Game Merchants Starting from the Ninja World.

Chapter 45 The Main Family

Clan territory, ancestral home.

A long, winding corridor, a spacious pond, and luxurious houses.

Compared to the branch families, which have training grounds everywhere, the main family's residence is not large in area, but it is more exquisite and luxurious, and it is difficult to see any unsightly training equipment.

Inside the banquet hall.

The tables and chairs were neatly arranged, and a middle-aged man in fine robes sat at the head of the table, listening to the rustling of conversation.

He is a top nobleman from the capital of the Land of Fire.

With the Chunin Exams approaching, there are quite a few nobles who have come to Konoha in a grand manner, all wanting to witness the spectacular ninja battles.

On the right, the Hyuga clan leader, dressed in a kimono, accompanied a middle-aged nobleman with a warm smile.

"Neji, come here quickly."

Upon seeing Neji arrive, Hiashi smiled and gestured for him to sit at the end of the table.

He solemnly introduced, "This is the younger brother of the daimyo of the Land of Fire, and he wishes to meet you."

The village tried to hide the news from the original players, including Asuma, Naruto, and Neji Hyuga, but it was impossible to keep it a secret.

After all, there are players even within the elite circle.

They envied and were jealous of the ninjas' ability to grow rapidly in the cycle of reincarnation, so they all wanted to recruit them, including Hyuga Neji.

The younger brother, Neji, asked expectantly, "Neji, how does one become a player?"

Neji shook his head and said, "It's all the game company's tricks. I don't know how to become a player either."

"Is that so?"

The younger brother, whose name was Daiming, shook his head in disappointment.

The nobles who became players said the same thing. He assumed that the nobles were unwilling to reveal it, and since he happened to be in Konoha Village, he asked the original players if they had any ideas.

The noble game of hunting to one's heart's content, where one can live without dying, is something even he greatly covets.

After exchanging a few pleasantries,

Four elegantly dressed, arrogant young men from the main branch of the Hyuga clan entered the banquet hall and were led by the clan head to speak with the daimyo's younger brother.

This is their way of life as a ninja clan. They not only need to be stationed in Konoha Village, but they also cannot cut off communication with the nobles. This is called being prepared for both possibilities.

Neji, who was being ignored, was quickly pushed out of the hall by the clan leader with a lame excuse.

"Excuse me, young master agent."

After Neji left the main hall, he ran into a middleman heading to the banquet hall and asked, "There are probably guests here, so the clan head didn't tell me what I needed to discuss."

The agent said impatiently, "Isn't taking you to see the younger brother of the daimyo of the Land of Fire enough?"

"So that's how it is."

Neji's expression remained unchanged, his voice betrayed no emotion, and he left the clan's residence with impeccable manners.

Just for that reason?

Even knowing the intense situation of the monster siege, he delayed his cultivation, all for the sake of a single word from a noble lord.

In fact, the Hyuga clan head's gaze at that moment seemed to say, "This is a reward for your contributions to the Hyuga clan."

Neji chuckled self-deprecatingly, thinking to himself, "It's a bit like being a dog that's been bossed around."

He hurriedly returned to the game.

As expected, the fourth squad suffered repeated defeats after losing its commander, resulting in the Konoha forces being suppressed by the Iwagakure forces and failing to obtain sufficient merit points.

Asuma patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "Neji, I understand your predicament."

The situation of the Hyuga family is no secret in the village.

As a member of the branch family, Neji was instilled with the idea of ​​protecting the main family and obeying their orders from a young age. The constraints and limitations imposed by the Caged Bird Seal made it impossible for him to resist the main family.

Asuma comforted her, "I will report the matter of Hyuga's agency to the Hokage. This is not your fault, so don't blame yourself."

Neji felt a warmth in his heart and said, "Thank you, Captain Asuma."

Asma laughed heartily, "It's alright, we're both members of the village, like leaves growing on a tree branch, interdependent."

I instinctively reached for a cigarette, but my pockets were empty.

