After his day of patrol ended, Yuto deliberately hid outside the Police Force headquarters after his shift change. Before long, Hizashi walked out of the building.
"Lord Hizashi."
Confirming that no one was around, Yuto quickly revealed himself and approached Hizashi.
Hizashi stopped. He remembered this young man, Yuto. It was thanks to this kid that Kawasaki had gotten the upper hand during the incident with Jiraiya.
"What is it, Yuto? Are you waiting for me specifically?"
Yuto nodded, then activated his Byakugan to scan the surroundings before whispering to Hizashi, "Lord Hizashi, I believe there's a traitor in the Hyuga clan."
"A traitor?" Hizashi's brow furrowed. Yuto was known for his steady demeanor; he wouldn't make such a claim without reason.
Hizashi cut Yuto off. "Follow me."
Hizashi led the way, with Yuto following closely behind. They passed through the branch family's courtyard and arrived at Hizashi's home. He led Yuto into his study.
"This room is lined with sealing talismans. You can speak freely here."
Yuto was deeply impressed by Hizashi's caution. He felt he had been too naive, thinking he could discuss such a matter right outside the Police Force headquarters. He then recounted his recent observations and his test of Daisuke.
Hizashi pondered for a moment before pulling a roster from the bookshelf behind him. After a brief search, he discovered that all the branch family members Yuto mentioned were in close contact with the Fourth Elder, Kaito.
Hizashi pulled a nearby rope. A house servant appeared immediately. "What are your orders, my lord?"
"Have any outsiders visited the Main Family recently?" Hizashi asked. He was thinking further ahead. Within the Hyuga clan, the branch family would never betray the main family. The only ones who could make the branch family act would be members of the main family, who held a higher status. The Hyuga clan was relatively insular; any visitors would be hard to conceal.
"My lord, there have been no visitors," the servant replied, then hesitated. "However, a few days ago, the Fourth Elder, Lord Kaito, went out on his own."
Hizashi waved the servant away. It really was Kaito. But was he acting alone, or...
Hizashi thought for a moment, then returned to his desk, quickly wrote a letter, and handed it to Yuto. "Yuto," he instructed, "you must deliver this letter to Clan Head Fugaku personally."
"Remember, it must be handed directly to him."
Hizashi had never forgotten the debt he owed Uchiha Kawasaki for saving his life. His attitude toward the Uchiha was aligned with his brother, Hiashi. However, as the head of the main family, Hiashi was often constrained by the elders. It was best not to let his brother know about this, lest it create unnecessary complications.
Yuto, understanding the gravity of the situation, took the letter and departed at once.
Within the Uchiha Compound, Fugaku opened and read Hizashi's letter. He looked at Yuto and said, "Thank you for your trouble. Please reply to Hizashi for me. Just say that I understand."
Yuto, having successfully completed his mission as a messenger, breathed a sigh of relief. He felt as though a great storm was gathering over the Uchiha and Hyuga clans. But as an ordinary branch family member, serving Lord Hizashi was the most he could do.
After Yuto left, Fugaku immediately summoned the Fourth Elder, Yohei, and showed him Hizashi's letter.
"Clan Head, it seems Vice-Chief Kawasaki foresaw this when he left," Yohei said, stroking his beard.
Fugaku sighed. "Kawasaki truly is a visionary. He prepared a contingency plan in advance, predicting that the new leader of the Police Force would be Hizashi of the branch family. He knew that if someone in the main family had ulterior motives, they would not be able to bypass Hizashi."
"I've called you here to ask about the evacuation plan. How are the preparations?" Fugaku asked.
Elder Yohei nodded. "Rest assured, Clan Head. I took precautions when we were constructing the clan grounds. The secret passage was completed quietly long ago."
"And the transport vehicles?"
"Clan Head, after we received reparations from the Cloud Village, we produced a prototype and immediately ramped up production. We now have ten vehicles, more than enough to operate in a cycle."
