The night was deep, and all sounds were hushed.
Inside Hyuga Kawa's study, even the air seemed to be solidified, with only the soft glow of the desk lamp remaining.
Shimura Danzō stared at Hyuga Kawa across from him, his increasingly frigid aura becoming more oppressive.
However, Hyuga Kawa did not answer immediately, nor did he even look at Danzō's narrowed singular eye. The lamplight barely outlined the calm, unwavering contours of his profile.
Under Danzō's gaze, Hyuga Kawa simply rose, turning to walk towards the rosewood tea cabinet placed against the wall.
Click.
The cabinet door softly opened. Several tea canisters were quietly displayed, and the mingled aroma of different teas, rich and soothing, drifted out.
"What would you like to drink?" Hyuga Kawa's voice was calm, devoid of any discernible emotion, as he spoke to Danzō with his back turned, as if merely greeting a common late-night visitor.
Danzō glanced at the elegant tea set on the table, and the few senbei (rice crackers) warming at the edge of the hearth, clearly placed there to prevent drinking tea on an empty stomach from harming the digestion.
"Hmph." He couldn't help but let out a cold snort from his nose, a sneer twisting his sinister face. "You certainly have a refined taste."
After a slight pause, he said hoarsely, "Genmaicha (Brown Rice Tea)."
Hyuga Kawa reached into the middle shelf of the tea cabinet and retrieved a dark purple clay canister, then returned to the desk.
A small iron kettle sat on a delicate charcoal brazier. The charcoal embers in the brazier glowed faintly red, and fine steam was already rising from the spout of the kettle.
Hyuga Kawa used a tea spoon to measure a small pinch of deep-steamed Sencha mixed with toasted brown rice from the canister. The dark green leaves intertwined with the golden brown rice grains and were dropped into a cup.
Immediately, he lifted the iron kettle, which was now boiling, and clear water poured from the spout in an arc, rushing into the cup, raising wisps of hot steam.
The tea leaves and brown rice instantly unfurled, and the rich aroma of toasted rice mixed with the tea instantly wafted up.
After a brief wait, Hyuga Kawa filtered the brewed tea into a fair cup, and then poured it into two tasting cups. The amber-colored tea shimmered in the cups.
He poured until the cup was exactly seven-tenths full, the stream of water stopping abruptly, and then gently set down the teapot with a soft, round clinking sound.
Watching Hyuga Kawa's unhurried movements, Shimura Danzō felt his pace was being subtly disrupted by the other party. The inexplicable restlessness and anxiety in his heart intensified.
"Are you wasting my time, Hyuga Kawa?"
Danzō's voice was deep and hoarse, the cold light in his eye piercing through the rising tea steam.
Hyuga Kawa did not reply, simply gently pushing one of the cups of tea towards Danzō.
The water in the cup sparkled, reflecting the flickering lamplight and Danzō's blurred face. A few grains of brown rice settled quietly at the bottom of the cup, sending ripples that distorted the reflection.
"What a pity."
Hyuga Kawa lowered his gaze and sighed softly. "I thought that with your audacity, you would at least have the courage to drink this cup of tea."
His intentions exposed so directly, Danzō's face instantly darkened.
Of course, he wouldn't dare to casually drink tea personally brewed by Hyuga Kawa. Who could guarantee there wasn't some trickery involved?
"Enough with this useless talk!"
Danzō suppressed the fury of being seen through and said in a deep voice, "As per our previous agreement, I have completed my part."
"Now, it's time for you to fulfill your promise and repay me!"
Hyuga Kawa slowly lifted his eyes, looking at Danzō with a hint of a smile. "Repay?"
"Isn't what's in front of you my repayment?"
What?
Danzō was momentarily stunned, his gaze instinctively falling on the steaming cup of tea, before he suddenly realized.
"Are you playing games with me?" His face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.
Facing this almost materializing killing intent, Hyuga Kawa showed no fear whatsoever; instead, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"No, Danzō-sama."
Meeting Danzō's man-eating gaze, Hyuga Kawa smiled and spoke slowly, word by word: "I am humiliating you. Your contribution is only worthy of a cup of the Fifth Hokage's tea."
Bang!
Shimura Danzō could no longer contain his rage. He violently rose to his feet and slammed his hand onto the solid tabletop!
The force was so great that the ceramic cup containing the hot tea was knocked over. The warm tea, mixed with leaves and brown rice, spilled out, rapidly spreading across the table.
"Hyuga Kawa!"
Danzō leaned forward, looming over Hyuga Kawa, the icy words squeezed out from between his teeth: "Are you not afraid that I will expose your true face to the public?"
"Let everyone see the despicable ambition hidden beneath your gentle mask!"
The teacup was overturned, the tea flowed freely, reflecting Danzō's face twisted with anger.
The study was filled with a bizarre mix of tea aroma and killing intent, and the atmosphere instantly became fraught with tension.
