"You've secretly been connected to Konoha all along?"
Kisame frowned.
"Of course..."
"Because I saw Kirigakure's true nature long ago. If you had two relatives who were Konoha Council Members explaining all your doubts to you, would you still be blindly loyal to Kirigakure?"
Nakamaro replied matter-of-factly.
Kisame fell silent for a moment before shaking his head.
He wouldn't.
He was honest, but he wasn't stupid.
Kirigakure didn't even treat him like a human being. Why should he remain loyal to the Third Mizukage and Genji?
"If you're not defecting, then what exactly do you want to do?" Kisame asked again.
"I want every Kirigakure shinobi to live the same kind of life Konoha's shinobi do."
Nakamaro's eyes lit up, blazing with ambition and ideals.
"I can run away myself, sure. But what about everyone else?"
"And besides..."
"If we simply join Konoha, then even though we're fairly strong, Konoha's shinobi earned those benefits through generations of sacrifice. They paid for that system in blood."
"We didn't."
"If we're going to do something, then let's do something big! We're still young—we should have ambition!"
Kisame immediately perked up.
"Keep talking!"
"Kisame, do you know why the Bloody Mist is so terrifying?"
"Because it's organized violence oppressing individuals. The Bloody Mist's policy of collective punishment leaves everyone living in fear."
"And the village's culture of glorifying violence means that, in such an extreme environment, trust between people completely breaks down."
"Once trust disappears, people can be isolated and crushed one by one."
Nakamaro continued reciting the lessons Tenzō had taught him: "But we're different..."
"You and I shared the experience of living together in Konoha. There's also Terumī Mei and Snow. If the four of us build an alliance on that foundation of trust, it'll be enough to withstand the storms of the Bloody Mist."
Nakamaro had no intention of openly challenging the Third Mizukage.
What he wanted was to create a secret alliance within Kirigakure—one so tight that no needle could pierce it and no water could seep through.
"After all, the Kaguya Clan controls the Internal Affairs Department. On the surface, we're currently the most powerful shinobi clan in Kirigakure. Add in the Ice Release clan, Terumī Mei's family connections, and you as a reserve candidate for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen..."
"As long as we stand together, we'll have enough authority and resources under the Third Mizukage's rule to save a number of people and bring them into our organization."
Kisame frowned.
"It's a good idea, but even though the Third Mizukage is brutal, he won't fail to notice something like this..."
"I'll give him a token of loyalty."
A cold smile appeared on Nakamaro's face.
"You know as well as I do that some members of the Kaguya Clan were born with brains completely rotted by their thirst for battle. The authority they've gained through the Internal Affairs Department has blinded them. Some have even begun harboring ambitions of ruling Kirigakure themselves..."
"Those clan members are beyond saving. They can't be reformed."
"I'll encourage them to rebel, then personally kill them and report everything to the Third Mizukage afterward."
"That will prove my absolute loyalty to him!"
Kisame stared at Nakamaro in shock.
Wasn't that still killing his own people?
But after thinking it over, he realized the situation was different.
The Kaguya Clan truly was a special case.
There was a small group of Kaguya clan members who were so absurdly aggressive that they barely seemed human. They didn't enjoy the thrill of battle itself—they simply loved destruction and slaughter.
There was no fixing them.
Rather than letting them disrupt Nakamaro's plans, it was better to make use of them and deceive the Third Mizukage in the process...
"You..."
"Did Council Member Tenzō teach you that too?" Kisame couldn't help asking.
"No. I came up with that myself."
Nakamaro smiled proudly.
"Great-Uncle Tenzō is too kind. The methods he proposed would take too long to show results."
"I need to combine his wisdom with the realities of Kirigakure and the Kaguya Clan."
Kisame pondered the idea for a long time and found it increasingly convincing.
With Nakamaro at the center, sacrificing a portion of the Kaguya Clan as political capital while leveraging the influence of the Ice Release clan, the Kaguya Clan, Terumī Mei's family, and his own strength, they could become trusted confidants of the Third Mizukage and save innocent comrades along the way...
That was clearly more meaningful than simply defecting.
"What happens after that? We can't just keep muddling through forever. Kirigakure has to change!" Kisame said gravely.
