It's Well Known That Guys With Weird Eyes Are Mentally Ill

"Lord Fugaku, we should have acted last night."

In front of the Konoha Guard Unit's headquarters, Uchiha Shisui hesitated for a long time before finally voicing his thoughts.

The two had been ostracized in the Hokage's office before, and Danzo's sharp tongue had never stopped slandering the Uchiha, even though some of it was true.

Fugaku gave a wry smile and said, "Shisui, although I am the captain of the Guard Unit, you must understand that the clan head does not represent the thoughts of all clan members."

"After the Nine-Tails' rampage, the village's suspicion and ostracism became more apparent. The Uchiha compound was moved from the center of the village to the outskirts, right next to the Hyuga clan. Anyone could understand the meaning behind that."

As they walked out of the Hokage's office, the path they took became increasingly desolate.

The bustling streets faded, shops disappeared, and trees grew wild. This was the outskirts of the Forest of Death, and now, the Uchiha compound.

Shisui naturally understood Fugaku's meaning. He had wanted to act last night, but was stopped by hawks like Uchiha Setsuna.

After thinking for a moment, he still insisted, "Lord Fugaku, I know the clan members are dissatisfied, but we are still a part of Konoha. If this continues, it will only sharpen the conflict between the village and the clan. I don't want the clan to reach a point of no return."

He paused at this point and revealed his truest thoughts: "After all, the village is the most important thing, and we are just a part of it. Don't you agree, Lord Fugaku?"

"The Uchiha belong to Konoha, but Konoha does not belong to the Uchiha. Is this the idea you've always held, Shisui?"

Fugaku's tone was unreadable, making it impossible to tell if he was praising or mocking. He simply said, "You still have such a broad perspective as always."

He glanced at Shisui, whose eyes were firm, then looked at the remote Uchiha compound in the distance, and suddenly lost interest in continuing the conversation.

The Uchiha produced a lot of lunatics, and those who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan were even more bizarre, their paranoia bordering on madness.

Once a Mangekyo Sharingan user fixed on a certain idea, it was almost impossible to change their mind.

"Uchiha... alas..."

The Mangekyo Sharingan was their strength, and also their downfall.

Fugaku sighed and waved his hand helplessly, "Since that's the case, then Shisui, you should protect the village well."

"Tonight, the Hyuga will not be peaceful. Watch more, listen more, learn more. In this world, there is never just black and white. And choices are never that simple."

After speaking, Fugaku walked into the Uchiha compound against the setting sun.

The Gunbai clan crest on his person was as red as fire, merging into the crowd of Uchiha clansmen like a drop of water into the ocean.

Shisui's mind was filled with thoughts. After standing there for a long time, he finally turned and left, only his stubborn voice fading with the wind.

"Lord Fugaku, I firmly believe that the clan members can coexist peacefully with the village."

"I will find the right path, starting tonight by protecting the Hyuga."

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and deep night enveloped the land.

Under the hazy moonlight, distorted shadows writhed.

Kazama Kaguya donned a black robe and mask, and under the guise of an "observer," he entered the Hyuga compound with Danzo, Aburame Ryoma, and another Root Organization member carrying a short sword named "Tanuki."

He anticipated, he prepared.

Tonight, as the darkness of Konoha, the Hokage's hidden hand, the bloody executioner, Shimura Danzō, would personally direct the play.

Illuminated by the torchlight along the road, Danzo, carrying some unspoken instruction from Hiruzen Sarutobi, dismissed the numerous Hyuga clansmen and walked step by step towards the clan head's residence.

Creak...

The sliding door opened, revealing the silent clan head of the Main Family, the clan head of the Branch Family, and the elders of the Main Family.

Danzo's arrival meant that the Third Hokage had made his decision.

Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga knelt, silent, the atmosphere extremely oppressive.

The two brothers looked nearly identical; judging solely by their faces, it would be difficult to distinguish them.

However, by their attire, one could immediately tell who belonged to the Main Family and who belonged to the Branch Family.

Members of the Main Family never wore headbands. Hiashi Hyuga's bare forehead was a symbol of his noble status.

In contrast, the Branch Family head, Hizashi Hyuga, had white bandages wrapped around his head and a headband, serving as the best identifier.

The Caged Bird Seal.

A mark of shame for the Branch Family, no member of the Branch Family would want to expose it.

Because of this seal, the Branch Family members were reduced to slaves of the Main Family. Any dissatisfaction could lead to the activation of the seal, inflicting pain.