Fugaku slammed his hand on the table. "Good. Time is of the essence. We will gather the clan members tonight and implement the evacuation plan."
"As you command, Clan Head!"
Konoha's Street Eight remained as bustling as ever. The shops here often stayed open until ten at night, with the night market being particularly lively. Residents nearby were accustomed to coming out for a late meal.
But tonight, when they stepped out of their homes, they found that though it was just past eight, all the Uchiha-owned shops were already closed. A sense of unease settled over the crowd. Why were the Uchiha closing their shops again? There were no longer any Root members in the Police Force.
Inside every Uchiha shop, employees and owners were busy packing up equipment and ingredients. Once packed, everything was sealed into storage scrolls. These scrolls were distributed by the clan to facilitate a rapid transfer of assets.
Many regular customers, seeing the lights still on inside, couldn't help but approach and ask about the early closing. The Uchiha shopkeepers all gave the same reply: they were closing early for training and to develop new dishes, and would be open for business as usual tomorrow. The disappointed customers had no choice but to leave.
While the Uchiha clan members worked feverishly, the spying Hyuga members were as frantic as ants on a hot pan. They witnessed the Uchiha packing up their supplies. What were they doing? They hadn't even learned all the recipes yet.
Daisuke and Misaki hurriedly reported what they had seen to Kaito. Kaito paced back and forth. Since recovering from his leg injury, his favorite activity was walking; he would stand if he could avoid sitting. The Uchiha were packing their belongings. What did it mean? Were they giving up on such a profitable business? Kaito had no way to interfere and could only watch as events unfolded.
"Continue your surveillance. Report any new developments immediately."
Daisuke and Misaki continued to observe secretly with their Byakugan. As night fell, all the Uchiha clan members sealed their packed belongings into storage scrolls and attached them to their bodies. From the outside, they appeared to be leaving their shops and returning to the Uchiha Compound just as they did every other night.
In the Eighth District of Konoha Village, as dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight fell, a commotion erupted within the Police Force. Every Uchiha member of the force had submitted their resignation letter in unison and failed to show up for duty.
Although Hizashi was not aware of Fugaku's entire plan, the collective absence of the Uchiha officers was now a reality. He had no choice but to reorganize his teams, filling the gaps left by the Uchiha members. After assigning new duties, he began the daily patrol.
He never expected that upon reaching the Hyuga clan's area in the Eighth District, he would find that all the Uchiha shops were shuttered, still closed despite it being opening time. A closer look revealed that the shops were completely empty. Not a single ingredient or piece of equipment was left. The patrol team quickly reported the situation to Hizashi, who was utterly bewildered by Fugaku's move. Why would they suddenly close such profitable businesses?
This news soon reached the ears of the Third Hokage. He received the report with a look of pure confusion. What was going on? Had the Uchiha decided they didn't want to make money anymore? The Hokage immediately sent someone to the Uchiha clan to inquire why they had closed their shops.
The messenger discovered that Uchiha clan members were already out and about, handing out flyers in the Eighth District. The Hokage's subordinate brought one back. The flyer was concise: the Uchiha clan's specialty food shops in the Eighth District were too scattered. After a decision by the clan head, they would be consolidated into a new food street.
Therefore, all their specialty food shops would be moved to a purpose-built street just outside the Uchiha Compound. Those wishing to continue enjoying their food could go to the village's North Gate, where a special shuttle service was available.
Caught off guard, the Hokage hurriedly dispatched Kakashi to investigate. The North Gate was adjacent to the Eighth District, where the Uchiha's old compound had been located. When the Uchiha had relocated, the ground in that area had been completely refurbished with high-quality materials.
Lined up neatly were ten vehicles, the same kind of sightseeing cars Kawasaki had seen before he left. Each vehicle could carry twenty-five people. Once full, the Uchiha drivers would infuse chakra, and the vehicle would start moving.
Kakashi, who had boarded one of the cars, took a closer look at the two Uchiha drivers. Weren't they the same police officers who used to patrol the Eighth District? So this had been planned all along.
