Chapter 17 - Hiashi, Are You Willing to Be a Dog?
"But if this fails, all our previous efforts will be wasted. He's pushing the Uchiha and Konoha to the point of no return!"
Although Itachi had gained some respect for Renji after their last conversation, he still couldn't fully agree with Renji's approach.
At the very least, he believed the Uchiha shouldn't be pushed into complete opposition with Konoha.
Everyone in Konoha now knew that Renji intended to reclaim the Uchiha's former territory in the heart of the village. However, that land had already been divided among other clans.
Moreover, rumors had spread that the council had agreed to return the land—but only if the Ino-Shika-Chō and the Hyūga clans returned their portions first.
The Hyūga would never give up their land, so the entire village was waiting to see who would be made a fool.
Most people were waiting for the Uchiha to fail. With the council's manipulation of public opinion and the Uchiha's inherent arrogance, many hoped to see them stumble.
"Do you have a better idea? In the past, no matter how hard we tried, the clan never accepted our efforts."
Shisui had finally realized that no matter what he did, the clan saw him as a traitor. They never accepted his efforts.
But Renji's current suicidal approach, if it failed, would drag the entire clan down with him.
Yet, the clan seemed to embrace this. Clearly, they had been suppressed for too long and couldn't follow the path Itachi had envisioned.
If they could... they wouldn't be the Uchiha.
"Let's see what Renji does. Don't forget, he's the clan leader now."
Shisui's eyes flickered, and he decided to suppress his own thoughts for now.
The Kotoamatsukami, his ultimate genjutsu, was a last resort. He believed it could change the Uchiha's fate, but using it on Renji now would be pointless.
The news had already spread throughout Konoha. Forcing Renji to back down would only make the Uchiha a laughingstock. So, he couldn't stop Renji. In fact, to prevent the Uchiha from becoming a joke, he might even have to use his Kotoamatsukami?
Unlike Itachi, Shisui was compassionate but not extreme. He didn't want the Uchiha to fall apart.
"Then let's wait and see."
Itachi had no other options. He could only watch and see how Renji handled things.
Meanwhile, in the Hyūga clan.
After learning about the situation, the main family held a meeting. Hiashi Hyūga was surrounded by elders, some calm, some agitated, and others eager to see the Uchiha humiliated.
How could they even think of asking the Hyūga to return the land? It was impossible!
"Hiashi, you know what to do, right?"
The elders pressed Hiashi for an answer.
"I know, but this land seems rather useless to us, doesn't it?"
"Even if it's useless, we can't just give it back to the Uchiha!"
An elder with a long beard exclaimed. They didn't need the land, but they wouldn't give it to the Uchiha just because they asked.
The Hyūga had always been located in this area, and after the Nine-Tails attack, they naturally remained here. Konoha had also given them some of the Uchiha's former land.
Seeing no reason to refuse, the Hyūga had taken it. However, since the land was on the outskirts of their territory, it had largely been left unused.
But that didn't mean they would return it to the Uchiha. The rivalry over who was the top dōjutsu clan had always been fierce.
"Of course, if they want the land, they'll have to admit that the Hyūga are the top dōjutsu clan!"
This was the perfect condition. If the Uchiha admitted it, they would be humiliated. Even if the Hyūga returned the land, they wouldn't lose face.
"Hiashi, what do you plan to do?"
The elders turned to Hiashi. As the clan leader, the final decision rested with him.
"We won't return it, and we don't need their acknowledgment. This land belongs to the Hyūga now. After all these years, just because they ask for it, should we give it back?"
Hiashi shook his head. He wouldn't agree to this demand. Although he knew the Hyūga were being used as pawns by Konoha's leaders, this was a matter of the Hyūga's pride. He wouldn't yield.
"Exactly! We absolutely won't give it back!"
Why would they need the Uchiha's acknowledgment?
If the Uchiha couldn't reclaim the land, that would prove their weakness.
The other elders agreed. No matter what, they wouldn't give up the land.
"Clan Leader, Uchiha Renji is here. Should we see him?"
A member of the Hyūga branch family rushed into the meeting room to report Renji's arrival.
"Don't see him. Just because that brat wants to meet us, should we agree?"
An elder with a white beard huffed, thinking it would be best to make Renji wait.
Since Renji was the one asking for a favor, leaving him outside would show him who was in charge. Given the Uchiha's current situation, Renji wouldn't dare offend the Hyūga.
"Sorry for intruding."
"How the hell did you get in!?"
Seeing Renji walk in from the corner, the Hyūga elders were shocked. The three tomoe in his eyes made them uneasy.
They quickly stood up, only to realize that all the Hyūga members had been placed under Renji's genjutsu.
What!?
His Sharingan was this powerful?
The Hyūga weren't known for their genjutsu, but they had their own methods to resist it. Yet, against Renji, they had all been subdued.
If Renji decided to attack, only a few in the Hyūga clan could stand against him.
Was this the power of the Sharingan?
But they had fought Uchiha before. Why was Renji's Sharingan different?
"I just walked in. Clan Leader Hiashi, care to have a chat?"
Renji made himself at home, sitting down and looking directly at Hiashi.
"Do you think this attitude will make the Hyūga cooperate with you?"
"Cooperate? Cooperation is about exchanging benefits. Since you planned to intimidate me, and I've countered it, why are you getting upset?"
