originally hoped to persuade the elders to pressure the village alongside him. Now, it seemed that even his own clan had compromised!
"Then according to you, how should I have handled it?" Hyuga Hiashi looked at the elder, his tone carrying a trace of mockery.
"Of course, hand over the culprit and put an end to this incident!" The elder smiled faintly. Since Hyuga Hiashi dared to ask, he dared to answer.
Hyuga Hiashi gave a cold laugh and looked at the seven old fossils opposite him. "I killed him. One palm strike ended his life. Why don't you hand me over?"
"No, it was not you." The Grand Elder seated at the head slowly shook his head. His cloudy eyes seemed unable to see anything. "The culprit has already confessed and has been placed under guard. Why must the Clan Head continue to shield him?"
"What?!" Hyuga Hiashi was stunned. He was the one who had killed the man, so where had this culprit the Grand Elder mentioned come from? But he quickly understood. These old fossils had found him a scapegoat! And the most suitable scapegoat in the entire Hyuga Clan was Hiashi's younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga! A Branch Family member whose strength and appearance were nearly identical to his own!
"No! Absolutely not!" Hyuga Hiashi abruptly rose to his feet and roared, "I was the one who killed him, not Hizashi! Hizashi is innocent!"
"Is that so?" The Grand Elder slightly raised his head, revealing a strange smile. "Who knows?"
Who knew???
Hyuga Hiashi's mind felt as though it had been struck by lightning, thrown into complete chaos. No wonder the Grand Elder had reminded him from the beginning not to tell anyone that he had acted personally, claiming it was to "confuse the enemies lurking in the shadows." Only now did Hyuga Hiashi understand that the Grand Elder had prepared for every possibility from the start!
If the Raikage backed down, the Hyuga Clan would release news that Kumogakure's jonin had suffered losses, thereby restoring the Hyuga Clan's prestige.
If the Raikage reacted too aggressively, the Hyuga Clan would hand over the scapegoat, Hizashi Hyuga. The death of a Branch Family member was no great matter to the Hyuga Clan.
From the very beginning, the Grand Elder had already placed the Hyuga Clan in an unbeatable position.
Unfortunately, this approach did not earn the approval of Hyuga Hiashi, the Clan Head. The young Clan Head glared at the Grand Elder and demanded, "Are we just going to abandon one of our own?!"
"This is also the village's decision." The Grand Elder calmly looked at Hyuga Hiashi. "The Clan Head is still young, so it is understandable that he acts impulsively. But I hope this will be the last time. The future of the Hyuga Clan rests upon you. In the future, when weighing gains and losses, you must understand what matters most. 'Sacrifice the lesser self to save the greater self' is the mindset a Clan Head should possess."
For a moment, Hyuga Hiashi could not speak. He did not know how to refute the Grand Elder. Even a voice deep within him was telling him that the Grand Elder was right.
Hyuga Hiashi walked out of the secret chamber in a daze. He had been persuaded. At the thought of his younger brother dying in his place, his heart felt as though it were being cut apart. Bang! He slammed his palm against the railing, shattering it into pieces.
The next time he saw Hizashi Hyuga was two days later. Hyuga Hiashi had struggled desperately for two days, yet everything seemed so insignificant. Inside the clan prison, Hizashi Hyuga was still the understanding Hizashi Hyuga he had always been, but Hyuga Hiashi was no longer the confident Hyuga Hiashi of before. The prison lay in the far north of the Hyuga Clan compound. Its defenses were not the strongest, but its conditions were certainly the worst. There was only coarse food, broken mats, and thin blankets. If one wanted a better meal, one could only hope for visitors.
"I'm sorry, Hizashi..." Hiashi knelt before Hizashi, his grief already flowing like a river in reverse.
"This is not your fault, Brother." Hizashi shook his head and instructed him, "From now on, Neji will have to trouble Brother to take care of him."
"Hizashi, I... I'm sorry!" Hiashi wanted to say more, but when the words reached his lips, he did not know what to say.
"Why must Mr. Hyuga be so sorrowful?" Just then, a youthful voice came from outside the door. Then the iron door was pushed open, and Akira Kurama entered with a gentle smile on his face.
