Killing Intent

Konoha currently had very few troops. More than five hundred had been sent to fight the Mist Ninjas, directly taking away a third of Konoha's ninja force.

But with the addition of some hired ninja, Konoha's overall troop strength was still passable.

After Minato led his forces out of the village, Shin found an excuse to have Orochimaru leave Rin behind. When Orochimaru asked why, Shin merely said that Rin had saved his life and that he did not want his benefactor to risk her life on the battlefield.

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru even teased Shin, saying that he never expected someone like him to know how to repay a favor.

There was no need for either of them to handle such a matter personally. Orochimaru simply spoke to Konoha Hospital. They were short on staff as well, so they used that as an excuse to keep Rin there to help.

When Rin's teammate Kakashi learned of this, he readily agreed. He did not want Rin to go to the battlefield again either, and he even tried to persuade his teacher.

Although Rin had been unwilling at first, she ultimately agreed under Kakashi's and Konoha Hospital's persuasion. With the hospital stepping in, such a legitimate reason did not put Minato in a difficult position.

The Hidden Mist Village did not send many troops across the sea. It was clear that they did not have much desire to fight Konoha, and their clashes with Konoha were all small-scale encounters, nowhere near as brutal as the fighting against the Stone Ninja.

The daimyo provided a steady stream of logistical supplies and military equipment, so Konoha did not need to worry about that at all.

The odds of winning this war were extremely high. Otherwise, Danzo would not have wanted Orochimaru to serve as the commanding general.

Yet Orochimaru's actions filled him with rage. After that meeting, he had gone to confront Orochimaru, only to receive a simple reply: "I have my own plans. Please rest assured, Lord Danzo."

Danzo felt that Orochimaru was brushing him off, but afterward, he suddenly came to his senses.

His former subordinate was far more calculating than he had imagined.

Everyone wanted to be the oriole. Danzo now understood that Orochimaru had seen through this and had already begun slipping out of his control.

He was furious about it. He felt that he had given Orochimaru everything, that he had pushed Orochimaru into this position.

Before this, what did Orochimaru have?

Nothing but the title of one of the Three Ninja. After Sarutobi abandoned him, he could only spend every day tinkering with secret technique experiments.

Having people disguise themselves as Stone Ninja to attack the daimyo, stirring up public opinion in the village, sending people to secretly pass intelligence to the Stone Ninja... Which of those had not been carried out by the people Danzo sent to help Orochimaru?

Was he planning to step on Danzo's head now?

If this man had not been Orochimaru, Danzo had ten thousand ways to put him to death right now, pin all the previous crimes on him, and walk away unscathed.

But he happened to be one of the Three Ninja, whose strength had earned him immense renown throughout the ninja world!

Danzo could not kill him. Falling out with him would only drag Danzo down as well; by then, they would both be destroyed.

This made Danzo realize that his plan to support a puppet, put him in power, and then control Konoha himself had fallen through.

Danzo had watched Orochimaru grow up. He had thought he saw through the man and could easily control him, but in the end, he had still underestimated him.

Shin suddenly received an invitation from Hyuga Taikei, delivered through a servant.

When he arrived at Taikei's residence, he found that the old man before him looked far more haggard than before.

In the past, Shin could still sense the bearing of a former clan head from him. But now, standing there with a cane, he looked like nothing more than a frail old man near death.

"Lord Taikei." Shin bowed in greeting.

Thinking about it carefully, he could understand why Taikei looked like this. That list of five names had been ordered by the old man before him.

Once Hiashi learned of such a thing, there was bound to be a rift between father and son.

"Shin, you're here." Taikei opened his Byakugan and looked at Shin, his voice old and weary.

"I told you before that you could come here to read. Why haven't you come?"

Shin was briefly stunned, then immediately said, "Lord Taikei, I've been busy training these past few days, so I haven't had the time."

Taikei nodded, then said, "Follow me." Trembling, he turned and headed toward the study.

