Ito Hirofumi caught Neji Hyuga's subtle movements out of the corner of his eye.
"Neji…"
"Hm? What's up, Hirofumi?"
"How about we swing by the Hyuga clan?"
Neji's brow furrowed in curiosity. After all, his good friend wasn't just anyone anymore—he was the Fifth Hokage! Why would he suddenly want to visit the Hyuga clan?
And so, led by Hirofumi, the group of young shinobi marched toward the Hyuga clan's compound in full force.
After leaving the summoning space, Hyuga Tennin had returned to the Hyuga clan. As the clan's true ancestor, he was, without a doubt, their strongest member. Besides Tennin, the next in line was Hinata's father, Hyuga Hiashi, the current clan head.
Hirofumi figured Hiashi probably had Kage-level strength by now, though maybe on the weaker side of that tier. Still, as the leader of Konoha's most prominent clan, his power couldn't be underestimated.
Tennin and Hiashi warmly welcomed Hirofumi's arrival.
Hirofumi had visited the Hyuga clan plenty of times before, but back then, it was as Hinata and Neji's classmate and friend. Now, he was here as the Fifth Hokage!
Tennin, sharp as ever, had a hunch about why the Fifth Hokage was visiting. Back in the summoning space, Hirofumi had brought up the Hyuga clan's Caged Bird system.
At the time, Hirofumi had expressed his desire to abolish it. Tennin didn't mind—in fact, he thought it was a great idea. Back in his day, he'd had a brother, and carving the Caged Bird seal into his sibling's forehead had weighed heavily on him.
But there was no choice back then. It was a longstanding Hyuga tradition, and as clan head, Tennin had been under the thumb of a bunch of stubborn elders. Even if he wanted to change things, he didn't have the power to.
Now, though? Things were different. As the Hyuga clan's true ancestor, with the Fifth Hokage's backing, Tennin's support could make abolishing the Caged Bird system a reality!
The thought brought a wave of relief to Tennin's heart.
Hiashi, on the other hand, had no clue why Hirofumi was here.
"Lord Hokage…"
"Uncle Hiashi, no need to be so formal! I've been to the Hyuga compound tons of times before. Neji, Hinata, and I are friends. Just call me Hirofumi, like always!"
"Haha, alright then, I'll take you up on that, Hirofumi!"
The group headed deeper into the Hyuga compound. Just then, a tiny figure zoomed over and crashed right into Hinata's arms.
"Sis! You're back! You promised you'd train with me today!"
The Twelve Rookies were already familiar with this little firecracker—Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi Hyuga.
Neji stepped forward and ruffled Hanabi's hair.
"Settle down, little sis. The Hokage's here to talk business with Uncle and our ancestor."
Hanabi pouted at that.
"What 'Lord Hokage'? It's just Big Bro Hirofumi!"
She grinned at Hirofumi from Hinata's arms.
Hirofumi clapped a hand on Neji's shoulder.
"Hanabi's got it right, Neji. No matter what title I've got, we're all brothers here. If being the Fifth Hokage makes things weird between us, I'd rather not be Hokage at all!"
Neji's lips curved into a soft smile.
"Got it, Hirofumi."
The group arrived at the Hyuga clan's reception hall, where Hiashi treated them to top-tier hospitality.
"Hirofumi, what brings you to the Hyuga clan today? Just here for a friendly meal?" Hiashi asked, curiosity piqued.
"Well, Uncle Hiashi, I do have something to discuss. You're the clan head, after all."
"What's that?"
"I'm sure you know about my abilities. Hyuga Hizashi, the branch family head, was an elite Jonin, right? It won't be long before I can bring him back!"
Hiashi's eyes widened, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Really?! Lord Hokage!"
In his excitement, he slipped and called Hirofumi "Lord Hokage" again.
For years, Hiashi had lived with the guilt of failing to protect his younger brother. Hizashi had died in his place, leaving not only Hiashi without a brother but also young Neji without a father.
The thought that his brother could be revived was almost too good to be true!
Hiashi's excitement got the better of him, and he blurted out "Lord Hokage" again.
"Uncle Hiashi, calm down. You know what I can do. I brought back Tennin, didn't I? So, reviving Hizashi is just a matter of time!"
"That's incredible! Lord Hokage, if you can truly bring my brother back, the Hyuga clan will follow your every command!"
"Uncle Hiashi, I didn't come here just to talk about that. There's something else I want to address."
"What is it?"
"I'd like the Hyuga clan head to abolish the Caged Bird system."
The room fell silent.
Neji stared at Hirofumi in disbelief, while Hinata's face lit up with joy.
Hiashi froze for a moment, then glanced subtly at Tennin. When he saw the clan ancestor give a slight nod, his heart raced with excitement.
Truth be told, Hiashi despised the Caged Bird system. His own brother had been branded with it simply for being born into the branch family. And Neji, a prodigy from a young age, had been marked with it too.
Hiashi had two daughters, Hinata and Hanabi. If the Caged Bird system continued, Hanabi might one day face the same fate.
Every time Hiashi thought about it, his heart ached. If it weren't for the stubborn elders in the clan blocking him at every turn, he would've scrapped the system long ago!