Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Silly Deer
Hyuga Hiashi's hands, hidden under the table, clenched tightly.
Three days ago, a captain from the Anbu suddenly appeared at the Hyuga clan's residence and dropped a bombshell:
"One of the Sannin will be reopening their doors to take on disciples, selecting suitable individuals from the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. Three days from now, bring four young elites from the Hyuga clan, under the age of fourteen, to the Sarutobi clan's residence."
Only heaven knew how excited Hyuga Hiashi was upon hearing this news.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was over fifty years old, his peak as a ninja was quickly fading. Unlike the Uzumaki or Senju, he didn't possess powerful life force. As his energy declined, he would inevitably relinquish the Hokage position in the near future.
Currently, in Konoha Village, the most popular candidates for the Fourth Hokage were Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade Senju - the Sannin.
Being accepted as a disciple by one of the Sannin meant that the bloodlines of the Uchiha and Hyuga would enter the core of Konoha's master-disciple lineage. It meant that with proper maneuvering, in a few years, members of both clans would have the opportunity to ascend to the Hokage's throne!
Although Jiraiya's disciple, Minato Namikaze, also had a disciple from the Uchiha clan, nobody in present-day Konoha considered Minato as a candidate for the next Hokage. He was too young. Despite his strength, he lacked his own faction. Therefore, to a certain extent, Uchiha Obito was merely considered a "bonus" and not a genuine member of the master-disciple lineage.
However, before Hyuga Hiashi could say anything, the Anbu captain continued:
"The next words are not an order, but a personal matter entrusted to you by Lord Hokage... Lord Hokage said that the intelligence brought back by that Hyuga Yuto with such effort was very useful. Give the young man a chance, bring him along as well."
After saying this, the Anbu captain left, leaving Hyuga Hiashi in a whirlwind of thoughts:
...What? The Hokage wants me to bring Hyuga Yuto? This... How could the master-disciple lineage consider a member of the Branch Family? How could a caged bird ever sit on the head of the village's leader? Is this the Hokage's dissatisfaction with the Hyuga Main and Branch Family system? But this is an internal Hyuga matter. Since the village's founding, interference in clan affairs has been forbidden...
He contemplated numerous possibilities, but remained perplexed. Although Hyuga Hiashi had the urge to summon Yuto and question him, he restrained himself out of respect for the Third Hokage.
Now, at the banquet, Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku simultaneously glanced at each other, then quickly averted their eyes.
—No matter what, this opportunity, I, Hyuga (Uchiha), must seize it!
"Alright!" Jiraiya enthusiastically supported his teacher:
"As ninja, why speak so pompously? If there's no entertainment, why not go take a bath or soak in a hot spring!"
Tsunade snorted coldly upon hearing this, giving Jiraiya a disdainful look. She knew this guy wasn't just interested in a simple hot spring, he was definitely planning to "gather material" or something.
Orochimaru remained silent, simply smiling, his agreement with the general sentiment evident.
Jiraiya ignored Tsunade's glare, laughing heartily:
"Come on, young men and women, you're all young, why so lacking in passion? No need for drawing lots or picking straws, whoever you usually find disagreeable, come on up! No rules, you can even challenge seven at once!"
Hyuga Yuto's heart stirred. He understood that this banquet was for the Sannin's disciple selection. The Hokage's direct lineage accepting members of the Hyuga and Uchiha clans held strong political implications. In Konoha, the core of the master-disciple lineage was equivalent to a nomination for the Hokage selection!
He just didn't understand why the original story never mentioned the Sannin taking new disciples... Was it abandoned? Or was it because of his butterfly effect that this banquet came to be...
Hyuga Yuto pondered many things. He didn't stand up first, instead, he lowered his head and took a sip of tea.
"I'll go first!" Uchiha Shota suddenly spoke up.
Like his nickname "Quick Blade," Uchiha Shota was an aggressive and fiery individual.
He bowed to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sannin, and his clan leader, then jumped out, shouting:
"Hyuga guys! Are you coming one by one, or all together?"
Hyuga Yuto clearly saw the slight twitch at the corner of Uchiha Fugaku's mouth.
He's a silly deer, no doubt about it. Hyuga Yuto chuckled inwardly.
Although the Hyuga clan's rules were stricter and less impulsive than the Uchiha clan's, young people's patience was ultimately limited. Hyuga Shinji first bowed respectfully, then walked towards the silly Uchiha deer:
"Uchiha Shota, I, Hyuga Shinji, will be your opponent."
The room wasn't spacious enough, so the two moved to the courtyard for their spar. The people inside, either possessing hereditary Kekkei Genkai or being Kage-level powerhouses, could naturally see every detail of the fight clearly.
Without much talk, the young men in the courtyard started fighting.
With a fireball the size of a carriage, Uchiha Shota took the initiative to launch the first attack.
The silly deer's Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique was a powerful opening move. After Hyuga Shinji dodged it, Shota immediately drew his sword and charged forward with Shunshin no Jutsu, the man moving quickly, the sword even faster.
Boom!
A hemispherical chakra barrier suddenly erupted in the courtyard, deflecting the fierce blade strike.
—Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!
Hyuga Yuto's eyes narrowed slightly, the veins at the corners of his eyes bulging as he activated his Byakugan.
Revolving Heaven was a secret technique of the Main Family, an "absolute defense" that repelled all physical attacks. It was incredibly powerful, and under normal circumstances, Branch Family members would never be taught it. To master it, they could only rely on secretly learning and comprehending it themselves. Opportunities to observe it at such close range were rare, so Hyuga Yuto naturally wouldn't miss it.
While he was busy secretly learning, the battle in the courtyard grew increasingly intense.
Uchiha Shota's eyes were blood red, with two tomoe spinning wildly in each eye. His sword was lightning fast, coated in a layer of silver-white electric light, clearly utilizing Lightning Release.
Hyuga Shinji was not to be outdone. Revolving Heaven was a chakra-consuming technique, so aside from the first time he used it to deal with the Great Fireball and sword strike, he didn't use it again. Relying on his solid Gentle Fist and the Main Family Byakugan's perfect vision, he dodged and counterattacked.
The fierce back-and-forth battle lasted less than five minutes. In the end, Uchiha Shota narrowly defeated Hyuga Shinji.
In terms of "dynamic vision," the Sharingan was indeed superior to the Byakugan.
The silly Uchiha deer pressed the back of his blade against Hyuga Shinji's neck, gently drawing a line, and shrugged:
"You're strong, but unfortunately, you're no match for me... Under these eyes, you're the one who's a caged bird."
Uchiha Fugaku's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
He somewhat regretted bringing this nephew out... Did your mouth get infused with Lightning Release? Do your words have a piercing effect too?
Calling Hyuga a caged bird, why don't you wish Tsunade a prosperous family?
Hyuga Shinji was furious, his Byakugan almost turning red. However, with the Hokage and both clan leaders present, he could only scowl and walk towards his opponent, forming the "Reconciliation Seal."
Weekly Power Status
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