Shinichi Hyuga in the Eyes of Konoha's Higher-Ups

Some sharp-minded individuals also noticed the change in expression on the face of the Fourth Hokage.

Among them were some of the higher-ups in Konoha, who also took note of Shinichi Hyuga in the corner, their minds immediately flooded with the files they held on him.

The skin on the face of the Third Hokage was not yet as furrowed and gnarled as old tree bark; perhaps due to his good mood, he appeared several years younger.

He subconsciously reached for the tobacco pouch at his waist, wanting to take a few puffs, but abandoned the thought in an instant.

"Shinichi Hyuga, two years ahead of Minato Namikaze.

He participated in the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars. Like most Hyuga ninja, his ninjutsu strength is average, but his taijutsu is exceptionally outstanding.

At his peak, he could even hold his own against the Fourth Raikage A.

He was once a partner to the Fourth Hokage.

It is a pity, however, that when I intended to recruit him, his eye and arm were destroyed in battle."

The Third Hokage recalled the file on Shinichi Hyuga in his mind.

At the same time, he remembered why he cared so much about a jonin from the Hyuga clan.

A few days ago, Minato Namikaze had asked him about the arrangements for the Hyuga clan.

At that time, he had already selected the Great Elder's lineage to become the hidden branch of the Hyuga clan, so he indirectly prevented Minato Namikaze from interfering, using the excuse that they would not meddle in the affairs of the Hyuga clan.

The entire Konoha appeared to be welcoming a new Hokage.

But as long as he was alive, his voice would always play an absolute role in important matters.

Why did he choose such a young Hokage?

A ninja from a civilian background like Minato Namikaze was easier to control, and he was merely a transition.

In the future, this position would still belong to his son, though it was a pity that his eldest son, the captain of the Anbu, had not achieved enough merit during the war.

The Third Hokage could not help but feel a sense of displeasure toward this Shinichi Hyuga who wished to interfere with his plans.

Danzo stood beside the Third Hokage.

One of his eyes was already covered by bandages; perhaps because he shared a similar appearance with Shinichi Hyuga, both missing an eye, he actually felt a sense of affinity toward him.

"Is it him?" A scene from a conversation with Orochimaru suddenly surfaced in Danzo's mind.

"Shinichi Hyuga of the Hyuga clan is truly a genius. At the very least, he can keep up with my way of thinking; you should like him!" Orochimaru had said that just after transplanting the Sharingan of Kagami Uchiha into Danzo.

Standing in the laboratory, looking at the files in his hand.

Was the photo in that file of Shinichi Hyuga, who had lost an eye?

At the time, he had thought Orochimaru was mocking him.

"Is this the genius Orochimaru spoke of? I wonder if he can be of use to me?"

He needed sufficient support now, and regardless of anything else, this was someone who had once vied with Minato Namikaze!

He began to weigh his options.

He had also been paying close attention to the Hyuga clan's family meeting scheduled for a month from now.

The heads of several great clans looked at the familiar figure, filled with regret.

This was war; even if one was powerful, a single moment of carelessness could cost them their life. Shinichi Hyuga could be considered lucky to have only ended up disabled.

They had all heard of Shinichi Hyuga's battle records on the battlefield to varying degrees.

Shinichi Hyuga's non-lethal taijutsu had benefited ninja from other clans significantly.

Those ninja had brought them many merits, but it was precisely because of this weakness that he had ended up in such a state today.

They only wondered how much of his strength remained.

In their understanding, Shinichi Hyuga was a taijutsu specialist; having lost an arm and a Byakugan, his strength must have declined significantly!

Among the Sannin of Konoha.

Only Jiraiya had come to the scene today.

He was actually the one who understood Shinichi Hyuga's strength the best, as the two had briefly clashed in Amegakure.

Because of the single Byakugan, Jiraiya had mistaken him for Ao from Kirigakure.

At that time, Shinichi Hyuga's taijutsu had been even superior to his own.

Jiraiya did not pay him any further attention afterward; he had no talent for political maneuvering and no desire to participate in such struggles, only showing a bit of interest in Shinichi Hyuga because of Minato Namikaze.

The Fourth Hokage remained the protagonist of this wedding, and Shinichi Hyuga was merely a minor interlude.

The wedding proceedings continued.

Rare jugglers even made an appearance, performing at the wedding to add to the festivities.

The scars of war seemed completely forgotten in this moment.

Perhaps this was the true purpose of the wedding; the relationship between these two individuals was already known to everyone.

