Bab 100: Chapter 100
Under the serene glow of the moon, the Hyuga clan compound was bathed in an ethereal light, casting shadows that danced across the immaculate grounds. Yet, amidst this tranquility, tension simmered beneath the surface. The Grand Elder had convened a clandestine gathering of those loyal to the Daimyo faction, their faces hidden in the veil of night.
"Time is of the essence," the Grand Elder declared, his voice carrying a weight of urgency. "Hiashi's treachery has jeopardized our clan, and Tsunade's wrath knows no bounds."
With a flicker of his Byakugan, he scanned the perimeter of the Hyuga compound, where vigilant ANBU operatives had encircled them, their presence a stark reminder of the peril they faced.
"We must act swiftly," he continued, his gaze piercing through the darkness. "We need a plan to ensure the escape of those on Tsunade's list. Our survival depends on it."
"Let's fight, Grand Elder! Let's remind everyone why the Hyuga are one of Konoha's major clans," an elder exclaimed with a voice quivering with anger. "It seems the new Hokage has forgotten our contributions to the village."
Another member of the main branch nodded in agreement. "We still have plenty of branch family members. We can use them as cannon fodder to break through the village defenses."
"Yes, Grand Elder," chimed in another. "As long as our main branch survives, we can rebuild the Hyuga clan. We've trained nearly two thousand shinobi for the Daimyo. Tsunade will realize how dangerous we are and back down."
"Enough!" the Grand Elder bellowed in fury, his eyes bloodshot with anger. "Do you even understand the dire situation we're in? Whether you like it or not, Tsunade alone is more than capable of crushing our Hyuga clan singlehandedly. Yet here you all are, bickering about grand dreams instead of helping me find a solution. Tell me, what good are you? Do you think Tsunade would have given us such an ultimatum if our Hyuga had multiple Kage-class ninja? No! All you do is waste away your time in luxury. Can any of you confidently say that you can stall Tsunade long enough for our other members to escape? And don't you dare forget how many Kage class shinobi Konoha currently has."
The Grand Elder's words reverberated through the tense atmosphere, his frustration palpable as he confronted the incompetence of his family members. If they had strong Kage-class ninjas in every generation, would they have resorted to such underhanded means to grab power within the village during Sandiame's reign, relying on the Daimyo faction?
"Grand Elder, please, calm down. We cannot have you losing your composure at such a time," Kenshi, Hiashi's rival, interjected, attempting to bring the meeting back on track.
"Phew, yes, you are right, Kenshi. So, have you taken care of the things that I asked you to accomplish?" The Grand Elder exhaled, composing himself a bit, and turned to Kenshi, one of the Hyuga main branch members who could be placed at a pseudo-Kage level, just like Hiashi. However, now that Hiashi was also their opponent, they couldn't trust all the main branch family members, as even among them, there were quite a few who were loyal to Hiashi, the clan head. However, the main advantage that the Grand Elder had was that he knew the true depth of the curse seal and was planning to use it to his advantage.
"Yes, Grand Elder. I have sent a team from the side branch family to go after the sealing container for the three tails. I was genuinely surprised that the curse seal had such a function. They were literally like my personal slaves, carrying out my every whim," Kenshi said with a cruel glint in his eyes, recalling how he used the method taught by the Grand Elder to control the side branch members with the curse seal on their heads.
"Don't become complacent, Kenshi. The curse seal is not absolute. Some with strong will can easily resist the commands, so be careful who you use this technique on, especially elite Jonin-class ninja from the branch family," the Grand Elder warned. He knew the advantages of the curse seal, but it wasn't without drawbacks. Killing branch family members using the seal was simple but it was a waste of resources when they could use them as cannon fodder and throw them at the ANBU outside to create chaos while they themselves could safely exit the village.
The Grand Elder also initiated the plan of going after the various children within other clans, especially the children of clan patriarchs, to keep them as insurance against Tsunade. If they could acquire even a single child, things would turn in their favor, as Tsunade couldn't directly risk the lives of the heirs of other clans. Although this method would attract the wrath of the other clans, the Grand Elder wasn't worried because he planned to leave the Leaf Village completely for good, along with the main branch members who were loyal to him. As long as they had the clan heirs under custody, they could safely integrate themselves after relocating to the Fire Country capital. The plan for the three tails was a good bargaining chip when they reached the Fire Country.
"Tch, that bastard, Hiashi. If not for him, we wouldn't be in such a condition," an elder spat out in frustration, his hatred for Hiashi evident. Due to Hiashi's intervention, they had lost most of the elite members from the branch family, as Hiashi, being the clan head, could overrule the instructions issued by other main branch members, with the only exception being the Grand Elder.
"So what if he can overrule our commands? Hiashi doesn't know about the secret technique embedded within the Curse Mark, so no matter how much he tries, he will eventually succumb," Kenshi sneered in contempt.
"No! Hiashi could be a problem; I believe he has already breached the Kage class but is keeping it under wraps. We need to keep him in check before we start our operation. We cannot have him interfere while we try to make our way out of the village. As for the main branch members supporting him, they are merely traitors like Hiashi. We have to get rid of them before we leave, but now they are holed up, and with the ANBU just outside, we cannot touch them," the Grand Elder deliberated, his mind racing to find a viable option. He knew one little mistake and his entire faction would be buried, and their numbers were limited because he only had a majority of the main branch by his side.
