HSU: Ch. 307

As Kaguya's colors faded away, Masashi's mindscape returned to complete darkness.

Only he remained, seated in a chair. He stood up, and the chair behind him was instantly swallowed by the dark.

Looking around at the pitch-black surroundings, he was quite satisfied.

Don't get him wrong, he wasn't some twisted or dark-hearted person. It was just that long ago, he had begun building mental defenses for his own psyche.

At first, he didn't even know where to start, but the Uchiha clan's library had meticulously and completely preserved their research history on spiritual power. As long as someone was willing to sort through and study all the dry and mostly theoretical material, it was enough to support someone starting from scratch in this field.

To avoid randomly getting ambushed in the street one day and ending up as someone's scapegoat, he tirelessly studied all this, even after the crisis had passed, he never stopped.

Even if Tsukuyomi was gone, there was still Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Up to now, breaching his mental defenses, purely from a technical standpoint, was a laborious and unrewarding task. That Kaguya came to meet him here showed a degree of sincerity.

The anime didn't give her much screen time, so he didn't know her very well.

With others, the anime provided enough content for him to gain a significant advantage, and with enough time, he could prepare in advance. But the mother-and-son duo of the Ōtsutsuki clan didn't fall into that category.

Hagoromo, who had control over the Pure Land, and Kaguya, who developed the Infinite Tsukuyomi, even though they didn't view themselves as being on the same side, from Masashi's perspective as an outsider, he was quite certain they were biological mother and son.

The Pure Land controlled the dead; the Infinite Tsukuyomi controlled the living. In terms of methods, they just had different targets.

Kaguya, in his opinion, actually came across as more honest than Hagoromo. That old man kept too many secrets.

Hagoromo was certainly not a bad person, but the lingering sense of mistrust was infuriating.

It was only because he was now married and had altered the story.

If it had been right after he first arrived in this world during this timeline, and both Kaguya and Hagoromo had approached him, he'd definitely have cast his vote for Kaguya.

The next moment, the darkness also swallowed Masashi's figure.

In reality, he was still protected by his Susanoo. As his consciousness returned, his gaze met Kaguya's.

Oh, she had taken on the appearance of Hanabi again.

But compared to her form in his mindscape, the not-yet-fully-grown Hanabi lacked that visual impact.

He was still standing atop Kaguya's chakra.

He took to the skies once more. At the same time, he sensed two powerful and familiar chakra signatures approaching from the direction of the village.

"I'd advise you to leave this girl's body," Masashi said.

Although they hadn't come to any agreement, the tone of their earlier conversation had been fairly cordial, so he decided to give her a heads-up.

Kaguya didn't respond, but she began withdrawing her chakra. Seeing this, Masashi also deactivated Amenotejikara.

Maintaining the suppression of her chakra had also been draining his own. If it weren't for the four tailed beasts working as volunteers, even he wouldn't have had that much chakra to burn, he'd definitely have had to fight more "economically."

With the interference of Amenotejikara gone, the chakra that had filled the sky quickly dissipated, leaving only Masashi and Kaguya behind.

From Masashi's memories, Kaguya had already figured out who was coming. She also knew that one of them was Black Zetsu's most successful pawn in reviving her.

She looked at Masashi. The meaning was very clear.

"This is your last chance, better think it through!"

The next moment, she withdrew her spiritual presence.

Without the power of Kaguya, Hanabi reverted back into a harmless little girl. More importantly, even if she were conscious, she wouldn't be able to fly. Still unconscious, she naturally began falling.

At that speed, she'd most certainly crash into the ground with a dramatic game over.

Masashi was right there. He extended a hand, and a massive chakra hand stretched out from his Susanoo, catching her in one swift motion.

Okay, mission complete. Time to go home, wash up, and get some sleep.

He felt that this situation wasn't just about whether Minato and Fugaku could hash things out. Madara might very well make a move. After all, he'd still take Obito's eyes seriously. And all of this would ultimately depend on Hashirama.

Carrying Hanabi, he descended to the ground. As he did, the Susanoo around him gradually faded away.

Though ultra-thin and portable, dismissing it was rather slow.

Once back on solid ground, he gently laid her down and checked on her condition.

Hmm. She looked fine, just a bit of an awkward sleeper.

The two chakra signatures had already arrived nearby, approaching quickly before Masashi.

