Nighttime.
Hyuga Main Branch Estate.
Hyuga Hiashi, having hurriedly returned to the village, wore a grim expression.
His secret trip to the Land of the Moon had shaken him deeply. He never imagined that Neji could be so entangled with the Akatsuki, even to the point of setting foot on the moon.
Through the window, Hiashi gazed at the bright moon hanging high in the night sky.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps drew near. Moments later, a figure appeared in the courtyard, bowing respectfully toward Hiashi inside the house. "Clan Leader, you summoned me. Is there something you need?"
Hiashi gave a long, deep look at Neji, who stood in the courtyard, his face still carrying traces of youthful innocence, and beckoned. "Neji, come inside."
Neji bowed again and entered the room.
Once seated, he asked with a hint of confusion, "Clan Leader, why did you call for me so late? Do you have any orders?"
Hiashi got straight to the point. "I've met with an elder of the Ōtsutsuki clan. He accused you of conspiring with the Akatsuki to infiltrate their sacred grounds, not only damaging their fortress but also killing one of their clansmen. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Neji froze, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes.
But after a moment of silence, he offered no excuses, simply nodding calmly.
He could have claimed he was controlled by the Akatsuki's genjutsu or coerced into it, but he chose not to.
The war between the Ōtsutsuki main and branch families on the moon had left a profound impact on him, making him realize that the true conflict stemmed from seeds of distrust sown long ago.
Seeing Neji's nod, Hiashi abandoned any lingering hopes and pressed, "What exactly is your relationship with the Akatsuki? Have you joined them?"
Neji replied, "The moon incident did involve cooperation with the Akatsuki, but I haven't joined them."
"Just cooperation? Why would they work with you? And who from the Akatsuki did you collaborate with?"
Hiashi frowned, exuding the authority of a clan leader as he fired off a string of questions.
Neji, however, remained silent.
He had promised the Akatsuki's 'A' that he would never reveal any of their secrets to outsiders.
Hiashi's frown deepened. "Do you understand the consequences of betraying the clan? As clan leader, I have the authority to execute you!"
"I understand," Neji nodded.
Hiashi stared at Neji for a long time before letting out a helpless sigh. "The Ōtsutsuki elder issued an ultimatum, demanding I hand you over to him. If you continue like this, I won't be able to protect you."
Neji thought for a moment, deciding it was no longer right to keep the Ōtsutsuki branch family's actions on the moon hidden from the clan leader. He gave Hiashi a broad account of his lunar journey, glossing over any details related to the Akatsuki's 'A.'
When Hiashi learned that Neji had been entrusted with a mission by the soul of Hamura Ōtsutsuki and that the Ōtsutsuki branch family was plotting to use the moon to destroy the shinobi world, he was stunned.
After a long pause, Hiashi asked in a trembling voice, "This… this is why you cooperated with the Akatsuki?"
"Yes," Neji nodded.
In his recounting, he deliberately omitted any mention of the Tenseigan, honoring his promise to 'A' not to disclose it.
"They…" Hiashi paused, then asked gravely, "Can the Ōtsutsuki branch family really do something like that? Destroying the shinobi world isn't something just anyone can accomplish!"
"They can manipulate the moon… to crash it into the shinobi world!" Neji raised his head, meeting Hiashi's gaze.
From Neji's eyes, Hiashi could tell he wasn't lying.
This changed everything.
If Neji had merely colluded with the Akatsuki and attacked the Ōtsutsuki on the moon, Hiashi would have been deeply regretful but resolute. His only choice would have been whether to hand Neji over to the Ōtsutsuki or deal with him secretly within the clan.
But learning of the moon's secrets and the Ōtsutsuki branch family's apocalyptic plot left him conflicted.
Clearly, the Hyuga clan alone lacked the power to oppose the Ōtsutsuki branch family. To stop their world-ending scheme, the only option was to report it to the village.
But reporting it would expose Neji's cooperation with the Akatsuki.
At this thought, Hiashi was filled with regret.
Had he not indulged Neji's participation in the Akatsuki's membership test last time, sacrificing Neji would have been straightforward—after all, the clan's safety came first.
But back then, swayed by ambition, he had allowed Neji to infiltrate the Akatsuki without informing the village, even personally ensuring Neji's safety, binding the clan tightly to Neji's actions.
If the village's higher-ups learned that the Hyuga clan had sought to contact the Akatsuki independently, with one of their own undergoing the Akatsuki's test, their already wary stance toward dojutsu Bloodline Limit clans would make life difficult for the Hyuga moving forward.
The Uchiha clan's annihilation wasn't that long ago, after all!
The Hyuga lacked the power to resolve a world-ending crisis on their own, yet they couldn't turn to the village for help. Hiashi was at a loss.
After weighing his options, he looked up sharply. "Do you have a way to contact the Akatsuki?"
Apartment.
Shinji's desk was buried under a pile of books, most of them open. Some pages were folded, others marked with notes, and some were even torn out and pinned to the wall in prominent spots.
Under the soft glow of a desk lamp, Shinji was writing furiously.
He had a plan, but turning it into reality required preparation on every front.
Theoretical knowledge was especially critical!
"Madara's use of the Gedo Statue and the First Hokage's cells to create White Zetsu was a stroke of genius! I've already acquired White Zetsu cells, so many steps can simply be replicated. But…"
Shinji paused his pen, lost in thought.
The rudimentary laboratory in the medical unit was nowhere near equipped to cultivate a biological exoskeleton, and he lacked the funds and manpower to support endless trial and error.
"Perhaps I need a partner…"
Shinji's eyes flickered as he mentally sifted through candidates.
In the entire shinobi world, only the five great shinobi villages, the Akatsuki, and Orochimaru, who founded the Hidden Sound Village, had the capability and resources to collaborate with him.
The five villages and the Akatsuki could be ruled out, leaving only Orochimaru.
Soon, Shinji made his decision. "Since Kimimaro is part of the plan, I can't avoid Orochimaru anyway. Why not use this to make Orochimaru work for me?"