Chapitre 2: The Silent Game with the Fifth Elder
As the older individual softly slid open the Japanese-style door to Hikari's room, he stepped inside. With his Byakugan activated, Hikari quickly took in every detail of the man's appearance.
He appeared to be in his mid-forties, which was close but slightly past the prime 'peak' age for a shinobi in this world, generally considered to be around mid-thirties.
Hikari remembered this man as a father with three qualified children who had already been married and were living independently in different places.
These children now resided in different areas of the Main Branch's central housing within the stretched-out Hyuga compound.
This man had one of the highest authorities within the Hyuga clan, besides the Hyuga Patriarch himself, as he was one of the Hyuga clan's Main Branch's nine and only Elders.
His youngest child, already in his mid-teens, was considered an adult by this world's standards, with the others being in their early and mid-twenties.
So, alongside his wife and some Branch Family 'attendants' she was in charge of, they were the only current inhabitants of this large Fifth Elder's line's central estate.
It was in the center of the entire Hyuga's compound, just near other Elders' main estates and in the last circle of housing in front of the Patriarch's own.
'Despite being slightly past his prime, this man is certainly powerful and not to be underestimated. He's on a completely different level than those branch members I observed earlier...', Hikari concluded almost instantly after his thorough examination.
Through the precise vision of his Byakugan, Hikari could see the exceptional training and care the man had put into maintaining his body.
His chakra pathway system was notably well-developed, indicating a significant reservoir of chakra potential that spoke to his prowess as a shinobi.
Moreover, Hikari noted the man's overall bearing, which radiated the authority of someone accustomed to wielding great social power within the clan.
Every step he took was measured and deliberate, characteristic of a seasoned professional whose movements were perfectly honed, ready to jump into action.
His facial expression was that of a battle-hardened veteran, giving away nothing. In great contrast to the branch family members Hikari had observed before, this man's demeanor revealed no weaknesses or emotions, and his face was as unreadable as a poker player's.
His aura was unmistakable as his feet touched the tatami floor of the room, designed in the classic Japanese style. He radiated a sense of strength and authority.
Clad in the traditional attire of the Hyuga clan, his long hair perfectly complementing the distinctive white eyes that marked their heritage, the elder's entrance into the room was commanding.
Notably, his forehead was also unmarked, free of the Cursed Seal that members of the Side Branch typically bore. This further showed his status within the main family and the clan's hierarchy. Side branch members were all expected to always cover the cursed seal.
'Takumi Hyuga, the 5th Elder of the Hyuga Clan, one of the most powerful Elite Jonin in the entire clan, if my limited memory serves me right...', Hikari thought, quickly piecing together and analyzing the identity of the man before him.
There was no difference in power or strength between various Elders; they were just historically numerically sorted randomly, and alongside the Patriarch's line, they constituted the so-called Main Branch.
As he tried to piece together this information, he simultaneously tried to rise from his large bed, intending to show the proper respect and salute while saying, "Fifth Elder -sama!"
"It's alright, Hikari-kun! Don't get up; rest. You were pretty hurt before...", Takumi responded calmly yet firmly, swiftly moving to Hikari's side.
He assisted the young boy with confidence and ease, guiding him back to rest against his pillow and gently but firmly preventing him from rising again with a still, calm look on his face.
On the other hand, after nodding and stopping moving throughout this interaction, Hikari couldn't shake the feeling that Takumi's keen eyes were also silently evaluating him. As the elder drew closer, his gaze seemed particularly drawn to Hikari's still-active Byakugan.
Aware that he had the potential to someday rise to a position of influence on par with Takumi's, Hikari nonetheless recognized the current reality of his situation.
He was at the beginning of his journey at just three years old. The shadow cast by his parents' past actions—actions he deemed bizarre and detrimental—also complicated his path to getting a significant role within the clan, such as that of a Third Elder, that should rightfully belong to only him now, in the foreseeable future.
He remained unclear about the extent of this impact and the steps he needed to take to mitigate or reverse its effects.
Given these developments, Hikari understood the importance of adhering to the clan's deeply rooted values. In the presence of an elder like Takumi and within the hierarchical structure of the Hyuga clan—a clan that places immense value on tradition, history, manners, and a clear understanding of one's place—he needed to exhibit the utmost respect now.