The vehicle moved at high speed, reaching its destination in just a few minutes. Kakashi and other curious villagers disembarked. The cars waited in a queue. Once a car was full, it would return, or a new car would depart if enough new passengers arrived, creating a continuous loop.
Kakashi walked deeper into the area and saw that the Uchiha had built an entire street on the edge of their compound. Because it was so close to their territory, it had gone unnoticed by the rest of Konoha for a long time. The buildings on both sides of the street were identical. Anyone from another world would have recognized them as prefabricated structures. The walls were constructed from neatly assembled blocks of stone and clay, giving them a clean and aesthetically pleasing look.
The buildings stretched down the street, forming a U-shaped road. The food stalls on both sides already had their signs up, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere. At the entrance of the street, an Uchiha member was selling something from a small booth. Kakashi approached and saw they were "Food Street Membership Cards."
The Uchiha member explained that to thank their loyal customers, cardholders would receive a ten percent discount on all purchases within the street. The card cost only 10 ryo, making it practically a free gift. Kakashi bought one. As he did, the Uchiha member glanced up at him before quickly completing the transaction. The card clearly stated that the use of any jutsu was forbidden within the food street. Violators would be blacklisted and banned from entry.
At the North Gate of Konoha, many villagers who had intended to eat in the Eighth District discovered that the Uchiha shops had undergone a massive, coordinated relocation. Driven by curiosity after receiving the flyers, they took the free sightseeing vehicles from the North Gate and arrived at the Uchiha Food Street a few minutes later.
Everyone was amazed. In the old Eighth District, after trying one delicacy, one had to walk a considerable distance to find another restaurant. Now, the Uchiha had gathered all their food stalls in one street, allowing people to feast without having to travel back and forth. There was even a directory at the entrance, clearly marking the location of each type of food. The membership card at the entrance surprised the villagers even more. For only 10 ryo, they could get a ten percent discount—what a bargain.
People quickly grew accustomed to dining here. The Eighth District, in contrast, became deserted, its former prosperity gone.
In the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen was fuming. Danzo, what in the world have you done? He was furious that the Uchiha had collectively pulled out of the Eighth District before the village could get its hands on their recipes. Opening a food street in their own territory had completely blindsided the Third Hokage. He had assumed that with their businesses in the Eighth District, the village would eventually find a way to acquire their secrets. Now, the Uchiha clan had abandoned the village entirely.
It was clearly a well-orchestrated plan; they even had shuttle vehicles ready. The Uchiha had been meticulously paving the grounds of their compound during its renovation. People had scoffed at them at the time, but now it was clear that the mastermind behind it was incredibly farsighted.
Danzo, hiding in his Root base, was equally enraged by this setback. He was angry not only at the Hyuga's incompetence but even more so at the Uchiha's cunning. The new Uchiha Food Street now had guards at the entrance. Initially, the membership card only offered a discount. A few days later, as people became more accustomed to it, the card became a requirement for entry. No membership card? Sorry, no entry. After all, the card was only 10 ryo. Anyone unwilling to buy one was surely up to no good. If a visitor had a special status, the Uchiha would monitor them closely, and any improper behavior would result in immediate expulsion.
The information Hyuga Kaito had handed over amounted to less than thirty percent of the total recipes, and most of it was incomplete. Danzo had no recourse. The Hyuga clan had already secured the position of honorary elder for Kaito, who had moved into the main family's compound and was now avoiding Danzo completely.
Danzo suddenly realized he had been played by Kaito. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire sent another messenger to press for the recipes. Danzo had no choice but to copy the information he had and present it to the Daimyo, while also reporting the Uchiha clan's "defection."
Danzo had originally intended to use the Hyuga to copy at least sixty or seventy percent of the recipes. Once the Daimyo promoted them throughout the Land of Fire, the country would be filled with imitation restaurants, and no one would care about the original taste. The Uchiha's businesses would naturally be crushed. It was to push the Hyuga to act quickly that he had offered the honorary elder position. Now, with less than thirty percent of the information, the resulting dishes would taste mediocre at best. Even if they were promoted, they wouldn't be able to capture the market. Danzo had suffered a devastating loss.
