Give the Hyuga Clan Some Face!

The Flying Thunder God Technique was a Space-Time Ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. It was recorded in the Scroll of Seals.

The Scroll of Seals was a ninjutsu scroll containing every Forbidden Jutsu Konoha had collected since its founding. It was currently stored in the Hokage Building and kept by the Hokage.

In principle, only the Hokage was permitted to browse and inspect the Scroll of Seals.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had obtained the Flying Thunder God Technique through a fortunate coincidence.

As a youth, Minato had already been a somewhat renowned Genius Ninja. He possessed formidable strength at a young age, and not long after graduating from the Ninja Academy and receiving his forehead protector to become a ninja, he happened to uncover a vicious incident in which Cloud Ninja were abducting a future Jinchuriki.

With his formidable strength and talent, Minato Namikaze rescued Kushina Uzumaki from the Cloud Ninja and earned great merit.

Not long afterward, Minato Namikaze became Jiraiya's disciple. Later, relying on the Flying Thunder God, he gradually made a name for himself throughout the Shinobi World.

Jiraiya was the disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and could be considered one of the core figures in the Third Hokage's Faction.

Although Hiashi did not know much about what had happened back then, he understood that Minato Namikaze obtaining the Flying Thunder God Technique was likely closely tied to his identity as "Jiraiya's disciple."

This could, in fact, be confirmed through Old Man Danzo decades later. Kashin Koji, cloned using Jiraiya's Lineage Factor, successfully helped Old Man Danzo learn the Flying Thunder God. Jiraiya himself had most likely known the Flying Thunder God as well—he simply could not master or use it.

In the Shinobi World, the various clans and factions maintained extremely strict control over their ninjutsu. Aside from blood relations or genuine master-disciple relationships, it was simply impossible for outsiders to learn another family's ninjutsu.

Although the village had the Ninja Academy and a system in which Jonin Leaders "taught students," the way ninjutsu was passed down had not fundamentally changed.

The Ninja Academy only taught basic knowledge related to being a ninja, and only taught the Three Basic Jutsu in terms of ninjutsu. As for the system in which Jonin Leaders "taught students," it merely had jonin pass on some combat experience to their subordinates; jonin were not required to teach their students any ninjutsu.

More often than not, jonin taught students based solely on personal preference, and those who could inherit their ninjutsu were usually only one or two lucky individuals.

Konoha's Future Twelve Genin were the best proof of this system.

Among the three protagonists of Team Seven, Naruto studied under Jiraiya, Sakura studied under Tsunade, and only Sasuke learned the Secret Technique Chidori from Kakashi.

Of Team Three's Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten, only Lee inherited Might Guy's Eight Inner Gates.

As for Team Eight's Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, and Team Ten's Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, they had learned even less ninjutsu from their Jonin Leaders, Kurenai and Asuma.

Those who had learned Secret Techniques from jonin—Sasuke and Kakashi, Lee and Might Guy—had likely long since surpassed the so-called teacher-student relationship and advanced into a master-disciple relationship.

For Shinichi to ask Minato Namikaze to teach him the Flying Thunder God was, in a sense, somewhat taboo.

The Fourth Hokage could take the initiative to teach it, but for an outsider to ask for it was somewhat impolite. The Hyuga Clan's relationship with Minato Namikaze was not intimate enough for that.

Shinichi was a transmigrator, so he naturally lacked some awareness in this regard. Hiashi, however, understood this point.

Yet he did not reprimand his son for it. Instead, he lowered his head and pondered seriously. Though Hiashi was strict with Shinichi's usual training, he was actually exceptionally indulgent toward his extraordinarily gifted son. He simply rarely showed it openly.

Now that his son wanted to learn the Flying Thunder God, Hiashi began seriously considering a feasible solution.

Because he also believed that if his son could learn the Flying Thunder God, then combined with the Hyuga Clan's various Secret Techniques and the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai, Shinichi's upper limit would absolutely surpass that of the Fourth Hokage!

"The Fourth Hokage is a kind man, but making such a request directly... would be crossing the line..."

"Our Hyuga Clan cannot be so lacking in propriety."

At this point, Hiashi suddenly changed the subject.

"However..."

"While we cannot directly ask Lord Fourth Hokage to give us ninjutsu..."

"Perhaps, using the Hyuga Clan's standing to request that the Fourth Hokage let us temporarily borrow the Scroll of Seals... might be possible..."

Hyuga Hiashi stroked his chin. It seemed he had just made some sort of decision, and a determined look appeared in his eyes as he spoke.

"Borrow the Scroll of Seals?!"

Shinichi Hyuga was stunned upon hearing this, greatly taken aback.

