22. The Greatest Strategic Shift of Hyuga


    "I''m at most at fault here. As the Patriarch, I didn''t see through Tobirama''s real genius and the darker motives behind his ns soon enough. This oversight has led us to our current predicament...", The Patriarch confessed, his toneden with regret,


    "The signs were also there when Tobirama effectively dissolved his own Senju n into the civilian popce, advising them to change their surnames, marry freely, and pursue their lives outside of the n structure. This move drastically raised the gic potential of Konoha''s civilian poption by a lot. Though the full impact is yet to be realised, the early signs are unmistakable.",


    "Take, for example, Minato Namikaze, an early protégé of Jiraiya, one of Hiruzen''s disciples. They already knew about him and approached him deliberately recently, through Jiraiya, while he''s still in the Academy. He''s a perfect example of this ''mixed'' heritage and is being fast-tracked by the Hokage''s faction.",


    "The next generation of Jonins will likely be even more dominated by these ''hybrid'' civilians, boasting enhanced chakra reserves, stronger physical attributes, way more nature chakra affinities than they had previously, and other gic advantages as the Senju lineage bes entirely woven into the vige''s civilian fabric.",


    The room fell silent as the council absorbed the Patriarch''s words. There was a mix of emotions visible among the Elders—shock at the realization of Tobirama''s long-term strategy and ruthlessness toward his own n that raised him, a slight respect for the cunning with which he pursued his and his brother''s ideals of ''unified'' vige, the ''Will of Fire'' and ''one-family'', and concern for what this meant for their own n''s positions in Konoha in the future.


    That''s precisely why Tobirama aimed to elevate ns like the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado. These groups were objectively weaker than the mighty Uchiha, Hyuga, and other dominant ns known for their formidable power.


    By bolstering these less powerful ns early on, Tobirama sought to unify the vige further. The logic was clear: it would be simpler to control these four ns than to deal with the might of ns like the Hyuga and Uchiha. This approach was meant to bnce power within Konoha, ensuring no single n could threaten the vige''s stability.


    "However, what Tobirama perhaps didn''t foresee was the extent of cronyism that would follow under Hiruzen and his advisors. It seems they''ve taken Tobirama''s strategy but twisted it for their own ends, amassing wealth, power, and influence not for his ideas, but for their personal gain...", Another Elder pointed out, his words tinged with disillusionment.


    "You''re not alone in this, Patriarch; we''ve all made mistakes. It seems almost like fate has gifted us with Hikari at just the right moment. Without someone as uniquely talented as him, I''m not sure how we could stand against the Hokage''s faction, which has grown so strong and now includes the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi ns on their side.",


    "This leaves us, along with the Aburame and Inuzuka, in the ''neutral'' camp we currently lead, while Hiruzen''s faction continues to undermine the Uchiha''s interests...", Another Elder reflected, deepening the council''s analysis of their situation.


    He continued, "As for the Uchiha, we''ve stayed out of their conflict with Konoha since they''ve served as a sort of ''shield'' for us. They were the ones in the Hokage''s faction''s crosshairs, and the noble ''boogymen'', in the eyes of civilians, thankfully not us, since the founding of this vige, sparing us that ''attention'' even though we both shared a dojutsu kekkei genkai.",


    "But a ''shield'' only works if it''s still standing. From what we can see, it looks like they might move to eliminate the Uchiha npletely in a few decades timeframe. And if that happens, there''s a good chance we''ll be next right after then.",


    "This leaves us with two choices: we either ept a significant loss of our power and capitte like Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi, but end up with a wayrger loss of power than them, on both rtive and absolute terms, due to our current way higher ''starting strength and the level of vignce that the Hokage''s group has toward us, or we fight and risk losing everything. Before, we might have chosen the safer route, but with Hikari Hyuga emerging, if we support his rise, we might have a fighting chance when the timees.",


    For this Elder, the recent founding of the ''Root'' organization under Danzo Shimura, with apparent approval from Hiruzen Sarutobi, was a ring warning sign. It suggested a more sinister agenda from Konoha''s leadership, possibly aimed at undermining or even eliminating powerful ns that resisted totalpliance with the vige''s directives in the long term.


    Danzo''s asionalments about wanting to recruit Hyuga members,bined with his known fascination with the Uchiha''s dojutsu abilities, painted a troubling picture for the future of all major ns with unique, powerful bloodline abilities.