There really were many books in this study, arranged upon the shelves. Several pieces of calligraphy lay on the table as well. It seemed that father and son shared the same hobby. Shin examined them carefully and found that Taikei's calligraphy was much better than Hiashi's.

Rather than taking the seat of honor, Taikei sat in a nearby chair, both hands still resting on his cane.

"You can take a look. Are there any books you want to read?" Taikei said slowly.

"Thank you, Lord Taikei."

Shin was also pondering what exactly the other man's purpose in summoning him was.

He walked to the bookshelf and casually pulled down a volume. It was about the Gentle Fist.

He put it back and took down another. It contained some techniques for using the Byakugan.

Shin glanced at Taikei from the corner of his eye and saw him sitting there with his eyes closed, as though he had fallen asleep.

Among the books in the study, Shin did find several worth reading, but in the current situation, he could not settle down enough to read.

"Shin." Taikei suddenly spoke.

"I'm here, Lord Taikei."

"How do you view the clan?" Taikei asked without warning.

"The clan... isn't it my home?" Shin replied blankly.

There was no point in getting dragged into such a question, so Shin simply played dumb.

"And the village?"

"The village is everyone's homes gathered together. It is the home of many people."

Taikei merely sighed, slowly raised his head, and looked at Shin. "Have you found a book you want to read?"

Perhaps he felt that he should not have asked Shin such a question, so he let the matter drop.

"I have, Lord Taikei!" Shin gestured to the book in his hand, a delighted expression on his face.

Taikei nodded. "You may take it home to read. If you want to find any books in the future, you can come directly to me."

"Understood. Thank you, Lord Taikei!"

Taikei suddenly asked again, "Shin, your eyes..."

Shin immediately showed a dejected expression and forced a smile. "I understand. Lord Hiashi is very busy right now, and the clan has many matters to handle. There is no need to delay things because of me. I can wait until Lord Hiashi is no longer busy."

Taikei's gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Shin's disappointed appearance.

He did not look like he was pretending at all.

If everything this child said was false, if it was all an act, then his scheming was truly terrifying.

But clearly, that was not the case.

There were some elders in the clan who harbored ill intentions toward the Main Branch.

But those old men were not fools either. They knew they should not approach Shin on their own at a time like this. Those black eyes of his were like a spotlight. Whatever he did within the clan drew extraordinary attention. Trying to make use of this child would only lead to a dead end.

As long as the Caged Bird Seal remained, the Main Branch could control the Branch Family forever. Once this child was given new eyes, this farce would be over.

Hiashi could continue leading the Hyuga Clan toward revival.

Hiashi...

Taikei tilted his head back and sighed silently.

He was isolated now. Hiashi had done this, yet he had neither resisted nor voiced any dissatisfaction. What he had done back then made him deserving of this outcome.

It was only that, in the end, both of his sons hated him.

"Shin, Hiashi will definitely give you new Byakugan. Rest assured."

"I know, Lord Taikei."

After Shin left Taikei's residence, he was immediately summoned to Hiashi's residence.

"You went to Lord Taikei's place just to read?" Hiashi looked at Shin expressionlessly.

He knew that Shin was on Taikei's list, and that gave Hiashi a few more reasons to dislike him.

"Lord Taikei also asked me some questions."

"What questions?"

Shin told him everything that had happened at Taikei's residence. There was nothing to hide.

And if Hiashi had informants at Taikei's place, then there was even less reason to conceal anything.

After hearing Shin's account, Hiashi suddenly fell silent. Then he spoke to Shin in an even tone. "Lord Taikei's health is very poor now. He needs peace and rest. Do not go there and disturb him again in the future."

"Understood, Lord Hiashi."

After Shin turned and left, Hiashi watched his retreating figure with coldness in his eyes.

Nothing suspicious had happened when Shin went to Taikei's place.

But thinking carefully, this boy had brought him nothing but trouble. Now Hiashi had to wait for his own father to die before replacing the boy's eyes, and until then, he had to remain vigilant against any unusual movements from those old men in the clan.

Someone with utterly mediocre talent and strength, someone who had nearly betrayed him...

Did it really matter whether he lived or died?