I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 555 Those who knowingly ask for leave during meetings are those who know they'll be blamed at the meeting.

"Father, I heard that the village has learned about the movements of the Mist Ninja, and it is very likely that we will have to join the war next."

Not far from a port on the eastern coast of the Land of Fire, the Hyuga clan, who were staying in a small town, were discussing something. In a room that looked more luxurious and grand than the surrounding houses, Hyuga Hizashi was reporting to his father, Hyuga Yu.

Hinata Ying gently smoothed her wide robe sleeves, then picked up the teacup beside her and said, "Yes, even though Sakamoto Tatsuma can keep us out of the loop for a whole year, reality forces the village to rely on our Hinata clan."

Hyuga Hitsuji nodded in agreement, adding, "Yes, I heard that Tatsuma will also be here on a mission this time. We should do our best to change his unfair opinion of our Hyuga clan."

"Bang!"

Upon hearing this, Hinata Ei slammed her teacup on the table, her smiling face completely vanishing. She said, "On a mission?! Ha! I think he's just here to rack up some credits."

He won't bring many men to support me; he's just coming to share command positions with me. When the reckoning comes after the war, he'll be the one who fought against four nations, his achievements unparalleled. What a brilliant plan!

"what?"

Hyuga Hizashi looked at his father in surprise and said, "Tatsuma isn't that kind of person, is he? He played a huge role on every battlefield before."

"You have eyes that can see through everything, yet you actually regard Sakamoto Tatsuma as invincible?! Hmph! Your so-called achievements are nothing more than the village's exploitation of other ninjas."

How old is he? He defeated three Kage and multiple Tailed Beasts in succession; he's just a human, how could he have three heads and six arms? That's impossible. It's just the village attributing the achievements of other ninjas to him.

Hinata Hide glared at her son and said, "The caged bird only gave you a blind spot, but are you completely blind? Are you looking at everything with a blind spot?!"

Hyuga Hizashi was so scolded that he dared not speak, only clenching his fists hidden in his sleeves. The caged bird was something that every branch family member was most reluctant to mention, but the main family always used it as a reason to beat, scold, and ridicule him.

"Just you wait and see."

Hyuga Ying raised her teacup and took another sip, saying, "Within three days, Sakamoto Tatsuma will definitely come to us to make amends, attempting to reconcile with our Hyuga clan and then use our Hyuga strength to help him defeat his enemies."

However, I won't easily forgive his disrespect for the Hyuga clan! He must be made to respect the Hyuga clan from now on. If he still dares to act arrogantly, you'll see if I teach him a lesson.

Hyuga Hizashi did not answer because he did not think Tatsuma was that kind of person.

Although Tatsuma has a bad reputation within the Hyuga clan, and many clan members dislike him, especially the main family members.

After all, Tatsuma loved that Hyuga Sento, who was also from the main family, and dragged him to such a dangerous place as the Anbu. You know, in the past, only the branch family of the Hyuga would go to such dangerous and dark places.

In fact, if it weren't for the need to maintain the village's reputation, the Hyuga clan wouldn't even want their members to go to places like the Anbu.

But what about Tatsuma? He directly pulled a member of the main family over, putting the main family and the branch family in the same position to fight for their lives. In fact, because it was a team personally led by Tatsuma, the mission that Sento carried out was even more dangerous than the branch family's ANBU.

Moreover, since he first showed his talent, Tatsuma has repeatedly expressed his dislike for the Hyuga clan's branch family system, and even used the Caged Bird Seal as a threat to demand that the Hyuga clan make concessions.

If the main family's attitude is like this, what about the branch families? The branch families are merely appendages of the main family. Although Tatsuma's actions towards the Hyuga clan gave them, the branch families, a sense of relief.

However, Tatsuma is always an outsider. He dares to criticize the Hyuga's main and branch family system, but the Hyuga's branch family would not dare to do so.

Not to mention ordinary clansmen, even Hyuga Hizashi, the son of the clan head, would be scolded, reprimanded, or even physically punished if anything involved the interests of the main or branch family.

Therefore, when it comes to dealing with Tatsuma, the Hyuga branch family can only, and dares only, echo the high and mighty main family.

Hyuga Hizashi lowered his eyelids. In fact, he had some unrealistic, even rebellious, ideas, namely, that the Hyuga main family, led by his father, should completely break with Tatsuma.

Then Tatsuma actually came up with a method to break the curse seal on the Caged Bird.

But this is just wishful thinking. Regardless of whether Tatsuma has the ability to do it, if he wanted to do it, it would probably be not only the Hyuga main family that would stop him, but the entire Konoha ninja clan.

The Hyuga's Caged Bird Seal, like the Uchiha's Sharingan or the secret techniques of secret clans, may have its flaws, but it cannot be tainted by outsiders.

Since Tatsuma is a ninja aiming to become the Fourth Hokage, he definitely needs to consider the opinions and interests of these ninja clans.

Hyuga Hizashi sighed, wondering how many more generations the Hyuga clan's main and branch family system would persecute.

"Father! Father! The village's orders!"

Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached. Hyuga Hizashi didn't need to turn around or activate his Byakugan to know that it was his older brother.

