The Land of Fire, the Aburame Clan's grounds.
The Aburame Clan lived within the Land of Fire. Its members raised insects on their bodies and relied entirely on them in battle.
This time, Hyuga Village had sent invitations to the various clans for its Distributor Conference. Shinichi had specifically arranged for someone to deliver the Aburame Clan's invitation.
A Hyuga ninja stood at the entrance to the clan grounds.
Across from him stood an Aburame clansman wearing sunglasses.
The Hyuga ninja stepped forward and handed him the invitation.
The Aburame clansman in sunglasses accepted it.
Without saying much, he turned and walked deeper into the clan grounds.
He walked all the way to a spacious wooden house.
He pushed open the door and entered.
The light inside was somewhat dim.
The Aburame Clan's leader was sitting inside.
He, too, wore a high-collared coat and sunglasses.
The clansman approached and offered him the invitation.
The clan leader reached out and took it.
He held it without immediately opening it.
"Which clan sent this invitation?"
The clan leader asked.
"Someone from Hyuga Village delivered it."
The clansman replied.
After a pause, he added something else.
"Konoha sent someone to ask again a few days ago."
"They want to know when our Aburame Clan can give them a definite answer."
"Because Konoha has been waiting for our reply."
After listening, the clan leader did not respond to that.
His gaze fell on the invitation in his hand.
Then he slowly opened it and began reading.
"Do you remember when the Hyuga Clan founded their village?"
The clansman nodded.
"Back then, Konoha sent people to invite the Hyuga, too."
The clan leader continued.
"But in the end, the Hyuga didn't join Konoha."
"The entire clan moved north to the Land of Rice Fields and founded their own Shinobi Village."
The Aburame clan leader laid the invitation flat on the wooden table beside him.
"Our Aburame Clan's current situation is much like the Hyuga's was back then."
"Konoha has sent people to invite us several times, but we still haven't agreed."
"So I want to meet the Hyuga clan leader in person."
"I want to know why the Hyuga didn't go to Konoha back then."
The Aburame clan leader pointed at the invitation on the table again.
"The invitation says Hyuga Village will hold a Distributor Conference in half a month."
"They're going to sell ninja tools made by the Hyuga themselves."
"We can also take the opportunity to see just what quality of ninja tools the Hyuga are selling."
The clansman understood the clan leader's plan.
He brought up the question that had gone unanswered earlier.
"Then how should we reply to Konoha for now?"
The Aburame clan leader stood up and put the invitation away.
"I'll attend this conference myself."
"As for Konoha, we won't reply for now."
"Send their people away."
"Everything else can wait until I return from Hyuga Village."
The Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
The First Kazekage, Reto, sat behind a large desk, holding an invitation bearing the Hyuga Clan's crest.
Only then did he learn that the Hyuga Clan had not joined Konoha as the rumors claimed, but had instead founded their own Shinobi Village in the Land of Rice Fields.
The invitation stated that the Hyuga Clan had manufactured a large batch of ninja tools to sell to the Shinobi Villages of the various nations, at prices lower than what it cost the ninja clans to make their own.
The Land of Wind was a desert to begin with. Not only was it poor, but all its supplies had to be purchased from other countries, and ninja tools had always been a major expense for Sunagakure.
Reto stared at those lines on the invitation, taking a keen interest in the matter.
He summoned his guard, Shamon.
"Shamon, go to Hyuga Village in the Land of Rice Fields on my behalf and see just what quality their ninja tools are."
The Land of Water, Kirigakure.
The Hyuga Clan's invitation had also reached Kirigakure.
With the sea between them, news traveled somewhat slowly.
Only now did the people of Kirigakure hear that the Hyuga Clan had founded a Shinobi Village in the Land of Rice Fields.
Many in the village had still thought the Hyuga Clan had long since joined Konoha alongside the Senju and Uchiha.
The invitation clearly stated that Hyuga Village would be selling ninja tools they had made themselves.
The people of Kirigakure were not particularly interested.
Kirigakure had always made its own ninja tools, and its supply was generally sufficient.
The Land of Water lay out at sea, separated from the mainland by a vast ocean.
No matter how good the Hyuga's ninja tools were, transporting a large quantity back after buying them would be extremely inconvenient.
So no one in the village thought there was any need to make the trip.
The First Mizukage, Byakuren, sat in a large room with the invitation in his hand.
After pondering for a while, he still summoned his guard, Hozuki Gengetsu.
"Gengetsu, attend this conference in Hyuga Village on Kirigakure's behalf."
Byakuren handed him the invitation.
"We won't buy their ninja tools. Shipping them across the sea wouldn't be worth it."
"Just go enjoy the spectacle and see exactly how strong the Hyuga Clan is these days."
Hozuki Gengetsu accepted the invitation and grinned.
"Sure. I love this sort of excitement."
Hozuki Gengetsu was quite happy to accept the assignment.
"Then I'll head to the Land of Rice Fields and see what kind of stir the Hyuga Clan can create."
The Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
The Hyuga Clan's invitation had reached Iwagakure as well.
The village's ninja gathered together, discussing it in low voices.
They had all heard that Konoha had failed to persuade even the Hyuga Clan to join back then.
"The Senju and Uchiha went to invite them in person, and they still refused."
"Konoha really lost face this time."
The First Tsuchikage, Ishikawa, sat in a large room, looking at the invitation in his hand.
The invitation stated that Hyuga Village would sell ninja tools at the conference.
Ishikawa was not particularly concerned about buying ninja tools.
What he wanted to know more was just how capable this Hyuga Clan was.
Instead of joining the already established Konoha, they had insisted on going off to found a village of their own.
Ishikawa raised his head and looked at his guard, Mū, standing beside him.
"Mū, make a trip to this conference in Hyuga Village."
"We're not short of those few ninja tools of theirs."
"Use this conference as a chance to probe the Hyuga Clan."
"See just how much this ninja clan that dared reject Konoha really amounts to."
Mū was wrapped in bandages from head to toe.
Hearing Ishikawa's instructions, he merely nodded.
"Leave it to me."
Mū readily accepted.
Within a few days, the people the various parties were sending to Hyuga Village began setting out one after another.
Vast deserts stretched everywhere across the Land of Wind.
Sunagakure's Shamon led a few people out of the village, into the windblown sand.
They crossed the long stretch of desert, heading east all the way.
The Land of Water lay isolated at sea beyond the mainland.
Kirigakure's Hozuki Gengetsu took a few people aboard a wooden ship bound for the open sea.
They crossed the sea and landed safely on the edge of the mainland.
The Land of Earth was filled with overlapping ranges of towering mountains.
Iwagakure's Mū set out with several subordinates.
They crossed mountain after mountain, hurrying toward the Land of Rice Fields.
The Aburame clan leader in the Land of Fire also personally led his clansmen out of their grounds.
They passed through vast stretches of forest, heading north all the way.
To reach the Distributor Conference in half a month, all these parties traveled at full speed.
They set out from different directions, all bound for Hyuga Village in the Land of Rice Fields.
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