The atmosphere in the Hyuga clan had chilled to the bone.
It was like a dilapidated thatched cottage in a storm.
Hiashi Hyuga silently held the [Cage Bird jutsu] Scroll.
After taking it from Orochimaru and seeing neither Orochimaru nor Haruki come to ask for it, he vaguely realized it was on purpose.
No matter what the purpose is, the only way he could think of to break the deadlock was for the main family to give up control of the [Cage Bird jutsu].
But he wasn't the clan head.
Moreover, in the Hyuga clan, the Elders had more decision - making power in a sense.
Hiashi Hyuga's face kept changing.
After hesitating for a long time, he heard the voice of Hyuga Kazushi.
He opened the door and saw a silent and solemn face.
"Father, all forty branch - family Ninjas are dead, right?"
"How did you know?"
Hyuga Kazushi had gone straight back to the Hyuga mansion and didn't notice the situation in Konoha Village.
Suddenly hearing Hiashi Hyuga's rather certain question, he couldn't help but be a bit surprised.
"Not only me, everyone knows."
Hiashi Hyuga felt his head spin. He still had a glimmer of hope before.
"What do you mean?!"
Hyuga Kazushi rarely showed a panicked expression.
"I don't know who leaked the news. Now all the villagers in Konoha know about our Hyuga clan's matter." Hiashi Hyuga forced himself to stay calm and said.
Hearing this, Hyuga Kazushi almost lost his balance.
Everyone knows?
How is that possible?
He took several deep breaths. After a while, he disappeared directly from the hall.
About ten minutes later, his figure reappeared.
But his face was tinged with anger, and the Chakra emanating from his whole body was terrifying.
"Who! Framed our Hyuga clan?!"
Hyuga Kazushi had just walked around Konoha and heard a lot of rumors.
If it weren't for thinking about the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, he really wanted to use the Eight Trigrams Palm to kill these guys.
But even the Rotation Jutsu couldn't stop the public opinion.
"In just one day, it's spread everywhere. There must be someone behind it pushing the situation."
Hyuga Kazushi's cold voice rang out.
"Father, what should we do now?"
Hiashi Hyuga paused briefly and then asked, "The situation is very unfavorable for us. Even the Hokage - sama can't silence the public opinion. And the most crucial thing is that no matter how it happened, the result is indeed true."
Hyuga Kazushi was immediately shocked.
"You're right. Let's go and discuss it with the Elders."
The two immediately left the hall and went to the place where the Elders lived.
After reporting to the guards, they saw the Elders.
"This matter should be the doing of a clan within Konoha."
The Elder's face was also very ugly. He never expected it to develop to this extent.
"The top priority now is for Kazushi to contact the Hokage - sama and Tanzo Shimura to announce the truth. Besides, stabilize the branch - family members and explain the situation to them. If there are still people who dare to cause trouble, use the [Cage Bird jutsu] directly."
"Okay."
Hyuga Kazushi breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Sure enough, the Elders are reliable.
Hiashi Hyuga was silent and didn't say a word.
Soon.
At the request of the Hyuga clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately called a meeting of the Jonin. Tanzo Shimura recounted the events about the incident, and then posted them on the bulletin board.
But to their surprise,
Public opinion didn't tilt to one side.
Instead, it was a mixed bag, with both sides sticking to their own stories.
Because there were too many loopholes.
Especially the fact that the mysterious person kidnapped someone and then killed them. It simply didn't make any sense.
Many, especially those from the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family, believed that the main family of the Hyuga clan had joined forces with the Hokage to lie in order to hide the truth.
...
New Konoha Bookstore.
The first bookstore acquired by Tomomi Koki.
Haruki was reading a novel.
"Tsk, this plot is so clichéd."
He shook his head. After reading all kinds of web novels, he had to say he wasn't used to these.
Tomomi Koki smiled but didn't comment.
He brought up the business matter: "I've sent someone to find Lord Jiraiya. According to the share you mentioned, I'm going to talk to him about the agency of his new book. I've also contacted Princess Tsunade and Lord Orochimaru. They weren't interested at first, but after seeing your gift, they both agreed."
