Two women appeared on the display screen. One was curvaceous and full-figured, while the other was relatively slender.
They were dressed in little more than thin strips of cloth, performing an ancient and dignified set of Jūken forms.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a display of martial prowess. However, set against their revealing attire, the Gentle Fist felt less like a combat style and more like a provocative dance intended to heighten the mood for something else entirely.
Ginka Hyuga's face paled instantly as she stared at the women on the screen. It was her and Natsu Hyuga!
When had Shimizu Uchiha set all of this up? Ginka's brow furrowed deeply. She had been extremely cautious when she arrived, specifically scanning Shimizu's living room. There hadn't been a recording device in sight. Where could he have possibly hidden it?
"Lady Ginka, nothing to say?" Shimizu took a sip of tea, his eyes fixed on her with an amused glint. "In my opinion, this set of Jūken is performed quite flawlessly. Why don't I send a copy of this recording to the Hyuga Clan to use as a textbook? What do you think?"
"Uzhi... Shimizu, what exactly will it take for you to let me go?"
Ginka Hyuga fell silent. her body trembled slightly, and she began to sob. She felt as though she had fallen into a massive web, and with every movement, she only sank deeper. She couldn't take that recording by force, and there was no telling how many backups Shimizu had made. If this were to leak to the outside world, the Hyuga Clan's prestige in the shinobi world would plummet, and they would become a laughingstock.
Worse yet, she would likely be executed under the clan's private laws, and Nobuyuki would undoubtedly be dragged down with her.
"Do something for me."
Shimizu beckoned her over. After a moment of hesitation, Ginka wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and walked toward him. Shimizu casually performed a series of hand signs, gripping her heart—metaphorically and literally through his influence. Ginka winced in pain, her brow knitting together, yet she didn't dare move an inch.
After a long silence, Shimizu finally spoke. "I need timely reports on any intelligence regarding Hinatsuki Hyuga as well."
Ginka's eyes widened slightly. Did Shimizu Uchiha have designs on Hinatsuki Hyuga too? At that moment, she felt a true sense of despair. Was there any woman this man didn't dare target? If his ship ever capsized and his past deeds were unearthed, they would surely follow the trail back to her.
"Heh heh heh... I think we have plenty of reasons to continue our cooperation."
Shimizu intentionally mimicked the sinister cackle of a villain. Hearing that eerie laugh, Ginka felt a chill run through her soul. Finally, she lowered her head. She had no choice but to continue collaborating with him and providing him with the benefits he sought. There was no way out.
The Hokage Office
"Hiruzen, the Cloud's attitude remains ambiguous. It is time we engage them in a final battle," Danzō Shimura said coldly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a few puffs from his pipe and said slowly, "You're right."
While he and his old friend often clashed on many matters, they rarely disagreed when it came to presenting a united front against foreign threats.
"But our troop strength is running low," Koharu Utatane interjected.
Konohagakure's current conflict with Kumogakure had been a war of attrition. They were doing everything possible to allow their depleted forces time to recover. This was also why the village was so desperate to sign peace treaties with other hidden villages; they simply couldn't hold out much longer.
"Let our allies take the field," Homura Mitokado suggested. If they weren't going to use their allies now, then when?
"No," Danzō cut in suddenly. "Those allies are only allies for peacetime. We've only just signed the agreements; no one can guarantee they won't turn on us at the last moment. This victory must be secured by Konoha's own hands."
"Danzō has a point," Hiruzen conceded. This wasn't something they could afford to be careless about.
"This is the final stretch of the war. The darkness is deepest just before the dawn." Danzō looked at Hiruzen and continued, "Send the Uchiha. The other major clans have suffered heavy casualties, while the Uchiha have been slacking off in the village ever since their assigned front line was closed."
"The Uchiha..."
Hiruzen tapped his pipe against the table. As other clans fought, their numbers dwindled and they naturally grew weaker. But the Uchiha were different. They were a cursed clan; the more people they lost, the stronger the survivors became. Some might even undergo a radical personality shift due to their loss, turning love into hatred and seeking extreme vengeance against the world.
"Homura, what is your opinion?" Danzō looked toward the middle-aged man with square-framed glasses.
"It is indeed time to expend some of the Uchiha's strength. There have already been minor frictions between them and the village. If we allow the Uchiha to grow too powerful on their own, it might fan the flames of their arrogance, leading them to look down on the village leadership."
"I cast my vote with Homura," Koharu said, adjusting the hairpin in her hair. Age-worn wrinkles lined her face.
They had been following the policies laid out by the Second Hokage for decades. The Uchiha's haughty nature and the tragedies caused by certain clansmen's instability had not yet led to a major catastrophe, but it all proved the Second Hokage's foresight. As his successors, they only needed to stay the course.
