A bitter look surfaced on Hiashi Hyuga's stern face. The pressure of leading the clan weighed on him so heavily that he could barely breathe.
"Yes, I have no other choice."
Uchiha Kyu curled the corner of his mouth. "Hyuga Clan Leader, you will definitely be glad about today's decision."
The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan was simply too useful in battle, practically like having a cheat activated.
During several Shinobi World Wars, the Hyuga Clan had earned outstanding military achievements on the battlefield.
If not for the Byakugan's long-range vision, it would have been even more difficult for Konoha to triumph under the attacks of these hidden villages.
That was also why the Byakugan had become a target for the outside villages.
"Elder Brother." Hizashi Hyuga felt deeply ashamed that he had been unable to share even a little of his elder brother's burden.
Hiashi Hyuga looked at his younger brother. Thinking of the fates awaiting them both, his gaze gradually grew resolute.
"Hizashi, if nothing changes, I think our fates will forever be those of the Main House and Branch House."
Hizashi Hyuga stared at his elder brother with widened eyes, his heart pounding faster and faster.
Hiashi Hyuga raised a hand to stop Hizashi from speaking, then looked at Uchiha Kyu and asked in a solemn tone,
"How can I trust that you won't turn around and sell out the Hyuga Clan?"
"There are only two words to any business deal in this world." Uchiha Kyu raised two fingers and calmly spoke those two words: "Value."
"When your value far exceeds the value of selling you out, I naturally won't betray you. On the contrary, I'll value you even more."
"The Senju Clan has long since been reduced to a single person, Tsunade, by Konoha's higher-ups. Now, with two of Konoha's strongest clans joining forces, I can only describe it in two words."
"Invincible."
There was no cost to bragging, so Uchiha Kyu eagerly painted Hiashi Hyuga a grand vision.
Hiashi Hyuga became somewhat swept up in it as well, but quickly calmed down and asked, "Then what about the Hyuga Clan's businesses on Three Great Streets?"
Uchiha Kyu waved his hand and spoke with great generosity.
"As a gesture of cooperation, the Hyuga Clan's ordinary members who have not cultivated chakra may go to Three Great Streets and take over the Hyuga Clan's businesses."
"The rent will be paid as usual each month. As for taxes, you can pay them directly to the Uchiha."
"That is only proper." Hiashi Hyuga's expression eased considerably. The issue of the clan's businesses had finally been resolved.
After they reached a preliminary agreement with ease, Hiashi Hyuga became much friendlier. Uchiha Kyu was also happy to exchange a few words with him.
During their idle conversation, Uchiha Kyu told Hiashi Hyuga about what had happened outside.
To express his gratitude, Hiashi Hyuga personally poured him a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Uchiha Clan Leader, for informing me. Otherwise, the Hyuga Clan really would have remained in the dark."
Uchiha Kyu intended to add more fuel to the fire. He cast a smiling glance at Hizashi and said calmly,
"Brother Hiashi, let me tell you another secret."
Hiashi Hyuga pulled back Hizashi Hyuga, who had wanted to leave, and asked in confusion, "What secret? There's no one else here, so you may as well say it directly."
Uchiha Kyu rotated his teacup and revealed a shocking secret: "The Byakugan and Sharingan are actually the same."
Uchiha Kyu did not give him any time to ask further questions. He immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave the Hyuga Compound.
This trip had not only established preliminary cooperation with the Hyuga Clan, but had also thoroughly whetted Hiashi Hyuga's appetite. He would likely put even more effort into serving Uchiha Kyu in the future.
Hiashi Hyuga had just wanted to ask more when he realized that Uchiha Kyu had vanished without a trace.
Hizashi Hyuga hurriedly said, "Elder Brother, he might have said that deliberately."
"Do you think he did it deliberately? He must know something."
Hiashi Hyuga was, after all, the clan leader and knew certain secrets that his younger brother did not.
However, he knew only fragments. The successive Hyuga Clan leaders had merely regarded them as a certain ancestor's hope for the Byakugan.
Now that Uchiha Kyu had suddenly brought it up, Hiashi Hyuga could not help but take it seriously.
The next day, Fugaku Uchiha began arranging for clan members to take over the three streets outside the Uchiha Compound early in the morning.
Konoha's higher-ups were truly efficient. Aside from the Hyuga Clan, all the other businesses on the three streets had already moved away in short order.
The Uchiha Compound had yet to be forcibly relocated from Konoha's central district, which showed just how valuable these three streets were.
In any world, nothing could be done without money.
In the Shinobi World, there were many ninja clans that had fallen into poverty and wandered from place to place, including clans with Kekkei Genkai.
As for how to arrange everything, Uchiha Kyu left it entirely to Fugaku Uchiha.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Kyu turned his attention to Danzo, who had remained unmoving all this time. That man was rather difficult to kill, especially with the densely packed Sharingan on his arm.
Just imagining his clan's Sharingan on Danzo's arm made Uchiha Kyu feel uncomfortable all over.
This alliance with the Hyuga Clan was not only for future plans. It was also intended to ensure that his scheme against Danzo would be foolproof.
The Byakugan was simply too broken when it came to reconnaissance. No Kekkei Genkai could compare with it in that regard.
Bang!
Danzo's photograph was nailed to the wall by Uchiha Kyu.
Danzo had to die. First, he would cut off Sarutobi's arm.
Land of Rain, Amegakure.
Amegakure received abundant rain throughout the year, and the air here constantly carried a metallic, rusty smell.
"Konan, you're back."
The real Nagato slowly raised his head in a concealed location. His face looked as though all its vitality had been drained away, and he was so weak that he barely seemed alive.
When Konan entered and saw Nagato, her icy expression melted as well, revealing a faint smile.
"During this trip to Konoha, I discovered something very interesting. Konoha will have practically no fresh blood for the next ten or twenty years."
"Other than the Hyuga Clan, nearly all the younger generations of Konoha's major clans have been eliminated by the Uchiha Clan."
As a spatial vortex appeared, Uchiha Obito, wearing a mask, appeared before the two of them.
"Looks like I came at just the right time."
"Uchiha Madara, you seem very happy to hear this news."
Nagato's Rinnegan locked intensely onto the masked man. From beginning to end, he had been testing the other man's true identity.
Ever since Yahiko's death, Nagato had grown suspicious of the masked man's identity.
Uchiha Obito lowered his voice and said, "The Uchiha Clan once betrayed me. Do you think this old man would be happy?"
"Heh heh... Who knows?" Nagato lowered his head weakly and let out a feeble laugh.
Under the mask, Uchiha Obito furrowed his brows slightly. "What are you laughing at?"
"Did you come here specifically to chat with us?"
Konan trusted Yahiko's instincts and had disliked this masked man from the very beginning.
Uchiha Obito had not come here to chat. He excitedly voiced his thoughts.
"This weakening of Konoha's future backbone is highly beneficial to our plan."
"If we launch a war at this time, Konoha will inevitably send a large number of its forces to the battlefield."
"Drag Konoha into the quagmire of war once more, further weaken the strength of all the hidden villages, and it will be even more advantageous for us when we capture the Tailed Beasts in the future."
"Coincidentally, those hidden villages are also itching to act. They want to take a bite out of Konoha and seize a piece of the fat."
"We don't even need to pay too great a price. We can simply fan the flames from the sidelines and incite those hidden villages."
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