62. Coalitions and ns: Shaping Konoha’s Future
A whileter, as Hikari made his way back to the Hyuga n residence, crossing the famous Naka River once again, his presence alongside his Hyuga entourage drew curious and stunned nces from the vigers and passing shinobi of Konoha the same as thest time.
Their visit to the Gekko n had been a significant step forward, and in theing days, their n to solidify a coalition and its next steps with other smaller ns was set to unfold.
The sight of him walking with Sakumo earlier with his entourage, and their identities appearing so intimately, also given the swirl of rumors and Sakumo''s recent reclusiveness, had undoubtedly sparked a wave of whispers and spection throughout the vige.
As he navigated through the streets of the vige, Hikari was acutely aware of the ripples their actions were creating now, especially in the eyes of the Hokage''s faction leadership.
His thoughts returned to the sessful discussion they had with the patriarch of the Gekko n. The Gekko n leader, like many leaders of the smaller ns in Konoha, possessed the strength akin to a standard Jonin only.
However, the agreement they reached sessfully and quickly was a pivotal one: the formation of a new, albeit unofficial, faction within Konoha.
This faction, led by Sakumo Hatake, would serve as a collective of the smaller ns, banding together to amplify their voice and influence within the vige.
The Hyuga n, through Hikari, would extend its support to this new faction, bringing along allies like the Aburame and Inuzuka ns.
The n was for Hikari and Sakumo to act as the unofficial representatives of this burgeoning alliance, bridging the gap between the smaller ns and the more prominent families like the Hyuga.
The next crucial step involved reaching out to the Uchiha n, a move that held the potential to truly cement the new coalition''s strength and influence.
Hikari and Sakumo intended to approach the Uchiha n once the smaller n faction was firmly established, hoping to secure their participation and identify a representative who would represent their interests within this new alliance too.
However, this matter regarding the Uchiha n would instead have to be done in secret instead, in order to be able tounch that ''surprise attack'' during the next Jonin Council meeting sessfully, unlike the other steps that he and Sakumo did rtively openly.
In their alliance with the Gekko n, Hikari personally and the Hyuga n extended their support beyond mere political maneuvering into themercial realm as well. And that would be also offered to the other smaller ns in the following days.
In Hikari and other Hyuga Elders'' opinions, it was a very simple process in nature, the stronger those smaller ns got, the stronger the Hyuga n got too both were allies.
Recognizing the importance of economic strength in bolstering the n''s overall power and independence, theymitted to providing the Gekko n with a wealth of resources.
This support included sharing innovative business strategies, offering financial assistance through loans and investments, and facilitating new business opportunities to enhance the Gekko n''s standing in Konoha''spetitivemercialndscape.
The target of these efforts was to counterbnce the influence wielded by the Hokage''s faction in the economic sector, particrly the Homura and Mitokado ns, which not only led themercial interests of the Hokage''s faction but also held the biggest quantity of the significant low and mid-level administrative positions within the vige governance overall.
By empowering the Gekko n and other smaller ns economically, Hikari aimed to create a more leveled ying field, reducing the disproportionate influence of the Hokage''s faction over Konoha''smercial and political arenas, allowing those smaller ns to fight for what they already lost in the past to that same monstrous faction that swallowed nearly all of Konoha. However, while themercial support provided a tangible means of strengthening, navigating the vige''s administrative hierarchy posed a more formidable challenge for now.
The entrenched positions of power within the Hokage''s administration were difficult to contest directly. However, the strategy to elect Sakumo Hatake as the new Jonin Commander represented a critical step towards prating the administrative stronghold.
Hikari''s contemtive journey came to a pause as he eventually arrived at the entrance of the Hyuga n''spound. The familiar sight of the towering gates and the guards stationed at the entrance brought a moment of transition, from the strategic musings of his mind back to the present reality. Stepping through the gates, Hikari was greeted with the respectful nods of the n members, a subtle acknowledgment of his ever-rising status.
***
A few dayster, standing on the grand terrace of the Hyuga Patriarch''s estate, Hikari and the Patriarch shared a moment of strategic contemtion, "So, almost all the small ns are with us now? But we''re keeping Sakumo-san''s candidacy quiet until just before the Jonin Council meeting?", Hikari sought confirmation, absorbing the updates from the Patriarch.
