"I remember you said you didn't want to join ANBU. So how did you end up accepting this assignment?"
"Satoru , if the Fourth is pressuring you, I—as your father, as Hyūga Hiashi—can go and speak to him on the clan's behalf."
After returning from the Hokage's office, Hyūga Satoru reported Minato's new appointment to Hiashi. His current position in the clan was sensitive; some things needed to be communicated upfront so there'd be no misunderstandings later.
When Hiashi heard that Satoru had been made an ANBU squad captain to investigate a mysterious organization, he couldn't help feeling confused.
He clearly remembered that when Satoru had just come back to the village, the Fourth had extended an invitation—and Satoru had refused at the time. How, in such a short span, had his son changed his mind? Hiashi naturally suspected the Fourth had insisted, and his expression cooled.
The Hyūga now had the strength to overturn the table if pushed; with real power at his back, Hiashi spoke more directly than in past years.
"This time's different," Satoru said calmly. "The Fourth didn't force me into ANBU. I agreed."
"I suspect that organization won't stop here. And from what I've seen, they're connected to Uchiha Obito—the one who attacked Kushina-sensei years ago. If we turn this into a village-level threat, we can use Konoha's power to protect Hyūga assets. It's killing two birds with one stone."
"Father, think about it."
Hiashi fell silent, then quickly pieced things together.
If they didn't report any of this to the Hokage, those attacks on Hyūga exchange houses would remain purely "Hyūga business." If they wanted to protect their interests, the clan would have to pour in their own manpower and resources—both to guard every branch and to track the enemy group on their own until the threat was completely eliminated.
But handled Satoru 's way, that "mysterious organization" became a danger to Konoha itself. And to protect the village, the Fourth would have no choice but to give Satoru broad authority—and assign elite village shinobi to help him investigate.
Just as Satoru had said, it was using the strength of the village to guard the Hyūga's private industries, while also benefitting Konoha as a whole.
It would protect the clan's assets and give Satoru a foothold in the village's administrative system.
On paper, the title of ANBU squad captain might not seem eye-catching—there were dozens of squad captains spread across Root and the Third's ANBU. The key, however, was how much actual power came with the post.
Minato had given Satoru full investigative authority and required him to report only to the Hokage. In practice, that made him a special envoy with license to act first and report later—someone with enormous real power who would naturally become an important player in village politics going forward.
The Hyūga placed more people within the village structure than the Uchiha did, but their influence at the very top was still limited. Aside from a handful of main-family members, most Hyūga in official posts peaked at things like barrier-unit leads.
Some clan shinobi did reach jōnin, but they weren't usually in command roles. More often they served as scouts or specialists under other people's orders. The Hyūga's reputation sounded grand, but when it came to truly high-level decision-making, they were often left outside the room.
And now, with the Uchiha growing increasingly restless, how could the Hyūga simply sit on the sidelines?
Thinking back, Hiashi realized Konoha's leadership had started squeezing the Hyūga long before they turned their attention to the Uchiha. If Satoru hadn't suddenly appeared when he did—if that delegation from the Hidden Cloud had succeeded in stealing a Byakugan—the Hyūga would have been forced to bow their heads.
But Satoru 's rise had changed everything. As his reputation grew, so did Hyūga pride and ambition. Who wouldn't want a Hyūga someday sitting in the Hokage's chair? Satoru himself might not care for the title, but clan sentiment wasn't so easy to control.
If such an opportunity truly presented itself one day, the Hyūga would happily hoist Satoru up there.
Hiashi never said it aloud, but in his heart, this arrangement—Satoru taking up an ANBU captaincy at the Fourth's side—fit his hopes perfectly. As long as Satoru wasn't being coerced, Hiashi was more than willing to see him step into village affairs.
After thinking it through, Hiashi nodded.
"I understand what you're aiming for, Satoru .
"As head of the main house, protecting the clan is important. But we can't refuse every opportunity just out of fear."
"I trust your strength. With Flying Thunder God, I don't need to worry about your life too much. But let me say this anyway: the battlefield is not like training. Accidents happen."
"When you leave the village, be careful. Don't trust people too easily. Don't overestimate your own power—and never underestimate any opponent."
With Satoru 's ANBU appointment settled, Hiashi spoke as a father more than a clan head. He believed in his son's talent and power, but what worried him was Satoru 's youth. In a world where one misstep meant death, reckless courage killed more geniuses than weakness ever did.
"I'll be careful," Satoru promised. "That organization's no joke. I'll keep my guard up and I won't give them any easy chances."
The enemy was Akatsuki—even at this stage, they were the kind of foe who could kill someone like Jiraiya in his prime. Even though he had powerful allies, Shin, Shisui, Guy, Kakashi and the others were still young. Satoru 's plan was to pick off Akatsuki members one by one, and when the time came, to step into the Land of Rain itself and pull Nagato out from the shadows.
He had no confidence about facing the Six Paths of Pain head-on—not with Konan still at Nagato's side. That woman could unleash enough paper bombs to engulf an entire battlefield, and the sheer force of it might trigger things like Obito's Izanagi. In terms of pure destructive power, she was nothing short of Kage-class.