One of them looked first at the unconscious Hanabi on the ground. Seeing her peacefully asleep, he looked relieved.

Given his past life spent roaming the ninja world and earning the title "God of Shinobi," his experience told him that any child who could sleep in such an absurd position was likely in excellent health.

The other person, however, looked straight at Masashi. More precisely, he was staring at the remnants of the Susanoo still clinging to him.

"Impressive jutsu. Why didn't you use it when we fought?"

A distinctly I'm-not-happy vibe naturally oozed from him, lingering in the air.

"Madara, now's the time to worry about the child!" Hashirama cut in.

Only then did Madara shift his gaze to Hanabi. Even with all his experience, he had never encountered a situation like this before. But that was the nature of the shinobi world, strange things happen all the time.

So his tolerance level had always been high.

"The Hyūga clan doesn't have this kind of power. Isn't your brother good at experiments? Let him look into it, and it'll all be clear."

"What exactly happened to this child?" Hashirama ignored Madara's sarcasm and turned to the person in question.

"For questions like that, you'd be better off asking Hiashi directly. I'm just helping him take a look," Masashi replied, clearly avoiding the issue.

Hashirama wasn't great with words. And with Madara present, he couldn't afford to act too familiar or close. Madara had a sharp eye for the smallest details.

As they spoke, Masashi had fully dispelled his Susanoo. He then stepped forward and picked up Hanabi in a cradle carry.

It was best to return Hanabi to the Hyūga clan as soon as possible. Judging by the look Kaguya gave him before leaving, this wasn't over. She clearly had more plans to unfold.

He had a feeling, life was about to get very busy.

---

After Masashi brought Hanabi back to the Hyūga clan, her "chakra rampage" quickly became a hot topic among the ninja circles.

Chakra rampages themselves weren't uncommon. Although such incidents mostly occurred among jonin, they weren't exclusive to that rank.

But a genin needing someone like the White Ghost to stop her, now that was unusual.

Thus, the name "Hanabi the genius" spread like wildfire.

After all, there was a tradition of rampage-based techniques in the shinobi world, like the Eight Gates, widely considered part of that category. Not everyone knew the full "truth." Even within the Hyūga clan, this explanation had plenty of supporters.

Some sharper individuals sensed there was more going on behind the scenes, and so the Hyūga clan found itself welcoming an influx of visitors.

Compared to the other noble bloodline family, the Hyūga clan had rarely been able to play the "genius" card. But now, they finally had a chance.

However, Hiashi didn't seem very pleased. Normally known for his stoicism, this time he wore a perpetually sour expression, leaving the visiting guests confused and a bit disgruntled.

Soon after, a rumor spread in Konoha: "Hiashi's gotten arrogant, he doesn't take his peers seriously anymore."

But in Konoha, you'd better not play the rumor game against a powerful ninja clan like the Hyūga without backing from the Hokage Building.

The Hyūga swiftly suppressed the gossip. Those gleefully spreading jokes on the streets suddenly understood a basic truth: surviving ninja clans weren't to be trifled with.

What you think they care about, they don't; what they do care about, you'll never touch.

Loose-tongued gossipers could be forgiven, but those on the payroll weren't so lucky, they were detained by the Police Force.

Hyūga ninjas could read lips from 800 meters away. Once you opened your mouth, there was no escape. Some of those caught were undocumented rogue ninjas, even worse. Straight to prison, and suspected of being spies.

Then came a coordinated media campaign from the Hyūga and Uchiha clans: "Hiashi is heartsick over his daughter's illness and has lost his appetite."

This swiftly drowned out the previous rumors.

After the dust settled, Konoha learned a new truth: the old gossip tactics were useless against a Hyūga–Uchiha alliance.

The times had changed. You could no longer stir public opinion with just whispers and rumors.

The Byakugan and Sharingan, once again, showed flawless coordination, this time in the information war.

Still, none of this stopped Hiashi from burning with frustration. His face even broke out in pimples.

Putting Hanabi's "condition" aside, he had another issue, both his daughters had become infatuated with Masashi.

Especially Hanabi. Every other sentence was "Masashi-nisan" with a bashful face.

It made him want to pick a fight, but he couldn't exactly go argue with Masashi. After all, this was his own doing.

Since that night, Hanabi had settled down. That mysterious powerful entity never possessed her again.

