Reactions of the Various Clans!

Ye Village.

Uchiha Compound.

Itachi Uchiha returned home in a daze.

Instead of going back to his room, he pushed open the study door.

Fugaku Uchiha was sitting cross-legged on a cushion.

A ninja blade gleaming with cold light lay across his knees.

He was wiping the blade.

His movements were extremely slow and steady.

"You came running over this late at night. Have you forgotten the rules?"

Hearing the door open,

Fugaku Uchiha did not even raise his head.

"Father."

"Danzo dug out our clansmen's eyes and conducted live experiments."

"Did..."

"Does the Third Hokage know about this?"

Itachi did not back down.

He strode up to his father and stared into Fugaku Uchiha's eyes.

Fugaku stopped wiping the blade.

He finally looked up.

At his eldest son, who had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood.

In the past,

Fugaku Uchiha might have brushed him off with a string of lofty-sounding platitudes.

But today,

Chiba had torn away that veil of shame.

Fugaku Uchiha decided to let his son see the cruelty of this world ahead of time.

"Itachi."

"A tree's roots are buried deep beneath the ground."

"The roots absorb every bit of nourishment around them, even poisonous sap."

"Meanwhile, Ye hangs high in the branches, basking in the sunlight."

"Do you think..."

"Does Ye truly not know that the nourishment sent up by the roots is mixed with their companions' flesh and blood?"

Itachi Uchiha looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

He staggered back two steps, his body trembling slightly.

"You mean..."

"Third Hokage... approved of all this?"

Fugaku sneered.

"Without the Hokage's permission,"

"Why would Danzo be able to mobilize those precious experimental resources?"

"How could he conceal all those missing people?"

"They are one and the same!"

"The high command's mercy is nothing more than a mask draped over cruelty."

Itachi fell completely silent.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

He had always believed that peace would come as long as the clan and the village understood each other.

Now, it seemed

that was nothing but a colossal joke.

Politics contained only naked interests and slaughter.

There was not the slightest warmth in it.

Hyuga Clan Main Branch estate.

Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga sat facing each other.

Two cups of tea, long since gone cold, sat on the small table between them.

Neither had any desire to drink.

Hizashi raised a hand.

Through his forehead protector, he touched the Caged Bird Cursed Seal on his forehead.

"Brother."

"Danzo even dared to dig out the Uchiha's Mangekyo."

"Tell me..."

"Do you think he has any interest in our Hyuga Byakugan?"

The instant those words were spoken,

the temperature in the room seemed to plunge to freezing.

Hyuga Hiashi suddenly clenched the teacup in his hand, his knuckles turning white.

"He wouldn't dare!"

After a moment,

Hyuga Hiashi's voice trembled slightly.

Because that rebuttal sounded so utterly lacking in conviction.

"Why wouldn't he dare?"

"We always believed that we had Lord Third's protection and the restraint of the Will of Fire."

"But what about now?"

"Danzo not only took them, he even openly grafted them onto his own arm!"

"Not only did Lord Third not execute him on the spot, he even wanted to shield him!"

"Brother."

"Ye High Command has long ceased to be the people who founded the village."

"They have become parasites sucking the blood of every major clan."

"Today, he dared to move against the Uchiha."

"Tomorrow, he will reach for our Hyuga Main Branch!"

Hizashi Hyuga laughed bitterly at himself.

He had always known that Konoha had its dark side.

But he had never imagined that Konoha High Command would be this brazen.

Hearing that,

Hyuga Hiashi closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently.

He knew his younger brother was right.

Although the Hyuga Clan used the Caged Bird to prevent the Byakugan from falling into outsiders' hands,

could it guard against outsiders?

Could it guard against Konoha High Command, who held real power?

All they had to do was find some excuse and send a Hyuga Main Branch member on a certain-death mission.

The Byakugan would naturally fall into their pockets!

"Hizashi."

"Pass down the order."

"From today onward, everyone in the clan is to cancel all unnecessary outings."

After a long while,

Hyuga Hiashi opened his eyes again.

A rare ruthlessness now filled his gaze.

"Brother."

"What about summons from the Anbu and the village?"

Hizashi Hyuga froze.

"Stall them!"

"Ye is about to undergo a change of heaven."

"Until the situation becomes completely clear, the Hyuga Clan will not be anyone's cannon fodder!"

"..."

The Akimichi Clan barbecue restaurant.

Inside the luxurious private room on the top floor.

Yamanaka Inoichi rubbed his throbbing temples.

Akimichi Choza's massive body was squeezed into a relatively narrow chair, making him look quite cramped.

Neither of them spoke.

Their gazes were fixed on the man beside them.

"Shikaku."

"Say something, will you?"

"What should our three clans do next?"

At last,

Yamanaka Inoichi could no longer hold back.

He was the first to speak, breaking the silence in the private room.

"Exactly, Shikaku."

"Our three clans have always advanced and retreated together."

"Whatever you say we do, we'll do!"

Choza nodded repeatedly as well.

The fat on his body quivered slightly with each movement.

"Chiba's stance is crystal clear!"

"He is coming for Konoha High Command."

"He wants to flip the table and establish new rules."

"No one can stay out of this massive reshuffling of power."

"There are only three paths before Ino-Shika-Cho."

"..."

At his companions' urging,

Shikaku Nara slowly opened his eyes.

He took a small sip of clear tea, moistening his dry, tight throat.

"First."

"We declare absolute neutrality and support neither side."

"Whether the Third generation keeps the Hokage's seat or Chiba seizes power by force,"

"our three clans can preserve our lives unscathed."

"But the price will be devastating."

"From then on, Ino-Shika-Cho will be completely marginalized by the village."

"We will never again gain access to Konoha's core circle of power, reduced to second-rate or even third-rate ninja clans."

Upon hearing Shikaku Nara's words,

Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza both looked grim.

They could not accept such an outcome.

But they said nothing, waiting for Shikaku Nara to continue.

"Second."

"Side with Konoha High Command."

"But you should both know very well."

"When things are going smoothly, the Third Hokage is faster than anyone at claiming the credit."

"When things turn against him, the Third Hokage is also among the best in the Ninja World at shifting blame."

"If we stand with Konoha High Command,"

"the ninjas of our three clans will absolutely be treated as elite cannon fodder by him!"

"Besides,"

"you have both seen Chiba's strength."

"With the power the Third generation commands, it is almost impossible for him to defeat Chiba!"

"..."

At this point.

Shikaku Nara paused.

The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had always been die-hard supporters of the Hokage.

But in Sarutobi Hiruzen,

Shikaku Nara truly could not see the slightest hope of victory.

"Third."

"Side with Chiba and support the Senju Clan!"

"Not only is Chiba immensely powerful."

"His way of handling matters is also decisive and ruthless."

"Most importantly, he has an exceptionally clear political mind."

"He seized on Danzo's mistake and killed Danzo on the spot."

"Once Danzo was dead,"

"many of the Third Hokage's methods could no longer be used."

"That greatly increased Chiba's chances of victory!"

"The most crucial point is this."

"Of the current Senju Clan, aside from Chiba, their sole remaining heir, only Tsunade remains."

"..."

As soon as Shikaku Nara finished speaking,

Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza abruptly raised their heads.

A startling gleam erupted in both their eyes.

Because they understood Shikaku's unspoken meaning!

Ye was a commander without troops.

Even if his strength defied the heavens and he successfully seized control of all Konoha's administration,

he would still need a large number of trustworthy people to maintain the village's daily operations.

If the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans chose to defect to him at the most critical moment,

that would be the merit of backing the future ruler!