i am kimimaro

"We are testing."

"Testing what?"

Kimimaro looked puzzled, not understanding Taketoshi Kozue's meaning.

"Testing what Hiashi Hyuga's intentions are towards our Kaguya clan. In recent years, he has been too enthusiastic towards our Kaguya clan. This enthusiasm makes us very uneasy."

After all, there's not much kindness in the world without a reason. Even a thousand-year friendship has always been built on the premise of equal strength between the two sides.

Now that the Kaguya clan has declined, but Hiashi Hyuga is still so enthusiastic to help, this has aroused suspicion in the Kaguya clan, who have been deceived before.

What exactly is the other party's intention?

This is what the Kaguya clan wants to figure out.

Otherwise, they would be like a piece of fat meat in the mouth of the Hyuga clan, ready to be eaten whenever the other party wants.

Therefore, they decided to take the initiative and make a strategic sacrifice.

If the Hyuga clan really had other ideas, then facing the Kaguya clan with only thirteen people left and not much fighting power, they would definitely take action.

And these thirteen people would become abandoned pawns of the Kaguya clan.

For the sake of the clan's heritage, sacrifice was inevitable.

But if the Hyuga clan had no other intentions, then naturally everyone would be happy.

These thirteen people, with the help of the Hyuga, would find a new place to live in seclusion, or join Konoha, both of which were good choices.

And the other clansmen would completely disappear into the ninja world, and no one would know their identities anymore.

But no matter what the final outcome of this test was, Hiashi Hyuga couldn't know the truth.

Otherwise, the relationship between the Hyuga and the Kaguya would completely deteriorate.

With Taketoshi Kozue's explanation, Kimimaro also understood the purpose of the Kaguya clan's act.

This clan had obviously become a frightened bird.

But it wasn't strange for them to have such worries, and the Hyuga clan wasn't wronged either.

Because Hiashi Hyuga was indeed coveting their things.

Being able to use the strongest bloodline limit user of this generation for a gamble, the Kaguya clan indeed had courage.

No, wait...

The fact that Taketoshi Tsuki was the strongest of the younger generation might not be true.

Perhaps the Kaguya clan had been planning today's events as early as three years ago.

Kimimaro shook his head slightly, these guesses were no longer important.

Now that he knew the purposes of both sides, the matter would be much easier to solve.

"I know what Hiashi Hyuga's intentions are towards the Kaguya clan."

"You know? How could you know?"

Taketoshi Kozue was startled.

"Naturally, Hiashi Hyuga told me. He brought me here for this purpose."

"What exactly does he want to do?"

Taketoshi Kozue raised her guard.

"For half of the stone tablet."

"Stone tablet?"

Upon hearing this, Taketoshi Kozue immediately remembered what it was.

"Is it the stone tablet with inscriptions that no one can decipher?"

"If the stone tablet passed down through the Kaguya clan is only one, then it should be it."

"Does Hiashi Hyuga know how to unlock that stone tablet?"

"Perhaps. He said he needs my power to open it. I think it should be related to the Shikotsumyaku power within me. But he won't say how to do it specifically until we see the stone tablet."

Upon hearing this, Taketoshi Kozue's mind immediately became active.

It was rumored that the stone tablet recorded many secret techniques, perhaps this was an opportunity for the Kaguya clan to rise again.

Only secrets that could be unlocked had value; otherwise, staying there for thousands of years would be useless.

The Kaguya clan had also reached its most difficult moment. If they could really unlock this secret, it would definitely be a good thing.

"Kimimaro, do you still consider yourself a member of the Kaguya clan?"

Taketoshi Kozue suddenly asked.

"Yes. But if you want me to be a slave for the Kaguya clan, I advise you to give up that thought."

Taketoshi Kozue sighed, knowing she couldn't persuade Kimimaro.

"Alright, I understand. I can tell you the whereabouts of the other half of the stone tablet. However, I hope you can tell me the contents after you see the stone tablet. This might be an opportunity for the Kaguya clan to rise again."

"Okay. But if there's anything related to the Hyuga clan inside, Hiashi Hyuga probably wouldn't want others to know."

"I'm not interested in the Hyuga's things, I only want to know the Kaguya clan's content."

"Deal."

Seeing Kimimaro agree, Taketoshi Kozue felt relieved and immediately told him the location of the stone tablet.

"When the Kaguya clan joined Kirigakure, the Kaguya ancestors didn't take the stone tablet with them, but left it in the forbidden area of our original residence. Only members of our Kaguya clan can enter there.

Kimimaro, if you want to get the stone tablet, you must be careful of the trials set by our ancestors in the forbidden area. Only by passing those trials can you see the stone tablet. Besides that, you also need to be careful of Hiashi Hyuga, he might turn against you after learning the contents of the stone tablet."

The original residence of the Kaguya clan couldn't be explained clearly with words.

So Taketoshi Kozue decided to take Kimimaro and Hiashi Hyuga there.

But to complete the act, they needed to arrange for these twelve Kaguya clansmen first.

Kimimaro returned to Hiashi with Taketoshi Kozue's reply, and Hiashi was overjoyed.

Early the next morning, they arranged for the Kaguya clansmen, and then a group of five, plus Taketoshi Kozue, headed towards the forbidden area of the Kaguya clan.

Three days later, on the vast sea, Kimimaro and the others were searching for a small island.

"That small island ahead is Night Bone Island."

Taketoshi Kozue pointed to a seemingly desolate island not far away.

"Byakugan!"

Hiashi Hyuga activated his Byakugan and locked his sight on the small island.

There were no green plants on the island, only rocks and a white bone forest.

Those bones were very similar to the bones of Shikotsumyaku.

"Is this the forbidden area of the Kaguya clan, Night Bone Island?"

Kimimaro muttered to himself.

The small boat gradually approached the island, and under the guidance of Taketoshi Kozue, everyone came to the entrance of a cave.

"The stone tablet passed down through the Kaguya clan is here. But only members of the Kaguya clan can enter. I don't know what it's like inside.

The last time I came here was fifty years ago with the clan leader. At that time, I was also waiting at the entrance."

Hiashi Hyuga had already learned this from Taketoshi Kozue on the way, so he wasn't surprised at this moment.

He activated his Byakugan and looked at the cave.

The cave was covered by a layer of barrier, which even the Byakugan couldn't see through.

Hiashi extended his right hand and placed it on the barrier.

As expected, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't step into the barrier.

The methods of the Kaguya ancestors were indeed extraordinary.

"Kimimaro, the rest is up to you. As long as you can retrieve the stone tablet and learn its contents, you will be a benefactor of my Hyuga clan."

Hiashi Hyuga's words were full of sincerity.

"Uncle Hiashi, please rest assured, having come this far, I don't want to return empty-handed either."

After Kimimaro finished speaking, he walked straight into the cave.

(End of Chapter)