Despite appearing clever, Sasuke isn’t actually smart.
In the original story, whenever Naruto had some harebrained scheme, Sasuke would always refuse with his words, yet he never failed to join in.
Furthermore, even when faced with the event of his own brother, who had grown up with him, slaughtering their entire clan, Sasuke was easily fooled by Uchiha Itachi’s few words and truly believed it was just a test of his potential.
And there was also Uchiha Obito, who deceived Sasuke about the Uchiha Clan’s affairs, and Sasuke believed him without hesitation.
This is the Sasuke whom Uchiha Itachi described as a blank sheet of paper.
Precisely because it’s blank, anyone can scribble on it.
In Hinata’s view, this just means he’s gullible.
Watching Sasuke drag Naruto outside for a one-on-one fight, Hinata couldn’t help but yawn, directly pushed open the window, and prepared to make her escape.
Seeing Hinata seemingly about to run off, a hand grabbed the corner of her clothes.
“Hinata, aren’t you going to wait for Sasuke?”
A tuft of pink hair swayed before Hinata’s eyes.
“After Sasuke finishes his duel with Naruto, he definitely won’t be in peak condition.”
“How could I possibly be the type to take advantage of someone’s weakness? I’ll wait until tomorrow when Sasuke has fully recovered, then have a proper one-on-one manly duel with him!”
Hinata reached out and ruffled Sakura’s hair, putting on a very serious expression.
“I see, Hinata is really fair.”
Hinata’s earnest demeanor made Sakura take it at face value, and she couldn’t help but nod.
“Good girl.”
Hinata pinched Sakura’s cheek, chuckled, and directly jumped out the window to escape.
Nearby, Shikamaru watched this scene with sleepy, speechless eyes.
No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Sasuke had been played by Hinata…
Night
Uchiha Household
“Father, I’ve disappointed you.”
Having just beaten up Naruto, Sasuke looked at Uchiha Fugaku with a face full of guilt.
He had clearly promised his father that he would duel Hinata.
Yet, unexpectedly, he failed to do so twice in a row.
“It’s alright, Sasuke. There’s no need to continue anymore.”
With a hint of worry in his eyes, Uchiha Fugaku reached out and patted Sasuke’s shoulder, then walked towards the direction of the Naka Shrine without looking back.
Hiashi, by having Hinata avoid a fight with Sasuke, are you trying to tell me to avoid conflict with the Village…
Unfortunately, it’s already too late for that.
At this moment, Uchiha Fugaku couldn’t help but admire the Hyuga Clan’s way of navigating the world.
Not contending for power, not seizing influence, sitting back and watching others climb up one after another.
Whoever becomes Hokage doesn’t matter; the Hyuga will always support the Hokage.
Whether the Hokage is a Senju or a Sarutobi, the Hyuga don’t interfere.
But his own Uchiha…
To get firsthand information from the Hokage’s side, he had even sent his son, Uchiha Itachi, to infiltrate the Hokage’s inner circle.
All of this was for the sake of the Uchiha.
Sasuke stared blankly at his father’s retreating back, his hand unconsciously clenching.
Had he…
disappointed his father?
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow, I will definitely duel Hinata!
The night was like a curtain; the entire Konoha seemed to shed the clamor of the day, gradually sinking into tranquility.
But within this silent night, an unusual sense of oppression filled the air.
“Hokage-sama, the Uchiha have begun another clan meeting.”
The night wind billowed the Hokage’s robe.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood alone on the rooftop of the Hokage Building.
Gazing at the Village he had watched his entire life and listening to the report from the Anbu behind him, a multitude of emotions churned within him.
“Is it the same as usual?”
As he lit his pipe, a puff of thick smoke escaped Hiruzen Sarutobi’s lips.
“Yes, increasingly intense.”
The Anbu slowly raised his head.
A pair of crimson eyes were especially piercing in the night.
“I see…”
“Itachi, you’ve worked hard these past days.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a sigh.
Faced with the escalating conflict within the Uchiha, he had no good ideas.
He hoped to stall.
Stall until the Uchiha understood him, stall until the Village understood the Uchiha.
So he could only try his best to placate the Uchiha.
“You should return now, Itachi.”
“You’ve been away for a while.”
The howling night wind, carrying the chill of the darkness, made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel somewhat unsettled.
…
Hokage-sama has grown old.
On his way back to the Uchiha district, Uchiha Itachi felt the signs of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s aging for the first time.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, known as the Professor, had lost the sharpness of his former days.
To harbor such naive thoughts in the face of unstable elements within the Village…
The thirteen-year-old boy glanced back at the distant Hokage Building, as if seeing the solitary figure standing there.
A crow landed on Uchiha Itachi’s shoulder, causing his heart to skip a beat.
It’s Shisui…
The next morning
Beneath Konoha’s seemingly calm surface, ripples began to form.
The conflict between the Uchiha and the Village’s higher-ups was intensifying.
The Hokage and the Uchiha—like an irreconcilable dead knot—were pulling tighter and tighter.
“What the hell!”
“Wasn’t there a notice posted banning street stalls?!”
“Are you blind, you bastard?!”
Five or six members of the Uchiha Police Force surrounded a small steamed bun stall on the street, trying to push it away.
“Sir, you can’t do this! My whole family depends on this stall to survive!”
The stall owner tried to plead with the Uchiha Police Force members, hoping they would let him off.
“What’s that got to do with me?!”
“Also, you’re illegally operating and blocking the road. A fifty-thousand ryo fine, deliver it to the Police Force within three days!”
The Uchiha Police Force member showed no mercy, coldly reprimanding him.
For a moment, the stall owner’s cries and the Police Force’s shouts intertwined, causing many passersby on the roadside to stop and watch.
Scenes like this occurred in Konoha from time to time.
Initially, when the Uchiha first took on policing duties, their attitude towards villagers was relatively decent.
But over time, they realized that polite persuasion was utterly useless.
Those who set up stalls continued to do so; those who blocked the roads with their businesses kept on blocking.
As days turned into months, it slowly evolved into the situation seen today.
Coupled with the Nine-Tails’ rampage six years ago, and the massive three-tomoe Sharingan pattern in the Nine-Tails’ eyes—something the Uchiha Clan could hardly explain away—
And adding to that the dark history of Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Setsuna, it wasn’t just the villagers who shunned the Uchiha; even the vast majority of Ninja in Konoha felt the same way.
With all these conditions piled up, the Uchiha Clan, especially the Uchiha Police Force, were almost universally despised in Konoha.
Sitting at the entrance of a nearby shop, Hinata bit into her steamed bun as she watched this scene, feeling not the slightest stir inside.
She was from the Hyuga Clan; what did it have to do with her?
Might as well just enjoy the show.
“Lady Hinata, it’s best you don’t get involved. This has nothing to do with us.”
Hyuga Tokuma, who was also squatting beside Hinata munching on a bun, whispered a reminder.
“Do I look like the type who meddles in other people’s business?”
Hinata rolled her eyes, somewhat dissatisfied with her bodyguard.
“Yes.”
Hyuga Tokuma looked at his young mistress and nodded seriously.
“…”
“Stop eating.”
Hinata snatched the half-eaten bun from Hyuga Tokuma’s arms.