Shadow Guard

Hyuga Hane stood beneath the Hokage Office, looked up at it, then stepped inside.

In just a short time, many things had changed here.

Some familiar shinobi had left, while unfamiliar ones had begun working here.

The person sitting in the Hokage's office had changed from an old man on the verge of death to a young man.

During wartime, everything was kept simple.

There had been no inauguration speech. Namikaze Minato had already taken office and started working as Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, I'd like to apply for the Jonin examination!" Hyuga Hane said quietly, looking at the bright young man before him.

"Hyuga Hane, 15 years old, completed four S-rank missions, 32 A-rank missions, B-rank..."

Reading Hyuga Hane's mission record, Namikaze Minato furrowed his brow in thought.

To be promoted to Jonin in Konoha, a shinobi needed enough merit or a suitable mission record to prove their abilities.

But during wartime, the Jonin examination focused mainly on a shinobi's strength.

The requirements for mission records and merit could be lowered somewhat.

Hyuga Hane's record was still around average, so there was no problem with his applying for the Jonin examination.

What Namikaze Minato was considering now was something else.

"The Third Hokage asked me to appease the Hyuga. Should I choose him to represent the Branch Family?"

He had already heard from the Third Hokage about what had happened in the village recently, and he had no objection to the decision to appease the Hyuga.

The Branch Family needed to become fully integrated into the village. The Main Branch had just suffered a severe blow, so this was the perfect time to win them over. If handled well, it would also help stabilize the village.

That meant he needed to find them a suitable position.

Not too high, but not too low, either.

One that would let them put the Hyuga Clan's abilities to use...

Hmm?

Namikaze Minato's eyes lit up.

There was a position that fit perfectly, though it was only suitable for the Branch Family.

The Shadow Guard, which every new Hokage was bound to establish!

The Shadow Guard could speak directly with the Hokage and stay by his side to protect him. Being chosen for it was, in itself, a sign of trust.

Moreover, every village had a tradition of placing candidates for the next Hokage in the Shadow Guard. The Third Hokage had once served in the Second Hokage's Shadow Guard, and the Fourth Kazekage had also served as a bodyguard to the Third Kazekage.

The position would show just how much the village valued the Branch Family.

Minato thought to himself, In that case, I'll hold the Shadow Guard selection after the Jonin examination.

But soon, Namikaze Minato furrowed his brow.

Most shadow guards were very strong. Some were even candidates to become the next Hokage.

That was simply because only shinobi of that caliber could protect the Hokage.

Otherwise, if they encountered a powerful enemy, would the Hokage have to protect them?

Hyuga Hane's Byakugan would be very useful. It could make up for his lack of strength, and with the need to appease the Hyuga Clan, the advisors and the Third Hokage would agree to his appointment as a guard.

But the others... If they weren't strong enough, it probably wouldn't work.

Then Minato gave his own fighting style some thought and honestly felt that putting powerful shinobi in his Shadow Guard would be a waste.

"If they can't keep up with me in battle, there's no point in having them as my guards."

With that thought, Minato came up with a plan.

"Huh? The Jonin examination?"

At the Ichiraku Ramen stand, Hyuga Miyuki was waiting for her ramen to be served. Surprised, she asked, "Is Hane-kun officially becoming a Jonin?"

"Yeah," Hyuga Hane replied, sitting beside her. "I think I'm ready."

"Really? That's wonderful."

Hyuga Miyuki looked a little envious.

If not for that scroll, how much longer would it have taken her to reach Jonin strength?

She didn't know, but it probably wouldn't have been anytime soon.

"Then today isn't just a chance to thank you. I should also wish you luck on the examination."

Hyuga Miyuki realized what she'd said and looked awkwardly at the owner of Ichiraku.

Ichiraku Ramen was delicious, but was it a little strange to celebrate with it?

"It's fine," Hyuga Hane said while Hyuga Miyuki was hesitating. "I like Ichiraku Ramen too."

