章 1: Chapter 1: After the Disaster.
In the ninja world, within the Land of Fire, the village known as Konohagakure—once hailed as the First Hidden Village—now bore a heavy air of sorrow. Not long ago, it had valiantly resisted the other major ninja villages during the recent war.
Why?
The remnants of broken walls and the anguished cries of children who had lost their parents bore witness to the disaster that had recently swept through.
In a single night, children were orphaned, the elderly lost their children, and women became widows.
And Konohagakure had lost its Fourth Hokage.
The villagers and shinobi of the village were unaware that their loss extended beyond just a Hokage. When the strongest Hokage returned to the position of village leader, the so-called First Hidden Village would truly cease to exist. Perhaps this was the greatest impact of the Nine-Tails' rampage on Konohagakure.
However, for now, the situation wasn't dire. Although the village had suffered, it hadn't been completely destroyed. Thus, grief prevailed in this moderately sized village.
Time had passed, yet no villagers or shinobi had stepped forward to clean up the mess. Instead, they stared blankly, unsure of how to proceed.
"Brother Hitoshi's foresight was spot-on. Otherwise, the Hyuga clan would have suffered greatly," said one of the three figures walking along the cleared path, their attire uniform and their hairstyles elegant.
All three of them had varying degrees of byakugan, making their eye colors distinct. Yet, this didn't diminish the noble aura they carried.
The speaker was positioned in the middle, his face showing both relief and lingering fear. "Hizashi, Makoto, did you forget what Patriarch instructed us back home?"
The man beside him furrowed his brow and quickly interrupted, glancing around to ensure no one noticed them. After all, joy and sorrow were not shared equally.
Thanks to the strategic brilliance of the current Hyuga clan patriarch, Hitoshi, the clan had suffered minimal losses during this disaster—perhaps a few minor injuries among their members. But no significant losses.
For the clan, this was a positive outcome. However, for the villagers who had lost many of their own, their perspective could easily shift. When everyone's brothers and sisters had lost family members, why should anyone be exempt from death?
So, for now, their strategy was to remain discreet. Even during the upcoming relief efforts, they would keep a low profile.
Such caution—treading on thin ice—was the survival code for the so-called noble clans in this village.
Hitoshi chuckled, surveying the devastation around him. Either he was unwell, or perhaps the entire village was ailing.
But as a transcendent being who knows everything, how could he possibly fall ill?
The one who must be sick is the village, the entire world.
Hyuga Hitoshi firmly believed this.
"So, why did the ancestors of the Hyuga clan form an alliance with the Senju clan and join Konohagakure in the first place?"
In Hyuga Hiashi's opinion, if it were up to him, it would have been to provide a stable environment for the clan, to unite the strength of the village, and create a peaceful haven for the Hyuga.
But what about now?
Hyuga Hiashi recalled the consecutive battle reports from the Hyuga clan during the Third Shinobi World War, and he couldn't help feeling speechless.
Well, it was true that the Hyuga clan, with their Byakugan, held a significant strategic position. They served as reconnaissance members for various squads, and their losses were probably several times greater than during the Warring States period.
However, they endured it. Their blood-soaked efforts had indeed preserved the clan.
But thinking about the aftermath of the Nine-Tails' rampage, following historical trends, it seemed inevitable that a battle with Kumogakure Village would occur. And after that great war...
A glint flashed in Hyuga Hitoshi's eyes as he glanced at Hyuga Hizashi behind him.
Although not his biological younger brother, by virtue of the name "Hyuga," this young man was undoubtedly a member of the clan.
So, when Hyuga joined Konohagakure to safeguard the clan, only to find that now they had to sacrifice themself to protect the village, a problem arose.
After all...
Hyuga Hiashi might have no tolerance for compromise, but Hyuga Hitoshi was different.
Why should the clan, which had shed blood and lost countless members on the battlefield for Konohagakure over the decades, now bear the burden of someone else's weakness?
The same situation, if faced by the recently deceased Fourth Hokage, would surely yield a different outcome, right?
With a sigh, Hyuga Hitoshi remembered the body he had hidden in the spacetime dimension.
Speaking of which, it had taken some effort to snatch the body away from the Nine-Tails, which wanted to vent its anger. But it was worth it.
"Hitoshi!"
The group continued their march.
Not far ahead, Yuuhi Shinku, dressed in Jonin attire, waved and jogged toward them.
"Shinku."
The Hyuga clan had exceptional manners, and Hyuga Hitoshi smiled with a refined and affable demeanor. If someone who didn't know him well saw him, they might even give him a thumbs-up, calling him a dashing young nobleman.
However, Yuuhi Shinku, as one of Konohagakure's higher-ups and the Deputy Head of ANBU, was familiar with the rumors surrounding Hyuga Hitoshi.
Well, if anyone still thought of this guy as a dashing young nobleman with exceptional grace, they'd be way off the mark.
In fact, before the Nine-Tails' rampage, Yuuhi Shinku had some reservations about Hyuga Hitoshi. Especially when he occasionally saw his daughter's clueless expression, he couldn't help but feel exasperated.
But that was all in the past.
As for now...
Yuuhi Shinku regarded Hyuga Hitoshi with a complex expression.
He admitted that this man was more than just the label of a well-dressed scoundrel. He was an enigma, a powerful figure, and, above all, Yuuhi Shinku's savior.
There was no denying it.
Even now, Yuuhi Shinku couldn't forget the scene when the Nine-Tails' paw came down toward him. He had seen the man shake his head at the Nine-Tails, and the beast, enraged, had been forced back several steps by the man's piercing gaze. It had been an awkward moment.
Never mind why the Hyuga clan's disdainful gaze could intimidate the Nine-Tails; that was beyond Yuuhi Shinku's knowledge.
But he knew that without this man, he would be dead. So, Hyuga Hitoshi was his savior.
With that in mind, Yuuhi Shinku also let go of his reservations.
'If giving away my daughter for free is what it takes, so be it. I'm not hung up on it. The only question is where she'll stand when she crosses the threshold into marriage. After all, the Hyuga Clan Patriarch, Hyuga Hitoshi, once said his heart was shattered into several pieces, meant to be shared among many women.'
"The temporary meeting room is ready, and all the higher-ups have arrived."
Shaking his head, Yuuhi Shinku cast aside his distractions and put on a serious face.
The village has suffered a great calamity, and there's much to be done.
But before we can start rebuilding, there's one matter that needs to be settled.
Taking a deep breath, Yuuhi Shinku's gaze flickered, and he whispered softly as he leaned in closer.
"The meeting will be presided over by the retired Third Hokage himself, and its main purpose, aside from rebuilding the village..."
"...is the position of the Hokage!"
週次パワーステータス
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