The owner of the Portrait Gallery was a petite middle-aged woman dressed in plain linen.
Seeing that you and Hyuga Hatozaki were dressed as ninja, she immediately became frightened and uneasy, her voice trembling.
“Honored lords, are you here to…?”
Hyuga Hatozaki saw the fear in the woman’s eyes and smiled to reassure her.
“We are here for portraits.
There is no need to be nervous.”
Hearing this, the woman secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said respectfully, “Please follow me into the private room.”
As you followed the owner forward, you carefully examined the layout of the Portrait Gallery.
On both sides of the spacious front hall, many exquisite paintings were displayed.
Each one was lifelike, recording the Uchiha Clan’s history and glory.
Hatozaki, meanwhile, exchanged pleasantries with the owner, chatting from household matters to the Portrait Gallery’s business, trying to create a relaxed atmosphere and remove the owner’s wariness.
Upon entering the private room, you found it simply and elegantly arranged.
A carved beauty couch stood in the center, and beside it was a painting table neatly lined with brushes, pigments, and paper.
The owner pointed to the couch, indicating for you to sit.
And so, you sat at the far left, while Hyuga Hatozaki sat at the far right.
The woman sat before the easel and looked at the large distance between the two of you, an awkward expression appearing on her face.
“Excuse me, honored lords, could you sit a little closer?” she asked cautiously.
You and Hyuga Hatozaki subconsciously looked at each other, a trace of unnaturalness flashing in your eyes.
Then both of you slowly moved toward the middle.
When the distance shortened to thirty centimeters, you tacitly stopped again.
“Honored lords, like this?” The woman held her brush and confirmed again.
“Like this.
Thank you for your trouble.” Hatozaki revealed a gentle smile and replied.
Your face still did not show much emotion, while inside you were calculating how to enter the Land of Wind’s political upper levels.
For the following time, the room contained only the rustling sound of the brush rubbing across paper.
Hyuga Hatozaki outwardly cooperated with the portrait, but his eyes occasionally watched the door, thinking about how to use this opportunity to obtain more intelligence about the Uchiha Clan and win benefits for the Hyuga Clan.
Several hours passed, and the woman finally completed the paintings.
She handed two portraits separately to Hyuga Hatozaki and you.
“Today was pleasant.
Thank you, Lord Nagi.” Hyuga Hatozaki put down the portrait and spoke politely.
You nodded, your expression calm.
“It is getting late.
Let us all rest.”
After you walked out of the Portrait Gallery, the monitoring ninja outside immediately became alert.
You separated as if nothing had happened, each heading toward your own residence.
Heat rose from the stone road, and cicadas cried one after another in the branches, noisy enough to irritate people.
Uchiha Kawarashi wore a pale purple kimono, her hair tied into a ponytail behind her head, with a few stray locks playfully hanging beside her cheeks.
At this moment, she was carrying an exquisite food box as she moved through the complicated alleys.
Inside the box were pastries she had made by hand.
Very soon, she came before a somewhat old-fashioned house.
Only after confirming no one was around did she slowly approach.
Just as she was about to reach out and push open the door, a cool voice abruptly sounded from behind her.
“What are you doing?”
Her whole body trembled violently, and the food box in her hands slipped at once.
With a “pa,” the pastries scattered all over the ground in a mess.
Kawarashi turned around in terror and saw you staring at her with a puzzled expression.
Your figure was slender, your black robe fluttering slightly in the wind.
Your pale face had no trace of blood, and your deep eyes carried an unreadable expression.
“Ah!
Elder Nagi!
Why do you make no sound when you walk?
You scared me to death.” Kawarashi patted her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart.
After saying this, she immediately crouched down and hurriedly cleaned up the pastries scattered on the ground.
You frowned slightly.
Although you did not understand what had happened, you still bent down and cleaned up with Kawarashi.
Just then, a strong bitter fragrance rushed toward her.
Kawarashi’s nose moved slightly, and she subconsciously asked, “Hm?
Does Elder Nagi like bitter tastes very much?”
Your hand, which was picking things up, abruptly paused.
After a moment of silence, you continued cleaning without answering.
Before long, the outside was finally cleaned up.
You pushed open the door and entered, with Kawarashi following closely behind.
The furnishings inside the room were not luxurious, but they were not sparse either.
Kawarashi looked around curiously, and soon, her gaze was drawn by the small stove in the corner.
On the stove, a flat clay pot was steaming.
The bitter smell was coming from there, and Kawarashi instantly understood where the lingering bitter scent on you came from.
“I’m sorry.
I didn’t know about your physical condition!”
