A Dinner of Hyuga, Uchiha, and Hokage

A Dinner of Hyuga, Uchiha, and Hokage

Time trickled by. In the blink of an eye, Hyuga Yuto had already spent six days in the village.

During that time, everything had remained peaceful. Hyuga Yuto moved between the clan grounds and the secret training field, working hard through a monotonous routine. Sometimes, he encountered figures who had appeared frequently in the original story. Worth mentioning was that yesterday, he had happened to spot Uchiha Mikoto, her belly noticeably swollen.

—At the end of this year, Uchiha Itachi would be born into the Uchiha Clan, bringing the most grievous pain to this glorious ninja clan with a thousand-year legacy.

This made Hyuga Yuto somewhat anxious. There were still sixteen years until the official story of Naruto began, but as the main characters appeared one after another, he increasingly felt that time was running out.

However anxious he was, he could only force himself to calm down and continue training.

That day, Hyuga Yuto still rose early. After straightening his clothes, he prepared to head to the secret training field, only to be stopped by two guards from his clan as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard.

"Hyuga Yuto." The Hyuga clansman speaking wore a forehead protector, his tone as calm as a robot's. "The clan head asked me to inform you that there will be a dinner tonight. You are to attend with the clan head and the others."

"A dinner?" Hyuga Yuto's heart stirred. "Brother, could you tell me more about it?"

"I have delivered the message. I do not know anything else."

"Oh... is the clan head available now? I would like to—"

"The clan head is busy." The messenger did not even blink. Following his prior instructions with meticulous precision, he said, "Do not go anywhere today, Hyuga Yuto. Do not embarrass yourself tonight."

Hyuga Yuto considered those words, then cupped his hands. "Thank you, brother."

The messenger left. Hyuga Yuto stood alone in the courtyard, his heart pounding.

He vaguely sensed that the words he had spoken to Sarutobi Hiruzen a few days ago had probably worked.

The day soon passed. As darkness fell, a carriage stopped before Hyuga Yuto's home. He boarded it and met up with the clan head and the others at the entrance to the clan grounds, then the group set off in grand procession beyond the Hyuga clan's territory.

Before long, they arrived at their destination.

Hyuga Yuto stepped down from the carriage, and the first thing he saw was a peculiar design made of three lines and five small circles.

—It was the crest of the Sarutobi Clan.

This was the Sarutobi Clan's territory!

Led by attendants, the Hyuga group entered the Sarutobi main residence.

Ever since Sarutobi Hiruzen had been crowned the Third Hokage, the Sarutobi Clan's grounds had been expanded several times. The main residence in particular had been converted into a heavily guarded banquet hall. Sarutobi Hiruzen often received powerful figures from the ninja village here. It could barely be considered a family dinner, without the absolute hierarchy found in the Hokage Building.

In the main hall, Sarutobi Hiruzen, as the host, sat in the center. Several long tables stood to his right, all empty.

At the long table to Sarutobi Hiruzen's left sat more than a dozen people. They were all handsome, with pure, dark eyes and a pride accumulated over time between their brows. Even before the Third Hokage, that arrogance had only been reined in slightly.

They were members of the Uchiha Clan.

"Hiashi, come, don't stand there." Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled. Hyuga Hiashi offered a bow, and the Hyuga group took their seats.

Thus, the Hokage's line of master and disciples, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga—the three strongest forces in the Hidden Leaf Village—had gathered here.

With all the guests present, servants brought dish after dish of delicacies to the tables, and the banquet officially began.

Hyuga Yuto picked up a slice of raw fish and began studying those attending the dinner.

On the Hyuga side, besides clan head Hyuga Hiashi, his younger twin brother Hyuga Hizashi was also present. There were also three elderly clan elders and four young men and women, including Hyuga Yuto.

Among them, Hyuga Yuto and another boy with the Byakugan were from the branch family, while the remaining boy and the sole girl were from the main family.

—The Hyuga Clan's "main" and "branch" families were very easy to distinguish. Anyone who did not wear a forehead protector, bandages, or anything else covering their forehead belonged to the main family. To them, this seemed to be a privilege worth showing off.

The Uchiha side had a similar lineup: clan head Uchiha Fugaku, his wife Uchiha Mikoto, several clan elders, and four young men and women.

As for the hosts of this dinner, three people sat beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

One had long white hair, red markings beneath his eyes, and a tall, broad frame. Though he sat there looking lazy and worn out, the mere sight of his broad shoulders gave one the reassuring feeling that he could bear the weight of the sky if it fell.

Another was deathly pale, with golden snake-like eyes. Though handsome, he inspired fear. Yet even with his cold and terrifying aura, he radiated a strange allure—dangerous and powerful.

The last was a woman with flowing golden hair, a breathtaking beauty rarely seen. A purple diamond-shaped mark adorned her forehead. She sat boldly, pouring alcohol into her mouth in great gulps, the force between her brows not inferior to any man's.

These three were Sarutobi Hiruzen's proud disciples, the Hidden Leaf Village's Three Sannin: Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade!

At this time, only Orochimaru was stationed permanently in the Hidden Leaf Village, holding an important post. Jiraiya traveled through various nations while writing novels, while Tsunade had stayed away from the village's political center due to her "hemophobia," wandering everywhere with the young Shizune. She lost every gamble she entered, and lost again whenever she gambled anew.

Sarutobi Hiruzen must have gone to considerable trouble to gather all three of his disciples.

There are so many important people here... Hyuga Yuto thought as he chewed slowly. He knew this dinner could not possibly be just a meal, so he did not dare eat too much.

Amid the clinking of cups and flowing wine, the atmosphere was harmonious.

Though Uchiha Fugaku and Hyuga Hiashi were young, both were mature beyond their years. Sarutobi Hiruzen was even more shrewd and calculating, leaving no openings in his speech.

After they chatted for dozens of minutes, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally tapped the table lightly and looked toward the Uchiha with a smile.

"Fugaku, the child to your left is Shota, the [Swift Blade], isn't he?"

"That is correct." Uchiha Fugaku was very modest. "This child is my nephew. He enjoys using a blade and has grown accustomed to running wild outside the village. He even earned himself an empty reputation... Shota?"

"Greetings, Lord Hokage." Uchiha Shota stepped out from behind the dining table and dropped to one knee.

His voice was loud and clear, carrying the vitality and pride unique to youth.

"Good boy." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he stroked his beard. "Hiashi, the one standing behind you must be Hinata Shinji, correct? I heard that he mastered Eight Trigrams Palm: Heavenly Spin at such a young age. A young hero indeed."

Hinata Shinji rose and bowed. His forehead was smooth and fair, completely bare.

Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed delighted. Looking at the eight young Uchiha and Hyuga men and women, he laughed heartily.

"When I was young, I followed the Second Hokage. Times were chaotic then, and the games I played with my classmates involved sparring with ninjutsu and taijutsu. We never tired of it."

"Today, my three disciples are here, and Fugaku and Hiashi are here as well. It must be boring for you to drink with an old man like me... How about letting these little ones step out and test their skills?"