"Whew, I finally believe this kid really is from the Uchiha Clan..."
Hearing the Clan Head's voice, the clan elder smiled.
He forced a slit between the wrinkles on his face and opened his eyes. "Yes. Who else but that bunch of lunatics from the Uchiha Clan would laugh like that at such a young age?"
There seemed to be a hint of reminiscence in his voice.
He remembered running with the Uchiha boys beneath the setting sun.
Those were the days of his youth, long gone.
After watching for a long while, he murmured, "I don't know why, but I think I see that person's shadow in this child."
Thump.
At those words, Hiashi's heart skipped a beat.
Among the Uchiha, there was only one person this clan elder would call "that person," as far as Hiashi could remember—
Uchiha Madara!
Gulp.
He swallowed, looking incredulous and finding the idea absurd. "Clan elder, surely it's not that serious?"
"That person helped the God of Shinobi establish the Leaf. This kid may be quite strong, but..."
The clan elder smiled at that.
Then he turned and slowly made his way inside.
His cane struck the floor in alternating light and heavy taps.
It made a crisp "tok, tok, tok" sound.
Only when he neared the bedroom did he say in a faraway voice, "That child's Dojutsu isn't just the Three Tomoe."
With that, he slid the wooden door shut with a clatter.
Hiashi was left alone outside the door.
His mind went blank, as if a massive hammer imbued with lightning had slammed down on it.
For a long while, he remained dazed. Only after the boys in the courtyard gradually dispersed did he come back to himself.
His unfocused gaze fell on his eldest daughter.
"Um, Hinata."
"Mm..."
"Do you like Uchiha Jin?"
"Ah... No... I... I..."
"It's all right. Father knows that ever since he saved you that day, you've been thinking about him constantly, right?"
"I..."
"Actually, Father likes the boy too."
Hinata: ?
Was she about to gain a love rival?
[Defeated Hyuga Neji. Attempting to copy a trait.] [Currently copyable traits: Guardian (Black), Byakugan (Purple), Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms (Green), Gentle Fist (Green), Complete Compendium of Human Meridians and Acupoints (White)...] [Copy successful. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Legendary Trait Byakugan (Purple).] [Traits can be stacked. Stack the trait Byakugan (Purple)?]
He didn't think twice. "Stack it."
[Stacking... Byakugan (Purple) has been upgraded.]
Somehow, Jin felt that his eyes had changed again.
He activated the Byakugan trait without thinking.
His field of vision began to expand.
Slowly, the area covered by the Byakugan grew.
If it had originally covered a radius of a hundred meters, it now covered at least a hundred and fifty!
Everything within range—the slightest stir of wind or grass—was visible to him!
He could clearly see the flow of chakra throughout the bodies of people passing by.
He could even see blocked meridians and bone spurs!
"Good grief, with eyes like these, if I became a massage therapist, I'd be the best in the Leaf!"
"Kakashi's reputation might not survive this."
Jin clicked his tongue, his steps growing lighter.
"And if I remember right, one way to awaken the Tenseigan is to keep plundering Byakugan, isn't it?"
He reached up and touched his slightly heated eyelids, a thought gradually taking shape in his mind.
When there had been no hope, he'd thought little of the Tenseigan.
But now, it seemed there was a chance...
Well, in that case, sign him up!
How did that saying go?
"If I win ten million, I'll donate it all!"
"But if you ask me to donate a hundred bucks, sorry, I actually have that."
He'd made up his mind: the Hyuga Clan's crop of leeks had to be protected at all costs!
Step.
Step.
Step.
His shoes tapped softly against the stone-paved road.
In the center of the village, Jin raised his head slightly and looked around.
The night seemed to have fallen unusually early.
The streets of the Leaf, usually bustling at this hour, were empty.
Only the occasional figure hurried away.
A storm was brewing.
Wasn't it supposed to happen three days from now?
Why were they moving on the very first day?
That old geezer really didn't play fair.
He shook his head and continued toward the village entrance.
Whoosh!
"Stop."
But he hadn't gone far when an Anbu ninja wearing an Oil Paint Mask suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Hm? It's you, Uncle Cat Two."
Jin looked at him in surprise.
Though the Anbu masks were much the same, their builds and hairstyles were completely different.
And this Anbu was the one who'd been sent to watch him for the second, twelfth, nineteenth, twenty-seventh, thirty-first, forty-eighth, and sixty-ninth times.
In ancient times, Zhao Zilong charged through the enemy lines seven times.
Today, Cat Two Anbu watched Jin seven times and ran away.
Seven times monitoring him, seven times breaking down and fleeing—only to be coaxed back by that old Third Hokage seven times.
"Ahem..."
Meeting Jin's gaze, Cat Two felt a little awkward.
He even instinctively wanted to turn around and leave.
But thinking of his mission and what was about to happen, he suppressed his strange feelings and said softly,
"Jin, don't go any farther. Stay in the Leaf tonight."
"Looks like the Third Hokage still showed Itachi some consideration," Jin said, shaking his head. "But I have to go home eventually."
As he spoke, he nudged Cat Two Anbu aside and started toward the Uchiha district.
Behind him, Cat Two Anbu stood frozen in place.
The pupils behind his mask suddenly tightened.
"How could this be? How does he know about the negotiations between the Third Hokage and Itachi?"
"No! Wait, he's just a chatterbox. He shouldn't know about this..."
"Could it be... the Hyuga Clan?"
Looking in the direction Jin had come from, Cat Two's eyes filled with suspicion.
After a few seconds of thought, he gritted his teeth and turned back toward Konoha Headquarters.
He had to tell the Hokage: the Hyuga Clan might very well have betrayed the village!
The clouds in the night sky grew heavier.
The darkness was almost oppressively thick.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
Jin kept walking.
Tap.
An old man suddenly appeared in front of him.
His hair was gray, and he carried a black pot on his back.
A Genin forehead protector hung at his waist.
He waved his hand and blocked Jin's way. "Kid, how about we have a little chat?"
"Maruboshi Kosuke?"
His outfit immediately brought one person to mind.
The man Naruto and Sasuke had jokingly called the Leaf's strongest Genin!
"You know who I am?" The old man was clearly surprised.
He usually guarded the village entrance or took on simple missions. He'd seen Jin several times, but they'd never met.
Today, unable to bear seeing Jin walk into a whirlpool of trouble, he'd made an exception and spoken up to warn him.
"Of course."
Jin smiled and glanced toward the Uchiha district. It was quiet and still, but black crows circled overhead.
Itachi had arrived.
Three days from now?
That was just a feint.
The real—
He paused, then continued, "Let's chat another time."
As he finished speaking, he raised his hand.
His palm drifted forward, light as a feather, but the instant it landed, a blinding white light burst forth!
Eight Trigrams Air Cannon!
Before you continue