The Hokage's Visit!

"Truly outstanding, Lord Shinichi!"

"Exceptional! Lord Shinichi's talent is truly exceptional!"

The Training Ground rang with the clan members' praise. Hyuga Hiashi was clearly very satisfied with this internal family "performance."

Yet he forcibly suppressed the laughter in his heart, kept a stern face, and pretended not to hear the clan members praising his son. He even walked over to Shinichi, lightly patted him on the shoulder, and reminded him:

"Shinichi, you still have a long road ahead of you as a shinobi."

"Never grow complacent because of a few compliments."

"Train hard. Do not disgrace the name of the Hyuga Clan!"

Before the clan members, Hyuga Hiashi, the young clan head, used this method to maintain his authority.

The true purpose of today's trial was for the Main Family to deliberately build a stage for the young Shinichi Hyuga, allowing him to make an appearance before the entire clan.

Where there were people, there would be conflict. In a great clan like the Hyuga Clan, the darkness and contradictions lurking beneath the surface were only more numerous than those of smaller clans.

The Hyuga Clan's greatest and most fundamental conflict was naturally the conflict between the Main Family and the Branch Family. Although the Main Family controlled the lives of the Branch Family's shinobi through the Caged Bird Seal, if the Branch Family truly refused to acknowledge the Main Family's leadership and only went through the motions, the Main Family would find it incredibly difficult to accomplish anything.

The Main Family and the Branch Family were both as inseparable as lips and teeth, and rivals who competed against one another.

Fortunately, the rules and logic of the Shinobi World were relatively simple. The stronger one was, the more influence one possessed. By monopolizing certain high-level Nintaijutsu related to the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai, the Main Family had kept its strength above that of the Branch Family, making the vast majority of Branch Family shinobi willing to accept its leadership.

Even so, the Main Family often needed to display its strength and potential before the Branch Family, constantly increasing its weight in the eyes of the Branch Family shinobi and making them believe that only the Main Family's heirs could better inherit the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai. Only then could they ensure that the Branch Family shinobi would serve the clan wholeheartedly.

Therefore, the more outstanding the Main Family heir was, the stronger and more united the Hyuga Clan of that generation tended to be.

After making progress in his training, the exceptionally talented Shinichi Hyuga naturally needed an opportunity to become the Main Family's "face" and "banner," someone who could unite the clan's shinobi.

It was like succession in an ancient feudal dynasty. The more outstanding the crown prince was, the more at ease the nobles and ministers below would be as they did their jobs, without entertaining any other messy thoughts.

But to Shinichi Hyuga, this trial with ulterior purposes was merely another routine taijutsu training session.

After politely exchanging a few simple pleasantries with the clan members, Shinichi prepared to leave the Training Ground.

His daily training schedule was extremely tight. Although the taijutsu training had consumed much of his stamina, his Chakra was still abundant. Next, he needed to train in Chakra nature transformation. Shinichi avoided this kind of meaningless socializing whenever he could.

However, just as Shinichi greeted Hiashi and prepared to leave, the doors of the Training Ground were suddenly pushed open by a clan member who had hurried over.

The newcomer was in a rush, his face full of excitement. Only when the many clan members in the Training Ground turned to look at him did he realize his loss of composure. He dropped to one knee at the entrance and reported in a deep voice:

"Lord Hiashi, the Third Hokage and the Fourth Hokage, along with his wife, have arrived at the Clan Compound. They wish to see you."

"The clan elders have already gone out to receive the three of them and escorted them to the main hall, where they are waiting for you."

The shinobi delivering the report made no effort to avoid the other clan members present. The Branch Family members who had come to "observe" Shinichi Hyuga's training today were all senior figures within the clan. There was no need to conceal something like the Hokage visiting the Hyuga Clan.

Shinichi Hyuga, who had just reached the entrance, paused curiously upon hearing the report and glanced back.

The Hokage—the highest ruler of Konoha, the leader of all shinobi—could truly be called a person of immense power and status.

