Hyuga Shinichi's gaze fell on the newly arrived Shimura Danzō.
Was this old bastard really here to support the Hyuga Clan's Great Elder?
He didn't think so.
Thanks to Orochimaru's warning, he knew that the Root base had a fortress built specifically to keep the Hyuga Clan from rebelling.
They were wary of more than just the Uchiha Clan. They were wary of every major clan.
In any case, everyone who'd come here today was up to no good.
Shimura Danzō had also noticed Hyuga Shinichi. This rising star would soon become one of his subordinates.
His true goal this time was to get his hands on Hyuga Shinichi.
Only by driving Hyuga Shinichi to despair could he show him kindness and turn him into a tool to protect "Konoha"!
"Hiashi, Lord Hokage asked me to pass on a message.
"Since the clan meeting is taking place, we might as well mark the Hyuga children who are old enough with the Caged Bird seal.
"Kumogakure has been acting up again recently. They've sent spy ninjas to Konoha.
"The Byakugan of your Hyuga Clan is among their targets, and it's their top priority."
The sharp glint in Shimura Danzō's one remaining eye flickered.
When it came to schemes that played on people's hearts, he had to admire the Third. He knew just how to hand over the knife.
Every time, he made Danzō the one who willingly took the blame.
When the Third said that Orochimaru might interfere with their operation, Shimura Danzō had started investigating. It would take something extraordinary to sway a man like Orochimaru.
In the end, he'd uncovered something remarkable.
And so the two men, each with their own agenda, had joined forces.
Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to make the Hyuga Clan into something like the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan, all but a clan of vassals.
Shimura Danzō wanted the genius, Hyuga Shinichi.
They'd hit it off at once!
Each got what he wanted. It was perfect.
He held a report in his hand, bearing the Third's seal.
Hyuga Shinichi's thoughts stirred.
Judging by the current situation, the Third and Shimura Danzō had joined forces.
He had no idea that when he gained Orochimaru's support, he'd also caught the eye of Shimura Danzō, that dark-minded old bastard.
Those two old schemers must have known where his weakness lay.
They believed that once his daughter was marked with the Caged Bird, he would obediently become a tool in their hands.
They couldn't even wait two months. They'd combined two clan meetings to catch him off guard, hadn't they?
Well, as it happened, he was getting impatient too.
This clan was far too rotten. Cleaning house sooner would give his daughter a better environment to grow up in.
Hyuga Hiashi and the Great Elder exchanged a glance, and reached a decision.
They, too, recognized how clever the plan was.
Now Shimura Danzō had given them a perfect excuse: to prevent the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands.
"Given this report, we'll move the Caged Bird marking up by two months. Does anyone object?"
Hyuga Hiashi asked for appearances' sake. To reinforce his authority, he even invoked the pressure of the Caged Bird.
Some people could no longer hide their resentment, but under the Caged Bird's control and the Main Branch's influence, they all lowered their heads.
The older generation of ninjas had grown used to it, like lions and tigers broken in by a circus trainer. They didn't dare resist.
The strongest reaction came from the young ninjas around Hyuga Shinichi's age.
They knew all too well how insidious the Caged Bird was. Just like now, they weren't even allowed to speak as equals.
It could also be used to torture them.
In extreme cases, they could even be tortured to death.
Young and yearning for freedom, they were tormented by this insidious seal.
And now they wanted to put the same cage around their children?
They were changing the plan, too. Before, they'd still had two months to live happily and spend time with their children.
Now they'd lost even those last two months!
After a stir of murmurs, everyone's gaze settled on Hyuga Shinichi.
Hope shone in many eyes.
They remembered the stories circulating in the village: at the Fourth Hokage's wedding, Hyuga Shinichi, a member of the Branch Family, had subdued the Hyuga Main Family!
Only Hyuga Shinichi could save them. Only he could save the Hyuga Clan!
Hyuga Shinichi was thinking, too. It was time for this rotten clan to be made new.
"Hyuga Shinichi, do you have any objections?"
The Hyuga Clan's Great Elder noticed the strange scene. Why were all the Branch Family members looking at Hyuga Shinichi? It made him uneasy.
Then his gaze fell on the Caged Bird mark atop Hyuga Shinichi's head, and confidence surged through him.
These Branch Family members were nothing but tools!
They could never defy the Main Branch.
As soon as he spoke, that old bastard Shimura Danzō and Hyuga Hiashi both looked at him.
They seemed to be watching him make a fool of himself.
"I have no objections. But, Elder Shimura, your child's calling you home for dinner!"
Hyuga Shinichi gave a soft laugh, lifted his head, and said something that made no sense.
"Isn't he childless?"
"Huh?"
The tense atmosphere turned strange.
No one understood why Hyuga Shinichi would say something like that at a moment like this.
Before anyone could ask more—
Thud, thud, thud!
A flurry of footsteps came closer.
"Lord Danzō, the Shimura Clan is under attack! We need your support!"
A Root ninja wearing an animal mask used the Body Flicker Technique to appear at the Ancestral Hall entrance and shouted the message.
"You bastard!"
Shimura Danzō's gloomy face turned toward the Root ninja, then he cursed.
"You!"
He turned on Hyuga Shinichi and shouted accusingly!
His face twisted with rage, his wrinkles bunching together like those of a chattering old pigeon.
A dark aura surged from him straight toward Hyuga Shinichi.
He had no proof, but his gut told him Hyuga Shinichi was behind it.
But how dare he?
Inside Konoha, attacking the clan of an elder?
"Elder Danzō, how can you accuse me without proof? Even if you don't have children, you still have clan members! Hurry and go. There's still time."
Hyuga Shinichi remained relaxed. Shimura Danzō's aura was a little too childish to impress him, so he kept provoking him.
It sounded like advice, but his attitude was an admission that he'd done it!
There were only a few fools in Konoha who might be involved. He hadn't expected the Sarutobi Clan to stay quiet and Shimura Danzō to be the one to step forward.
The other one who cared about Reiko had already begun protecting her in his own way.
Black Ghost Conan was now playing around in the Shimura Clan. Who knew what sort of consequences that would bring?
Conan only cared about him and Reiko. He felt nothing but the urge to destroy everything else.
"Hyuga Shinichi, you won't escape my grasp. Just wait for Konoha's judgment!"
Shimura Danzō was even more certain that Hyuga Shinichi had been behind it, but he kept hold of the last shreds of his reason, left him with a threat, and left at once.
Without the backing of a powerful clan, how could he ever become Hokage? Did he think Root alone was enough?
He needed to protect his clan.
And just like that, Shimura Danzō came and went in a hurry.
He was just like a repulsive turd!
"Now that the irrelevant people have left, shall we begin the meeting?"
Hyuga Shinichi turned to look at the clearly dejected Great Elder and Hyuga Hiashi.
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