In front of Hiashi, he felt completely stripped bare, without a single secret left.
However, one thing became clear, Hiashi had clearly known these secrets for some time but had only revealed them now. This meant that neither of them had reached the point where they would mutually destroy each other.
This revelation slightly calmed him, elevating the perceived danger of Hiashi and the Hyuga Clan to the same level as the Uchiha Clan.
He no longer wanted to stay here, fearing that Hiashi might unearth more of his secrets.
As if nothing had happened, Danzo spoke.
"If Itachi didn't entrust you with the item, then I won't keep you any longer."
Now it was Hiashi who seemed displeased.
"Lord Danzo, are you simply going to let what happened here go? This seems rather disrespectful to my eyes and my position as Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan..."
Danzo's anger made his teeth grind.
"What do you want?"
"Not much. I've heard that you possess some cells from the First Hokage. I'm very interested in those. Could you spare some as compensation for today? Otherwise, I can't guarantee that rumors won't spread through the village."
Danzo was numb to the fact that Hiashi knew so many of his secrets, but he was powerless to do anything about it.
In terms of status, strength, and influence, Hiashi was his equal, and now he also held so many of his secrets.
"I understand. I'll have someone deliver some to you."
"Thank you, Lord Danzo. In that case, I'll take my leave now."
With those words, Hiashi vanished, leaving Danzo alone, his expression darkening...
"What a pleasant surprise!"
Hiashi was genuinely delighted. He had originally planned to approach Orochimaru to trade his Sharingan for Hashirama cells, but Danzo had conveniently delivered them himself.
His desire for Hashirama cells stemmed from a simple reason.
Although he possessed the Uzumaki Body and the chakra of the Nine-Tailed Beast's six tails, he still fell far short of Hashirama's Chakra Ton-level power. He couldn't afford to overlook the potential of Hashirama's cells.
However, he wouldn't risk a direct transplant. He had a safer method in mind.
He would transplant the Hashirama cells into Uchiha Mikoto. Once she assimilated their power, he would extract it from her.
It was crucial to remember that the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan inherently suppressed Hashirama cells. Moreover, he possessed a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan, which would further enhance this suppression.
If successful, he would not only obtain Hashirama's cells but also the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
This was definitely worth attempting.
Of course, risks existed, but Hiashi didn't care.
Even if the transplant failed on Uchiha Mikoto, he had a backup, Uchiha Izumi.
Although he could obtain Hashirama cells from Danzo, Hiashi decided to leave the village and seek out Orochimaru.
He believed in always having a backup plan.
Moreover, transplanting Hashirama cells was no easy feat. A single mistake could lead to failure.
Therefore, he needed more data and research to ensure the success of his experiment.
And when it came to expertise on Hashirama cells in the Ninja World, only Orochimaru was more knowledgeable.
After all, Orochimaru was the one who had modified Danzo's body.
However, Hiashi wasn't in a hurry. First, he hadn't secured the Hashirama cells from Danzo yet. Second, he was waiting for an opportunity to make his bargaining chip even more valuable.
Still, compared to a fool like Danzo, Orochimaru was a far more formidable opponent. To ensure a smooth transaction, Hiashi needed to prepare multiple contingencies.
As he made his way back, Hiashi suddenly noticed two figures chasing each other across distant rooftops.
…
Iruka was furious.
"This is completely unacceptable!"
He had been summoned by the Lord Hokage's Anbu to be informed of Naruto's audacious act. When he rushed to the classroom, he found that Naruto, who had been standing in the hallway as punishment, had vanished and caused a major commotion.
He immediately abandoned his class to catch Naruto.
On the rooftop, Iruka roared at Naruto, spittle flying everywhere, his hair seemingly standing on end with fury.
"Naruto, you idiot! How dare you deface the Hokage Rock! Do you have any idea what that place represents?"
Though still young, Naruto already displayed hints of the mischievous troublemaker he would become. He nonchalantly wiped his nose and retorted, "It's just a bunch of rocks."
"Rocks?!?!"
Iruka felt his lungs about to explode from fury. "Those are the statues of the Hokage—the most revered leaders in the history of our village! You imbecile... I'm going to punish you severely today..."
Despite his words, the look in Iruka's eyes held more disappointment than anger.
Watching this scene, Hiashi found it rather amusing, but he made no move to approach. It wasn't that he feared drawing the attention of the Anbu and Root agents secretly monitoring Naruto.
His true fear lay elsewhere—the Sage of the Six Paths, the mastermind behind everything in the Ninja World.
He wasn't yet in a position to challenge such a figure.
For now, I'll withdraw. This isn't the right time...
Although Hizashi served as the perfect tool, allowing Hiashi to escape most of the Hyuga Clan's busy family affairs, he could not remain hidden when facing such a major event as the Uchiha Clan's downfall.
As the Clan Head, his presence was absolutely essential.
…
The Hyuga Clan's main building was a wooden tower, nearly the size of one and a half basketball courts and three stories high.
Its function was similar to the Hokage Tower, representing the central seat of power for the Hyuga Clan.
The first floor was vast and empty, once used for large clan gatherings.
The second floor housed the archives, containing records of the Hyuga Clan's history, files on most of its ninja members, and compilations of secret techniques and ninjutsu collected over the years.
The third floor was where the Clan Head and confidential staff worked.
In the massive, empty room on the third floor, nearly a hundred high-ranking members of the Hyuga Clan sat in a semicircular formation. At the very center, occupying the most prominent position, was Hiashi Hyuga himself, the Clan Head.
He was currently recounting the day's achievements to his clan members.
"More or less, this is the outcome of today's discussions regarding the Uchiha Clan."
As his voice trailed off, Hiashi glanced around at his clan members. Most were visibly excited, their eyes burning with fervor.
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