"What? This is Hyuga Hoze!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō stared at the middle-aged man before them, their faces full of shock and confusion.
They could not believe their eyes. This energetic, black-haired middle-aged man was Hyuga Hoze, the Hyuga Great Elder who had once been Haku-haired and stooped.
"Impossible..." Sarutobi Hiruzen muttered, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"He's actually become young again... How is that possible...?"
Shimura Danzō's eyes widened as well. A complicated mix of emotions surged within him, dominated by greed and burning desire. If I could get my hands on this secret and regain my youth...
Then both old men's faces darkened.
Hyuga Hiashi, doesn't your conscience bother you when you say that? You say that middle-aged man is Hyuga Hoze. Fine, I'll accept that.
But saying he's in poor health is a damned barefaced lie. If he's in poor health, what does that make me?
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō had weathered plenty of storms and quickly brought their emotions under control. "Ahem... Hiashi, what's going on here? Your clan's Great Elder..."
Faced with the temptation of regaining his youth, even the deeply calculating Sarutobi Hiruzen could not restrain himself.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, if you've got questions, ask me directly. I'm right here. Why are you sneaking around asking Hiashi?" Hyuga Hoze was hardly polite, but that had always been his temperament. He knew that the tougher he acted, the safer the Hyuga Clan would be.
Hehe... Shocked, aren't you?
You should be.
That's what happens when I have such a wonderful grandson.
Over these past few years, my aging body has had its vitality replenished, and both my lifespan and strength have increased considerably.
Hyuga Hoze sat there, watching them casually, as though he had anticipated their reactions all along.
Damn it, just like my grandson said. These two old bastards are here to sound us out...
No secret could stay hidden forever. Even if he rarely ventured outside, his restored youth would be exposed sooner or later. The Konoha High Command had compromised when he stormed the Hokage Building that day, but that did not mean they held no grudges or would not retaliate.
In their eyes,
Hyuga Hoze was almost at death's door.
Their visit this time
was precisely for that purpose: to probe and intimidate.
Rather than wait for them to test him, he might as well drop a bombshell on them and throw their plans into disarray.
Though his words had left Sarutobi Hiruzen momentarily speechless, he still smiled and said, "If you would personally clear up my confusion, Great Elder, that would be most appreciated..."
The rejuvenated Hyuga Great Elder's appearance made the entire situation even more complicated. Neither old man had anticipated it, and it left Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō with even more confusion and questions. What exactly had happened to the Hyuga Clan...?
How could it possibly be him? Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned deeply, trying to organize his thoughts.
"Alas... As you know, Qingwu was born prematurely and has always been in poor health."
"He lost his parents so young. To stay with him until he grew up, I had no choice but to use something that stimulated my life force." Hyuga Hoze spoke with a helpless expression, a trace of sorrow in his eyes, as though he really were about to die...
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo both looked unconvinced. You're not very convincing like this. What kind of life-force stimulant makes someone younger and full of energy?
Hyuga Hoze, if you don't want to tell us, then don't. Why bother lying to us like this...? Sarutobi Hiruzen could endure it, but Danzo could not. He was furious. Bastard!
Every thought he had was written all over his face.
Hyuga Hoze pretended not to notice and continued. He had never expected them to believe him anyway.
"Don't be fooled by how young I look now. This is really just a final rally before death. My life might reach its end any day..." Hyuga Hoze sighed and shook his head, as though he could already see his approaching fate.
"So when that time comes, I may have to ask you to take good care of Qingwu, Third Hokage. Otherwise, I truly won't be able to rest in peace." Hyuga Hoze's voice trembled slightly, and tears even glistened in the corners of his eyes.
"Boohoo... Qingwu... My poor grandson..." Hyuga Hoze covered his face and began to weep, as though overwhelmed by grief, tears streaming down his face.
Meanwhile, the brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga struggled to hold back their laughter. Their shoulders kept shaking, their faces flushed bright red, and they were almost unable to keep from laughing aloud.
"Alas... Great Elder, you..."
They lowered their heads and pretended to look sorrowful so Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō would not notice anything amiss.
The Great Elder is incredible at spouting nonsense, the two muttered inwardly. What a master. He can cry on command.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō looked thoroughly exasperated, the corners of their mouths twitching nonstop.
Damn it, you old geezer look healthier than Kakashi, and you just said you were going to watch your grandson grow up.
What kind of final rally lasts for years? Are you taking us for fools?
Yet they did not dare expose Hyuga Hoze's lies outright. After all, he was the esteemed Great Elder of the Hyuga Clan, and they were inside the Hyuga Clan Compound.
No matter how the two questioned him or tried to steer the conversation, Hyuga Hoze kept playing dumb and refused to take the bait.
He stuck to his earlier excuse, claiming that he had taken a Secret Medicine that stimulated his life force, and that this was merely a final rally before his imminent death.
"What? Is there any of this Secret Medicine left?"
"No. There was only one dose. It was a treasure passed down through our clan for over a thousand years."
"If Clan Head Hiashi hadn't taken pity on me and made an exception to grant me the medicine in recognition of my lifetime of service to the Hyuga Clan,"
"this old man would probably have been buried long ago. Clan Head Hiashi is a great benefactor to both my grandson and me!"
Hearing this, Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga Clan, was moved to tears. "Great Elder, you give me too much credit."
"You have worked tirelessly for the Hyuga Clan and devoted your whole life to us. You are the pillar that holds our clan steady."
"Forget an inherited Secret Medicine. Even if saving you required my own life,"
"I would offer it without a moment's hesitation."
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Hyuga Hoze said, "Clan Head..." and bowed deeply to Hiashi.
"Great Elder..."
"Your humble general Yu Jin... The line of Hyuga Hoze is willing to brave fire and water for the clan for generations to come." Ahem... Wrong script.
"Great Elder..."
Seeing Hyuga Hoze make such a heartfelt declaration, Hiashi joined in the performance. Tears streamed down his face as he responded emotionally, "Great Elder..."
Hizashi was stunned.
The Great Elder was a crafty old fox and a talented actor, so that was one thing, but even his normally stern, stiff brother had joined the act.
They actually delivered such awkward, nauseating lines so naturally. Maybe this is why I couldn't become clan head.
At that moment,
some of the obsessions in Hizashi Hyuga's heart faded away.
Not being clan head is pretty nice.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen..."
Watching the two perform, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo were thoroughly nauseated. We're all ancient foxes here, so who the hell are you trying to fool? That change of subject was far too forced.
No. I must obtain the secret to regaining youth.
As time passed, Danzo increasingly felt that his energy could no longer keep up with his ambitions. He even felt that, should he become Hokage, he might only be able to serve for a few years. His struggle with Sarutobi Hiruzen over the years had exhausted him.
Right, the missing Root operatives.
I don't care about a few subordinates, but if I can use this to force the Hyuga Clan to hand over their Secret Technique, their deaths will have been worthwhile.
I will have that Hyuga Secret Technique.
You'd better know what's good for you. If one Uchiha Clan can be wiped out, so can one Hyuga Clan.
For the sake of my grand ambition,
any sacrifice is worthwhile.
Hmph...
I'm rather looking forward to seeing what Grandpa does.
Watching the contemplative Danzo from the shadows, Qingwu knew the old man was plotting something nasty again. But today, he was only here to watch the show. His grandfather had promised to broaden his horizons.
Before you continue