If they ever ran into those ocean-like seas of exploding tags, Satoru 's only realistic answer was Flying Thunder God to escape. Even Kakashi with Mangekyō and Kamui might not be able to hold that kind of output. Whether a full Susanoo could withstand it… that was anyone's guess.
News that Satoru was taking on a secret mission spread quickly inside the Hyūga household.
Not only Hiashi, but Elder Shin, Hanako, and even little Hanabi soon learned that the eldest son would be leaving the village again.
Hanabi hadn't spent much time with Satoru yet, but blood ties were a powerful thing. When she heard that her big brother was heading out again, her little heart sank.
That evening, Hinata heard as well.
Her good mood vanished on the spot. Though she was pampered and a bit willful, Hinata had grown more mature over the last few years. She understood that a ninja brother would always be busy—but knowing and accepting were different things. She spent dinner in silence, clearly unhappy.
At that age, children crave attention and presence. With Hiashi constantly occupied and Satoru running missions, even with Hanako's careful love, that missing warmth of a father and an older brother couldn't really be filled.
Satoru didn't notice Hinata's sulking. His mind was occupied with something else entirely—where to start his investigation.
The formal appointment as ANBU squad leader came quickly.
The squad itself, however, took some time to assemble.
Satoru asked the Fourth about the delay. Minato explained that he and "Dan" had only just finished guarding Kushina and had promised the entire team a full month of rest. Until that leave ended, they would not depart.
That was the official reason.
In reality, Minato had already sent multiple ANBU units out to scout—and they had, in fact, discovered the battlefield where Satoru had fought Sasori and Kakuzu, roughly a hundred kilometers from the village.
Satoru 's Mini Tailed Beast Bomb had wiped out most traces, but the crater it left behind was unmistakable. ANBU trackers also found metal fragments at the bottom and the remains of several ruined puppets scattered around the area.
Once the site was confirmed, Minato instructed ANBU to follow what tracks they could. The enemy's trail vanished after a few dozen ri. Kakuzu had clearly fled in a panic at first, leaving signs behind—but when he realized Satoru was no longer chasing him, he'd calmed down and begun carefully erasing his tracks.
Though they couldn't follow Kakuzu to his exact location, the remaining signs all pointed in the same direction: northwest, toward Takigakure. That matched Satoru 's earlier report.
Minato didn't mention his private investigation to Satoru ; there wasn't much to say yet. He'd originally meant to brief him before the squad set out, but after a period of probing turned up almost nothing, he quietly shelved it.
The squad's departure date kept being pushed back.
Satoru didn't mind. He had no new Akatsuki intel; there was no point in rushing out to flail around blindly. Until he had a lead, it was better to stay in Konoha and avoid burning daylight and manpower.
With free time suddenly on his hands, he spent more of it simply being with his family—checking in on Hinata at school, playing with Hanabi at home.
Children in this world matured quickly. Where girls the same age in another life might still be playing house, Hanabi was "playing ninja" with a wooden kunai.
Sometimes Satoru genuinely wanted to ask: Isn't she only three?
Then he remembered the Uchiha kids cutting down enemies on the battlefield at four years old and immediately felt more balanced about watching Hanabi stab the air with a toy.
Afternoon at the Hyūga residence.
Satoru lounged on a tatami mat by the window, leafing through a book titled On Chakra Natures, stifling a yawn. In his peripheral vision he watched Hanabi bouncing around the empty room.
After lunch, Hanako had gone out for afternoon tea with friends and left the children in Satoru 's care.
This, too, was part of his "short vacation routine."
Children could build entire worlds in their heads. Hanabi mumbled battle cries and random lines under her breath, wooden kunai slashing at imaginary enemies. She was alone—but never bored.
Eventually, the novelty wore off. Hanabi tossed aside the kunai and hopped over to Satoru , bumping her small head against his arm. She peeked at the book in his hands and asked sweetly:
"Big brother, what are you reading?"
Satoru shifted his pillow and replied in a mock-serious, sleepy voice, mimicking her tone:
"Reading a book."
For some reason, that answer struck her as hilarious. Hanabi giggled, scrambled up onto his chest and shoulder for a moment, then slid back down and resumed playing on the tatami.
A soft spring breeze slipped in through the open shōji. Satoru closed the book and set it aside, then leaned back and crossed his legs, letting his body relax.
Sometimes, what life demanded wasn't grand ambition or glorious achievements. Quiet moments with family were enough to be etched into memory.
Hanabi was still too young to understand her brother's mood. But a few years from now, she might suddenly remember these afternoon naps and feel an unexpected warmth in her chest.
Leaves rustled gently in the courtyard. The breeze cooled his face, and Satoru 's eyelids grew heavy.
He drifted off.
At some point, Hanabi put down the wooden kunai, turned, and saw his eyes closed. She padded over on tiptoe, waved a small hand in front of his face, and, when he didn't respond, carefully sat down beside him.
Then, imitating his posture, she leaned against his arm, closed her eyes—
—and the Hyūga estate slipped into a peaceful midday sleep.
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