Konohagakure F4

"You're saying Hizashi Hyuga supports Hyuga Ritsu? Even though he's from the Branch House, he's still Hyuga Hiashi's biological brother!"

"Hokage-sama, I think the opposite should be said. Even though he's Hyuga Hiashi's biological brother, he's still from the Branch House."

Minato reordered the sentence.

And with that reordering, the meaning naturally changed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent. After a moment, he couldn't help but sigh, "Has the conflict between the Hyuga Clan's Main House and Branch House escalated to this point?"

He had initially thought it was one thing for a Branch House member like Hyuga Ritsu, who was distant from the Main House, to rebel. But Hizashi Hyuga, as the biological brother of Clan Head Hyuga Hiashi, should have been far better treated than other Branch House members, even as part of the Branch House. There was no reason for him to rebel against his own brother.

But now it seemed, He had neglected his attention to the Hyuga Clan in recent years, failing to notice that the conflict between the Main House and Branch House within the clan had intensified to the point where even the Clan Head Hyuga Hiashi's biological brother had rebelled.

"There's also one thing I don't understand. How were Hyuga Masamune and other Main House clan members killed? With the Caged Bird Seal, the Branch House members shouldn't have had the ability to resist?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen inquired about the crucial point.

"Hyuga Ritsu has already removed his own Caged Bird Seal. Although Hyuga Ritsu didn't elaborate, I boldly speculate that Hyuga Ritsu himself is the one who killed Hyuga Masamune and the other Main House members."

"How did he do it?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was shocked.

He himself, in his ambitious youth, had once studied the Caged Bird Seal, only to hit a brick wall, wasting months of time for nothing!

Hearing that Hyuga Ritsu had removed his own Caged Bird Seal genuinely startled him.

However, his reaction was swift. The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he had asked a foolish question. "Minato, I asked a foolish question. The method to remove the Caged Bird Seal is naturally a top secret. Hyuga Ritsu wouldn't tell you!"

Minato didn't speak, merely nodding silently.

He could understand the Hokage's slip of the tongue in his surprise.

Because earlier, He himself had also blurted out something in front of Hyuga Ritsu without being able to hold back.

"Speaking of which, without the Caged Bird Seal, doesn't that mean Hyuga Ritsu can now control the other Branch House members just like the Main House?"

"I guess he probably can."

"Then wouldn't Hyuga Ritsu be the new Main House from now on?"

The conversation between the two came to an abrupt halt.

Because someone had arrived.

"Hiruzen, what are you still doing here?"

A middle-aged man with a grim face and an X-shaped scar on his chin pushed the door open and barged in aggressively. His eyes were filled with cruel and cold killing intent. He was the Hokage's advisor, known as the "Darkness of Shinobi" in Konohagakure, and the supreme leader of Root, Shimura Danzo.

"The entire Hyuga Clan is rebelling, and you're not summoning the Jonin to quell the unrest quickly, but sitting in your office?"

As soon as he entered, Shimura Danzo questioned loudly.

"Quell the unrest? When did the Hyuga Clan rebel?"

"All the Main House members remaining in the village have been killed. Isn't that rebellion? Do you want to wait until Hyuga Ritsu and the others storm the Hokage's office before you declare them rebels?"

"It hasn't reached that point yet."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained unmoved, meeting Danzo's gaze without yielding.

"Hiruzen, Danzo, what are you arguing about again? I could hear your voices arguing from outside the door!" Elder Mitokado Homura and Elder Utatane Koharu walked in side-by-side.

"Hmph!"

Shimura Danzo snorted coldly but said nothing further.

The three of them took seats on the sofas in the reception area. Minato also sat down.

Although his youth stood out starkly among these elderly faces, Shimura Danzo and the other two said nothing. Despite his youth, Minato had already proven his capabilities with brilliant achievements.

Moreover, As high-ranking members of the village, they could all guess some of Hiruzen's thoughts. The selection for the Fourth Hokage in the future would likely be between Orochimaru and Minato.

In short, Minato was no ordinary Jonin; he indeed had the qualifications to participate in the village's highest-level decision-making.

"Currently, Hyuga Ritsu has coerced many Branch House members of the Hyuga Clan to kill Hyuga Masamune and the other Main House members who remained in the village. He has also declared himself Clan Head and appointed six new elders. Coincidentally, the legitimate Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi, is currently leading some clan members on the eastern front. Oh, and to add, Hyuga Ritsu used some unknown method to remove his own Caged Bird Seal."

"In summary, this is roughly the current situation. Everyone state your attitudes and proposed solutions!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't dwell on Danzo's earlier nonsensical remarks and directly got to the point.

"My attitude is to kill."

Shimura Danzo spoke first, his voice deep and filled with chilling intent. "If these rebellious Branch House members dare to kill the Main House members today, who knows if they'll turn their blades on us tomorrow? Kill everyone involved in the rebellion!"

Minato, standing nearby, frowned at Danzo's words.

What was the Hokage's advisor saying?

"Danzo, you're too extreme. The Hyuga are not the Uchiha. You and I both know that the deep-rooted system of Main House and Branch House in the Hyuga Clan was bound to erupt eventually. It just happened to erupt during our tenure."

Mitokado Homura paused, then continued, "I believe the most pressing matter now is to recall Hyuga Hiashi and others from the front lines, and let Hyuga Hiashi handle the rebellious elements like Hyuga Ritsu, with the village providing assistance."

"Going on a killing spree is indeed inappropriate. I don't need to elaborate on the importance of the Byakugan; killing too ruthlessly would damage the village's strength. But if such insubordinate behavior goes unpunished, wouldn't that encourage others who might be dissatisfied to rebel? I believe we absolutely cannot foster this corrupt tendency, so the ringleaders must be executed! This will serve to deter others with ulterior motives!"

Although Utatane Koharu was female, her killing intent was heavier than Mitokado Homura's.

The three held different attitudes and opinions.

Shimura Danzo was the most extreme, believing that violence was necessary to stop chaos and that danger must be eliminated in its infancy. Utatane Koharu's killing intent was more restrained; she believed that not too many people needed to be killed, but the ringleaders must be executed. Mitokado Homura's view was the mildest; he did not recommend the village directly interfere, but rather hoped to influence the Hyuga Clan's internal affairs through Hyuga Hiashi.

After the three finished speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had lit his pipe and was puffing on it, did not judge their opinions. Instead, he turned his gaze to Minato and asked, "Minato, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Minato's brow furrowed deeply.

He continued to ponder for another seven or eight seconds before slowly speaking, "As for me, I rather agree with Advisor Mitokado's approach. The conflict between the Hyuga Clan's Main House and Branch House is too deep; simply killing people won't solve the problem. Slaughter is a last resort when all other options have failed."