"My father has two completely different sides when he's with the Hyuga clan compared to outside."
Uchiha Itachi, who had been ordered to play off to the side with the Uchiha guard, looked toward his father talking with the Hyuga clan patriarch, feeling a little comforted.
Maybe I was too pessimistic when thinking about things before?
I also overlooked some details in the past.
The proud and flashy Uchiha acted perfectly normal in front of the Hyuga clan, like an ordinary person. His father also showed great respect for Patriarch Hitoshi, going as far as to offer his wife and children.
As long as the Hyuga clan was around, the Uchiha clan shouldn't have any problems.
Itachi felt relieved but raised his head to look at the destroyed statue of the Third Hokage in the distance, feeling a bit worried.
What a shame.
The Hyuga clan's attitude towards the Hokage.
"Let's go, Itachi. Kakashi is waiting for us over there."
Before the wise Itachi could ponder the situation from the Hokage's perspective, Shisui grabbed him by the collar and excitedly ran off toward Kakashi.
This was Shisui's first visit to the newly built training ground of the Hyuga clan. He had heard from Kakashi that the different areas were clearly defined, with scientific training methods for each category, making it a true paradise for serious practitioners.
As they jogged, Shisui glanced around at Kakashi and asked, "Wasn't Guy supposed to be here too? Where is he?"
As a famous Taijutsu enthusiast in Konohagakure, Shisui had heard of Might Guy. And now that he had participated in the Third Shinobi World War, many knew about Guy's father, the Daimyo. No one would waste time mocking a true Taijutsu genius.
At the moment, Guy often came to the Hyuga clan's territory to spar with Kakashi, and in the process, he got familiar with Hyuga Hitoshi. He was greatly impressed by the various Taijutsu training methods proposed by Hitoshi and became obsessed with them, increasing the training volume by ten times as his daily goal.
"Guy is over there working on his lower stance," Kakashi said, pointing towards Hyuga Hizashi's area. Though the scene looked a bit funny, there was a rare glimmer of light in Kakashi's eyes.
He was one of the few friends he had in Konohagakure.
"Hey, your eyes are all glazed over."
Shisui pouted and tugged at Kakashi's sleeve, feeling somewhat annoyed.
As friends, shouldn't they treat each other equally?
Kakashi had never looked at him that way.
Uh.
Under Shisui's gaze, Kakashi felt a bit awkward. He shook his head and led the group over to join the line of people practicing their stances.
With their addition, the Hyuga clan's endurance training ground became even more unusual.
From left to right, the members practicing their stances were Hyuga Hizashi, Uchiha Shisui, Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, Hyuga Neji, and Uchiha Sasuke.
Of course, the last two were just there for fun since they were still young and playing around. Meanwhile, Itachi was forced by Shisui to start doing squats.
No matter how you looked at it, the scene was bizarre. Thankfully, Asuma, the son of the Hokage, had been ordered to stay home after his first battle in Konohagakure, or he would have taken up a spot too.
It was hard to imagine these guys growing into muscular men in the future.
Shaking his head, Hyuga Hitoshi pulled his gaze back and looked at Fugaku.
"I won't be attending the meeting today. I'll have Hiashi go in my place."
Since the victory in the first battle, Konohagakure had stabilized for a while, and the Third Hokage began to assert his presence. Unfortunately, his performance wasn't very impressive, as he spent the entire time being scolded by Oonoki. He ended up losing a lot of face, so his position remained shaky.
Meetings were one of the few ways to assert the Hokage's authority, and since the end of the first battle, there had been many meetings in Konohagakure, but most of them were pointless.
They mostly discussed topics like how to prepare for the next attacks from the Land of Thunder and the Land of Earth, and to keep an eye on the movements of the Land of Water and the Land of Wind.
Hyuga Hitoshi was really tired of hearing it all; he thought it would be better to go out for a stroll and check the clan's routes to see if there were any hidden dangers.
Plus, with the incident of Jonin blowing up the Hokage Rock today, attending the meeting would only lead to arguments with Sarutobi. So, skipping it seemed like the best option.
