It was already evening. The sky had grown darker, and the torrential rain continued to fall. Lights had been lit in every household early. Though the rain had swallowed up the cooking smoke, the aroma of food could still be smelled near the windows. No matter how much had changed within the clan, people still had to eat.
Of course,
Hyuga Ritsu and the six elders were still at Tamagushi Shrine.
The big meeting was over, and now a smaller one was underway.
At this point, the overall situation could only be called tentatively settled. The clan members had been temporarily reassured, but dangers remained. The former Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi, and the former elders Hyuga Daichi and Hyuga Hisho were the greatest sources of instability.
Unless these dangers were dealt with, the Hyuga Clan would have a hard time truly settling down.
There was also
the matter of hiring Hiruko to research a method for breaking the Caged Bird Seal that could be widely implemented. Although Hiruko was Hyuga Ritsu's teacher, this concerned the fate of everyone in the clan, not just Hyuga Ritsu's personal affairs. They needed to discuss what they should offer Hiruko in exchange for his help.
Besides that,
they couldn't ignore the theft of the Main House's Byakugan.
"I'll handle both the dangers posed by Hyuga Hiashi and the others, and the recovery of the stolen Byakugan. I'm planning to head to the front tomorrow and find a way to reclaim the Byakugan stolen by the Mist ninja. While I'm at it, I'll deal with Hyuga Hiashi and the others, too. I'll kill those who need killing and talk to those who can be reasoned with."
Hyuga Ritsu explained his plans.
"Clan Head, I'll go with you!"
Hyuga Takashi, who was forty-four this year, spoke up. "You shouldn't have to shoulder everything yourself, Clan Head. We became elders, so we ought to do the work elders should do. We can't be like those useless members of the Main House."
"That's right, Uncle Takashi. Clan Head, I'll go to the front with you, too."
"Count me in."
All six elders, including Hizashi Hyuga, were among the clan's finest fighters. They had survived the battlefield, and none of them feared going to war.
"You can go if you want, but there's no need for all of you to go. We still need people here in the clan..."
"Clan Head, we have a situation."
Hyuga Ritsu hadn't finished speaking when Hyuga Arima, who was on guard outside, rushed in. "The Third, the Hokage's aide, the Yellow Flash, and Hyuga Hiashi, Hyuga Daichi, Hyuga Hisho, and Hyuga Daisho have forced their way into the clan grounds. They're heading this way, toward the shrine."
Byakugan, activate!
Hyuga Ritsu activated his Byakugan at once and looked in the direction Hyuga Arima had indicated. Sure enough, he saw a group of people approaching at speed.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, Namikaze Minato, and the Main House's remnants..." Hyuga Ritsu narrowed his eyes. Hyuga Hiashi and the others should have been at the Eastern Frontline Camp. Their return to the village could only have been ordered by Sarutobi Hiruzen, with Namikaze Minato assigned to carry it out.
So,
why had Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Namikaze Minato to bring Hyuga Hiashi and the other Main House remnants back from the front? Was this supposed to be mediation? Would he make the Main House and Branch House shake hands and make peace, so they could all love one another like a family from now on?
That was complete nonsense!
They were clearly here with hostile intentions!
"Clan Head, what should we do now?"
The twenty-six-year-old female elder, Hyuga Karin, asked.
Everyone here had crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They had a keen sense of danger and could clearly feel the crisis closing in.
"If the Hokage has so kindly delivered the Main House remnants to us to deal with, there's no need for us to be polite. As I said earlier, I'll handle these Main House remnants. Your job is to give the Hokage and the others a proper welcome."
Hyuga Ritsu replied with a smile.
Hyuga Hizashi and the others exchanged glances, thoughtful.
"By the way, Elder Hizashi, if Hyuga Hiashi puts up a desperate fight later, I won't be able to hold back."
At these words,
Hyuga Hizashi's expression grew especially serious.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Clan Head, let me go and meet the Hokage and the others!"
"All right."
Hyuga Ritsu nodded.
It was good for the brothers to talk beforehand. If Hyuga Hizashi could persuade Hyuga Hiashi to abandon his stance as a member of the Main House, that would be nothing but good for Hyuga Ritsu.
With permission granted, Hyuga Hizashi grabbed an umbrella and hurried outside.
"Arima, contact the clan's Jonin and Special Jonin. Tell them to gather at Tamagushi Shrine!" Hyuga Ritsu ordered.
"Yes, Clan Head."
Hyuga Arima accepted the order and dashed out.
By now,
the storm had gradually begun to let up.
Hyuga Hizashi encountered Sarutobi Hiruzen and his party on the main road, eight hundred meters from Tamagushi Shrine, as they advanced toward it.
"Hokage, I've come on the Clan Head's orders to welcome you all!" Hyuga Hizashi shouted.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others came to a stop. They all knew that ambushing the Hyuga Clan was impossible with their Byakugan. They hadn't planned to use a surprise attack to deal with Hyuga Ritsu, either. That simply wasn't realistic.
Of course they would be spotted.
But even if they were, it didn't matter. Their target was Hyuga Ritsu. They only had to get close to him and kill him in a lightning-fast strike. Until then, there was no harm in pretending to be cordial.
"Clan Head? Hyuga Hizashi, which Clan Head's orders are you following? Are you, too, joining that reckless brat Hyuga Ritsu in his foolishness? Your own elder brother, the Clan Head of our clan, is standing right in front of you!"
Hyuga Daichi was worked up, shouting at him. "It's not too late to repent and mend your ways now. Otherwise..."
"Shut up!"
Minato shouted sharply.
His icy gaze swept over Hyuga Daichi like a blade, silencing him. He was full of resentment. What kind of fools were these members of the Hyuga Main House? They hadn't even met Hyuga Ritsu yet, and they'd nearly blurted out their real intentions.
Were they afraid Hyuga Ritsu might be on his guard?
It wasn't just Minato.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō were also scowling.
"Big brother, can we talk for a moment?"
Hyuga Hizashi acted as if he hadn't heard Hyuga Daichi's barking. Instead, he looked at Hyuga Hiashi and asked.
"Hizashi, what do you want to say?"
"Big brother, do you remember what you aspired to do when Father was still alive?"
"I..."
Hyuga Hiashi froze.
His aspiration?
His thoughts drifted back to the past. When their father was alive and serving as Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi had had ambitions of his own. He had told his younger brother Hizashi that one day, he would change the clan's system so that the Branch House members would never again be driven like dogs and horses.
But
after their father died of illness and Hyuga Hiashi hurriedly took over as Clan Head, he had gradually forgotten that old ambition without even realizing it. It wasn't until his younger brother Hizashi reminded him that he finally remembered.
But
what could he do about it?
The Hyuga Clan had relied on the Main House and Branch House system for a thousand years. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't come up with a better system to replace it. So he could only follow in the footsteps of his father and ancestors, preserving the Hyuga Clan's traditions.
"Hizashi, lead the way. I want to see Hyuga Ritsu."
Hyuga Hiashi said expressionlessly.
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