The only reason Qingke could think of for the Hyuga clan to take such a risk and attack nobles at this time was... the Hyuga clan saw hope and needed a large sum of wealth.
Recalling the tasks that Aoba-sama had once asked him to post in the black market, and some of the information he had sold, Qingke felt that some things seemed to be connected.
Aoba-sama actually had contact with the Akatsuki organization, and it must have been an extraordinary connection. Otherwise, how would the Akatsuki organization be willing to help Aoba-sama plot against the Hyuga clan?
Qingke felt that as a qualified subordinate, he should remind his superior when necessary. The Akatsuki organization was a group of lawless individuals, and plotting something with them was simply too dangerous. It would lead to backlash sooner or later.
But if he did so, he would inevitably incur the displeasure of Kawaki Aoba. After all, no superior liked to be told what to do by their subordinates while working.
Therefore, Qingke was caught in a dilemma for a while, until someone reminded him, and then he came back to his senses.
"Captain Qingke, the Hyuga ninjas have begun to move. They have already sealed off the manor."
In the images transmitted by the drone, it was clearly seen that after the Hyuga ninjas sealed off the manor, they indiscriminately launched a one-sided massacre of the people inside.
This was the home of a prominent noble. Most large nobles would employ wandering ninjas and samurai, but how could they compare to the elite ninjas of the Hyuga clan?
"The leader is Hyuga Hizashi, the younger brother of the new Hyuga clan leader, right? He's really ruthless. With the Byakugan's detection, there won't be any survivors in this manor. This is even more ruthless than the Akatsuki organization."
"Everyone, don't be careless. Check all the corpses carefully, and be sure not to leave any survivors." After killing a servant of the manor with a palm strike, Hyuga Hizashi added a knife to his chest and said.
"Understood, Hizashi-sama." Many ninjas responded in unison.
Hyuga Hizashi nodded in satisfaction, then led people to collect the assets of the noble family.
Compared to the other Hyuga branch family ninjas who didn't know anything, Hyuga Hizashi had been told some inside information by Hyuga Hiashi.
After their Hyuga clan contacted the Akatsuki organization, the other party unsurprisingly demanded an exorbitant price—an amount that the entire Hyuga clan could not possibly raise even if they sold themselves.
In order to prevent the Akatsuki organization from selling the control technique of the Caged Bird Curse Seal to others, the Hyuga clan had no choice but to grit their teeth and accept the deal.
It was under such circumstances that the elders of the main family were willing to offer a place to become a member of the main family to encourage branch family ninjas to obtain more wealth.
But Hyuga Hizashi knew that all of this was just a facade. If necessary, all of them—the branch family members who had been marked with the Caged Bird Curse Seal—would die, including the person who finally obtained the qualification to become a member of the main family.
All branch families would become sacrifices.
Hyuga Hizashi knew this, but he still risked his life so desperately to attack the great nobles, not for himself, but for his newborn child.
Hyuga Neji.
His brother, Hyuga Hiashi, had promised him that as long as he could obtain that qualification, his son Neji would become a member of the main family.
For this newborn child, Hyuga Hizashi even knelt down and begged Hiashi, the brother for whom he had very complicated feelings.
Fortunately, Hyuga Hiashi also felt indebted to him, so he agreed.
At this moment, almost half of these ninjas were loyal to Hyuga Hiashi. They were the foundation of his lineage, and now they were all brought out by him.
Even in order to save time and raise the most funds, they directly attacked the nobles within the Land of Fire. This was an advantage that the other teams could never have.
At this moment, the enthusiastic Hyuga Hizashi did not know that thousands of meters above their heads, there was a drone capturing close-up shots of them.
Due to the pixel quality, even their faces could be photographed clearly by the drone. This was a technology that the current ninja world could never develop.
"The Hyuga clan is really courting death. If this kind of evidence is released, the Hyuga family will probably be finished," a ninja beside Qingke gloated.
Qingke glanced at him lightly and said in a cold voice, "This is the task assigned by Aoba-sama. Put away your little thoughts."
"Moreover, do you really think that the Hyuga family is so easy to deal with? These are just branch family members. They can be abandoned at any time."
"As long as the Hyuga main family does not admit that this matter is related to them and claims that this is the behavior of branch family ninjas acting on their own initiative, they can easily get rid of the trouble."
"As for the life and death of the branch family ninjas, for the current Hyuga family, those branch family ninjas are no different from being dead."
Qingke's eyes were unusually cold, as if recalling past events.
"It's cruel, right? But this is the ninja world. Instead of sympathizing with those Hyuga branch family members, it's better to sympathize with ourselves."
"Before following Aoba-sama, which of us could compare to these people?"
"They are the abandoned children of the Hyuga main family, and weren't we the abandoned children of the village during the Great Ninja War? If it weren't for Aoba-sama, half of us would have died on the battlefield."
"How could we enjoy the current resources?"
"Facts have proven that only by following Aoba-sama can we civilians have a real chance to rise. Only Aoba-sama can lead the village to the light."
As soon as Qingke said this, everyone nodded. All of them had been favored by Kawaki Aoba.
For example, the defensive ninja tools that Kawaki Aoba had prepared for his subordinates were not something that ordinary ninjas could afford.
It was said that on the current black market, the most expensive defensive ninja tool had been sold for a high price of 700 million taels.
The ordinary defensive ninja tools on their bodies also cost at least one million taels to start. For ninjas, who were fragile, defensive ninja tools were like their second life.
Not to mention the other various benefits.