"Fugaku, you should just let Shisui go in your place too."
The Third Hokage didn't dare to act superior to the dual-eyed clan of Konohagakure, so why spoil things for him?
"No way, I have to go and show off," Fugaku quickly shook his head, insisting that he needed to attend.
You really haven't changed, have you?
Hyuga Hitoshi looked at Fugaku with a complex expression. After successfully repelling the Tsuchikage and becoming a major contributor, Fugaku had certainly been busy.
Basically, whenever Uchiha wants to show off, he definitely shows up, and he takes the chance to throw shade at the Third Hokage a bit.
You can tell he's preparing to push the Third out and take over himself. Fugaku still has that dream of being Hokage.
But looking at it realistically, while Sarutobi took a hit against Oonoki, he didn't really lose ground. He just couldn't touch the guy, so he had to take the insults. In terms of battle, he had killed a lot of enemies while wielding Enma; it just didn't look as impressive as Susano'o.
"Alright, just don't forget to say a few words for Hiashi when the time comes, Fugaku."
Pointing at the Hokage Rock, Hyuga Hitoshi rubbed his chin, ready to add more.
"It was done by Danzo! I saw it! He's the one!"
Fugaku nodded knowingly. "I'll take the guards to catch him and see what he's up to. He's probably just angry that Konohagakure won and he has no chance of turning things around."
Right now, Danzo was already guilty of colluding with Iwagakure Village, and adding a little crime for messing up Hokage Rock wouldn't be a big deal.
That's just like you!
Hyuga Hitoshi gave Fugaku a thumbs-up and was about to compliment him when his gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked off into the distance.
There was the barrier of the new Hyuga clan grounds, which could block out techniques like the telescopic vision and crystal ball.
No one could secretly monitor the Hyuga clan, who had the Byakugan.
But just now, he felt a familiar chakra wave coming from that direction.
Following the wave, Hyuga Hitoshi eventually saw a little white snake struggling to burrow through the barrier. Looking through the snake's body, he realized there was a hidden scroll inside.
"I've got to go, bro. I have something to take care of. We'll talk later."
After saying goodbye to Fugaku, Hyuga Hitoshi tightened the belt of his clothing and headed toward the training ground.
Meanwhile...
At a hidden cave entrance in the Land of Rice Fields, forces from both sides were facing off.
Orochimaru, carrying his bags for a move, didn't expect to be blocked right as he stepped outside. The one blocking him was Sasori of the Red Sand, his former lab partner from the Akatsuki!
"You better run quickly; my new boss isn't in a good mood."
His eerie, raspy voice sounded particularly chilling, but Sasori clearly wasn't fazed.
"Put down your things."
Sasori's eyes were cold. He genuinely disliked the guy in front of him, but because of Orochimaru's talent, he had to hold his nose and cooperate. However, if Orochimaru wanted to take all the experimental results for himself, he couldn't blame Sasori for being rude.
He wasn't going to give up a thing!
Orochimaru stared back at Sasori with the same coldness. Just as Sasori disliked him, he felt the same way about Sasori.
If it weren't for the fact that he was carrying things and couldn't move easily, and worried about damaging the precious experimental materials, Orochimaru would have acted by now.
That man had promised to help deal with the Akatsuki, so he wouldn't just bail on him.
So, all Orochimaru had to do was buy a little time.
But he still underestimated Hyuga Hitoshi's speed.
As an external scientist for the Hyuga clan and the future head of their research department, Orochimaru held considerable weight in Patriarch Hitoshi's mind.
Just as Sasori of the Red Sand was about to make a move, a space vortex appeared beside Orochimaru, and two figures slowly emerged.
It was as if fate had drawn them together.
Orochimaru found himself facing off against Sasori.
As Hyuga Hitoshi stepped out of the vortex , his sharp gaze swept over the scene, a knowing look crossing his face.
With Hyuga Hitoshi's arrival, certain plot points in this ninja world had already changed.
For instance, Orochimaru's earlier betrayal to join the Akatsuki.
