Hokage: Ryo's Path

“Hokage sama, whether it’s Ninjas or civilians, they are all part of our village. We all have the responsibility of protecting them. Since the Uchiha clan unfortunately could no longer take the burden of this responsibility on its own, the Hyuga clan is willing to step and help.”

Hiashi’s “passionate” words of kindness, sounded to everyone more like the Hyuga wanted to take over the Security Deparement.

Heizo Sarutobi could not sit still hearing those words, and he immediately stood up and said: “Hiashi Dono is right. The Sarutobi clan is willing to help as well!”

To keep everyone from getting any doubts, Inoichi also stood up and said the same about the Yamanaka clan.

Fugaku glared at everyone’s faces, pretending to be extremely angry.

As soon as Inoichi’s voice dropped, Hiashi could not wait to say: “I can understand that the Yamanaka clan has an addition of value to offer, and want to take this burden. Their mind scouting and transfer abilities could be a great asset in interrogation, communication and infiltration. On the other hand, our Byakugan gives us the pinnacle of perception techniques, and could help in maintaining the security of the village to a great extent.

What I don’t understand, however, is what the Sarutobi clan has to offer in this. This clan has no particular skill that would help them with police work. In fact, in Heizo Dono’s shoes, I’d be even too embarrassed to step in.”

Hiashi was cleverly dividing camps here. He wanted to join forces with the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance to force out the Sarutobi blan.

Moreover, unlike the Sarutobi’s, the alliance had the genius who is Shikaku Nara sitting at the table. If he could get him to argue with him, it would be very unlikely for the Sarutobi’s to get anything.

It was a very clever idea indeed, but to his surprise, Shikaku remained silent for a long time, before closing his eyes as if he was too bored.

Seeing this, Hiashi was shocked. Shikaku didn’t seem to have any intentions to cooperate with the Hyuga.

‘Did the Ino-Shika-Cho form a deal with the Sarutobi clan?!’ Hiashi thought.

Heizo on the other hand became happy. He was greatly angered by Hiashi’s words, but now he felt that he had Shikaku by his side. Indeed, it made sense to exclude the Hyuga clan, as they would surpass anyone to share the security privileges with.

“Hiashi dono, we indeed do not have the convenience of a Kekkei Genkai such as your Byakugan. However, our clan had always been united, never casting curses on our own, or treating our own brothers as dogs!” Heizo aggressively emphasized the end of his sentence. “If we did do such things, how would we ever be trusted with the security of the village?”

Heizo’s words cut deep. The fact that the Hyuga clan had their head/branch system was indeed something that most other clans loathed. It was only because of the strength of the Hyuga clan that no one dared to interfere or publically shame them.

Today however, in the presence of every leader and elder in Konoha, Heizo said these direct words. Everyone was thinking, does the Sarutobi clan really want to have an all out rivalry with the Hyuga?

Hiashi’s face turned so gloomy and full of shame. He had a great urge to just jump from his place and rush in to kill Heizo with his own hands.

Silence persisted in the room, and no one seemed to want to talk before Hiashi did.

But in the end, Hiashi soon restrained himself and regained his composure.

To the Hyuga, the Sarutobi clan is above all the 3rd’s. Going all out against them would definitely make him dissatisfied. While he had been retired for so long, he was still very strong, and had great influence in the village. This was their only fear.

For this reason, Hiashi had to swallow the words he had in mind, and pretend to not hear Heizo.

Seeing that things were calming down, in the spirit of never letting a party end, Inoichi had to add some fuel to the fire.”

“I believe that Heizo dono’s words are very reasonable. To enslave one’s own family? I cannot trust a clan like that.”

Here, Hiashi couldn’t take it, and in a threatening tone, he asked: “Inoichi dono, do you have a problem with my clan?”

“You’ve misunderstood, Hiashi dono. I’m not talking about any family here; Heizo dono said a thought, and I just agreed.” Inoichi kicked the ball to Heizo’s court.

Heizo, who was thinking about what to say next, found everyone’s eyes on him. The competitiveness of the situation took over him, he said: “Yes, I’m dissatisfied with the Hyuga clan!”

Hiashi couldn’t bare this anymore, and he yelled: “How dare the Sarutobi clan question us? You used to be a small insignificant clan. If it wasn’t for the Sandaime, where would you be today?

A kid like you, showing off with his elder’s power, such a man is not qualified to talk of the Hyuga clan!”

These words, with as much truth as they held, shook Heizo’s already fragile self-esteem, and he was furious that they were said out loud.

“The bar doesn’t get any lower than a man who enslaves his own brother!”

“This is only the Hyuga’s concern. Huh, criticizing our tradition? I don’t find that strange from a clan that has none of their own!”

Things heated up in the conference room, and Sakumo did not do anything to stop that.

Instead, he made a signal to an Anbu who was ready to call the 3rd.

After his retirement, the Sandaime rarely participated in such meetings. Before, he had promised Fugaku to support the Uchiha’s return to the center of Konoha, both in location and political status. When he was called, he expected that it was just to exercise his voting rights.

What he didn’t expect to hear was that there was an all out dispute between Heizo and Hiashi taking place.

He immediately rushed into the conference room, and as he approached, he could hear Hiashi attacking the Sarutobi clan.

But Heizo was not to be outdone. Hearing them both, the 3rd’s face turned gloomy, and he was extremely dissatisfied with both Hiashi’s smug attitude towards his clan, and also Heizo’s naïve behavior.

After listening from outside for a while, he pushed his way through the door and said directly to Hiezo: “Heizo, that is enough! Your words are making our clan lose face!”

The 3rd had always supported and cared for his clan, and on the other hand, the Sarutobi clan knew all too well they wouldn’t be where they are today if it wasn’t for him and for a the great respect that the village had for his achievements. Seeing the 3rd enter, Heizo swallowed his words.