Konoha.
Anbu.
Hatake Sakumo brought Hizashi Hyuga to the base.
"Here, pick a mask you like. Then think of a codename."
"Since Lord Third asked me to bring you into the Anbu, you'll be in my squad for now."
"I'll tell you some basic work rules shortly. Tomorrow, you'll start formal training..."
Hatake Sakumo sat on a stool, humming an unfamiliar tune with the style of a Warring States-era samurai song as he carefully polished the Chakra short sword in his hand with blade oil.
Its name was White Fang, which was also the origin of his title, Konoha's White Fang.
"U-Understood..."
Hizashi Hyuga stood dazedly before a row of masks.
The day's events felt like a dream.
First, the village had seen combat on the scale of a war. Then he had been pushed out by the Main Branch to take the blame. After that, he had endured everyone's complicated looks, tormented inside—and in the end, he had joined the Anbu!
Even now, he still had not fully processed it.
Joining the Anbu...
There had never been such a precedent in the Hyuga Clan before.
Would the Main Branch's council of elders agree?
"Lord Sakumo, there's something I need to report..." Hizashi Hyuga said hesitantly. "You know our clan's situation is rather special, right?"
"I couldn't refuse Lord Hokage, and I truly do want to join the Anbu myself..."
"But as for the Main Branch, I really don't know how they'll react. If I agreed so rashly, won't it affect the relationship between the village and the Hyuga Clan?"
After saying that, Hizashi Hyuga's face flushed slightly.
He truly felt that he was not man enough. Since he had already agreed, why was he thinking about backing out halfway through?
But the heavy ingrained habits of being from the Hyuga Branch Family made it impossible for him not to consider such matters...
"I don't understand what you mean."
Hatake Sakumo looked up in confusion. "Why are you overthinking this? Didn't Lord Third personally invite you?"
Hizashi Hyuga was speechless.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally invited him, what if Lord Hokage did not know what the Main Branch thought?
"I've heard about the matters between your Main Branch and Branch Family. The Hyuga Clan, a Millennial Noble Clan..."
"I've also heard of the Hyuga stance: 'Village within a Village,' 'absolute neutrality.' There have been plenty of rumors in the village." Hatake Sakumo continued polishing White Fang in his hand.
"Am I wrong?"
Hizashi Hyuga's eyes widened in shock. He had thought the Main Branch's views were a secret. Had they already spread throughout the village?
"What's with that surprised look?"
Hatake Sakumo finally fixed his gaze on him, as though he intended to see straight through Hizashi Hyuga.
"Your Branch Family is far too closed off within the clan compound, with too little contact with the outside world. The village has existed for so many years; even a Chunin should know some gossip and private talk."
"One of the Anbu's duties is gathering this sort of public sentiment."
"You haven't fully joined the Anbu yet. If you decide to withdraw, it's not too late. As Squad Captain, I have the authority to judge you unqualified, even if Lord Third invited you."
Hatake Sakumo said calmly, "I hope you tell me all your concerns. If they can be resolved, then good. If not, withdraw."
"If you leak secrets one day, the consequences won't be pleasant."
At that moment, the White Fang Short Sword reflected a cold glint under the lamplight.
"I..."
"I'm worried about what I should do if the Main Branch refuses to let me join the Anbu. And if they ask me about Anbu matters, what should I do?"
Hizashi Hyuga removed his forehead protector, revealing the blue crossed mark beneath it.
"This is the Caged Bird Seal. The Main Branch only needs a single thought, and my brain and eyes will become a pile of mush. For a thousand years, no one has been able to resist it!"
"Death would be one thing, but the Main Branch can use this seal to punish us too. That is a punishment more terrifying than death!" As he spoke, fear surfaced in Hizashi Hyuga's eyes.
It was not pain that consciousness could resist.
When he had been young, he had once experienced it after talking back to a member of the Main Branch.
"I want to join the Anbu. I want to protect the village alongside Lord Sakumo and your colleagues. I want to use these Byakugan to discover and drive back enemies who threaten the villagers..."
"I'm worried that I'll face a difficult moment. I consider myself a man, but before this Caged Bird, I don't dare say whether I'm worthy of that title."
Hizashi Hyuga rubbed the bluish mark on his forehead hard. "I feel much better after telling you. Please assess me by your standards and give me the harshest test possible!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded and looked Hizashi Hyuga over from head to toe.
Then he smiled.
"Very good. You passed. Welcome to the Anbu, Hizashi Hyuga."
"As for the problems you mentioned, they aren't problems for the Anbu."