"Given the way the Third Mizukage and Genji are operating, internal pressure within Kirigakure will only continue to grow. Within two years, they'll definitely try to ease those tensions through an external war."
Nakamaro spoke slowly.
"Their current narrative is that the Bloody Mist produces stronger shinobi."
"To prove that claim, they'll need a war."
"Do you think Kirigakure can defeat Konoha?"
Kisame instinctively shook his head.
Just Seisui and Minato alone were enough to overwhelm Kirigakure's younger generation.
And that wasn't even counting the shinobi from other age groups.
Thinking about it, even Nakamaro felt somewhat amazed.
He genuinely wondered where Genji and the Third Mizukage were getting their intelligence.
How could they possibly believe that Lord Hokage had lost control of Konoha?
Their intelligence network was unbelievably terrible!
Nakamaro felt that even before he had received his education, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to reach such a conclusion.
Those two parasites truly deserved to be swept into the trash heap of history...
"We need to understand something. Even if we build our own organization, we cannot openly oppose the Third Mizukage."
"When the war begins, we'll let those radicals fight Konoha."
"We'll stay on the sidelines and build our strength. When the time comes, I'll establish contact with Great-Uncle Tenzō..."
"Then we'll strike from both inside and outside and remove the traitor known as the Third Mizukage from the Land of Water!"
"From that point onward, Kirigakure will belong to our era!"
Nakamaro declared firmly.
"I'll have Great-Uncle Tenzō negotiate on our behalf and help Kirigakure and Konoha establish deep cooperation, forming a tightly bound community of shared interests that cannot be separated."
After that, Nakamaro began laying out the details of the plan.
Much of it resembled what Hiruzen had discussed with Hanzō.
Everything began with the Sage Region Pills project. First stabilize the nobility, then create employment through public works, gradually restoring normal order to both Kirigakure and the Land of Water and ensuring that shinobi had jobs...
At its core, however, the plan would effectively transform the Land of Water and Kirigakure into Konoha's massive rear-area support base.
But to Kisame, that already sounded like an incredible future.
Compared to the Bloody Mist, simply allowing children to attend the Ninja Academy normally and giving less talented chūnin and genin jobs in light industry and processing work would be an extraordinary blessing.
"There's just one thing..."
"Would Hokage-sama really agree to something like this? Kirigakure is going to attack Konoha, after all..." Kisame asked nervously.
In his view, if Konoha were invaded by Kirigakure and later pushed back, complete annihilation was unlikely.
But suffering horrific retaliation was entirely possible.
After all, things like that happened between shinobi all the time.
"That's exactly why we're necessary."
"We have to help Konoha minimize its losses and win the war against Kirigakure's radicals!"
"We need to demonstrate our value. Only then will Lord Hokage and Konoha have reason to take us seriously."
Nakamaro spoke softly.
"Kisame, you need to understand that Lord Hokage is a man who believes in the Will of Fire..."
"He's inherited the peaceful ideals of the God of Shinobi. You know that as well."
"If this were the leader of another hidden village—Kumogakure, for example—then I'd have serious doubts. They'd very likely turn their backs on us afterward and march into Kirigakure and the Land of Water to pillage and slaughter."
"But Hokage-sama is different. Great-Uncle Tenzō personally guaranteed that."
"And besides, we don't really have a choice."
Nakamaro fixed his gaze on Kisame.
"Are we supposed to just stand by and watch the Third Mizukage continue his rampage?"
"Trusting Hokage-sama is still better than trusting the Third Mizukage..."
Kisame closed his eyes.
Once again, memories of Hiruzen's fireside talks surfaced in his mind.
Those were the actions of a man who truly practiced the Will of Fire—a disciple of the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, and one of the most respected men in the shinobi world...
The example of Kusagakure was right there for everyone to see.
Konoha had only eliminated the radicals who threatened Konoha itself. They had left the other shinobi untouched and even released the prisoners.
Hiruzen's reputation and prestige did not exist merely because Hashirama had praised him.
There were real examples that proved his fairness and integrity.
And before long, Amegakure would become an even better example for Kirigakure to learn from.
"You're right. We have to do something..."
"I'm in! Whatever you need me to do, just tell me. I'll give it everything I've got."