"Yes, the Hokage is starting to worry about our actions, but I doubt he can grasp the full scope of our strategy in time...", The Patriarch responded, a hint of satisfaction in his voice and pride almost written on his face as he looked at Hikari who was much shorter than him.
"Indeed, who would''ve imagined the Hyuga and Uchihaing together like this? It''s almost unheard of, given our usual low profile and the Uchiha''s known pride and istion...", Hikari added with a light smile.
"Ha, Hiruzen will be in for quite the shock when he realizes what he''s missed and sees that there are still those in the vige ready to stand up against his faction. But Hikari-kun, we owe a lot of this breakthrough to your close rtionship with Sakumo and your innovative thinking and nning regarding this entire matter in general...", The Patriarch acknowledged, appreciation evident in his tone.
"Don''t give me all the credit, Patriarch-sama. This n is unfolding smoothly mainly because of our n''s resources and the full support of the Hyuga Council. This time, it was also the n that managed to reach out to the Uchiha, in such a covert kind of manner, not me...",
Hikari humbly deflected, acknowledging the collective effort behind their strategic moves.
And as he mentioned the Hyuga n''s outreach and coboration with the Uchiha, his gaze naturally drifted toward the Uchihapound that was quite visible from their current ce.
Situated across the Naka River, from where the Hyuga Compound was, it stood prominently and was of simr size as the Hyuga npound or now defunct Senju npound.
Unlike the more secluded Hyuga estate, the Uchiha''s grounds were slightly closer to the heart of the vige, adjacent to the Konoha Police Force Headquarters which they oversaw.
Beyond the Uchihapound, the Hokage''s Building loomed, a central hub for Konoha''s administrative operations housing most of the civilian administrative departments. To the right of this horizontal residential and political panorama, the majestic Hokage Rock stood.
However, Hikari was well aware of why the Hyuga n was positioned on the outskirts of Konoha, further away from the Uchiha n, and right on its borders.
It was all intrinsically linked to the critical role the Hyuga yed in vige security through the "Hyuga Border Surveince Division."
This division, while not asrge as the Police Force run by the Uchiha, was also very vital for Konoha''s defense and intelligence.
The main building of the organization was simrly adjacent to the Hyuga living area as well.
Through that organization, the Hyuga n leveraged their Byakugan''s unique capabilities to serve as Konoha''s eyes, monitoring for any threats or unusual activities around the vige''s perimeter.
This division wasn''t just about keeping an eye out; it was an integral part of Konoha''s early warning system, alerting the vige to potential dangers before they could even escte.
Their responsibilities also included conducting reconnaissance missions, outside of Konoha, to gather intelligence on potential threats, ensuring Konoha remained ahead of any potential adversaries.
Moreover, the division worked in close coordination with both the ANBU, for covert operations, and the Military Police, contributing to ayered defense strategy that protected Konoha from both external threats and internal issues.
Hikari admired how seamlessly the Hyuga n had woven their unique strengths into the fabric of Konoha''s defense, marking them as an indispensable part of the vige''s interests.
The Border Surveince Division was primarily staffed by Byakugan users who specialized in long-distance vision and it was therefore obviously predominantlyprised of more supporting-like Side Branch members.
Despite this, the head of the division was still nominally the Patriarch himself, a member of the Main Branch. Hikari himself had never visited the division. His Lineage, traditionally, did not y a part in its management.
The Patriarch, looking thoughtful, turned to Hikari and began, "Ah yes, there''s something else we need to talk about, about the Uchiha n now that you brought them up. Once we''re all through with the secret voting for the Jonin Council, we''re going to try and elevate our rtionship and startmunicating more openly in the future, after all, we aren''t breaking anyws, and this seems to be truly necessary after I thought about it some more recently...",
"You know, sending letters back and forth or using other more covert ways to chat isn''t that great. It''s hard to get our points across that way, it''s isn''t a very precise and efficient format as a human-to-human interaction could be, especially if you are responsible for that part."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "So, as the guy in charge of making alliances for our n, you''ll start meeting with someone from the Uchiha n with also a simr role probably as soon as possible to improve our overallmunication and information flow.",
"This is to help us start getting along better and make sure this new alliance we have goes smoothly from now in continuity. After all, we haven''t been close to the Uchiha before, in fact, our rtions were quite cool, so it''s a big step for both of us if we want to seed.",
His voice carried a sense of importance, underlining the critical nature of Hikari''s uing role in nurturing the fragile alliance with the Uchiha n as soon as the voting there finished.