The Son of Heaven Remains the Son of Heaven Even in the Underworld

"So this is the clan's secret vault... truly magnificent..."

Hyuga Gakuto quietly activated his Byakugan, silently marveling in his heart.

Inside the vault, layer upon layer of shelves were piled high with ancient books and scrolls, and the weapons passed down through generations of the Hyuga clan were also displayed there.

Even the scrolls recording the profound mysteries of the Eight Trigrams Palm were merely tossed into a corner here.

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"Observe carefully, do not let a single trace escape your notice."

Hizashi Hyuga stood in the center of the vault and spoke at the right moment, pulling back the wandering thoughts of the branch house members.

However, when his gaze inadvertently swept over the exquisitely packaged Byakugan at the very top of the vault, and then landed on the Byakugan at the very bottom, stored only in crude petri dishes, a flash of daze crossed his eyes.

But he quickly composed himself and dutifully directed the search.

Within the Hyuga clan, the destination of every pair of Byakugan was of vital importance.

The Byakugan of main house members were removed after death and properly placed in the clan's secret vault, ready for eye-transplant surgery should a main house member ever suffer from eye disease or injury.

As for the branch house members, it depended on where they died.

If they died on the battlefield, the Caged Bird would automatically activate and destroy the Byakugan.

If they died within the clan, the main house would remove the eyes and place them in the secret vault to prepare for the needs of branch house members in case of eye disease or other emergencies.

As the saying goes:

A noble remains a noble even in the underworld.

A slave remains a slave even in the underworld.

In this strictly hierarchical Hyuga clan, even a pair of Byakugan that had lost its master bore the distinct brand of status.

My brother's attitude is of vital importance...

If only my brother could continue like this in the future, perhaps the complaints from the branch house would diminish.

Hizashi Hyuga stood where he was, his thoughts churning in secret.

He knew well that Hyuga Hiashi's attitude toward the branch house had already begun to soften, and if they led the team to catch the culprit...

Then perhaps the rift within the clan might truly have a day of healing.

"Lord Hizashi, apart from a few winding marks found in the area where the scrolls are stored and where the branch house Byakugan are kept, no abnormalities have been found elsewhere."

Winding marks?

A trace of doubt crossed Hizashi Hyuga's mind, and he immediately activated his Byakugan to look at the marks.

He saw several scratches, as thin as a snake's trail and of varying depths, quietly carved into the floor and the edges of the bookshelves.

He pondered for a long time, searching his mind for every possibility, yet he could not come up with any clues.

"What about the body of Elder Tianyun?"

"Lord Hizashi."

Hyuga Gakuto stepped forward a few paces and respectfully handed over a report sealed by the clan's medical ninja.

Hizashi glanced at it, and seeing that he had not opened it privately, he nodded slightly, took the report, and unfolded it before his eyes.

However, when the contents of the report entered his sight, his pupils suddenly constricted.

The body is torn to pieces... killed directly by Wind Style...

And it happened in an instant...

Hizashi Hyuga whispered silently in his heart.

But Elder Tianyun's strength is clearly greater than my own...

Hizashi Hyuga had always been confident in his own strength, but precisely because of that, he understood the weight of Hyuga Tianyun all the more.

If there is a Wind Style capable of killing Elder Tianyun in an instant... just how powerful would that be?

Subconsciously, the successive Kazekages of Sunagakure appeared in his mind.

But even for a Kazekage, it would be nearly impossible to kill Hyuga Tianyun in an instant during a head-on confrontation; at the very least, he would have been able to hold out for a while and leave behind a message.

No... perhaps I am overcomplicating the problem.

Hizashi Hyuga's eyes flashed, and another hypothesis emerged in his mind.

What if Elder Tianyun knew this intruder...

And had even spoken with them?

Hizashi Hyuga was shaken by his own thought and could not help but look around.

In the vault, the guards from the branch house were still buried in their search, and no one noticed the stormy waves he was currently experiencing.

