Kangetsu, the Hyūga clan's esteemed muko-dono (aka: son in law), finally arrived.
From a distance, he spotted the Hyūga Senior Elder sneaking around at the entrance.
Every so often, the old man would rub his nose and sniff the air. Then, out of nowhere, he'd glare into the yakiniku place like he wanted to bite someone's head off.
Kangetsu stopped on the spot.
So this was the "treat."
You're treating me to sniffing the smell outside the door, is that it?
Had the Hyūga fallen so low?
That couldn't be right…
The Senior Elder hurried over the moment he saw him and immediately started explaining.
"Kangetsu-sama, please forgive me. I've had a private room reserved for a while. This way, please."
Good. That was more like it.
Kangetsu really had thought the Hyūga were inviting him to stand outside and inhale barbecue fumes.
Though honestly…
The spot the Senior Elder had been hiding in wasn't bad.
Most of the aroma from inside drifted straight out that way.
Avoiding a certain "little demon's" line of sight, the two of them went into the private room and started grilling.
The Senior Elder wanted to take a few bites, but he didn't.
He only smiled and grilled meat for muko-dono.
But Kangetsu couldn't eat.
You're staring at me the whole time. How am I supposed to chew?
If you want some, just pick it up yourself…
With a helpless laugh, Kangetsu set his chopsticks down and gestured for him to get to the point.
The Senior Elder understood instantly.
Muko-dono's attitude was already clear.
Some things weren't off the table.
It depended on what the Hyūga wanted.
So the Senior Elder relayed the Clan Head's exact message.
"Kangetsu-sama, you will forever be the Hyūga clan's muko-dono!"
Now we're talking.
The Hyūga's attitude was in place, and Kangetsu's money could follow.
Of course…
Not as a direct handout.
While Kangetsu sat in silence and thought, the Senior Elder's heart pounded so hard it felt like it might jump out of his chest.
Kangetsu-sama, we're the family of your future wife…
He quickly poured himself a drink and lifted the cup halfway.
A show of baseline respect before negotiating terms.
"Mm… You should already know this. The profits from the clothing business have been fully allocated. There's no chance the Hyūga can get a seat at that table.
"However… However, arranging a few self-sustaining positions for the Hyūga was no problem.
For example, the clothing shops needed frontline staff to sell.
For example, the hospital was recruiting.
There weren't many openings, but the pay was high.
It would more than relieve the Hyūga's pressure.
This way, it wouldn't rattle the upper ranks' hair-trigger nerves, and it wouldn't leave the Hyūga completely pushed out of the game."
Hearing that, the Senior Elder's hand trembled around his cup. Scraps were enough.
Enough.
Enough!
Scraps?
That was fortune falling from the sky.
Who didn't know the "hospital people" were a bunch of nouveau riche upstarts?
If frontline sales could even be mentioned in the same breath as hospital staff, then it was absolutely not going to be bad.
Even if there weren't many slots, solving the Hyūga's immediate crisis was already a massive victory…
The Senior Elder raised his cup, shaking with excitement.
"Kangetsu-sama… I-I'm clumsy with words. I won't say anything fancy. It's all in the drink!"
He tipped his head back and downed three cups in a row.
Then he bustled around with fervor.
He didn't even seem sure what he was doing—but he had to look busy.
Attitude.
You had to show attitude.
The Hyūga had known from the beginning that trying to snatch meat out of Konoha's upper ranks' mouths wasn't realistic.
Getting scraps was already something they wouldn't have dared dream of.
Because what they'd wanted, at most, was that if muko-dono ever started another "big business," he might remember the Hyūga a little.
But this was immediate, tangible benefit.
So sending Hinata—young lady Hinata—to muko-dono really had been a brilliant move!
Sure, it also meant the Clan Head got his way on certain matters.
But money was money. At that point, it was simply one willing to strike and one willing to take the hit.
"Kangetsu-sama! Let me toast you again!"
"Kangetsu-sama, eat your yakiniku!"
"Kangetsu-sama, you've been drinking—walk slowly! I'll support you!"
"Kangetsu-sama! Then it's settled!"
Right before they parted, the Senior Elder's face was glowing red as he gripped Kangetsu's hand tightly.
"Kangetsu-sama, should I escort you home? Your safety is what matters!"
He was acting like the most devoted lackey alive, terrified that anything—even a hair out of place—might cause the benefits they'd just secured to vanish.
"No. You go back first. Pick the list of candidates and hand it to me."
The moment he heard that, the Senior Elder nearly leapt into the air.
Yes, yes, yes!
I'm going. I'm going right now!
Only after Kangetsu's back had fully disappeared did the Senior Elder whirl around and urgently tell the owner to pack up the leftover yakiniku.
"And the grease too! Pack that up and take it with me!"
"Mm, this chili powder's not bad either. I'm taking it."
"And this grill—"
"Sir! The grill belongs to our restaurant!"
"Tch…"
He marched off at a near-run, even using Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) several times on the road.
He had to report this good news to the clan immediately.
When he arrived at the compound, he shoved the door open.
What he saw was a crowd of clansmen waiting—eyes shining green—like hungry wolves.
And when they noticed the bags of takeout yakiniku in his hands, their eyes went even greener.
Hiashi didn't even glance at the meat. Even he was impatient now.
"Well? Did it work?"
The Senior Elder didn't hesitate. He swept his hand up and shouted.
"It worked! Clan Head, it worked! It's even better than we planned! Kangetsu-sama clearly cares about our Hyūga!"
One line.
And the entire Hyūga compound erupted.
"It… it worked!?"
"What does the Senior Elder mean? Better than we planned?"
"Clan Head!"
"Clan Head-sama!"
"Quiet!!"
Hiashi's heart was pounding too, but under the clansmen's urgent, green-eyed stares, he forced himself to stay in control.
Those restrained gazes were clearly waiting for the Clan Head to cut the cake.
"Don't rush. Let the Senior Elder finish."
The Senior Elder didn't waste time. He poured out every benefit Kangetsu had promised.
In an instant—
The crowd exploded. Voices rose. Blood ran hot.
Jobs!
Half were unranked, but the other half—hospital staff—came with official posts!
And now, who didn't know the hospital people were all walking wallets?
Who didn't know their benefits were so good it made others' eyes go red?
"Me! Pick me!! I can do tenketsu strikes! I can—"
"Move!! Clan Head-sama! I've done merits for the clan! I've shed blood for the clan!"
"You killed two Cloud shinobi. The way you talk, people would think you assassinated another village's Kage."
"Shut up! I want a hospital slot! Anyone unhappy, step up! You dare spar with me?"
"Like I'm scared of you! Hakke Rokujuuyon Shō (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)!"
"Youngsters! This old man—"
"Old bastard! Eat my palm!"
"Hiss… The nerve!!"
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]