Filthy Gamer in Narutoverse: 156 (Patreon)

Title: Not Seeing Eye-to-Eye (3)

"Hah? Do you really want me to return? I think all the Clan Heads will be there," Nawaki questions Tsunade with an incredulous expression while she stamps a piece of paper before returning to the report and dutifully going through it without looking up. Nono herself is as busy as a bee. Being one of the administrative leaders of a clan as large and influential as the Senju Clan is no easy matter.

"Why not?" Tsunade hums, "The quicker you force yourself to sit with the real deals, the better. I know you want to be the Hokage but to have that seat, you have to start preparing from a young age or... you know, you'll end up like Grandfather or Granduncle."

Nawaki instantly takes great offense in that as he questions with a pout, "What's wrong with that?"

Still not looking up, Tsunade chuckles, "I thought Hiroshi would have given you a detailed account of how Lord First and Second had everything under their expertise except political ingenuity."

"But Granduncle—" Before Nawaki could finish, Tsunade looks up with a calm smile, "I'm not saying they were bad. But I want you to try and be better. Even if not a Kage, then the best leader the clan has ever seen. If not that, then even a stronger shinobi should suffice for me. But you want to be a Kage and for great motivation at that. After so much time administrating over the clan, I know that the past is merely a benchmark for us. We don't follow it but build and refine it. Got it?"

Nawaki looks dazed before he nods with exceptional determination and leaves.

Meanwhile, Nono finally snorts a chuckle, "That's the dumbest thing I've heard today, Clone-sama... and I heard Kushina shouting that the Kyubi hates its ass getting slapped through her own cheeks... I mean, that sweet tomato should have known it only gave Kai more incentive."

"Oh, pipe down," Tsunade's clone scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"I believe I don't have the necessary equipment," Nono giggles, annoying the clone like usual.

---

Nawaki sat in the 'den' while keeping his head a little lower. Unlike the few proxies who did treat him a little warmly, all the Clan Heads continued to busy themselves with either keeping their eyes closed or even snacking when it comes to the Akimichi Clan's Head.

They barely glanced at him. The most striking of them, at this moment, is a man with a striking resemblance to the elder who raised these charges against the Hyuga Clan.

Wearing a sober dark grey outfit with a brown haori over it, Hiashi Hyuga kept a cold stare on his younger twin the entire time. Tensions are most definitely high.

But, the center of attraction isn't either of the twins. It's a young man, 16 years old this year with a slightly sickly complexion. Nawaki himself is 18 but he has never heard of this man before today. An initial investigation also only showed a few results but this is to be expected if this man is part of the anbu corps.

"Mukai Kohinata, how has my clan threatened you?" Hiashi narrows his eyes and turns his attention to the youth, "If memory serves me right, we have never had any conflicts with you."

Frowning, Mukai looks at Hizashi who nods reassuringly, and then he takes a deep breath. But instead of answering, he pushes his hand into his pocket. Everyone grows alert for a moment but then Mukai takes out a packet of cigarettes as he coughs softly, "Apologies... confrontation makes me quite restless. This is to calm my nerves."

As if anyone would believe him. A man that was the youngest Jonin before Kai with merits so 'honorable' that they are kept under wraps by Hokage himself would definitely not feel threatened by such a gathering. Instead, it's almost ridiculous to think how such a youth with great prospects is addicted to one of the worse vices this world has to offer.

After lighting up his cigarette, Mukai takes a relaxing breath and looks at Hokage, "Lord Third, there is a reason why I could serve this village well. Words are only going to prolong the anxiousness that I constantly feel on the back of my neck which drove me into the arms of nicotine but... the best way to 'show' why I am threatened by the Hyuga Clan is simple."

The youth's left eye shifted slightly. Its original dark irides diluted to paler pigments. His left pupil seems to have lost its depth, too, and began to turn equally white as the veins near his left eye socket begin to bulge out.

A...

Byakugan!

Meanwhile, a strand of hair resting on Nawaki's head twitches for a moment and disappears in a blink of an eye without any presence noted by the shocked individuals in the meeting.

---

'Damn... almost got caught...' Kai picks up a piece of fried wings and chomps it down as his team ravishes the large and lavish spread of food.

Things like watching what they ate and HOW they ate was a concept flung away when your Sensei is a freak who would train you and then lead you to complete two D-Ranked missions every day for three months straight! They had to learn how to stuff as much nutrition as they can into their mouths as quickly as possible.

"Sensei," chewing through her meal, Kurenai raises her head, "What kind of mission will you take us on tomorrow? Are we expected to complete C-Ranked missions every day?"

Chuckling, Kai places his attention on the team while making sure that the six wooden clones sparring with themselves, Kushina, and Tsunade don't suddenly make him lash out here instinctively. It took him three months to get to the stage where he can control 6 clones adequately but the higher the number of clones, the greater the mental fortitude needed to add another clone to the roster.

