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Recently, the Konoha camp had been buzzing with gossip, and the most widespread rumor concerned Ishigami Hara. It had even overshadowed the story of Nawaki defeating a Sand Shinobi Chūnin on his own.
The reason was simple: Ishigami Hara possessed both the Byakugan and Sharingan bloodlines simultaneously.
This was no small matter for anyone, especially with both Hyuga and Uchiha ninjas present in the camp, making the situation even more prominent.
Ishigami Hara was well aware of the attention. In fact, it wasn't just the other shinobi talking—Orochimaru himself had been eyeing him strangely for the past few days.
"Hara-kun, you truly are full of surprises. I never imagined someone like you would emerge from the Ishigami clan."
Those were Orochimaru's exact words, accompanied by a curious and slightly intrigued look.
Ishigami Hara could understand what was going through Orochimaru's mind.
Even though this version of Orochimaru had not yet developed into the 'evil scientist' character of the original storyline, his thirst for knowledge, especially about jutsu, was already considerable.
The combination of Byakugan and Sharingan bloodlines in one person was something that, logically, should not occur.
Yet, it had. And now, Ishigami Hara found himself the center of attention.
"Lord Orochimaru, I don't fully understand the specifics myself," Ishigami Hara deflected, not particularly concerned about what Orochimaru might do.
"Hehe, well, you should be cautious. I've been hearing a lot of rumors lately. It seems some of the Hyuga and Uchiha ninjas have their own ideas about you," Orochimaru added.
Ishigami Hara nodded. "I've sensed it as well."
"Then stay on your guard. If anything happens, you can always come to me."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Ishigami Hara understood what Orochimaru was hinting at. While most Konoha shinobi were simply curious, the Hyuga and Uchiha clans seemed genuinely troubled by his existence. Their concerns stemmed from the fact that Ishigami Hara was an outsider.
In other words, with his unique combination of bloodlines, Ishigami Hara had the potential to establish a new ninja clan—one distinct from both the Hyuga and Uchiha. Such a prospect was undoubtedly unsettling for the two clans.
The moment when the Hyuga and Uchiha clansmen confronted Ishigami Hara came sooner than expected. Ishigami Hara had assumed they would need time to report to their respective clans before deciding how to handle the situation. However, to his surprise, members from both clans appeared together.
The six who approached Ishigami Hara comprised two teams—three Hyuga and three Uchiha. They had clearly coordinated their efforts, waiting to intercept Ishigami Hara and Nawaki as they returned from a patrol outside the camp.
Nawaki immediately stepped in front of Ishigami Hara, eyeing the six warily.
As the grandson of the First Hokage and a member of the Senju clan, Nawaki was familiar with many of the village's unspoken tensions, particularly those involving the Uchiha clan.
The arrival of these six shinobi was clearly not a friendly gesture, and as Ishigami Hara's teammate, Nawaki instinctively moved to defend him.
"Seniors, what brings you here?" Nawaki asked cautiously, addressing the group.
At this moment, Nawaki's identity as the First Hokage's grandson made the six shinobi from the Hyuga and Uchiha clans slightly more cautious. Feeling confident, he spoke firmly.
The leader of the Hyuga clan glanced at Ishigami Hara and asked in a deep voice, "Hara-kun, can you show us your Byakugan?"
Ishigami Hara calmly observed the six shinobi from both clans. Gently patting Nawaki on the shoulder, he stepped past him and replied, "There's no problem showing the Byakugan. Uchiha, do you want to see it as well?"
The Uchiha ninjas, their expressions cold and stern, answered curtly, "Yes, we need to confirm it."
With a faint smile, Ishigami Hara nodded and, without further discussion, activated both his Byakugan and Sharingan.
To clarify, even after unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan, one can still revert to the three-tomoe form if necessary. It's simply a matter of chakra control. Meanwhile, the Byakugan was a more dominant trait for most Hyuga members. Once activated, it generally remained constant. However, Ishigami Hara was an exception. Due to the unique interaction between the Byakugan and Sharingan within him, he could deactivate and conceal the Byakugan when not in use, much like the Sharingan.
When Ishigami Hara revealed both dojutsu, the expressions of the six shinobi shifted noticeably.
The Hyuga ninjas furrowed their brows and instinctively activated their own Byakugan, veins bulging around their eyes as they stared intently at Ishigami Hara's left eye.
On the other side, the three Uchiha members appeared even colder, their Sharingan flickering to life as three pairs of three-tomoe eyes glared back at him.
The atmosphere grew tense, and silence filled the air.
Nawaki, standing nearby, felt the intense pressure emanating from the six shinobi's glares. He tugged on Ishigami Hara's sleeve, clearly uneasy.
However, Ishigami Hara remained composed, scanning the six with his dojutsu, his expression returning to its usual calm.
"The purity of this Byakugan is extraordinary," one of the Hyuga finally remarked. The Byakugan, known for its ability to see through things, also allowed members of the Hyuga clan to gauge its purity.
Ishigami Hara could tell from a glance that the three Hyuga present were from the branch house. Due to inherent limitations in their Byakugan, they couldn't match the purity of his. The gap between their dojutsu and his was significant.
As for the Uchiha, Ishigami Hara wasn't particularly concerned. Not all three-tomoe Sharingan were created equal, and he could sense the differences between them.
"When did you awaken your Sharingan?" one of the Uchiha demanded.
"Does it really matter?" Ishigami Hara replied coolly.
"Answer me!" the Uchiha barked, his tone cold and aggressive.
At that moment, Uchiha Izuna's voice echoed in Ishigami Hara's mind. "Three kids with three-tomoe Sharingan. Why not cast a genjutsu on them and show them your strength?"
Ishigami Hara nearly let his calm expression slip and responded inwardly, "Are you really this harsh on your own clan?"
Izuna scoffed. "Let them understand the difference in power. The Uchiha only respect strength. If you want to resolve this properly, make sure they're convinced of your superiority."
"I get it," Ishigami Hara replied, fully aware of Uchiha clan dynamics.
Turning his attention back to the Uchiha before him, Ishigami Hara felt his patience wearing thin. He didn't appreciate the arrogant attitude of the Uchiha shinobi. "I'm not an Uchiha, so you have no right to demand anything from me," he said bluntly.
The Uchiha ninja was clearly caught off guard by this response, and a flicker of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. "From the moment you awakened the Sharingan, you became tied to the Uchiha. If you don't want trouble, answer my questions."
Ishigami Hara sighed, his voice laced with irritation. "How arrogant, Uchiha."
As he spoke, Ishigami Hara locked eyes with the Uchiha who had confronted him. The tomoe in his Sharingan rotated slightly, signaling the tension between them.