You gently placed the scroll in your hand aside, then picked up the clay pot from the stove and slowly poured the medicinal soup into a medicine bowl.
The dark brown liquid steamed, giving off a pungent bitter smell.
Looking at that bowl of medicine, Kawarashi could not help frowning just from imagining the taste.
It was currently the height of summer, and the heat from the stove made the room feel like a steamer.
Kawarashi’s cheeks flushed from the heat, and bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Noticing Kawarashi’s discomfort, you silently walked to the window and opened it.
A cool breeze blew in, taking away some of the dryness and heat, and only then did Kawarashi feel a little better.
You lifted the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Kawarashi looked at this scene in shock, her mouth slightly open and her eyes full of disbelief.
“Elder Nagi can drink bitter medicine without even frowning.
You really are a unique person!”
You looked confused at Kawarashi’s praise.
Drinking medicine was merely something you had to face every day.
There was nothing worth making a fuss over.
“Kawarashi, why did you come looking for me?” you finally asked, your voice cool and calm.
Kawarashi scratched her head, an embarrassed smile appearing on her face.
“I…
I just heard Elder Nagi lives here and was a little curious, so I wanted to come take a look.
Also, I made some pastries and wanted you to try them.”
At this point, a trace of disappointment flashed in her eyes.
“Unfortunately, they all broke.”
Looking at Kawarashi, warmth rose in your heart.
Ever since your younger brother died, it had been a very long time since anyone cared about you like this.
You opened your mouth slightly, wanting to say something, but in the end, you still did not speak.
Kawarashi did not feel awkward because of your silence.
Her gaze looked around the room, and she suddenly remembered the ninja cat she had seen before.
Curiosity instantly ignited, and she turned to look at you as you organized the medicine jar.
“Elder Nagi, why don’t I see your ninja cat?”
The image of that ninja cat, black as ink, surfaced in your mind.
These past few days, you had been dealing with the old faction’s secret surveillance, your nerves tense at every moment, and had actually neglected many daily things around you.
Only after Kawarashi mentioned it did you suddenly realize you had not seen the ninja cat for several days.
“Meow—”
You quickly walked to the doorway and saw the black ninja cat calmly crouching on the threshold, its tail swaying gently.
Seeing you, the ninja cat’s eyes instantly lit up.
It leapt and landed steadily on your leg.
You caught the ninja cat somewhat unexpectedly.
It nestled comfortably in your arms and happily purred.
“Hungry?” you murmured softly, carrying the ninja cat hurriedly to the table and searching among the miscellaneous items for food cats could eat.
In your hurry, the scroll at the side accidentally rolled to the ground.
Seeing your flustered appearance, Kawarashi could not help laughing, then immediately explained, “Elder Nagi, the cat isn’t hungry.
It really likes you and is acting spoiled.”
“Acting spoiled?” Your movements paused, and novelty flashed in your eyes.
You lifted the ninja cat high and observed it carefully.
The ninja cat seemed to notice your gaze, narrowed its eyes, and rubbed your palm even more intimately.
Kawarashi bent down and picked up the scroll from the ground.
The moment she opened it, her entire body froze.
In the painting, Uchiha Nagi sat beside a white-eyed youth.
Although neither of your faces showed smiles, the relationship between the two of you was also difficult to describe.
The youth’s Byakugan was highly recognizable; with one look, he was clearly someone from the Hyuga Clan.
Kawarashi remembered that young clan head Uchiha Madara seemed extremely concerned about Elder Nagi.
“Elder Nagi, is the Hyuga clan member in this painting your friend?” Kawarashi raised her head, her eyes full of curiosity.
Only then did you remember this painting.
You gently placed the ninja cat on the ground and explained calmly, “The person in the painting is the Hyuga young clan head.
At present, he should be my marriage alliance partner.”
“Huh?” Kawarashi’s eyes widened in shock, her mind instantly becoming chaotic.
Elder Nagi had a marriage alliance partner.
If young clan head Uchiha Madara learned of this, with how much he cared about Nagi, wouldn’t he go mad?
Just as Kawarashi’s thoughts were in turmoil, the ninja cat, which had heard your conversation, suddenly flashed red in its eyes.
“Then the young clan head…” Before Kawarashi could finish speaking, the ninja cat rushed over like a gust of wind, seized the scroll in its mouth, and nimbly jumped out the window.
You and Kawarashi were both stunned speechless by this sudden change.
“Elder Nagi, I’m sorry.
I didn’t know the ninja cat would suddenly do that.” Kawarashi’s face was full of guilt, and she hurriedly apologized.
You should go back first.