Kisame spoke in a low voice, as though he had finally made up his mind.
Nakamaro nodded in satisfaction.
After dismissing the soundproof water barrier, a visibly renewed Kisame departed first.
Nakamaro remained seated in the Internal Affairs Department lounge, deep in thought.
The truth was...
He hadn't told Kisame everything.
Was he doing this for Kirigakure?
No.
More than anything, he dreamed of becoming a Konoha shinobi!
But being an ordinary Konoha shinobi was not enough for Nakamaro.
He wanted to become a shinobi with status and influence within Konoha. His ideal was to become a "Konoha Council Member" like Hyūga Tenzō and wear clothing bearing the Hokage's crest!
But Nakamaro understood that reaching such a position required extraordinary contributions to the village...
And Kirigakure was his capital.
"Great-Uncle Tenzō said that Konoha has no desire to directly annex Kirigakure. Educating and managing all those shinobi would be enormously expensive, and outright annexation would only provoke resistance..."
"The best approach is to have a local representative gradually assimilate Kirigakure and raise its shinobi to Konoha's standards."
"And I'll be that representative! I'll keep all that credit firmly in my own hands..."
The so-called indirect administration system.
It was also the broad strategy Hiruzen and Tenzō had settled on together.
There was no need to become fat in a single bite and end up unable to digest it.
It was better to move forward steadily, one step at a time...
Nakamaro slowly rose to his feet.
He found himself thinking...
If Great-Uncle Tenzō could become a Konoha Council Member, then perhaps the one who inherited his will could achieve the same thing!
"Hokage-sama really is incredible..."
Nakamaro looked in Konoha's direction.
Kisame's reaction, Kirigakure's situation—Hyūga Tenzō had predicted nearly everything with remarkable accuracy, fully demonstrating the judgment expected of the head of a thousand-year noble clan.
However...
After returning to the Kaguya Clan, Nakamaro had reread some of the letters the Hyūga Clan had sent in earlier years and discovered something that shocked him.
The Hyūga Clan of the past didn't seem particularly loyal to Konoha at all.
They could almost be described as following orders while withholding true allegiance.
Yet within only four or five years, they had transformed into what they were today...
'So even Great-Uncle Tenzō was completely unable to resist Lord Hokage's influence?'
'Thankfully, Lord Hokage is a fair and honorable man. If he had a personality like the Third Mizukage's, it would bring the most terrifying disaster imaginable to Konoha and perhaps even the entire shinobi world...'
Nakamaro thought with a sigh.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the Internal Affairs Department, a White Zetsu hidden underground yawned.
Its orders were to monitor developments within Kirigakure...
But it had never expected Nakamaro and Kisame to be so much more cautious than the average Kirigakure shinobi.
They had even used soundproofing techniques...
"Forget it. If I can't hear it, I can't hear it."
"Madara-sama and Hi-kun have been having so much fun acting lately, and they never take me along!"
The White Zetsu sulked and immediately went on strike.
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
Just as Nakamaro was pondering the former relationship between the Hyūga Clan and Hokage-sama...
Hiruzen arrived at the Hyūga Clan as a guest.
"Relax, Hiashi..."
Hiruzen took a sip of tea and laughed heartily.
"And you too, Kō. What's with the two of you? We're just having a family chat."
Inside the Hyūga Clan leader's reception room.
Tenzō sat directly across from Hiruzen, while Hyūga Kō and Hiashi sat somewhat stiffly to the side.
"Thank you for personally coming, Hokage-sama..."
Tenzō said with a rosy complexion.
"And you even brought gifts. That's far too generous of you!"
"Just some homemade snacks my wife made. They're decent enough."
Hiruzen waved dismissively.
"We're family."
Was Hyūga Tenzō short on money?
Not at all.
He certainly wouldn't mind having more, but money wasn't what he needed most.
As head of the Hyūga Clan, his authority had been challenged when Hizashi, a branch family member, surpassed him. Although Hiruzen had taken steps afterward to smooth things over, the damage to his prestige had still been real.
What he needed most now was something that could reinforce his standing within the clan.
And most of Hizashi's influence came directly from Hiruzen's support.
