It was an hour later when he arrived at Ruri's room.
She was holding a scroll, meticulously studying something, and Hakushi glanced over it. The contents were related to Fire Style ninjutsu.
"What's up?"
Ruri shifted her gaze from the scroll, looking up at Hakushi.
"Ah, well... I want to go to the pharmacy to buy some herbs; I'm running low in the lab."
Hakushi scratched his head, his expression as usual, showing no signs of anything unusual.
"Got it. Remember to bring some natto for me when you come back."
"Natto?"
Hakushi nodded, indicating he understood, and then left the room.
Outside, he exhaled lightly, relieved to have managed to get through.
Bringing Ayane here to gather physical data was entirely unreliable and difficult to achieve; the chances of being unexpectedly discovered were too high.
After all, this is the heart of the Uchiha clan. Even with the Byakugan, it's impossible to easily infiltrate here.
Otherwise, the Uchiha clan wouldn't have such a formidable reputation in the Ninja Realm.
Therefore, gathering Ayane's physical data outside would be a better approach.
Hakushi had already decided on the location; it would be at his former home.
Taking the scroll with the sealed equipment, Hakushi first went to buy some natto to prevent forgetting on his way back.
Next, he would head to the Hyuga clan's territory to find Ayane.
Infiltrating the Hyuga family to find Ayane was simply impossible. Not to mention the presence of Byakugan, the Hyuga clan's territory was near the village's center, completely different from the Uchiha's clan environment. The village's defense forces were also the strongest there.
Despite both being bloodline ninja clans, the Hyuga clan could reside close to the village core, while the Uchiha clan had to live in a slightly later area of the village.
It's incredible that the Uchiha also had the authority of a security team; residing in the village center would make it easier to mobilize the security team's operational power, wouldn't it?
This practice is riddled with contradictions, with too many aspects that defy normal logic.
Having lived in the Uchiha clan land all these years, Hakushi was actually unaware of the Uchiha's core secrets. Ruri never explained to him, but he also knew that the Uchiha's relationship with the village's upper echelons was superficially harmonious, yet in reality, it was a complete mess—vigilant and hostile towards each other.
Thinking about this, he had already arrived at the Hyuga clan's territory. It must be said, the Hyuga clan's ninjas, compared to the Uchiha's, emphasize etiquette more. They appear cultured, with a calm and leisurely way of speaking. Although they carry the pride of nobility, they don't have an overbearing demeanor.
Of course, this is from an outsider's perspective. From the viewpoint of the Hyuga clan members themselves, it may not always seem this way.
After all, the Caged Bird Curse Seal, even if explained as a means to protect the Byakugan, hardly holds water.
If it was to protect the Byakugan, it would suffice to have the Caged Bird's function destroy only the Byakugan ability upon a Branch Family member's death.
However, that's not the case. The Caged Bird Curse Seal also has a curse kill ability, which can make rebellious Branch Family ninjas suffer immensely.
Using the excuse of protecting the Byakugan is hardly convincing. To Hakushi, adding a curse kill function to the Caged Bird Curse Seal is redundant and excessive.
If it only sealed the Byakugan ability when necessary, it could be genuinely considered as protecting it, and perhaps the Branch Family members wouldn't have such a strong resentment towards the Main Family.
"Hakushi-kun, why are you here? Is there some new arrangement from Sakumo-sensei?"
Ayane, in her neat white attire with neatly draped black long hair, showed a slight look of confusion on her face upon seeing Hakushi searching for her here.
"Not really. I need to buy some herbs to make some medicine, useful for future missions. But I'm a bit overwhelmed doing it alone, so I wanted to ask for your help."
"I see." Ayane tapped her snow-white chin with her finger, considered briefly, then showed a pure smile, saying, "Alright, but please hurry; I need to be back before dinner."
"That should be enough time."
Then Hakushi took Ayane to the Konoha Pharmacy, purchasing various herbs with different effects.
Speaking of which, most pharmacies in Konoha are run by the Nara Clan, as this clan is skilled in raising deer, and deer antlers are a very precious medicinal material. Therefore, in the Nara Clan-run pharmacies, there are deer antlers of various qualities, which are a major feature.
Even many merchants from other places travel long distances to Konoha to purchase Nara Clan deer antlers, a testament to their excellent quality. With fair prices, and never using their store's size to bully customers, many medicine merchants enjoy dealing with the Nara Clan.
Furthermore, the clan, along with the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans, forms the so-called 'Ino–Shika–Chō' alliance. All three clans are secret technique-inheriting ninja families with significant renown in Konoha.
Moreover, the position of Jonin Squad Leader in Konoha has traditionally been held by a Nara Clan ninja, with strong support from the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans. This has elevated the status of the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance in Konoha consistently. Since the First Hokage's administration, they have never been excluded from the power center and have always been trusted by successive Hokages.
In comparison, the Uchiha Clan's position in Konoha is indeed awkward.
Despite being one of the two founding ninja clans of Konoha, at this moment, they lack significant connections. They fall short compared to even the Hyuga Clan, let alone the 'Ino–Shika–Chō' triad, who enjoy the full trust of the Hokage.