章 89: The Historic Moment And Victory For The Hyuga

Meanwhile, Danzo's thoughts twisted through a complex labyrinth of strategic calculations and darker intentions. As he observed the unparalleled display of power from the Hyuga Patriarch, his mind, ever scheming, couldn't help but reassess the landscape of power within Konoha.

'Damn, and here I thought that the Uchiha clan was the biggest scourge. And here they are, the Hyuga, right under our noses the entire time...', He mused internally, his gaze fixed on the radiant energy enveloping Hirayoshi.

Danzo's contemplation took a darker turn, reflective of his long-standing ambition to harness any means necessary to strengthen himself and, by extension, his vision for the village.

'Damn, just where will be the end of these large shinobi clans having so many advantages and strange mysteries in this shinobi world...',

He pondered, his thoughts tinged with envy and resentment toward the natural gifts and secret powers harbored by the village's prominent clans.

Yet, it was the spark of greed that also illuminated the depths of Danzo's ambition. As he continued to watch the display of power, a new possibility began to take shape in his mind,

'But, if I manage to get my hands on this source of power, then...', He thought, allowing the sentence to trail off into the myriad of plans and machinations already forming in his mind.

In the face of the immense chakra displayed by the Hyuga Patriarch, Homura and Koharu, nearby, despite their seasoned roles within the village's leadership, found themselves completely overtaken by fear.

Their usual confidence and strategic mindset were rendered useless against the raw power before them. The shock of witnessing such a force left them frozen, unable to think or react, as they were basically not even Jonin in terms of strength.

Orochimaru, meantime, also on the scene beside Hiruzen, and ever the seeker of forbidden knowledge and power, especially recently of the ancient and big shinobi clan-related ones, watched the display with an inscrutable gaze. His eyes, cold and calculating, gleamed with a mix of interest and anticipation.

Where others felt fear or shock, he saw opportunity, 'Fascinating...', His mind racing with the possibilities of harnessing such power for his experiments. The ancient and potent energy unleashed by the Hyuga Patriarch was, for Orochimaru, a great puzzle to be solved by him.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, reacted with a blend of concern and awe. His adventurous spirit and vast experience as a shinobi made him no stranger to the extraordinary, yet the scale of this power was beyond what he had anticipated, even stranger than everything he had seen in Mount Myoboku before.

'This is a serious shift in the power dynamics of Konoha right there...', He pondered, worried about the implications for the village and the ninja world from this level of internal division of Konoha due to the chain reaction it could create indirectly, all stemming from this, and was also slightly worried about his sensei's wellbeing and future fate within the village as well.

He never liked conflict, especially the ones that such a power could bring to the village. In the end, in his mind, only the innocent would suffer, and it would be best if everyone could simply get along. But, observing these political bouts recently more and more, he was getting less and less optimistic, just hoping that a true 'Son of Prophecy' would appear.

Tsunade's reaction to everything that transpired was marked by a blend of astonishment and concern. Her sharp mind immediately calculated the potential consequences and dangers of such an unprecedented event.

'Is anyone hurt..? Could this power spiral out of control..?', These questions flashed through her mind, her eyes scanning the room for signs of injury or distress among those gathered.

Her brow furrowed as she was very skeptical about the origins and control of such power, how it seemingly appeared 'out of nothing,

'How has this been even hidden for so long, and what are the risks of its use..?', She was also very worried about the political and social ramifications of this power's revelation.

Part of her marveled at the sheer scale of the chakra displayed, yet Tsunade's primary focus was to be ready and try and mitigate the situation next, if needed, to safeguard the village from the potential fallout that this situation might spiral into.

Minato Namikaze, known for his calm demeanor and quick thinking, inwardly approached the situation with a mixture of analytical curiosity and strategic concern.

Observing the Hyuga Patriarch's demonstration of power, Minato's mind raced, not just with the shock of the moment but also with its implications for the future.

First, there was a flash of awe in his mind at the raw magnitude of chakra being displayed, a testament to the depth of power within Konoha that he had not grasped previously at all,

'Such interesting and overwhelming kind of power... And I never realized the Hyuga held something of this scale...", He thought, acknowledging the significance of this moment in understanding the village's clans and their capabilities.

He also realized that, as someone who aspired to be the next Hokage of this village, he truly still knew nothing about it and had much more left to observe, learn, and be very disciplined in.

The recent years of various political earthquakes and this now truly 'humbled' him a little. He realized that, most mildly put, his journey to becoming the next village leader truly won't be a 'walk in the park' like he perhaps too optimistically believed when he was younger and naive in the past under the encouragement and praise received from so many people.

Yet, almost immediately, his thoughts pivoted to the safety of those present and the village at large, 'How can we ensure this power is not a threat to Konoha...?', Minato wondered.

His mind was already mapping out potential scenarios and responses, considering both the immediate aftermath, the next few minutes in the short-term, and the likely options that could hypothetically happen during those critical moments that urgently needed some de-escalation, and the long-term ramifications of the Hyuga's bold actions done just now.

At the same time, Kushina, standing close to Minato, leaned in her expression, a mix of concern and unease. "Minato, it seems that this power really woke up and agitated the Nine-Tails..." she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the charged atmosphere of the room.

