The Eighth Elder's emotional outburst seemed persuasive, which secretly pleased the First and Third Elders—but it made the Seventh Elder explode in fury.
He shot up from his mat.
"Have you lost your damn mind?!"
"If Hokage-sama or Uchiha Hikaru hears what you just said, you won't just get yourself killed—the entire Hyuga clan could be dragged down with you!"
"Even if I don't think much of these firearms, this mission has the Hokage's direct approval, and it specifically calls on our Hyuga clan to carry it out."
"Since the founding of Konoha, what else have we Hyuga contributed besides border surveillance with the Byakugan? Are we really so proud of that?"
"I swear, the older you all get, the more backwards you become. The Byakugan was lost in the past because of Hiruzen and Danzo's incompetence. But now? In today's Konoha—who dares lay a finger on our eyes?"
"At the Chunin Exams—who among the Kage dared to even look Uchiha Hikaru in the eye?"
"We don't need to concern ourselves with the usefulness of firearms. Even if Hikaru wants to play ninja games, we Hyuga had better be ready to play along. Got it, you old fool?!"
The Seventh Elder's scathing rebuke made the Eighth Elder's face flush red. He opened his mouth to argue, but—
As the saying goes, lies offend no one—but the truth cuts deep. Those blunt words pierced the hearts of the wavering elders and jolted them out of their delusions of noble superiority.
Hiashi could hardly hide his satisfaction.
Yes! Argue! Fight! Let blood flow! The more chaotic this gets, the easier it'll be for me to push my agenda through. Start throwing punches if you want—please, by all means!
Just as the Eighth Elder opened his mouth to retaliate, the Second Elder raised a hand.
"Old Eight, we've heard your opinion. There's no need to fight just because someone disagrees with you. Sit down."
"And Old Seven—honestly, you're getting up there in years too. Why are you flying off the handle like a Genin? Can't we have a calm, civilized discussion? We're family."
"Your point is valid. But you don't need to shout to make it."
"Now then… Old Six, your turn to speak."
The Eighth and Seventh Elders reluctantly returned to their seats, but their eyes kept darting toward each other, practically cursing one another through sheer eye contact.
The Sixth Elder, calm and composed, began to speak with a measured tone.
"To be honest, I happened to catch Neji testing one of these firearms. I even used my Byakugan to observe his training."
"From what I saw, using that weapon requires an extremely high degree of chakra control. Outside of Neji, it would take a Hyuga at least at the level of a Special Jonin—someone capable of executing Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms—to wield it properly."
"The Gentle Fist style doesn't contribute much in this area. Weak shinobi won't be able to use it. As for strong shinobi from the main family—we can counter it with Rotation."
"So who benefits from this weapon? The branch family. They're the ones looking for any advantage they can find."
"My view? Let's follow the request and send the 200 branch members for the mission. They'll be the ones using the weapons—and they're no threat to us. Besides, they're still bound by the Caged Bird Seal."
The Sixth Elder's pragmatic take immediately earned nods from four of the elders. Even the Third Elder began to hesitate.
The old man's sharp... the Third Elder thought. I'm glad I've been trying to win him over lately. He really understands how to manage the branch family. He'll definitely join the First Elder's camp in the future.
Meanwhile, Hiashi was nearly trembling with joy.
Oh my god! This guy's a gift from heaven! Sixth Elder, I take it all back—you're the fifth wolf in a game of Werewolf! The prophet wolf! (12-player version, four wolves!)
One by one, the Fifth, Fourth, and Third Elders gave their opinions. None of them committed to anything strong—there was a clear tone of hesitation in their voices. They didn't want to do the mission, but they also didn't dare to oppose Uchiha Hikaru.
In other words, they're just trouble-stirrers.
Hiashi used to believe that aside from his uncle, the Second Elder, all the other elders were conniving old men with their own selfish agendas.
But now?
They're not scary at all. They're adorable!
Uncle's clearly a wolf teammate. Sixth Elder—Old Six—you're probably the third wolf. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were on my side too!
As for the others—three seemed to have a conscience. The rest were just fools.
It's all falling into place. The Hyuga's day of liberation is near! So close I can taste it!
Just as Hiashi was gleefully celebrating inside, it was finally the Second Elder's turn to speak.
His gaze swept over the room, stopping pointedly on the First Elder. It was clear who his words were aimed at.
"What I'm about to say may be harsh. But they're the truth—and the truth isn't always pleasant. Listen carefully."
"Our Hyuga clan has never produced a top-tier powerhouse. The Byakugan is our greatest gift… and our greatest limitation."
"Not once have we produced a shinobi who could rival the titans of the Senju or Uchiha."
"Our strategy has always been to align ourselves with powerful allies."
"During the Warring States Era, we allied with the Kaguya clan—distant relatives with shared blood. We supported each other."
"After joining Konoha, we leveraged our Byakugan's surveillance advantages to secure our current position."
"And now, this is our next opportunity. The Hyuga clan can gain more influence and honor within the village. And you want to throw that away?"
"Do you think our lives are good now? Back when Hiruzen was in power, people still called us the strongest dojutsu clan in Konoha. Do they still say that today?"
"You can't even dream of surpassing the current Uchiha—and now you don't even have the ambition to try something new?"
"Is this how you honor the Hyuga who died protecting our shrine?"
Each word slammed down like a hammer. The speech was not about the main family or the branch—it was about the Hyuga's dignity.
And Hiashi could feel the sorrow hidden in his uncle's voice.
The entire clan was like a caged bird—its potential stifled from the inside. The main family had grown complacent and lazy in luxury. The branch family, bound by the Caged Bird Seal, had no dignity.
How could a clan like that ever produce a real powerhouse?
Even though the Byakugan was an elite bloodline, and even though they had more bloodline users than the Uchiha, not one Hyuga had reached the level of true legend.
The root of that tragedy… was the Caged Bird.
Hiashi briefly entertained the idea of bringing his uncle into his plan—but quickly dismissed it.
This plan would upend the Hyuga's entire system. His uncle, though sympathetic, would never risk it.
At least not yet.
Just then, the First Elder snapped, face flushing with rage.
"Second Brother! Are you implying that the Hyuga clan isn't strong enough?!"
"Even in the Warring States Era, we were just behind the Senju and Uchiha! And a few years ago, we even surpassed the Uchiha! It's only recently that some freak like Uchiha Hikaru came along!"
"What you're saying sounds like treason!"
The Second Elder's expression remained calm.
"Let's not talk about the present. Let's talk about the past."
"Senju Butsuma. Uchiha Tajima. Senju Hashirama. Uchiha Madara. Senju Tobirama. Uchiha Izuna."
"These were legends before Konoha was even born. Shinobi so far above others they shaped the world itself."
"Have we ever produced anyone like them in the Hyuga?"
"Should I go on about their accomplishments? Would that help?"
"But I suspect the Great Elder doesn't have a taste for historical reading. You prefer flowers and bonsai, after all."
"Y-you—!!"
The Great Elder's face turned crimson with fury—but he couldn't argue. Everyone knew he spent more time tending his garden than reading.
And no one could deny the truth:
The Hyuga had never produced a true legend.
In the end, Hiashi called for a vote.
Nine total votes: eight elders and himself.
Result: 7 to 2. In favor of sending 200 branch family members to carry out the mission.
After another exchange of pointed words between the First and Second Elders—a slightly more "civil" round of insults—they finally increased the number.
Final decision: 300 Hyuga branch members.
Passed by a narrow 5 to 4 vote.
…
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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