As Shinichi predicted, the news of the fire at the Main House, which consumed a side annex, spread everywhere the next day. Although the fire itself caused no major economic loss and no one was injured, some older clan members regarded the incident as an "ominous sign." Yes, even in the Naruto world, people could be superstitious.
The clan members, already uneasy due to the departure of the elites, became even more agitated because of this fire.
Shinichi sought out Hizashi to discuss the matter, but the conclusion was that they had no good way to control the thoughts of their clan members. All they could do was to respond to the situation calmly. Ultimately, it was just an accident, nothing more.
Yes, an accident.
That was the conclusion reached by Hyūga Kazutaka and the Branch House guards after their investigation. No source of ignition was found at the fire scene, nor did the Branch House guards find any trace of outsiders.
Given this, the only possible cause of the fire was "electrical circuit aging." Although the Hyūga compound utilized traditional wooden post-and-lintel structures, electricity had been widely adopted decades ago. Although the room was unused, it still had electrical facilities. With no other discovery, Kazutaka could only attribute the cause of the fire to an electrical problem.
Shinichi trusted his subordinates' investigation results. After the site was sealed for a few days, Kazutaka hired a team of carpenters from the village to repair the side annex. It was impossible to simply abandon the property due to a fire, and leaving the mess there was impractical. Therefore, even if the family wouldn't use it internally, it needed to be repaired.
Nine artisans were hired in total: three master craftsmen and six laborers. The Hyūga clan was a prominent ninja clan in the village, and working for them meant good, reliable pay. By the third day after the fire, the artisans and laborers were already on site.
The area of the side annex was considerable, and it required replicating the traditional wooden structure, making the project quite substantial. The expected completion cycle, from material procurement to finish, was about a month and a half.
However, Shinichi did not personally supervise the repairs. Except for financial expenditure requiring his approval, he entrusted all other matters to Hyūga Kazutaka.
When Kazutaka led the artisans to the annex courtyard, he began explaining the rules of working within the Hyūga compound.
"Gentlemen, there is one thing I must remind you of in advance while working here."
"For your own safety, it is best not to wander around the compound during work hours."
"We are a ninja clan. There are many traps and mechanisms inside. Touching them by mistake can cost you your life."
"Your three daily meals, snacks, and afternoon tea will be provided by the Hyūga clan. Any issues you encounter during your work can be communicated directly to me."
"I am fully in charge here. Any questions?"
Kazutaka's gaze swept across the group as he asked loudly. His warning about the Hyūga compound being full of traps was actually a white lie; the Main House compound was no different from an ordinary residence. The purpose of these words was to prevent trouble, to stop the artisans from wandering out of curiosity.
After all, as a ninja clan, some private areas needed strict protection. With the current shortage of elites, some previously protected areas were now unguarded, requiring extra caution. Overall, however, Kazutaka was not intensely wary of these artisans; they were all villagers, and thus trustworthy.
As Kazutaka spoke, a gray-haired youth in the crowd suddenly raised his hand. Kazutaka looked over, seeing a tall, lean young man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven with visible muscle definition. He nodded in acknowledgment and smiled:
"What do you not understand? Speak."
While speaking, Kazutaka subtly scrutinized the youth. Although the man wasn't bulky, his muscles were clearly defined, and his hands were covered in thick calluses—suggesting he had done a lot of hammering—he was likely a skilled worker. Compared to the other laborers, this gray-haired youth clearly pleased Kazutaka more.
"Sir, about that... if we need to use the restroom, where should we go?"
Well, a practical question. Since he asked, he must have listened to Kazutaka's earlier instructions not to wander. Kazutaka thought the young man seemed honest and replied with a smile:
"There is a public restroom on the south side outside the courtyard. I will show you the way shortly."
"The Hyūga clan has already begun procuring materials. This morning, I will briefly familiarize you with the area, and then I ask you all to begin clearing the debris."
There was a lot of work to be done. Before rebuilding, the burnt structure had to be cleared out first, which required professional workers to avoid secondary collapse. Hyūga Kazutaka's job was essentially supervision. After briefly showing the artisans which areas were accessible and which were not, they began their work.
The idle Kazutaka sat on a small stone bench beside the courtyard, watching the artisans work. Perhaps the recent intense training with Shinichi had exhausted him, or perhaps the warmth of the winter sun was too comfortable, but Kazutaka unknowingly nodded off and fell asleep.
Kazutaka had a pleasant dream. He dreamt of being highly valued by the Main House, taught some secret techniques by the enlightened Hyūga Shinichi, and becoming one of the most trusted people in the Main House.