Naruto had personally advertised this place and given it his seal of approval. Hane had tried it long ago.

It really was delicious.

"Mm."

The ramen was ready, and Hyuga Miyuki took her portion, nodding lightly.

Never mind. She'd prepare a proper gift and give it to Hane-kun after he passed the examination.

Besides... there was nothing she could do for now, and she certainly wasn't going to defect.

As expected, some of her clansmen had caught the Main Branch's attention.

Although Hyuga Hane had warned her in time, so she hadn't been watched, she'd also lost her chance to strike.

The Fourth Hokage, the Flying Thunder God Technique... Difficult opponents.

She wasn't afraid of dying, but she couldn't die now.

As the only member of the Branch Family who currently wasn't afraid of the Caged Bird, if she died after killing the Main Branch, the Branch Family would have no safety net.

After all, the Third Hokage, Tsunade, and the others also had control over the Caged Bird seal.

Until the Branch Family was freed from the Caged Bird, she couldn't trust them.

With her mood weighed down, Hyuga Miyuki turned her anger into an appetite and quickly devoured the food in front of her.

Hyuga Hane watched as the empty bowls piled up in front of Hyuga Miyuki, then glanced at the three bowls in front of himself and fell into thought.

Does the Byakugan's evolution increase your appetite too? That makes no sense, and my own appetite is still the same as before.

So is it just something she was born with?

We've eaten Military Ration Pills during missions together, so I never noticed.

Noticing Hyuga Hane's strange look, Hyuga Miyuki paused, her face turning slightly red.

"My father and I both have big appetites. I guess we inherited it from my grandfather."

"My appetite is actually fine. My cousin... eats even more than I do."

At the mention of her cousin, Hyuga Miyuki's expression gradually returned to normal, as if she didn't want to say more.

Hyuga Hane considerately didn't ask, but he already had an answer in mind.

Her cousin was probably from the Main Branch.

If two children were born to the Main Branch of the Hyuga Clan in the same generation, one would be branded with the Caged Bird and become part of the Branch Family.

This was done to limit the number of people in the Main Branch.

The other child would remain in the Main Branch and usually have greater talent.

From what Hyuga Miyuki had said, her branch had become part of the Branch Family, while her cousin's branch belonged to the Main Branch.

But a member of the Main Branch who ate even more than Hyuga Miyuki and was close to her in age... It was easy to make the connection.

As he thought about it, Hyuga Hane smiled. "Having a big appetite is a blessing. It means your body naturally has more energy than an ordinary person, so you're bound to have plenty of Chakra. That's very fortunate for a shinobi."

Chakra was formed by combining physical energy and spiritual energy in a certain proportion.

If your physical energy was strong and your spiritual energy could keep up, you were bound to have plenty of Chakra.

Hyuga Miyuki was taken aback, then smiled in surprise. "You have such an unusual way of looking at things, Hane-kun. Most people would find it strange, wouldn't they? A girl eating so much..."

"Ten bowls isn't that many."

Hyuga Hane glanced at the stack of bowls on the table. "I've seen someone eat more."

"Someone from the Akimichi Clan?" Hyuga Miyuki asked, puzzled.

"No." Hyuga Hane shook his head and got up, heading for the shop's entrance. "Your cousin's daughter."

"..."

Miyuki silently put down the money and hurried after him. "She isn't even married yet. Where would she get a daughter?"

Hyuga Hane said, "You didn't deny that her daughter would eat more than you."

"I'd already figured that out from her appetite. Everyone in her branch has always been like that. They eat an astonishing amount. Apart from their figures, they're more like members of the Akimichi Clan than the Akimichi themselves."

Hyuga Miyuki looked down and saw her own feet. She couldn't help murmuring, "Still, it's something to envy."

Hyuga Hane paused, then quickly continued walking with a straight face, pretending he hadn't heard.

What was there to envy?

If Hinata's mother had been like Hinata, that would have been something to envy... But you weren't that far off, either.