That's right...

Only this makes sense.

Given Elder Hyuga Tianyun's strength, even an opponent far superior to him could not have killed him in a single blow before he could even react.

Unless... he had no guard up at all.

And the only person who could make a Hyuga elder lower his guard and engage in conversation...

That would certainly have to be someone from the village.

And the person with the most formidable Wind Style in the village...

The answer was practically screaming to be heard.

"Shimura Danzō?!"

The moment this thought surfaced, Hizashi Hyuga felt a chill crawl up his spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked his undershirt.

He could no longer concern himself with the search at hand; he only wished he could deliver this deduction to his brother immediately.

There is a traitor... in the Konoha high command!

--

"I never expected Orochimaru-sensei to be interested in Captain Qinglan."

Mitarashi Anko crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Hyuga Qinglan with a beaming smile.

"Is that so?"

Hyuga Qinglan widened his eyes, feigning surprise as he raised an eyebrow. "That would be a supreme honor."

"Hehehe..."

Anko leaned in close to Hyuga Qinglan, patting his shoulder without a hint of reservation, acting like someone who knew the ropes. "Orochimaru-sensei must have taken a liking to your talent."

She led Hyuga Qinglan through the streets of Konoha, her pace light and breezy, chattering away as they walked.

"I was actually a bit puzzled when Orochimaru-sensei suddenly brought you up."

"He even asked me about your personality and your performance on the battlefield..."

"And Orochimaru-sensei's expression at the time, it must have been like this, right?"

Recalling the scene, Anko struck a thoughtful pose, even licking the corner of her mouth.

"But then again... I've already guessed Orochimaru-sensei's purpose in looking for you." She suddenly turned her head, looking at Hyuga Qinglan with a meaningful gaze.

"?"

Hyuga Qinglan paused, probing calmly, "For example...?"

"It must be..."

"Orochimaru-sensei wants to take you on as his disciple!"

Anko suddenly giggled, looking at Hyuga Qinglan with a grin, her smugness impossible to hide.

"Once Orochimaru-sensei actually takes you as a disciple, Captain Qinglan will have to call me Anko-shijie~"

She clasped her hands behind her head and skipped along as she led the way, radiating the liveliness and innocence unique to a young girl.

"..."

Hyuga Qinglan twitched the corner of his mouth and followed Anko's pace.

Orochimaru's house was located on a secluded street near the Forest of Death.

It was a two-story detached building with gray-white walls covered in unknown vines, featuring a spacious backyard.

The courtyard walls were high, completely obscuring the view inside.

Mitarashi Anko led Hyuga Qinglan into the courtyard, passing through rooms filled with various scrolls and experimental apparatuses, all the way to the backyard.

In a delicately manicured garden, they finally saw Orochimaru.

He was dressed in a light-colored robe, his long hair hanging loosely over his shoulders, looking lazy and composed.

Hearing their footsteps, he turned around slowly, his feminine face blooming with a gentle expression that was a far cry from the cold, stern image of one of the legendary Sannin.

"Orochimaru-sensei, I've brought Captain Qinglan here!"

Mitarashi Anko trotted up to Orochimaru, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him, like a child waiting for praise.

Orochimaru looked down at her, reached out to pat her head, and said softly, "Well done."

He then pulled a five-hundred-ryo note from his pocket and handed it to her. "Go buy some snacks and treat your former captain well."

Mitarashi Anko took the money, gave Orochimaru a sweet smile, then came up to Hyuga Qinglan, winked, made a face, and finally gave a thumbs-up, whispering, "Good luck!"

She vanished in a flash, her footsteps fading into the distance.

In the vast backyard, the two were left alone, staring at each other in silence.

A breeze blew by, and the leaves rustled.

"Hiss..."

Several small venomous snakes slithered out from the grass, eventually stopping at Orochimaru's feet.

"Qinglan-kun... you... no, I should say, the person behind you..."

"What kind of deal are they looking to make with me?"