The previous life was simply dog shit compared to the present. It was precisely because of this that these people were almost all loyal to Kawaki Aoba.
Next, Qingke's team closely followed behind Hyuga Hizashi and others, constantly recording the images of their massacre of the great nobles.
The efficiency of the ninjas' actions was extremely high.
In just one day, this small team of Hyuga ninja had eliminated five prominent noble families within the Land of Fire.
Qingke and the others following behind were astonished. The Hyuga's precision and efficiency were terrifying. Even the Anbu under the direct command of the Hokage would have been left speechless—and perhaps ashamed—upon witnessing such results.
As dusk settled over the village, a deceptive calm enveloped the streets of Konohagakure. To ordinary citizens, life appeared undisturbed. Yet among the ninja, the atmosphere was tense and turbulent.
Outside the Hyuga compound, shinobi lurked in every possible hiding spot.
Their concealment was so sloppy that even genin-level students could have spotted them with ease.
There was no need to ask—they were clearly the men of Kawaki Aoba. This type of blatant surveillance was a provocation, plain and simple.
Within the village, every clan—whether noble or common—was observing, waiting to see how the Hyuga would react.
But the outcome disappointed them. The Hyuga clan, one of the oldest and most distinguished families in the ninja world, made no move. They seemed determined to remain passive, as though retreating into their shell like a threatened turtle.
It was important to note that Kawaki Aoba still held 800 Hyuga branch members captive—rogue ninja in name, yet branded with the Caged Bird Seal.
If the Hyuga still refused to act, no one could predict what Aoba would do next.
"Aoba, you once told me that when something is abnormal, there's always a reason. The Hyuga are acting very strangely right now. Be cautious," warned Yuhi Kurenai gently.
Then, with a fiery glint in her eye, she added with conviction, "But don't worry. No matter what tricks they try, all will fall before overwhelming strength."
Aoba was slightly embarrassed. Ever since Kurenai had recognized his strength, she had begun to exhibit flashes of aggression—but, thankfully, never directed at him.
As for conspiracies? He knew full well that the Hyuga had no grand schemes. They were merely trying to protect themselves.
In reality, he was the one weaving the threads of a complex trap to break them.
But in this ninja world, where did justice truly lie?
Only the strong determined right and wrong. Long ago, under the Hyuga's oppressive traditions, he had barely clung to life. Now it was their turn to suffer under his heel. It was, to him, only natural.
Whether they survived this trial depended on the same luck that had once saved him.
"So this is the Hyuga's so-called hope—the Tenseigan, the power of the Otsutsuki clan from the Moon," Aoba murmured. "A miracle, yes… but one that has yet to appear."
Using his enhanced perception—further augmented by a form of sensory ability reminiscent of Kenbunshoku Haki—Aoba detected every movement within the Hyuga compound. It was no secret to him that they were receiving a hidden guest.
From the Moon, no less.
A dignitary from the Otsutsuki Main Family: Otsutsuki Hiroichi.
Because the Hyuga compound was under such heavy surveillance, this guest had no choice but to emerge from a secret passage beneath the estate—likely one constructed during the early days of Konohagakure, a contingency for survival in times of crisis.
When Hiroichi emerged, dressed in traditional Moon attire, his expression was dark with indignation. For a proud elder of the Otsutsuki clan, having to crawl through a tunnel to visit his kin on Earth was an insult. Were it not for their shared ancestry, he might have turned back.
"This must be an elder from the Otsutsuki main family. I am Hyuga Hiashi, current head of the Hyuga clan in the ninja world," said Hiashi, stepping forward with a formal bow. His eyes lingered on Hiroichi's Byakugan—identical to his own. At that moment, the Hyuga leader could no longer doubt the ancient records.
Hiroichi's expression softened at the display of respect. The presence of Hiashi himself and the formal greetings of the eleven Hyuga elders who followed reassured him—this was a reunion of equals.
He returned the bows one by one. Both clans, it seemed, placed high value on formality.
After the introductions, Hiroichi was led into the Hyuga audience chamber.
It had been decades—perhaps longer—since the Hyuga and the Otsutsuki had last made contact. There was much to discuss.
The Otsutsuki had remained secluded on the Moon, preserving the traditions of Hamura Otsutsuki. While minor tensions between their main and branch families had arisen—largely in response to disturbances from Earth—their society remained otherwise unchanged.
By contrast, the Hyuga were in crisis.
They were being systematically targeted by a powerful traitor—one who carried the Hyuga bloodline. From Hiroichi's perspective, this was a personal disgrace. The Hyuga had fallen into disarray.
More alarming, however, was the revelation that the technique controlling the Caged Bird Seal had been compromised. This outsider now held the ability to activate the seal remotely. If he willed it, hundreds of Hyuga branch members could perish in an instant.
The Hyuga had reached out to their Moonborn kin for help—not out of pride, but desperation.
Hiashi did not conceal the grim truth. Like water poured from a bamboo tube, he revealed everything.
As Hiashi spoke, the Hyuga elders closely observed Hiroichi.
They had quickly assessed his character. Despite his position, Hiroichi was surprisingly naive—almost innocent. His every emotion played openly across his face. There was no artifice, no scheming.
Such purity was rare. In the cynical world of shinobi, it was a wonder he still existed.
But when they considered his isolated upbringing on the Moon, untouched by the bloodshed and betrayal of Earth, it became understandable.
Still unaware of how thoroughly he had been read, Hiroichi spoke with a resolute expression:
"So this so-called strongest ninja in the world hides in shadows and plays with seals? If that is his only method… then he is nothing. In the face of true power, he will fall."
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