As his fame soared, the girl he loved confessed her feelings for him, and they smoothly entered into marriage under the blessings of the clan members. They lived a blissful life after marriage.
The scenes in the dream felt incredibly real. Hyūga Kazutaka was immersed in his dream, his expression intoxicated and blurred.
After an unknown period, the sleeping Kazutaka's body suddenly trembled. He opened his eyes in confusion, finding the sun already high in the sky. In front of him, the gray-haired youth was watching him cautiously.
"Hmm?"
"What is it?"
A bit of drool clung to Kazutaka's mouth. Returning to reality, he realized everything he had just experienced was merely a beautiful dream.
He wiped his mouth, his expression tinged with wistfulness, and asked the youth before him. He didn't blame the person for interrupting his dream; he was only slightly regretful.
"Master asked me about lunch. Is it..."
Hearing the question, Kazutaka rubbed his head in realization: "Oh! Sorry, sorry, I dozed off."
"You all take a break first, use the restroom, and wash your hands. I notified the kitchen earlier; I'll go check."
Kazutaka glanced at the sky and apologized slightly, showing none of the arrogance of a ninja from a major clan. His youthful innocence was still apparent.
As Kazutaka said, the kitchen had been prepared in advance, and the artisans' lunch was served on time. The morning's progress in clearing the debris was smooth, with burnt furniture already removed.
The afternoon was dedicated to clearing the building's structure. Kazutaka remained attentive and did not doze off. By 4:30 in the afternoon, everything had proceeded well. Exhausted from the day's work, Kazutaka returned to his quarters after seeing off the artisans.
Perhaps the mental drain was too great. Kazutaka immediately fell asleep upon reaching home. Maybe the dream he had that morning was too pleasant, as before falling asleep, he wondered if he might encounter his "lover" in his dreams again.
As Hyūga Kazutaka's breathing became regular, soft snores filled the room.
Simultaneously, a dark wisp of smoke slowly seeped out from Hyūga Kazutaka's body, gradually enveloping him. The sleeping Kazutaka seemed to be dreaming of some evil spirit or enemy. His expression turned fearful and distorted, his hands and feet flailing. His struggle in the dream was physically manifesting in reality.
The daylight hours in winter were short. By six or seven o'clock, the sky had completely darkened.
Hyūga Shinichi finished his day of training, a sweat towel draped around his neck, and walked out of the dojo. He glanced aside and saw a familiar figure at the end of the long corridor.
"Kazutaka?"
"How's the repair work going? Is it smooth?"
Keisuke, walking behind Shinichi, smiled and greeted Kazutaka. However, the other party had its head down and did not answer Keisuke.
"Hey, Kazu..."
Just as Keisuke was about to continue speaking, Shisui Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake both frowned, stepping in front of Shinichi and subtly shielding him. They smelled an unusual aura. Keisuke also bent slightly, sensing something was wrong.
Kazutaka, standing at the end of the corridor, suddenly raised his head and charged directly toward Keisuke and Shinichi.
During the sprint, his body rapidly transformed. Kazutaka's originally somewhat thin body was now bulging with muscles.
In the time it took to sprint a few meters, he had transformed into a muscular brute. Faint black energy surrounded him. Charging closer, he immediately threw a punch at Keisuke, who was standing in the front.
Keisuke, unsure of the opponent's strength, raised his arm to block. However, the moment the fist connected with his arm, Keisuke felt a massive force, which sent him flying.
Shinichi looked aside in surprise, noticing that Kazutaka, who had been wearing sleepwear, was now clad in a dark, metallic-looking armor, and astonishingly, a battle-axe had appeared in his hand.
After sending Keisuke flying with a punch, he immediately swung the battle-axe down, aiming straight for the head of Shinichi, who was shielded by Kakashi and Shisui.
The fierce and terrifying attack brought with it a strong gust of wind that stung Shinichi's face.
"This guy is being controlled by something!"
"Protect Shinichi!!!"
Kakashi swiftly drew his short sword to intercept the battle-axe, but the moment it touched the axe blade, the sword snapped instantly. The immense force compelled Kakashi to dodge sideways. Shisui also instinctively shoved Shinichi backward, then immediately dodged.
Looking at Hyūga Kazutaka attempting to assassinate him, Shinichi remained calm. He used Shisui's push to leap back lightly, instantly moving two or three meters away and landing gracefully on the corridor floor.
"Boom!!!!"
The battle-axe smashed onto the floor, blasting a large hole. Amidst the flying wood splinters, Shinichi issued an order:
"Don't hurt him; restrain him."
Keisuke, who had been sent flying earlier, struggled to his feet and quickly took action, joining Kakashi and Shisui in cornering Kazutaka.
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