Chapter 51: The Hyuga Clan Head's Humiliation

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But what does the Uchiha clan want with them? Do they think these young people are easily deceived? It didn't seem quite right no matter how they thought about it.

Or perhaps, they plan to have them compete for the position of clan head, replacing Choza and the others? The Uchiha clan shouldn't have that much power, right?

"Slam!"

At that moment, Hyuga Hiashi pushed open the door and walked in. His face was unusually grim, his Byakugan still activated. An intimidating aura emanated from him, leaving everyone puzzled.

Wasn't he unwilling to conspire with them? Why did he come back? And why did he look like his mother had just died? His expression was even more daunting than Uchiha Fugaku's.

"Clan Head Hiashi?" Nara Shikaku was momentarily stunned before quickly getting up.

"I'll join you! I'll go to the Uchiha clan with you all," Hyuga Hiashi said in a deep voice, returning to his previous seat. He was clearly in a bad mood, with a chilling aura constantly emanating from him.

"Clan Head Hiashi, did something happen?" Nara Shikaku asked after some thought. If nothing had happened, Hyuga Hiashi probably wouldn't have returned. The Hyuga clan's arrogance was almost on par with the ostracized Uchiha.

Fortunately, the Hyuga had the Caged Bird Seal for control, and their Byakugan couldn't evolve further. That's why Konoha never considered the Hyuga a threat.

"...The Uchiha clan, those guys are going too far."

"Uchiha Setsuna led ten Jonin to provoke our Hyuga clan..." Hyuga Hiashi suddenly couldn't continue. He had just received the news that that old geezer had taken people to challenge them. They went to the Hyuga clan, completely overwhelmed his clan members, and then left after dropping a line:

'Next time, if you dare refuse our Uchiha's goodwill again, don't expect your Hyuga clan to have an easy time.'

Those brainless brutes from the Uchiha, upon their invitation being rejected, directly attacked their doorstep. It was a complete humiliation, trampling on the Hyuga clan's face. But the Hyuga clan couldn't even utter a word of protest.

The elders in the clan shouted about Hiashi's brother Hizashi's sacrifice being meaningless to Konoha, and towards the Uchiha, they advocated for smoothing things over.

He, as the clan head, felt utterly powerless. He had no control over the Hyuga clan and was constantly being stepped on. They were probably the only ones in the entire Konoha in such a situation.

Yet, the Hyuga elders still boasted about the Hyuga being the best in Konoha. Hyuga Hiashi now had the urge to purge the entire clan...

"..." 

Sensing Hyuga Hiashi's reluctance to speak, they didn't press further. The conversation then shifted to their upcoming visit to the Uchiha clan. They agreed to remind their Jonin not to interact with the Uchiha unnecessarily.

As for refusing the Uchiha's invitation, wasn't Hiashi a prime example? He initially declined but ended up returning to discuss the matter with them.

"Raijin, is it okay for you to stroll around Konoha these days?" Kakashi asked, holding a three-colored dango and observing their surroundings.

Why did Raijin travel with more pomp than even the Hokage? He had at least two teams of Anbu following him. Had the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha worsened due to the recent events in the village?

Something felt amiss to Kakashi.

"What's the problem? I'm a Jonin of Konoha. Can't I stroll around my own village?" Raijin replied calmly, sipping his tea. "By the way, I heard the Third Hokage has selected a few newly graduated Genin for you to lead as their captain. How's it going? Feeling any pressure?"

After stepping down as Anbu captain, Kakashi was now an idle Jonin in Konoha. The Third Hokage assigned him a few Genin to keep him occupied. However, Kakashi wasn't one to conform. He quickly dismissed the Genin, finding them far below his standards.

"Pressure? Hmm, I don't think so," Kakashi replied, slightly embarrassed as he recalled the children he had met. They were completely different from his own team under Minato, each acting independently with no sense of teamwork. So, Kakashi dismissed them without hesitation.

"If your teacher's spirit could see you now, he'd be heartbroken," Raijin said, patting Kakashi's shoulder comfortingly. "Kakashi, let the past go."

"...You should go back to how you were before. This look of yours scares me," Kakashi said, shrugging off Raijin's hand and popping a dango into his mouth.

He vanished instantly, his movements so swift that only someone with a Mangekyo Sharingan could likely see his face clearly.

"Hehe, just relax these days. Next year, you can take a look at the new graduates and see if you want to lead a team," Raijin said with a smile, not minding Kakashi's reaction. It was best for Kakashi to stay in Konoha for now, saving Raijin the trouble of searching for him outside. It would be more convenient to have him in the village when the time came.

"Me, as a judge? No problem," Kakashi agreed after a moment of thought, scratching his head. Many people would be attending the event, so it was natural for him to be invited.

"By the way, are there any outstanding juniors you think are worth bringing along?" Raijin asked. "I guarantee them a satisfying gift when they leave."

Raijin was curious if Kakashi had his eye on any other talents. Kakashi had good judgment; there might be some hidden geniuses in Konoha who didn't get a chance to shine in the original story. As a high-ranking ninja, Kakashi likely had access to such individuals.

"I rarely interact with others. If I had to say..." Kakashi pondered, finding it a bit difficult. "Might Guy and I have a decent relationship."

"Forget it then!" Raijin immediately refused. What use was that brainless beast? He wasn't loyal to Raijin, except maybe under the influence of Kotoamatsukami. Keeping him around would be like having an unstable time bomb.

"Oh, well then, there's no one," Kakashi shrugged. There were a few in the Anbu, but could he bring them out? Their identities were hidden; he couldn't expose them like that in front of Raijin.

Raijin waved his hand dismissively, and the two sat in the dango shop until nightfall. As darkness approached, Raijin and Kakashi parted ways. Kakashi headed towards the Hokage's office, while Raijin walked towards the traijing grounds outside the village...

...

(End of Chapter)