Chapter 195:
Anko Mitarashi and Izumi Uchiha had parted ways. Walking home alone, Anko suddenly felt that her surroundings were too quiet. Not even a meow or a bark could be heard.
Her eyes immediately narrowed. She was familiar with this atmosphere.
Back when the Third Hokage sent several ANBU ninja to follow and investigate her, the silence around her felt exactly like this.
Anko stopped, standing in an empty alleyway, her body enveloped in the shadows of the night.
She addressed the empty air, "The investigation into me already finished, didn't it? It was clearly confirmed that I have no connection with Orochimaru, right?"
The moment she spoke.
Six figures emerged from the shadows. They were all Konoha ninja, each wearing a strange mask.
When Anko saw their masks and their attire, she froze for a moment.
"...Root?"
She realized these six people were not ANBU ninja.
They were ninja from Konoha's Root organization!
Anko realized something was wrong. When the Third Hokage sent people to watch her, he only sent ANBU. Why was the Root organization suddenly deployed this time? If she remembered correctly, Root had been taken over by Koharu Utatane, hadn't it?
"Anko Mitarashi." A Root ninja, clearly female, spoke in a mature voice: "As a Konoha ninja, you shouldn't conceal important information from the village. Elder Koharu is giving you one chance. I hope you take it."
Before Anko could say anything, the Root ninja pressed on, "What is the specific location of the rogue Konoha ninja, Orochimaru?"
Anko Mitarashi: "!!!"
How did Root know about Orochimaru? Did a Root ninja overhear her conversation with Ikeizumi Uchiha?
Anko Mitarashi was silent for two seconds before replying succinctly: "No comment."
She firmly believed that Ikeizumi Uchiha would definitely kill Orochimaru.
If she handed Orochimaru over to the Third Hokage or Konoha elders like Koharu Utatane...
They might deem Orochimaru useful and spare his life.
This
was something Anko Mitarashi absolutely could not accept.
"Anko Mitarashi! Do you know what you're saying?" A Root ninja stepped forward, sternly rebuking Anko: "How many resources and how much effort has Konoha spent to cultivate an excellent young ninja like you?"
"How much do Elder Koharu and the Hokage-sama value new generations like you? Are you completely ungrateful? Do you disregard their kindness?"
"Have you forgotten the Will of Fire you learned at the Academy?"
Anko frowned and said, "Of course, I haven't forgotten Konoha's kindness in raising me. That's why I'm making Konoha better in my own way. And I'm not an extremist like Itachi Uchiha; I won't massacre my entire clan. I will only punish the villains in the village in the name of [Absolute Justice]."
She paused, then continued, "You don't need to try to get any information about Orochimaru from me. If you really want information, you can ask Ikeizumi directly."
"If Ikeizumi wants to tell you the information, he won't hide it. If he's too bothered to tell you, it means you shouldn't know."
"But what if this old woman asks you herself?" A slightly aged voice echoed faintly from behind Anko Mitarashi.
Anko's pupils constricted. When she turned around, she saw Koharu Utatane, protected by two Root guards, slowly walking toward her.
Koharu Utatane stopped ten meters away from Anko.
The sense of distance and wariness was obvious to anyone.
Koharu Utatane's wrinkled face was serious. She spoke to Anko Mitarashi, "Anko, it was this old woman who persuaded Hiruzen to stop investigating you back then. You should be grateful and tell this old woman Orochimaru's information."
"Hmph "
Anko suddenly smiled: "What a grand spectacle. The ninja way I once believed in was swift and decisive, never backing down. Since I already said 'no comment,' it's naturally impossible for me to reveal anything."
Koharu Utatane sighed: "Konoha's elite young ninja are all being brainwashed by Ikeizumi Uchiha to this extent."
She looked directly at Anko Mitarashi and said, "If you were facing Danzō, you might be dead by now, your corpse used to extract information. But you are facing me. I am not as brutal and dark as he was. I won't cause you too much harm."
At these words, black snakes slowly began to slither out of Anko's sleeves.
She let out an eager, cruel smile, though the vigilance in her eyes did not diminish: "I won't be taken down that easily. Orochimaru may have altered some of my memories, but I haven't forgotten the skills I learned from him."
"Go. Try not to hurt her. Capture her alive and use genjutsu to interrogate her." Koharu Utatane stopped wasting time.
She felt she shouldn't talk much to people brainwashed by [Absolute Justice].
Since their conversation was fruitless.
They wouldn't listen to anything she said, and she didn't want to hear anything they said.
The moment Koharu Utatane's words fell.