And now, Orochimaru didn't even have Yakushi Kabuto by his side.
That made sense, since Yakushi Kabuto was only six or seven years old at this time, so it was normal they hadn't crossed paths yet.
"Thank you, Hitoshi."
Compared to the tense situation of Sasori, who was already in battle mode, Orochimaru was used to Hyuga Hitoshi's sudden appearances.
What surprised him was that this time, Hyuga Hitoshi not only brought his humanoid Summoned Beast but also another person with him.
"It's no trouble at all, since we agreed you'd help the Snake Minister with the Akatsuki issue."
Hyuga Hitoshi shook his head, indicating it wasn't a big deal. As a boss who valued contracts, he made sure to guarantee the safety of his subordinates while also pushing them hard. He was quite conscientious about that.
"Plus, I was planning to find the Snake Minister anyway, so it's a convenient stop."
Patriarch Hitoshi wasn't lying to Orochimaru; it really was on the way.
Previously, he had mentioned tailoring training for his clan members in areas like Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and battle formations, which he could handle himself.
However, he still planned to research the second version of the Sage Mode improvement plan.
During his time on the moon, he could directly feel the power of the sun and even absorb a small amount to enhance his own strength. He had also calculated the feasibility of the solar energy mode during his hard work.
He had some leads, but to be cautious, Patriarch Hitoshi wanted to first study the Sage Mode native to the Genin world, combine his ideas with the Sage Mode from the holy land, and finally teach the mature solar energy mode to his clan.
Since Orochimaru is now his hired scientist, going directly to Ryuchi Cave through him is much faster than searching for it on his own.
"It seems Hitoshi is ahead of me again."
Hearing that Hyuga Hitoshi planned to make a trip to Ryuchi Cave, Orochimaru couldn't help but smile wryly, impressed by his boss's keen insight.
Sage Mode, huh.
He wondered if he could learn it after his boss made improvements. A flicker of hope crossed his eyes before he looked at the person behind Patriarch Hitoshi.
"It's a bit surprising to see you here, Kakashi."
He said surprising but not really.
This confused man seemed to have found a new direction.
"You brought him here to have the Snake Minister tell him some things about his father. After all, the story of White Fang-senpai is something the Snake Minister should know well."
Hyuga Hitoshi was a responsible dark guide, not the type to trick people into serving him and then forget about them. If he told Kakashi to seek the truth, he wouldn't go back on his word.
"I see."
Orochimaru's gaze changed when he looked at Kakashi. Remembering how Kakashi had once dedicated himself to the Hokage, he suddenly felt like laughing.
With an amused look, he examined Kakashi.
"If you want my evaluation, I can give you an accurate answer."
With a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, Orochimaru seemed to recall that respected man from the Second Ninja World War.
An accurate answer?
Kakashi fell silent.
He had intentionally avoided that incident, so he had forgotten many of the details. If it weren't for Hyuga Hitoshi giving him some materials to think over, he might only remember the sight of his father falling.
But judging by Orochimaru's expression, he seemed to know a lot about his father.
"The White Fang I remember wouldn't just take his own life over a few words."
If it were that simple, that man wouldn't be worthy of his respect. Most likely, he saw the essence of some things but didn't know how to change them, so he chose to resist through his death.
But looking at the outcome, White Fang died in vain.
If there hadn't been someone named Hyuga Hitoshi in Konohagakure, his son would still be following his esteemed teacher like a dog, wouldn't he?
He wouldn't have taken his own life over a few words; it must have been something else.
It seems he and Orochimaru-senpai really do have a lot in common.
Kakashi took a deep breath, about to ask for more details and uncover more truths.
But in the next moment, he heard a whistling sound in the air!
Whoosh, whoosh!
High-density poisoned needles and stingers shot over from a distance. Following the sound, he saw a hunched man opening his mouth wide!
"Scarlet Flow Jade - Needle Eight Waves!"
Clearly, this was Sasori's way of trying to grab everyone's attention after being ignored.
