Although the bullying incident Hinata experienced had been an isolated case that didn't cause much public stir, it was a sign—a reflection of a deeper problem.
The Hyuga Clan's reputation in Konoha was deteriorating.
From small things, greater trends could be seen.
And this small incident clearly showed where the wind of public opinion was now blowing.
As her elder brother, Satoru had not done nearly enough for Hinata.
He didn't even know what had happened that day.
While his sister was being bullied in the streets, he spent the entire day in the dojo, training relentlessly—focused solely on one thing: becoming stronger.
He knew very well what kind of situation the Hyuga were in.
And precisely because he understood that, his need for power was more desperate than ever.
Those Cloud-nin—he could sense it in his gut—they wouldn't stop at words.
The dark-skinned Raikage was not the kind of man to back down easily.
That evening, as Satoru was practicing in the dojo, Hyuga Shin returned from a high-level meeting at the Hokage Building and came to find him.
After politely asking Kakashi and Shisui to step outside, the old man closed the sliding doors behind them.
Inside, only grandfather and grandson remained.
"Satoru," Shin began, his tone unusually solemn,
"in two days' time… I'll be leaving Konoha."
"Before I go, there's a technique I must teach you."
"You need to quiet your heart and learn it well."
The words hit Satoru like a shock.
He barely registered what technique Shin wanted to teach—his mind froze on the first sentence.
"Grandfather, why are you leaving the village? What happened?"
"Did the Fourth Hokage change his mind?"
There was only one matter that could prompt such a move—the killing of the Cloud emissary.
Across the shinobi world, tensions between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud were at a breaking point.
Both sides were building up forces along the border; the smell of war hung heavy in the air.
For the elder of the Hyuga Clan to leave the village now—that was not a good sign.
"No," Shin said slowly, "the Fourth Hokage hasn't changed his stance. He's still firmly on our side."
"But even the Hokage can't go completely against the will of the village."
"You've heard about the Cloud army massing near the border, haven't you? Today, the Hokage convened a war council to discuss mobilization."
"During the meeting, nearly every other clan representative reached the same conclusion—"
"They want us, the Hyuga, to once again take the lead in this war."
The words seemed ordinary on the surface—after all, the Hyuga had fought in every major war in Konoha's history.
But the gravity in Shin's tone told Satoru exactly what it meant.
"Over the years, our numbers have thinned with each war," Shin continued quietly.
"And with Hiashi having taken so many elites with him before, our strength is stretched even thinner."
"This time, if I go to the frontlines against the Cloud, I'll be bringing most of our remaining elite shinobi with me."
"The defense of the clan compound will be greatly weakened."
"But don't worry—your personal guards will remain. And the Fourth Hokage has privately promised me that he'll ensure your safety. You'll be secure within the village."
"The real reason I came today is to teach you the Caged Bird Cursed Seal."
"If anything should happen to me or Hiashi on the battlefield, Satoru… you will become the next head of the Hyuga Clan."
His words carried the weight of a man preparing for death.
Just like when Hiashi had left the village months earlier, Hyuga Shin now stood ready to lead the clan to war—pressured by the village, and driven by duty.
If Konoha and the Cloud went to war, the fighting would be as brutal as the fiercest days of the Third Great Ninja War.
But this time, the Hyuga could not back down.
To retreat now would mean disgrace, isolation, and the loss of the clan's standing within the village.
To restore the Hyuga's honor, they needed to show strength—to let the enemy's blood reforge their clan's prestige.
"Grandfather… does it really have to be you?" Satoru asked quietly, his brows drawing tight.
Since Hiashi's departure, Satoru had already smelled a hint of conspiracy in the air.
Now, with Shin also being sent out, that feeling grew stronger.
This old man should've been long retired—why was he being pushed to the frontlines now?
Shin chuckled softly, though his tone was resolute.
"Of course it has to be me."
"You think I'd trust anyone else to lead our Branch Family shinobi into battle?"