Hatake Sakumo spoke slowly. "You've seen too little of the Hyuga Clan Compound, and you haven't yet formed a proper understanding of the village."
Hizashi Hyuga blinked. Though delighted by Hatake Sakumo's approval, he did not understand what he meant. "Could you... could you explain it to me?"
"As Anbu, you are Lord Hokage's direct force, an extension of the Hokage's will."
"In Konoha, who would dare interrogate the Anbu? No matter how formidable your Hyuga Main Branch may be, they wouldn't dare." Hatake Sakumo said with a laugh.
"Even the Uchiha Clan has never considered openly opposing the Anbu. At most, they mutter a few curses behind our backs."
"Does the Main Branch want to rebel?"
Hearing this, Hizashi Hyuga felt as though he had been struck by lightning.
His Byakugan suddenly activated. Veins bulged around his eyes, and his eyes opened wide.
"What, does the Hyuga Clan have the Uchiha trait too?" Hatake Sakumo asked curiously. "Your eyes react when your emotions are stirred?"
"Sorry, Lord Sakumo. I was just too excited..."
Only then did Hizashi Hyuga suddenly come to his senses.
That was right. What did it matter whether the Main Branch agreed or not? He was already Anbu, already Lord Hokage's man!
Interrogation was naturally out of the question. They probably would not even dare rebuke him, right?
After all, he had heard that the Anbu had the authority to report directly to Lord Hokage...
Hizashi Hyuga's thoughts raced. After Hatake Sakumo's guidance, his intelligence finally returned to higher ground. "Forget punishment—does that mean I don't even need to do the chores of serving the Main Branch anymore?"
"The Anbu serves Lord Hokage!"
Hizashi Hyuga was so excited that his body went weak.
As a member of the Branch Family, how could he possibly never have yearned for freedom?
It was merely that the barrier of the Caged Bird was too thick. No one could fly over it, and after it became a habit, they stopped thinking about it.
Like a butterfly trapped in a glass bottle.
After crashing into the walls too many times, even if the bottle's mouth was opened, it would no longer think to try...
But who would have thought...
The freedom no Branch Family member had ever enjoyed in a thousand years had just fallen into his lap!
The Caged Bird had not been removed, and the bound Byakugan still had a blind spot...
But so what? He already had the freedom that mattered most!
Hizashi Hyuga almost wanted to perform a set of Gentle Fist techniques on the spot to vent the indescribable excitement in his heart...
"No wonder Lord Third had me bring you into the Anbu first instead of making you follow the normal training process..."
Hatake Sakumo said faintly, "If you told Danzo's advisor that, never mind whether you could join the Anbu—your Hyuga Clan would definitely draw his attention."
The so-called Root was formally known as the Anbu Training Department.
As Root's leader, Shimura Danzō was responsible for training new Anbu recruits.
In Hatake Sakumo's view, Danzo's training was overly harsh, but undeniably professional and necessary...
The problem was that Root had gradually become Shimura Danzō's private armed force and was no longer highly loyal or pure toward the Hokage.
Hatake Sakumo had raised this matter with Hiruzen Sarutobi several times, but it had always been shelved.
Until now, the Anbu and Root had finally merged.
And Hiruzen Sarutobi's speech today had finally made Hatake Sakumo understand.
Or rather, by a strange twist of fate, it had answered his doubts.
Previously, Lord Hokage had not dealt with it not because he had blindly indulged Danzo, but because he had been conducting research in preparation for institutional reforms across the entire village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's past silence had actually chilled Hatake Sakumo's heart.
He had remained loyal to Lord Hokage and did not hesitate to offend the powerful, highly senior Danzo, yet he had seemed to be left out in the cold. There had never been a response, nor an explanation for why Root had been allowed to run free.
Lord Hokage really had been thinking further ahead...
As expected, the village is still good... I was simply too impatient!
At the mention of Danzo's name, much of Hizashi Hyuga's excitement immediately faded.
This man's title, Darkness of the Shinobi World, was no empty boast...
Both within and beyond the village, he carried tremendous deterrent power.
Hatake Sakumo explained the department's rules and origins to Hizashi, his new team member. "Anbu is the full name of the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad. The missions and information involved are all top secret."
"Someone will naturally teach you the rest of the rules tomorrow. There are only two most important points."
"First, absolute loyalty to the Hokage. Second, death for leaking secrets."
Hizashi Hyuga listened seriously.
At this moment, he felt an unparalleled sense of belonging toward Anbu work.
No matter what, he had to do well and continue doing it, protecting this hard-won freedom.
"Understood, Lord Sakumo!" Hizashi Hyuga stood straight.
