Chapter 88. Clues

In Konoha's Eight Streets, a new day dawned.

With the departure of the Root members from their guard duties, Hyuga called back some Chunin who were on missions and Hizashi also returned to the guard.

The current guard force consisted mainly of Hyuga clan members, with only a few Uchiha clan members remaining.

Today, the fourth elder requested Hizashi to organize a joint patrol with both Hyuga and Uchiha members to enhance the Hyuga clan's skills in maintaining law and order.

Initially, Hizashi thought that Uchiha guards were more adept at security, so he agreed to the plan.

The relationship between the Uchiha and Hyuga was already good, and the Uchiha clan's security team played a crucial role.

Both Daisuke and Misaki eagerly volunteered to study and improve their skills.

Hizashi incorporated them into the Uchiha patrol team, along with four other members of the Hyuga clan, to patrol the Konoha Eight Streets alongside the Uchiha guards.

Among the Hyuga members was Hyuga Yuto, whom Natsuki knew.

...

"Daisuke, Misaki, and Yuto, you form a team and patrol Eighth Street with the other Uchihas."

The three members of the Hyuga clan were grouped together and commenced their daily patrols alongside the Uchiha members.

The popularity of Summer food on Konoha's Eighth Street has attracted a large number of villagers, as well as those who come to Konoha for various tasks, leading them to explore and savor the unique delicacies offered here.

As a result, the area is bustling and crowded with people.

The Hyuga team followed closely behind the Uchiha team as they strolled down the street.

In less than an hour, they encountered three altercations due to the crowded conditions, mostly involving individuals from other villages.

The residents of Konoha were accustomed to the congestion on Eighth Street.

Daisuke and Misaki frequently activated their Byakugan to observe the surroundings.

Initially, Yuto admired their dedication, considering the physical and chakra strain of using the Byakugan frequently.

However, he soon noticed that the two were selectively ignoring certain conflicts directly in front of them, focusing their attention instead on observing the Uchiha shops amidst the crowd.

He furrowed his brow, puzzled about what the two of them might be scheming.

Despite his doubts, he decided to suppress them and continued with his regular patrol duties.

The following day, they were absent from patrolling Eighth Street, choosing to go elsewhere.

He momentarily forgot about the events of the previous day.

It took a whole week for Yuto to realize that Daisuke and Misaki had not returned to patrol.

They would need to provide explanations to the clan members who were closely associated with them.

Yuto remembered that those people were either their friends or members of their team.

Upon continuous observation, Yuto discovered that they would instruct these individuals to keep their eyes wide open.

During Yuto's break from his shift, he went to Eighth Street to eat and found that the two team members frequently used their eyes to observe Uchiha's shops.

He suddenly became suspicious. When another shift was arranged, he was assigned to the same team as Daisuke.

Intentionally, Yuto led Daisuke to the stinky tofu stall.

With great interest, he said, "Daisuke, I heard that this stinky tofu smells bad but tastes delicious. Would you like a bowl?"

Although Daisuke felt a little nauseous from the smell, he cooperated, seizing the opportunity to investigate, and replied, "Sure, go ahead and buy it. I'll use my Byakugan to see if there's anything going on around us."

As Yuto went to buy the stinky tofu, he noticed from the corner of his eye that Daisuke was indeed scanning the area with his Byakugan.

However, most of his attention seemed to be focused on the stinky tofu preparation area.

Yuto returned with the stinky tofu and enjoyed it with relish. He casually remarked, "Have you ever wondered why this stinky tofu smells so bad? Could it be the seasoning?"

Daisuke casually remarked, "It's the sauce..." but then he realized his slip of the tongue and turned to look at him.

However, he noticed that Yuto didn't seem to pay much attention to his words. he responded casually and continued eating.

Daisuke breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he needed to be more cautious in the future.

...

At the end of the day's patrol, Yuto discreetly positioned himself outside the guard building after completing his shift.

After a while, Hizashi walked out of the police building.

"Hizashi-sama." Yuto, seeing no one around, quickly revealed himself, walking towards Hizashi.

Hizashi paused. He remembered Hyuga Yuto, the young man who had a memorable encounter with Natsuki when Jiraiya returned.

"This is quite a coincidence. Were you waiting for me here?" Hizashi inquired.

Yuto nodded, then activated his Byakugan, scanned the surroundings, and whispered to Hizashi, "Hizashi-sama, I suspect that there might be a traitor within our Hyuga clan."

"A traitor?" Hizashi frowned.

Yuto had always been dependable, and he shouldn't make baseless claims.

Hizashi stopped his words.

"Follow me." Hizashi led the way, and Yuto followed closely.

As they walked, Hizashi entered the branch compound, making his way to his residence.

Once inside, Hizashi guided Yuto to his study.

"Sealing techniques fill every corner here. Now you can speak freely."

Yuto deeply admired Hizashi's cautious approach. He realized he was too hasty, attempting to discuss matters with him outside the guard.

Yuto then shared what he had observed over the past few days, including today's test on Hyuga Daisuke.

After thoughtful consideration, Hizashi retrieved a log from a shelf.

Upon examining it, he discovered that those individuals from the Hyuga branch were relatively close to the fourth elder, Hyuga Kaito.

"Someone is approaching."

"What are your orders, sir?" Hizashi's servant arrived.

Hizashi inquired, "Have there been any recent visits from outsiders to the main family?"

With much on his mind, Hizashi considered that betrayal within the Hyuga clan would require close ties.

The one guiding the division within the family must belong to a clan with a higher authority level than oneself.

The Hyuga clan is known for being closed, and any visits to the family are unlikely to go unnoticed.

"My lord, there have been no recent visitors," the servant reported. "However, a few days ago, the fourth elder, Kaito-sama, went on a trip."

Hizashi gestured for the servant to leave.

It seemed that Kaito was involved. Did he act alone or with others?

After a moment of contemplation, Hizashi returned to his desk, quickly wrote a letter, and handed it to Yuto.

He instructed, "Please deliver this letter to Fugaku personally and immediately."

"Make sure to hand it directly to him."

Hizashi deeply appreciated Uchiha Natsuki's life-saving actions, and his sentiments towards the Uchiha clan mirrored those of his brother, Hiashi.

However, as the clan head, Hiashi often had to navigate the influence of the elders.

It would be best to keep this matter from his brother, as involving him might lead to complications.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Yuto took the letter and set off on his mission.