The Main Family

"Ahem!"

Danzo coughed twice to hide the excitement on his face. "Uchiha Yan, we are at war. You must not speak recklessly.

"You are right. Asking you to complete such a difficult mission without intelligence support is asking a bit too much.

"I will have the Anbu deliver the intelligence shortly. Set out tomorrow morning to find the Commander-in-Chief. I want definite intelligence. Understood?"

"Understood!"

Uchiha Yan nodded solemnly. "I will not disappoint you, Lord Danzo. For Konoha, I, Uchiha Yan, will brave fire and water without hesitation.

"And please rest assured, seniors. I already have a lead. I only need the intelligence to confirm it."

"What?"

Hizashi cried out in surprise. "You have already guessed? How is that possible?"

"There is a strong chance it is Genji. He has great prestige and has experienced several major wars. Kirigakure would not take a war against Konoha lightly.

"However, that is only a deduction. I will confirm it as soon as possible."

At this point, Uchiha Yan turned toward Danzo. "Everyone knows full well what outcome awaits me here. I know it too.

"Before that outcome comes, I will give everything to lead Konoha to victory.

"I hope you can trust me, Lord Danzo. I never treat other people's lives as a joke."

"I understand! You may go!"

Danzo agreed casually. He believed Uchiha Yan would not harm the innocent. The last time he had used him, he had only intended to clash with Root on the outskirts of the Forest of Death.

Uchiha Jinyan had acted on his own initiative. His activation of the Sharingan was clear proof.

It was fortunate that Uchiha Jinyan had done so, too. Otherwise, Danzo might still have been feeling smug.

What a pity he is an evil little Uchiha brat. Otherwise, if I brought him into Root, wouldn't the Hokage position be mine?

Danzo felt that all he lacked to claim the Hokage position was someone even more evil than the Third Hokage.

The meeting had been interrupted, and no one was in the mood to continue discussing matters. Danzo could only bring it to a hasty end and send them back.

The suggestion Uchiha Yan had made today left these people on edge. What should they do if Danzo really tried to win them over?

Hizashi Hyuga was better off. He belonged to the Hyuga Clan's branch family and could never become clan head. Danzo would not be foolish enough to try to win him over.

But the others were different, such as the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, the Aburame Clan, and so on.

"What an evil Uchiha. How could he come up with such an evil plan? If this gets out, I couldn't explain myself even with a hundred mouths."

"Ugh! Suzaku, you are a member of the Nara Clan. Surely you have a solution!"

"Like hell I do. This scheme exploits human nature. He wants to draw every shinobi clan into taking action against Danzo."

"What do you mean?"

Hizashi stopped on his way out, returned to the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, and sat down beside them.

"Explain. How is this targeting Danzo? It clearly hands him a gift."

"Candy wrapped around deadly poison!"

Suzaku's expression was grave. "If Danzo dares to do this, every shinobi clan head will unite against him. As long as Danzo has no chance of becoming Hokage, or dies, we will have nothing to worry about, and our clans will not have to fear internal strife.

"Most importantly, the Third Hokage will not let Danzo do this either. The moment he reaches out, Danzo will immediately lose his command.

"Now it depends on whether Danzo can restrain himself. If he cannot, Uchiha Yan's life will definitely be safe."

"Hiss..."

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. Hizashi even cried out, "He is that formidable? Is he even human?

"Suzaku, aren't you overthinking this? Maybe he never meant any of that."

"Perhaps! In any case, I could not have come up with this."

"No! I have to ask him. If I don't get a clear answer, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

With that, Hizashi Hyuga dashed off, leaving the others exchanging looks.

Hizashi Hyuga was intensely curious. The Uchiha had changed so much lately. Perhaps it had something to do with this Uchiha Yan.

Even the Uchiha were treating the wounded now. The shinobi world was becoming stranger and stranger.

Filled with questions, Hizashi arrived at Uchiha Yan's room and activated his Byakugan as soon as he entered. He did not want anyone overhearing the questions he intended to ask.

"Senior Hizashi? What brings you here? And why is your Byakugan active?"

Hizashi sat down opposite Uchiha Yan. "Are you trying to get every shinobi clan to act against Danzo together, then crush him in Konoha?"

"Huh?"

Surprise appeared on Uchiha Yan's face. "You figured it out so quickly? As expected of a senior. No one from a great clan with a thousand-year history is mediocre."

"Ahhh! That really was your plan!"

Hizashi's jaw nearly dropped. "Uchiha Yan, you are only twelve. How can you think so far ahead?"

"I am not just twelve. Before my father died, he placed a genjutsu on me. I lived another twenty-seven years in that genjutsu world."

"There is a genjutsu like that?"

"A Mangekyō Sharingan ocular technique paid for with one's life."

Uchiha Yan spoke calmly. "Surely you did not come just to ask about this, senior?"

"Yes, I did! What else would I want? I was simply curious."

"Heh!"

Uchiha Yan chuckled. "Neji is very cute, isn't he? When parents love their children, they plan far ahead for them. That is perfectly normal.

"Unfortunately, I have no time right now. If I make it off the battlefield alive, come see me then, senior."

Hizashi's pupils contracted slightly, disbelief written all over his face. "Are you a human or a ghost? Just what did you experience in that genjutsu world?"

"Do you have any other questions, senior?"

Hizashi lowered his head and pondered for a long while before deciding to take the risk. This man was too clever, and he might die at any time. Asking early was better than never asking at all.

"How can you ensure someone's safety on the battlefield?"

Clatter!

The scroll in Uchiha Yan's hand slipped unconsciously to the floor. A sharp gleam burst from his eyes before he quickly concealed it.

"You certainly have some nerve. Does Danzo know about this?"

"You guessed again?"

"Answer the question!"

"Not yet. Only the Third Hokage knows at present. If Danzo sees the roster, he should realize."

"Sigh..."

Uchiha Yan let out a long sigh. "Send him back! If I were Danzo, that man would be certain to die. Do not ask why. I do not want to explain."

"Is there no other way? He has to be on the battlefield. This is for Konoha's victory."

"The only way is to give him another identity."

Uchiha Yan lowered his eyes, preventing Hizashi from seeing the look in them.

"Treat him as a branch family member, then find a branch family member to pose as a Main Family member. Have him play his role as a branch family member properly.

"However, from what I know of the Hyuga Clan, the Main Family is even more arrogant than the Uchiha when dealing with the branch family."

"Is there any other way?"

"Heh, heh, heh..."

Uchiha Yan laughed with undisguised mockery. "Do you think I am easy to push around, senior? You have already received a solution without giving anything in return, and now you want a second?

"You had best do as I say. That way, you can still save the Main Family member's life at a critical moment. Otherwise, no one can save him.

"Do you really think Kirigakure has no spies planted in Konoha? They probably already know the identities of every Main Family member perfectly well."

Uchiha Yan had not lied to Hizashi. In the story, Ao, a jonin from Kirigakure, had a Byakugan. Judging by the timing, he had obtained it during this war.

Kumogakure also had one, making a pair between them. It would have been strange if there were no shady dealings involving those two shinobi villages.

Hizashi's reminder was what had brought this matter back to Uchiha Yan's mind. He had no intention of telling Konoha. He would use it to save his own life.

The more cards he held, the greater his chances of survival.

Uchiha Yan's warning startled Hizashi. He knew he had been careless. It had never occurred to him that the Main Family members' identities had already leaked.

At the thought of the consequences of a Main Family member's death, Hizashi dared not linger any longer and hurried out of the room.