Chapter 14

Choza suddenly spoke up, startling Koshino.

However, at Hizashi's family banquet, there were very few people paying attention to Koshino. Even Shikaku and Choza were silently watching the Uchiha clan members enter the estate, so no one noticed Koshino's momentary lapse.

After that, Koshino's gaze slowly fell on the entrance, where he first saw a familiar figure!

"That guy..."

"Could that guy be Uchiha Fugaku?"

Among the Uchiha clan, there weren't many people Koshino remembered, but Uchiha Fugaku was definitely one of them! The head of the prestigious Uchiha clan!

The captain of the Konoha Village Police Force! These two powerful titles combined were synonymous with Uchiha Fugaku's name! Staring incredulously at the leading Uchiha Fugaku, with his familiar face and authoritative gaze, Koshino quickly confirmed that it was indeed Uchiha Fugaku.

But it was just Neji's full moon celebration, so why was the head of the Uchiha clan here? Did the Uchiha clan have nothing better to do than attend a branch family child's full moon banquet? Koshino looked at Shikaku in confusion, but unfortunately, Shikaku's attention wasn't on him.

So, as he watched the Uchiha clan members, each bearing the flame fan clan emblem, enter the estate under Fugaku's lead, with an aura reminiscent of gangsters crashing a party, Koshino couldn't help but click his tongue, thinking, "The Uchiha clan seems to be stirring up trouble, doesn't it? Hizashi is in for some trouble!"

Sure enough, just as Koshino thought this, Uchiha Fugaku approached Hizashi, arrogantly saying, "Hizashi, your child's full moon celebration, and Hiashi didn't even come personally. How rude! Aren't you all part of the Hyuga clan? Why so distant? Are branch family members not people?"

"No worries, since Hiashi isn't coming, I'm here!"

"Hurry and bring the child over for me to see. Has the Hyuga clan buried another genius?"

"Hmph!"

As soon as Fugaku finished speaking, a series of cold snorts could be heard, but no one dared to speak up.

Those who snorted were undoubtedly members of the Hyuga branch family.

Unfortunately, the branch family had no status within the Hyuga clan, and facing the head of the Uchiha clan, they were even more inferior, forced to swallow their anger and remain silent.

What intrigued Koshino was that not only were the Hyuga branch family members angry, but even Shikaku, Choza, and others were glaring at Uchiha Fugaku with disdain, as if the Hyuga clan's matters concerned them too.

"Uncle Shikaku, are you alright?"

Hiding behind Shikaku, Koshino asked while observing Shikaku's expression, clearly intending to uncover the story behind Uchiha Fugaku's provocation.

But when Koshino asked, the clever Shikaku remained silent, wanting to avoid trouble and not wanting Koshino to be exposed.

However, Choza, who was straightforward, was right next to Shikaku.

Having interacted with Koshino quite a bit, Choza didn't hold back and explained to Koshino, "The Third Hokage devised a plan to dismantle the Mist Village, which was supposed to be executed by the Fourth Hokage,

but the Uchiha clan was dissatisfied. What can the noble clans in the village do? We all support the Third and Fourth Hokage. Does the Uchiha clan think they can openly challenge the Hokage?"

"Choza, shut up!"

Before Choza could finish explaining, Shikaku reprimanded him, and Choza quickly closed his mouth, not daring to say more.

Koshino's gaze fell back on Shikaku, and for the first time, he saw something called "authority" in Shikaku, prompting him to obediently sit back.

But little did Shikaku know, a storm was brewing in Koshino's heart!

Chapter 14: The Struggle of the Noble Clans

"The plan to dismantle the Hidden Mist Village? Taken over by the Fourth Hokage? Could it be related to Rin's plan?"

"Uchiha Madara is scheming against the Leaf Village, but isn't the Third Hokage also plotting against the Mist Village? As long as Rin's infiltration plan succeeds, the defeat of the Mist Village is just a matter of months.

With ample preparation, what can the Raikage's ambitions amount to? A well-prepared Leaf Village is not something a Cloud Village can defeat!"