In the original story, Neji was punished by his own uncle, Hiashi Hyuga, quite a few times.

There was no hint of kinship in his demeanor, only the whipping of a master to a servant.

This extreme pain and trampling of personal dignity caused every member of the Hyuga Branch Family to suffer from severe depression and self-destructive tendencies.

As is well known: In Konoha, those with strange eyes are all mentally ill.

The red-eyed are frenzied, the Byakugan users are depressed and inferior.

Now, Kazama Kaguya was witnessing the latter.

He wore a mask and hood, his thin, twisted body hidden within the black robe. He followed Danzo in silence, enjoying this play called "Tanuki for Prince."

Thump... thump... thump...

Danzo leaned on his cane, walking towards the two clan heads step by step. The wooden cane striking the floor echoed unusually loudly in the oppressive room.

"Hiashi, the village needs peace. This is the Third Hokage's will. Don't make things difficult for me."

Danzo spoke coldly, his words concise and to the point. He showed no intention of shielding Hiruzen Sarutobi, even seeming to wish to incite the Hyuga clan's hatred towards the Third Hokage.

Hyuga Hiashi clenched his fists. After a moment of silence, just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by an elder from the Main Family.

"Lord Danzo, I know the village yearns for peace, but Hiashi is the head of our Main Family. What wrong did he commit by protecting his clansmen and killing a Cloud Ninja? If he is handed over, how will my Hyuga clan stand in the village from now on?"

The Main Family elder's voice was old yet powerful, and he spoke with sorrow, "Since the village was founded, my Hyuga clan has contributed, shed blood, and this is evident for all to see. If the village cannot even protect the head of its Main Family now, what will the other clans think?"

It had to be said, the Main Family elder was indeed a seasoned veteran.

This line of reasoning clearly highlighted the Hyuga clan's contributions and hardships, while implicitly scolding the village's higher-ups.

It was practically saying that the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was discarding his tools after use, and that he was losing the trust of the people.

However, the elder had miscalculated.

If this argument were presented directly to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the effect would undoubtedly be undeniable.

But the one who had come now was Danzo.

The "Pot King" of the ninja world, the "Darkness of Konoha," wouldn't care about such a reputation issue.

He glanced at the elder, refusing to be led by the nose. Instead, he let out a cold, sinister chuckle. "Heh heh, is the Hyuga clan advocating for war? Good, good, that suits my intentions perfectly. How about this: tomorrow, I will lead the charge and organize a pro-war speech for you. This way, not only can Hiashi be protected, but the Hyuga clan can also accumulate prestige. Elder, what do you think?"

As soon as he said this, the elder was instantly flustered.

News that the war was about to end had already spread throughout the village, and civilians and low-ranking ninja alike were eagerly anticipating it. If the Hyuga clan were to hold a pro-war speech, it would likely incite public outrage, and their fate would not be much better than that of the Uchiha.

"This..." The elder stammered, his face turning pale. After a long while, he managed to utter a few words, "This, is probably not appropriate."

"Then are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"

Danzo's expression darkened, and he slammed his cane heavily on the ground, intimidating everyone present.

He had been in conflict with Hiruzen for many years, and his mastery of political maneuvering was already superb. From the very beginning, he had firmly held the reins of the conversation.

The elder's brow twitched, and he dared not respond. Finally, he glanced at the two clan heads and, gritting his teeth, said, "Lord Danzo, you see that Hiashi and Hizashi look almost identical. Why not have the Branch Family head, Hizashi, go to quell the Cloud Ninja's wrath in place of the Main Family head, Hiashi?"

"You want to substitute the genuine with the fake?"

A sharp glint flashed in Danzo's eyes as he asked the crucial question, "This isn't impossible, but the Branch Family members have the 'Caged Bird' cursed seal on their foreheads. If you want Hizashi to impersonate Hiashi, then you should remove the cursed seal first."

"Remove the seal?"

The elder was astonished and subconsciously replied, "But... there has never been a way to remove the 'Caged Bird' cursed seal! Only when one's eyes are gouged out, and the cursed seal erupts, destroying the Byakugan and the brain's neural network, will this mark disappear."

"No way to remove the seal?"

Danzo's eyes narrowed. "So, you intend to first gouge out Hizashi's eyes, erase all traces of the cursed seal, and then hand over his corpse to replace Hiashi?"

"Lord Danzo is wise."