Thought Finding a Goalkeeper Would Be Enough?

Hyuga Clan Land.

Hyuga Hiashi returned from the Hokage Building, as if he had returned to his own palace. Everywhere he went, people stopped and bowed respectfully, saying, "Clan Head."

He nodded slightly, his expression still stern.

"Father!" Hyuga Hinata, a short-haired little girl as cute as a doll, bowed and called out.

Hyuga Hiashi, with the same stern look, nodded and walked forward.

Hyuga Hinata's bright, large eyes watched the tall figure, her small face flushed pink, her lips pursed, and her shoulders hunched.

So small, timid, as if shrinking into a ball, forming a hard shell to steadfastly protect the most beautiful things in her heart.

Meeting Room.

On the tatami mats, three men knelt, the atmosphere oppressive.

In the main seat knelt an old man, the Great Elder of the Hyuga Clan.

To his left, in the upper seat, knelt Hyuga Hiashi, the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family.

To his right, in the lower seat, knelt a man who looked like Hyuga Hiashi, with the "Caged Bird" curse mark carved on his forehead. He was the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family, Hizashi Hyuga.

"What did the Hokage want with you?" the Great Elder asked, as if interrogating him.

Hyuga Hiashi sternly recounted everything that had happened in the Hokage's office.

"The Hyuga Clan will be in charge of the Police Force?" the Great Elder frowned slightly.

The annihilation of the Shimura Clan had caused a huge stir, known even to many outside the village.

Regardless of whether the Shimura Clan had attempted a coup, the root cause was that they had been in charge of the Police Force.

Now this hot potato had been thrown to the Hyuga Clan. If they could handle it, they would benefit greatly.

If they couldn't...

The Great Elder looked at Hizashi Hyuga and said, "The Branch Family will take charge of the Police Force, reducing the number of guards for the Main Family."

"Yes," Hizashi Hyuga replied sternly.

Hyuga Hiashi, whose expression had remained unchanged, frowned slightly.

He seemed to ponder for two seconds, and after confirming there were no issues, he spoke, "The Main Family needs to send someone out. We need to show the Hokage our attitude."

When the Great Elder heard "The Main Family needs to send someone out," he instinctively wanted to scold Hyuga Hiashi for having improper thoughts.

But upon hearing "We need to show the Hokage our attitude," the scolding words turned into a nod.

"You two will handle it. I will oversee things here in the clan land."

"Yes." The twin brothers, Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, bowed their heads.

Soon, they saw the Great Elder's feet and heard the sound of him leaving.

After he had completely departed, the two men looked up.

Hizashi Hyuga's expression was as usual.

Hyuga Hiashi, however, showed a look of guilt.

"Hizashi, you've worked hard." If he hadn't been born fifteen minutes earlier, why would his younger brother have become part of the Branch Family, and why would he have been branded with the "Caged Bird"?

Hizashi Hyuga was taken aback.

His expression softened slightly, and he seemed about to say something.

But he opened his mouth, and his expression returned to sternness, "Clan Head, please don't forget the responsibility of the Main Family."

The responsibility of the Hyuga Main Family—to protect and develop the Hyuga Clan, meaning not to die.

The responsibility of the Hyuga Branch Family—to protect the Hyuga Main Family lineage, meaning to die freely.

After Hizashi Hyuga finished speaking, he got up and left.

"Hizashi..." Hyuga Hiashi watched his twin brother's departing back, his heart filled with anguish.

The Hyuga Clan's rules were strict, and there were many etiquettes. They had to learn many, many things from a young age.

Hyuga Hiashi didn't particularly like it, but he wasn't extremely averse to it.

Only the Main and Branch Family system, he could never accept.

The Hyuga Clan taking charge of the Police Force surprised many people.

This was mainly because the Sarutobi Clan had only held the position for less than a week before suddenly quitting.

Most villagers had not yet experienced the Sarutobi Clan's equal and friendly treatment of victims and perpetrators. They suddenly heard the news that the perpetually stern Hyuga Clan would be in charge of the Police Force, and their first reaction was rejection.

"Why let the Hyuga Clan be in charge of the Police Force!"

"Didn't the Sarutobi Clan do a good job!"

"Exactly! Did the Hyuga Clan pull some trick!"

"Hyuga Clan, return the Police Force to the Sarutobi Clan!"

The Sarutobi Clan was deeply moved upon hearing this, but more so, they were terrified.

They were afraid the villagers would actually be recalled.

Before the Hyuga Clan could explain, the Sarutobi Clan proactively announced: "The Sarutobi Clan lacks the capability. The Hyuga Clan possesses the Byakugan and can better serve the villagers."

"Please believe in the village, believe in the Sarutobi Clan, and also believe in the Hyuga Clan!"

Upon hearing this, the villagers had no choice but to compromise.

"Alright, since the Sarutobi Clan said so."

"Let's give it a try then."

"The Byakugan's observation skills are quite good."

"At worst, it's better than the Shimura Clan."

"Why bring up the Shimura Clan so early in the morning? So disgusting."

"Exactly! It even made my grandma stop eating!"

Seeing this, the Sarutobi Clan breathed a collective sigh of relief.

They retreated back to the Sarutobi Clan Land, as if to seclude themselves from the world, and tightly shut their gates.

At the entrance of Jinghuo Uchiha's home in the Uchiha Clan Land.

A large group of Uchiha clan members rushed over after hearing the news.

"Jinghuo, calm down!"

"You must calm down!"

"We're in the wrong here!"

"Yeah! Don't act impulsively!"

Jinghuo Uchiha stood at the entrance, looking at the Uchiha clan members before him with dead fish eyes.

Before, only the Hawks surrounded him. Now, even the Conservatives had come.

And they were all trying to persuade him.

"Is it useful to find Sarutobi Hiruzen about this?" he asked dismissively.

But upon hearing his words, the clan members breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Not useful, not useful at all."

"Finding Sarutobi Hiruzen is the most useless."

"Exactly, exactly. How could Jinghuo not know this?"

"It's good that you're not going, it's good that you're not going, hahahaha."

The clan members dispersed one by one, but they were still monitoring Jinghuo Uchiha's movements, worried that Jinghuo Uchiha would sneak to the Village Center again and unleash a large-scale attack.

It wasn't that they thought Jinghuo Uchiha was bad.

The Uchiha Clan now controlled Root, and they were living it up every day. They could even go to the Bounty Exchange to pick up bounty missions and earn some money. Root was not short of money at all.

The current changes in the Uchiha Clan were all thanks to Jinghuo Uchiha.

Even if Jinghuo Uchiha was hot-tempered, they deeply respected him in their hearts.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen were to step on Jinghuo Uchiha, they might even stage a coup.

They could endure grievances, but Jinghuo Uchiha absolutely could not!

However, this matter was completely unreasonable, and Jinghuo Uchiha was still young. They were worried that Jinghuo Uchiha would be too hot-tempered and sneak off to unleash a large-scale attack again.

They were just worried that Jinghuo Uchiha would be wronged.

[Quest Name: You won't let me do it? I'll do it anyway!]

[Quest Content: Kill everyone within a thousand meters of the Village Center!]

[Quest Reward: Rinnegan]

Jinghuo Uchiha rolled his eyes and walked towards the lake.

He thought of Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Sarutobi Clan's actions with disdain.

"Do they think they're safe just because they found a gatekeeper?"