"It's not like that! But… why are you asking?" Hinata hadn't answered before Hanabi, her younger sister, looked at Ōtsutsuki Toneri curiously.
Such a strange person… and now he's asking how many peers they have in the Hyūga family?
This question was just absurd.
"It's nothing, just curious," Toneri said lightly. "Since your sister has arrived, Hinata, we'll see each other next time. Remember what I said." He shook his head slightly and smiled at Hinata.
Hanabi had already given him a lot of information.
Next, he just needed to pick a target—and some preparation would be required.
There was no need to openly clash with Konoha yet.
After all, it wouldn't bring any real benefits. Attacking Konoha without reason? Was he out of his mind?
"…." Hinata, hearing this, immediately recalled Toneri's earlier words. Her cheeks flushed again, and she hid behind her sister.
She thought about how she had almost blurted out the words "I will" just moments ago—and now, the memory alone made her feel faint from embarrassment.
This was far too unrestrained for her temperament.
Seeing this, Toneri smiled faintly. He nodded once at Hanabi and then turned, leaving with Ōtsutsuki Kyokusen.
"Hey, Sister Hinata, what did that person say to you just now?" Hanabi asked curiously, watching Hinata's flushed expression after Toneri left.
Judging by her sister's face and gaze, something must have happened between them while Hanabi wasn't around.
"N-nothing…" Hinata whispered, shaking her head lightly, her small hands clutching her clothing tightly.
She was far too shy to share what Toneri had said with Hanabi.
"Alright, then. Let's go—it's getting late," Hanabi said, pouting slightly, and nudged her sister along.
She understood Hinata too well. Her sister always kept her thoughts to herself, unwilling to share them with anyone else.
So Hanabi didn't press further, letting her curiosity go unsatisfied.
…
"Master, actually, Kyokusen thinks you could obtain a pair of Hyūga Byakugan to restore your sight," said Kyokusen, following Toneri closely.
She had long been bothered by the matter of Toneri's eyes. From her perspective, someone as outstanding as Toneri having no eyes was a grievous injustice—truly unfair in the eyes of heaven.
But seeing the two Hyūga girls today, an idea suddenly came to her.
If they could take a pair of Byakugan from the Hyūga family and transplant them to Toneri, wouldn't that restore their master's sight?
"Your thought aligns with mine, but there's no need to rush," Toneri said with a faint smile, his expression thoughtful.
Obtaining eyes was unquestionably necessary, but the process required careful planning.
Their current strength was not enough to crush Konoha outright. Even though Konoha was relatively weakened now, it still concealed a final trump card.
Eight Gates, Might Guy!
This was the very powerhouse who had nearly defeated the Six Paths Madara himself!
Moreover, even if Guy didn't open the Eight Gates, the young Ōtsutsuki Toneri and Kyokusen were still not Konoha's match.
Too many ants can kill an elephant—but in their eyes, Konoha's ninja were far more than just ants.
Danzo and the Third Hokage—compared to Toneri and Kyokusen—were already worthy rivals, possibly even superior in some respects.
But as soon as Toneri awakened the Rinnegan…
At the very least, he could dominate the ninja world. Awakening the Rinnegan would multiply his strength exponentially.
However, the Rinnegan could not be activated immediately after transplantation—it required time for the body to integrate the new bloodline.
It wouldn't take long—just over a day—but that was enough time for Konoha to organize a counterattack.
At that point, things could get very messy, and both of them might find themselves in serious trouble.
Later, the two returned to Kurenai's home. Upon entering, Toneri noticed Asuma was there, along with a kindly older man.
A white robe covered a red undergarment. His hair was silver, and he wore a white beard.
It was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Toneri, you're back?" Kurenai, who had been standing beside the Third, greeted him with a smile.
Asuma and Hiruzen both turned to look as well.
"Yo, Toneri! Looks like you had a good walk," Asuma joked lightly. They had already been waiting for over an hour…
In truth, Toneri hadn't been gone long. Asuma and Hiruzen had arrived shortly after him.
Hiruzen genuinely wanted to see these two children, whose skills Asuma had praised so highly. Their abilities intrigued him deeply.
"Asuma… this cloak… is this person… the Third Hokage?" Toneri asked, his expression calm and gentle, approaching the three and finally looking at the elderly Hiruzen.
It was somewhat unexpected—but in hindsight, entirely reasonable.
The Third Hokage appeared kind and approachable, yet he valued Konoha above all else.
Anyone who threatened Konoha would not be spared; anyone who could benefit Konoha would have his support.
END OF CHAPTER
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