I, Uchiha: Split Konoha

Chapter 106 The Hyuga Clan's Shift in Conflict

Under the cover of night, the sleeping main branch of the Hyuga clan in Konoha was also disturbed. Countless main branch ninjas were seen in shock and anger, filled with panic.

The division of the family has spiraled out of control! The caged bird is no longer useful! After so many years of enslavement, they are well aware of the resentment the divided family harbors towards the main family. If a fight breaks out, only one of them will survive.

"Patriarch, the branch family is a bunch of ungrateful bastards. We absolutely cannot let them get away with this."

"Has the branch family forgotten their ancestral teachings? Forgotten the rules of the Hyuga clan?!"

The entire Hyuga clan compound was teeming with people, and Hyuga Hiashi, his face grim, roared at the approaching clan elites, "What time is it? Don't you know the importance and urgency of this matter?"

"Hyuga Daisuke and Hayama, you two quickly go and lead the main clan's elite to bring all their families to the shelter."

"Clan head, this is the time to hunt down the branch family members!" an elder roared angrily, but Hyuga Hiashi retorted with bloodshot eyes, "The Hyuga branch family is just fleeing to find a backer. If we hunt them down now, what will we use to withstand their frenzied counterattack? Do you want to become a sinner of the Hyuga clan?"

Hiashi Hyuga shouted sharply, and the elite members of the main clan who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion finally realized what was happening, and they all broke out in a cold sweat.

If the feud between the branch family and the main family were to escalate into a full-blown conflict, it would be a fight to the death, with only one side able to survive.

"As the head of the main family, I, Hyuga Hiashi, am responsible for the entire clan and for the continuation of the Hyuga lineage! I cannot act rashly for momentary pleasure. If we pursue the branch family now, who among you is confident in annihilating them all? Then I, Hyuga Hiashi, am willing to lead the charge and obey your orders!"

Hiashi Hyuga had never been so domineering before. He stood tall in the courtyard, surveying everyone. The elders were so intimidated by his aura that they all shrank back. Some, after their anger subsided, were sobered up by this sudden display of power.

"Yes, Hiashi is right. If the branch family were to pursue them now that they have broken free from the Caged Bird Seal, it would lead to civil war! It could even become the fuse for the decline and destruction of the Hyuga clan."

One of the elders immediately thought of the branch family's fighting strength. Their main family had some secret techniques to limit the branch family, but the branch family was almost always on the most dangerous front lines, and their combat experience far surpassed that of the main family. No matter what, the main family and the branch family were both members of the Hyuga clan. Once a war broke out, only they would suffer.

"Quickly, the Hyuga clan, go on high alert! All non-combat personnel, move to the shelter!"

"All Hyuga clan ninja have entered combat readiness mode, and are simultaneously setting up defenses and traps on clan territory! They are ready for battle at any moment!"

At this moment, Hiashi Hyuga displayed the composure of a great general, calmly and loudly commanding the main clan's ninjas in the face of danger.

This was the first time the Hyuga clan had encountered such a situation. No one expected that the branch family would actually defect as a whole. In the midst of the panic, fortunately Hiashi was there. All the ninjas in the Hyuga clan territory began to prepare for battle in a tense atmosphere. The cries of countless family members and babies echoed under the night sky as they all took refuge in shelters.

"Explosive tags! Each Chunin will be equipped with one hundred explosive tags, each Genin with fifty, and each Jonin with one thousand! The entire Hyuga clan is on high alert! All Jonin of the main clan are ready to lead their clan members into battle at any time!"

Hoo hoo~

With Hiashi Hyuga creating a certain atmosphere, the Hyuga clan suddenly became the complete opposite of the outside world, practically a war machine like an iron fortress.

The heavy, sealed crates were opened, and stacks of thick explosive tags were carried out, along with countless sets of armor, kunai, shuriken, and everything else needed for war that the Hyuga clan had prepared. In less than half an hour, the Hyuga clan had formed a defensive formation.

Standing atop the highest point of the Hyuga clan, Hyuga Hiashi gazed solemnly at the first rays of dawn, thinking to himself, "Hashi, I've done everything I can to buy you time. You must hurry! The Hyuga clan can split, but it absolutely cannot have a civil war. Otherwise, we will both be sinners against the Hyuga clan."

"Reporting to the clan chief, the scout team has sent word that all members of the branch family have arrived at the Seventh Division of the Police Department building, and have announced their allegiance to Root! They've pledged allegiance to Lord Orochimaru of Root!"

Upon hearing this, Hiashi Hyuga's eyes flashed with a sharp light. A perfect opportunity! This was an excellent chance. Realizing this, he immediately feigned fury and roared, "Prepare for war! Summon all elders and Jonin for a meeting!"

