Think Before You Speak

"..."

Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Hyuga Hiwu froze for a moment.

A Jonin?

Who?

Hyuga Yunchuan?

"Why?"

The question slipped out before he could stop himself. Though he realized the impropriety the next moment, when he saw that Hyuga Yunchuan continued staring straight ahead without even glancing at him, he could not suppress his irritation. "Third Hokage, he's just a worthless trash!"

"Hiwu." Sarutobi Hiruzen gave him a deep look and calmly said, "In your eyes, is a young man capable of protecting his companions and escaping the encirclement of nearly a hundred Kumogakure ninja still worthless trash?"

"I can testify to that." Akamichi Chodo, who was also present, suddenly spoke up. "Yunchuan's importance during the escort mission and when we were ambushed was indeed indispensable."

"Him? Hyuga Yunchuan?"

Hyuga Hiwu glanced at Hyuga Yunchuan as though he had heard some kind of joke. No longer merely angry, he even laughed. "A piece of trash who didn't awaken his Byakugan until he was thirteen? A piece of trash who goes weak at the knees at the sight of blood? A piece of trash who, as long as I..."

Upon hearing that, before he could finish, the silent Hyuga Yunchuan slowly turned his head toward Hyuga Hiwu. His expressionless face softened, revealing a smile devoid of any amusement.

"Senior Hiwu, you don't wear that outfit often, do you?" he said slowly and evenly. "Before you say the next sentence, you'd better think it over."

When he heard the first half of that, the interrupted Hyuga Hiwu frowned, not understanding why Hyuga Yunchuan had suddenly brought up his clothes.

However, Hyuga Yunchuan was right.

The outfit he wore was not what he usually wore within the Hyuga Clan, but a Jonin uniform.

It was largely similar to those worn by the other Jonin present: standard green chainmail on the outside, with a black mesh-lined undershirt beneath.

Though Hyuga Hiwu was quite old, he was actually, like Hyuga Hiashi, a Jonin.

Thus, whether because of his status in the Main Branch or as a senior, Hyuga Hiwu had never regarded Hyuga Yunchuan as worthy of notice.

"So what if I say it?" Hyuga Hiwu stared into his eyes and sneered. "You're nothing but someone who'll come crawling over with a crook of my finger..."

"Jonin Hiwu!"

Seeing Hyuga Yunchuan narrow his eyes and hearing Hyuga Hiwu's unrestrained words, the previously distracted Hizashi Hyuga suddenly snapped awake and instinctively tried to stop him with a stern shout.

Unfortunately, he was a step too late.

Screech!

A blast of air let out a piercing shriek as it whipped Hyuga Hiwu's hair up. The wind pressure sent ripples across his face. His eyes remained fixed on Hyuga Yunchuan, but they had gone slightly vacant.

His mouth was still slightly open, yet he had stopped. He swallowed the final words, "house dog," back down.

He only felt a chill wind sweep past him. On the wall behind him, a deep crack had sunk into the concrete. Moisture slid down his cheek and along his jaw, soaking into his collar.

A stinging pain spread inch by inch across his cheek. An incredibly fine cut had opened there.

At some point, Hyuga Yunchuan had raised two fingers, which Sarutobi Hiruzen was now holding.

Seeing this, the expressions of everyone present changed. There was no surprise in Nara Shikaku's eyes, only contemplation.

They had gotten what they asked for.

They had wanted to use Hyuga Hiwu to test Hyuga Yunchuan, and now they had received the answer they deserved.

It was just more than they had expected.

A handseal-less Wind Style Ninjutsu? Was he really a member of the Hyuga Clan?

At the instant Hyuga Yunchuan attacked, only a handful of people had been able to react.

If he had truly wanted Hyuga Hiwu dead just now, Hyuga Hiwu's throat would likely already have been cut open.

"Sigh, Yunchuan, don't get so agitated."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and gently pressed down, his tone still mild as he advised, "Hiwu is your senior, after all."

"My apologies, Third Hokage. I acted rashly."

Hyuga Yunchuan naturally did not resist. Lowering his raised fingers, he said sincerely, "I simply feel that Senior Hiwu has grown old and forgotten his own identity."