Now, Lord Hokage had personally brought a simple family gift—nothing expensive, but full of warmth and familiarity.
The gift itself was cheap.
But it carried far greater value because it demonstrated that Tenzō was one of Hiruzen's own people.
Sure enough, the moment Hiruzen finished speaking, both Hiashi and Kō's expressions changed slightly.
So Father... Clan Head-sama... is also deeply trusted by Lord Hokage?
"I'll be sure to enjoy your wife's cooking!"
Tenzō burst into hearty laughter.
These days in Konoha...
Who didn't dream of being like Hanzō or the Fire Daimyō and being able to privately call Hiruzen "Big Brother"?
Mentioning something like that casually in public was a tremendous source of pride...
Tenzō could already imagine himself taking a stroll with Isshin and casually bringing it up, just to see the old man's shocked and envious expression...
"The reason I came today is twofold. First, to see Tenzō-san. Second, to discuss some matters regarding work for the main family."
Hiruzen smiled warmly.
"Kō, you've been getting impatient lately, haven't you?"
Kō grinned honestly.
"Not impatient, Hokage-sama. Though I do hope I can start contributing to you sooner rather than later."
Hiashi nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"You've probably already heard about the village's cooperation with Amegakure..."
Hiruzen paused as he accepted the cigarette Tenzō handed him.
The man really knew how to handle these situations...
Tenzō lit it for him. Hiruzen patted his hand in thanks, took a puff, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and then continued: "The people in Amegakure don't have the ability to properly handle noble affairs..."
"My idea is that the Hyūga main family should take charge of the village's diplomatic dealings with foreign nobles."
"You're a noble clan with a thousand years of history, and because of the distinction between the main family and branch family, nobles naturally find you relatable..."
Kō and Hiashi exchanged glances.
Both of them were visibly excited.
With Tenzō already setting an example before them, they understood very well that diplomacy was no trivial matter...
Moreover, Tenzō had already spoken to them beforehand.
Securing more money for the village by winning over the nobles of the Land of Rain was only one objective.
The more important goal was to establish the legal and political foundation for integrating the Land of Rain.
This would be an achievement of tremendous significance—an unprecedented mission in the history of shinobi assignments!
"Thank you for your trust, Hokage-sama. The Hyūga Clan will give everything we have!"
Kō and Hiashi declared in unison.
"No need to thank me just yet. There's another matter we need to discuss..."
Hiruzen waved his cigarette lightly.
"The matter of the Caged Bird."
Tenzō's heart tightened.
When Hiruzen had compared the Hyūga clan structure to that of the nobility earlier, he had already sensed where this conversation was heading...
"The Caged Bird technique was originally created with good intentions. The unique nature of the Byakugan makes it highly coveted by other hidden villages, and protecting it means safeguarding one of Konoha's strategic assets."
Hiruzen exhaled a stream of smoke and looked at Tenzō, Kō, and Hiashi in turn.
"However, this technique is fatal to the branch family."
"If you're going to leave the village for diplomatic work, you'll inevitably come into contact with all kinds of shinobi..."
"And you know as well as I do that, under certain circumstances, information can be extracted even from a dead shinobi's brain."
"If the activation method of the Caged Bird ever became known to outsiders, it would be a catastrophic blow to the Hyūga branch family—and to the village as well."
Tenzō instinctively wanted to argue, but after opening his mouth, he could only give up.
The Caged Bird required the Byakugan to activate...
But what if someone transplanted a Byakugan?
Nobody could guarantee that wouldn't happen.
Kō and Hiashi shuddered internally.
They knew it was true.
"Of course, I'm not saying the Caged Bird should be abolished. The village has always supported the protection of Kekkei Genkai."
"How the Hyūga distinguish between the main family and branch family internally is not something I wish to interfere with as Hokage."
"But the problem is this: any main family member working outside the village cannot retain knowledge of the Caged Bird's activation method."
Hiruzen smiled amiably.
"And while clan laws certainly have their place, the village's rules should ultimately take precedence."
"Private punishments are a rather outdated practice, wouldn't you agree, Tenzō?"
"Absolutely!"
Tenzō immediately agreed.
"Hokage-sama, I fully support this!"
