Chapter 89. Breaking away from the plan

Uchiha Clan Land

Fugaku carefully read the contents of Hizashi's letter.

Addressing Hyuga Yuto, Fugaku expressed, "I appreciate your efforts. Kindly convey my gratitude to Hizashi and inform him that I have received the message."

Yuto felt a sense of relief as he safely completed his task.

As a member of the branch family, he sensed an approaching storm looming over both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.

However, being just an ordinary member, his capacity to contribute to Hizashi was limited.

...

Uchiha Clan Land

Upon receiving Hizashi's letter, Fugaku immediately summoned the fourth elder and handed over the letter.

"Clan Leader, Deputy Clan Leader Natsuki seemed to have foreseen this situation when he left," remarked the fourth leader, stroking his beard.

Fugaku sighed, acknowledging Natsuki's foresight. "It's true that nothing escapes Natsuki's attention. He made plans in advance. Hizashi is in charge of the police force, and if anyone in the Hyuga clan harbors ill intentions, Natsuki expects Hizashi to handle it."

Fugaku continued, "I'm here to inquire about your preparations for executing the escape plan."

He assured him, "Don't worry, Clan Leader. I anticipated unforeseen circumstances after the completion of our clan's land construction. The street has already been discreetly built."

Concerning transportation, he added, "After Kumogakure's compensation, I oversaw the production of our prototype car. We now have ten cars, forming a complete cycle."

Fugaku approved, "Excellent. Let's not waste time. Gather all clan members tonight and initiate the escape plan."

"As you command, Clan Leader!" 

...

Konoha's Eighth Street was as lively as ever, especially during the night market when villagers enjoyed a variety of food.

However, this night was different.

By around eight o'clock, all Uchiha shops had unexpectedly closed, leaving the villagers puzzled.

Inside each Uchiha shop, a bustling scene unfolded.

Shopkeepers and assistants hurriedly packed equipment and raw materials into storage scrolls, distributed uniformly by the clan for swift asset transfer.

Curious villagers, accustomed to the late-night availability of Uchiha's shops, approached for an explanation.

The shopkeepers, acting in unison, claimed that they closed early for training purposes to develop new dishes.

Reassuring the customers, they promised to resume regular operations the next day.

As the regular customers left somewhat disgruntled, the Uchiha clan members continued their swift and purposeful actions, unaware of the anxious peeping Hyuga clan members.

Helplessly watching as the Uchiha clan members packed all their ingredients and equipment, the Hyuga clan onlookers felt a growing sense of unease.

They hadn't fully grasped the production methods yet, and Uchiha's sudden actions left them bewildered.

Daisuke and Misaki hurriedly reported their observations to Hyuga Kaito, who, now with healed legs, paced back and forth in contemplation.

His curiosity about Uchiha's intentions mingled with concern for his own family's interests.

With no means to intervene, Kaito instructed his observers to keep watching and report any new developments.

As night fell, all Uchiha clan members stored their packed belongings in scrolls attached to their bodies.

From the outside, it seemed like a routine departure from their shops, heading back to the Uchiha clan.

...

In Konoha's Eighth Street, the first rays of morning sunshine illuminated a scene of commotion within the police force.

Surprisingly, all members of the Uchiha Guards had collectively submitted their resignations, and none of them appeared for duty.

Hizashi remained unaware of Fugaku's plans, but the absence of the Uchiha posed a challenge.

Hizashi had to redistribute the teams, fill the vacancies left by the Uchiha members, and organize new patrols.

Meanwhile, the Hyuga clan patrolling Eighth Street discovered a peculiar situation.

As it was time to open shops, all Uchiha clan establishments had their doors shut.

Upon closer inspection, they found the shop entirely deserted—food, equipment, and everything else had vanished.

The patrol members promptly reported their findings to Hizashi, who shared his confusion about Fugaku's unexpected actions.

Why would the Uchiha clan abandon such a profitable business?

...

The news swiftly reached the Third Hokage, who, upon reading the messages, found himself utterly confused.

What did they mean by not making any money?

The Third Hokage promptly sent messengers to the Uchiha clan to seek clarification on why their shops were no longer open.

Meanwhile, Uchiha members had already taken to distributing flyers on Konoha Eighth Street, detailing the changes in their business operations.

The ANBU, sent by the Third Hokage, returned with one of these flyers.

As the Third Hokage examined the flyer, he discovered that the Uchiha clan had decided to build a dedicated snack street.

Consequently, all Summer food shops were relocated to a specially constructed area outside the Uchiha clan.

To continue enjoying their delicious offerings, customers were instructed to visit the new location near the north gate, where special pick-up vehicles were available.

Caught off guard, the Third Hokage swiftly tasked Kakashi with investigating the situation.

The North Gate, conveniently located next to Eighth Street, was in the old Uchiha area, where renovations had taken place with high-quality materials during the clan's relocation.

A dozen neatly arranged cars caught Kakashi's attention.

These were the same sightseeing cars that Natsuki had encountered before his travel.

Each vehicle had a seating capacity of 25 people. Once filled, the Uchiha drivers infused chakra into the vehicles, propelling them swiftly.

Upon closer inspection, Kakashi recognized the two Uchiha members operating the cars—they were part of the police force that had previously patrolled Eighth Street.

It dawned on him: had the Uchiha clan already created this plan in advance?

The vehicles moved at an astonishing speed, completing the journey in just a few minutes. Kakashi, along with curious Konoha villagers, left with the cars.

Upon arrival, they found themselves in line next to the vehicles, which were promptly heading back to the starting point or awaiting incoming passengers.

The process formed an efficient cycle.

Kakashi explored the area and discovered that the Uchiha clan had constructed an entire street at the intersection of the clan and the village.

Due to its closeness to the Uchiha station, this development had remained hidden from Konoha for quite some time.

Walking down the street, Kakashi observed identical houses on both sides, meticulously constructed with mud and stone.

Recognizable by the blue stars, these were model houses.

The structures formed a U-shaped street, with gourmet shops displaying vibrant signs and starting to buzz with activity.

Approaching one of the shops, Kakashi noticed a small booth where Uchiha members were selling something.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a "Snack Street Membership Card."

The Uchiha members explained that anyone applying for this card would receive a 10% discount on all purchases throughout the entire street as a token of appreciation to the customers.

The membership card came at a remarkably low cost, priced at only 10 ryo.

It seemed almost like a giveaway, making Kakashi readily apply for one.

As he filled out the form, the Uchiha members glanced at Kakashi and swiftly processed his application.

Emblazoned with clear rules, the membership card explicitly forbade the use of any ninjutsu within the snack street.

Violators faced being blacklisted and denied entry in the future.