With Hyuga Arima leading the way, Minato stepped into the Hyuga Clan's Tamagushi Shrine for the first time. He had visited the Hyuga Clan's grounds before, but only to call on people at their homes. He had heard of Tamagushi Shrine, but had never seen it.
However,
Minato had other things on his mind, and with the rain pouring down in sheets, he had no time to look around the shrine.
Hyuga Arima led him into a tearoom and had someone bring them tea.
"Please wait a moment, honored guest. The Clan Head is busy with something, but he'll be here as soon as he's finished—" Hyuga Arima was interrupted by a rapid series of footsteps outside the sliding door.
The door slid open.
Hyuga Ritsu strode into the tearoom and greeted him with a smile. "Senior Minato, we meet again!"
"Eh?"
Minato was startled. He nearly lost control of his expression, but tensed his muscles and forced his emotions back under control. Then he saw Hizashi Hyuga and five other renowned Branch House experts file in, all following behind Hyuga Ritsu like his attendants.
Minato couldn't hold it together anymore. He was genuinely shocked.
What the hell was going on?
Hadn't he been told that Hyuga Hiashi was waiting for him? Why were Hyuga Ritsu and a group of Branch House experts standing before him instead?
In that brief moment,
His mind raced, dozens of thoughts and possibilities flickering through it.
Fortunately,
Minato had nerves of steel and quickly schooled his expression. Looking at Hyuga Ritsu, who had knelt across the tea table, he asked in a solemn tone, "Ritsu, what's going on? Arima here said he came to escort me on the orders of your Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi. Is Senior Hiashi not here?"
"Hmm?"
Hyuga Ritsu turned to look at Hyuga Arima, who stood to one side.
"I said I came on the Clan Head's orders," Hyuga Arima explained.
Hyuga Ritsu understood. Arima had essentially misled Minato. When he said "Clan Head," he meant himself, but Minato had assumed he meant Hyuga Hiashi. And so he'd managed to lure Namikaze Minato here.
Hyuga Ritsu smiled at Minato. "You may have misunderstood, Senior Minato. Arima wasn't referring to Hyuga Hiashi. Hiashi was our former Clan Head. I'm the current one."
"What?"
Minato felt as if he'd used up a year's worth of astonishment in a single day.
"Senior Hiashi isn't the Clan Head anymore?"
Honestly,
Minato couldn't help wondering if he was dreaming. "Ritsu, could you explain what's happened? What's going on with your clan? Lord Hokage sent me to visit Elder Hyuga Masamune. Where is he? Could you ask him to come speak with me?"
"I'm afraid that's not possible. Hyuga Masamune and the other Main House members were vicious and cruel, treating us Branch House members like cattle and slaves, beating us at will. We could no longer endure the humiliation, so today we rose up in revolt and captured and killed every last one of the Main House members. Though former Clan Head Hyuga Hiashi wasn't in the clan compound, everyone was furious, and after a collective discussion, we removed him from his position. Then the clan members chose me to take over. I'm unworthy, but I couldn't disappoint their trust and expectations, so I had no choice but to accept the position, at least for now!"
Hyuga Ritsu fabricated the story without so much as changing his expression.
Behind him,
Hizashi Hyuga and the others were amazed. They were even more impressed with him. With a talent for lying so smoothly and calmly, Hyuga Ritsu was the right one to be Clan Head. None of the six of them could have delivered that story so fluently.
Minato was dumbstruck.
His head was spinning.
He had to draw on all his strength to keep his composure. If Hyuga Ritsu and the others had shown even the slightest killing intent, he probably wouldn't have been able to stay seated.
Hyuga Ritsu wasn't finished. He turned and gestured toward the six behind him. "Look, Senior Minato. While you were on your way here, our Jonin and Special Jonin were in the shrine's martial arts hall electing elders. These six are the ones chosen by more than a hundred of our Jonin and Special Jonin."
He emphasized the words "more than a hundred Jonin and Special Jonin."
"So... you're the new Main House of the Hyuga Clan?" Minato asked after a pause.
"No. From now on, there will be no distinction between Main House and Branch House. All clan members will be treated equally."
"Ritsu, may I ask how you... dealt with the Main House?"
Minato fixed his gaze on Hyuga Ritsu and asked in a low voice.
"It was simple. I removed my Caged Bird Seal. Those Main House fools were no match for me." Hyuga Ritsu readily removed his Forehead Protector. There was no point hiding it; he couldn't keep it secret anyway.
"How did you do that?"
Shocked, Minato blurted out the question.
Hyuga Ritsu only smiled without answering, then put his Forehead Protector—proof of his identity as a Konoha shinobi—back on.
He could tell Hizashi Hyuga and the others that he'd removed the Caged Bird Seal using a Forbidden Jutsu, but he would never mention a Forbidden Jutsu in front of Namikaze Minato, who had come as the Third's representative. Forbidden Jutsu were forbidden for a reason: people were barred from learning, practicing, researching, and using them.
If anyone broke that prohibition,
The village had the right to punish them.
"I was out of line."
Minato lowered his eyes and thought it over. It was only natural that Hyuga Ritsu didn't want to answer. He shouldn't have asked in the first place. He'd let his emotions get the better of him and blurted it out without thinking.
"It's all right. I understand how you feel, Senior Minato. But what's done is done. Please report the current situation in our clan to Lord Hokage on our behalf. Although some major changes have taken place, the Hyuga Clan has always been one of Konoha's founding clans, and every Hyuga shinobi is a Konoha shinobi. That will never change!"
"There are still matters in the clan that need to be dealt with urgently. Once things have settled down, I'll visit Lord Hokage myself!"
Hyuga Ritsu spoke each word with calm conviction.
Minato's mouth twitched. He called this "some major changes"? It was a complete upheaval. The whole world of the Hyuga Clan had been turned upside down!
However,
At least Hyuga Ritsu's attitude was proper. He hadn't forgotten that the Hyuga Clan belonged to Konoha.
Thinking it over,
This change might not be a bad thing. The internal conflict in the Hyuga Clan had been resolved. Perhaps the clan could now unleash even greater strength and contribute more to Konoha.
Of course,
Only Lord Hokage had the authority to decide what to do. All Minato could do was report this upheaval in the Hyuga Clan to him as quickly as possible.
"I understand."
Minato rose to his feet.
Hyuga Ritsu stood as well. Minato looked at him and said gravely, "I'll report everything I saw and heard to Lord Hokage. Ritsu, I'll take my leave." With that, he vanished from Hyuga Ritsu's sight.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique really is impressive!"
Hyuga Ritsu praised it, then swept his sleeve and looked at the others. "Our guest has left. Let's go back and continue the meeting."
Whatever the Hokage's reaction, Hyuga Ritsu's immediate plans wouldn't change. He would continue consolidating the clan's strength and make his position as Clan Head official in more than name. Only by binding the entire Hyuga Clan tightly to himself would he have the leverage to negotiate with the village.
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