"The peaceful life that other comrades of the village bought for him with their lives has gradually corrupted his heart. It has made him polished and proud, rude and arrogant, just like his clothes..."

As he spoke, Hyuga Yunchuan looked at the others present and said softly, "A Jonin's clothes are not this clean and tidy, nor should they carry the scent of jasmine. They should bear the smell of sweat and blood. That is what a Jonin's clothes should be like."

"So it was necessary to remind Senior Hiwu that this is a Konoha Jonin meeting, not a Hyuga Clan assembly. You are a Konoha Jonin, not an elder of the Hyuga Clan Main Family. I am also a Konoha Jonin, not a house dog of the Hyuga Clan Main Family."

"I believe those words just now can be regarded as Senior Hiwu threatening and provoking both a fellow comrade and the Third Hokage."

"However, because he is a senior, he was given a warning."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled with narrowed eyes, seemingly showing no anger at all. "All right, all right. Those words are a bit harsh. I believe Hiwu merely misspoke without meaning to."

Then he turned toward Hyuga Hiwu. His narrowed eyes opened slightly as he asked with a smile, "Isn't that right, Hiwu?"

"..."

Hyuga Hiwu seemed not to hear him. His face was pale and gloomy.

Pale from fear over what Hyuga Yunchuan had done, and gloomy because he had nowhere to vent the Resentment and Wrath in his heart.

"Hiwu?"

That utterly emotionless voice entered his ears. Hyuga Hiwu suddenly shuddered and came back to himself. Looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen, he lowered his head slightly. "Yes, Third Hokage. My deepest apologies. I spoke without thinking."

Under Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze, utterly devoid of a smile, his heart could not help turning cold. At last, he realized the situation he was in.

As the saying went, something might seem light until it was put on the scales; once weighed, even a thousand pounds might not be enough.

Unlike Genin, who became Chunin through examinations, Chunin were promoted to Jonin directly by the Kage of each ninja village. Their abilities were assessed in every respect, and only those who met the standard received the promotion. Jonin were the highest-ranking ninja in a village aside from the Kage.

There were only two ranks among Jonin: Special Jonin and Jonin. There was no official rank of Elite Jonin. Every Jonin was a pillar of the village and one of its foremost combat forces.

Jonin were personally promoted by the Third Hokage. They required no one's permission, nor did they permit anyone's questioning.

What he had done just now could be said to target Hyuga Yunchuan, but it could also be said to challenge Sarutobi Hiruzen's authority.

The difference lay in what Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, thought of it.

So what did Sarutobi Hiruzen think?

That was already obvious.

Hyuga Yunchuan was no longer the Branch Family member he could beat and curse at will. He was a Konoha Jonin valued and favored by Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.

But was that all?

"All right." Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and smiled. "You will be colleagues from now on. Apologize to each other, and neither of you is allowed to hold a grudge."

The moment those words were spoken, not only did Hyuga Hiwu abruptly raise his head with an incredulous expression, but some of the others present also changed expression.

What the Third Hokage wanted was likely not merely to help Hyuga Yunchuan establish himself. He also wanted to make an example of someone to warn the rest.

The chicken was naturally Hyuga Hiwu, while the monkeys were, of course, ninja clans like theirs.

Sometimes, they could reach out their hands, but they should not stretch them too far. Otherwise, they would be cut by the blade.

"..." Hyuga Hiwu lowered his head. Venomous Wrath surfaced in his eyes as he said in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, Senior Hiwu." Hyuga Yunchuan nodded and said lightly, "I hope you can understand that even members of the Hyuga Clan do not have to rely solely on the Byakugan and Gentle Fist to become stronger."

Hearing that, everyone recalled the small glimpse of what Hyuga Yunchuan had displayed moments ago. Their expressions as they looked at Hyuga Hiwu immediately turned strange.

The Hyuga Clan, always so closed-minded and bound by old ways, had actually forced a Ninjutsu genius into existence before their very eyes—and even driven him to become alienated from them and go his own way?

This truly was...