The six Root ninja quickly surrounded Anko Mitarashi. They drew their ninja swords, but instead of using the blade, they turned the sword and struck at her with the blunt side.
Anko immediately launched her attack. The black snakes slithering out of her sleeves shot toward the Root ninja like arrows.
Taking advantage of the Root ninja's moment of distraction cutting down the snakes.
Anko bit her thumb and slammed her hand hard on the ground.
"Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!!!"
At Ichiraku Ramen in another part of Konoha.
The Hyūga Main House members maintained absolute silence. Hinata, in particular, put down her ramen bowl and adopted a rigid, attentive posture, her small face visibly tense.
Every customer who came and went caused them to stare intensely.
This made many customers visiting Ichiraku Ramen feel unnerved.
Theoretically.
The Hyūga Main House members' behavior should be affecting Ichiraku Ramen's business, and Ayame, the owner's daughter, should step forward to intervene.
But who could blame them when they were paying so much? That white-eyed girl they called "Young Mistress Hinata" alone had eaten over a dozen bowls of large, extra-topping ramen, nearly twenty bowls.
Suddenly.
Hinata Hyūga's eyes widened slightly. She involuntarily tightened her grip on Hanabi's hand, causing a pained expression on Hanabi's delicate little face. But remembering her older sister's instruction not to speak, she covered her mouth and endured it.
He's here!!!
Kenzō Hyūga, whose wallet was bleeding heavily, took a deep breath. His gaze fell upon the newcomer, but he dared not meet his eyes, only looking downward. He then stood up and said, "Lord Ikeizumi, the entire Hyūga Main House is here."
It was Ikeizumi Uchiha who had imprisoned most of the Hyūga Main House members in Konoha's prison, leading to their current predicament.
Yet, he still had to respectfully address him as 'Lord,' truly disgracing the Hyūga Main House.
If only I could be a little tougher...
"If Lord Ikeizumi has any instructions, the Hyūga Main House will certainly offer its assistance!" Kenzō Hyūga's inner thoughts and spoken words were completely different. He was terrified that a single slip-up would make him a great sinner of the Hyūga Main House, forever pinned to the clan's pillar of shame.
"The Main House will temporarily reside in the inn on Konoha's Fourth Street." Ikeizumi Uchiha didn't waste much time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point: "The rooms have been reserved for a whole year, funded by the Konoha Uchiha Military Police Force. Do not return to the Hyūga compound for now."
Ikeizumi Uchiha paused, then continued, "Tsunade, one of the Konoha Sannin, is also staying at that inn. I've already spoken with her, and she will look after you."
The Hyūga Main House members were stunned.
"Meow. 'Looking after' doesn't mean helping you with chores, or treating you like babies, and you won't get any special privileges, so don't misunderstand."
Kijiro helped clarify: "Lord Ikeizumi simply thinks that some members of the Hyūga Branch House aren't trustworthy. There's a chance that some extremist Branch House members might target the women and children of the Main House."
"Lord Ikeizumi is arranging this accommodation for you and assigning one of the Sannin, Tsunade, to deter those petty criminals, purely to prevent unnecessary tragedies."
Kenzō Hyūga's eyes widened a bit.
This...
This is why he called the Hyūga Main House here?
Truthfully.
Kenzō Hyūga also felt that the current Hyūga clan compound was not particularly safe. Especially in the last two days, he always felt that some Branch House ninja were looking at him strangely, sending chills down the spine of him, a Main House Special Jōnin.
Under the same roof, if the Branch House were to strike at the Main House, and the Main House dared not use the Caged Bird seal...
It would be too easy!
A little poison in their food, and the few remaining Hyūga Main House members could be completely wiped out!
Hiss!
Is Ikeizumi Uchiha actually looking out for the Hyūga Main House this time?
The Hyūga Main House members suddenly felt surreal. The day before, the man had "slaughtered" the Hyūga Main House; the next day, he showed them such concern. Wasn't that a little too contradictory?
"Meow." Kijiro seemed to read their thoughts and spoke in his usual peculiar tone: "Lord Ikeizumi does not judge people based on their faction or standing, but on their moral character. You've heard so many rumors about Lord Ikeizumi in Konoha, haven't you grasped this point yet?"
Kenzō Hyūga suddenly realized the truth.
In other words, they were the few "good people" remaining in the Main House.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
After a long pause.
Kenzō Hyūga bowed his head.
"Thank you!"
This symbolized the Hyūga Main House's agreement to Ikeizumi Uchiha's arrangement, as it would indeed make them safer.
......................
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