Renji had anticipated that the Hyūga wouldn't let him in.
Since they wouldn't let him in, Renji simply used genjutsu to control them. After upgrading to the Mangekyō Sharingan, even the three-tomoe Sharingan's power had become far stronger than before.
"Renji, what exactly do you want?"
Hiashi Hyūga's face darkened as he stared at Renji. He was puzzled. Renji shouldn't be this reckless.
If he wanted to reclaim the land, angering Hiashi would only make things worse.
So why was Renji acting this way?
"Clan Leader Hiashi, as I said, we need to have a proper discussion about the land beneath our feet. I'm sure you've heard the rumors in Konoha, right?"
"This is now the Hyūga clan's land. There's no question of returning it. You should leave."
Hiashi made his stance clear.
Now that the land was in his hands, there was no way he would give it back to Renji.
If he did, Hiashi had no idea how the village would view the Hyūga. Would they think the Hyūga were afraid of the Uchiha?
"The Uchiha and Hyūga clans are now in a situation where if one falls, the other will follow. Yet, Clan Leader Hiashi, you still have the energy to feud with the Uchiha?"
Renji spoke, then turned to a controlled Hyūga branch member and said, "Go get me a cup of tea."
"Yes!"
Watching this scene, Hiashi's veins bulged, and his Byakugan activated, ready to strike Renji at any moment.
He couldn't stand Renji's nonchalant attitude. Was this the Uchiha clan or the Hyūga clan?
"What do you mean?"
Hiashi tried to stay calm. "Don't forget, it's not us who are being targeted—it's the Uchiha. Do you really want to make enemies of us too?"
"Of course, it's us who are being targeted now. But once we fall, who's next? The Hyūga clan has a group of ninja who only obey the main family and don't take orders from the village. Do you think Konoha is comfortable with your existence?"
Although in the original story, the Hyūga clan never faced major issues, Hiashi didn't know that. Renji could use this to intimidate him.
"Don't forget, when the Cloud ninja kidnapped your daughter, you killed one of their ninja. To appease the Cloud and avoid war, they were ready to hand you over. You were expendable. The current Konoha is a plaything for the council. Do you think they won't target you once we're gone? Think about Hizashi, who died for you!"
After speaking, Renji fell silent, giving Hiashi time to think.
No matter how much Renji said, it wouldn't be as effective as Hiashi coming to the realization himself. Besides, Renji wasn't wrong. Given what Konoha had done, he didn't believe Hiashi wouldn't hold a grudge.
Glancing at Hiashi, whose expression kept shifting, Renji calmly sipped his tea.
After a while, Hiashi looked up at Renji and asked, "What exactly do you want?"
He wasn't in a hurry to kick Renji out now. Could he not hate what had happened?
Neji still resented him, and did Hiashi really want to hand over Hizashi?
Back then, he couldn't understand why Konoha had compromised.
"I think we're not enemies. In fact, we could be allies. Once the Uchiha fall, the Hyūga will be next. Unless you're willing to be the Hokage's lapdogs like the Ino-Shika-Chō, I don't see that happening.
"Besides, don't forget that Danzō has always been recruiting members of other kekkei genkai clans into his Root. He once conducted experiments with Orochimaru on kekkei genkai. Aren't you afraid of your Byakugan falling into the wrong hands?"
If there was one clan in Konoha most afraid of their kekkei genkai being stolen, it was the Hyūga.
"What do we gain?"
Hiashi looked at Renji. He had an idea—a piece of land they didn't need in exchange for the Uchiha taking the brunt of the village's hostility. It didn't seem like a bad deal.
Hearing this, Renji smiled. It seemed things were falling into place.
From a god's perspective, the Hyūga clan would be fine in the future, but Hiashi didn't know that. He was worried Konoha might turn on them. There was precedent—sacrificing Hizashi to the Cloud Village was a clear example.
Now, Hiashi didn't dare to gamble. If Konoha could do this to the Uchiha, the Hyūga might be next.
In fact, after the Uchiha massacre, although Hiruzen and the others hadn't directly participated, the other clans in Konoha became much more subdued. Hiruzen's control over the village reached its peak.
"What you gain is the Uchiha clan taking the heat for you. You can only pray we don't fall, or you'll be next."
"Wouldn't Konoha be afraid of retaliation from other villages?"
One of the elders asked, unwilling to accept Renji's point, though he couldn't deny its validity.
But he believed Konoha wouldn't go that far.
After all, doing so would weaken Konoha's strength.
"Can't they just weaken you?"
"..."
"Clan Leader Hiashi, this land is useless to you. Returning it to us would also curb Hiruzen and Danzō's arrogance. Over the years, the Sarutobi and Shimura clans have taken so many resources that don't belong to them.
"And the Hokage has been in power for too long. Don't you think it's time for a fairer leader?"
He wants to replace the Hokage!?
Hiashi's head snapped up as he stared at Renji.
He understood now.
He finally understood what Renji was planning!
Renji wanted to overthrow Hiruzen. Everything he was doing now made sense.
But had Renji overlooked one thing?
"Do you have the strength for that?"
Hiashi activated his Byakugan, but in the next moment, Renji's three-tomoe Sharingan transformed into a sinister pattern, visible only to Hiashi. Seeing this, Hiashi was stunned, unable to speak.
(End of Chapter)
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