"Hah… now I finally believe that little brat really is an Uchiha…"
Listening to the clan head's voice, the elder smiled faintly.
He forced his wrinkled face into a narrow slit of an eye and said,
"Indeed. Other than those lunatics from the Uchiha clan, who else would burst into wild laughter at such a young age?"
There was a trace of nostalgia in his tone.
It reminded him of the days when he used to run beneath the setting sun alongside Uchiha youths.
It was also the memory of a youth long since gone.
After watching for a long while, he murmured,
"For some reason… I seem to see that person's shadow in this child."
Thump.
Hiashi's heart skipped a beat.
Among all the Uchiha, the only one this elder would ever refer to as "that person" was—
Uchiha Madara.
He swallowed hard, disbelief and absurdity mixing together.
"Elder… that's going too far, isn't it?
That man was someone who founded Konoha alongside the God of Shinobi. This kid may be talented, but…"
The elder only smiled, then slowly turned back toward the house.
His cane tapped the floor, light then heavy, producing a steady tap-tap-tap rhythm.
Only when he reached the bedroom did his quiet voice drift back:
"That child's ocular power is far more than just three tomoe."
With a soft swish, the wooden door closed.
Hiashi remained frozen in place.
It felt as if a thunder-charged hammer had slammed straight into his mind.
Blank.
Only after the youths in the courtyard gradually dispersed did he finally come back to himself.
His unfocused gaze drifted to his eldest daughter.
"Um… Hinata."
"H-Hmm…"
"Do you… like Uchiha Ren?"
"Ah… n-no… I… I…"
"It's fine. Father knows that ever since the day he saved you, you've been thinking about that child nonstop, right?"
"I…"
"Actually… Father quite likes that child as well."
Hinata: ?
Did that mean she suddenly had a rival in love?
[Defeated Hyūga Neji. Attempting to copy a trait.]
[Available traits: Guardian (Black), Byakugan (Purple), Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms (Green), Gentle Fist (Green), Comprehensive Human Meridian & Acupoint Atlas (White)…]
[Copy successful. Congratulations, Host has obtained the legendary trait: Byakugan (Purple).]
[Trait can be stacked. Stack Byakugan (Purple)?]
Ren didn't hesitate for even a second.
"Stack it."
[Stacking in progress. Byakugan (Purple) has been enhanced.]
In that instant, Ren felt a subtle transformation in his eyes.
He instinctively activated the Byakugan trait.
His field of vision began expanding.
If his previous range had been about a hundred meters, it now stretched to at least one hundred and fifty meters.
Within that range, every movement of wind and grass was laid bare.
Even the flow of chakra through passersby's bodies was crystal clear—
he could even see blocked meridians and bone overgrowth.
"Damn… with eyes like these, if I became a massage therapist, wouldn't I be Konoha's number one?"
"Looks like Kakashi's reputation wouldn't stand a chance."
Ren smacked his lips, his steps growing lighter.
"And if I remember correctly, one of the ways to awaken the Tenseigan is by continuously plundering Byakugan, right?"
He touched his slightly warm eye sockets, a bold idea slowly taking root.
Back when there was no hope, he had scoffed at the idea of the Tenseigan.
But now…
It suddenly felt tempting.
So this is what "true fragrance" feels like.
Like that old saying:
"If I won ten million, I'd donate it all!"
But if you ask me to donate a hundred bucks—sorry, that one really hurts.
He made up his mind immediately—
The Hyūga "leeks" must be protected carefully and harvested long-term.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
His shoes echoed lightly against the stone pavement.
At the center of the village, Ren lifted his gaze.
Tonight's darkness had arrived far too early.
At this hour, Konoha's streets should have been lively, yet now they were eerily empty.
Only a few figures hurried past, disappearing into the shadows.
A storm is coming.
Wasn't the plan supposed to be three days later?
Why move on the very first day already?
Old man… no sense of martial honor at all.
Shaking his head, Ren headed toward the outskirts of the village.
Whoosh!
"Stop."
An ANBU wearing a painted mask suddenly appeared before him.
"Huh? It's you, Uncle Cat Two."
Ren looked at him in surprise.
Though ANBU masks looked similar, body build and hairstyle differed clearly.
This man was the ANBU who had been sent to monitor him for the 2nd, 12th, 19th, 27th, 31st, 48th, and 69th times.
In ancient times, Zhao Zilong charged in and out seven times.
In modern times, Cat Two monitored seven times—and fled seven times.
Seven breakdowns, seven retreats, and seven times getting coaxed back by the Third Hokage.
"Cough…"
Meeting Ren's gaze, Cat Two felt awkward.
His first instinct was almost to turn and run.
But remembering his mission and what was about to happen, he suppressed the impulse and spoke quietly,
"Ren… don't go any further. Stay in Konoha tonight."
"Looks like the Third Hokage still gave Itachi some face."
Ren shook his head lightly.
"But I still have to go back."
As he spoke, he casually pushed Cat Two aside and continued toward the Uchiha district.
Cat Two remained frozen behind him.
Behind the mask, his pupils shrank sharply.
"How could this be? How does he know about the negotiations between the Third Hokage and Itachi?"
"No… that's not right. He's just a chatterbox. He shouldn't have access to that kind of information…"
"Could it be… the Hyūga clan?"
A flash of suspicion surged in Cat Two's eyes as he stared in the direction Ren had come from.
After a few seconds of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and turned back toward the Hokage Tower.
He had to inform the Hokage immediately—
The Hyūga clan might very well be on the verge of treason.
Above, dark clouds thickened in the night sky.
The darkness grew unnaturally heavy.
Rustle… rustle…
Ren's footsteps never slowed.
Suddenly—
A figure appeared in front of him.
An elderly man with gray hair, a black pot strapped to his back, and a genin forehead protector hanging at his waist.
The old man lifted a hand, blocking Ren's path.
"Kid, how about we… have a little chat?"
"Maruboshi Kosuke?"
The outfit made Ren recognize him instantly.
The man jokingly known as Konoha's strongest genin.
"You actually know me?" The old man looked genuinely surprised.
He usually guarded village gates or handled simple errands. Though he had seen Ren several times, they had never spoken.
Tonight, unable to bear watching Ren step into the vortex of chaos, he had broken his habit and spoken up.
"Of course."
Ren smiled, lifting his gaze toward the Uchiha district.
It looked calm and peaceful—yet countless black crows were already circling overhead.
Itachi had arrived.
Three days later?
Just a feint.
The real moment—
He paused, then continued softly,
"Let's chat some other time."
His hand lifted.
A seemingly gentle palm strike descended—
Yet the moment it landed, blinding white light erupted!
Eight Trigrams — Air Cannon!
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