XX-level Hokage

A member of the secret service finally brought news, but it wasn't what they had expected.

"Hyuga Hiashi is suspected of secretly contacting Iwa ninja, leading to their attack on the Land of Fire's border. He is currently under interrogation, but the Third Hokage remains steadfast in his belief..."

This matter has nothing to do with the Hyuga clan, so please, Hyuga clan ninjas, do not worry.

After figuring out what had happened, the mood of the entire Hyuga clan darkened, just like the weather.

Because the five ninjas on the border were all from the branch family, some extreme members of the main family blamed the branch family for everything, but the branch family remained silent.

In the afternoon, all the Hyuga branch family ninjas were gathered at Hyuga Yuki's villa. "What do you all think of the contents of this box?" Hyuga Yuki asked first.

In front of them lay a box, the very box that Hyuga Sousuke had found in Hiashi's study. The box was wide open, revealing...

Several years' worth of things, a few letters, and a headband from Yan Hu.

"These things must not be known to others, otherwise the head of the family will be in danger," said a somewhat scholarly branch family ninja.

"Danger? These letters clearly show that the patriarch is secretly in contact with the Iwa ninja. Even if there is danger, it can only be said that he deserves it." A member of the branch family scoffed.

"This is not just a matter for the head of the family. If it is discovered, it will be a disaster for the entire Hyuga clan, so it must not be spread."

"It was said by an older branch family ninja."

"Don't we all want to change the branch family's situation? After this incident, we will definitely need to change the head of the family," a pale-faced branch family ninja said quietly.

“The head of the Hyuga family can only be from the current head’s lineage. Even if there were no such rule, it would never fall to our branch family,” the elderly branch family member continued.

"What if we don't compete for the position of clan head? We just want to change the situation of the branch family. If Mashiro becomes the clan head, I think the situation of the branch family will definitely change. Moreover, I think the Hokage will not abandon our Hyuga clan. After all, the Hokage said that he firmly believes that this matter has nothing to do with the Hyuga clan," Hyuga Yuki said, squinting her eyes.

After hearing what Hyuga Yuki had to say, the branch family ninjas present all fell silent.

“Well, I agree that the young lady should become the head of the family,” Hinata Naoki suddenly said.

Following Hyuga Naoki's lead, more branch family ninjas who usually received Mashiro's care responded one after another.

"I agree!" "Me too!" "Me too!"

Everyone in the divided family had a very good impression of Mashiro.

“Since everyone agrees, let’s take action tonight. It’s unlikely that Lord Hiashi will be able to return. If we let those old guys from the main family support the young lady to take the throne, then I think it will be difficult for her to truly hold power,” Hyuga Yuki said.

Having reached this point, the branch family ninjas naturally found it difficult to object. Silently, a coup was about to begin.

As night fell, the rain intensified and showed no signs of abating.

Tsukinosuke, who was in charge of keeping watch at night for the main family, was yawning boredly. Normally, the position of keeping watch at night should not be done by someone from the main family, but since the main family and the branch family's residential areas are not adjacent, the main family members were not comfortable with having someone from the branch family keep watch at night, so Tsukinosuke was forced to take on the job.

When will this rain stop?

Looking at the heavy rain outside, Tsukinosuke couldn't help but say something.

As he looked out from the front door, the rain pattered against the ground. Tsukinosuke was momentarily stunned, but then a question arose in his mind. He saw some people approaching in the distance, and Tsukinosuke looked closer.

"Isn't that Yuki and Sousuke? Why aren't they asleep yet?" Tsukinosuke asked, looking at the two leading figures.

He looked at the others, and then panicked instantly. They were all branch family ninjas. Sensing something was wrong, Tsukinosuke hurriedly opened the door and ran inside.

A short while later, several clan elders led the main family's ninjas out, and at that moment, Yukiya led the branch family's ninjas to a spot not far from the main family's gate. The two groups simply stared at each other.

"Hyuga Yuki, Hyuga Sousuke, what are you doing here so late at night with branch family ninjas?" an elder said coldly.

"It's nothing. We just feel that the head of the family has suffered a misfortune, but the Hyuga clan cannot be without a head of the family. Therefore, we want to release Miss Hyuga from the confinement room to temporarily assume the position of head of the family." Hyuga Yuki didn't mince words and said directly.

For a time, the ninjas of the main clan were abuzz with discussion.

Seeing that things were not going well, the clan elder said again, "Once the truth is found, Lord Hokage will release the clan head. We understand your good intentions, you may go back now."

"I'm sorry, Elder Yamauchi, we have confirmed news that the patriarch is definitely not coming back." Then Hyuga Yuki took out three letters and tossed one of them to Hyuga Yamauchi.

Hinata Yamamoto opened the envelope with some skepticism, but after reading its contents, his expression changed drastically. He then handed the letter to another clan elder, who passed it around among them.