Hiruzen remained silent. He thought of Shimizu Uchiha. Shimizu was much better than he had expected and rarely had conflicts with villagers—the only exception being Tetsu Hyuga.
If the Uchiha Clan lost a portion of their members in this operation, it would create a power vacuum. In such a time of need, the young Shimizu Uchiha might be able to secure a greater voice within the clan. Then, they could use Shimizu to balance the Uchiha from within.
This was a move he was preparing for Minato Namikaze, and also a safeguard for the Sarutobi Clan. He would eventually grow old and die; no matter how long he held power, that day would come.
"A fresh green sprout of the new generation?" Hiruzen murmured to himself. It was just a shame that some old, withered leaves would have to be sacrificed for it.
The Akatsuki Base
"Madara."
Nagato stared at the masked man who had suddenly appeared from a ripple in space.
"How has Akatsuki progressed during my absence?"
"The Land of Rain has a unique geography, and too many Great Nations are watching us. Progress hasn't been smooth," Nagato replied.
To him, humans were foolish creatures who could never truly understand one another. Too many ignorant people still believed the lies of Hanzo of the Salamander.
"Nagato!"
While Nagato and Obito were speaking, Yahiko arrived. As Akatsuki grew at high speed, it had begun to incorporate several bloodthirsty criminals. Yahiko felt that Nagato was becoming increasingly unrecognizable.
"Yahiko, this is for the sake of peace," Nagato said flatly, his deep purple Rinnegan fixed on Yahiko.
"The peace you're bringing will only be a distorted one."
"Nagato, Yahiko is right. You're starting to stray from the path of peace."
Because Yahiko had not died in this timeline, Konan's understanding of pain wasn't as profound. Compared to Nagato's growing extremism, she trusted the peace Yahiko had always protected.
Obito watched them argue in silence. This was all because of Shimizu Uchiha! If Shimizu hadn't ruined his plans and kept Yahiko alive, Yahiko wouldn't be standing in the way of Akatsuki's evolution.
Obito had actually admired Yahiko once, seeing his own past, naive self in him. But ever since he saw Shimizu Uchiha and Rin watering flowers at his own grave, Obito's patience had reached its limit. He was desperate to "fix" this world and usher in a world of true love.
"The Land of Rain is no longer suitable for Akatsuki's growth. I will find a better location."
The space rippled again. "We'll go to Kirigakure. The newly appointed Fourth Mizukage is still green," Obito thought to himself.
That place would serve as the perfect nursery for Akatsuki. The perpetual mist of the Hidden Mist Village was the best cover for their expansion. Furthermore, there was another matter. Kakashi's fiancée, Saidai-ko, was in Konoha.
Why should Kakashi get to enjoy a fake happiness in this fake world? Kakashi was a traitor—he broke his promise to protect Rin. Obito knew everything about Kakashi's silent acceptance regarding the return of the Tailed Beast within Rin. A traitor like that had no right to be happy!
A flash of hatred flickered in Obito's crimson Sharingan before he vanished entirely, leaving the three friends to continue their argument.
Konohagakure, Afternoon
"Senior Shimizu."
While walking down the street, Shimizu encountered a pair of lovers—or rather, a pair who were currently "more than friends, but less than lovers." It was Yūgao Uzuki and Hayate Gekkō.
"Hello. Out this early to show off your affection, I see," Shimizu said nonchalantly, looking at how close they were standing.
"It's not like that!" Yūgao's face flushed red. She and Hayate did have feelings for each other, and things were a bit ambiguous, but this was the first time someone had called them out so bluntly.
"Cough, cough... Senior Shimizu, you've misunderstood," Hayate coughed twice. Hearing Yūgao address him as "Senior," Hayate followed suit.
"Where are you two headed?"
In response to Shimizu's question, Yūgao said, "We're going to buy some medicine for Hayate."
"Oh, I see." Shimizu nodded.
Hayate Gekkō's illness was actually quite well-known. After all, the Gekkō family was considered a shinobi clan with its own secret techniques, yet Hayate's condition remained uncured. This ultimately came down to a matter of connections and money.
The Gekkō clan had no ties to Tsunade, and they couldn't afford the exorbitant costs of commissioning research for a cure. A "bloodline disease" was, in the end, a very low-probability illness tied to a Kekkei Genkai. Since Kekkei Genkai users were already a minority, those who actually suffered from such a disease were few and far between. Naturally, there were very few clinical cases.
Research only happens when there is significant demand. Hayate's current condition was a "niche" disease. In the original timeline, he dragged it out into his twenties and died without ever being cured. That alone spoke to the difficulty of treatment.
Shimizu looked at the awkward pair, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "How is the illness lately?"
Yūgao hesitated. She wanted to tell Shimizu the details and beg him to treat Hayate, but she didn't have the money to pay for his services, nor the funds to cover the development of a new drug. The costs for something like that could range anywhere from several million to tens of millions of Ryō!
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