    The realization of Danzo''s interest in bloodline abilities, especially in the context of his known obsession with the Uchiha, was a wake-up call for him. It underscored the severity of the position the Hyuga and Uchiha ns found themselves in.


    The Elder foresaw a scenario where both ns could face existential threats from the vige leadership, in the uing decades, with the Uchiha likely being the first target due to their more hostile rtionship with Konoha''s authorities, followed by the Hyuga at that time too.


    Such a prospect raised the stakes significantly for the Hyuga n. The potential abolition of the ancient Cursed Seal practice, even if they capitted to vige demands in the future, underscored the existential nature of the threat they faced.


    Tobirama and Hiruzen vited many founding agreements with the ns of Konoha, but this move—establishing Root—was truly the sign that made this elder realize the existential threat facing the Hyuga and other powerful ns within the vige.


    The deliberate creation of an organization designed to operate in the shadows, with the potential and will to recruit, or even coerce, members of powerful ns like the Hyuga into its ranks, was a stark deviation from the original ideals upon which Konoha was founded.


    "What should we do, should we start secretly helping the Uchiha then? But those guys are so proud, it''s doubtful whether they even realize the existential risk they''re facing now, or if they''d be willing to ept help from others, especially our n, with whom they''ve had a negative andpetitive rtionship throughout history...", Another Elder pondered aloud.


    "No, that would alert the vige about the shift of our policy too early. We need to focus on raising Hikari as much as possible first, then start to resist and fight against the Hokage''s group for our interests more aggressively...",


    "We should just focus on Hikari now. If we do something politically earlier, then it could be counterproductive to his potential for full and safe growth...", Takumi responded immediately.


    "Okay, gentlemen, I believe our discussion ising to a close. After listening to all your valuable inputs, I suggest the following course of action. We will not intervene on behalf of the Uchiha. We''ll maintain our current approach of appeasement toward the vige leadership unless circumstances drastically change.",


    "However, our mindset this time is different. Instead of viewing this as a long-term strategy, we''re essentially ''buying time'', focusing on nurturing Hikari until he reaches his full potential, that is the first part of our new long-term strategy.",


    "This will then empower us to assert ourselves more boldly and protect our interests within Konoha, in the future, which is the second part of our new strategy...", The Patriarch outlined, synthesizing the council''s deliberations into a clear n.


    He continued, "It''s also very likely that the Hokage and other vige leaders are already aware of Hikari''s exceptional abilities as we have seen how easily they could obtain that kind of information now, after all, it all happened so openly back there yesterday, everyone in the n now knows about it. So, instead of trying to hide his talents and arousing further suspicion, we should openly acknowledge that we are raising a very prodigious talent.",


    "However, we should still refrain from discussing the full extent of his ''upper limit'' that we''ve theorized here, let''s leave that part more ambiguous. Also, by making Hikari''s genius public knowledge, we not only counter any underhanded moves by the Hokage''s faction but also elevate our n''s standing in the eyes of other families, bothrge and small, as well as the civilian poption. It''s better if everyone knew about it instead, not just Hokage''s faction''s higher-ups alone, boosting our reputation and solidifying our position within the vige.",


    With the Patriarch''s nid out, it was time for the council to formally vote on the course of action. One by one, the Elders expressed their agreement, casting their votes in favor of the Patriarch''s resolution, reaching a full consensus this time.


    As the meeting came to a close and the Elders began to file out, a collective understanding of the meeting''s gravity lingered in the air.


    Their decision to ce Hikari at the forefront of their strategy was significant, marking a pivotal moment for the future of their n.


    Thoughts varied among the Elders as they contemted their next steps. Some were already considering the practical aspects of supporting Hikari''s development, recognizing his importance not just as a talented individual but as a beacon of hope for the Hyuga n.


    However, what resonated most deeply with the Elders as they departed was the significant shift in strategic doctrine they had just unanimously agreed upon—a first in the n''s history.


    This change underscored the grave nature of the threat posed by the Hokage''s group and the immense potential they saw in Hikari.


    The Hyuga n''s tradition of staying out of the spotlight, a practice dating back even before Konoha''s founding, was rooted in a cautious strategy.


    Unlike the Uchiha and Senju ns, who often found themselves at the forefront of shinobi affairs, the Hyugas preferred a more reserved stance.


    This approach was not born out of ack of ambition or strength but was a deliberate choice influenced by deep-seated historical secrets.


    These secrets, known fully only to the Patriarch and a few senior Elders vaguely, shaped the n''s cautious engagement with the world around them for hundreds of years until today.