"yes!"

Despite appearing calm and collected in the face of danger, Hyuga Hiashi seemed to be acting in the best interests of the Hyuga clan, but every command he gave seemed to be a delaying tactic, albeit a cautious one.

Soon after, the elders of the Hyuga clan's main family and the Jonin who could come arrived at the high ground of the Hyuga clan.

"Hiashi, all the Jonin who could come have come, and those who couldn't are preparing for battle."

Upon seeing the arriving members of the main branch of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi Hyuga glanced around, his expression grave, and then said in a deep voice, "Everyone! The Hyuga clan is facing a life-or-death crisis!"

"What happened to the clan leader?"

"Hiashi, what's wrong?"

The changes that night were too drastic, and no one could react in time. Hiashi Hyuga's sudden change of attitude shocked and changed the expressions of all the elders.

Hiashi Hyuga glanced around at everyone, lowered his head, and said in a deep voice, "The information has been gathered. This time, the branch family was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes—Root! The entire branch family has arrived at the Seventh Division office building of the Police Department. You should know that's Orochimaru's territory, and Orochimaru is the vice-commander of Root."

As soon as Hiashi Hyuga finished speaking, the usually extremely well-mannered elders of the main family turned red in the face and burst into curses.

"I knew it. Nothing happened for so many years since the family split up, but something happened tonight. There must be something fishy going on. Sure enough! Only the Root family in the entire Hidden Leaf Village has the ability to develop the method to break the Caged Bird Seal."

"Shimura Danzo! Damn it, that one-eyed rat hiding in the shadows is truly ruthless."

"Damn it, what Shimura Danzo? They're all in cahoots. First the envoy from the Land of Lightning, and now the branch family. This is clearly the Hokage's faction using this opportunity to put pressure on our Hyuga clan."

"A warning? What kind of warning is this? Do you know that if we had been even slightly careless and discovered this before the branch family evacuated, the Hyuga clan's territory would be in ruins right now, this place would be a battlefield!"

"Shimura Danzo! Sarutobi Hiruzen! The Konoha higher-ups are ruthless! They actually interfered in our clan's internal affairs, damn them!"

"What is this?! This is the split Hyuga clan! How dare Sarutobi and Danzo!"

The usually well-mannered elders of the clan were now roaring with conflicted expressions, clearly wanting nothing more than to kill these two filthy bastards.

That's fucking ruthless! Only Danzo of Root could pull off such a tactic, and Sarutobi too. Nobody else can do that. With a single move to break the Caged Bird Technique, he split the Hyuga clan, the second most powerful clan in Konoha, in two without firing a single shot. He could even have brought the Hyuga clan to the brink of extinction if he hadn't been careful.

Hiashi Hyuga secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the hatred being diverted. Fortunately, he and Hizashi had discussed it and tried their best to avoid an internal war within the Hyuga clan. Just when the Hokage's faction wanted to put them in a bad light, wasn't this a perfect scapegoat delivered to their doorstep?

"Gentlemen!"

Hiashi Hyuga's gloomy gaze swept over the crowd, immediately drawing everyone's attention. He suppressed his anger and roared, "The Hyuga clan has suffered such a terrible fate under my watch! I, Hiashi Hyuga, am undeniably responsible. But now the Hyuga clan faces a life-or-death crisis. I, Hiashi, am willing to commit seppuku before the ancestral tablets as atonement, but this is a matter of dividing the family!"

"Now that the entire Hyuga branch family has assembled at the Seventh Division office building of the police department, I am willing to lead the main family's elite forces directly to the police department. The branch family members are in disarray and will surely be most relaxed in their vigilance at this time. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we will surely be able to wipe out these traitors in one fell swoop!"

Good heavens, this is all set up so it's ready for slaughter! At this moment, Hiashi Hyuga looks furious, as if he's about to mobilize everyone to join the battle.

"No!"

Seeing that Hyuga Hiashi was about to perish together with his enemies, some of the elders panicked. Damn it, this was clearly a treacherous scheme by the Hokage's higher-ups. If they started a civil war, wouldn't that be playing right into their hands?

"Hiashi, you mustn't act impulsively!"

"Exactly, you brazenly stormed into the police department. Yes, you're right, the branch family members are in a chaotic mess with their families, but what about the police department? That's Uchiha territory, not to mention the Root members are there too! If a war breaks out, it's like throwing an egg against a rock."

After an elder considered a possibility, he panicked and hurriedly spoke out the terrifying thing that had been on his mind. As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the people around him changed drastically.

