Embrace the Darkness. (Happy New Year's Eve)

Hyuga Clan Land, the clan head's private residence.

The Hyuga brothers had long grown used to the occasional chuunibyou tendencies Lord Hitoshi displayed.

But this time, they genuinely could not understand him.

"Clan Head, forgive your subordinate's lack of knowledge, but when you speak of heaven, what exactly do you mean?"

Hyuga Hiashi tentatively pointed overhead, uncertain whether this heaven was the one he had in mind.

"No need to doubt it. The Hyuga Clan's secure strong rear base is in the sky."

Hitoshi Clan Head remained calm. It was time to tell his right-hand men about the Hyuga Clan's origins and some trivial matters from a thousand years ago, saving him the trouble of explaining them to the clan members once they reached the moon.

"A thousand years ago, that pretty dame Kaguya Otsutsuki descended upon the Shinobi World."

Having sorted out his train of thought, Hitoshi Clan Head began recounting the magnificent biography of Otsutsuki Black Zetsu's mission to save his mother before the Hyuga brothers.

He spoke with gusto, and Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga listened in shock.

Yet Kakashi Hatake's expression gradually twisted in the corner.

What Virtue or Ability did Kakashi Hatake possess?

What right did he have to hear these secrets of the Shinobi World?

And what the hell was Hyuga Hitoshi thinking? Why was he discussing plans to run away right in front of him?

Honestly, Kakashi desperately wanted to puncture his own eardrums right now!

He felt that once the three Hyuga brothers finished discussing the details, he would probably be silenced.

Still, though Kakashi wanted to puncture his ears, he could not help listening carefully to the matters from a thousand years ago.

The ancestor of Chakra. The Rabbit Goddess. Infinite Tsukuyomi.

A filial son sealing his own mother, and the moon was just a sealing vessel?

The Hyuga Clan was actually the bloodline Hagoromo Otsutsuki's younger brother had left behind on Earth, while the Senju Clan, Uchiha, and even the Uzumaki Clan were all descendants of the Sage of Six Paths? The Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku was not its final form?

Kakashi felt that he could no longer understand this world.

Naturally, he did not understand that the Shinobi World was entirely a cycle. In any case, these filial sons were exceptionally aggressive toward their parents and teachers.

"In short, if we really get down to it, the Otsutsuki Clan on the moon are our relatives. We are all descendants of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, and none of us is nobler than the others."

"Our relatives are now on the verge of fighting between the main family and branch family over a trivial matter. As fellow descendants of Hagoromo, we have both the obligation and responsibility to go over and mediate! Stop this war!"

"And to prevent them from having disputes in the future, after we stop the conflict, they will surely be so grateful that they voluntarily accept the Caged Bird Curse Mark and serve at our command!"

Hyuga Hitoshi spoke with a face full of righteousness.

"Besides, they have already guarded Kaguya's seal on the moon for over a thousand years in place of Hagoromo Otsutsuki. They have suffered enough. Now, our Hyuga Clan should shoulder this responsibility and let our brother clan put down its burden and live properly."

"As for watching over the Shinobi World's development? Supervising the world created by the Sage of Six Paths? There is no need for that! After all, we are the clan that has survived in the Shinobi World for a thousand years. We have more right to speak on the matter! This is our own job; there is no need to trouble our relatives with it!"

"So this clan head believes our relatives will definitely be pleased to hand over the moon and silently support us!"

Well said!

Clap clap clap!

Hyuga Gyuba, who had understood absolutely nothing, was the first to applaud.

Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, who had understood a third of it, also recovered from their shock and expressed approval of the clan head's decision.

Indeed.

You had been developing peacefully for a thousand years. It was about time the Hyuga Clan got a chance to grow too, wasn't it?

God knows how the Hyuga Clan had gotten through those thousand years. Everyone was descended from Hagoromo, so it was only natural for fortunes to change hands.

"Clan Head, I understand the reasoning, but since we need to gather elites and head to the moon, what if the village keeps an eye on us—"

Hizashi Hyuga raised his concern.

He could transfer personnel under the pretext of establishing a new clan land, but there would still be some commotion. If it attracted the high-level officials' attention, it would likely interfere with the clan head's plans.

"No matter."

Hitoshi Clan Head indicated that it was not a problem.

"My brother will soon step forward and make trouble for the Old Village Chief. He will not have the leisure time to keep an eye on us."

Fugaku was quite reliable in this regard.

After being put in his place by the Old Village Chief at the meeting, he would definitely try every means to win back face.

Before they had torn off all pretense, Fugaku could endure when necessary. But now that the discord between the Uchiha and the higher-ups was out in the open, with the Hyuga supporting the Uchiha from behind, if he still did not dare to charge forward, the Uchiha's Aggressive Kids would likely no longer tolerate this clan head. Perhaps even Itachi God would personally kill his own biological father.

After all, Fugaku did not possess the charismatic dominance to make his clansmen obey as soon as he exuded an imperial aura. He had to display the Uchiha's toughness to earn their approval.

"Oh, right. Gyuba, find time to learn this. You'll need it when we get to the moon."

Hyuga Hitoshi rummaged around, took out a scroll, and tossed it to Hyuga Gyuba.

He had seized this Orochimaru-Style Transformation Technique from Snake Man when he had messed with him before. After Hitoshi Clan Head improved it, passing it off as the real thing would not be a problem.

Although everyone possessed the innate advantage of the Byakugan, making it easy to blend clan members in among them, Hyuga Hitoshi strove for perfection.

A brief high-level meeting had nevertheless laid out the Hyuga Clan's future.

Hyuga Gyuba, Hyuga Hiashi, and Hizashi Hyuga each took on their respective duties.

Time was short and the task urgent. After bidding farewell to Hitoshi Clan Head, they began making intense preparations.

After they left, only Hyuga Hitoshi and Kakashi, who wanted to puncture his ears, remained in the room.

The atmosphere in the grand hall, which displayed considerable aristocratic elegance, was somewhat silent.

In the end, Kakashi could not withstand the pressure. He raised his head and looked at Hitoshi Clan Head above him.

"Lord Hitoshi."

Kakashi, who had endured several sleepless days, looked haggard, but his eyes were unusually bright at that moment.

"Regarding the Nine-Tails Attack."

If anyone could give him an answer, Hyuga Hitoshi was the only one in this village.

After all, he had discovered that the eye controlling the Nine-Tails came from Obito, carrying the same aura as this transplanted Sharingan.

"Obito did it."

"It was him personally, not someone else using his Sharingan. These eyes of mine saw it clearly."

Hyuga Hitoshi calmly gave his answer, even though he knew it would make Kakashi even more despairing.

It really was Obito.

Kakashi felt his heart stop beating.

He clenched his fists tightly, completely unable to accept this answer!

"Why?"

On the verge of collapse, Kakashi fell to his knees. He could not imagine what reason Obito had for wanting to kill his teacher and teacher's wife. If it was because of Rin, then the person he should have killed even more should have been Kakashi himself!

After a long while.

Hyuga Hitoshi slowly stood up and walked step by step toward Kakashi.

This man did not answer his question.

Kakashi only saw a large hand, carrying the warmth of Hitoshi Clan Head, rest on his head.

"So, Kakashi."

"Are you interested in seeing this real world with this clan head?"

For a brief moment, Kakashi was stunned.

Then he suddenly laughed.

He could see clearly that behind this man lay a bottomless abyss.

And at this very moment, he felt a fatal allure within that abyss.

All right.

Perhaps embracing the darkness was not so bad!

Thanks to Master Wang for the monthly ticket!!

It's the New Year, so I had to add an extra chapter. Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!