Chapter 54
The Night Before the Expedition
Chapter 54 The Night Before the Expedition
Hyuga Yuto returned to the Senju clan's territory and didn't see Tsunade until evening.
—After the war mobilization was completed, Hiruzen Sarutobi called the village's high-ranking officials over for a small meeting.
"Old man, he really is getting old." Tsunade plopped down on the tatami mat, her tone slightly wistful.
"It's getting more and more verbose...sigh."
"Teacher, will you be going to the battlefield this time?"
"It depends on the situation. I will spend most of my time in the rear building and training medical units, but if the situation deteriorates, I will definitely have to go to the front lines. After all, I am a Konoha ninja."
The blonde woman rubbed her neck, lay down, and like a cat stretching its body, pointed to a spot in the room with her toe:
"My dear apprentice, that package is for you."
Hyuga Yuto took the package in his hand and found that it was full of clothes, which were embroidered with the Senju and Hyuga family crests.
"The clothes I made for you were made with the finest materials from the Land of Thunder... Oh, and I put a box in your room containing a thousand explosive tags. Practicing your great-uncle's techniques takes a lot of energy."
"Thank you, teacher," Hyuga Yuto said.
"Hmm." Tsunade paused, then continued:
"Leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes, I've been assigned to the Konoha reconnaissance unit, and I'll be reporting directly to Minato-senpai. Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading to the Land of Hot Springs with the unit."
"Minato Namikaze may be young, but he's already a capable ninja. Yuto, remember, once you're on the battlefield, you can't treat him as a gentle senior who guides you in ninjutsu. You must absolutely obey his orders... Of course, don't be foolish enough to blindly follow orders. It's always a good thing to be cautious..."
Tsunade imparted her wartime experience, and Hyuga Yuto listened attentively. Time passed slowly, and soon it was completely dark.
"...Alright, that's about it, Yuto. Don't let the village down."
"Yes, teacher." The boy from the separated family bowed solemnly.
"Then I'll take my leave now, teacher. Lord Hiashi asked me to come over tonight."
Tsunade gave a noncommittal hum and said softly, "Wait a minute."
Then, after hesitating for a long while, she suddenly turned to the side, her back to Hinata Yuto:
"I remember the last time the world was engulfed in war, two men who were very important to me left me forever." The blonde woman's voice was soft:
"Don't die, Yuto."
……
Hyuga Yuto knelt before Hiashi, remaining silent and composed.
"Ah, Yuto, don't be so reserved," Hiashi Hyuga sighed.
"Now, you're an outstanding ninja, a 13-year-old Jonin... I've heard that in the Warring States period, someone that age was already eligible for engagement." He said in a half-joking tone:
"Is there any girl in the family that you fancy?"
"Clan Chief," Hinata Yuuto's voice was calm.
"Yuto hasn't thought about that yet."
"You young people are all so tense, you have no energy at all." Hiashi Hyuga shook his head, his tone suddenly changing to serious:
"Yuto, you've been assigned to the observation unit?"
"Yes, Chieftain."
"You're a Jonin. You'll either become a lone Peregrine Falcon responsible only to Minato Namikaze, or you'll lead a team. Either way, the responsibilities and authority will be significant." Hiashi Hyuga took a sip of tea and said, enunciating each word clearly:
"Yuto, Vice Commander Namikaze is very outstanding, but he doesn't have a bloodline limit and doesn't understand the Byakugan. Therefore... sometimes, we are more trustworthy to our own people."
"The clan leader is right. In critical moments, Yuto will prioritize the interests of the Hyuga clan."
"Good, it's really good that you have this awareness. Your parents are the same; they understand the greater good and are willing to sacrifice for the clan. This is the secret to the Hyuga clan's continued prosperity..."
Hiashi Hyuga remarked a few words and clapped his hands:
"You lot, come out here... Yuto, raise your head."
Several young figures emerged from the hidden door inside the house. They were all young Hinatas, and they were not wearing headbands, so their smooth foreheads were exposed without any concern for their appearance.
—They are all from the main family.
Shinji Hyuga and Yoshiko Hyuga were among them.
Hiashi Hyuga's voice rang out again:
"The most important factor in a slender seedling growing into a lush, towering tree is the strength of its trunk!"
"The branch family is like the twigs and leaves, while the main family is like the trunk."
"Yuto, these young men and women from the main family will all be going to war with the army."
"Like all Hyuga ninjas, you must protect them with your life, serving as both the shield and the sword of the main clan, unleashing your full potential!"
"Oh, this is Shinji and Miko. You've met at the Hokage's house before... Say hello. You're all young, you should get to know each other better."
Shinji Hinata walked up to Yuto and extended his hand:
"Hyuga no Tama, we meet again. I heard you've become a Jonin... Haha, I'm entrusting my safety to you now."
Hyuga Yuto stood up, his face expressionless.
"I would risk my life."
"Okay, I'm relieved to hear that." Shinji Hyuga patted the branch family boy on the shoulder, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
However, at that moment, Shinji Hinata suddenly reached out and gently touched his forehead, with a half-smile on his face.
"—You haven't forgotten that pain, have you? Hinata Yuto."
The young man from the branch family retreated silently, greeting several young men from the main family, memorizing every detail of their faces.
"Alright." Hiashi Hyuga waved his hand.
"Yuto, you can step back now and get some rest. I remember you're leaving the village tomorrow."
"Yes, Chieftain."
As Hyuga Yuto left the main hall, the expressions of the main family members inside remained unchanged.
That night, they also had to remind and suppress many branch family experts, and Hyuga Yuto was just one of them.
Suppression, appeasement, warnings, punishment, and rewards—the main family is extremely adept at suppressing the branch families, even more so than at using a gentle fist technique.
After all, the main family has been doing this for a thousand years.
Every time they hear others praising the Inuzuka clan as the number one dog-breeding clan in the ninja world, the Hyuga main family wants to laugh.
Training people requires much more skill than training dogs.
……
Hyuga Yuto walks through the night in Konoha.
This is the night before departure. Countless elders are giving their earnest advice, and countless couples are embracing each other with reluctance. Even someone as high-ranking and powerful as Hiruzen Sarutobi probably won't be able to sleep well tonight.
However, the boy who had separated from the family walked very lightly at this moment.
He felt incredibly excited, as if he had won the lottery.
"But there's something missing..." Hinata Yuto muttered to himself.
He reached into his waist pouch, felt around, and tapped it lightly.
Ding--
A crisp sound echoed from his fingertips; it was the sound of the small glass vial vibrating, a little muffled, because the vial contained a preservative liquid.
His lips suddenly curled up, tinged with a hint of madness:
"You didn't buy enough."
(End of this chapter)