Chapter 164: When the Sheep Grows Up, It Plucks Its Own Wool

Hiashi understood that the branch family harbored resentment. If not for the Caged Bird Seal, who knows how many people in the world would be coveting those eyes? How many would want them dead? While the cursed seal had many flaws, its effectiveness was undeniable. The clan's long-lasting survival and stability were, to a great extent, tied to the Caged Bird Seal. And yet... To those of the branch family... Sl**e— That word cut far too deep. He was curious—how did Hizashi see all of this? But it was a question far too difficult to voice. To the branch family, the head of the main family, someone who held power over life and death, was not someone you could speak freely to. A single misstep in speech could bring fatal consequences. Except for outliers like Mukai, who placed no value on his own life... Who else would dare speak the truth to him? Impossible. Hiashi let out a heavy sigh, unable to conceal the helplessness in his heart. … “Mukai, what kind of man do you think Hiashi-sama is?” Kohinata Mukai had just stepped out of the Hyuga compound. He turned to glance at the vast Hyuga estate behind him, a hint of confusion in his gaze. In his eyes, Hiashi was someone who could forsake familial bonds for the sake of the clan—just look at how he treated his own twin brother. If their positions were reversed, Mukai believed Hiashi wouldn’t have hesitated to eliminate any unexpected threat born of hatred toward the main family. And yet… Hiashi let him go. That… he couldn’t understand. “Hiashi-senpai… I suppose many things in this world come with two faces. He's no different. As an elder brother, he wished to spare Hizashi's children the torment of the Caged Bird. But as the clan head of the Hyuga main family, he had to consider the well-being of the entire clan.” Kyoichi sighed softly. Hiashi was still in his twenties. Hinata and Neji hadn’t even been born yet. His wariness toward Hizashi was not so deep, and he still held considerable affection for his brother. He hoped to find a path that could satisfy both duty and sentiment. But… Once Hiashi became a father, things might change. His love for Hizashi was real—but the love for his own children and for the clan ran even deeper. That’s human nature. Complex and impossible to define in a few simple words. Mukai remained silent. “Do your best. Even if your descendants never awaken the Byakugan, at least you’ll be able to use your own eyes freely now.” Kyoichi patted him on the shoulder. It was getting late. He was about to head home, but seeing Mukai still dazed, he paused to think, then said, “Why don’t I take you out for a meal? Consider it a celebration of your rebirth.” “Rebirth? Hah! Kyoichi-sama, it should be me treating you to dinner!” “All the same. I just closed a big deal—I’m not short on cash these days.” Kyoichi grinned. The compensation from Onoki’s side was already being prepared. They planned to deliver it during the Chunin Exams, and would take their two captured shinobi back at the same time. Once that was settled, Kyoichi would not only receive a payout from Onoki’s side, but also the mission rewards from Konoha. All in all, he’d be making tens of millions. It wasn’t enough to rival the great, wealthy clans, but it was more than enough for a comfortable life. Later, over dinner… Mukai sat at the table, tears streaming down his face. “Sensei… this is the best meal I’ve ever had.” And it was… Just a simple barbecue. … That night… The Uchiha clan also received the same invitation letter. It briefly outlined the purpose of the research institute. Uchiha Fugaku stared at the letter for a long while. Eventually… He decided to hold a meeting. After much deliberation, he chose not to invite the clan elders, but instead summoned key figures from the Police Force—including Uchiha Shisui. As Kyoichi’s disciple, Shisui would likely know more about the plan than anyone else present. Everyone gathered. Fugaku said nothing at first, simply handed out the letters one by one. As Shisui finished reading, he quietly observed the mood in the room. Present were elite members of the Police Force: Yadai, Inabi, and an Uchiha named Yakumi. And, of course, himself. Then Fugaku spoke. “Shisui, this research institute plan—if I’m not mistaken, it’s Kanda Kyoichi’s idea. He’s your teacher. How much do you know about it?” “Clan Head, to be honest… not much. I’ve been stationed in the village ever since returning from the Land of Grass, and haven’t had many chances to speak with my teacher.” “But from what I do know, he always considers multiple outcomes before taking action. If the research institute is his plan, then I don’t think we can stop it.” Shisui answered truthfully. Fugaku was silent for a moment, then looked at the others. “Clan Head, this institute… if we can find a way for the Uchiha to be involved, then perhaps we should support it. Shisui has a point.” Yadai voiced his support. In truth… Everyone could tell Fugaku was already leaning toward supporting it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gathered only this group. After some thought, Yakumi asked, “Then what’s your opinion, Clan Head?” “I’m inclined to support it, but… I’m still unsure about the part you mentioned—should the Uchiha actually participate?” Fugaku was candid. “Of course we should! This is an opportunity!” Yakumi spoke without hesitation. However… The others fell silent. It was clear not everyone agreed. Shisui exchanged glances with Inabi. After a moment’s hesitation, Inabi stepped forward. “Clan Head, I think we shouldn’t.” “Oh?” Fugaku raised a brow in surprise. He had expected Inabi to be in favor—after all, the young man had always been aggressive in his stance. “This research institute may be an opportunity, yes—but not our opportunity. Its creator is Kanda Kyoichi. Do you really think he hasn’t planned things