The cat will return soon.” You waved your hand, your words carrying another meaning.
Although Kawarashi felt it was strange, since you had said so, she could not stay any longer.
After saying goodbye, she walked home along the winding street, still full of confusion about what had just happened.
After Kawarashi left, the room fell into silence.
You slowly walked to the window and looked in the direction the ninja cat had left.
Uchiha Madara’s figure clearly appeared in your mind, and you seriously suspected that this ninja cat had countless connections to him.
“Could it really be you?” You knew you only needed to wait quietly, and that person would soon come to find you himself.
Madara sat alone in a dim room.
The surrounding walls seemed swallowed by darkness, and only a swaying candle cast flickering shadows over his face.
In his hand, he tightly gripped the scroll obtained from the ninja cat’s mouth.
The image of Nagi and Hyuga Hatozaki sitting side by side was like a sharp blade stabbing his heart.
His eyes were cold as frost, and his whole body gave off a chilling aura.
Beside him, the ninja cat obediently crouched on the ground, its red eyes flashing eerily in the darkness.
From time to time, it let out a low whimper, seeming to sense the anger in its master’s heart.
At the same time, in the living room of the clan head’s residence, Uchiha Tajima and several of his sons sat around the dining table, waiting for Madara to arrive.
The exquisite dishes glowed enticingly under the candlelight, but no one had any desire to taste them.
Suddenly, urgent knocking broke the peace like thunder.
Izuna quickly stood and hurried to open the door.
Kakunetsu’s face was full of anxiety, his breathing hurried.
The moment he saw Tajima, he shouted loudly, “Lord Clan Head, this is bad!
The young clan head killed several elders from the old faction and is now heading to the inn where the Hyuga young clan head is staying.”
Hearing this, the people inside were instantly shocked still.
Their expressions froze, as though time had stopped at this moment.
After a brief silence, everyone came back to themselves and hurriedly rushed outside with Kakunetsu.
Tajima knew well Madara’s feelings for Uchiha Nagi.
To calm the old faction’s scheming, he had been forced to agree to let Nagi and the Hyuga young clan head interact for a while first, thinking that this marriage alliance would ultimately fail.
He had not expected Madara to learn of the matter, much less do something so extreme.
Tajima knew his personality deeply, and his pace involuntarily quickened.
Hyuga Hatozaki was talking politics with his trusted subordinate inside his inn room.
With a loud “bang,” the door was kicked open by a powerful force, wood splinters flying.
The two raised their heads in confusion, only to see Madara standing in the doorway with a gloomy face, his aura aggressive.
Hyuga Hatozaki knew Madara.
They had met a few times on various clan-meeting occasions.
But they had not interacted much.
Madara’s sudden appearance at this moment filled Hyuga Hatozaki with confusion.
“Young clan head of the Uchiha, what are you doing here?” The trusted subordinate at the side reacted quickly, hurriedly blocking Hatozaki and looking warily at Madara.
Madara’s gaze was sharp as a hawk’s, coldly falling on Hyuga Hatozaki’s face.
The corner of his mouth curved in a mocking sneer.
“So this is the pretty boy who wants a marriage alliance with the Uchiha.
Looks like nothing special.”
Hearing this, Hyuga Hatozaki did not show anger.
Instead, he smiled and answered, “To be able to enter a marriage alliance with Lord Nagi is indeed my honor.”
These seemingly humble words sounded like provocation to Madara.
Extreme killing intent instantly surged in the depths of his eyes, and chakra around him churned wildly.
Just as Madara was about to act at the critical moment—
“Onii-chan!” Izuna arrived in time.
He rushed forward in one step and tightly hugged Madara.
Izuna knew well that once Madara acted, it would trigger conflict between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.
Uchiha Tajima and Kakunetsu arrived immediately afterward.
Looking at the tense scene before them, they secretly felt fortunate they had arrived in time.
People from the old faction and hawk faction also rushed over one after another.
Regarding Uchiha Madara killing several elders, the surviving elders of the old faction were furious.
They could not tolerate such a thing happening within the clan.
One elder stepped forward and said indignantly, “Privately killing clan members—even if he is the young clan head, he should be punished.”
Uchiha Tajima had long since prepared to break with the old faction.
He knew this conflict was unavoidable.
Uchiha Yasumichi was leading people from Headquarters and was already on the way.
Once the people from Headquarters arrived, he would have enough strength to suppress the old faction.
“Punished?
You can try.
I do not mind eradicating the old faction completely.”
Uchiha Madara turned around, his eyes full of resolve.
The three tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly, blood flowing from his pupils, finally transforming into a straight-tomoe pattern.