Chapter 27 — Clan Head Hyūga Ritsu
Danzō stormed off in anger.
Hiruzen did nothing to stop him—
his silence was tacit permission.
Only after that iron-willed old man disappeared into the rainy dusk did Hiruzen finally turn back to Hyūga Ritsu and ask:
"What do you intend to do with Hyūga Hiashi?"
Ritsu answered without hesitation:
"Hiashi may be Main House, but he has never committed any true atrocities.
He even protected several Branch members over the years.
And more importantly, I already promised Hyūga Hizashi—
if Hiashi does not resist to the bitter end,
I will spare his life."
He paused, expression calm.
Ritsu was not a man who broke his word.
Of course—
not killing did not mean no consequences.
With the clan still bound by the Caged Bird Seal, he absolutely couldn't allow Hiashi to remain a threat.
The man would have his chakra sealed and would spend some time in confinement.
Only when he no longer posed danger could he return to an ordinary Hyūga life.
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"It's good you don't intend to continue the bloodshed.
Hiashi is no prodigy, but compared to the last two generations of Hyūga clan heads, he's far from the worst.
His misfortune is simply that he happened to cross paths with you."
His gaze drifted to where Hiashi stood stiff and silent while Hizashi whispered urgently beside him.
Hiruzen sighed inwardly.
Then he asked:
"And tonight's… incident—how do you plan to explain it?"
Ritsu waved a hand, signaling the surrounding clansmen to step back.
When only Hiruzen, Minato, and a few key members remained close, he spoke softly:
"Internally, I will say that you and your entourage were deceived by Hiashi and his Main House remnants.
That misunderstanding led to a minor clash between me and Minato-senpai."
"As for the external explanation—
we'll say the Hokage personally came to help us deal with Hyūga Daichi and the other deranged Main House traitors, restoring peace and justice to the Hyūga Clan."
Ritsu smiled faintly.
Hiruzen stared at him for several seconds—
silent, conflicted, troubled.
Finally, he murmured:
"Your clan's system…
I cannot imagine how many geniuses it has crushed."
Then, more direct than ever, he asked:
"After everything that happened tonight—
do you hate us?"
He held Ritsu's gaze unflinchingly, waiting for the answer.
Ritsu blinked once, slowly.
"Hate you?"
He shook his head.
Those pale Byakugan eyes were serene, without a trace of resentment.
"I don't care how rough the road is.
As long as the final outcome is good—
that is enough for me."
At that moment,
Ritsu paused for two seconds, then spoke solemnly:
"Hokage-sama, let me make one thing clear first.
Though our clan has suffered upheaval today, the Hyūga will always be Konoha's Hyūga.
Without the parasitic drain of the Main House, our clan will only contribute more to the village."
He raised his voice, his words striking like falling hammers:
"Give me a few days to stabilize the clan.
After that, I will personally lead our elites to the front lines.
Although it was the incompetence of the Main House that allowed the Mist to steal a Byakugan—
the Byakugan belongs to Konoha alone.
What was stolen, we will take back."
"And the Mist will pay for their insult—
with blood."
His declaration echoed through the shrine like thunder.
The surrounding clansmen heard every word.
The older veterans maintained stoic expressions—too experienced to be easily roused—
but the younger generation…
their faces flushed, blood boiling, eyes blazing with fervor.
"Kill the Mist-nin!"
Hyūga Arima roared like a battle horn.
"Kill the Mist-nin!"
"Kill the Mist-nin!"
A chorus of young voices rose in frenzy.
Hiruzen slowly swept his eyes over the crowd, then looked back at Ritsu—
long and deeply.
A warm smile tugged at his lips.
"Clan Head Hyūga Ritsu,
come to the Hokage building sometime.
Keep this old man company.
These days, I most enjoy speaking with outstanding young people like you and Minato."
"Seeing you two…
I feel like I'm seeing Konoha's bright future."
Ritsu bowed slightly.
"You flatter me, Hokage-sama.
I wouldn't dare compare myself to Minato-senpai."
Hiruzen chuckled.
"Blocking Minato twice is qualification enough.
And one more thing—
when you have the time,
I expect an explanation about that Shikotsumyaku of yours."
He turned, cloak sweeping in the breeze.
"Then we'll leave you to your clan affairs.
Minato—let's go."
"Sorry about that, Ritsu."
Minato gave an apologetic smile, placed a hand on Hiruzen's shoulder,
and in a blink—
both vanished from a forest of Byakugan eyes.
Ritsu remained standing for over ten seconds,
breathing slowly.
Finally, he rolled his neck and released a long exhale.
"At last…
the village hurdle is cleared.
Plans really never keep up with changes."
Things hadn't gone quite as he intended—
but the results were still acceptable.
The last major threats were eliminated.
The village confrontation had concluded without catastrophe.
And most importantly—
Hiruzen had publicly addressed him as "Clan Head Hyūga Ritsu."
It wasn't full acceptance,
but it was official recognition.
As for the danger that might come from behind…
Ritsu's eyes narrowed.
That irritable elder who left in a rage—
the Hokage's personal "black glove,"
the man who carried out everything the Hokage could not openly do…
Yes.
Hyūga Ritsu had likely been added to his list.
Possibly near the top.
Though who knew if he ranked higher than those self-important Uchiha?
Ritsu turned around and faced the gathered elites—
jonin and special jonin alike.
A bright, unstoppable smile spread across his face.
"From today onward,
the Main House will never again enslave us.
Our futures—our lives—
now truly belong to ourselves."
"Go home.
Tell your families the good news."
He waved gently.
But no one moved.
Dozens of stern faces stared at him with blazing determination.
A forty-year-old veteran suddenly stepped forward, voice rough with emotion:
"Clan Head… I swear to you—
if my children can grow up free from the Caged Bird,
I'll climb mountains of blades or walk through seas of fire without hesitation."
Then—
Voices surged forward like a flood.
"Anything you need, just command it!
I'll take rearguard every mission if I have to!"
"Same here!
If anyone dares oppose you, I'll smash his skull!"
"That's right! We'll crack the heads of anyone who stands against the clan head!"
It devolved into a chaotic mess of fierce loyalty.
Ritsu's smile only grew wider.
He raised both hands, signaling silence.
Gradually, they quieted.
"Actually, there is something."
Ritsu said lightly.
"As I mentioned—
in a few days, I'm heading to the front lines to crush those Mist bastards."
"If anyone wants to join…
report to Elder Karin for registration."
He clapped his hands once.
"Now go home."
The crowd dispersed in pairs and groups.
Many immediately swarmed around Hyūga Karin to ask about joining the strike force,
leaving her overwhelmed until she finally announced she'd start taking names tomorrow.
Soon enough, the courtyard emptied.
Only Ritsu remained—
along with his closest aides Hyūga Takuma and Hyūga Arima,
the six elders,
and finally…
Hyūga Hiashi,
the former clan head,
standing like a lifeless plank in the rain-washed night.