After appearing on the rooftop of the Hokage Building once more, Minato didn't dare waste a moment. He hurried downstairs, pushed open the door to the Hokage's office, and announced loudly, "Lord Hokage, something major has happened in the Hyuga Clan!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair and raised an eyebrow, but remained composed. "Minato, don't rush. Tell me slowly."
Calmed by the Hokage's unruffled manner,
Minato took a deep breath before speaking. "Lord Hokage, I saw Hyuga Ritsu."
"Oh? Didn't the Main House members of the Hyuga Clan say they were going to punish Hyuga Ritsu?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flickered.
Unexpectedly,
Minato shook his head. "The Hyuga Clan no longer has a Main House. At least, there's no Main House left in the village."
"What?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't hold back his shock and cried out, "What do you mean, the Hyuga Clan no longer has a Main House?"
"According to Hyuga Ritsu, the Branch House members could no longer endure the Main House's brutal rule, so he led them in a revolt. They killed Hyuga Masamune and the other Main House members. After discussing it together, they removed Hyuga Hiashi, who was away from the village, from his position as Clan Head. Then they elected Hyuga Ritsu as the new Clan Head. After that, he gathered the Hyuga Clan's Jonin and Special Jonin—more than a hundred people in all—and selected six elders from among the Branch House members."
"......"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes widened. He stood up, bracing both hands against the desk. A vicious killing intent appeared in his eyes as he growled, "What are they planning? Is the Hyuga Clan going to rebel?"
They had slaughtered the Main House, removed the Clan Head, and elected a new Clan Head and elders. That was nothing less than rebellion!
He had to consider the worst-case scenario.
The Hyuga Clan's Branch House had broken free of the Main House's control and turned against it. Was this the end—or just the beginning? While hating the Main House, would the Branch House members also come to resent the village for watching all this happen without lifting a finger?
After slaughtering the Main House, where would they point their blades next?
Was the Hyuga Clan
really going to rebel?
If the Hyuga Clan truly intended to rebel, how should the village respond? One plan after another for dealing with the Hyuga Clan surfaced in Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind.
Just then—
"Lord Hokage, please stay calm for now. From what I can tell, things haven't reached that point. Hyuga Ritsu told me himself that the Hyuga Clan is one of Konoha's founding clans, and that its shinobi are Konoha shinobi, too. He also said that once things have settled within the clan, he'll come pay you a visit."
"Did he really say that?"
"He said it himself, three minutes ago."
"Minato, do you think he can be trusted?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression softened somewhat, though he was still doubtful.
"I think this is only an internal conflict within the Hyuga Clan, and that the unrest will remain confined to the clan. Hyuga Ritsu seemed clearheaded. He knows what he's doing, and he understands what he mustn't do. I don't believe he'll turn against the village."
Minato spoke earnestly, offering his honest opinion.
After hearing Minato out,
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat back down.
He turned to look out the window. The rain was still pouring. Huge raindrops, driven by gusting winds, pelted the windows, while the heavy curtain of rain obscured the view. He couldn't make out anything farther away.
This awful weather made everything inconvenient!
But
the Hyuga Clan weren't affected as much as ordinary people. Their Byakugan, a Kekkei Genkai, let them ignore the restricted visibility caused by the terrible weather. In fact, weather that hampered visibility was the perfect opportunity for the Hyuga Clan to show what they could do.
The reason the Hyuga Clan had been sent to the eastern front to fight the Mist shinobi was that the Byakugan was a hard counter to their greatest specialty, the "Hidden Mist Technique." The Byakugan could easily see through the dense fog that left ordinary shinobi unable to see their own hands.
"Send in a few more people!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen called out.
The next second,
four Anbu lined up and knelt on one knee in front of the desk.
"Mi, go find Danzo and tell him what Minato just said about the Hyuga Clan. Send out his Root operatives and station them around the Hyuga Clan compound to keep the clan under constant surveillance. Report any signs of trouble immediately. Also, tell him to come to my office himself."
"Shito, go to the Konoha Military Police Force and order Uchiha Fugaku to assemble the Jonin and prepare for battle. Don't tell him why."
"Cha, go inform the two council elders, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, and tell them to come to my office at once."
"Bao, go notify the clan heads... Never mind. You and Cha can split up and find the two council elders."
One order after another was issued.
Minato stood silently at the side.
Clearly, the Hokage had not let down his guard. He was still preparing for the possibility that the Hyuga Clan might cause trouble. Putting himself in the Hokage's shoes, Minato would probably have made much the same decisions. Even if he trusted the Hyuga Clan, the necessary precautions couldn't be neglected.
Of all the things in this world, nothing was more frightening than the possibility of "what if"!
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
The Anbu squad answered in unison.
The four left the Hokage Building and split up in the pouring rain.
"Minato, I'll have to trouble you a while longer. Stay here with me for now!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Minato.
At a time like this,
having a top-tier shinobi like Minato on hand would put everyone more at ease. Minato alone was worth a hundred men, and that was without even mentioning that his wife, Uzumaki Kushina, was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
If the worst came to pass,
they might have to rely on the Jinchuriki's power to put down the rebellion quickly.
"I told Kushina I'd be home early when I left. Looking at things now, it seems I won't be going back after all." Minato gave a helpless, rueful smile.
"Minato, tell me more about the Hyuga Clan's current situation. If I remember correctly, Hyuga Ritsu is only fifteen this year, right? Even if he's said to be the Hyuga Clan's greatest prodigy, can he really hold on to the position of Clan Head?"
"I can't say whether he'll be able to hold on to the position. But the six new elders of the Hyuga Clan seemed quite obedient to Hyuga Ritsu!"
"The six new elders—I nearly forgot to ask. Who are they?"
"I don't know many people in the Hyuga Clan, but I happen to know all six of them. They're Hizashi Hyuga, Hyuga Takashi, Hyuga Tenma, Hyuga Shinichiro, Hyuga Isamu, and Hyuga Karin."
Minato listed the six names.
Sarutobi Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and murmured, "They're all capable members of the Hyuga Clan's Branch House!"
He knew those names, too, because all six were among the most capable Jonin in the Hyuga Clan. The youngest, Hyuga Tenma, had repeatedly distinguished himself on the battlefield. The fact that Sarutobi Hiruzen remembered his name and knew his general record was proof enough.
But the one who concerned him most was Hizashi Hyuga.
He was Hyuga Hiashi's younger brother!
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