"Grand Elder, if I may? I have a proposal, but we might have to sacrifice a few of our own. However, I am sure we can save most of the main family members here. And if my plan succeeds, even Hiashi himself might help us breakthrough from this situation and escort us all the way to the Fire Country capital safely," Kenshi proposed, sending a chill through the room. He was known for his cruelty, and after losing the position of clan head against Hiashi, he had become even worse. Originally, he at least had a bottom line, but now he would go to any lengths to fulfill his desires.
The Grand Elder knew Kenshi's character, but this was a desperate time, and desperate times called for desperate measures. "Sigh, fine then. Tell me, what proposal do you have? If you can really have the main branch reach the safety of the Fire Capital, then I promise you will be the next clan head of the New Hyuga clan that we establish."
Meanwhile, atop the Hokage mountain, Tsunade stood majestically under the moonlight, fully geared for battle, carefully eyeing the Hyuga clan compound. Observing from such a distance posed no difficulty for her, and within the shadows surrounding her, her personal ANBU guards patiently awaited her next commands.
A shadow materialized next to Tsunade, taking the form of a little ANBU who kneeled beside her as a sign of respect. "Kazuki, forego the formalities. Tell me, What's the current status within the Hyuga compound?" Tsunade commanded, her gaze unwavering on her target.
"Hokage-sama, it's confirmed. The Grand Elder and his group are planning a coup. They intend to break out of the encirclement by using the Branch family members as cannon fodder. They plan to utilize a special feature of the curse mark to manipulate the Branch family members into mindless puppets. However, there seem to be limitations. I couldn't get too close to gather all the details, but I obtained important information, so I had to return immediately," Kazuki briefed, showcasing his expertise in reconnaissance and espionage, thanks to his Kekkei Genkai and fuinjutsu mastery, making him the most efficient shinobi in the Leaf Village for such tasks.
"Something important? Spit it out, Kazuki. I don't have all day," Tsunade admonished, noticing Kazuki's adherence to ANBU protocols.
"Understood, Hokage-sama. The Grand Elder plans to kidnap the clan heirs of other clans as hostages to use against you. They intend to merge with the Daimyo family in the Fire Country while using the clan heirs as leverage. They also plan to go after the three-tails container kept within the forbidden grounds of the Hokage office," Kazuki shared, revealing all the details of the Hyuga's plans that he had eavesdropped on while getting as close as possible. Despite the risk, his heightened sensitivity allowed him to approach closer than any other Shinobi dared.
Tsunade's majestic chakra seeped out unconsciously, a testament to her fury at the Hyuga Elder's treachery. She had never expected him to stoop to such underhanded methods, willing to sacrifice his own kin for personal gain. When she learned that a few Hyuga had broken through two full layers of ANBU encirclement to target the clan heirs and the three-tails container, her anger knew no bounds. If it weren't for Kazuki, she would have been completely blind to the Hyuga's covert movements.
She made a simple gesture, and the ANBU commander, Kakashi, flickered next to her, awaiting her commands.
"Hokage-sama."
"Kakashi, did I not order the ANBU to keep the Hyuga encircled? How is it that they were able to send out so many teams targeting the clan heirs and the bijuu?" Tsunade's tone was sharp, and her disappointment was palpable. She detested incompetence, especially when it endangered the village. One must know that Konoha had more than forty clans that called it home, and to send forty squads even if each squad had only five Hyuga branch members means the ANBU let slip more than two hundred Shinobi past their encirclement.
Kakashi felt a wave of shame wash over him. He knew there had been opposition when Tsunade appointed him as ANBU commander, citing his youth as a disqualifying factor. Now, by failing in his duty, he had proven them right. This position was one he had longed for ever since losing his father, who had also served as the ANBU commander during his time.
"Hokage-sama, I have no excuses. I am willing to accept any punishment you deem fit," Kakashi replied, accepting responsibility for his failure without hesitation.
"We can address your punishment later. For now, I want you to mobilize all remaining ANBU on standby and intercept every one of these Hyuga teams..." Tsunade began to issue her orders, but Kazuki swiftly interjected.
"Hokage-sama, I advise against it. We still do not know what else the Hyuga has planned. I have deployed my Shadow clones to monitor these dispatched Hyuga teams, and I have informed all other clan heads of the impending danger. They will be ready. I have also instructed the Uchiha, using your name, to mobilize their elite forces to create a third encirclement around the Hyuga." Kazuki quickly relayed the countermeasures he had already taken on behalf of his sensei. His words carried weight, for he was one of the few exceptions granted significant authority within the Leaf Village. Even Kakashi, standing nearby, was taken aback by the extent of power wielded by the young prodigy, realizing the depth of influence Kazuki held within the village.
"Ah, you sure are reliable when it matters most. So, to whom have you assigned command of the third encirclement? I hope you did not leave it up to the Uchiha; they will simply start a mass slaughter of the Hyuga to prove their worth," Tsunade remarked. Although she didn't berate Kazuki for acting without her permission, she wanted to ensure that there would be no unnecessary bloodshed, especially now that the Uchiha were involved. After reintegrating completely with the village, with Tsunade's support, the Uchiha became more dedicated to the village's welfare. They sought to regain respect as the clan responsible for Konoha's establishment.
"Worry not, Hokage-sama. I have made arrangements. Clan leader Fugaku will stay back within the Uchiha clan to protect the young ones, and I have assigned the overall command to Elite Jonin Might Guy. I am sure he will try to restrain and subdue these controlled branch family members," Kazuki assured. He had confidence in the Blue Beast of Konoha. If bloodshed could be avoided and lives saved, especially innocent ones, then Might Guy was the type of shinobi to rely on. Every one of these Hyuga branch members was now under the control of the main branch members, using the curse seal to manipulate them.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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