"Kitahara-kun…"
"Come with me for a moment."
"You can come too, Hinata." Hyuga Hiashi was about to leave but turned back and added.
"…" Kitahara Kaede.
Kitahara Kaede glanced at Hinata. He had originally planned to go out for fun today, but given the current situation, it looked like it would be a one-day tour of the Hyuga residence instead.
So the two of them followed behind Hiashi and eventually arrived at his reception room.
Hiashi sat down, so Kitahara Kaede took the seat across from him.
Hinata, meanwhile, sat beside her father.
Though unsure what her father wanted to say, Hinata still behaved obediently.
Click-clack—
Hiashi personally poured a pot of tea and then pushed a cup toward Kitahara Kaede.
Kitahara Kaede took a small sip.
"…" Hiashi.
After confirming Kaede had tasted the tea, Hiashi finally spoke. "Thank you for what you did this time."
"My words in front of the clan members earlier—those were truly heartfelt."
"…" Kitahara Kaede. "Mm."
"You might not realize this, but the first time I laid eyes on you, I thought—this guy is bound for greatness."
"And in the end, your achievements far exceeded my expectations," Hiashi said.
"…"
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: This Hyuga Hiashi isn't bad.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: His ability to judge people is pretty sharp.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Or maybe too sharp.
[Senju Tobirama]: …
[Senju Tobirama]: …
Yet despite how energetic and opinionated Tobirama had been twenty minutes earlier, he suddenly fell silent.
[Minato Namikaze]: …Oh.
[Kakashi Hatake]: ??
[Kakashi Hatake]: Oh.
Kakashi had also figured it out—because the First Hokage had just stomped on the Second Hokage's landmine.
The one chosen by the Second to succeed him—Hiruzen Sarutobi—managed to drag Konoha from #1 down to one of the worst villages in the next fifty years.
And if Danzo, whom Tobirama also considered as a possible successor, had taken over instead... Konoha might not even exist anymore.
So when it came to judging people, Tobirama had the worst track record.
And right then, they heard Hiashi continue—
"I don't know if you intended to destroy the Hidden Cloud Village…"
"But I do know this—what you did was right."
"Because it was something I could never do."
"I won't deny that Hizashi's sacrifice left me deeply shaken. I never once demanded anything of him. Though the elders said I should offer my life to make amends for the Cloud Village incident…"
"I didn't make that decision. And then came the news of Hizashi's death."
"In the letter he left behind, he asked me to treat Neji well."
"He also said… his suicide wasn't his duty as a branch member, but simply because he was my brother—and he wanted me to live."
"He said that this was the one and only thing he could choose for himself in his entire life."
"…"
"It was then that I began to reflect on the main family and branch family system."
"But sadly… I couldn't do it. I knew that the system protected the main family, and also prevented the Byakugan from leaking out."
"But it's still a sorrowful path."
"So…"
"When I discovered Hinata had another personality and that her talent was surging, I decided to place my hopes for change on her."
"But then…"
Hiashi rubbed his forehead, looking like he had a headache.
"You two suddenly made it happen."
"Would you feel troubled by that?" Kitahara Kaede asked.
"No, not at all."
"Even if I entrusted my hopes to Hinata, she might not have been able to pull off something as clean and decisive as wiping out the Hidden Cloud." Hiashi said.
[Minato Namikaze]: Though he says that, Hiashi looks quite troubled.
[Senju Tobirama]: Oh?
[Senju Tobirama]: Wasn't this his wish? Why the headache?
[Cowardly - Onoki]: Simple.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: Hiashi said that from the first moment he saw Kitahara-kun, he knew the boy was something special.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: But… his hopes were all pinned on his daughter, Hyuga Hinata.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: And anyone can see Hinata has feelings for Kitahara Kaede.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: And she's extremely talented.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: She carries all of Hiashi's hopes.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: So Hiashi's thinking was obvious—raise her up to become the clan's future.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: But afraid his daughter might refuse him, he was planning to offer Kitahara Kaede as a gift.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: In other words, he never stopped Hinata from being close to Kaede—probably because he already planned to have Kaede marry into the Hyuga clan.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: His daughter gets someone she loves, and his clan gets a powerful asset. Win-win.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: But now, things aren't going according to plan—Kaede is too strong.
[Cowardly - Onoki]: And if Hinata keeps getting close to him… how will his carefully nurtured heiress still marry into another family?
[Cowardly - Onoki]: The tables have turned. It's like pouring all your effort into training Deidara…
Only for that brat to reject becoming the next Tsuchikage, run off chasing "art," and self-destruct while trying to capture Shukaku.
Just like that, all his effort went up in smoke.
Onoki could only spit blood in frustration.
So, in a way, he could understand Hiashi.
Of course…
He could relate to the sorrowful part. Hiashi wasn't sorrowful—he was just stressed.
Meanwhile, on the Moon—
Ōtsutsuki Toneri was also feeling stressed.
He had thought that the descendants of the Sage of Six Paths in the ninja world had finally realized the sage's mistakes and were coming to the Moon to seek forgiveness.
But instead…
This guy named [Zetsu] was saying—
"Are you an idiot?!"
Ōtsutsuki Toneri barked, "You want me to open the Moon?!"
"If you really are a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths, then you should know—the Moon is a seal."
"It seals away Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, the being who must never be released, the one who would destroy everything!"
"Neither the Sage of Six Paths nor our ancestor Hamura would ever allow this!"
"So…"
"Go back to wherever you came from!"
Though born without eyes, Toneri wasn't weak. He was a direct descendant of Hamura Ōtsutsuki, and his existence was like the embodiment of chakra passed down from Indra or Asura.
"I'm not leaving until I verify things for myself."
At this point, Zetsu had become more determined than ever.
He had figured out why Toneri, despite being from the branch family, had managed to defeat the main family and become the Moon's sole victor.
It was because…
The branch family had collected the Byakugan of their kin and forged a super weapon—a massive Tenseigan.
All the chakra from those dojutsu was condensed into this eye, and after a thousand years of collecting Byakugan from Hamura's line on the Moon, its power was terrifying.
It had annihilated the main family in one strike.
Unfortunately, only a branch family member could use it—and Toneri was the last one.
Zetsu had learned that the power of the giant Tenseigan could split the Moon in half.
And if they could crack it open physically, they could verify whether Kaguya-sama was truly sealed within.
Or rather…
It had never occurred to him before that he could physically break open the Moon to undo the seal.
Makes sense.
Why not just slice the Moon open to release Kaguya-sama?
He had always been too weak, and thus followed the standard plan step-by-step. But now, seeing this alternative… he felt like an idiot.
If he stayed stupid, Kaguya-sama might abandon him.
Just thinking about that made this devoted son anxious.
So…
He couldn't let this chance go.
"By bloodline, you're still my nephew…"
"So let your uncle show you some love!"
Zetsu didn't move—but Toneri felt black sludge wrapping around his ankle.
It began taking over his body.
What Zetsu was doing—was possession!
Since he couldn't control the Tenseigan directly, he'd simply take control of Ōtsutsuki Toneri's body to wield its power.
Even though it wasn't a full moon tonight…
Look, Kaguya-sama, I'm working hard for you.
---
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FF92E
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