Chapter 64: The Devil's Whisper
Itachi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "How do we flip the table?"
"The plan is simple. If it's hard to handle, don't handle it. If you can't solve the problem, solve the person who raised the problem."
Haruko lowered his voice, sounding like a devil's whisper, tempting an ignorant youth.
"Konoha thinks the Uchiha wants to do this because the Radicals are shouting too loudly. But most of the Clan Members, those old, weak, women, and children—do they really want it? No, they just want to live."
"Clean out those muddled Radicals and keep the Moderates who just want to live their lives. This is called cleaning house, not making trouble."
"The Third Hokage still has a sense of proportion. As long as the Uchiha is no longer a threat, he won't drive the remaining elderly and children to extinction. That would only make every family in Konoha feel endangered, and it would be equivalent to cutting off one's own arm and weakening Konoha's strength."
"As for Danzo... when Konoha is in chaos, it would be quite reasonable for an Elder to have an accident or for the Root base to unfortunately catch fire, wouldn't it?"
Itachi looked at Haruko in shock.
"You mean... assassinating Danzo?"
"No, no, no, it's an 'accident'," Haruko corrected.
"Danzo is just a tumor seeking personal gain under the banner of righteousness. To save Konoha, the entire Uchiha must be purged? Pure nonsense; what he wants to save is himself."
"Itachi, the blade is in your hand."
"Do you want to swing it at innocent Clan Members and end up as Danzo's dog, or do you want to use it to cut out the true tumor and carve out a way to live for Sasuke, for yourself, and for the Uchiha?"
"If you don't believe me, just wait and see when Danzo comes looking for you. If he mentions Sasuke, remember to stay calm and think about what I said today."
After Haruko finished speaking, he turned and left, ignoring Itachi, whose brain was already somewhat overloaded.
"Oh right, I'll be taking some people out of the Village in a few days to avoid the heat. If you've made up your mind to take action, remember to notify me in advance."
...
The next morning, in Haruko's detached house.
"What? Mission approval takes at least three days?"
Haruko looked at the mission application in his hand, his brows furrowed into the shape of the character for 'river'.
Teuchi also had a helpless look: "They say the Village has been heavily guarded lately, and all missions leaving the Village must undergo strict review."
Three days.
Given the current situation, three days was too long.
Although the incident with Fu Yamanaka didn't leave any evidence, it was a complete falling out with Danzo.
If Danzo played tricks to stall the review, the time would be extended even further, and this period would be the best time for him to make a move.
What about security during this time?
Haruko paced back and forth in the room.
"If only I knew Barrier Ninjutsu... Keep it up, Tayuya, I'll be counting on you in the future!"
"Me?" Tayuya, suddenly called out, didn't understand why, but she still responded energetically, "Leave it to me, Big Brother!"
Kaguya Kaede hesitated for a moment, then spoke as if having made up her mind: "How about... staying at the Hyuga Clan Compound for a few days?"
Haruko rubbed his chin.
The Hyuga Clan Compound could be said to be one of the safest places in Konoha; it was almost impossible for Root to penetrate it.
Except...
Setting aside whether the Hyuga Clan was willing to wade into these muddy waters, going there would be under the identity of the Kaguya Clan, which would completely solidify that claim.
'I've felt this day would come ever since I kept Kaguya Kaede. I really am accumulating more and more labels..."
...
The negotiations with the Hyuga were quite smooth—so smooth that Haruko suspected it might be some kind of trap.
It wasn't until he saw a lively Hinata passing by the training ground that Haruko understood: this was likely Hiashi returning a favor.
That afternoon, Haruko's group moved into the Hyuga guest rooms, claiming to the public that they were teaching recipes.
"Wow, this room is so big!" Tayuya ran around the room excitedly. "Big Brother, are we staying here?"
"Yeah, temporarily for a while. The Hyuga Clan values rules, so remember to watch your mouth."
Ayame sat somewhat stiffly on the tatami and asked softly, "Brother Haruko, will this be too much trouble for the Hyuga Clan Head?"
"No. This is just an exchange of favors," Haruko replied casually.
"Well then, Haruko, let's go to the kitchen," Teuchi proposed once everyone was settled. "After all, we're living under someone else's roof; it's not good to eat and drink for free."
"Yeah, if you want to go, Old Man... that's fine too."
Haruko got up to follow Teuchi, and Kaguya Kaede went along as well, leaving Ayame to look after Kin Tsuchi and Tayuya.
The Hyuga Clan's kitchen was ridiculously large; the stove area alone was twice as spacious as the back kitchen of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
'Tsk tsk tsk, as expected of the wealthy. This isn't a kitchen; it's clearly evidence of the landlord class's crimes."
Haruko grumbled inwardly while tying his apron.
"Are you Mr. Teuchi?" A Hyuga Clan chef came over and pointed to a pile of ingredients on the side. "These were specially prepared by Hiashi-sama for your use."
Haruko glanced over; they were all common ingredients, but of very high quality.
"Oh, leave it to me," Teuchi nodded and began selecting ingredients.
Just as they were checking the ingredients, a young girl wearing a plain kimono with a hint of childishness in her eyes walked in carrying a tray, nearly colliding with Kaguya Kaede at the door.
While they were busy in the kitchen, a woman wearing a plain kimono and a white maid's apron nearly collided with Kaguya Kaede at the door.
"Ah, sorry... Eh? Kaguya Kaede?"
"Yo, isn't this Natsu?" Kaguya Kaede's eyes lit up, and a smile curled on her lips. "Long time no see, have you gotten prettier again?"
Hyuga Natsu, a maid from the Hyuga Branch House and Hanabi's nanny.
Seeing how familiar they were, Haruko raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Before he could ask, Kaguya Kaede leaned into Haruko's ear and explained with a breathy voice:
"We met when I used to accompany the Clan Head on 'visits'. Our positions within our respective clans were similar, so we became close over time. You could say... we're fellow sufferers?"
"Kaguya Kaede is joking. I'm currently responsible for taking care of Lady Hanabi, and life is quite fulfilling."
Natsu turned her gaze toward Haruko. "Mr. Haruko, it's been a long time. The snacks from before were very delicious."
"Oh, isn't it the same? I'm also responsible for 'taking care' of Haruko now~"
Kaguya Kaede moved behind Haruko and hugged him, her intimate gesture making one wonder about the meaning of this 'taking care'.
Haruko tried his best to ignore the softness on his back and focused on what was in front of him. "I'm glad you liked them. I'll make more desserts tonight then."
"Thank you, Mr. Haruko. I'll look forward to it," Natsu said with a bright smile.
Watching their interaction, Kaguya Kaede suddenly gave a knowing smile and pulled Natsu aside to whisper.
"Don't talk... I didn't... It's just..."
Haruko didn't listen intentionally, but judging from the blush gradually appearing on Natsu's face, he could probably guess the content.
This woman was more active than he was when it came to helping him build a harem, as if the KPI for reviving the Kaguya Clan was carved into her DNA.
'She's practically a matchmaker on steroids."
Haruko shook his head, as if seeing a future where he drowned in a sea of tenderness.