At the spot where Shinichi Hyuga was seated, ninjas constantly came over to greet him, including Minato Namikaze's former teammates, Dodo Akimichi and Gaku Inuzuka.

Both had received help from Shinichi Hyuga during battle, so their relationship was quite good.

Shinichi Hyuga sensed their goodwill; this was bolstering his prestige, letting the ninjas of the Hyuga clan see his network of connections.

Time passed quickly, and the Fourth Hokage also arrived at the place where Shinichi Hyuga was seated.

Just as he did with everyone else, he showed not even a fraction of special treatment toward Shinichi Hyuga.

Now, Shinichi Hyuga was completely certain of Minato Namikaze's stance.

He was once Shinichi Hyuga's teammate, but now he was the Fourth Hokage of Konoha!

Shinichi Hyuga had long anticipated this result; he had never expected someone who could sacrifice his own son for the sake of the village to do anything for him!

The Fourth Hokage's behavior served more to let these great clans know where he stood.

He was no longer that genius of Konoha, but the Hokage of Konoha; everything he did was for the good of Konoha, and he would not disrupt the rules of Konoha.

The eyes of the Third Hokage were filled with admiration; this was the puppet he had wanted.

The other great clans breathed a sigh of relief; they had feared the Fourth Hokage would interfere in their family affairs, but now he seemed quite sensible.

However, the former teammates of the Fourth Hokage felt a shift in their hearts.

If this was the case for Shinichi Hyuga, then they, too, would receive no support from Minato Namikaze in their own clan struggles.

Back then, they had risked their lives to support Minato Namikaze, and now Minato Namikaze had abandoned them in the blink of an eye—this man was truly too noble!

This nobility was something some people could neither understand nor accept.

Shinichi Hyuga was among them, and with this, the friendship between the two could be considered at an end.

Hyuga Hiashi and the Great Elder of the Hyuga clan were even more satisfied with the Fourth Hokage's choice.

Hyuga Hiashi's reputation was much greater now than before, and this reputation was built on the merits Shinichi Hyuga had earned during the Third Shinobi World War.

This made him want to erase the stain on his own record of merits.

The Great Elder was even more impressed by the Third Hokage, feeling extremely fortunate for his decision to defect to the Third Hokage's side.

Otherwise, given the influence of Shinichi Hyuga, the position of this hidden branch head might very well have changed hands.

"Shinichi Hyuga, put away your petty thoughts! You have already been abandoned by the Fourth Hokage!"

The Great Elder walked directly into the crowd of branch family members, laying the matter bare.

He wanted to expand his influence to ensure that this family meeting would proceed without any surprises.

"Abandoned? He is the shadow of Konoha, is he not? Is it appropriate to say such things?" There was not a hint of urgency in Shinichi Hyuga's voice; the Fourth Hokage's behavior just now had not affected him in the slightest.

The counter-question left the Great Elder speechless.

"I wonder how much longer you can be arrogant. How could that little bastard of yours with the impure bloodline ever become the head of the Hyuga clan?"

The Great Elder's voice faltered slightly, realizing the error in his previous words.

He quickly found Shinichi Hyuga's greatest weakness: in this clan that valued bloodlines above all else.

Since Shinichi Hyuga's wife was a person of unknown origin, in their perception, his bloodline purity must be low.

This remark struck Shinichi Hyuga's reverse scale; his daughter was his treasure.

"Her father is me! And you, you are a useless old dog."

Provoked by the Great Elder's words, Shinichi Hyuga's voice gradually rose, and the killing intent on his body could no longer be concealed.

That aura spread directly across the entire wedding venue, and several on-guard Anbu appeared one after another.

All eyes at the scene were focused on Shinichi Hyuga, but he did not restrain himself in the slightest; instead, he intensified the output of his killing intent.

Facing this terrifying aura head-on, the Great Elder's body was paralyzed by shock, unable to move a muscle.

The Ajin talent for intimidation was originally only meant to shock ordinary people, yet this Great Elder was so pathetic that, on a mental level, he was not even as strong as a Genin.

A cold, chilling aura invaded his mind, like shards of glass falling into his brain matter.

His body collapsed to the ground, and for a moment, he sprawled there like a clown.

Fortunately, the wedding was nearing its end, and Minato Namikaze was busy explaining something, so the Anbu ninjas soon dispersed.

"How truly disgraceful." Only then did Shinichi Hyuga withdraw his killing intent.

The goal of establishing his authority had been achieved, and killing him in full view of everyone would have been counterproductive.

"Lord Shinichi, please restrain yourself." Kakashi Hatake came before Shinichi Hyuga and bowed to remind him.