Therefore, before voicing his already planned 'pacifistic' stance to Hokage, Minato focused on Kushina, offering her a reassuring touch or a calm look to mitigate the concern sparked by the Nine-Tails' agitation. This all convinced him that it was way better to seek a 'peaceful' resolution with the Hyuga Patriarch and their opposition in general right then.

Furthermore, some other key figures, like Jiraiya and Tsunade, and some other shinobi of their faction higher-ups prepared to support a 'diplomatic' solution, prioritizing the village's unity and safety over prevailing tensions before it all escalated out of the realm of possible salvation. In their minds, it was better to make some concessions than face the true possibility of a broad village extinction.

Hiruzen, sensing the shift in the room and recognizing the critical juncture at which they stood, broke the tense silence, "I will agree to your terms, Hyuga Patriarch. For the overall survival of this village in its current form, it is best for us all to temporarily put away our differences, especially in times like these are... Fighting would do none of us any good...",

He announced, his voice carrying a weight of solemnity and resolve. This concession was significant, signaling a willingness to bridge divides for the greater good of the Konoha.

"I just want to say that some of your words were overly hurtful, and neither I nor any of my associates wanted to do what you described to your clansmen just now. However, it is up to you to believe whatever you believe, and to lift those 'extreme' concerns, we will even agree to those mobilization plans you gave me just now. I scanned over the list, and there are no problems; we could work with it...", Hiruzen reflected in an attempt to smooth over past 'misunderstandings' while also conceding to the demands laid out fully, his words careful.

Yet, beneath Hiruzen's outward display of 'broad-minded' leadership and the 'pain', in terms of facial expressions, lay a deeper, more complex web of hostile thoughts and strategies. In the end, everything simply boiled down to him 'buying time', and 'advancing by retreating'.

The more power the Hyuga showed just now, the less likely he was to want to 'keep them' in the future, in the village, in the long term. They now even overtook Sakumo as his first and primary target for elimination.

But the more power they showed, the harder it would be to move against them in the short term, resulting in this kind of compromise that could even be labeled as a tactical defeat this time around, not just a retreat.

He was thoroughly disrespected as the Hokage this time around, under the eyes of everyone important in the village, and he couldn't do anything about it. If you asked him yesterday if he expected this outcome today, for example, he would've told you that you were simply crazy.

Hirayoshi, acknowledging Hiruzen's concession, responded with a tone that blended resolution with a hint of regret,

"If that is the case, and you keep to your promise made here in front of everyone, then there is no longer a cause for conflict between us during these trying times. Let's proceed with the meeting then...",

He stated, signaling a willingness to move beyond the confrontation for the greater good of the village.

He paused, reflecting on the necessity of his actions, "I'm sorry for the dramatics. However, as you were already aware, 'some people' simply wouldn't heed our rational concerns without a demonstration of significant strength. I felt compelled to take this measure...",

Hirayoshi explained, his words conveying a mix of justification and a subtle 'apology' for the tension his actions had caused.

With a slight gesture, he deactivated his immense display of power, and the oppressive aura of chakra that had filled the room dissipated.

The return to normalcy was almost palpable, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from everyone's shoulders.

The absence of chakra pressure allowed everyone to physically relax, though the implications of the display would not be quickly forgotten.

A while later, Shikaku Nara, ever the astute observer, mulled over the revelations that just unfolded before him as the entire chamber building got fixed up by some swift shinobi and Anbu before the meeting was supposed to proceed again 'as if nothing happened.'

His analytical mind quickly pieced together the dynamics at play. During the pause, he realized the exclusivity of the knowledge within the Hyuga clan, sitting at the table in awkward silence and contemplation.

'It appears that only the Hyuga Patriarch and his son were privy to this formidable power, as evidenced by the surprise exhibited by everyone else. This information wasn't just concealed from those outside the Hyuga clan or the Anti-Hokage coalition; it seems it was a closely guarded secret within the Hyuga clan itself, known only to the Patriarch's Lineage for some reason...', He deduced, his thoughts methodically categorizing this new piece of intelligence.

Shikaku recognized the strategic implications of such a revelation, 'This historical exclusivity to the Patriarch's Lineage regarding their clan's deepest secrets complicates our ability to gather further intelligence. It suggests a tradition of withholding even the most potent knowledge to a very select few within the clan...', He reasoned, acknowledging the barriers this posed to external understanding or oversight.

With a sense of urgency underlying his thought process, Shikaku concluded, 'I need to share this observation with the Hokage later. The emergence of such an unexpected and powerful force within the village is profoundly destabilizing. It's as if dealing with one Sakumo Hatake, at the zenith of shinobi prowess, wasn't challenging enough...',

'This kind of retaliatory potential from them is truly overwhelming at this point as any action could lead to devastating consequences for us and the entire village, making the situation extremely fragile...',

'At this time, unless we get some good info on that power or develop another extremely powerful shinobi on a peak, world-class level of power, it would be best to keep the status quo going...', He silently lamented, recognizing the gravity of the situation. But, as he thought of the last part, he suddenly instinctively looked at Minato in the distance.