The next day.
An explosive piece of news spread throughout the entire Leaf Village. Like a stone thrown into a lake, it kicked up ripples.
"Hey! Have you heard? The White Fang's son, Kakashi Hatake, got beaten up!"
"Are you kidding? The super genius Kakashi Hatake actually got beaten up?"
"It's true, a lot of people saw it. Kakashi even cried in the end!"
"Hey! Have you heard? Kakashi got beaten until he cried!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah!! I heard he was even rolling around on the ground at the end!"
"What? Didn't they say Kakashi didn't even fight, he just lay down by himself? And then cried and begged Hyuga Satoru not to hit him?"
Early in the morning, Hyuga Satoru just stepped outside.
He heard the gossip all over the street, and his complexion instantly turned green.
"How did the rumor get so distorted?"
What do you mean Kakashi was beaten to tears by me? Clearly, the guy cried all on his own, what does that have to do with me? And begging for mercy on his knees, fleeing in a panic... What even is all this!
The crucial point was that most of the people spreading the rumors actually turned out to be members of the Hyuga Clan.
Walking down the streets of the clan compound, he could see many clansmen in groups of three or five, excitedly discussing things like "the number one genius of the new generation," "made Kakashi cry," and "even the Uchiha submitted."
Hyuga Satoru lowered his head and walked on tiptoe, terrified that someone would notice him, when he suddenly heard a roar of laughter from behind.
"Look, it's that genius who beat Kakashi to tears."
In an instant, the gazes of all the clansmen focused on him.
"It wasn't me! I didn't! Don't talk nonsense!"
Hyuga Satoru's face darkened, and he immediately accelerated away, leaving behind a trail of puzzled clansmen.
Unlike the noisy bustling outside, the main hall was dead silent, the atmosphere suppressively unusual, and the expressions of the Main House elders were mostly quite grim.
Suigetsu Hyuga's gaze swept across the faces of the surrounding elders, and he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
The reason the Hyuga could be passed down in the Shinobi World for over a thousand years, becoming the family with the longest history, relied on rules and regulations.
Yet now, there was a clansman who repeatedly shattered the family's system.
Hyuga Satoru, this first holder of a Dual Bloodline in the history of the Hyuga, seemed never to have settled down since he first appeared.
"Hmph! Have this group of Branch House members forgotten even the rules?"
A Main House elder had an ashen expression and indignantly slammed the table.
From yesterday until now, he had seen a massive number of Branch House members gathering together, disregarding etiquette and excitedly talking loudly. Even outside the clan, many such situations could be seen.
"The family's dignity has been completely thrown away by this group of Branch House members."
Another Main House elder shook his head.
Beside Suigetsu Hyuga, Hiashi Hyuga sighed inwardly. He knew the Branch House had been suppressed for too long, and after Hyuga Satoru heavily defeated Kakashi, that suppression had transformed into excitement and thrills.
However, the Hyuga were not the Uchiha; within the Hyuga, one had to abide by the rules.
"Enough."
Suigetsu Hyuga sighed, only feeling a wave of a headache.
Although the origin of the incident was because of Hyuga Satoru, to actually punish him because of it would be too unreasonable. After all, he defeated Kakashi, which could also be considered fighting for the clan's dignity.
Yet if they truly left him alone, perhaps that group of Branch House members would probably reach the heavens soon.
In addition, the Hokage's attitude toward Hyuga Satoru was quite thought-provoking, and they had to consider this layer of influence as well. With various factors piling up together, it really made him somewhat unable to make up his mind.
Right at that moment, Hiashi Hyuga beside him suddenly spoke: "Patriarch, leave this matter to me to handle."
"Oh? Do you have any plans?"
Suigetsu Hyuga couldn't help but become interested. Hiashi Hyuga was practically his designated next successor.
Hiashi Hyuga smiled slightly: "The reason this matter is complicated is simply because Hyuga Satoru is only an ordinary Branch House member, and neither rewarding nor punishing him fits. Since that is the case, then we will simply wrap him in another layer of identity."
Following that, Hiashi Hyuga smoothly narrated his thoughts.
Suigetsu Hyuga's eyes gradually lit up.
"Good, leave it to you to handle!"
Hyuga Satoru, who had just sneaked back from the street, was still beating fast at heart. Almost all the way, he could hear discussions about himself.
The crucial point was that not many of these discussions were reliable.
Even some aunties in the clan had targeted him, arranging to introduce their granddaughters to him. It scared Hyuga Satoru into turning on his heels and running, and he was still covered in cold sweat right now.
"Too terrifying. It's better not to go out these next few days."
Hyuga Satoru patted his chest with lingering fear.
Just as he intended to rest, he heard a burst of knocking on the door outside.
Hyuga Satoru instantly became alert, walked on tiptoe to the back of the front door, and carefully aimed his eye at the crack between the door frames.
"Password!"
Password???
The person outside froze. How was it that visiting him required a password, and what kind of password was that?
Right at that moment, the door opened, causing him to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Hyuga Satoru was not unfamiliar with the person who came. That pair of the most famous brothers in the clan looked almost identical, and there weren't many differences in their clothing either. The only difference was that one of them wore a forehead protector on his forehead year-round.
"Lord Hizashi, why have you come?"
Hyuga Satoru cautiously observed the surroundings, making sure no other Hyuga members had followed him over.
"Satoru, can I go inside to talk?"
Two cups of tea were placed on the wooden table, emitting wisps of faint steam. Judging by the quality of the tea leaves, they were not the precious kind.
