Konoha.
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 Sword gleaming with cold light lay across his knees.
He was polishing 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 used them for live experiments."
"Did the Third Hokage..."
"Know about this?"
Itachi did not back down.
He strode up to his father and looked Fugaku Uchiha in the eye.
Fugaku's hand stopped moving over 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 grandiose 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 earth."
"The roots absorb every bit of nourishment around them, even poison."
"While the leaves hang high among the branches, basking in the sunlight."
"Do you think..."
"The leaves truly do not know that the nourishment sent up by the roots is mixed with their companions' flesh and blood?"
Itachi Uchiha looked as though he had been struck by lightning.
He staggered back two steps, his body trembling slightly.
"You mean..."
"The Third Hokage... approved all of this?"
Fugaku gave a cold laugh.
"Without the Hokage's permission,"
"How could Danzo mobilize those precious experimental resources?"
"How could he cover up 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 village understood each other.
Now, it seemed,
That was simply a colossal joke.
Politics contained only naked interests and slaughter.
There was not a trace of warmth in it.
The Hyuga Clan Main Branch residence.
Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga sat facing each other.
Two cups of tea that had long gone cold sat on the small table between them.
Neither had any desire to drink.
Hizashi raised his hand.
Through his forehead protector, he touched the Caged Bird Cursed Seal on his forehead.
"Brother."
"Danzo even dared to take the Uchiha's Mangekyo."
"Do you think..."
"He has any interest in our Hyuga Clan's Byakugan?"
The instant those words were spoken,
The temperature in the room seemed to plunge to freezing.
Hyuga Hiashi abruptly 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 confidence.
"Why wouldn't he dare?"
"We always thought we had the Third Hokage's protection and the Will of Fire to restrain him."
"But what about now?"
"Danzo not only took them, he openly grafted them onto his own arm!"
"Not only did the Third Hokage fail to execute him on the spot, he even wanted to cover for him!"
"Brother."
"Konoha High Command is no longer the same group that founded the village."
"They have become parasites feeding on the blood of the Major Clans."
"Today, he dared to target the Uchiha."
"Tomorrow, he will reach for our Hyuga Clan Main Branch!"
Hizashi Hyuga laughed at himself.
He had always known that Konoha had its dark side.
But he had never imagined that Konoha High Command could be so utterly unrestrained.
At that,
Hyuga Hiashi closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently.
He knew his younger brother was right.
The Hyuga Clan used the Caged Bird to prevent the Byakugan from falling into outsiders' hands.
But it could guard against outsiders.
Could it guard against Konoha High Command, who held immense power?
All they had to do was find some excuse and send a member of the Hyuga Main Branch on a mission certain to result in death.
The Byakugan would naturally fall into their hands!
"Hizashi."
"Pass down the order."
"From today onward, everyone in the clan is to cancel all unnecessary trips outside."
After a long while,
Hyuga Hiashi opened his eyes again.
There was a rare viciousness in his gaze.
"Brother."
"What about the Anbu and village conscription orders?"
Hizashi Hyuga was stunned.
"Delay them!"
"Konoha is about to undergo a drastic change."
"Until the situation becomes completely clear, the Hyuga Clan will not serve as 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 crammed into a relatively small chair, making him look extremely cramped.
Neither of them spoke.
Their gazes were fixed on the man beside them.
"Shikaku."
"Say something already."
"What should our three clans do next?"
Finally,
Yamanaka Inoichi could not hold back any longer.
He spoke first, breaking the silence in the room.
"Yeah, Shikaku."
"Our three clans have always advanced and retreated together."
"Whatever you say, we'll do!"
Choza nodded repeatedly as well.
The fat on his body quivered slightly with the movement.
"Chiba's attitude is crystal clear!"
"He is coming for Konoha High Command."
"He wants to flip the table and rewrite the rules."
"In this massive reshuffling of power, no one can stay out of it."
"There are only three paths before our Ino-Shika-Cho."
"..."
Hearing his companions urge him on,
Shikaku Nara slowly opened his eyes.
He took a light sip of clear tea, moistening his dry, tight throat.
"First."
"Declare absolute neutrality and support neither side."
"Whether the Third generation remains firmly seated as Hokage or Chiba seizes power by force,"
"Our three clans can preserve our lives and remain safe."
"But the price will be exceedingly painful."
"From then on, Ino-Shika-Cho will be completely marginalized by the village."
"We will never again touch Konoha's core circle of power, reduced to second-rate or even third-rate ninja clans."
Hearing Shikaku Nara's words,
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza both looked grim.
They could not accept such an outcome.
But they did not speak, instead waiting for Shikaku Nara to continue.
"Second."
"Side with Konoha High Command."
"But you should both know this very well."
"When things are going smoothly, the Third generation is faster than anyone at claiming credit."
"When things go badly, the Third generation is also first-rate in the Ninja World at shifting blame."
"If we side with Konoha High Command,"
"Our three clans' ninja will absolutely be used by him as high-grade cannon fodder!"
"Besides."
"You have seen Chiba's strength."
"With the power the Third generation controls, it is nearly impossible for him to defeat Chiba!"
"..."
At this point.
Shikaku Nara paused.
The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had always been staunch supporters of the Hokage.
But when it came to Sarutobi Hiruzen,
Shikaku Nara truly could not see the slightest hope of victory.
"Third."
"Side with Chiba and support the Senju Clan!"
"Not only was Chiba immensely powerful,"
"his methods were also decisive and ruthless."
"Most importantly, he possessed an exceptionally clear political mind."
"He seized on Danzo's mistake and killed Danzo on the spot."
"Once Danzo died,"
"many of the Third generation's methods could no longer be used."
"This greatly increased Chiba's chances of winning!"
"The most crucial point was this."
"Other than Chiba, the Senju Clan had only one remaining member: Tsunade."
"..."
As soon as Shikaku Nara finished speaking,
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza abruptly raised their heads.
An astonishing gleam burst forth in both their eyes.
Because they understood Shikaku's unspoken meaning!
Chiba was a commander without an army.
No matter how overwhelmingly powerful he was, even if he successfully took control of all of Konoha,
he would still need a large number of trustworthy people to keep the village running day to day.
If the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans chose to join him at the most critical moment,
that would be the merit of backing a future ruler!
Before you continue