carefully?” Inabi continued, “The Uchiha don’t need to rely on this kind of move to prove ourselves. The less we do, the fewer mistakes we make. In fact, I propose we relinquish control of the Police Force as well!” “Inabi, do you realize what you’re saying?!” Yakumi snapped, visibly angry. Yadai glanced at Shisui, quickly realizing—this was probably his idea. “Explain.” Fugaku frowned. “The Police Force, far from being a symbol of honor, is more like a trap set by the Second Hokage. He granted us great power, but also pushed us outside the heart of the village.” “We’re the ‘bad guys’ in the eyes of the civilians. How could we ever become Hokage like this?” “If we keep following his path, the Uchiha will never have a chance to clear our name.” Inabi’s voice grew passionate. Sёarch* The Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These thoughts had emerged from discussions with Shisui and Tekka. The Police Force was granted by Tobirama Senju. And anything given by Tobirama… Couldn’t possibly be a good thing. That was the core idea. Without context, it might seem absurd—but in light of Tobirama’s actions and attitudes, they all believed his intentions had been far from pure. Shisui hadn’t originally planned to bring this up yet. But tonight… Fugaku had given them the perfect opportunity. Inabi’s words sent Fugaku into deep thought. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered the possibility, but holding onto the Police Force was at least a way to preserve the Uchiha clan’s authority. If they gave that up... What would the Uchiha have left? Just a piece of land? He hesitated. “We’ll revisit this matter later. As for the research institute, let’s support it.” “Yes, sir!” Shisui sighed inwardly, feeling anxious on Fugaku’s behalf. The clan head was too hesitant! Fugaku’s intelligence was beyond doubt, but his indecisive nature could really make one’s blood pressure skyrocket. He lacked the decisiveness a clan leader should have. Revisit it? As if chances like this come so easily. With Kyoichi bringing up the research institute, it was the perfect opportunity to relinquish control over the Police Force under reasons like “expansion” or “insufficient capability.” If they missed this window, it wouldn’t come again. But... He was just a genin. Even with the Sharingan revealed, it only gave him a bit of value—far from enough to sway Fugaku’s decisions. And as for Yadai... Even though Inabi claimed to have swayed Yadai, it was obvious he leaned toward Fugaku’s side. Sigh... Shisui stepped out, sighing softly as he made his way home. But that night... Two figures silently entered his house. --- The next day... The special prep class resumed as scheduled—though this time, it was filled with even younger students. Which meant even less to worry about. Kyoichi paused his Shadow Clone research and sent a clone to teach in his place while he waited in Tsunade’s office. Today’s agenda was the research institute. The time was drawing near. Representatives from each clan began to arrive one by one. The war had just ended, so most clan leaders were still in the village and attended in person—including Hyuga Hiashi, who had already made his stance clear. On the jonin side, the civilian representatives were Minato Namikaze and Shirakumo Hayama. The Hokage was still the Third—Hiruzen Sarutobi—with Tsunade seated one spot below him. Kyoichi, by contrast, was much farther down—after all, the attendees here held no small amount of influence. “I’ve gathered everyone today for two things,” said the Third. “First, to inform you that I intend to step down after the Chūnin Exams. Second, to discuss the research institute and the Green Sprout Project.” “Let’s begin. Share your thoughts.” “The Hyuga clan supports the research institute proposal,” Hiashi said, rising to his feet. “Our only request is that both the village and the institute respect our clan’s interests. That’s all.” He sat back down as quickly as he had stood. The Hyuga were the first to take a stand. Many clans didn’t expect that—such as... The Shimura clan. The official clan head of the Shimura wasn’t Danzo, so naturally, he wasn’t the one attending. But everyone knew who held the real power behind the scenes. Soon, the second speaker stood up. “The Uchiha clan supports the research institute and the Green Sprout Project. Also, years of war have heavily depleted our numbers. Once the institute is established, a great deal of manpower will be needed to ensure its security. We respectfully request the Hokage to consider expanding the Police Force.” “...!!” Shimura Kōhei, the clan head, felt his heart sink. This... Was definitely not part of Danzo’s plan! Even the Third Hokage was stunned for a few seconds. Not even he had expected this move from Fugaku. “Expanding” the Police Force sounded nice on the surface. But in reality, it meant relinquishing Uchiha’s sole control over it and allowing the village to assign personnel as it pleased. The Third pondered for a moment before responding, “The Police Department is of critical importance. I will consider your suggestion carefully. We can discuss this further shortly.” “Understood. I have no other comments.” Fugaku sat down and closed his eyes, as if at ease. Hiashi glanced across the room in surprise. He hadn’t expected the ever-hesitant Fugaku to make such a decisive move. Giving up control of the Police Force... That was bold! He’d bet good money that the elders of the Uchiha clan had no idea this was coming. A risky gambit. But... If it worked, it would be a brilliant move! He couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration. As for Kyoichi, he wasn’t surprised in the slightest. That morning, he’d mysteriously received a new reward—“Uchiha-Style Kenjutsu.” He hadn’t been sure why, but now it was clear—it was tied to this decision. The sheep had grown up—and now it was plucking its own wool!