(Bonus Chapter)
Uchiha Style: Shurikenjutsu!
Eight shuriken slammed into the ground, their steel wires instantly tightening and locking Hyuga Rin's limbs in place.
Cold sweat poured down Rin's forehead. He opened his mouth and said hoarsely,
"I… I admit defeat."
He had never imagined that Uchiha Itachi—standing calmly in front of him—hadn't even activated his Sharingan during the entire exchange.
It was his own arrogance.
Seeing that Itachi hadn't used his Sharingan, Rin hadn't activated his Byakugan either. If he had, there was no way such a basic shuriken technique could have trapped him.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in life.
If you're weak, then train harder. That's all there is to it.
Uchiha Itachi gave a slight nod. His fingers twitched, and the eight shuriken retracted along their original paths, snapping neatly back into his palm.
The Hyuga clan members watching couldn't help but gasp.
In Itachi's hands, this level of shurikenjutsu was nothing short of divine.
More importantly, Itachi's mind had never stopped working during the fight. The instant Rotation ended, he threw the shuriken without hesitation, sealing Rin's movements perfectly.
He won decisively—yet preserved the Hyuga Clan's dignity to the greatest extent possible.
There was no unnecessary cruelty. No wasted motion.
The Hyuga Great Elder snorted coldly and left the training grounds with his grandson. After he departed, the Hyuga clan ninjas burst into applause.
Although the fight had lasted fewer than five exchanges, every move had been solid and precise. Even Hyuga Hiashi couldn't help but nod in admiration.
After this, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui had no further interest in training and returned to the lounge.
There, they found Ran fast asleep, snoring loudly enough to shake the room.
The two frowned instinctively—then, after a moment, lay down themselves.
They had just finished sparring, and exhaustion quickly claimed them. Before long, both drifted into deep sleep.
---
Nara Clan Compound
Nara Shikaku sat in the main seat, with Akimichi Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi seated on either side. Standing before them was a member of the Hyuga Clan.
The messenger pulled a letter from his robe and handed it over.
Shikaku accepted it and opened it without hesitation. He had no reason to guard against the Hyuga—Hyuga Hiashi was known for offending no one and slipping smoothly between factions.
Shikaku assumed Hiashi must be asking for help.
As he read, his brows slowly knit together.
"Messenger," Shikaku said calmly, "aside from this letter, did Clan Head Hiashi say anything else? Is this truly all?"
"Reporting to the Nara Clan Head," the Hyuga replied evenly, "Clan Head Hiashi said nothing more. He only hopes that the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka Clan Heads will attend a banquet at the Hyuga compound tonight."
Nara Shikaku pondered briefly, then smiled.
"Very well. Please return and tell Brother Hiashi that we will arrive on time."
The messenger bowed and was escorted out.
Once the gates closed, Shikaku's smile vanished. His expression turned heavy.
"The sky over Konoha… is about to change."
Akimichi Chōza was startled.
"Shikaku? What do you mean by that?"
Inoichi Yamanaka seemed to have some idea, but he stayed silent—he knew his insight couldn't compare to Shikaku's.
Shikaku took a deep breath and spoke flatly:
"The Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan have joined forces. They're preparing to launch a coup."
The room fell silent.
Chōza froze, dumbfounded. Inoichi said nothing.
"Did Hyuga Hiashi write something like that in the letter?" Chōza asked anxiously.
"Isn't that far too bold? Aren't they afraid we'll hand this straight to the Hokage and have them punished?"
"It's not written there," Shikaku replied. "This is my deduction."
He handed the letter to Chōza.
Chōza read it carefully:
> Hiashi sincerely invites the three clan heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō to my Hyuga compound for a banquet.
Oh, and by the way—there will also be a young friend attending tonight. His combat strength is peerless, and he recently set fire to an entire mountain.
Chōza frowned.
"The first part is normal… but what is that second part even supposed to mean?"
He passed the letter to Inoichi.
Inoichi smiled faintly.
"So it really was them."
He had just been discussing the fifty or sixty shinobi who had died near the Naka River.
Shikaku let out a bitter laugh.
"Exactly. That's why we're in a dilemma."
"On one side, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, still holds power. Our three clans have invested countless people and resources into supporting him. We've already been labeled his direct faction."
"Originally, it was just to preserve our strength. But who would've thought Danzo Shimura would use Root to plunder talent from our clans?"
"On the other hand, Konoha is rotting from within. The Third Hokage is old and indecisive, and there's no clear successor to take his place."
"If we wanted to protect ourselves, we could shut our doors and remain neutral. But if we let Hiruzen and Danzo continue unchecked, our three clans will be swallowed sooner or later."
"Fu Yamanaka is the best example."
Shikaku glanced at Inoichi.
The pressure around Inoichi instantly dropped.
Fu Yamanaka had been a genius of the Yamanaka Clan—yet he had been taken by Danzo. No one knew whether the Yamanaka, Nara, or Akimichi clans would be next.
"Shikaku," Inoichi said firmly, "I think we should help them."
Chōza nodded in agreement.
Shikaku didn't answer right away. He fell into deep thought.
A coup.
If it succeeded, they would become dragon followers, rewarded beyond measure.
If it failed, their clans would pay in blood.
After a long silence, Shikaku finally stood up.
"How about this," he said. "Tonight, the three of us will attend the banquet together."
"We'll see what cards the Uchiha and Hyuga are really holding… and decide whether they're worth following."
With that, he turned and walked toward his bedroom.
Tonight would be a battle of words. Better to rest first.
Chōza and Inoichi exchanged glances, then returned home to sleep as well.
---
8:00 PM
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Ran opened his eyes. A flash of red light flickered briefly within them.
"Who is it?"
"B-Brother Ran… it's me," a soft, timid voice answered.
"Father asked me to invite you to the banquet. The leaders of the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans have already been waiting for a long time."
Hyuga Hinata's gentle voice instantly extinguished more than half of Ran's irritation.
(A/N)
Bonus Chapter uploaded as promised.
Another one coming when we reach 100 power stones (Currently at 83).