The Choice

"Uchiha Fugaku, since we can no longer drag this out, we should move."

He paused, then continued:

"The Third has agreed to our terms. The financial allocation has been increased, we have full authority over Naka Shrine and its surrounding areas, and the suspicions against us have been publicly cleared... Although he didn't explicitly promise us a seat in the decision-making circle, he did hint that he would 'begin preparations.' From the perspective of a trade-off, we haven't come out at a loss."

Uchiha Fugaku took a drag of his cigarette and remained silent.

Uchiha Yashiro knew what he was thinking and sighed.

"I know, you're concerned about that 'hint.' Who knows how long these 'preparations' will take? A year? Three years? Or ten?"

"But Uchiha Fugaku, we must face reality. The Third has already given what he could give, and what he cannot give, we cannot force out of him."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"To put it bluntly, this relocation is about gathering our clansmen together. There are pros and cons to this. The advantage is that it's easier for both us and them to manage. The disadvantage is... if someone stirs up trouble, it's easy for them to rally a crowd. We must think ahead about how to stabilize the clansmen's hearts once we move."

Uchiha Fugaku looked up at him: "Do you have an idea?"

"I do." Uchiha Yashiro nodded. "After the relocation, we must keep a firm grip on the planning of the new district, the distribution of housing, and the construction of public facilities. Let the clansmen see that life is better after the move, and they naturally won't have many complaints. As for those with ulterior motives..."

He paused, his tone deepening:

"We must keep a close watch. Living collectively makes it easy for others to monitor us, but it also makes it easy for us to monitor our own. Whoever makes a move or stirs up trouble within the clan, we will be able to see it clearly."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded thoughtfully.

Uchiha Yashiro continued:

"More importantly, Shisui has awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan. These eyes are on our side for now, but you know Shisui's nature—his heart is with the village. If we show open opposition to the Third now, which side will Shisui stand on?"

"So my thought is to move, but to do so with a certain posture. We must let the clansmen know that this relocation was bought with the Third's hard cash, not because we, the Uchiha, bowed our heads, but because we gave the Third enough face. As for the clansmen who are unwilling to move, let the Third's people persuade them. That was the condition agreed upon from the start; we are only responsible for bringing those who are willing to the new district."

"As for that 'hint' you mentioned... we cannot be impatient. Let's stabilize the situation first, then plan for the future."

"We have waited for decades, ever since the founding of Konoha. Surely we aren't afraid of waiting a little longer!"

Uchiha Fugaku was silent for a long time before finally stubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray.

"We will do as you say." He looked up. "Tomorrow, I will meet with Utatane Koharu and tell her that the Uchiha clan agrees to the relocation, but the terms must be locked down again: the financial allocation, the autonomy of the shrine... and as for those clansmen who refuse to move, let their people do the persuading. We are only responsible for cooperating."

Uchiha Yashiro nodded.

The moon hung high in the sky. While the core figures of the Uchiha clan were discussing major affairs, the core figures of the Hyuga clan, another prestigious family in Konoha, were doing the same.

In Hyuga Hiashi's study.

Hyuga Hiashi and his brother, Hizashi Hyuga, sat before a chessboard, taking turns placing stones.

While lost in thought, Hizashi Hyuga played his pieces, inadvertently allowing Hyuga Hiashi to gain a massive advantage.

Seeing the black dragon on the board poised for a crushing blow, Hizashi Hyuga spread his hands.

"I lose."

"Why must we play chess every time we discuss business? It can't be that you're just trying to regain your confidence by beating a terrible player like me, right?"

"Brother, don't you know that playing against a bad player only makes your own game worse?"

Hyuga Hiashi smiled and set down his piece.

"When Father was alive, he told me that one must have a calm spirit when facing major events. I asked him what to do if I lacked that calm. He told me to play more chess."

"In the past, I didn't quite understand, but now, I truly understand the old man."

Hizashi Hyuga thought for a moment and nodded.

"That seems to be the logic, but this matter might not be suitable for me."

"True." Hyuga Hiashi nodded. "In that case..." He swept his hand across the board. "Let's talk business."

"The loss of the Byakugan is a top priority for us..." As he spoke, Hyuga Hiashi cleared the board and picked up a teapot to pour two cups of tea, handing one to his brother. "But Ah Xiao failed to retrieve the Byakugan and lost several clansmen in the process. Now that the war in the southern border has ended, that Kirigakure ninja named Ao has not been tracked down, and the Byakugan remains lost."

Taking a sip of tea, Hyuga Hiashi sighed and added, "To retrieve the Byakugan now, we would have to go deep into Kirigakure... That level of difficulty is beyond us, and I fear even the Uchiha clan would be unable to handle it."

"So, as things stand, there are only two options: either exhaust every means to infiltrate Kirigakure and reclaim the Byakugan, or let it remain lost..."

Hizashi Hyuga slammed his hand on the table.

"I am willing to lead men to infiltrate Kirigakure and retrieve Ah Hong's Byakugan!"

Hyuga Hiashi waved his hand.

"Going there without thorough preparation is no different from suicide."

"Let's set aside the loss of the Byakugan for now. What I really wanted to talk about tonight is the matter of Elder Zhao!"

Hyuga Hiashi's tone turned abruptly serious.

He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the moon in the sky.

"I have investigated the matter thoroughly... It is a certainty that Elder Zhao used the hands of Kirigakure ninjas to eliminate Ah Hong!"

"Why?" Hizashi Hyuga could not understand. "Because Ah Hong lost the Byakugan? Because Ah Hong's identity was in question? Or because..." He suddenly realized, "Ah Hong explicitly stated during the clan meeting that he was unwilling to control the Caged Bird curse seal?"

"Perhaps it is all of the above."

"He..."

Hizashi Hyuga clenched his fists.

Having finally found a member of the Main Branch willing to end the Caged Bird curse seal, only for him to nearly die on the battlefield because of it—with the culprit being an elder of the same Main Branch—this reality ignited an irrepressible fury in his chest.

He could endure the humiliation of the Caged Bird himself, but he could not tolerate his children, or his children's children, being branded with the Caged Bird!

"How dare that bastard!" Hizashi Hyuga stood up abruptly. "Ah Hong is of the Main Branch; for Hyuga Akira to dare plot against the Main Branch, he deserves to die!"

Hyuga Hiashi shook his head.

Hyuga Hiashi turned to look at his younger brother and said, "Kill one Hyuga Akira and there will be Hyuga Gen, kill Hyuga Gen and there will be Ah Xiao. Though the Main Branch has withered to a pathetic state, it is not yet devoid of people."

"Hizashi, just how many members of the Main Branch can you kill?"