Konoha — Hyuga Clan Compound.
Within the quiet grandeur of the Hyuga clan estate, the family emblem hung proudly on the wall—its ancient design a silent testament to the clan's storied lineage. Hyuga Hiashi stood before it, his expression unreadable, hands folded behind his back.
"It seems," he said softly, eyes still on the crest, "that from the very beginning… we all underestimated the Fourth Hokage."
The words were not casual. They carried weight—centuries of inherited pride and carefully guarded neutrality behind them.
Once, during the Warring States Period, this emblem stood as a symbol that rivaled even the Senju and Uchiha. And now?
With the Senju clan's decline into legend, and the Uchiha ostracized since the Second Hokage's reign, only the Hyuga had remained strong—unbending through the shifting tides of war and peace.
It was both a point of pride… and a burden of responsibility.
Hiashi turned, facing his brother, Hyuga Hizashi, who knelt calmly across from him.
"To win over the Uchiha clan…" Hiashi continued, "Especially one that's been alienated for decades… is no easy feat. Yet that boy—Shisui, the one they call 'Shunshin no Shisui'—has built his reputation steadily through field missions over the past few years."
He paused for a moment, then added, "And then there's the son of the White Fang. A genius: graduated at five, chūnin at six, jōnin at twelve. He only answers to the Fourth Hokage. His name alone inspires awe in the Jōnin Corps."
Hizashi raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
Hiashi's voice dropped lower. "And that boy called Kinoe… According to classified intel, he can use Wood-style—a technique once thought to belong solely to the First Hokage."
That made Hizashi's gaze sharpen for the first time.
Hiashi nodded grimly. "After what happened to Danzo two days ago, Anbu operations have shifted. The division under the Fourth now holds firm authority, while the one loyal to the Third finds itself increasingly sidelined."
He took a breath.
"The Uchiha's opportunity… has arrived."
Silence fell between the brothers for a moment, thick with implications. Then, Hizashi looked up slowly, his Byakugan eyes narrowing with conflicted emotion.
"Why are you telling me all this, nii-sama?" he asked. "The main house has its council of elders. I'm just branch family. My opinion holds no weight."
Hiashi let out a long breath, gaze softening. "Even the elders… are not men I can trust. Not with this."
Hizashi gave a dry, bitter chuckle. "There's still… more than a year left."
Hiashi stiffened. He knew exactly what his brother meant.
In just over a year, on the third birthday of his daughter, Hinata, the cursed seal ceremony would take place. As clan tradition dictated, Hizashi's own son—young Neji—would be marked with the Caged Bird Seal.
A lifetime of servitude. A death switch in the hands of another.
Neji, at just three years old, already showed prodigious skill in the Gentle Fist. Perhaps even greater than Hiashi's own daughter.
Hiashi clenched his fists silently.
"It's fate, nii-sama." Hizashi said with quiet bitterness. "Whether main or branch family, neither of us can escape it. Don't forget the duty of those born to serve."
Hiashi turned his head slightly.
"…Two Mangekyō Sharingan have appeared in the Uchiha clan."
The words fell like a stone dropped into still water. Hizashi's expression shifted from bitter resignation to stunned disbelief.
"…Are you certain?" he asked at last. "Those eyes?"
Hiashi nodded. "Not just evolved Sharingan—true Mangekyō. From our ancestors' records, these eyes possess abilities far beyond the three-tomoe form."
Hizashi recited from memory: "A chakra-formed giant, cloaked in blue flame… with unmatched offensive and defensive capabilities. One swing could split mountains…"
"Exactly…" Hiashi said gravely. "But there's more. The Mangekyō's powers vary between users. Some possess time-space ninjutsu. Others—genjutsu, ninjutsu, weapons of pure chakra."
He paused, then added, "What concerns me most is a name… Uchiha Yun."
"Yun?" Hizashi echoed, frowning. "I've never heard of him."
Hiashi nodded. "Neither had I. Not until the intelligence I received two days ago. Apparently, this generation of Uchiha produced two exceptional talents."
"One is Uchiha Itachi—who applied for early graduation after a single year, became a genin at seven, and awakened two-tomoe Sharingan at eight."
"The other… is Uchiha Yun. According to prior reports, he'd never awakened his Sharingan. But I saw it with my own Byakugan during the Danzo incident. One of the two Mangekyō pairs belonged to him."
Silence again. Hizashi sat frozen, trying to wrap his mind around it.
"Is he the same age as Uchiha Itachi?"
"Just under nine. According to the Ninja Academy, he's three months younger. And from what I've gathered, he's more talented than even Kakashi at the same age."
"…And he's still a student?" Hizashi asked incredulously.
Hiashi gave a thin smile. "Still in school. Still playing the part of a civilian Uchiha. Until now."
Hizashi shook his head slowly. "There were prodigies during the war, yes… But a Mangekyō Sharingan user still attending class? That's unheard of."
After a pause, Hizashi asked, "And the other Mangekyō? That's Shisui's, isn't it?"
Hiashi nodded. "Shisui's abilities remain largely unknown, but he has the battlefield experience to be feared. Together, these two form a power bloc the village can't ignore."
(T.L Note: "bloc" is not a spelling error)
He folded his arms, adding, "Whether Konoha likes it or not, decisions made by the Fourth from here onward… must take these two into account."
Hizashi exhaled. "…The balance of power has shifted."
"Exactly." Hiashi said. "The higher-ups still fear another Uchiha Madara, but that fear… it's becoming something else."
"…Political compromise…" Hizashi whispered.
Hiashi nodded. "When fear becomes too great to contain, compromise becomes the only option."
A long silence followed before Hiashi added, "There's something else. I need your thoughts."
Hizashi looked over, intrigued.
"About two weeks ago, our Hyuga—thanks to her Byakugan—overheard a conversation. Something involving the Shimura clan and the Specialized Penitentiary for High-Risk Shinobi."
Hizashi frowned. "What sort of conversation?"
Hiashi's voice turned grave. "It appears that remnants of the Shimura faction plan to aid the militant Uchiha in extracting someone from the facility."
Hizashi sat upright. "…Who?"
"Uchiha Setsuna."
The name hung in the air like a blade.
"…Uchiha Setsuna?" Hizashi repeated. "That name's only found in our old scrolls."
"Correct." Hiashi confirmed. "He was imprisoned during the Second Hokage's reign. If Uchiha Madara was the flame, Uchiha Setsuna was the embers left behind. Fiercely loyal to the martial faction—an extremist."
"And they want to free him?"
Hiashi nodded. "Which raises a bigger issue. Has the balance within the Uchiha shifted? Are the moderates—Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Yun—still in control?"
Hizashi narrowed his eyes. "And you want to know what we Hyuga should do."
Hiashi didn't respond immediately.
"Should we tell Uchiha Shisui or Uchiha Yun? Or…"
*****
Support me on my pat reon and gain early access to my creations.
https://www.pat reon.com/RroY28 (remove the space)
You can access up to 30 advanced chapters.