Hinatsuki Hyuga was unfortunate enough to suffer from this disease, having been frail and prone to illness since childhood.
"Lord Hiashi, I will take Hinatsuki down to rest first."
Hyuga Ginka seized the opportunity and offered to escort Hinatsuki Hyuga away. Hinatsuki was Hiashi's newly wedded wife. Because she was so frail and weak, the couple had yet to conceive a child. Ginka even secretly wondered if Hinatsuki would survive childbirth if she ever became pregnant, as it seemed as though the two had not even consummated their marriage yet.
Of course, Ginka did not dare speak such thoughts aloud.
"Go then," Hiashi Hyuga nodded. Since it concerned Hinatsuki, it naturally took priority.
Once Hyuga Ginka had supported Hinatsuki Hyuga out of the room, Hiashi turned his gaze toward Hizashi Hyuga and spoke. "Hizashi, you are among the strongest ninjas in the branch family. During this mission, you must carry out your duties perfectly."
Hiashi looked at his twin brother. Not only did the two look identical, but their strength was also nearly equal; Hiashi held a slight upper hand, but not by much.
"...Yes, Lord Clan Head," Hizashi Hyuga replied expressionlessly.
Hiashi knew his younger brother still harbored resentment toward him as a member of the head family, but he didn't care. With the [Caged Bird Cursed Seal] in place, it was impossible for Hizashi to cause any significant trouble. As long as they didn't act against the interests of the head family, Hiashi didn't want to micromanage his brother. In his heart of hearts, he still felt a sliver of guilt regarding the situation.
…
"This shop is really something," Kurenai said with a smile to Kiyoshi, using a napkin to wipe her mouth. No wonder Kiyoshi always came to this place.
"The taste is just a bit unique, a bit different from the traditional style of the Land of Fire," Asuma Sarutobi added, stuffing another piece into his mouth. He didn't stop eating until he was so full he couldn't take another bite.
"It is quite good."
Kiyoshi gave a slight, subtle jolt under the table, handed Samui a drink that had come with the takeout, and set down his chopsticks.
The four people in the room could be said to have achieved complete satiation. The bonds of the Minato Team had increased, and the friendship between the Uchiha and the Hidden Cloud had been "authenticated."
"Guests, would you like to settle the bill?"
Atsui, standing outside the door, had faintly heard mention of the bill. He pushed the door open and entered the private room. He scanned the area but didn't see his sister anywhere. He remembered she hadn't left after coming in; had he miscounted?
"Yes," Kiyoshi nodded, producing a coin purse.
Putting his questions aside, Atsui approached, tallied the items on the table, and stated the total. Kiyoshi paid the amount promptly. Since war was imminent, he would soon have the chance to make another fortune. Enemy heads, ninja tools, equipment, and cash found on bodies were all sources of income.
"Thank you."
Atsui took the money, which consisted of large bills, and began to count out change for Kiyoshi.
While the Minato Team ate sushi, Samui, hidden below, had been eating the takeout. Hearing her brother's voice, her heart leaped into her throat. Disregarding how much was left, she could only use the drink to help swallow the remaining food quickly.
Kiyoshi took his change, picked up the scroll from under the table, and walked out with the other two.
"My brother has something for me, I'm heading out first," Asuma Sarutobi waved goodbye.
If it weren't for his older brother looking for him—likely because the new chakra blades he wanted, forged entirely from chakra metal, were finished—he wouldn't have left Kurenai early, leaving only her and Kiyoshi together.
"Kiyoshi, if war really starts, you have to be careful," Kurenai said, her eyes fixed on him.
During the meal, Asuma had shared some information leaked by the old man. As the son of the Hokage, his information was naturally much more accurate than the average person's. He told them that this news would spread within a few hours and was hardly a secret anymore, but knowing early allowed for more time to prepare.
"Don't worry. When I return from this mission, I'll continue teaching you Genjutsu," Kiyoshi said with a faint smile.
Kurenai nodded seriously. The two continued until they reached a fork in the road and went their separate ways.
…
"They're finally gone."
Samui stealthily left the private room to rinse her mouth.
"Sister, where did you disappear to just now?"
The voice coming from behind gave Samui a massive fright. Her body stiffened slightly as she turned around, forcing a smile. "It was nothing. Have you finished your schoolwork for the Ninja Academy?"
"Finished!"
At the mention of this, Atsui began to describe his excellent performance at school with high spirits. Few of those Leaf students had a physique like his. He was always among the top in the training laps. Furthermore, he already knew much of the theoretical knowledge since the village had trained him beforehand.
Samui listened until Atsui finished his chatter and left. She leaned her body against the cold wall, letting out a sigh.
If... if Kiyoshi Uchiha made even more excessive demands, what should she do? Samui felt a wave of weakness at the thought. At the very least, she had to preserve her purity.
…
Uchiha Settlement, beneath the Naka Shrine.
The light in the secret room was dim, with only a few braziers providing illumination. The flickering orange flames seemed to stab into the thick darkness, casting a faint glow on the faces of the clansmen. Their expressions ranged from fanatical to uneasy. Some ninjas close to Fugaku already knew of the rumors, and their faces were solemn.
Once enough people had arrived, Fugaku Uchiha stood at the front and announced in a deep voice, "Everyone, be quiet."
As Fugaku's voice fell, the originally noisy secret room instantly became silent.
"War has broken out. The Third has ordered me to lead a group to execute a mission. The departure is tomorrow afternoon."
Kiyoshi sat quietly in the middle section, listening to Fugaku inform the clan that war had arrived. Since he was now a Chunin, his seating position had naturally moved up.
However, he could hear Obito's voice from the back, talking to another dead-last named Kaigen Uchiha. Both were Genin, so they sat at the very rear. Kaigen was particularly talentless and lacked presence in *Itachi Shinden*, eventually being replaced by Danzo and becoming a mole embedded in the Uchiha clan.
There were a few such individuals in the clan, but those were developments following the Nine-Tails Incident. Currently, without the Nine-Tails Incident having occurred, the gap of suspicion between the Uchiha and the Leaf did not yet exist. Only after that event would Hiruzen Sarutobi completely default to Danzo Shimura's attitude toward the Uchiha. For now, Danzo was still acting in the shadows, and there were very few monitors in the village.
"War has broken out again?"
"Didn't the last one just end not too long ago?"
"I'm afraid many people will die this time too..."
Some of the veteran ninjas who had participated in the previous war had faces clouded with the shadows of conflict. Having experienced the brutality of war, none of them wanted to keep fighting.
"The glory of our Uchiha can once again be renowned throughout the ninja world!" Uchiha Yashiro raised his hand, his expression fanatical.
"After this, our clan's power will surely be even more feared."
"The Third is getting very old. A ninja who can accumulate great prestige in this war might very well become a candidate for Hokage!"
***
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