The Third Hokage's concerns were more far-reaching. A few years ago, a fire at an Uchiha restaurant had unexpectedly ignited the prosperity of an entire street in Konoha. However, people's hearts were set only on that specialty cuisine. So, once the Uchiha left, the street's decline was almost inevitable. With reduced income from the street, the amount of money the Hokage could mobilize also shrank. Now, in a time of peace with few missions, the Third Hokage had turned his focus to physical industries to increase revenue.
When the Uchiha operated within the village, the Third Hokage could levy a certain amount of taxes. But now, the Uchiha had abandoned their shops altogether. Thus, the Third Hokage planned to give the Uchiha some "special attention" in mission assignments to see how they would react.
Some time passed, and Uchiha members who had been out on missions began to return. However, they only completed their mission reports before heading straight back to the Uchiha compound, never appearing at the Mission Assignment Desk again. A month later, following Hiruzen's orders, the Mission Center adjusted the Uchiha's mission assignment model to only include tasks outside the village.
In response, the Uchiha clan offered no reaction whatsoever. Even the clan members who regularly took on missions stopped showing up at the Mission Hall.
At this time, inside the Uchiha compound, a small meeting room had been set up.
"Poof!"
Amidst a cloud of smoke, a ninja cat appeared. It pulled several scrolls from its pouch. The Fourth Elder, Uchiha Yohei, took the scrolls and handed the cat a few numbered scrolls in return, after which it vanished.
He unrolled one. "B-rank mission: Eliminate a rogue ninja. Location: Land of Earth border... Reward: 100,000 ryo."
An Uchiha clan member raised his hand. "Fourth Elder, our squad would like to take this mission."
The Fourth Elder assessed them and nodded in agreement. "Very well. Your skills are sufficient. It's yours."
Yohei quickly distributed the mission scroll and related intelligence to the group, then proceeded to review the other scrolls. One by one, the scrolls were read, and each was claimed by a suitable team.
"That's all the missions for today. The rest of you, please come back tomorrow."
The people in the small meeting room quickly dispersed. Elder Yohei hurried to report to Fugaku. "Clan Head, using the Sound Village's mission system is slightly less efficient than when we were in Konoha."
"What about after their commission is deducted?" Fugaku asked.
The elder nodded. "After the commission, our clan members' earnings are actually higher. The Sound Village sends us missions that have been pre-selected to suit our clan, and their commission is reasonable."
The Uchiha clan had, in essence, already decoupled from Konoha. Not only were they no longer doing business in the village, but they had also stopped accepting Konoha's missions. Except for being Konoha ninja in name only, the Uchiha had now achieved complete autonomy.
[Ding... Development Mission: Separate from Konoha and Achieve Self-Sufficiency, Complete]
[Congratulations, Host, you have received: Complete Compendium of Konoha Jutsu.]
[Congratulations, Host, you have received: Development Fund of 500 Million Ryo.]
[Ding... New Mission: Become the Leader of the Uchiha Clan]
Kawasaki, who had just set foot in the Land of Whirlpools, suddenly heard the long-absent system notification. His spirits lifted. It was like getting a pillow just when you were feeling sleepy. He had been worrying about where to learn jutsu. He was about to meet Orochimaru, who was already on his faction list. Once they met, Orochimaru's subordinates would also be added to his faction list. With that, he would return with a full harvest, able to learn any jutsu he desired.
The Complete Compendium of Konoha Jutsu included not only common techniques but also many forbidden jutsu. Among them, the most precious was the Flying Thunder God Technique. As for others, like Tobirama's Reanimation Jutsu and the Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tags, Orochimaru likely had them all, and his improved version of the Reanimation Jutsu was even better. The collection also included techniques such as the Spirit Transformation Technique and the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, covering a vast array of skills.