Tenzō had caught the scent of a political trap the moment it appeared...
Placing clan law above village law?
Using the Caged Bird to determine life and death and enforce personal subjugation?
What exactly would that imply?
Tenzō had no doubt that if Danzō were present, he would already be raising his voice and making accusations.
In fact, Danzō had done exactly that in the past, leaving Tenzō drenched in cold sweat.
And with so many Hyūga clan members now serving within the ANBU structure, the punitive functions of the Caged Bird could no longer be used against clan members directly under the Hokage's command.
That would be outright suicidal.
"There's also a matter of mindset involved."
"The work of the main family requires brains."
"Dealing with nobles doesn't require fighting on the front lines."
"As for Amegakure, because the village is sending people to provide guidance, Hanzō will be paying a considerable consulting fee."
"The village won't take its usual commission from that income."
"The baseline price will be tied to the Sage Region Pills sold in the Land of Fire. Any profit above that price—one-third of it will be paid to the main family as a sales commission."
Tenzō was startled.
"Hokage-sama, that's too much!"
For the village, the amount wasn't particularly significant.
For a clan, however, it was a substantial sum.
"The remaining two-thirds will be used for charitable projects, with the Hyūga Clan responsible for implementing them."
Hiruzen smiled.
"Take good care of your clan members serving on the front lines."
"Spend some time thinking about what they need and what they're lacking."
"If you do that, the main family and branch family will naturally get along better."
"And many of the tensions between you will gradually fade away."
Tenzō felt that he finally understood Hiruzen's intentions.
Was this meant to transform the role of the main family?
Using the Hyūga Clan's thousand-year reputation as a noble clan, they would serve as diplomatic specialists dealing with nobles.
Meanwhile, they would ensure that the branch family members risking their lives on the front lines had reliable support, proper benefits, and assistance whenever necessary...
There was truly nothing to criticize about such an arrangement.
And at the center of it all was Hiruzen's generosity.
Noticing the expression on Tenzō's face, Hiruzen merely smiled without speaking.
He could vaguely guess what Tenzō was thinking...
People always wanted to keep hold of a good position forever.
But that wasn't necessarily beneficial for Konoha.
Still, Hiruzen had no intention of discussing that with Tenzō today.
He was merely here to establish the framework.
As long as the broader policy of abolishing the Caged Bird's private punitive function was settled, everything else could be worked out later—and there would be little room left for Tenzō's fantasies.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Tenzō said sincerely.
"I will issue the order immediately. From this day forward, the punitive function of the Caged Bird will be abolished within the Hyūga Clan."
"No main family member may use it without authorization from the village."
"It will exist solely to protect the Byakugan."
"As for the memories regarding the Caged Bird..."
Hiruzen smiled and picked up where he left off.
"Along with the snacks my wife prepared, I also included a secret technique provided by the Yamanaka Clan."
"You should be able to learn it."
At that moment, Tenzō felt completely at ease.
He truly wasn't comfortable with anyone else learning the secrets of the Caged Bird.
Not even the Yamanaka Clan.
But if he handled it personally, that was a different story.
"Everything will be done according to your will!"
Tenzō assured him once more.
"Good. Then I won't stay any longer."
"Tenzō, spend some time talking with Kō and Hiashi. You need to leave for the Land of Rain as soon as possible."
"Hanzō has nearly finished reorganizing the shinobi over there, and he'll soon begin negotiations with the nobles."
Hiruzen rose to his feet, and Tenzō personally escorted him all the way to the entrance.
As he walked, Tenzō couldn't help but wonder...
When would he finally find an opportunity to privately call Hiruzen "Big Brother" and further deepen their relationship?
Hanzō and the Daimyō couldn't be the only ones blessed with that privilege!
Meanwhile, on the other side of Konoha.
Within the Uchiha Clan, another dōjutsu clan renowned alongside the Hyūga, the most talented member of the younger generation—Seisui—had finally completed his experiment.
With Orochimaru's assistance, he had successfully developed a specialized strain of kikaichū capable of cleansing toxins from the bloodstream.
Which meant...
It was finally time to treat Uchiha Tomie!
Tobirama left the Research Department to secure the final medicinal catalyst...
Uzumaki Shio!