Hyuga Yamazuki coughed twice and said, "Even if the head of the family can't come back, the next head of the family should be decided after discussion at the clan meeting and with the Hokage's permission. It's not something you can decide."

“As fellow members of the Hyuga clan, we branch family members are naturally very concerned about the stability of the family. As the eldest daughter of Lord Hiashi, Lady Mashiro should naturally inherit the position of head of the family,” Hyuga Yuki said.

"I understand. Because Mashiro favors your branch family, you believe that your status will improve after Mashiro becomes the head of the family, Xiu..."

"If we're going to support someone, we'll support Weiyou to become the head of the family," said a hot-tempered elder.

Tensions rose between the two sides. The rain continued to fall.

Meanwhile, Mashiro was dancing with great interest in the solitary confinement room.

A dozen or so shadowy ninjas emerged from the shadows. Mashiro reached out her hand, which one of the shadowy ninjas caught. The remaining ninjas paired up, and the dance continued.

At the main gate of the clan's residence, the two sides remained locked in a standoff, with several secret agents observing from the shadows. "You..."

Just as an elder was about to say something, several shuriken flew from the shadows and struck him. The balance was broken, and the two sides clashed.

Upon seeing this, the undercover agents quickly disappeared from their spots. Inside the confinement room, Mashiro continued dancing.

This is Mashiro's habit. In her previous life, Mashiro would always dance with Uchiha Izumi whenever she successfully completed a task, but now that's not possible, and her dancing partner has changed from a cute girl to a shadowy figure.

The fighting continued, but the fighting within the Hyuga clan was peculiar. There were no fancy techniques from different factions; instead, Gentle Fist and Backwards Fist, the main family and the branch family fought in a soft, gentle manner.

Moreover, because they were all members of the Hyuga clan, and the Hyuga clan wasn't like the Uchiha clan with their youthful exuberance, they fought with great restraint, only injuring, not killing. But people still died.

A Hyuga clan elder was knocked to the ground by Hyuga Yuki, and from the shadows, a kunai slit his throat. Hyuga Yuki looked at the dead elder with a strange expression, and was about to walk over to take a closer look.

A Chunin from the main clan launched a sneak attack and kicked him to the ground. As Hyuga Yuki was about to get up, he saw a pair of scarlet eyes appear in his shadow, followed by a kunai piercing his chest.

Because of the darkness and torrential rain, the fighting tribesmen did not notice the death; only blood flowed continuously with the rain.

Soon after, a large number of ANBU and ninja arrived, finally ending the Hyuga clan's internal strife. In the confinement room, Mashiro's dance also came to an end.

Chapter Ten: Kotoamatsukami

With the intervention of the Dark Side, the Hyuga's shady internal strife was forced to an end.

When the Anbu subdued all the Hyuga clan ninjas and questioned them about who initiated the conflict, they discovered that it was not just Hyuga Yukiya from the branch family.

Well, the elders of the main family are all dead now.

All the Hyuga clan members present denied killing these individuals, and were utterly shocked and bewildered by their deaths. Ultimately, the Anbu took Hyuga Sousuke and Hyuga Yōya away.

The rain and the darkness of night washed away all traces, yet the entire Hyuga clan was unable to sleep peacefully.

The next day, the Third Hokage looked at the dossier in his hand with a headache. Normally, the death of a few ordinary Chunin in a border conflict would be a minor matter, but if Hiashi really colluded with the Iwa ninja, then it would be troublesome. After the Uchiha clan was destroyed, the Hyuga clan's importance to the entire Konoha was irreplaceable.

Besides, Hiashi was originally his man. His original intention was to detain Hiashi for a few days and then release him. He even sent his ANBU to give some hints to the Hyuga clan. He didn't expect that this would still happen.

"Have you found the secret letter about Hiashi and the Iwa ninja that Hyuga Sousuke mentioned?" the Third Hokage asked the Anbu member beside him.

"Although Hyuga Sousuke insisted that there was a secret letter, we searched all the Hyuga clan members who were present at the scene and did not find the so-called secret letter. However, we did find an Iwa ninja headband on the body of the deceased Hyuga Yuki," the Anbu replied truthfully.

"Has anyone in the Hyuga main family seen the secret letter?" the Third Hokage continued to ask.

"According to Hyuga Hyouya, the elders of the Hyuga clan have seen the secret letter, and based on their reactions, the secret letter seems to be genuine. Other members of the Hyuga main family also say the same thing."

After listening to the Anbu's words, the Third Hokage was somewhat puzzled. He now strongly suspected that there was a mastermind behind the recent events. "How did Hyuga Yuki and the elders of the Hyuga clan die?" the Third Hokage suddenly asked.

"According to the autopsy, the three elders of the Hyuga clan all died from having their throats slit by a sharp weapon, while Hyuga Yuki was pierced through the heart by a kunai. Apart from them, there were no other casualties in the Hyuga clan," the Anbu said.