"As for your specific squad, that will be arranged after the assessment... You should prepare yourself."
Hatake Sakumo rose unhurriedly. "Danzo's advisor is very strict."
Hizashi Hyuga's expression turned slightly bitter.
But it quickly hardened again. "I will definitely pass the training with outstanding results!"
Hizashi Hyuga reached toward the Ox mask.
The Branch Family was supposed to bear the Main Branch like an ox, diligently and without complaint. It was something the Main Branch elders of the current Hyuga generation often said.
But he was different now...
His gaze shifted to the Eagle mask, an animal that symbolized freedom...
"No, the Ox!"
Hizashi Hyuga gripped the edge of the mask tightly and thought to himself, As long as I can have this freedom, serving the village as an ox is something I'm willing to do!
"Good. Put on the mask and uniform. I'll take you on your first mission now."
"This is Lord Hokage's first mission for you. Don't mess it up."
Hatake Sakumo put on his mask, wore a white sleeveless shirt over his clothes, and draped a beige trench coat over himself, symbolizing his status as Squad Captain.
Hizashi Hyuga nodded repeatedly and carefully changed into an Anbu uniform, as though afraid of damaging it.
"Target: Hyuga Clan Compound."
"Mission: Tell the Main Branch that you have joined the Anbu, and relay Lord Hokage's concern for them. If they have any thoughts that are inconvenient to report directly in the future, they can convey them through you."
Hatake Sakumo patted Hizashi Hyuga's shoulder. "You're the main character of this mission."
Hizashi Hyuga froze at first, then was overjoyed.
He had been wondering how to tell the Hyuga Clan tactfully and elegantly that he was an Anbu member.
Who would have thought Lord Hokage had even considered that?
Returning home in splendor was only natural. Otherwise, wearing fine clothes in the night was pointless!
Wasn't this mission a stage Lord Third had specially built for him?
Otherwise, given the Anbu's special nature, he would have had no way to return to the clan compound in this uniform and openly display his current identity...
"Remember, you are Anbu."
"Don't disgrace yourself with the wrong bearing or tone, Hizashi."
Hatake Sakumo strapped the White Fang Short Sword to his waist.
Though Anbu identities were theoretically secret, at his level, everyone would know the moment he made a move...
The best way to keep a secret was to kill the other party.
Hizashi and Sakumo arrived at the clan compound.
A member of the Main Branch happened to be questioning a patrolling Branch Family member at the entrance, his tone quite displeased. "Why hasn't that brat Hizashi returned yet? The old man is getting impatient!"
His name was Hyuga Ko.
He had no particular talent and was a typical case of someone designated as Main Branch merely because he had been born early.
He was quite overbearing. He believed that even if he lacked talent, being Main Branch meant he had the ancestors' blessing and was naturally entitled to manage and command the Branch Family.
"Have someone check on him. After all this time, he still hasn't returned! Does he think he can do whatever he wants just because he's Hiashi's younger brother?"
"As Branch Family, he has no sense of propriety at all!" Hyuga Ko vented his anger.
The two Hyuga Branch Family members beside him watched their eyes, noses, and hearts, not uttering a sound.
How strange. The Hyuga Clan is actually like this inside... These aren't shinobi. They're Nobles and slaves, aren't they? Hatake Sakumo felt deeply moved by the rare sight.
If the Caged Bird weren't so tyrannical, the Branch Family and Main Branch would have slaughtered each other long ago, wouldn't they?
At that moment, Hyuga Ko turned around and jerked in alarm.
Two masked Anbu had appeared before him at some unknown time, utterly silent.
"Is there anything you need, gentlemen?" Hyuga Ko put on a smile.
He did not want to offend the Anbu, especially after seeing Hatake Sakumo's beige coat marking him as a department head...
This was an important figure.
"Lead the way. We're seeing the Hyuga Clan Head."
The corners of Hizashi Hyuga's mouth lifted high beneath his mask, but his voice was cold and stern. "By order of the Hokage!"
Setting explanation!
Let's talk about the issue with the Hyuga Main Branch.
Kishimoto's settings really were contradictory on this point. He first said that there was "only one Main Branch," but when the Main Branch gathered in the manga, there were multiple people present, none of them bearing the Caged Bird on their foreheads.
Other members of the Main Branch also appeared in the databooks.
So, the setting here is that the Hyuga Clan was a large clan divided into several houses, with each house selecting one Main Branch.
Also, Xiaofan's update schedule had been a little unstable lately, but the word count was guaranteed. Even if it was only one chapter, they were all long chapters.
I saw that you readers had made suggestions too, so Xiaofan would think about setting a fixed time!
Before you continue