As expected of the Uchiha, nothing beats a professional.

He made up his mind: in the events to come, he would firmly stand by the Uchiha, even publicly. Any attempt to smooth things over now would just be digging a hole for the Hyūga themselves.

That moment came quickly.

---

After a long tug-of-war, a proposal initiated by Fugaku to reclaim the Mangekyō Sharingan was finally brought before the current Hokage council.

In the Hokage's office, Minato looked at the proposal on his desk, then at the solemn-faced Fugaku, and gave a bitter smile. But he didn't say anything foolish like "Is this really necessary?"

They had worked long and hard behind the scenes. It was precisely because it couldn't be resolved privately that it had come to this.

The core issue was Kakashi himself. Because of his attitude, others had seized the opportunity to stir up more trouble.

"I understand. As Hokage, I officially accept this proposal," Minato said, pressing the desk buzzer.

Soon, the office door opened and a secretary rushed in.

"Hokage-sama."

"This proposal, personally signed by the Advisor, must be filed immediately. Inform the meeting room staff as well, add it to tomorrow's council agenda," Minato ordered. "Make it the first item."

"Yes!"

The secretary carefully picked up the original document and left without a word.

Fugaku kept his eyes on the departing ninja until the door closed again.

"Once the document is archived by the Hokage's secretary office, it can't be suppressed. Rest assured."

"Mm." Fugaku neither affirmed nor denied that.

According to procedure, once it was officially archived, there was no way to bury it. But there was still a loophole, the Hokage secretary office itself.

If it weren't Minato in office, he would have activated the emergency protocol reserved for Advisors. But this time, he chose to trust Minato.

Of course, trust was only given once.

Obito was already dead, but his Mangekyō Sharingan and legacy were still shaking Konoha. From this perspective, Obito's damage to Konoha hadn't yet ended.

For a single man to impact Konoha this deeply, only someone from the Uchiha could manage that.

When such a Uchiha stood against his own clan, Fugaku finally began to understand how Tobirama must have felt after becoming Hokage. In all fairness, given the long-standing grudge between Tobirama and the Uchiha, his restraint back then was considerable. But the Uchiha during the Third Hokage's era had also shown great restraint.

Now, no one owed anyone anything.

Today's Uchiha had a strong population and impressive battle records, with top-tier talents like Masashi and Shisui, and solid allies like the Hyūga clan. They were no longer marginal but central to Konoha, with the confidence to present their demands to the Hokage Building.

"Hokage-sama, I'll take my leave now."

"No need to be formal. I'll walk you out."

"No need. Things are different now. I'm the proposal's initiator, walking out with you will stir bad speculation."

Politely declining Minato, Fugaku left the Hokage Building alone.

Now that Konoha had multiple Hokage, the Advisor role had become mostly symbolic. But today's Fugaku no longer needed that position to have a voice in the Hokage Building.

In fact, the Hokage showing personal warmth might have been counterproductive, all it took was someone accusing "Hokage favoritism" and the whole thing could be derailed.

Suddenly, Fugaku stopped and looked back. From a distance, the large "Fire" symbol on the Hokage Building seemed to shine harshly.

Was that intentional... Minato?

After thinking for a moment, he resumed walking, head held high, back toward the Uchiha clan compound.

Overthinking was pointless. Even if it was intentional, there was nothing to blame. After years of submission, tomorrow, he would show everyone why he was the Uchiha clan leader. But that proud energy only lasted until he got home.

As the door opened, buoyed by his good mood and surging heroic spirit, he headed straight for his study.

This small study carried many cherished memories for him.

Here, he had used calligraphy to vent his long-suppressed emotions, using his feelings as the brush to create what would become the famous "Fugaku Style" of the Land of Fire, so sought after, yet never for sale. It was also here that he and Masashi became close despite their age difference, bonding over coded messages hidden in calligraphy games. And it was here that he discovered Sasuke's talent in calligraphy, most charming of all, the boy was his little fanboy.

This place was his sanctuary, a haven where his soul could find peace.

That sacred feeling vanished the moment he opened the door to his study. The first thing he saw was Madara.

The former clan leader from decades past was currently in a state of furious rage.

"Rewrite it!"

Madara's voice sounded like it had been forced out through gritted teeth, as if squeezed out with a kunai. His gaze was sharp and predatory.

Or rather, it said, "There's no way I can't fix this."