The Third Hokage sighed and glanced out the window. "Summon Hyuga Mashiro to come see me here." The Anbu responded and disappeared from the spot.

The Third Hokage looked out the window at Konoha and murmured, "Danzo, you've gone a bit too far this time."

It was obvious that the Third Hokage suspected Danzo was behind this, since there were very few people in the village capable of doing such a thing, especially with the Uchiha clan involved.

Learning from past mistakes, the Third Hokage naturally connected Danzo to the case.

Because this internal conflict took place on the Hyuga clan's territory, and due to the Third Hokage's secrecy, not many people in the village know about it now.

However, the Hyuga clan is an exception. A large number of Hyuga clan elites were taken away by the Anbu, and this could not be concealed any longer. This is the second blow the Hyuga clan has suffered in the past few days, especially for the main family. The loss of three elders has deprived the main family of an important cohesive force.

Currently, within the Hyuga clan's territory, besides the elderly, women, children, and servants, there are students like Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji who are still in school, and of course, Mashiro who is confined.

Inside the confinement cell, Mashiro was thinking and experiencing everything about the Shadow Legion.

One by one, ninja soldiers of various shapes emerged from the shadows and then disappeared. In her consciousness, ten struggling masks vaguely appeared.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the solitary confinement cell, instantly snapping Mashiro out of her reverie. A moment later, the cell door opened, letting in blinding sunlight. Two people stood in the doorway: one was Hinata Hyouya, and the other wore an elephant mask.

"Hyuga Mashiro, the Hokage-sama wants to see you," said the ANBU member wearing an elephant mask. Mashiro was not surprised at all and nodded, following the ANBU member.

Upon arriving at the Hokage's office, an Anbu member stood at the door, gesturing for Mashiro to go in. Inside, the Third Hokage wore an incredibly kind smile. Name: Hiruzen Sarutobi

Gender: Male Age: 68 Favorability: 40 Relationship: Superior/Subordinate

Affection Reward (50): Mastery of Five Elements Ninjutsu Affection Reward (90): Five Elements Chakra

"So you're Hyuga Mashiro? What a lovely girl." The Third Hokage said gently. Mashiro took a few steps closer, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Hokage-sama."

"Don't be so formal. I called you here today because I have some questions I want to ask you," the Third Hokage said with a smile. "May I ask, Hokage-sama?" Mashiro asked, still bowing.

"A lot has happened in the Hyuga clan lately, I don't know if you've heard about it?" "I roughly know, Aunt Kanse, who brings me my meals, told me about it."

"That's good. I'd like to ask what your opinion is on the current Hyuga clan? And what your opinion is on Konoha?" "Well, Hokage-sama, I need some time to think about it."

"No rush, you can think about it. After all, Konoha's future depends on young people like you." Mashiro lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought, while the shadow on the corner of the table against the wall subtly shifted.

"Hokage-sama, could you please close the curtains? The sunlight is a bit too bright," Mashiro said to the Third Hokage, looking up at him. The Third Hokage was somewhat puzzled by Mashiro's request, but he still drew the curtains as she asked.

In that instant when light and shadow intertwined, the shadows spread and covered the entire room, and Mashiro's attitude changed at that moment. "Hokage-sama, I've also had a question I'd like to ask you," Mashiro suddenly said, her tone very different from before.

The Third Hokage felt a strange sense of bewilderment at Mashiro's sudden change in demeanor. "What kind of village is Konoha in your eyes?" Mashiro asked.

Where leaves dance in the air, the fire burns eternally. Its light will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout. Konoha belongs to all the villagers; the young who inherit the Will of Fire create Konoha's future, while we, the elderly, protect Konoha's present. "The Third Hokage replied.

"The Uchiha were part of Konoha too, yet they've met their demise," Mashiro said quietly. "Do you know something?" The Third Hokage looked at Mashiro, as if trying to discern something.

"Is it that important? The Hokage is still pondering how to keep the Hyuga clan on his side after losing Hiashi as a pawn," Mashiro said calmly.

"Mashiro, you surprise me." The Third Hokage said slowly, his tone calm. He lit a cigarette and looked at the girl standing not far away through the hazy smoke.

"These are not matters for you to concern yourself with."

"What I can tell you is that the village will not mistreat anyone. As long as they remain loyal to Konoha, any act of rebellion is unforgivable. The village has given everyone a chance; whether they cherish it or not is their own choice."

"Loyal?" Mashiro muttered to herself.

"Mashiro, have you met Uchiha Zero?" the Third Hokage suddenly asked.

"What, even the Hokage believes in this fantastical dream story?" Mashiro said inexplicably.

The Third Hokage didn't respond, but instead said, "Mashiro, you're a smart kid. As long as you can get rid of those strange thoughts, you'll have a great future in Konoha."

Mashiro suddenly laughed, a mocking look on her face.