Understanding of Intent

Sarutobi Hiruzen was also jolted back to his senses by the flash of gold. His gaze flickered uncertainly.

Then, as if turning a page, his expression changed. His terrifyingly twisted face instantly became warm and kind again as he smiled. "Jinghuo, I was only joking with you. Konoha will compensate the Hyuga Clan Land."

"Fine." The golden flames around Jinghuo Uchiha turned into orange flame.

The orange flame gradually dispersed.

Both the Hyuga Great Elder and Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly breathed sighs of relief, feeling as though they had survived a disaster.

Jinghuo Uchiha turned and left.

He seemed to recall something and turned back to look at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Oh, right. When will you compensate the Uchiha Clan for the losses caused over the years by the Shimura Clan's ambitions? For sending the Uchiha to the front lines in war and causing our enormous casualties?"

The Nine-Tails rumors, Danzo digging out eyes, the deaths and injuries among clan members, concealed War Merit...

Although Jinghuo Uchiha had not spelled it out clearly, Sarutobi Hiruzen thought of all those things in an instant. His gaze immediately became unreadable.

But under Jinghuo Uchiha's smiling gaze, he quickly forced out a smile. "Konoha's finances are rather tight right now. Can the Uchiha Clan be understanding?"

"Oh, then I'll be understanding for a few more days."

Jinghuo Uchiha waved and left.

Only the Hyuga Great Elder remained, utterly shaken.

He had heard that some Uchiha brat was always causing trouble in the Village Center, but he had not paid much attention to the village's affairs.

Now, he realized this was far more than causing trouble. The boy was practically shitting on Sarutobi Hiruzen's head and making him eat it!

And Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to eat it!

Had the Uchiha become this terrifying?

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the Hyuga Great Elder with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Is there anything else?"

The Hyuga Great Elder knew Sarutobi Hiruzen was in a bad mood and was sending him away.

So he hurried off, lest he suffer collateral damage.

After he left, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression quickly darkened.

His tightly clenched fist trembled without stop, filled with suppressed frustration.

Hyuga Clan Land, meeting room.

The Great Elder sat in the seat of honor, with Hyuga Hiashi on his left and Hizashi Hyuga on his right.

The twin brothers both looked at the Great Elder, who had just returned from the Hokage Building.

"The Uchiha Clan will not be paying compensation. The village will compensate us instead," the Great Elder said.

"Why?" Hyuga Hiashi asked.

Originally, he, the Clan Head of the Main Family, should have gone. But he had not been at the scene then and had never dealt with Jinghuo Uchiha, so the Great Elder, who wanted to go, had gone instead.

The Great Elder said gravely, "It should be related to the Shimura Clan. Hiashi, investigate further."

"Yes." Hyuga Hiashi agreed.

At the same time, he felt something was strange.

The Hyuga Clan appeared peaceful, but in truth, the system dividing the Main Family and branch family filled the clan with contradictions.

But if someone targeted them, the branch family would have to protect the Main Family. When that happened, they would stand united against outsiders.

This system allowed the Hyuga Clan to ignore all the schemes unfolding in the village and remain isolated.

As long as Konoha existed, the Hyuga Clan would continue to exist.

Yet now, the Great Elder, who had always upheld isolation, was telling him to actively involve himself in the village's schemes?

It seemed something significant had happened within the Shimura Clan, something that could change Konoha's current situation.

"And what should we do about Jinghuo Uchiha destroying the Hyuga Clan Land?" Hizashi Hyuga asked.

Although no one had been hurt, it was better to be safe than sorry!

The Great Elder recalled Jinghuo Uchiha's appearance and that trace of golden imperial majesty. His expression remained stern.

"Jinghuo Uchiha does not dare kill people. Since the village will compensate us, the Hyuga Clan will not suffer a loss."

"The village's finances are rather strained," Hyuga Hiashi said.

He had taken office today and noticed the problem when he looked over the allocated funds.

The Great Elder glanced at him, his gaze carrying disappointed irritation, though he patiently explained, "If the village cannot afford compensation, it can repay us with power. Trading money for power is a good thing."

Then more people would protect the Main Family!

If the Hyuga Clan became Hokage, then all of Konoha could protect the Main Family!

The Great Elder was very pleased with his own idea.

"Yes."

Although Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga both responded as such, neither believed things would go so smoothly.

Leaving aside Jinghuo Uchiha's violent temperament.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Uchiha seemed to be enemies now, yet the Uchiha still controlled an important department—the Root.

That alone showed how chaotic Konoha's situation had become. Sarutobi Hiruzen could no longer control the overall situation.

If the Hyuga Clan inserted itself as a third party at this moment and sought to reap the spoils, the sandpiper and clam might stop fighting altogether.

They could not wade into this muddy water!

With that thought, Hyuga Hiashi voiced his opinion. "Great Elder, I believe the Hyuga Clan should give up the Police Force."

"No! This is the Hyuga Clan's opportunity!"

Hizashi Hyuga wanted to speak in support of Hyuga Hiashi, but seeing how firm to the point of stubbornness the Great Elder looked, he swallowed his words.

In the end, the two lowered their heads and watched the Great Elder's feet pass by them, their hearts filled with unease.

When the Hyuga Clan took over the Police Force, the villagers had been strongly opposed at first.

How could they possibly be better than the Sarutobi Clan?

But they gradually discovered that although the Hyuga Clan's attitude was not as pleasant as the Sarutobi Clan's and their faces were sour every day—

They truly did their work well, with meticulous observation.

Their tracking ability was also extremely strong.

Seven days had passed, and not a single fugitive had escaped.

The villagers gradually grew accustomed to it.

But some people were deeply unsettled.

For example, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Nara Shikaku, Uchiha Itachi, and others.

Concerned about appearances, Sarutobi Hiruzen had Nara Shikaku try to persuade Jinghuo Uchiha.

Uchiha Itachi and Nara Shikaku were the same sort of person, so they traveled together to Jinghuo Uchiha's home.

But they could not find Jinghuo Uchiha.

They asked the clan members.

A Clan Member said, "He's by the lake, trying out a new technique."

Uchiha Itachi: "???"

Nara Shikaku: "???"

He had destroyed the Hyuga Clan Land last time, and they were still letting him test techniques?

Weren't they afraid something would go wrong?

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Nara Shikaku became anxious.

"Stop him?" The Clan Member looked at Nara Shikaku as though he were seeing his own self from a few days ago. He mocked himself. "If we don't stop him, he activates Fire Style Chakra Mode. If we do stop him, he directly enters Emperor Flame Mode."

The self-mocking expression on his face seemed to say, "Stop him? With our lives?"

Uchiha Itachi: "..."

Nara Shikaku: "..."

The Uchiha Clan Member's words made them realize that they seemed to have nothing that could persuade Jinghuo Uchiha.

Force him to stop? Jinghuo Uchiha was monstrously strong.

Compensate for the damages? Jinghuo Uchiha would simply make the village compensate him.

The Hyuga Clan's dissatisfaction? The village's chaos?

Jinghuo Uchiha did not care about any of that at all.

He was simply a hot-tempered man living in the moment.

All he wanted was understanding of intent.

Uchiha Itachi and Nara Shikaku got headaches.