Hikari chose to act like that, recognizing his current position as akin to that of an infant in the eyes of the clan's leadership and his lower standing within the clan hierarchy.
Such conduct was essential for maintaining harmony now and laying the groundwork for his future endeavors within the clan. Therefore, if the Elder didn't stop him on time, he would've also stood up to salute. As for bowing to him, it was probably only something the Side Branch members had to do in the presence of elders.
Meanwhile, Takumi's demeanor softened slightly as he continued to speak, "Hikari-kun, in the future, there's no need to greet me with such formality. After all, I am legally your custodian at the moment. And please, feel free to call me Takumi-san or even Takumi-sensei if you agree to become my student, as we discussed before next."
He suggested, still maintaining proximity to Hikari's bed, that he was within what could be considered the 'family' social circle radius Hikari knew about in his past life. Despite the sternness that usually marked his expressions, his voice now had a noticeably warmer pitch.
As Hikari quickly processed the events of the past few moments, his mind began to spin with thoughts, 'The activation of the Byakugan at my age is probably a much bigger deal than I initially thought. This is an excellent development for me...',
He analyzed almost instantaneously, soaking up every piece of information like a sponge. This time, his observations weren't limited to physical closeness, tone of voice, or body language; Takumi's choice of words, especially in comparison to their interactions before Hikari's Byakugan activation, was particularly telling.
Takumi's addition of the suffix "-kun" after Hikari's name, despite being an elder of the clan and considering Hikari's mere three years of age, was nothing short of extraordinary.
It was exceedingly rare for anyone in their world to address a three-year-old so formally and thoughtfully, which spoke volumes, especially given Takumi's esteemed status within the clan.
Moreover, the shift from using "-sama" to "-san" about himself suggested a significant change in Takumi's view of their relationship. It implied that Hikari's standing should be considered much higher than before, not yet equal but far removed from the respect typically expected from a child of Hikari's age towards someone of Takumi's rank.
Although the Byakugan enhanced its wielder's ability to psychoanalyze opponents by observing physiological responses—such as increased sweat production, accelerated heart rates, and other chemical changes in the body—making it difficult for most people to deceive or act in front of a Hyuga, Hikari couldn't use that approach currently, due to obvious reasons, to analyze Takumi, so he applied some broad knowledge from his previous life.
His Byakugan had only recently awakened, leaving his abilities in a nascent, almost blank state. Furthermore, most of the Hyuga, especially elite jonin-level figures like Takumi, have mastered controlling these external indicators.
Their profound understanding of the Byakugan, combined with an intimate knowledge of their own body's workings, allows them to regulate their physiological reactions meticulously.
As the conversation unfolded, Takumi continued to inquire about Hikari's health, displaying a semblance of concern that seemed somewhat out of character compared to their previous interactions.
Hikari, for his part, assured Takumi that he was completely fine now, answering each question in turn.
This exchange, he noted, constituted a significant portion of the total time they had spent together since Hikari had moved into the Hyuga complex a few months ago following the death of his parents.
Takumi, a prominent clan elder, had numerous responsibilities that kept him away from this housing estate.
He was deeply involved in managing the Hyuga clan's private commercial ventures, which his own Fifth Elder main line was historically involved in—or, better said, their own 'share of the pie.'
Additionally, his duties extended to various roles within the clan and possibly even assignments inside the Konoha administration, leaving him little time for personal interactions between them.
The conversations they had had in the past were brief and marked by a cooler, more distant demeanor from Takumi.
The main thing Hikari got from those interactions is that he could soon start training with him after he turned three years old, which Hikaru did around a month ago, but he refused to start trying for childish reasons.
And, now, with Hikari being the last surviving member of the Third Elder main line and still just a child, it fell upon Takumi to oversee Hikari's inheritance and responsibilities as well.
As their conversation progressed in the following few minutes, Hikari began to get the gist of Takumi's underlying motives at the beginning of their seemingly casual exchange between an elder and a youngin: to evaluate Hikari's capabilities for his motives and also his future role within the Hyuga clan, likely on some 'mission' from the rest of the higher-ups.
'It's good that he's so ambitious and risk-taking. At least he won't stand in the way of me claiming my rightful property and status in the future if all goes according to plan...', He thought, feeling a surge of relief before he suddenly experienced piercing pain in his eyes.
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