To train the Konoha troops, he was so frugal that he couldn't bear to waste even half a reward point, and he was almost forced to quit smoking.

Neji opened the game store, redeemed the cigarettes, handed him a pack, and said, "This is for you, Captain Asuma."

"Ah...then I won't be polite."

Asma didn't mince words and exhaled a puff of smoke with a carefree air, but almost choked on it.

Neji held an inconspicuous lump of black ash in his hand.

【Ashes of the Ghost Lord】: Can be exchanged for items at the city guard.

Asuma took a deep breath and exclaimed, "No wonder they call you the glory of the Hyuga clan; you actually hunted down a commander all by yourself?"

There are a total of eight Commander-level ghosts.

All of them were divided up by other forces, and I thought I had gained nothing. But I never expected that Neji would be able to hunt down a leader of ghosts all by himself.

Asma took a breath and said, "The Ghost Lord Ashes can be exchanged for equipment and items."

City defense equipment.

A mini version of the Ghost Cannon, similar to the city wall, a building blueprint for the [Ghost Turret].

Once constructed, it only requires loading ammunition to continuously unleash the Ghost Energy Cannon, with outstanding effects.

The price is also the same as one [Ashes of the Ghost Lord].

Asuma took the last drag of his cigarette, the discarded butt disappearing from his sight. He said sincerely, "If you're willing to purchase the Ghost Turret, I'll apply for a reward for you with the Hokage, and I'll do my best to bypass the Hyuga clan's interference so that all the rewards go to you."

It always has been.

No matter how great the contributions of the Hyuga branch family, the ultimate reward will always be the negotiation between the main family and the Hokage.

Perhaps it's funding, perhaps it's ninjutsu scrolls, perhaps it's ANBU qualifications... In the end, they'll all be divided up by the main family, leaving only scraps.

Even so, no one outside the Hyuga family had anything to say.

As the son of the Hokage, Asuma's ability to say such things meant he would be accused of forcibly interfering in the Hyuga family's affairs, and could even be impeached.

This is enough to show his sincerity.

Asuma didn't want to put pressure on Neji, so he said, "Of course, buying the Ghost series equipment is also a great option. You can become the strongest member of the Konoha forces and reach the threshold of becoming an elite Jonin in reality."

"Captain Asuma, your mind is too complicated. No wonder you haven't won over Kurenai Yuhi yet."

Neji, unusually, smiled and teased Asuma.

Asma then realized that the other party's willingness to share the materials with him meant they clearly wanted to contribute them to the village.

I was definitely overthinking things.

"Thank you, Neji."

Asuma hurriedly left to continue holding the front line of the Konoha forces.

The city's garrison officer's office.

Neji was about to exchange for the [Ghost Turret] as agreed, but was stopped by the late-arriving Hyuga agent.

"Neji, I heard everything you and Asuma said."

Hyuga, the agent, frowned and said, "How dare you! Have you forgotten the Hyuga family's ancestral precepts?"

"The main family is the key to the continuation of the bloodline, while the branch families serve as both shield and sword, and must protect the safety and interests of the main family at all times."

"You actually handed over these precious materials to the village without a second thought?"

"Don't you understand that materials from Commander-level ghosts can be used as bargaining chips in negotiations between the Hyuga clan and the Hokage?"

The agent grew increasingly agitated, his face filled with contempt and disdain that he made no attempt to conceal.

"Things have come to this..."

After venting his frustrations, Hyuga the middleman came up with a solution that would benefit both parties. He said, "Exchange for the Ghostly Equipment. I need the purple set of [Toad Commander's Power] that enhances the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist Technique. Then give it to me."

"Finally, take all the blame yourself and don't involve the family."

"You should understand the consequences if this causes conflict between your family and the village."

Hinata, the agent, curled up his lips into an exaggerated smile, then pointed to his smooth forehead with his thumb.

As the head of the main family, he has the authority to activate the Caged Bird Seal.

(End of this chapter)