"Lord Hizashi, I usually don't have the habit of drinking tea, so I can only treat you with this kind of inferior product."
"It's fine." Hizashi Hyuga smiled slightly, picked up the tea, and took a sip.
The Hyuga had a tea-tasting culture; if someone treated you to tea, taking a sip was a matter of etiquette.
With the formalities concluded, Hizashi Hyuga looked at Hyuga Satoru, whose face was still somewhat tender, and his expression inevitably grew complex.
"Earlier I guessed that you would be a variable within the clan, but I didn't expect that this variable would grow up so quickly."
A genius surpassing Kakashi, the number one person of the new generation-merely reciting these titles in his heart would cause Hizashi Hyuga's inner self to surge with heat.
Without a doubt, Hyuga Satoru was the most outstanding genius of the Hyuga since the founding of the Leaf Village!
"I imagine that a genius like you is definitely unwilling to be branded with shackles."
Hizashi Hyuga looked complexly at Hyuga Satoru.
Hyuga Satoru remained silent. The implication of these words was too massive; if the Main House heard them, it would probably cause no end of trouble.
Seeing that Hyuga Satoru didn't speak, Hizashi sighed and took a scroll out from his bosom, placing it on the table.
"What is this?"
"Open it and you'll know."
Hyuga Satoru opened the scroll, poured a sliver of chakra into it, and his expression instantly turned surprised.
The things stored in the scroll could not be described as anything less than bountiful. It was definitely the most precious thing he had ever seen. In one corner, a massive amount of cash was laid out. Hyuga Satoru roughly estimated it: at least five million ryo.
And on the other side, a large amount of training-related secret techniques were placed, and even some were the unspoken secret techniques of the clan.
Cash was fine, but the latter involved clan secret techniques. If the Main House found out, Hizashi Hyuga would definitely be heavily punished.
"Why?" Hyuga Satoru asked in a deep voice.
Hizashi Hyuga smiled helplessly: "You can just treat it as a kind of investment."
Instantly, he stood up and walked toward the outside of the door.
"I truly hope that this variable of yours can whip up a storm and let this decayed ancient tree of the Hyuga regain its vitality."
Hyuga Satoru silently watched his back. Rather than calling it an investment, it was better to call it choosing a side, taking a stance.
Knowing that he would definitely not be willing to be imprisoned by the Caged Bird, did he plan to rebel together with him?
Had Hizashi Hyuga, who ultimately recognized his fate and committed suicide in the original work, changed his original trajectory under his influence?
Hyuga Satoru carefully put the scroll away. Hizashi Hyuga's financial backing would be of great use to his training.
About half an hour later, knocking on the door sounded outside once more.
Hyuga Satoru opened the door, saw that familiar face, and almost instinctively blurted out.
Lord Hizashi, why are you again...
The voice stuck in his throat.
The other person's forehead was sparkling clean.
"It's Lord Hiashi. Is there something you need?"
Hyuga Satoru said unhurriedly.
It was still that same wooden table, similarly displaying two cups of tea. When Hiashi Hyuga glanced at the tea in front of him, he slightly frowned, chose not to drink the tea, and instead spoke directly.
"I've come this time intending to take on a disciple. Satoru, how about becoming my disciple?"
He revealed a trace of a smile as he looked at Hyuga Satoru before him.
Taking a disciple was naturally the result he had carefully considered. It was common knowledge that he was the next patriarch; in terms of strength, having just crossed twenty, he was already a Jonin, more than qualified to teach Hyuga Satoru, this Genin.
More importantly, once Hyuga Satoru bore the title of the next patriarch's disciple, all problems would be easily resolved.
The Branch House would become more obedient to the Main House because of Hyuga Satoru's status as a Main House disciple, and as for the Hokage's side, since he had already taken on a disciple himself, he probably wouldn't find it appropriate to interfere with anything.
"I refuse."
The smile on Hyuga Hiashi's face instantly froze, as if he were still doubting whether he had heard correctly.
"Are you worried about Aburame Shibi? Rest assured, he is merely your instructor, which does not conflict with becoming my disciple. Once you become my disciple, the clan will provide you with a monthly subsidy of 100,000 ryo, and in addition, some secret techniques of the Main House will also be open to you."
Hyuga Satoru gave him a helpless look. "I think you have misunderstood, Lord Hiashi. I don't want to become your disciple, which has nothing to do with Teacher Shibi, nor is it related to anything else..."
"Once I become Lord Hiashi's disciple, I'm afraid many things would no longer be under my own control, and I don't wish to be bound by so many restrictions."
This reply left Hyuga Hiashi stunned, and the wording he had prepared in his throat somehow stuck.
Ridiculous!
Do you have any idea how many people dream of becoming my disciple!
A trace of anger welled up inside Hyuga Hiashi's heart, though years of clan upbringing instinctively made him maintain his so-called composure as he took a deep breath to calm his inner self.
"Very well, since you have already decided, I will not force the matter. Although you have not become my disciple, the monthly 100,000-ryo subsidy will still be given to you; this is a reward from the clan."
With that, without the slightest hesitation, he stood up and left.
Hyuga Satoru gazed at his receding back with deep eyes. Today, those two pairs of brothers, Hizashi and Hiashi, had both come to see him, yet their purposes were completely different.
He had rejected Hiashi's intention to take him as a disciple, which, in a sense, also counted as a stance of his own.
In the future, things perhaps wouldn't be too peaceful.
He sighed like this within his heart.
Before you continue