In the more than five years Shinichi had spent in this world, he had never met either Hiruzen Sarutobi or Minato Namikaze.

On one hand, he was too young and had no opportunity to come into contact with figures of that level. On the other, it had much to do with the special status of the Hyuga Main Family.

Complete peace had yet to arrive. Even within Konoha, the clan's protection of him was extremely strict. Moreover, Shinichi himself was eager to grow stronger and had none of the playful thoughts common among children his age. He had always kept to himself within the Clan Compound.

However, that did not mean Shinichi Hyuga was not curious about Konoha's two Hokage.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was one thing, but the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife were the crown prince's parents. Both of them were important figures who would directly influence the future course of the Shinobi World.

Shinichi had always wanted to do something to change the future, but at present, he simply had no significant cards to play. Some cards could perhaps be used, but they would likely bring Shinichi enormous trouble.

Now, the Hokage's visit stirred some thoughts in Shinichi's mind.

Not long ago, his adoptive mother had been confirmed to be three weeks pregnant. Although Shinichi had never closely studied the timeline of the Hokage world, he was well aware of several major events.

If nothing unexpected happened, the child in his mother's womb should be Hinata. Combined with the age of his cousin Neji, who was not yet one year old, Shinichi judged that Konoha likely had only a few months left before the Nine-Tails Attack.

Shinichi knew his strength would not have much effect on the coming turmoil, but some of the information he knew could help Konoha to a certain extent.

This visit from the Hokage gave Shinichi the thought of making contact with them. After all, who knew when he would next have such a natural opportunity to meet the Hokage?

"The Third Hokage and the Fourth Hokage and his wife have come to our Hyuga Clan Compound?!"

"Is something going on?"

Hyuga Hiashi's brows furrowed slightly at the clan member's report. For a moment, he could not figure out their purpose. Meanwhile, Shinichi, who had already reached the Training Ground entrance to leave, had somehow returned to Hiashi's side.

Hearing this, Shinichi gently tugged at Hiashi's sleeve and said softly, "Father, now is not the time to worry about their purpose. Two generations of Hokage have come here, so it must be something important. You should hurry and change before meeting them."

"Having only the clan elders receive them while you, the clan head, delay appearing would be rather discourteous."

Shinichi's words snapped the thoughtful Hiashi back to his senses.

"Mm! You're right."

Hiashi nodded. Just as he was about to leave the Training Ground, he suddenly remembered something at the doorway. Turning back toward Shinichi, who stood not far behind him, he smiled and beckoned.

"Shinichi, come with me to meet the two Hokage and the Fourth Hokage's wife."

"Showing your face before the Hokage will benefit you to some extent."

At that moment, many thoughts ran through Hiashi's mind. Although he did not know why Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato and Kushina had come to the Hyuga Clan, this was ultimately a good opportunity to build ties with the Hokage, was it not?

Though strength was everything in the Shinobi World, that did not mean personal connections were entirely useless.

At that moment, Hiashi was already considering how to pave the way for his son...

Taking Shinichi to meet the Hokage, Hiashi was not worried about causing trouble at all. Shinichi's maturity, far beyond that of children his age, had long since earned Hiashi's approval.

Hearing his adoptive father call for him, Shinichi revealed a faint smile.

His earlier deliberate reminder had been meant to make Hiashi notice him. Everything happening now was entirely within Shinichi's expectations!

"The Hokage..."

"I wonder whether they differ at all from the ones in my memories?"

The personalities of real people would differ somewhat from how they were portrayed in picture books, just like Shinichi's adoptive father, Hyuga Hiashi.

In Hinata's eyes, Hiashi was rigid and stern, bringing endless pressure to her childhood. Yet when Shinichi interacted with Hiashi, he did not feel that way.

In fact, Shinichi often received Hiashi's praise and concern. Sometimes, even Hiashi felt that Shinichi's training was excessively harsh.

Even the same person could display entirely different sides of their personality when facing different people at different times.

That left Shinichi feeling both expectant and uneasy about the three people he was about to meet.