"Yeah. Let's see what conditions that stingy Jiraiya will agree to, but we must get half."
The reason Haruki involved the Sannin was, of course, to find some backers.
With the Sannin and him, who in Konoha Village would dare to provoke them?
At the same time, it was also a good deal for Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
According to his modern media operation method, the bookstore definitely wouldn't lose money.
Moreover, besides Jiraiya's new book, he had also gathered many authors to write the stories he provided.
Novels that were big hits in another timeline.
Like Demon Slayer.
"I understand."
Tomomi Koki nodded and then asked, "Should we add more fuel to the fire regarding the public opinion about the Hyuga clan? Since the Hokage stepped in, with his prestige, the efforts we made before have been greatly reduced."
"No need."
Haruki took out a letter and gave it to Tomomi Koki.
"What's this?"
"A letter of inquiry and blame from the Anbu of Sunagakure."
"Sir, how did you get it?"
"I forged it."
Haruki shrugged. "Tanzo Shimura pushed all the blame onto Sunagakure and Cloud Hidden Village. But if a letter from the Anbu of Sunagakure arrives in Konoha, rebuking us and saying that Sunagakure has never cooperated with Cloud Hidden Village and has never kidnapped a ninja from the Hyuga clan, it'll be quite interesting."
"Will they believe it?"
"Yes. These people are just onlookers. When they see some eye-popping news, they'll get even more thrilled. As for whether it's true or not, maybe it doesn't matter anymore.
Oh, by the way!
Sunagakure didn't actually do it. Even if The Third Kazekage finds out, he'll only think it was the Anbu who did it. No, I should say that even if he knows, they'll definitely get involved. How could they miss a chance to strike at the Hyuga clan?
Find an opportunity to post the letter directly on the bulletin board and give it a little push secretly."
"Yes!"
Tomomi Koki put away the envelope and immediately disappeared in front of him.
The matter soon snowballed.
The next day, Haruki walked around the streets.
The whole of Konoha was like boiling water.
Everyone was fired up with gossip.
It had been a long time since such an event had occurred.
Combined with the pent-up emotions from the previous great battle, these factors set Konoha ablaze.
Even the public opinion about the suicide of the Legend of the White Fang couldn't compare, right?
Haruki thought as he arrived at Orochimaru's laboratory.
"How about the Chimera Technique?"
He tossed Shimon Hiruko to Orochimaru to deal with.
"It's a half - baked Kinjutsu. Once fused with Kekkei Genkai, it'll put a huge strain on the body."
Haruki remembered how Shimon Hiruko was wrapped in bandages all over his body in the original story and couldn't help but nod.
Orochimaru had a sharp eye.
"Can it be modified?"
"Modify it? You don't need this kind of thing. Why waste your time?"
"What about you? I heard that as long as you fuse five Kekkei Genkai, you can become a perfect immortal Ninja. Aren't you always after immortality?"
"It's not that simple. The drawbacks are too great. It's not as good as my Living Corpse Reincarnation."
Haruki fell into a brief silence.
In the original story, Shimon Hiruko seemed to have solved the body problem using the Golden Ring Eclipse.
But it's still many years earlier now, and the Chimera Technique is even cruder.
Improving it would require a lot of research and experiments.
And that raises a serious problem.
Money.
Most of Haruki's money now came from the Oshima Chamber of Commerce.
But he hadn't spent a single cent himself and had given it all to Orochimaru and the orphanage.
Especially Orochimaru, who had consumed eighty percent of the money.
Haruki squinted and pondered.
Orochimaru didn't have the time for research. Maybe Shimon Hiruko could do it.
But loyalty was an issue.
And as for those forty Ninja from the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family, he hadn't killed them. What Tanzo Shimura and the others saw were just Wood Clones.
He might as well have them conduct research with Shimon Hiruko.
After things were more or less settled, he would then talk to the Hyuga clan.
By then, the situation would be set, and their interests would be intertwined. Even if they knew he had set up the scheme, they wouldn't say anything.
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