A Clash

The hot spring area had both public baths and private rooms. The private baths were still being renovated, so there weren't many available.

Still, the male attendant led the three of them to a private bath. Hyuga Shinichi figured that Shanxi must have given the staff instructions. Mito and Tsunade were probably in a private bath, too.

The attendant told them they could ring the bell in the room if they needed anything. A second bell outside would alert him. Then, with a smile, he left the private bath, closed the door, and waited outside for them to call.

It seemed Shanxi had remembered every word of their conversation, especially what he'd said about providing excellent service.

Hot springs were suited to everyone. The private baths offered plenty of privacy and made it convenient to talk while soaking, though they were surely expensive.

As he'd passed other private bath doors, Shinichi had noticed that whenever a bath was occupied, a separate attendant waited outside to serve its guests.

Shinichi stopped thinking about it and immediately invited the other two to try the hot spring. The moment they sank into the water, they felt so relaxed they could almost fall asleep. Warm currents enveloped their bodies, sweeping away the fatigue from an afternoon of training and teaching. They savored the comfort.

Shinichi leaned against the edge of the bath and was about to close his eyes for a nap when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

At first, he paid no attention, but the noise grew louder, mixed with what sounded like someone banging on a wall.

Huh? Are they renovating?

Shinichi opened his eyes, mildly puzzled.

He looked at the two beside him. They seemed unaffected, still immersed in the comfort of the hot spring with their eyes closed. He couldn't help wondering:

Have my senses gotten stronger, too?

Hamura Otsutsuki's blessing had made him feel physically stronger and more in tune with his Byakugan. He hadn't expected it to enhance his senses as well, even if only a little.

I'd better go see what's going on.

Shinichi got up, wrapped a towel around himself, and left the private bath. He turned and saw a crowd gathered at the first private bath. His room was the third one, and the male attendant who'd been looking after them stood at the edge of the crowd, looking troubled.

"What happened?"

Shinichi walked over and asked the attendant.

"Oh, it's you, sir. Sorry for disturbing you. The Hyuga and Uchiha clans got into an argument..."

The attendant spoke nervously. Then he noticed Shinichi's Byakugan and remembered that the boy his boss had told them to treat well belonged to the Hyuga Clan. If Shinichi stepped in, perhaps he could settle things.

"Sir, could you help talk them down? They're both members of major clans, and I don't dare..."

"Of course. This is Shanxi's shop, after all. I can't let my clansmen cause trouble here. I'll go see what's happening."

"Thank you so much, sir."

Shinichi approached, gently pushing his way through the crowd and apologizing as he went. There weren't many people, so he soon reached the center of the argument. Several men were shouting at each other. One of them, who'd been pushed aside while trying to break up the fight, was none other than Shanxi.

Shinichi hurried over and steadied him.

"What happened, Shanxi?"

"Oh, thanks. Huh! Shinichi, it's you! The Uchiha and Hyuga clans got into an argument."

"Let me handle it."

Once he'd helped Shanxi regain his balance, Shinichi stepped forward and spotted two familiar faces.

"Hey! Hiashi! Hizashi!"

The moment Shinichi spoke, the commotion fell silent. It was as if time had stopped.

Everyone turned to look at him. Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi stopped arguing when they saw that it was Shinichi, and the Uchiha they'd been arguing with fell silent as well.

The whole scene looked like a still painting. Shinichi stepped forward and asked Hiashi and Hizashi what had happened.

After hearing their explanation, Shinichi understood.

It all went back to the clans' long-standing rivalry. The two major families in Konoha that had inherited unique ocular jutsu had always been at odds. Each clan possessed its own distinct and powerful ocular abilities, and both were convinced that they were Konoha's foremost clan.

The rivalry wasn't limited to the older generation; it had carried over to the young as well.

Members of the two clans often clashed over trivial matters in their daily lives. Whenever they happened to run into someone from the other clan, they couldn't help feeling inexplicably annoyed.

Sometimes all it took was a glance or a few words to spark a heated argument.

Still, for all their sharp words, neither side was quick to resort to violence.

The Uchiha Clan effectively controlled the Konoha Military Police Force and was responsible for maintaining the village's peace and order.

Though their methods were sometimes heavy-handed and lacking in tact, there was nothing obviously wrong with them from a legal standpoint. As law enforcers, they arrested criminals based on the law and evidence.

The younger Uchiha didn't break the law, and the conservative Hyuga Clan was even more scrupulous. Their strict family rules made that clear.

The argument had started when a Uchiha accidentally bumped into Hizashi. He hadn't apologized; instead, he'd acted arrogantly and mocked him.

Seeing his younger brother insulted, Hiashi couldn't just stand by. He stepped in to confront the Uchiha. Both sides traded heated words and refused to back down, and the argument kept escalating.

Shinichi looked over at the Uchiha crowd and spotted someone staring blankly at Hiashi.

"Uchiha Zuho, aren't you going to rein them in? Your underlings are just the same as ever. Do they really enjoy throwing their weight around?"

Uchiha Zuho snapped out of it. When he saw that Shinichi was the one who'd called to him, his blank expression turned irritatingly smug.

"Tch, so it's the Hyuga genius who graduated early..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

"Forget it. Let's go."

Uchiha Zuho turned and walked away. His underlings were stunned, but quickly came to their senses and followed him.

Shinichi was surprised. Had Uchiha Zuho taken leave of his senses today? Usually, he'd argue with me, then lose and storm off in a rage.

Hiashi still wanted to go after the man who'd bumped into and mocked Hizashi and make him apologize, but Shinichi held him back.

"All right, Hiashi. Don't lower yourself to arguing with those Uchiha."

Hiashi looked at Hizashi. When he saw his younger brother shake his head, he reluctantly let it go.

Seeing that Shinichi had settled things, Shanxi stepped forward and said, "Thank goodness you were here, Shinichi."

"It's all right. We should apologize, too, for disrupting your business."

"Oh, that's a small thing! It's my fault that your two brothers had such a poor bathing experience. Here, let me cover everything for you tonight as an apology!"

Shanxi wasn't doing this to curry favor because he'd learned in an earlier conversation with Shinichi that the two were being groomed to become the future heads of the Hyuga Clan.

The two Hyuga brothers had genuinely been in the right this time, and they deserved compensation.

P.S. Please support me with free Power Stones, and leave lots of comments. Thank you, everyone.