Hyuga Mitsuru also recognized him as his eldest son. The moment Hyuga Hiashi pushed open the door and entered, he glared at his son and said, "What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and in such a hurry?!"

"I was too hasty, but it's the village's order."

Before Hiashi Hyuga could explain, Hyuga Ying waved his hand and said, "Isn't it just a frontline transfer order? At most, it means Sakamoto Tatsuma will be joining me as commanders on this battlefield. What's all the fuss about?"

"No, Father."

Hiashi Hyuga, catching his breath, handed the documents in his hand towards his father and said, "The village has come to hold you accountable. They want you to return to the village immediately to report on all the actions and movements of the Hyuga clan over the past year."

Then explain why the Hyuga clan failed to monitor the Kirigakure's actions.

He was speaking halfway through when the documents in his hand were snatched away by Hinata Ei, whose face turned ashen. Hinata Ei quickly began to read the orders coming from the village.

The more he looked, the darker his expression became, and the part of the paper he was holding even began to tear slightly.

"Outrageous! This is outrageous!"

"Bang!"

After reviewing the documents in her hand, Hinata Ying slammed her hand on the table, shouting angrily, "This is outrageous! This is outrageous!"

Completely out of control, Hyuga Yui didn't notice that she had sprayed her saliva all over Hyuga Hizashi's face. Hyuga Hizashi wiped it away with his sleeve, then turned his head and looked at his brother with a puzzled expression.

Hyuga Hiashi noticed his younger brother's expression, but calmly shook his head, signaling Hyuga Hizashi not to interrupt. He then looked at Hyuga Ying and said:

"Father, if the village really investigates this matter, we will definitely be punished. What we need to do now is to make the village stop pursuing the matter."

The village's attitude was rather ambiguous. After all, the intelligence we missed hadn't caused any major mistakes or losses to the village, so everything was still negotiable.

"What are you discussing?! Don't you understand? This is just another pressure from Sakamoto Tatsuma. He thinks we'll make things difficult for his operations this time, so he's striking first and accusing us of dereliction of duty."

In order to avoid punishment from the village, we will have to make a promise. When Sakamoto Tatsuma comes to the front line to work, we will not only not make things difficult for him, but we will also have to cooperate with him in every way.

How awful!

Hyuga gritted her teeth in anger. Tatsuma's plan wasn't particularly sophisticated, and it didn't even involve any deliberate pretense. It was practically saying, "I know your Hyuga clan wants to mess with me, but I won't give you the chance."

It must be said that this approach was very effective, because the crime of dereliction of duty is particularly serious during wartime, especially since the troops stationed here were not a mixed force of many ninja clans, but rather a force almost entirely composed of the Hyuga clan.

If this charge is proven true, the reputation of the entire Hyuga clan will plummet.

After all, nowadays, all the ninja clans and civilian ninjas are fighting for their lives to win the war. Even the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has gone to the battlefield twice to fight the enemy.

If, at this time, rumors were to circulate that the Hyuga clan had neglected their duties, never participated in the war, and even disregarded the interests and safety of the village, then the Hyuga clan would never be able to hold their heads high again.

Fortunately, the village has not yet truly defined Hyuga's actions. It can be said that the village has given Hyuga some leeway in terms of face, but it has also limited Hyuga's only path in the war.

That is, to follow the village's instructions, or to put it another way, to obey Sakamoto Tatsuma.

After all, who can't see now that Sakamoto Tatsuma is the village's voice after the war, and his voice is the village's voice? And following the village's instructions is the same as acting according to Sakamoto Tatsuma's will, isn't it?

How could Hinata Ei swallow this insult so easily? She had just been thinking about how to control Sakamoto Tatsuma, but he hadn't expected him to be so silent, without any intention of greeting or testing her attitude first.

They went straight to the point, using the reputation of the entire clan as leverage. You have to understand, they are comrades from the same village. How could Sakamoto Tatsuma be so cruel to his comrades!

Hiashi Hyuga sighed helplessly and said, "Father, neither the village nor Tatsuma made a wrong choice in this matter."

After all, failing to detect the Mist Ninja's movements was indeed our problem. If it weren't for the other units in the village noticing this, the damage to the village would have been much greater.

Then it's not something that can be resolved by simply expressing obedience now. Moreover, since Chenma has escalated this matter to such a high level, he won't use it to make things difficult for us in the future.

"If we cooperate properly with Sakamoto Tatsuma this once, then no one will be able to use this incident to attack our Hyuga clan in the future. So, let's do as Tatsuma wishes."

Hyuga Hideyoshi knew everything Hiashi Hyuga was saying, but... he just couldn't swallow his anger. Looking at his father's extremely pale face, Hiashi Hyuga hesitated for a moment before saying:

"Father, if you are unwilling to go back and face Tatsuma's difficulties, then... you should take sick leave. I will go back to attend the meeting and also preside over the joint mission with Tatsuma. How about that?"

"But you are the future head of the main family, the Hyuga clan leader, how can you..."

"That's precisely why I, as the future clan leader, should bear this responsibility, isn't it?"

Hinata Hide remained silent for a long time, then nodded and said, "Then let it be. I will also send a letter to the village, relinquishing the command position to you."

"Thank you for your kindness, Father."

(End of this chapter)