Eight shuriken embedded themselves in the floor, but the wires restricted Hyuga Rin's movements. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Then he opened his mouth and murmured, "I give up!" He hadn't expected Uchiha Itachi to fight him without even using the Sharingan.
He'd been overconfident. Seeing that Itachi wasn't using his Sharingan, he hadn't used his Byakugan either. If he had, this simple Manipulated Shuriken Technique probably wouldn't have been able to trap him.
But there was no cure for regret. If you were bad, you just had to practice more!
Uchiha Itachi nodded. He crooked his fingers slightly, and the eight shuriken retraced their paths and landed in his palm.
The Hyuga clan members who saw this couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. In Uchiha Itachi's hands, the Manipulated Shuriken Technique had reached an utterly masterful level!
More importantly, Uchiha Itachi had kept thinking throughout the fight. The instant Rotation disappeared, he threw the shuriken, trapping Hyuga Rin and restricting his movements.
He had preserved the Hyuga Clan's dignity as much as possible while winning the fight, without the slightest hesitation or wasted movement.
The Hyuga Great Elder snorted and led his grandson away from the training ground. After he left, the Hyuga Clan's ninja applauded.
Uchiha Itachi's fight had been a treat to watch. It had lasted fewer than five moves, but every one had counted. Even Hyuga Hiashi couldn't help nodding in praise.
After what had happened, neither Uchiha Itachi nor Uchiha Shisui felt like training anymore, so the two returned to the break room.
Uchiha Izuna was snoring loudly, his snores like thunder. Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi frowned, but soon the two of them climbed into bed and fell asleep as well.
They'd just finished training, so naturally they were tired. Before long, they were fast asleep.
Nara Clan Grounds
Shikaku Nara sat in the seat of honor, with Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka seated on either side. A Hyuga clan member stood before them.
The Hyuga clan member pulled a letter from his robes and handed it to Shikaku Nara. Shikaku accepted it and opened it. He had no reason to be wary of the Hyuga Clan.
The Hyuga Clan was the sort that never offended anyone, and Hyuga Hiashi was a master at staying out of trouble. He must have wanted something from Shikaku, which was why he'd sent the letter.
After reading it, Shikaku furrowed his brow. "Messenger, did Hyuga Hiashi say anything else besides what's in this letter? Is this really all?"
"Clan Head Nara, Clan Head Hiashi didn't say anything else. He only hopes Clan Head Nara, Clan Head Akimichi, and Clan Head Yamanaka can join him for dinner at the Hyuga Clan Compound tonight." The Hyuga messenger spoke calmly, his gaze unwavering.
That was all he knew. No matter how they questioned him, his answer wouldn't change.
Shikaku Nara thought for a moment, then smiled. "Please go back and tell my friend Hiashi that we'll be there on time tonight."
Afterward, Shikaku sent someone to escort the messenger out.
Once the doors had closed, Shikaku's smile faded. His expression turned troubled. "The winds are changing in Konoha." After saying this, he shook his head.
Choza Akimichi was startled. "Shikaku, what do you mean? What do you mean, the winds are changing in Konoha?"
Inoichi Yamanaka had an idea, but he didn't voice it. His wits were nowhere near Shikaku's.
Shikaku Nara drew a deep breath, then opened his eyes and said calmly, "The Uchiha and Hyuga have joined forces, and they're preparing to stage a Coup d'état."
Choza Akimichi was dumbfounded. Inoichi Yamanaka said nothing.
"Did Hyuga Hiashi put all of that in the letter? He's far too bold!"
"Doesn't he fear we'll hand the letter to Lord Hokage, and that Lord Hokage will punish them?" Choza Akimichi clenched his teeth.
"It wasn't in the letter. I figured it out." Shikaku Nara handed the letter to Choza Akimichi to read.
Choza Akimichi read it carefully. It said: "Hiashi sincerely invites the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans to the Hyuga Clan. We'll have a feast together. Oh, by the way, I know a young friend with exceptional fighting strength who can set a mountain ablaze."
"He'll be there tonight too. I hope you'll all honor us with your presence."
After reading the letter, Choza Akimichi looked confused. "The first part sounds normal enough, but what's that second part supposed to mean?"
He passed the letter to Inoichi Yamanaka, who smiled faintly. "As I thought, they were behind it." Inoichi had just mentioned that fifty or sixty ninja had died around the Naka River.
Shikaku Nara gave a bitter smile. "Exactly. We're caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, we've done a lot to help the Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, establish himself. Our three clans have contributed greatly, both in effort and manpower."
"Now we're even labeled as members of the Third's inner circle. We only wanted to preserve our clans' strength, but who would've thought Root's Danzo would poach talent from our families?"
"On the other hand, Konoha is now more corrupt than ever. The Third is old and increasingly senile. But Konoha is short on young talent, and there's no one who can take over as Hokage."
"If we wanted to protect ourselves, we could simply shut our doors and see no one. But if the Third and Shimura Danzō keep doing whatever they please, our three clans will eventually be eaten away."
"Yamanaka Fu is the best example." Shikaku Nara glanced at Inoichi Yamanaka.
The air around Inoichi Yamanaka grew heavy. Yamanaka Fu was a genius ninja of the Yamanaka Clan.
But Shimura Danzō had taken him away. Who knew if Shimura Danzō would target the Yamanaka Clan again in the future, or go after the Nara and Akimichi clans?
"Shikaku, I think we can give them a hand." Inoichi Yamanaka spoke, his gaze fixed on Shikaku Nara.
After hearing their analysis, Choza Akimichi nodded as well.
Shikaku Nara didn't agree right away. Instead, he fell into thought. Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi didn't disturb him. They knew he was weighing things carefully.
After all, if they took part in what came next, it would be a Coup d'état. If it succeeded, they'd be rewarded for backing the new regime. If it failed, they'd pay in blood.
"Here's what we'll do. Tonight, we'll go to the banquet together and see what trump cards the Hyuga and Uchiha clans have. Then we'll decide whether they're worth following." Shikaku Nara stood and headed for the bedroom.
There'd be plenty of talking tonight, so he might as well get some rest and conserve his energy.
Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged a glance, then went home and went to sleep too.
Eight in the evening
Someone knocked on the door to Uchiha Izuna's room.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Uchiha Izuna got up. A red gleam flashed in his eyes. "Who is it?"
"Brother Izuna, it's—it's me. Father asked me to come get you for the banquet. The representatives from the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans have been waiting for a while." Hinata Hyuga's soft, sweet voice extinguished most of Uchiha Izuna's irritation.
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