Chapter 568: Chapter 568: The Truth of the Matter

"Old Clan Leader, we came because of Hyūga Muki."

Inside the room, Renya directly stated his purpose.

Upon hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed across the old clan leader’s aged face, but he soon smiled and said,

"Renya-sama, you must be joking. My son already died in the war long ago. If he ever offended you in any way, please, for this old man’s sake, do not hold it against the dead."

"Old Clan Leader, why is there not a single truthful sentence in your words?" Renya also revealed a faint smile.

"I do not understand what Renya-sama means by that," the old clan leader said, showing a puzzled expression. "Have I said anything untrue?"

Although he did not know whether Renya and Danzō had discovered anything, he still pretended to know nothing.

"First, Hyūga Muki is not your real son."

Renya slowly raised one finger and said casually.

Hearing this, a trace of shock flashed through the old clan leader’s cloudy eyes.

Renya ignored his reaction and raised a second finger.

"Second, Hyūga Muki did not actually die, isn’t that right?"

Seeing the faint smile on Renya’s face, the old clan leader fell into silence.

After an unknown amount of time, he let out a soft sigh.

"I never expected that you would still discover it."

He was already old and had thought he could guard this secret until the day he was buried. Yet fate played tricks on him. For some unknown reason, Renya and Danzō had discovered the truth behind Muki’s disappearance.

He did not believe it was Nara Motoha, the only other person who knew the truth, who had revealed it. It was more likely that Renya had discovered the truth in his own way.

"The current clan leader does not know about this?"

Shimura Danzō recalled the surprised expression on the current Hyūga clan leader’s face when they mentioned Hyūga Muki earlier.

"He does not know. Only my father and I knew about Muki’s true identity."

Since the two had already discovered it, there was no need to hide anything anymore. He slowly began to recount what he knew.

It turned out that the old clan leader’s father—the Hyūga clan leader before the previous one—had once, by chance, met the head of the Ōtsutsuki clan.

Later, a conflict arose between the main family and branch family of the Ōtsutsuki on the moon.

So he sent his child to the ninja world and entrusted him to the old clan leader’s father for care.

From his father, the old clan leader learned about what had happened on the moon and understood Muki’s true identity.

He realized that Muki could not grow up like the other children in the clan. He needed to become stronger—very, very strong.

Only then could he help his true father in the future.

Although Muki’s father had only said there was a conflict among the clan, both the old clan leader and his father knew the situation was extremely serious.

Otherwise, he would not have sent Muki all the way to the ninja world...

Muki’s father had placed a seal on him. After several decades passed, the seal was finally released, and Muki gradually awakened.

But his father still never came to the ninja world. This could only mean that something had happened to him.

So the old clan leader treated Muki as his own son and used the strictest methods to train him, helping him grow stronger.

He feared that one day the branch family from the moon would come to the ninja world to eliminate Muki.

If that day came, at least his harsh training would give Muki the means to protect his life.

Hyūga Muki himself did not disappoint. At a young age, he had already become an elite jōnin.

When the war broke out, the old clan leader had originally planned to assign Muki to the front lines. But thinking about the brutality of the war, he ultimately allowed him to carry out relatively safe missions behind the battlefield together with Nara Motoha.

After that, members of the Ōtsutsuki clan descended to the ninja world and brought Hyūga Muki back to become the head of the main family.

After hearing the old clan leader’s explanation, both of them were visibly moved.

Renya had originally thought the old clan leader was merely a stepfather, which was why he had been so strict with Hyūga Muki.

He never expected the truth to reverse so quickly.

"You two came to ask about Muki’s identity. Did something happen?"

The old clan leader looked at Renya with hopeful eyes, unable to suppress the anticipation in his heart.

Could it be that Muki had returned from the moon to the ninja world?!

He had never married or had children in his life. He treated Muki as his own flesh and blood.

When Muki left, it was no different from losing his son.

If he could see his son again before he died...

"That is not the case..."

Renya fully explained his plan to travel to the moon to visit Hyūga Muki.

Upon hearing this, the old clan leader’s breathing grew heavy, and he said excitedly,

"Renya-sama, could you take me with you?"

Although he did not know the chances of success, he was still willing to try.

What if it really succeeded?

All these years, he had been worried that Muki might encounter danger on the moon.

Those Ōtsutsuki clan members who came to the ninja world and took Muki away might not have been members of the main family. It could have been a trick by the branch family to deceive Muki.

Even if those people really were members of the main family, it did not mean Muki was safe there.

After all, the conflict between the main family and branch family might not have ended yet.

If that were the case, the branch family would definitely target Muki, the young head of the main family...

"Old Clan Leader, you want to go as well?"

Renya looked at his advanced age and could not help but hesitate.

No one knew the current situation on the moon. Bringing an old man there recklessly would be dangerous.

"Renya-sama, do not be deceived by my age. I still have the strength to protect myself."

The old clan leader seemed to guess Renya’s thoughts and immediately released his chakra to prove it.

In reality, the old clan leader was not extremely old—he was only around fifty or sixty years old.

But in a ninja world constantly ravaged by war, that was already considered advanced age.

"Alright. When the time comes to depart, I will come find you."

Seeing the old clan leader’s serious expression, Renya could not bring himself to refuse.

He only wanted to see his child again.

The two left the Hyūga compound and walked along the village streets.

"Renya, does that spring you mentioned really exist?"

Danzō was worried that the Anbu sent out would fail to find the spring, making it impossible to teleport to the moon.

If that happened, would the old clan leader not be disappointed for nothing?

If that were the case, he would have no choice but to apologize to the old clan leader on behalf of his good friend.

"Do not worry. The spring definitely exists."

Renya had already given the approximate coordinates to the Anbu. He believed they would bring back news soon.

Seeing his good friend’s certainty, Shimura Danzō gradually calmed down.

Aside from the matter of parallel worlds, he was still very willing to trust his good friend in other matters.

After all, Renya had never disappointed him...

Of course, that excluded his inability to read maps and his stubborn denial about parallel worlds.

"I will head back to sunbathe. Tell me when the Anbu report back."

"Alright, go enjoy your sun."

The two parted ways at the intersection and returned to their respective homes.

With an acting Hokage handling government affairs in the office, there was no need for Danzō to personally go to work.

Such trivial matters could be left to others.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage’s office, Hiruzen looked at the mountain of paperwork piled before him and irritably scratched his head.

"So exhausting... Why hasn’t Danzō come back to help me yet..."

Little did he know, the Danzō he was talking about was already lying on the recliner Renya had given him, peacefully sunbathing.

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