Inside the Hyuga assembly hall, reports began one after another.
"To date," one elder announced, "a total of one hundred and seventy-four ships have been seized — eighty-three large, and ninety-one medium or small vessels. Over eighty percent of them were taken from pirates."
Another added, "We've made agreements with over a dozen coastal towns and fishing villages. We provide the ships; they provide the manpower. Profits are split sixty-forty. Any vessel damaged during operations will be compensated by the responsible party."
A third voice spoke, "Those waters were once abandoned due to pirate activity. Now that they've been reclaimed, the seas are rich with life. Every successful voyage brings enormous profit — anywhere from seven hundred thousand to three million ryō per trip!"
Someone laughed lightly. "Even after covering Lady Hinata's food expenses, we're still earning plenty!"
The mention of that drew smiles and chuckles across the hall.
Back when Hiashi had insisted on establishing an aquaculture farm and even buying a section of pirate-infested waters for fishing and cultivation, nearly everyone had opposed the idea. The elders had sighed bitterly, believing such reckless spending would ruin the clan's prestige.
With all that money, they had argued, we could improve living conditions — clothing, housing, food, transport. We're shinobi, not merchants. Investing in business ventures is beneath us. Is the Hyuga Clan, proud and ancient, truly going to fall in this generation?
But now, the results spoke for themselves. The branch families were thriving — confident, prosperous, and full of spirit. The once weary faces now glowed with pride, their heads held high as they walked through the village with renewed dignity.
The profits from the sea were astonishing. Though each self-sufficient branch member had to pay sixty-five percent of their income as tax to the main family, the remaining thirty-five percent was still several times higher than what they had earned before.
It was far better than their previous lives, where missions were scarce and savings meager.
Hiashi understood people well. He knew that if you wanted a horse to run, you had to feed it first. Prosperity for the clan wasn't just about the Hyuga's name — it touched every individual and their family. Once they saw their own benefit, they would naturally strive harder.
After a moment of discussion, Hiashi cleared his throat. "Speaking of which," he said, smiling faintly, "all of this began thanks to Hinata. If not for her, I never would have insisted on buying that sea territory or founding the aquaculture farm. The credit goes to her."
A hush fell over the room. Then, someone broke the silence.
"Yes! If Lady Hinata didn't eat so much, we never would've thought of this!"
"That's right! It's all thanks to Lady Hinata!"
"Thank you, Hinata-sama!"
"..."
Hinata blinked in disbelief, caught completely off guard. She glanced at her father, who only gave her an encouraging look. After a brief moment of thought, she realized — he was deliberately giving her credit to strengthen her authority within the clan.
"N-No, that's not true!" she said quickly, flustered. "This is all because of Father and everyone's hard work. I just… ate."
A laugh rippled through the crowd.
"Ah, but without your appetite, Lady Hinata, none of this would've happened!" someone teased. "Just as Lord Hiashi said — Lady Hinata was the beginning!"
Hinata's cheeks flushed pink. She lowered her head and sat back down, fiddling nervously with her fingers as the discussion moved on.
…
The next topic shifted to the new livestock farms — a project involving animals such as cattle, sheep, deer, snakes, centipedes, tigers, lions, bears, and even crocodiles. These creatures weren't just for consumption but also for medicine, used to make medicinal wine and healing salves.
Compared to the sea ventures, the aquaculture farms were far riskier — a bottomless pit, some called them. Once fish were caught, they couldn't live long and had to be processed immediately. Even if Hinata had a big appetite, she couldn't eat that much.
Farms, however, were different. Animals could be raised, bred, and harvested gradually. After more than six months of work, the Hyuga aquaculture farms had finally achieved a stable scale, ensuring a steady supply of fresh seafood — more than enough to keep Hinata well-fed.
The recent rewards from Konoha had further improved the situation. Of course, everyone knew that the twenty percent of medicinal supplies from Konoha Hospital would ultimately end up going to Hinata.
But the biggest prize was the two new streets granted to the Hyuga Clan — one nearly six hundred meters long, the other close to five hundred, both lined with shops on either side.
A debate quickly arose: should they simply collect rent or use the streets to start businesses themselves?
Collecting rent was safe and steady, requiring little effort and carrying no risk. But after the huge profits from the sea trade, many were no longer satisfied with mere stability.
The branch families voiced their concerns. "If the main family collects all the rent, none of that money benefits us. It's only fair that we share in some of the profit too."
Hiashi remained thoughtful. "Hinata, what do you think?" he asked finally.
Personally, he preferred the safety of collecting rent — steady income, no risk. But he couldn't ignore the growing pressure to let others share in the gain.
Hinata blinked, unsure at first. "I'm… not really good with business," she admitted softly. "I'm better at fighting than accounting."
Then, after a moment's thought, her eyes lit up. "Ah! I think we could try opening a department store!"
"Department store?" The elders glanced at each other, puzzled. Murmurs spread around the hall.
Hiashi silenced them with a firm clap of his hand against the table. "Quiet," he commanded. "Let Hinata speak."
He turned toward her, his tone gentler. "Go on. Tell us your ideas."