Chapter 17:
"Hokage-sama, is there no possibility of changing the Hyuga clan's system?" Waiting idly was still waiting. Namikaze Minato, who also wanted to know what was going on with Ritsu, didn't leave the office but humbly sought guidance from Hiruzen.
"The Hyuga clan's system harbors enormous hidden dangers. Anyone can see this problem."
Hiruzen held his pipe, his face full of helplessness. "But as I just said, allowing internal affairs of ninja families like the Hyuga and Uchiha to be self-determined—this was a policy established by the First Hokage. It's not something that can be casually changed. The various clans in the village won't agree."
"Moreover, the Hyuga clan's Caged Bird Seal grants the Main Family absolute power of life and death over the Branch Family. The Branch Family has no power to resist or reform whatsoever."
"In my view, bottom-up reforms have far greater success rates than top-down ones. The Hyuga Branch Family is powerless to resist. Village intervention alone is useless. Forcing intervention will only alienate the Hyuga Main Family from the village!"
These words were heartfelt, containing not a shred of falsehood.
Only because the person standing before him was Minato—his grand-disciple and his internally designated successor—would he speak such innermost thoughts that he wouldn't even share with his own son.
"Doesn't that make it an unsolvable deadlock?"
Minato frowned. "The Hyuga Branch Family cannot resist the Main Family due to the Caged Bird Seal. Yet changing the Hyuga system requires the Branch Family to resist on their own."
"The key lies in the Caged Bird Seal. This is the foundation of the Hyuga Main Family-Branch Family system. If the Caged Bird Seal could be broken, it would naturally unlock the Branch Family's shackles. But it's truly difficult. The Hyuga ancestor who created the Caged Bird Seal was absolutely a genius of unprecedented caliber."
"Minato, I'll be frank with you. I've secretly researched the Caged Bird Seal before, hoping to break it and reform the Hyuga clan. But after research, I discovered this curse is rooted in the Hyuga Byakugan bloodline. Breaking the Caged Bird requires interfering with the Hyuga Byakugan—"
At this point, Hiruzen shook his head and sighed. "But this is too difficult. I spent three months researching with no progress whatsoever, so I didn't dare invest more time to waste!"
For the renowned "Professor of Ninjutsu" to say something was too difficult—even without direct experience, Minato could imagine how thorny it must be.
After several seconds of silence, Minato spoke. "How do you plan to handle this Ritsu matter, Hokage-sama? If Ritsu really returned to the village planning to flee with his family."
"Making hypothetical decisions based on hypothetical situations is meaningless."
Hiruzen shook his head, not answering Minato's question.
At this moment, the ANBU who'd left earlier reappeared, drenched from head to toe. Kneeling on one knee before the desk, he spoke in a low voice. "Hokage-sama, we've investigated clearly. Ritsu entered the village at 1:17 PM, carrying documentation signed by Orochimaru. The gate guards assumed it was a normal transfer."
"Documentation signed by Orochimaru?"
Hiruzen furrowed his brow.
But he quickly set this matter aside. Whether Orochimaru truly signed such documentation or Ritsu forged it, the fact remained undeniable that Ritsu had returned to the village.
So how should this matter be handled?
After careful thought, Hiruzen actually found it somewhat difficult to deal with. Because if the documentation in Ritsu's hands was genuine, then Ritsu's return to the village was reasonable and legal, with no problems whatsoever. He couldn't very well gamble that Ritsu's documentation was forged, could he?
"Minato, I'll have to trouble you to make a trip. Go visit the Hyuga Main Family Elder Hyuga Masamune and ask if he can show some leniency toward Ritsu. While you're there, check out what exactly is happening with the Hyuga clan right now."
After much deliberation, Hiruzen devised a plan.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Minato didn't refuse.
He also very much wanted to know what was happening with the Hyuga clan. And if possible, he indeed wanted to save Ritsu—not because Ritsu was Hiruko-senpai's student, but because he believed a talent like Ritsu shouldn't be wasted this way.
He'd heard the title "Branch Family's Greatest Prodigy" many times.
Given the Hyuga Main Family's situation, the Branch Family's greatest prodigy was equivalent to the Hyuga clan's greatest prodigy. Ritsu wasn't just the Hyuga clan's genius—he was precious wealth for the village.
Having received his orders, Minato put on his bright yellow transparent raincoat.
He looked at Hiruzen. "Hokage-sama, I'll go now."
The next second, Minato's figure vanished, then appeared beneath an old tree with a canopy-like crown outside the Hyuga compound. Torrential rain poured down, beating the branches and leaves until they rustled and shook. Large droplets that had gathered together fell down.
"This rain is really heavy!"
Minato squinted at the nearby Hyuga compound. The rain was too heavy to see anything clearly, and the compound's barrier interfered with his sensing.
He took steps forward, walking briskly.
However, at the Hyuga compound's main gate, he encountered no gate-guarding Hyuga clan members.
This made Minato's heart skip a beat.
This situation wasn't quite right!
The Hyuga clan was one of Konoha's top two prestigious clans. The Hyuga Main Family members were strict with rules and placed great importance on appearances. Never mind heavy rain—even if knives fell from the sky, there would definitely be someone stationed at the compound gates.
He didn't hesitate and continued forward.
The more wrong the situation seemed, the more he needed to clarify it.
However, shortly after entering the Hyuga compound, just as he was wondering whether to find someone nearby to ask about the situation, a Hyuga clan ninja charged straight toward him.
This person was looking for him.
Minato stopped and waited attentively.
"So it's the 'Yellow Flash.' I am Hyuga Arima, here by the clan head's order to welcome our distinguished guest!" Arima stopped before Minato and politely stated his purpose.
Though somewhat impulsive with a somewhat flighty personality, he was never careless when handling tasks. Especially orders from Ritsu—he absolutely wouldn't allow himself to mess up and disappoint Ritsu-aniki.
"Clan head?"
Minato was shocked.
What the hell was going on?
It was one thing for Ritsu to sneak back, but now Hiashi was also playing "sneak into the village quietly, don't make noise"? Was this some shared quirk of the Hyuga clan?
What exactly were the Hyuga planning?
"Your clan head returned? When did he come back?"
"Distinguished guest, please follow me! The clan head awaits your esteemed presence at Tamaeda Shrine." Arima didn't explain that the clan head he spoke of and the clan head Minato referred to weren't the same person at all.
His task was to escort the Yellow Flash to Tamaeda Shrine. He wouldn't do anything extra.
"Then lead the way."
Minato didn't hesitate and agreed directly.
He figured he'd ask Hiashi directly about any questions later. There was indeed no need to waste words here with this Branch Family youth.