Chapter 19: The Patriarch's Hall
The presence of adult clan ninjas instantly changed the dynamic, tightening the air around Reitō and Hizashi. Hizashi's face hardened. Was Mōri so petty, so vengeful, that he would escalate a personal defeat into an official clan reprimand?
"Hylō Mōri," Hizashi said, stepping slightly in front of Reitō, his voice firm. "Do not believe that being the elder's son grants you license to abuse the clan's authority for personal vendettas."
Mōri responded with nothing but a disdainful sneer, leaning on his cane. It was one of the adult ninjas, a man with stern features and the sharp gaze of the Main Family, who addressed them. His eyes bypassed Hizashi entirely, landing on Reitō.
"Are you Hyūga Reitō?"
"I am," Reitō replied, standing tall, his posture neither aggressive nor submissive.
"Good. You are to come with us. The clan patriarch summons you for questioning."
The patriarch? The words sent a different kind of chill down Reitō's spine. This was beyond Mōri.
"Questioning? Why would the patriarch wish to see Reitō?" Hizashi demanded, his worry cutting through his attempt at formality.
The lead ninja's cold eyes finally flicked to Hizashi. "You will accompany us as well." His tone brooked no argument. Simultaneously, the two other ninjas moved to flank Reitō, their positioning less of an escort and more of an unspoken containment.
"Let's go, Hyūga Reitō," Mōri jeered, his voice a low taunt. "Perhaps they have a reward for you."
Under Hizashi's deeply concerned gaze, Reitō walked forward, his demeanor outwardly calm. Inside, his mind was a whirlwind of calculation.
The moment they were out of sight, Hizashi spun on his heel and sprinted toward the denser residential area of the branch family. He had to warn others.
The Hyūga compound was a small city within Konoha, a testament to the clan's insular pride. Like the Uchiha, they maintained their own distinct territory, but with an even sharper internal division: the manicured, spacious quarters of the Main Family, and the more utilitarian dwellings of the Branch. It was Reitō's first time stepping into the heart of the Main Family's domain.
The clan meeting hall was imposing, all dark, polished wood and hushed echoes. Several elders were already present, their lined faces turning toward him with expressions ranging from curiosity to deep scrutiny.
One elder, with a kind face and gentle eyes, broke into a genuine smile. "Well, well! To think the 'tail feather' of our clan has soared into Class A! This will silence those preening Uchiha and their endless talk of genius for a good while, haha!"
"Indeed," another chuckled. "Our Hyūga stock has proven superior once again."
The initial atmosphere was surprisingly positive. For a fleeting moment, Reitō wondered if Mōri's taunt had been accidentally prophetic. Were they truly here to acknowledge his achievement?
But one glance at Mōri's persistent, gloating smirk told him otherwise. The trap was more subtle.
Sure enough, the mood shifted like a sudden cold front. An elder with a severe expression and a scar cutting across his cheek—Hyūga Ryōtomo, Mōri's father—spoke, his voice a dampener on the good cheer.
"Hyūga Reitō has brought a measure of recognition to the clan," Ryōtomo conceded, his tone flat. "However, in his… exuberance, he grievously overstepped. He publicly assaulted a member of the Main Family, causing a significant disturbance. Worse, his reckless actions have ignited dangerous sentiments within the Branch Family. He is being hailed by some as a 'hero.'"
Ryōtomo's words were expertly chosen, framing Reitō's self-defense not as an act of defiance against a bully, but as an insurrection against the natural order. The earlier, smiling elders immediately sobered, their expressions clouding with disapproval and dawning concern. To them, a Branch member was, at their core, a finely crafted tool of the clan. A tool that fights back against its wielder is not a better tool; it is a faulty, dangerous one that must be corrected or discarded.
Reitō felt the collective hostility pivot and focus on him, sharp and heavy.
Just as the silence grew oppressive, the doors opened again. A man entered, his presence commanding immediate respect. He was older, his hair streaked with grey, but his posture was erect, his Hyūga eyes missing nothing. Behind him walked Hiashi and Hizashi, the twins' faces carefully neutral, though Hizashi shot Reitō a quick, worried glance which Reitō answered with a barely perceptible shake of his head.
"The Second Elder," several voices murmured in greeting.
More people began to file into the hall—not just elders, but prominent members of both the Main and Branch families. The room, once holding a semi-private inquiry, was becoming a full clan gathering. The sheer scale of it confirmed Reitō's growing unease. This was not about a schoolyard scuffle. This was about something far more fundamental: the stability of the Hyūga's rigid world, and his unexpected role as a catalyst. They weren't just deciding his punishment; they were deciding what his existence meant for the future of the clan itself. The walls of the grand hall seemed to close in, not with wood and plaster, but with the weight of centuries of tradition, all of it now focused on one small boy with strange, inward-seeing eyes.