"If some commander at the front decided to throw the Hyuga into suicidal missions, what then? Wouldn't our resistance become a joke?"
"No. I'll go myself. And not just as a soldier—"
"I'll be the commander of the frontlines."
"For the sake of Konoha's victory—and for the pride of the Hyuga Clan—"
"I'll give everything I have."
Satoru's chest tightened.
So that was it.
Shin wasn't just going to fight—he was going to take responsibility.
And if the frontlines failed, that responsibility would crush him.
Satoru didn't doubt his grandfather's experience or skill.
But against the likes of the Cloud's top shinobi—jinchuriki and Bloodline warriors—the Hyuga's Gentle Fist would be at a disadvantage.
Sensing his grandson's worry, Shin smiled gently.
"Don't worry. Even if the village wants me to shoulder the blame, they still want the war won."
"The Fourth has already sent word to one of the Sannin—Jiraiya is on his way back."
"He'll be working with me on the front."
"With him there, we will win."
"I'm telling you all this only so you'll be prepared for the worst."
"War is unpredictable, after all."
He placed a hand on Satoru's shoulder, his expression softening.
"Enough talk. Listen carefully now. I'll teach you what you need to know."
Time was short.
There was no room left for hesitation or sentiment.
Satoru bowed his head deeply.
"Yes, Grandfather. I understand. Please—teach me."
The Caged Bird Cursed Seal was the Hyuga's most closely guarded secret.
Its purpose: to protect the Byakugan from leaking beyond the clan, and to maintain the Main Family's absolute authority.
With Satoru's exceptional grasp of ninjutsu, learning it wasn't difficult—what truly mattered was mastering the sealing key.
Within a few hours, he had completely learned it.
Afterward, Shin spent the rest of the night explaining the clan's critical affairs, handing over a sealed scroll that contained every detail about the Hyuga's internal workings.
The training of a successor was supposed to take years—but time was a luxury they no longer had.
That night, within the Hyuga's ancestral hall, a quiet ceremony took place.
Before the gathered Branch Family heads, Hyuga Shin formally entrusted the future of the clan to his grandson, Hyuga Satoru.
Among the witnesses stood Hyuga Hizashi, who had seen everything that had transpired over the past months.
He had fought beside Satoru in repelling the Cloud assassins, and in that moment, seeing Shin's determination to protect the clan, something inside him shifted.
He began to see it clearly at last—the main and branch families were two halves of one whole.
When the clan assembly concluded, the air in the hall was heavy.
The war roster was announced.
Those whose names appeared on it wore grim expressions, leaving in silence to say their farewells to family.
Hizashi's name was not on the list.
Shin had deliberately left him behind—to assist Satoru in managing the clan.
It was the same as when Hiashi had left for his campaign.
History was repeating itself.
Konoha's war mobilization moved quickly.
By the time Jiraiya returned to the village, the Hyuga forces were already assembled and ready to depart.
Led by Hyuga Shin, the clan's elite marched out of Konoha to the northern front.
That morning, Satoru stood at the gates, watching them leave.
By afternoon, he returned to the now-quiet compound and activated his Byakugan, sweeping his gaze across the entire estate.
Where once there had been laughter and training… there was now only silence.
Those left behind did not feel relief for being spared the frontlines—only anxious hearts and a looming uncertainty about the Hyuga's future.
Far beyond Konoha, in the depths of a shadowed forest, the ground began to stir.
As the Konoha army marched toward the border, two figures emerged from the earth.
"The Fourth Hokage really didn't hesitate," White Zetsu chuckled.
"Looks like Konoha's going to war with the Cloud for real!"
"Heh… the more chaos, the better," came Black Zetsu's low murmur.
"That way, no one will notice what we're doing."
"First the Land of Rain… then Kirigakure."
"We'll take control of them all."
Their voices faded as their forms melted back into the soil.
And in the silence that followed, the world itself seemed to tremble—for war was once again on Konoha's doorstep.
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