"Who are you?!" Hizashi Hyuga instinctively stood and shielded Hyuga Hiashi, activating his Byakugan as he entered a combat stance.
"This man is Akira Kurama, representative of the Kurama Clan. To reach this place without alerting the guards, it seems your strength is considerable. State your purpose, or else..." Hyuga Hiashi gently pushed Hizashi Hyuga aside as he explained to him. Before his younger brother, Hiashi could be a failed elder brother, but before outsiders, he would always be the proud Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan!
"This junior has been presumptuous in coming to disturb you. I offer tea in place of wine to apologize to Mr. Hyuga, and only ask for your forgiveness." Ming Jing knelt down, picked up a teacup from the table, raised it toward Hyuga Hiashi, then tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.
Seeing Ming Jing lower himself so much, Hyuga Hiashi could not remain overly forceful. He knelt across from Ming Jing, while Hizashi Hyuga knelt behind Hiashi. The two brothers stared straight at Ming Jing, wanting to know exactly why this man had come.
Ming Jing was in no hurry to speak. He clapped his hands. Tsukishiro Yuexi emerged carrying an exquisite food box, taking out its tiers one by one and placing a total of nine dishes on the table.
"Did you come here just to promote your flower cuisine?" Seeing Ming Jing's display, Hyuga Hiashi asked disdainfully.
Ming Jing took out a pair of chopsticks and placed them before Hyuga Hiashi before replying with a bitter smile, "Mr. Hyuga, please do not joke. This junior is telling you that life has not been easy for the Kurama Clan!"
"Oh? Then I truly do not know what kind of life could be considered easy." Hyuga Hiashi glanced over the delicacies and forcibly swallowed his saliva.
"Have you heard the phrase, 'A man is guilty because he possesses jade'? The Kurama Clan is precisely in such a situation! We possess great wealth, yet lack the corresponding strength to protect it. That is why I say life has not been easy!" Ming Jing looked at Hyuga Hiashi with complete sincerity. "This junior has risked coming here in hopes that our two clans can support each other, benefit each other, and advance and retreat together!"
An alliance??
Hyuga Hiashi frowned slightly. He wanted to wave his hand imperiously and say, "The Hyuga Clan does not need this!" But this incident had dealt him a resounding slap. Without allies, one could only wait to be carved up by others!
Though he was inclined toward the proposal, that did not mean the Hyuga Clan was willing to ally with the Kurama Clan. Or rather, the Kurama Clan as it was now. Ten years ago, the Hyuga Clan might have been willing. But now... other than money, what did the Kurama Clan have? And money did not mean nearly as much to ninja as people imagined.
"I do not believe the Kurama Clan is qualified to form an alliance with the Hyuga Clan!" Hyuga Hiashi said bluntly.
Ming Jing smiled indifferently. "Ino-Shika-Cho, the Inuzuka Clan, the Moonlight Clan, Mochizuki, and the Hatake Clan—those seven clans are firm supporters of the Hokage. The Aburame Clan remains detached from the center, while the Uchiha Clan stands on its own. In all of Konoha, is there any clan more suitable than the Kurama Clan? More importantly, I can save Mr. Hizashi."
"What?!" Hyuga Hiashi nearly stood up. He leaned his entire body forward, seeming ready to press Ming Jing to the ground. "How can you save him?!"
"Has Mr. Hyuga forgotten? The clan in Konoha most skilled in genjutsu is not the Uchiha Clan, but the Kurama Clan!" As Ming Jing spoke, he suddenly realized that his surroundings had changed. A ripple spread outward, and a world filled with birdsong, fragrant flowers, and bright sunshine appeared before them. Hizashi Hyuga immediately activated his Byakugan, yet he still could not see through the scenery before him, as though everything were real.
But it was night now!
"You have awakened Five Senses Manipulation!" Hyuga Hiashi stared at Ming Jing. No wonder this man had been able to bring his attendant here. If it was this Bloodline Limit, then perhaps he truly could do it!
"Mr. Hyuga is indeed remarkably knowledgeable." Ming Jing nodded calmly. Five Senses Manipulation was not merely meant to be used the way Yakumo used it!
Before you continue