The Choice

"Fugaku, since we can't put it off any longer, we should move."

He paused, then continued:

"The Third has agreed to our terms. Our budget allocation has increased, we'll have full control over Naka Shrine and the surrounding area, and the suspicions against us have been publicly cleared up... He hasn't explicitly agreed to let us join the decision-making body, but he did hint that he'd 'start making preparations.' From the perspective of a negotiation, we haven't come out behind."

Uchiha Fugaku took a drag from his cigarette and said nothing.

Uchiha Yashiro knew what he was thinking and sighed.

"I know. It's that 'hint' that bothers you. Who knows how long these 'preparations' will take? A year? Three years? Ten?"

"But Fugaku, we have to face reality. The Third has already given us everything he can. As for what he can't give us, we can't force his hand."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"To put it plainly, moving will bring our people together in one place. That has its pros and cons. The upside is that it'll be easier for both us and them to manage everyone. The downside is... if someone stirs up trouble, it'll be easier for them to get everyone riled up. We need to think ahead about how to keep our people steady after the move."

Uchiha Fugaku looked up at him. "Do you have a plan?"

"I do." Uchiha Yashiro nodded. "After the move, we need to keep a firm grip on the new clan grounds' layout, the housing assignments, and the construction of public facilities. If our people see that life is better after the move, they won't have much to complain about. As for those with ulterior motives..."

He paused, his voice turning serious.

"We'll have to keep a close eye on them. Living together makes it easy for others to watch us, but it also makes it easy for us to watch our own people. We'll know who's making moves and who's stirring up trouble within the clan."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded thoughtfully.

Uchiha Yashiro continued:

"More importantly, Shisui has awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. Those eyes are on our side for now, but you know what that boy is like. His heart is with the village. If we openly oppose the Third now, which side will Shisui take?"

"So my suggestion is that we move, but do it with our heads held high. Our people need to know that the Third paid a hefty price to make this happen. It's not that the Uchiha have bowed their heads; we're simply giving the Third the respect he's due. As for those who don't want to move, let the Third's people persuade them. That was part of the deal from the start. We'll only be responsible for taking those who are willing to the new clan grounds."

"As for that 'hint' you mentioned... We can't rush it. First, we stabilize the situation. Then we can plan for the future."

"We've waited for decades, ever since Konoha was founded. Surely we can wait a little longer!"

Uchiha Fugaku fell silent for a long time, then stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

"We'll do as you say." He raised his head. "Tomorrow, I'll meet with Utatane Koharu and tell her that the Uchiha Clan agrees to move. But we need to nail down the terms again: the budget allocation, our autonomy over the shrine... And as for those who don't want to move, her people can persuade them. We'll just cooperate."

Uchiha Yashiro nodded.

Under the bright moon, the leading figures of the Uchiha Clan were discussing matters of great importance. The leading figures of the Hyuga Clan, another one of Konoha's great clans, were doing the same.

In Hyuga Hiashi's study,

Hyuga Hiashi and his younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, sat across from each other at a chessboard, taking turns making their moves.

Hizashi Hyuga played while thinking things over, and before he knew it, he had given Hyuga Hiashi a huge advantage.

Seeing the black dragon on the board caught in a tightening noose, Hizashi Hyuga spread his hands.

"I lose."

"Why do we always have to play chess when we discuss things? Don't tell me you're using a lousy player like me to restore your confidence because I'm bad at chess?"

"Big brother, don't you know that playing against a lousy player just makes you worse?"

Hyuga Hiashi smiled as he set down a chess piece.

"When our father was alive, he told me that you had to stay calm in the face of important matters. I asked him, 'What if I can't stay calm?' He told me to play more chess."

"I didn't really understand him back then, but now I think I see what he meant."

Hizashi Hyuga thought about it, then nodded.

"That does make sense, but I'm not sure it works for me."

"Fair enough." Hyuga Hiashi nodded. "In that case..." He brushed his hand over the board. "Let's talk."

"Losing the Byakugan is a grave matter for us..." As he spoke, Hyuga Hiashi set the chessboard aside, picked up the teapot, poured two cups of tea, and handed one to his younger brother. "But Ah Xiao failed to recover the Byakugan, and several of our clan members were killed. Now the fighting at the Southern Border has ended, and we still haven't caught that Kirigakure Ninja named Ao. The Byakugan is still out there."

Hyuga Hiashi took a sip of tea and sighed. "To recover the Byakugan now, we'd have to infiltrate Kirigakure... That would be beyond our abilities. I doubt even the Uchiha Clan could manage it."

"So, at this point, there are only two options: do everything we can to infiltrate Kirigakure and take back the Byakugan, or let it remain lost out there..."

Hizashi Hyuga slapped the table.

"I'm willing to lead a team into Kirigakure and recover Ah Hong's Byakugan!"

Hyuga Hiashi waved a hand.

"Going there without thorough preparations would be no different from throwing your life away."

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

Hyuga Hiashi's tone suddenly turned grave.

He stood and went to the window, looking up at the moon.

"I've pieced together most of what happened... It's certain that Elder Zhao tried to get rid of Ah Hong by using Kirigakure Ninja!"

"Why?" Hizashi Hyuga couldn't understand. "Because Ah Hong lost the Byakugan? Because his identity is in question? Or because..." He suddenly realized. "Because Ah Hong openly said at the clan meeting that he didn't want to control the Caged Bird Cursed Seal?"

"Maybe all of those reasons."

"He..."

Hizashi Hyuga clenched his fists.

At long last, there was a Main Branch member willing to end the Caged Bird Cursed Seal, and he had nearly died on the battlefield because of it. Worse, the culprit was an elder of the Main Branch from his own clan. The truth filled Hizashi Hyuga with an uncontrollable rage.

He could endure the shame of the Caged Bird himself, but he couldn't stand the thought of his children—or their children—being marked with the Caged Bird!

"How dare he!" Hizashi Hyuga sprang to his feet. "Ah Hong is of the Main Branch. Hyuga Zhao dared to harm someone of the Main Branch. He deserves to die!"

Hyuga Hiashi shook his head.

Hyuga Hiashi turned to his younger brother and said, "Kill one Hyuga Zhao, and there's still Hyuga Gen. Kill Hyuga Gen, and there's still Ah Xiao. The Main Branch may be badly depleted, but it's not as though there's no one left."

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