As expected of the clan leader of Konoha's premier clan, your awareness is truly high.
Hyuga Clan Leader Hiashi Hyuga, with his black hair draped over his shoulders, wore a solemn expression as he carefully chewed over the Third Hokage's words in his mind.
Having served as clan leader for many years, Hiashi understood the hidden meaning behind Sarutobi's words.
As long as Hiashi retreated with the Hyuga clansmen behind him, the Third Hokage would let the Hyuga become the premier clan of Konoha!
Hiashi Hyuga's lifelong goal was to make the Hyuga the number one family in Konoha!
However...
The number one he wanted was for his Hyuga to defeat the Senju and defeat the Uchiha.
Not...
For the number one Senju to disband and cast aside the Senju surname, and the number two Uchiha to be exterminated, leaving his Hyuga to passively become number one.
It meant nothing!
It meant nothing to him, Hiashi, and it meant nothing to the Hyuga clan either.
The number one Senju could perish!
The number two Uchiha could be wiped out!
Then his Hyuga...
The third clan!
The second clan!
The first clan?
They all meant nothing; they had no meaning whatsoever.
This kind of number one was not simply the advancement that came from a clan growing stronger.
This number one! It was not glory!
It was...
A death list!
The number one Senju could perish, and the Uchiha, who rose by default to number one, could be exterminated, so his Hyuga, who passively became the top clan, could also tread the exact same path.
Or perhaps...
The Byakugan could become the premier bloodline limit!
It was just that the Byakugan would no longer bear the surname Hyuga; by then it might be the Surname Toneri, or Sarutobi!
The Hyuga were