"Unfortunately, there was a flaw in the Third Hokage's plan, and that flaw was Obito, who 'died' early in the war!"

Secretly shocked by the complexity of the characters' schemes, Koshino felt a chill in his heart, no longer daring to underestimate any character, including Uchiha Fugaku, who seemed to have come without a brain earlier!

Truly thinking from the perspective of the Leaf Village, Koshino realized that the victory in the Third Great Ninja War was not due to luck, but strength!

Imagine this!

If the 'masked' Obito hadn't come to cause trouble, igniting the Nine-Tails War, the Fourth Hokage, who hadn't died in battle, could have easily brought the Third War to a perfect conclusion.

Not only the Mist Village, which had just ended its 'Bloody Mist' era, but even the Cloud Village, which caused a lot of trouble for the Leaf Village in the original story, would have been nothing but a weak opponent in front of a strong Leaf Village!

However, it was precisely the death of the Fourth Hokage that cast a shadow over the Leaf Village.

Otherwise, how could the Leaf Village have shared the spoils of victory with the Cloud Village, and even the title of the First Ninja Village in the original story seemed like a charity from others?

But just as Koshino was secretly lamenting the twists and turns of history, Uchiha Fugaku, who hadn't managed to meet Neji as he wished, indeed began to stir up trouble!

"Hiashi, today I've brought a few of our younger generation who are not quite up to par. Please give them some guidance!"

"Sasano, Yuno, come out and meet your senior, Hiashi. Your senior Hiashi is the number one in the Hyuga clan. It's your honor to receive guidance from him!"

"Yes, Clan Leader!"

As soon as Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, two young members of the Uchiha clan stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Senior Hiashi, please instruct us!"

"Hmm?"

Narrowing his eyes slightly, staring at the two young Uchiha clan members in front of him, even Koshino couldn't help but think that Uchiha Fugaku, as the clan leader of the Uchiha, indeed had high-level tactics!

By instructing the younger generation to provoke, he was also subtly sowing discord between Hiashi and the branch family members of the Hyuga clan and the main family.

At that moment, even Koshino couldn't help but sigh that Uchiha Fugaku might not be a good father, but he was definitely a good politician.

And Uchiha Fugaku's words undoubtedly put Hiashi in a difficult position.

The struggle of noble clans often revolves around face.

Compared to the Uchiha clan, the Hyuga clan was already at a disadvantage in terms of power. If they retreated once more in a battle of face, how could the Hyuga clan maintain its noble status? Not to mention how the other clans in the Leaf Village would view Hiashi?

How would they view the cowardly Hyuga clan? Moreover, if Hiashi were to instruct the young Uchiha members, winning would be an unfair victory, but any mistake would allow the Uchiha clan to capitalize on it, making it a very tricky situation to handle.

But as Koshino thought, with Hiashi's face looking grim, he would surely step in to teach the two young Uchiha members a lesson, even if it meant losing face to uphold the Hyuga clan's dignity.

Who would have thought that after hesitating for a moment, Hiashi actually smiled slightly, waved his hand to the back, and said, "Since Fugaku is interested in 'exchanging' a bit, as an elder, I shouldn't bully the younger ones, right?"

"Just in time, my nephew Minji is here. Let Minji give Sasano and Yuno some guidance!"

With that, Hiashi paused, then smiled and said, "Minji, it's just a spar, remember to hold back."

"Yes, Uncle Hiashi!"

As he spoke, Koshino saw a young boy step out from behind Hiashi, about the same age as the Uchiha's Sasano and Yuno, around eight or nine years old, wearing the Hyuga clan's signature white kimono, with the caged bird mark in a glowing green on his forehead, clearly a member of the Hyuga branch family.

But as Koshino thought that in this noble clan struggle between the Uchiha and Hyuga, the Uchiha, with their many clan elites, would surely win,

who would have thought that as soon as the branch family member Hyuga Minji assumed a Gentle Fist stance, even Shikaku, Choza, and others in front of Koshino couldn't help but exclaim!

"Is that child Meiji? The hope of this generation of the Hyuga clan?"