However, facing this obvious threat, Hyuga Kawa's reaction was surprisingly calm.
He didn't even get up, only raising his eyes to look at Danzō.
Those eyes held no fear, no anger, but rather a clearly discernible trace of pity.
Although the standing Danzō was physically positioned higher, at this moment, Danzō suddenly felt an absurd illusion.
As if he were the pitiable wretch being overlooked and judged.
"Who would believe you?"
Hyuga Kawa's voice remained steady, a smile without warmth playing on his lips.
But his words were like knives, slicing into Danzō's most painful wounds.
"An old dog who has long lost any reputation in the village, publicly dismissed from all duties by Hiruzen Sarutobi, like a homeless cur with nowhere to go..."
He deliberately slowed his pace, making every derogatory word feel like a slap across Danzō's face.
"You came to me immediately after being relieved of your position as the leader of 'Root.' To be honest, it is rather pathetic."
"But, unfortunately."
Hyuga Kawa's smile grew more pronounced. "This place is not a shelter for stray dogs."
Danzō froze, his face shifting from dark to green, and then from green to red. The coldness burning in his eyes was gradually replaced by fury.
This damned guy!!
How dare he humiliate me like this?!
"Good... Good! Good! Very good!" Danzō was so angry he could barely form a coherent sentence, only managing to grind out a few fragmented syllables, laden with murderous intent.
"Who gave you the audacity to become so arrogant!"
The chilling aura around him intensified, his voice hoarse: "Do you think that just because I have fallen from power now, I can't do anything to you? Hyuga Kawa!"
"I am also very curious," Hyuga Kawa sighed softly. "Old dog without a home, isn't it better to linger in the dark corners?"
"Who gave you the courage to think that coming here with just a Shadow Clone could threaten the current me?"
Before the words had fully landed, Hyuga Kawa sharply flicked his arm, and a jet-black shadow shot out from his sleeve.
It was a black rod, completely dark, tearing through the air with a sharp whooshing sound, shooting toward the "Danzō's" chest.
"Danzō's" pupils instantly contracted. He had never expected the opponent to dare attack him, his face filled with unconcealed horror and disbelief.
Bang!
The black rod effortlessly pierced "Danzō's" chest. The Shadow Clone didn't even manage a scream, instantly bursting into a cloud of thick white smoke, dissipating into the air.
The momentum of the black rod did not lessen; it continued forward, easily piercing the study wall with a soft thud, leaving a smooth-edged circular hole.
In the dark night outside the room, the vague dark silhouette attempting to flee was overtaken by the black rod.
"Ah!!"
A sharp, miserable scream immediately carried from a distance.
However, without the slightest pause, Danzō didn't hesitate, completely disregarding his injury, and instantly vanished into the deep night.
Hyuga Kawa stood in place, not giving chase, only raising his hand and clenching it in the direction where the black rod had disappeared.
Vwoom...
The black rod embedded in the distant ground was pulled by an invisible force. The next moment, it transformed into a black streak of light, flying back, and was caught in Hyuga Kawa's grasp.
The faint bloodstain on the black rod was particularly noticeable under the lamplight.
Almost simultaneously with the retrieval of the black rod, several swooshing sounds approached from afar.
Shh! Shh! Shh!
Three Branch Family Hyūga ninja instantly appeared at the study door, kneeling on one knee in perfect synchronization.
Their current attire was different from before; a splash of crimson was added to the sleeve of their right arm.
This was the uniform now worn by the Hyūga Branch Family, memorializing the event when Hyuga Kawa led the Branch Family to cut their arms and use their blood to rebel against the Main Family.
"Kawa-sama," the leader lowered his head. "We noticed an unusual sound here just now. Are you alright? Was there an enemy infiltration?"
"I am fine."
Hyuga Kawa looked calm, waving his hand gently with a smile. "It was just an unruly rat that sneaked in from somewhere."
"I have sent it away."
"You may all stand down."
Although the three Branch Family ninja still had doubts, seeing Hyuga Kawa safe and unwilling to elaborate, they dared not ask further, saying in unison, "Yes, Kawa-sama."
With that, their figures flickered again, swiftly disappearing back into various parts of the compound, blending back into their hidden sentinel posts.
With Hyuga Kawa's current prestige and power, let alone concealing unusual sounds.
If he were to claim now that Hiruzen Sarutobi was an enemy in disguise, these Branch Family members would dare to rush into the Hokage Building with their swords and cut down Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Silence returned to the study, broken only by the night wind blowing in from outside, gently rustling the curtains.
Hyuga Kawa walked to the window, looking out at the profound night, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.
A bit of moonlight filtered through the lush leaves outside the window, casting a shadow on his profile, making it indistinct.
That fool must still think the "Caged Bird Curse Mark" is effective against me.
He simply doesn't understand what the "Tenseigan" truly means.
Danzō.
You must work hard to give off your final, lingering warmth.
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