All old foxes, all hypocrites

Time ticked away, second by second.

The Jonin inside the ancestral hall began to lose their composure.

Especially those standing near Hyuga Hiashi; some, emboldened by their seniority, had already begun to inquire about the arrangements.

The Hyuga Clan Great Elder also began to activate his Byakugan frequently, scanning the perimeter of the Hyuga compound, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person he was expecting.

But he was disappointed yet again!

There were only Hyuga Clan ninjas on guard; the person he had hoped for had not come!

Shinichi Hyuga raised his head, a sharp glint in his eyes. It seemed that Orochimaru was performing quite well.

If he successfully managed to intercept the Third Hokage, then half of his plan would be a success.

Tap, tap, tap...

Amidst the commotion, someone began to walk, breaking away from their original position and drawing everyone's attention.

"Clan Leader, it is getting late. Let us conclude the clan meeting early. I still have to return to spend time with my daughter!"

Shinichi Hyuga stepped closer to Hyuga Hiashi, his voice booming through the hall.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat.

The entire ancestral hall fell into instant silence.

For as long as anyone could remember, the Main House had controlled everything within these walls. Once, a member of the Branch House had been made an example of for a single slip of the tongue, tortured by the Caged Bird seal to warn the others.

Such rules were etched into the very bones of some.

Shinichi Hyuga's behavior now was a breach of protocol—was he not simply handing them a handle to use against him?

On Hyuga Hiashi's youthful face, shame and anger were impossible to conceal.

Shinichi Hyuga had once been his guard; now, he was provoking him, perhaps even staging a demonstration of power.

Could it be that he truly possessed a way to isolate the Caged Bird?

He felt increasingly that this clan meeting was slipping out of his control.

He wanted to trigger the Caged Bird, but he ultimately restrained his impulse.

With the Great Elder's previous warning in mind, he lacked confidence; only the person he was waiting for could give him the necessary assurance.

"If you do not wish to compete for the Hidden Branch Main House, you may choose to leave. No one is stopping you."

Hyuga Hiashi quickly regained his composure, feigning authority as he countered.

Though he had adapted to the role of Clan Leader, he remained somewhat immature, yet he still represented the will of the Hyuga Clan.

"I am saying, stop waiting! The Third Hokage cannot come."

Shinichi Hyuga leaned even closer to Hyuga Hiashi, exerting pressure as he whispered into his ear.

But everyone present was a Jonin.

In the silent hall, those words reached every pair of ears.

To Hyuga Hiashi, this action was nothing short of a provocation.

He had already announced that the honored guest invited to witness the proceedings was the Third Hokage.

If the Third Hokage failed to appear, his authority as Clan Leader would suffer a blow.

Using force to suppress Shinichi Hyuga was also not an option.

"I am the leader of the Hyuga Clan. No matter what you do, it cannot affect me!"

Hyuga Hiashi could not afford to show his true thoughts.

Filled with doubt, he had to maintain his dignity—this was the final instruction his father had given him before passing away.

As he spoke, he channeled his chakra into the Caged Bird seal to exert pressure, asserting his status as the Main House.

By doing so, he brought the crowd back under his control.

Hyuga Hiashi felt smug, failing to notice the shift in the expressions of the elders beside him.

These changes were exceptionally complex—guilt, resentment, relief... each was different, but the reverence they had once held had long since vanished.

"Shall we begin, then?" Hyuga Hiashi cast a glance at the Great Elder, looking toward his other ally to signal that it was time to strike.

Since the Third Hokage had not arrived, they could still crush Shinichi Hyuga during the meeting according to their own rules.

But the reaction of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder was not what he had expected.

"No, wait a little longer!"

The Hyuga Clan Great Elder spoke.

Hyuga Hiashi could no longer control his expression. Shinichi Hyuga had already stated that the Third Hokage would not come.

Now, the Hyuga Clan Great Elder wanted to wait? Was he also preparing to betray their agreement?

A searching gaze fell upon the Hyuga Clan Great Elder.

"He is here!" The Hyuga Clan Great Elder did not respond to him; the veins around his eyes bulged as he activated his Byakugan.

The corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably, and he began to laugh.

"The Third Hokage is here?" Hyuga Hiashi also resumed his smile, activating his Byakugan to look.

He was initially confused by Shinichi Hyuga's deceptive tactics just now, but in an instant, his entire body stiffened as he deactivated his Byakugan.

Someone was indeed coming!

But that person was not the Third Hokage; it was Shimura Danzō!

It appeared now that the true supporter of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder was Shimura Danzō?

Had the Hyuga Clan Great Elder already seen through his schemes?

His original plan with the Third Hokage was to make the Hidden Branch Main House disappear from history entirely; in exchange, he would pledge his loyalty to the Third Hokage and become his devoted follower.

He hadn't expected Shinichi Hyuga's sudden rise to force them to take a step back, limiting Shinichi Hyuga so that the lineage of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder could maintain its position as the Hidden Branch Main House.

They intended to turn the Hyuga Clan Great Elder into a puppet, controlling and absorbing the power of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder.

It seemed now that everyone had their own agendas.

The Hyuga Clan Great Elder had not only sought refuge with the Third Hokage but also with Shimura Danzō.

None of them were simple characters.

After a moment of dejection, he instead felt relieved.

Regardless, both of their targets were Shinichi Hyuga, so his own goal could still be achieved.

With Shimura Danzō's arrival, having this witness meant he could force Shinichi Hyuga to submit to the outcome according to the rules.

His gaze swept over the Hyuga jōnin standing beside him and the Hyuga Clan Great Elder; there were nearly a hundred of them in total, and victory was well within his grasp.

Once the result regarding the Hidden Branch Main House was determined, he could control the unstable variable that was Shinichi Hyuga.

He only hoped everything would go smoothly!

Shimura Danzō followed a patrolling ninja of the Hyuga clan to the ancestral hall, accompanied by a guard who, shockingly, possessed a pair of Byakugan.

As everyone looked closer, they realized it was Keimei Hyuga, a former disciple of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder who had once served as his son's bodyguard.

Everyone had been curious as to why he, a trusted confidant of the Hyuga Clan Great Elder, hadn't appeared, but it seemed he had gone off to be someone else's dog!

The Hyuga Clan Great Elder trotted to the entrance of the ancestral hall to welcome Shimura Danzō.

"The Third Hokage has been delayed by some matters, so I am here to witness this clan meeting on his behalf!" Shimura Danzō walked naturally to Hyuga Hiashi's side and spoke.

These words, falling into Hyuga Hiashi's ears, held very little credibility.

In the end, he had no choice but to believe it.

Shinichi Hyuga felt a bit of resentment toward Orochimaru for always being so unreliable.

However, the fortunate thing was that a man like Shimura Danzō thought too highly of himself.

In terms of both strength and influence, he could not compare to the Third Hokage, let alone "represent" him.

What possible effect could that have?

He still had the [Useless Teammate] buff on him, after all.

With Shimura Danzō as a teammate, one must always be prepared to be sabotaged.