After all, to Sasori, the people in front of him were being incredibly rude, as if they didn't see him as a person.
Since that man had arrived with two others, he had been on high alert, expecting them to attack him with their numbers. But after waiting for a while, he suddenly realized they weren't even paying attention to him.
It was a blatant disregard!
They even started chatting right in front of him.
In truth, what really got to Sasori was the man they mentioned.
Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konohagakure!
The man who killed his parents!
He thought he had let go of that hatred after taking down the Third Kazekage, but seeing the son of the White Fang now and confirming his identity made Sasori instinctively ready to attack!
Danger was looming!
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he prepared to evade with a single hand seal. Kakashi frowned and pushed up his forehead protector to reveal his Three Tomoe Sharingan.
Meanwhile, the Goddess of the Moon scoffed disdainfully and stepped back behind Hyuga Hitoshi.
These mere hidden weapons were nothing compared to the power she had used to kill Grey Bones; such things couldn't possibly threaten a deity, so there was no need to panic.
And indeed, it was true.
As chakra gathered in his arm, Hyuga Hitoshi swung his sleeve, unleashing a palm technique that sent the poisoned needles and stingers flying into a nearby tree.
"Continue."
With a smile at his two subordinates, Hyuga Hitoshi planted one foot on the ground. With a tremor that cracked the earth, he shot forward like a cannonball, suddenly appearing above the Scarlet Flow Jade!
Having just learned incredible strength from Tsunade, he was eager to test it, and with a ready opponent, Patriarch Hitoshi intended to hold nothing back.
Danger!
Extreme danger!
Patriarch Hitoshi's terrifying speed sent chills down Sasori's spine as he hid within the Scarlet Flow Jade. But when that man appeared above him, Sasori couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
It's well-known that a person in mid-air cannot evade!
With a swift movement, Sasori aimed his poisonous tail stinger at Hyuga Hitoshi in the air without hesitation.
However, Sasori clearly lacked experience in dealing with Hyuga Hitoshi. If Raikage were here, he would have prioritized dodging.
As flames enveloped Hyuga Hitoshi, his defense, harder than Lightning Release armor, meant that the stinger couldn't pierce his skin.
Cautious Patriarch Hitoshi had no intention of taking the hit directly. Instead, he drew a line of ice in front of the tail stinger.
**Ice and Fire, a Contrasting World!**
Clang!
Creeeak—
A sharp sound, along with the noise of the tail stinger sliding, changed Sasori's expression drastically.
In the next moment, Hyuga Hitoshi's fist slammed hard into the back of the Scarlet Flow Jade, known for its toughness!
With a full burst of Ninja Taijutsu, his overwhelming strength unleashed a super powerful technique from above, causing such a commotion that Orochimaru grabbed Kakashi and ran back!
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
The continuous impact against the ground shook the entire ninja world. The area around the Scarlet Flow Jade began to sink, and the battered earth cracked open under the assault.
The loud noise startled countless birds in the jungle.
After a long while, the ashes settled.
In the center of the collapse, the Scarlet Flow Jade was now completely dented from above. Nearby, the relatively safe Sasori watched this scene, feeling a chill run down his spine.
So close!
If he hadn't been hunched over inside the Scarlet Flow Jade, with his heart positioned slightly off, that hit would have been enough to kill him instantly!
Run!
If he didn't run, he would really die!
At that moment, he had completely forgotten about any notion of eternal art and quickly summoned countless puppets to rush toward the incredibly strong man. He also summoned a fast puppet to grab his damaged body and flee.
Hyuga Hitoshi didn't hold back either. Enjoying himself, he punched each puppet, freely using the incredible strength he had just mastered. His fiery punches not only smashed out but also caused chain explosions, creating a fascinating effect from combining the new concept of Kyo Kusanagi's ancient martial arts with Hyuga-style Taijutsu.
At the same time…
Not far from here, at the border of the Land of Fire, the loud noise made Kakuzu and Konan, who were on the move, look up. They were soon filled with question marks in their minds.
Was that an earthquake?
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