Sasuke stood there looking utterly confused, holding a brush pitifully in his small hands.

As the door opened, both Madara and Sasuke turned their eyes toward the doorway, toward Fugaku, who stood there frozen, hand still on the door.

Sasuke's expression clearly said, Daddy! Save me!

Madara's look, on the other hand, conveyed something more complex: Perfect timing.

"...Sorry for interrupting."

In his youngest son's disbelieving gaze, Fugaku, proving himself a shameless adult, demonstrated the Uchiha clan's cold-blooded pragmatism. He quickly and efficiently closed the door and turned to leave.

I'm sorry, Sasuke. Daddy still loves you!

The sound of the study door opening came again.

"Wait," Madara's voice called from behind.

Tch! So, running away won't work after all!

Still, after all these years of being spineless, what was one more day? He swore he'd stop being timid tomorrow. But today… please allow him one more cowardly retreat!

Fugaku turned back around, putting on a standard respectful smile.

Madara stood in the doorway, and inside, another version of Madara could be seen, clearly not planning to pause his "instruction" of Sasuke.

The Madara outside pulled the door shut. Seeing the look on Fugaku's face made him uncomfortable.

He disliked Fugaku for many reasons. Even now, he couldn't understand how a fellow Uchiha could wear such a meek, subservient expression.

"You went to see the Hokage?" he asked, walking past him.

Fugaku wisely fell into step behind him.

"Yes. I've formally submitted the proposal, requesting the return of Obito's eyes."

The name "Obito" caused a slight flicker in Madara's gaze. But with his back to Fugaku, the latter couldn't see it.

"So you've decided to go the official route. That's very... Tobirama-esque."

His tone lacked the usual sarcasm, for once, a rare experience for Fugaku, who was used to being mocked by Madara.

Among Konoha's ninjas, peaceful negotiation was always preferred over violence. And though Madara enjoyed saying things like "Bow and make it loud enough for me to hear," back in his old days, he too had participated in political maneuvering.

Granted, his definition of "political" might differ from others'. Still, he had accepted those rules back then.

"And how do you plan to get them back?" he asked again.

"We're simply making our demands," Fugaku replied with submission in his tone, but the content of the reply was sharp.

Madara paused, surprised. He turned around and gave the "soft-spoken" clan leader a serious look. Still wearing that meek expression, so lacking in charisma, but those words proved he wasn't entirely spineless. Maybe this kind of leader was exactly what the Uchiha needed to handle someone like Tobirama.

"Interesting," a slight smile appeared on his face. "I want to see what the other side brings to the table. If you dance well enough, I might lend a hand."

Fugaku's eyes lit up. No one truly understood the Madara who had left the village, not even Hashirama. But no one could ignore him either.

Hashirama had elevated the Sarutobi group's prestige—because as long as Hiruzen lived, their link to him couldn't be severed.

But Madara and the Uchiha had no such strong bond. With his "betrayal" and departure from Konoha, a rift had formed. People believed him would never allow violence against the Uchiha clan, after all, that had been proven once by a friend from Kiri. But they didn't believe he would fight for the clan's cause in political debates. After all, the clan had once abandoned him.

In fact, most expected him to personally snatch those Mangekyō Sharingan eyes for himself.

"Thank you so much." Fugaku was overjoyed, this was an unexpected blessing. This greatly boosted their chances of success.

"Don't get the wrong idea. Those eyes belong to my disciple," Madara said. "No one can take anything from me. If you don't act, I'll take them back myself."

Fugaku froze.

Madara's declaration that Yosuke was his disciple was already well-known.

Yosuke himself had no real opinion on the matter, he spent his days eating, drinking, and following orders when Madara trained him, before bouncing home in childlike glee.

Yes, bouncing. The kid had inhuman levels of stamina.

With these starting conditions, no one doubted the boy's future potential.

But… he wasn't even five yet, and already had backup Mangekyō eyes planned?

"If that's what you say, I understand." Fugaku nodded. "Originally, I planned to have Masashi try learning Kamui through those eyes, for Yosuke's eventual use. That would be ideal too."

"Hmph." Madara grunted, his expression darkening.

"Let's set that aside. I need to ask you something else," he said coldly. "What's your opinion on your son's handwriting?"

"..."

Can he not answer that?

The sun was shining so brightly… but inside, his heart was freezing cold!