Moon Otsutsuki Template

Inside Konoha's Hokage office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the Byakugan-bearing boy before him, then couldn't help glancing at the "Anbu application materials" on the desk.

For a moment, his head was full of question marks.

As Hokage, he felt he had seen everything in his life.

He had even seen his old friend try to assassinate him...

But he had truly never seen anything like this. He couldn't help wondering if the Hyuga were deliberately trying to disgust him.

"Makoto, wanting to apply for the Anbu is a good thing, but..."

Despite being filled with doubts, he still revealed a kindly smile when facing a child.

"Does your family know about this?"

"Hokage-sama..."

Hyuga Makoto lowered his head slightly, and his tone turned somewhat sorrowful.

"I don't have any family left."

"..."

Upon hearing this answer, Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile immediately froze.

Hyuga Makoto's parents had died in battle during the Third Shinobi World War. They were war heroes of Konoha.

He knew that. But the problem was, was that the kind of "family" he had been asking about?

"Sorry, that's not what I meant. I mean, have you asked the other members of your clan for their opinions?"

"Not really."

Hyuga Makoto was as honest as his name suggested.

"Those I'm close to are either about my age or younger than me. It's just..."

"In other words, you came here on your own?"

Before he could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted him with a headache.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was even more puzzled. He truly couldn't figure out what the Hyuga Clan was up to this time!

He rather liked this child, Hyuga Makoto.

As a member of the Hyuga Clan, he didn't have the arrogance of a great clan.

And as a member of the Branch Family, he wasn't bitter and resentful either.

He was optimistic, cheerful, and made friends everywhere. He had even helped that brat Naruto several times in the past.

Moreover, he was the son of heroes. It was just that...

"Wanting to join the Anbu would be fine if he weren't a Hyuga—and a member of the Branch Family at that!"

The Hyuga Clan was practically a "village within the village" in Konoha.

The Branch Family was bound by the Caged Bird, making them a single, unbreakable unit whether they wanted it or not.

For example, when the Main Branch's eldest daughter had celebrated her birthday, the entire clan had refused to attend, despite Konoha and Kumogakure signing a peace treaty.

A clan like this was even harder to deal with than those lunatics from the Uchiha...

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't like clans that placed their own interests above those of the village.

He hadn't failed to make some attempts, but unfortunately, they hadn't had much effect.

"And the Hyuga Clan is especially ruthless..."

It was also related to the matter of signing the peace treaty with Kumogakure. Those dogs from Kumogakure had caused a huge incident right afterward.

He and Shimura Danzō had already discussed it and were prepared to go to war with Kumogakure!

Yet the Hyuga Clan had forced Hizashi Hyuga to his death and then promptly handed him over...

Still, the Hyuga Clan was one of Konoha's great clans, and they had always supported the Hokage.

No matter how much Hiruzen Sarutobi disliked them, if he wanted to keep things manageable, he could only accept that things had come to this.

Now, a boy from the Hyuga Branch Family had come before him to submit an Anbu application. How could he not overthink it?

"Yes, Hokage-sama, but..."

As Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered, Hyuga Makoto blinked.

"You're the Hokage, after all. Couldn't you just decide?"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt as if those words sounded strangely familiar.

But before he could think about it, Hyuga Makoto sighed and spoke in a somewhat dejected tone.

"I understand. I probably don't meet Hokage-sama's requirements yet."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his blood pressure rising. Why did it seem as if he were bullying a child?

Makoto merely lowered his head and continued dejectedly.

"That's true, too. I only just graduated, so it's normal for Hokage-sama to look down on me."

"..."

"After all, I'm not Uchiha Itachi..."

"..."

"Hokage-sama really does like the Uchiha more..."

"Stop right there!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his blood pressure surging toward his head. He wasn't surprised that Hyuga Makoto knew about Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi had joined the Anbu a year ago, and the Hyuga possessed the Byakugan.

He might have simply glanced around and happened to see him.

But could he just say things like that?!

"Did you see Itachi and decide that you wanted to join the Anbu too?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his brow and spoke in pain.

"That's not it."

Hyuga Makoto shook his head, his expression turning serious.

"I wanted to join the Anbu because of Uncle Hizashi."

"Hm?"

Those words immediately left Hiruzen Sarutobi stunned.

"You want to join the Anbu for Hizashi?"

"Yes. After my parents passed away, I lived at Uncle Hizashi's home for several years."

Hyuga Makoto nodded, still completely honest.

"Once, after training, he told me that he really hoped he could join the Anbu. Only then could he change many things."

"He wanted to join the Anbu? Change many things?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze turned strange. He knew exactly what it would mean for Hizashi Hyuga to join the Anbu!

The Anbu was the Hokage's directly controlled force, an extension of the Hokage's will.

With that identity, Hizashi Hyuga would effectively become someone in the Hyuga Clan who could confront the Main Branch directly!

Would you dare question the Anbu about matters within Konoha?

Would you dare order the Anbu to do something it didn't want to do?

Would you dare use the Caged Bird to punish the Hokage's Anbu?

That would be tantamount to rebellion, wouldn't it?!

Moreover, once Hizashi Hyuga succeeded, more and more people would inevitably follow him, and there would be more Hyuga talents in the Anbu.

Even if Hizashi Hyuga was using Konoha to help himself and the Branch Family, how could that not also be helping Konoha?

"Could it be that the Main Branch forced him to die because of this?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help thinking in that direction, but soon he looked at Hyuga Makoto again, his face showing a hint of confusion.

"Do you know what Hizashi wanted to change?"

"I know a little, but not much."

Hyuga Makoto shook his head, then nodded, before speaking solemnly.

"Uncle Hizashi once told me that a great shinobi had said:

'Where the leaves dance, fire burns. The shadow of the fire illuminates the village, and new leaves sprout.

'He was far inferior to that great shinobi, but he also hoped that, through his own methods, he could illuminate the clan, and then become a new sprout of the great tree together with everyone else!

'It's just that I'm a little dull and don't really understand what he meant.

'But I'm willing to follow in his footsteps, to understand and comprehend it all!'"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent. In particular, as he looked at the spirited Hyuga Makoto, a deep sense of guilt suddenly rose within him!

This child didn't seem to have been sent by the Hyuga Clan to disgust him after all.

Moreover, he had truly never imagined that Hizashi was someone so filled with the Will of Fire!

Unfortunately, Hizashi was already dead. There was no way to change that.

And Hyuga Makoto...

He suddenly began to worry about what would become of this child in the future.

This was someone who wanted to inherit Hizashi's will and possessed the Will of Fire!

"Perhaps letting him give it a try wouldn't be a bad idea?"

Suddenly, a thought surfaced in Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.

He couldn't let people say that he was biased toward the Uchiha, could he?

He couldn't let Hizashi's will fail to continue, could he?

Most importantly, he couldn't let this child follow in Hizashi's footsteps, could he?

Besides, this wouldn't be a bad thing for Konoha!

And he didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to resist slapping himself...

"Makoto."

After thinking it through, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke.

"Go home and wait for notification."

"Huh?"

Hyuga Makoto immediately raised his head in surprise, while Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and spoke with a smile.

"However, this hasn't been decided yet, so don't tell anyone, including your family."

"Yes... yes!"

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't given him a definite answer, Hyuga Makoto knew that it was a done deal!

Because a crisp voice had already quietly sounded in his mind.

[Exclusive Core mission completed: Break free from the Main Branch's control]

[Reward obtained: Moon Otsutsuki Template]