The branch family alone is enough to give them a run for their money, not to mention the police department. The Uchiha clan is no pushover; even if you add the branch family to the main family, they might not be able to handle them.

Besides, they have people with them, Root! That's the darkest organization in Konoha.

"Chieftain, don't act rashly! This is a treacherous plot by the enemy. You must not act impulsively."

"That's right, Hiashi, you are the only hope of the Hyuga clan now. If something happens to you, there will be no one in the Hyuga main family who can take on the responsibility."

"How can you, as the head of the family, so easily resort to force! Do you know that once we go to war with the branch family, will the Root, the Police Department, and the branch family, which already hates us, let it go? It's not that we're afraid, but once war breaks out, only one of the main family and the branch family can survive."

"Hiashi, shut up! How could you be so impulsive? Do you want the honor of the Hyuga clan to perish in your hands?"

Each shout was a declaration of their unwillingness to start a war. Hiashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his face still betrayed his resentment.

"Elders! Shimura Danzo has gone too far! The Hokage has gone too far!"

Goodness, that was a professional-level transfer of hatred. Sure enough, everyone who heard Hiashi's frustrated and resentful shouts immediately showed their anger.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, what a brilliant move! He split our Hyuga clan into two factions without firing a single shot. Well done! No wonder he's the longest-reigning Hokage, and no wonder he developed the Sarutobi clan into the third largest clan in Konoha. I admire him!"

One of the elders spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with a hatred that seemed to run deep in his bones.

"What are you trying to say? Do you think you can go looking for Hiruzen Sarutobi? That old fox has probably already found someone, otherwise why would someone from the branch family be flying the Root's banner?"

"Shimura Danzo! Well done! Hiruzen Sarutobi plays the good cop, Shimura Danzo plays the bad cop, and then there's Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu mediating. They really know how to play their tricks well."

"I was wondering why that old scoundrel Sarutobi was so kind three days ago. We thought a little warning would be enough, so we just let it go. But we never expected his ambition to be so great. He really wants to crush the Hyuga clan in one fell swoop."

"Damn it, even if we go and settle scores with Hiruzen Sarutobi, in the end we'll just have Danzo Shimura take the blame."

The Hyuga clan has now completely focused their hatred on the Hokage's higher-ups. It just so happens that three days ago, Sarutobi came to give them a warning, saying before leaving that he would delay for a few days, which was clearly meant to make them lower their guard.

"Hiashi! We absolutely cannot start a war with the branch family at this time!" The eldest elder, barely suppressing his anger, gritted his teeth and said, "Go! Go now and unite with the major clans to ask them why the Hokage's higher-ups are interfering in the clans' affairs. We must work together to force Sarutobi to give an explanation."

The elder's heart was bleeding when he said those words. This betrayal by the branch family had completely broken the backbone of his Hyuga clan.

Their most prized century-old heritage is now on the verge of collapse, and the situation could worsen if they are not careful.

"Elder!" Hiashi Hyuga feigned a frustrated expression, but the Elder, seeing this, became even more furious and said, "Hiashi! You are the clan leader! At this time, you should consider the clan's interests. Do you really want to start a war and lead the Hyuga clan to its destruction?"

"What's more!" The most prestigious elder of the Hyuga clan looked around at everyone and gritted his teeth, saying, "I hate it! But even if the branch family has many faults, we are still family, bound by blood. Are we going to do something that hurts our relatives and pleases our enemies?"

"If we start a war with the branch family now, the police department, Root, and everyone in Konoha will be watching the spectacle. Then, the Hyuga clan of Konoha will decline in the face of this upheaval, becoming a minor, insignificant clan, or even extinct!"

As the elder described it in his hoarse voice, everyone seemed to be infected by the atmosphere and showed sadness. Their Hyuga clan had not declined in the war, but had been plotted against and declined within their own village.

"Ah, clan leader, the elder is right. No matter how much resentment the main family and the branch family have, they are still of the same blood. Once war breaks out, it will only lead to the decline of the Hyuga clan."

As the elder explained, everyone came to terms with reality. It wasn't that they didn't want to deal with the branch family, but rather that they couldn't afford the consequences if war broke out.

Hiashi Hyuga glanced around at everyone, suppressing his anger and gritting his teeth as he said, "The Grand Elder is right, our main family's enemy isn't the branch family, but Danzo! We must ask the Hokage what he's up to! How dare Root interfere with the Hyuga clan!"

With the conflict shifting, the Hyuga clan members all revealed their anger. This was clearly a premeditated rebellion by a branch family, and they absolutely could not let go of those who had destroyed the century-old heritage of their Hyuga clan.

(End of this chapter)