"Are you worried about Ichihime's situation, Hakushi-kun?"
Ayane knew that Ichihime had gone to the Land of Waves and intended to establish an outpost for the Land of Demons there, preparing for future warfare.
However, since the Land of Waves borders the Land of Fire, considering international balance, the Land of Fire wouldn't dare to overtly take any drastic actions. But in secret, they would definitely sabotage the Land of Demons' actions in the Land of Waves.
"Yes, it's not that I'm particularly concerned about Ichihime's personal safety. I'm just worried she might misjudge the situation, leading to issues with the order of operations. Her current actions in the Land of Waves can only be described as fair."
Through reports from Kado, Hakushi was well aware of Ichihime's deployment in the Land of Waves. It wasn't particularly outstanding, but there had been no obvious mistakes yet. However, her methods and tactics were still too constrained by conventional forms.
"Although she's a genius, she's still a child. Anyway, you've prepared backup plans, haven't you?"
Ayane smiled as she spoke.
On the surface, it seemed like a test for Ichihime.
But if the test failed, it would lead to countless sacrifices among the people of the Land of Waves, which wasn't something that could be taken lightly or brushed off as just a test.
She knew Hakushi's character well enough to realize he wouldn't be careless when it came to matters of life and death. Sending Ichihime to the Land of Waves was a bait and a trap in itself.
The real backup plan was still lurking beneath the surface, waiting for the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.
"We always need to see how well she has learned over the years. It's just that from now on, I might not have it so easy. Too many factions are involved this time."
Currently, Hakushi could only manage to steal some moments of leisure amidst his busyness.
There were certain matters that Ichihime couldn't decide on her own.
Such as the Isolated Island Merchant Alliance, or the high-ranking officials of the Land of Fire. These were colossal entities that Ichihime couldn't tackle with pure personal combat prowess.
Therefore, the series of measures Ichihime took in the Land of Waves were mostly within Hakushi's expectations. It appeared she was taking the initiative, but in reality, she was always in a passive defense position, never holding the dominant advantage.
At this stage, the fundamental matter is the power struggle between nations. War and politics are just means to achieve victory.
"So, you mean you're going to take action personally next?"
"Yes, we communicated via radio before, right? The Merchant Alliance at the Isolated Island must be dealt with. To open a breach in the Land of Fire, the Merchant Alliance at the Isolated Island is key."
Currently, the Land of Fire is like an unbreakable rock, leaving Hakushi unable to find a starting point.
Because this time, the opponent isn't a pure military organization like Konoha, but the highest authority in the Land of Fire—the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
In some ways, this is more troublesome than dealing with the Hokage.
So far, Hakushi hadn't discovered any flaws in the opponent, which is why he allowed Ichihime to freely execute her strategies in the Land of Waves, in order to identify mistakes in the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's plans, and tear open the outer protective layer of the Land of Fire.
"As long as you're prepared, I'm heading to work with the Security Team. I might not be back for dinner, so I'll leave Aya's homework up to you to supervise tonight."
Ayane, already changed into her clothes, came downstairs from the second floor and spoke to Hakushi.
"Isn't this too strict on Aya?"
Hakushi asked.
"Although the future leader of the Hyuga Clan might not necessarily need him to inherit, given that he has ninja talents no less than mine, it would be a waste to let them go to waste. I don't expect him to surpass me quickly, but at least he should have the power to protect himself."
Ayane gave Hakushi a sidelong glance and said to him.
"Is that so? I see. I was thinking of taking him and Asuka out for some relaxation tonight since I rarely have free time, but it seems the plan has fallen through."
Hakushi shrugged with a smile, lifting his newspaper just enough to cover his face, not offering any further comments on Ayane's words.
Ayane let out a small huff, seemingly not very satisfied with Hakushi's indulgent behavior, but she said nothing more and turned to leave.
After Ayane left, Hakushi put down the newspaper in his hand, stood up from the sofa, walked to the window, and gazed at the sky outside, silent for a long time.
He fell into a certain contemplation, and the atmosphere suddenly became oppressive.
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Konoha.
At dusk, in an empty dojo.
The sound of palm strikes continuously echoed as a small figure adjusted their steps and breathing, repeatedly striking a wooden post in the dojo with soft palms.
Though not yet school-aged, as the second daughter of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family leader, Hanabi was already proficient in controlling part of her Chakra, executing the Hyuga Clan's traditional Gentle Fist with finesse.
The seemingly soft palm strikes were the essence of the Gentle Fist.
With the ability to directly attack the body's internal network system, the physical power of the Gentle Fist didn't need to be strong; simply making contact with the enemy's body could easily defeat them.
While Hanabi was practicing the Gentle Fist, the dojo's doors suddenly opened.
Hanabi ceased her strikes on the wooden post and looked towards the entrance of the dojo, where a tall and imposing figure appeared, none other than the current leader of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Hiashi.
He was dressed in his casual gray and white clothes, scanning the dojo with his white eyes, immediately spotting Hanabi practicing the Gentle Fist against a wooden post.
"Are you practicing here alone, Hanabi?"