He felt that learning the Flying Thunder God from the kind-hearted Minato Namikaze might be possible.

After all, the Fourth Hokage did not have the mindset of hoarding his skills. Not to mention that the Flying Thunder God was hardly some worthless old broom, Minato had actually taken the initiative to teach the Flying Thunder God Technique to the three members of his personal guard: Genma Shiranui, Izumo Kamizuki, and Namiashi Raidō.

It was just that the three had limited talent. They could only perform the Flying Thunder God together and could not use it as effortlessly in battle as Minato could.

However, in Hiashi's view, rather than improperly asking the Fourth Hokage to teach the Hyuga Clan the Flying Thunder God Technique, it would be easier to directly borrow the Scroll of Seals that recorded the technique.

Although the Scroll of Seals was a Forbidden Jutsu scroll that only the Hokage could browse, it was the "shared wealth" of Konoha's ninja. It was not entirely impossible for the Hyuga Clan, one of Konoha's great clans, to borrow it.

Moreover, since the Hyuga Clan was already prepared to make a request of the Hokage, merely asking for the Flying Thunder God would seem too petty. They might as well stake the Hyuga Clan's reputation on it and settle it all at once, while also taking this opportunity of "asking a favor" to deepen their ties with the Hokage.

"Shinichi, I have taken note of your wish to learn the Flying Thunder God. I will find a way, so you need not concern yourself with it."

"Stop thinking about the Flying Thunder God for now. Focus on practicing the Main Family's Secret Techniques. I have high expectations for you, so do not disappoint me."

"Go on. You have not completed today's training yet. Continue cultivating."

Hyuga Hiashi waved Shinichi Hyuga away. Shinichi nodded and left without hesitation, though he did not actually hold much hope for learning the Flying Thunder God.

It was a Secret Technique, after all. Obtaining it would not be so easy.

What Shinichi did not know was that after he left the Tea Room and headed to the Training Ground to continue his cultivation, Hiashi changed clothes, summoned his younger brother Hizashi Hyuga, urgently gathered several elite ninja from the Branch Family, and hurried toward the Hokage Building.

Minato and Kushina did not return to the Hokage Building with the Third Hokage after leaving the Hyuga Clan. With Kushina's childbirth approaching, Minato's foremost duty was to care for Kushina. As for Hokage affairs, Hiruzen Sarutobi kindly took all of them over.

For this, Minato and Kushina even had to thank Hiruzen for his care toward them as a couple.

Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk and looked at the piles of documents on it. Unhurriedly, he took out his pipe, struck a match to light the tobacco, then took several satisfying puffs.

Wisps of smoke rose into the air. Hiruzen slightly raised his head and looked around the Hokage's Office, whose arrangement had not changed much. He nodded inwardly, and a faint, satisfied smile appeared on his face.

In the final stages of the Third Shinobi War, small conflicts frequently erupted along the border, and as Hokage, he had no shortage of matters to handle each day. After resting briefly, Hiruzen buried himself in paperwork, unaware of time passing.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had a strong desire to control power, he was also highly efficient when handling affairs. Perhaps his division of the Fourth Hokage's authority with Minato was simply because, deep down, he did not trust this young Hokage...

After an unknown amount of time had passed, someone suddenly knocked on the door to the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head, rubbed his slightly weary face, and said in a deep voice, "Enter!"

Without needing anyone to announce them, once the office door opened, Hyuga Hiashi led eight neatly dressed Hyuga Clan ninja into the room.

Seeing the Third Hokage behind the desk, Hiashi froze for a moment, then quickly recovered his composure. After bowing slightly in greeting, he smiled and turned sideways to introduce them.

"Third Hokage, these are the Hyuga Clan ninja I selected to assist the Anbu with the guard duty."

"This is my younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga. This is Daiki Hyuga, this is Hyuga..."

After introducing the young ninja behind him one by one, Hiashi turned and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Having listened carefully to Hyuga Hiashi's introductions, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a smile and praised him.

"As expected of you. You truly act with remarkable speed! You selected the ninja for the mission so quickly."

"And you even came here in person."

"On behalf of Minato and Kushina, I thank the Hyuga Clan for its assistance."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded politely, walked over to Hiashi, and lightly patted his arm in a gesture of familiarity.

"Hehe, it is only proper."

"Moreover, aside from bringing them here to meet you, I have another presumptuous request."

"Third Hokage, in consideration of the many efforts and contributions our Hyuga Clan has made to Konoha over the years, please permit us to borrow the Scroll of Seals."

Hiashi did not employ any negotiation tactics at all, getting straight to the point.

His words left both Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Hyuga Clan members behind him rooted to the spot.