Seto Takes the Fall

Near dusk, at the Inuzuka Clan head's residence.

"Who did this?"

Inuzuka Goya wore a grim expression as he looked at Inuzuka Seto being carried in. An inexplicable rage burned within him.

Who was bold enough to do this?

They had actually dared to deal such a vicious blow to a member of the Inuzuka Clan within Konoha Village.

Were they looking down on the Inuzuka Clan, or were they provoking him, the clan head?

"Clan Head, we already asked him, but Seto refuses to say anything."

A clansman below said helplessly.

"Speak. What happened?"

Inuzuka Goya released the imposing aura of a clan head, his gaze fixed squarely on the resentful Inuzuka Seto lying on the stretcher.

Inuzuka Seto remained silent.

He truly had no face to say it aloud.

He had actually been defeated by Ye Fan, whom the clan had always regarded as trash.

If word got out, he would undoubtedly become a laughingstock.

"Have you gone mute? Or has my authority as clan head become meaningless?"

Inuzuka Goya's expression grew increasingly ugly.

"Clan Head, I... I did this to myself."

After hesitating for a while, Inuzuka Seto made up an excuse.

"Bullshit!" Inuzuka Goya roared.

"Seto, just tell the truth. No matter who the culprit is, the Clan Head will surely stand up for you."

"That's right, Seto. If you don't say it, you're practically shielding the culprit. Do you want to see them get away with it?"

"Seto isn't weak to begin with. Anyone who could injure him like this had to be at least a Special Jonin. I think Seto doesn't want to say it because he's afraid of angering the Clan Head."

"..."

Several clansmen below could not help chiming in.

"Actually... actually, I was beaten by..." Seeing everyone begin to speculate wildly, Inuzuka Seto knew he could no longer hide it, so he had no choice but to reveal the truth. "Actually, I was beaten by Ye Fan..."

"Ye Fan? That trash?"

"What did you say? Ye Fan, the one who left the Inuzuka Clan?"

"Seto, don't tell me your injuries have something to do with Ye Fan!"

The moment Inuzuka Seto mentioned Ye Fan's name, it caused such a huge reaction.

It showed just how unwelcome Ye Fan was within the Inuzuka Clan.

"Quiet, all of you!"

Inuzuka Goya barked an order, and the hall immediately fell silent.

Inuzuka Goya stared directly at the ashamed Inuzuka Seto and asked in a deep voice,

"Explain everything clearly."

Inuzuka Seto had no choice. With his head lowered, he recounted what had happened that afternoon.

After hearing his account, everyone present fell silent.

One after another, they all turned their gazes toward Inuzuka Goya.

"Ye Fan!"

Inuzuka Goya ground out those two words through clenched teeth. Anyone could hear how much he despised Ye Fan.

It was no wonder. Back then, Ye Fan's existence had made the Inuzuka Clan a topic of conversation for countless people.

Ye Fan's reputation as trash was practically known by every household, and it had made him, the clan head, lose a great deal of face.

Moreover, a few days ago,

Ye Fan had extorted a hefty sum of money from him.

He had originally thought that, after that, he would never have anything to do with Ye Fan again.

Who could have expected that only a few days later, Inuzuka Seto would be beaten so badly he could barely take care of himself?

Did Ye Fan have some grudge against the Inuzuka Clan from a past life? Why did he keep haunting them like a ghost?

"Clan Head, the ninja hound by Ye Fan's side originally belonged to Aoi Inuzuka. Since Ye Fan no longer belongs to the Inuzuka Clan, that ninja hound should be returned."

At that moment, a tall, thin clansman spoke up to remind him.

A sharp glint flashed through Inuzuka Goya's eyes. After a brief silence, he said,

"Go. Bring Ye Fan to me!"

Night fell, and the moon in the sky was exceptionally bright.

Ye Fan, who was meditating on the roof of his home, suddenly opened his eyes.

Looking in a certain direction, the corner of his mouth curled upward.

A few breaths later,

Laiyun and Shadow, who had been in the courtyard, seemed to sense something. Both raised their heads, ears pricked as they listened to the movement in the direction Ye Fan was watching.

After a while, a figure riding a ninja hound entered Ye Fan's sight. It was someone from the Inuzuka Clan.

Without even asking, Ye Fan could guess why the other party had come.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Laiyun and Shadow, who had been standing guard in the courtyard, both leaped onto the roof.

The visitor was fast. Within a few breaths, he had arrived outside the courtyard. Raising his head, he looked at Ye Fan on the roof and said coldly,

"Ye Fan, the Clan Head wishes to see you!"

Ye Fan waved his sleeve as though brushing away mosquitoes, treating the visitor like empty air.

"Ye Fan, are you deaf?"

The man suddenly raised his voice and even released an imposing aura.

Ye Fan gave him an indifferent glance and asked,

"Clan Head? Which clan head? Are you talking about Inuzuka Goya?"

The man did not answer, but the way he looked at Ye Fan became even more hostile.

"That's strange. Inuzuka Goya is your clan head, not mine. If he wants to see me, he can come himself."

Ye Fan smiled. His voice was calm, but to the man's ears, it was unbearably grating.

"Ye Fan, stop playing word games. You ordered your ninja hound to injure Inuzuka Seto. The Clan Head already knows. If you obediently come with me, perhaps the Clan Head may deal with you leniently."

The man's face was cold.

Ye Fan chuckled.

"Deal with me? I'm not a member of the Inuzuka Clan. Who does Inuzuka Goya think he is? It seems he doesn't have that authority!"

"Isn't that authority supposed to belong only to Lord Hokage?"

"Or has Inuzuka Goya found himself a powerful backer lately and decided to plot to usurp the Hokage's position?"

With such a massive accusation thrown at him, let's see how he answered that.

The man was no match for Ye Fan in an argument. Embarrassed and enraged, he could only spit out two words,

"Bullshit!"

The Inuzuka Clan had indeed grown close to Danzo recently, but that was merely because they wanted to elevate the clan's standing within Konoha Village.

They had never intended to become Hokage.

If it caused any misunderstanding, the Inuzuka Clan might very well end up like the Uchiha Clan.

"Isn't that so? I seem to have heard Inuzuka Seto say that your Inuzuka Clan has recently been secretly training a group of ninja hounds and plotting something major. Isn't it to overthrow the Hokage?"

Ye Fan picked at his ear and spoke as though he did not mean anything by it.

To his surprise, the man's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

"Y-you really heard Inuzuka Seto say that?"

"If he hadn't said it, where else would I have heard it?" Ye Fan asked in return.

In truth, he had learned of this by reading Kurenai Yuhi's memories that day.

The Third Hokage had long been wary of the Inuzuka Clan and had specifically instructed trusted Jonin to keep watch on them in secret.

"Inuzuka Seto was just talking nonsense. The Inuzuka Clan would never do anything to betray Konoha Village."

Though he said that aloud, panic surged in his heart.

"I'm willing to believe you. I just don't know whether others will." Ye Fan smiled.

"There are others?"

"Then you should go back and ask carefully who Inuzuka Seto mentioned this matter to."

Ye Fan's face revealed a look of gloating, along with a hint of anticipation.

Fine.

He was setting Inuzuka Seto up.

Who told that guy to provoke him?

That poor fool!

Not only had he just been beaten up,

he would probably have to face the Inuzuka Clan's interrogation next.