Main House Remnants Hear Bad News

Fire Country, Eastern Coastal Region.

Frontline Great Camp.

Over a thousand Konohagakure ninjas are stationed here, clashing with Kirigakure Shinobi under the command of one of the Sannin, Orochimaru. In a corner of the camp, Konohagakure ninjas wearing loose white robes and possessing pure white eyes can be seen everywhere. This is the encampment Orochimaru specifically designated for the Hyuga Clan members.

Hyuga Hiashi and the others did not come to the frontlines as reinforcements and are not under Orochimaru's command.

They are here to deal with the matter of the Byakugan being stolen, primarily to investigate Hyuga Ritsu's failure to provide adequate rescue. They will not interfere with the frontline battles. As for retrieving the stolen Byakugan, that is a matter that requires careful consideration.

"Damn it, that bastard Orochimaru is truly detestable!"

Main Family Elder Hyuga Hisho lifted the tent flap and stormed in angrily.

"Elder Hishou, watch your words. What do you think this place is?" Hyuga Hiashi, seated in the main position in the tent, frowned and glared disapprovingly at the unrestrained and loudmouthed Hyuga Hisho.

"Hishou, the Clan Head is right. Watch your words. Orochimaru is the Hokage's disciple, and he might even become the Fourth Hokage in the future. Are you trying to bring trouble to the clan by speaking so carelessly?"

Main Family Elder Hyuga Daichi, sitting beside them, also frowned and glared unhappily at Hyuga Hisho.

"I just complained a little... Alright, alright, I get it. I misspoke. But Orochimaru's... cough cough, Orochimaru's attitude is still the same. He still says he doesn't know when Hyuga Ritsu will return."

Hyuga Hisho sat down indignantly. He looked at Hyuga Hiashi and grumbled, "Clan Head, we can't just wait around like this, can we? It's already the third day, and Hyuga Ritsu still hasn't returned. I suspect this little brat might have defected!"

If Hyuga Ritsu is a little brat, then what are we, who are also Hyuga?

Hyuga Hiashi glared at Hyuga Hisho speechlessly. After a moment of thought, he slowly said, "Defection is unlikely, unless he plans to live in anonymity for the rest of his life. Where could he possibly run to? His parents are also in the clan. He's not the type to abandon his parents."

"That's not necessarily true."

Hyuga Hisho was unconvinced.

Hyuga Hiashi was about to say something, but at that moment, hurried footsteps were heard from outside.

"Clan Head, Lord Orochimaru and Jonin Namikaze Minato have come to visit. They said they have urgent matters to discuss with you," a Branch House Jonin reported from outside the tent, bowing.

"Namikaze Minato?"

Hyuga Hiashi was surprised. "Wasn't he in the north dealing with Iwa Ninja? Has he been reassigned to deal with Kirigakure Shinobi?"

However, this doubt lasted only for a moment. Hyuga Hiashi collected his thoughts, looked around, and said, "Elder Daichi, Elder Hishou, since Lord Orochimaru and Jonin Minato are here, let's go out to greet them together!"

Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato, the only two candidates for the Fourth Hokage in Konohagakure, one of them would surely become the Fourth Hokage. Even their Hyuga Clan needed to treat them with respect.

Hyuga Daichi and Hyuga Hisho had no objections to this.

The three of them went out together.

At the entrance of the encampment, they saw Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato standing side by side.

"Lord Orochimaru, Jonin Minato, please forgive our lack of proper reception!"

Hyuga Hiashi's attitude was very polite.

However, Minato, today, before Hyuga Hiashi could finish his pleasantries, directly said, "Senior Hiashi, I have urgent matters to discuss with you. Let's skip the pleasantries. Please... find a safe place where we can talk."

He looked around.

There were many Hyuga Clan members present, so this was not a suitable place to talk, especially about sensitive matters.

"Hmm? What happened?"

Hyuga Hiashi's heart sank. Minato's attitude made him uneasy, but he suppressed his unease and quickly led Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato into a tent with a barrier, which he used as his study.

"Jonin Minato, did something happen in the village?"

After lowering the curtain, Hyuga Hiashi asked somewhat anxiously.

"Senior Hiashi, and the two seniors here."

Minato looked at the three Main House members of the Hyuga Clan before him and felt a moment of difficulty, unsure how to begin. But he had to speak. He hardened his resolve and said, "This matter... is highly shocking. Please prepare yourselves for the worst!"

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Hiashi's expression immediately turned extremely grim.

Hyuga Daichi and Hyuga Hisho exchanged glances, their lips pressed together, their expressions solemn.

Beside them, Orochimaru smiled, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. He didn't know why Minato was here; Minato had only told him he was acting on the Hokage's orders to find Hyuga Hiashi and the others.

But that didn't stop him from enjoying the show, or rather, enjoying the show when he knew nothing at all was the most interesting!

"It's like this: Hyuga Ritsu, a Branch House Jonin of your clan, secretly returned to the village today, killed the Main House members of your clan stationed at the clan grounds, and then gathered the Branch House members of the Hyuga Clan. He dismissed you, Senior Hiashi, from your position as Clan Head and appointed himself as the successor. Afterward, he selected six elders from among the Branch House Jonin... Senior Hiashi, are you alright?"

Minato asked with concern as he looked at Hyuga Hiashi, whose face had turned deathly pale, worried that Hyuga Hiashi might faint from the shock of the bad news.

Fortunately, Hyuga Hiashi held on.

The one who didn't hold on was Hyuga Daichi. This kinder Main House elder's eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Elder Daichi!"

"Daichi?"

"Someone come quickly, get a medical ninja over here."

The tent immediately descended into chaos. Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hisho rushed over, while Minato helped call for medical ninja. Only Orochimaru, however, looked utterly astonished, shaken by the news Minato had delivered.

To be honest, A few days ago, when Hiruko asked for his help arranging an outing for his precious disciple, he had thought Hiruko was planning to have Hyuga Ritsu defect. For Hiruko's sake, he had readily signed off on it.

For the past few days, Hyuga Hisho had come to bother him, but he had sent him away each time. He had figured Hyuga Ritsu was long gone, off somewhere far away.

But now, with this commotion, he finally understood. So the kid had run back to Konoha!

And not only that, he had committed such a major act. Because he couldn't push off the blame the Main House was trying to pin on him, he decided to simply reject the Main House? This line of thinking was truly and unexpectedly delightful!

It was just too interesting!

If not for the front-line war effort keeping him tied down, he would have loved to return to Konoha right now to see what exactly had happened, to see how Hyuga Ritsu, that brat, had managed to accomplish such a significant feat!