"We'll see if you guys can handle multiple C-Ranked missions after your first one... it will be a simple one for you, that I promise. But I advise that you all sleep early and prepare well for tomorrow. Kurenai, you still have a dad, right? Be sure to spend some time with him... you may not return from the mission."

The girls flinch and look at Kai with a shocked expressions who calmly ate his meal.

"Sensei... didn't you just say it will be easy?" Shizune gulps.

"I did."

"Then why..." Kurenai feels the atmosphere of their private room turn a bit heavier at the moment as their Jonin Sensei narrows his gaze, "Oh, the three of you won't die. It would be a great disservice to my teachings if a C-ranked mission took you out... but as I said, it's merely advice. You can choose not to follow it. Now that I think about it... eat a whole lot now. You won't be eating tomorrow."

"Why?" Even Konan feels inexplicably scared seeing Kai act this way. He's lost his smile by now and a stoic look covers his face. The joy of finally upgrading to a higher-ranked mission suddenly turned into a pit of uneasiness and uncertainty for the trio.

"It's just a hunch," Kai remarks, "I know Kushina had trouble eating during our... necessary mission. On the other hand, I slept like a baby."

"Are... we going to kill... someone?" Shizune questions softly as Kai shrugs, "We'll see tomorrow."

Kai was more than happy to turn their joy to ashes as they soon left the restaurant. It was a moment of kindness from his side. Even Kai couldn't bear to just spring the fact on them that they need to cross a line this time around. After all, it's hard not to care when you invest yourself completely for months.

Instead of returning to Senju Compound with Konan after their meal, Kai chooses to pick a random training ground and lie on the ground while looking at the wide sky.

'Mukai Kohinata... even I never thought he'd have a Byakugan... but this all smells like a pile of shit. An Anbu like him would never come forward if Hiruzen didn't want him to. If I can understand this much, others will, too... a good thing my clone jumped ships from Nono to Nawaki after he came to inform Tsunade's clone. That man made of white cum is observing the meeting, too... the patterns are clear. That strange fuck roaming in the ground is way more interested in the Uchiha Clan... and Kushina. No, the Kyubi.'

Kai thinks about everything silently.

Just because he tends to know more doesn't mean he must act on everything. Instead, he would watch things unfold at times. The necessary Shadow Clones are already planted so he isn't overly worried either.

'Now that I think about it, a few spies from Kumo are becoming restless, too. The Uchiha Police is showing signs of coordinating their forces more over these few months.'

Kai is soon brought out of his thoughts when a rather unaccustomed visitor intrudes upon his rest.

"Yata-san," Kai smiles and sits up as he greets his father-in-law, who should be present in the meeting. So this is most likely a shadow clone.

Greeting back with a collected smile, Yata looks around, "It's rare to see you without anyone else around. It's my understanding that you spend every second of the day trying to approach those younger than you."

"Well, that's how your daughter taught me," Kai shrugs and stands up with a groan while Yata didn't seem to hold any offense for the fire jutsu Kai just blasted with his words.

"This isn't really a good place to talk. Using your Hiraishin to bring us somewhere more private is better," Yata muses while looking around.

Interested in what really is going on, Kai agrees to the sentiment and extends his hand to shake the man's hand.

The moment they connect, their bodies disappear and reappear within the Uzumaki Manor's sealed training chambers.

---

"Enough!" With greater force backing his words, Hiashi calmly cuts off the meeting while staring at Mukai, "I and the Hyuga Clan will not entertain this joke any longer. Mukai Kohinata will be branded by the caged seal. It is his duty to be bound to the main family."

"Is that so?" Inuzuka matriarch snickers, "I thought everyone directly under Hokage is only to be marked by the Will of Fire Seal."

"This does not have to go beyond reason," The Aburame Clan Head interjects, "Mukai may as well hand over his byakugan to the Hyuga Clan if he does not wish the seal and marry into the clan to prevent any issues that cause instability to the village."

Nawaki watched the scene unfold.

The Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi clan group believed that Mukai did not need to give up his independence or his gifts. This is most certainly to make sure that they can get leverage over the Hyuga Clan. The Uchiha Clan falls into the same camp alongside Inuzuka. On the other hand, supporting Hyuga Clan is Aburame Clan but by now everyone is aware that there is more depth to this conspiracy targeting the Hyuga Clan.

Nawaki, obviously, did not speak out impulsively. Who would want to?

"This is no joke. I believe that the Hyuga Clan cannot oppress everyone they feel the need to imprison with their seals," Hizashi scoffs and retorts calmly, "Lord Third, Mukai Kohinata's case and many other branch member's cases have made sure that the Hyuga Clan contributes less to the village than they take."

Adjusting his hat as the slightest bit of his chakra leaks out to exert a sense of pressure in the meeting room, Hiruzen calmly questions, "We have heard all opinions. It's about time we hear actual methods to resolve this that can be agreed upon by the members present in this room... or I must step in."

***

Alternate Title: Gathering of Award-Winning Actors