Token of Allegiance

September 25, Year 53 of Konoha

Hyuga Kei and Kakashi's group had just finished a mission when an Anbu arrived.

"Yazi, Lord Hokage summons you."

Hyuga Kei nodded. "Understood."

"You okay?" Kakashi patted Hyuga Kei on the shoulder. Usually, they were summoned together. Now that Hyuga Kei alone had been called in, there was clearly something going on.

"I'm fine. It's just some conflict involving the clan."

"Mm. As long as you're okay."

Whether all these plans would succeed depended on this very moment.

Having given advance notice, Hyuga Kei encountered no obstruction along the way. He knocked on the door to the Hokage's Office.

"Enter!"

Hyuga Kei opened the door and immediately saw Sarutobi Hiruzen seated behind his desk.

"Third Hokage!" Hyuga Kei dropped to one knee in salute.

"How did the mission go?"

"It was completed successfully."

"Not bad. As expected of the renowned Lightning Claw Ya Zi."

Hyuga Kei responded respectfully, "It was all thanks to the Hokage's guidance and the help of my Anbu comrades."

"Mm... very good."

"You've recently been handling affairs concerning Kumogakure. What do you think about the war with Kumogakure?"

Hyuga Kei pondered for a moment. This old man is testing whether I'm worth falling out with the Hyuga clan over, and whether I'm on the same side as him.

And he had asked the right person. Hyuga Kei knew how the story would develop. Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to take the initiative to propose reconciliation with the village.

He would even discover that Kumogakure's delegation had abducted the eldest daughter of a Konoha bloodline clan and still swallow the insult, handing Uncle Hizashi over to Kumogakure as well.

Thinking of this, Hyuga Kei clenched his teeth. It was truly suffocating.

Yet in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes, this appeared to be a sense of belonging to Konoha and hatred for its enemies.

"Third Hokage, I believe we should propose peace talks with Kumogakure. We've gained a slight advantage on the battlefield, and negotiating now would secure favorable terms."

"Rather than continuing the war for a costly victory, what we need more is peace. Konoha is currently in a weakened state. We need time to recover, not a pyrrhic victory."

These words were also Sarutobi Hiruzen's future strategy, one he would adhere to until the next generation had grown up—the Konoha Twelve Shinobi.

His words struck straight at Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart. Doesn't this kid understand me better than those people who call me cowardly? Sarutobi Hiruzen's favor toward Hyuga Kei immediately surged.

Talented, powerful, capable of enduring humiliation, and possessed strategic vision. What an outstanding shinobi.

"Not bad. That is precisely my intention, but many people oppose me..."

Hyuga Kei answered firmly, "They are short-sighted and cannot understand the Third Hokage's greatness, but time will show them the result."

"Ah..." Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed as though Hyuga Kei had voiced his innermost thoughts, and he let out a long sigh.

What followed was a long silence, as though both men were collecting their emotions.

"Was the public sentiment against the Hyuga your doing?" Sarutobi Hiruzen shattered the harmonious atmosphere between ruler and subject with a single question.

"Yes."

Hyuga Kei neither explained nor denied it. He admitted it outright. What he had done might have escaped the Hyuga clan's notice, but it could never escape Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was extremely satisfied with Hyuga Kei's response. "Why?"

"My younger brother, Neji Hyuga, is three years old this year. He has reached the age to receive the Caged Bird seal. I hope he can grow up healthy."

"As expected of an older brother..." Sarutobi Hiruzen was even more satisfied. He had a sense of belonging to the village and bonds of family affection—such people were the easiest to control.

Having found the answer he wanted, Sarutobi Hiruzen resumed the image of a kindly old neighbor. He dismissed Hyuga Kei and gave him reassurance.

"You just completed a mission, yet this old man summoned you for a talk. I really shouldn't have. Go get some rest first."

"Don't worry. I'll handle matters on the Hyuga side. They won't come looking to place the Caged Bird seal on you again. Furthermore, the age for the Hyuga Branch Family to receive the Caged Bird seal will be postponed to nine."

"Thank you, Third Hokage!" Hyuga Kei appeared immensely moved, as though he wished he could immediately die in Sarutobi Hiruzen's service.

Watching Hyuga Kei's departing back, Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe. If that was the case, protecting Hyuga Kei had become imperative. Besides, the Hyuga clan truly needed to be reined in.

Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the report on his desk. Three Hyuga Anbu had abused their positions to conduct private trade with other countries, violently eliminated rival businesses within the Land of Fire to expand clan enterprises, and committed other offenses.

Every entry was shocking. They had done so much in only half a year—their efficiency was truly remarkable!

The investigation had been alarming. No wonder the Hyuga had recently been able to continuously improve the benefits provided to their clan shinobi.

"Shinnosuke!"

Shinnosuke Sarutobi, clad in Anbu gear, appeared in the office.

"Yes!"

"Arrange for some people to deal with those Hyuga Anbu."

"Yes!"

Shinnosuke Sarutobi was just about to leave when Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped him again.

"Wait! Assign this mission to Hyuga Kei's team. Then go summon Hyuga Hiashi for me."

"Understood!"

Walking out of the Hokage Building, Hyuga Kei let out a long breath. Playing along with Sarutobi Hiruzen had been exhausting, but the results were gratifying. Not only had he achieved his own goal, he had also driven a wedge between Konoha and the Hyuga.

If he could take things one step further, perhaps Sarutobi Hiruzen would act on his behalf without him needing to do anything himself.

But that was probably impossible. The Hyuga were not the Uchiha. After this, the Hyuga would likely behave themselves much more cautiously.

And he could now be considered a confidant of the Hokage, right? At the very least, until Hyuga Kei fled Konoha, he would be the Hokage's confidant.

He returned to the Anbu and rejoined his teammates. Just as they were about to agree on a trip to the Barbecue Restaurant to take care of their stomachs after days of eating nothing but Soldier Pills—

An Anbu entered their break room.

"Kakashi's Team, this is your new mission."

Lin Yu was highly dissatisfied. "Hey, we just finished an A-rank mission. We're on leave now."

The Anbu ignored Lin Yu, handed the mission dossier to Kakashi, and vanished again.

Kakashi accepted the dossier and read it carefully. His expression became extremely strange.

"Kei, take a look too. If it's difficult for you to act, you can request leave. The three of us can complete this mission."

Without hesitation, Hyuga Kei took the dossier and read it carefully. It detailed the many crimes committed by three Hyuga Branch Family Anbu, including abuse of power for personal gain.

The mission was to ambush and kill them while the three were carrying out a mission.

Hyuga Kei's expression did not change. He handed the dossier to Yamato beside him. "I have no problem with it. Though my surname is Hyuga, I am not a member of the Hyuga clan. I have an even deeper blood feud with them."

"When the time comes, make sure to let me deal with them personally."

This was Sarutobi Hiruzen demanding that he offer a token of allegiance to make him easier to control, but Hyuga Kei did not care in the slightest. Never mind that the Hyuga did not know—so what if they did? This was a good chance to collect some interest. Once he became stronger, he would settle the full account with them.

After reading the dossier, his two teammates wore different expressions, but both looked at him with sympathy. Having such a deep feud with his own clan must be painful.