Tap… tap…
The soft sound of hooves striking the stone courtyard echoed rhythmically—the deer grazing in the Hyuga compound moved with an almost ceremonial grace.
In the front courtyard, after conversing for quite some time with Hyuga Shin, the clan elder, three distinguished guests—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Kushina—were finally led by Shin toward an inner courtyard.
This was a secluded guest compound reserved for receiving important visitors. Branch Family guards patrolled discreetly outside, ensuring that no outsiders could approach. Within the walls stood several small wooden houses and a pavilion shaded by ancient pines.
Under Hyuga Shin's guidance, the guests first entered one of the guest rooms to rest, sipping warm water and tidying their appearance. Only after that were they led to the waiting pavilion in the courtyard.
A short wait later, the master of the household, Hyuga Hiashi, arrived with his son, Satoru, to formally greet them. Following Hyashi's lead, Hiruzen and the Minato couple performed the customary handwashing and mouth-rinsing at a small spring in the corner of the courtyard before entering the teahouse through a side door.
Inside, the guests took a moment to admire the scrolls and artworks the Hyuga had prepared, as well as the elegantly crafted utensils and the iron kettle prepared for the ceremony. Only after these formalities did they finally kneel and take their seats.
The complex rituals were but a small fragment of the Hyuga family's inherited tea ceremony tradition…
The Hyuga's rigid customs not only bound every clan member but also impressed upon every guest a sense of solemn hierarchy and impeccable discipline.
This was far from Hiruzen's first visit to the Hyuga. The seasoned Third Hokage, pipe absent from his hand for once, seemed to genuinely appreciate the ceremony's refined charm. Sitting comfortably, he watched with an amiable smile as Hiashi lit the first charcoal for the tea.
Minato, though young, carried himself with a calm, gentle grace. As someone born a commoner, he had little exposure to such formality, yet his mild temperament and quiet dignity allowed him to adapt naturally to the setting.
Satoru had initially thought that Kushina—fiery-tempered and impatient by nature—would be uncomfortable amidst the stiff etiquette of the tea ceremony. To his surprise, she behaved with remarkable poise, even showing a familiarity with the proceedings that surpassed Minato's.
A brief moment of reflection and Satoru understood why.
Uzumaki Kushina might be an orphan, but she was no ordinary civilian. The Uzumaki Clan had once been a noble lineage, and after arriving in Konoha, Kushina had lived under the protection and tutelage of Uzumaki Mito herself.
Her impulsive, hot-blooded personality, Satoru realized, was more a defensive mask than her true nature.
Seated on the tatami, Hiruzen's sharp eyes swept over Hiashi and Shin before resting on the young boy sitting beside Hiashi—Hyuga Satoru, who was quietly studying the guests.
After a moment's observation, Hiruzen's face softened into a kind smile.
"This child… he must be your son, Hiashi?"
"I didn't expect he'd grown this much. His name is Satoru, isn't it?"
The old Hokage's gentle question opened the conversation.
Hiashi, who was just in the middle of pouring tea, straightened unconsciously upon hearing his son mentioned.
"I didn't expect you'd still remember the boy's name, Lord Third," he said with a polite smile, then turned toward his son. "Satoru, aren't you going to greet our guests properly?"
Children often helped ease the stiff air of formal tea gatherings. At his father's prompt, Satoru bowed respectfully to Hiruzen and the Minato couple.
"Welcome, Grandpa Hiruzen. Welcome, Big Brother Minato, and Sister Kushina, to the Hyuga estate."
Hiashi's brows twitched slightly at his son's overly familiar tone. He glanced subtly at the three guests' reactions before feigning a hint of reproach.
"Satoru, that's far too casual!"
But Minato quickly waved his hand, smiling warmly. "It's quite all right, Hiashi. I rather like his way of addressing us."
Hiruzen chuckled, stroking his beard. The "Grandpa" title was one he didn't mind hearing—it was even a little endearing.
After all, the Hyuga clan—one of the greatest bloodline families in Konoha—was not an easy house to visit. Even as Hokage, Hiruzen sometimes felt the weight of their presence.
Because of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal, the Hyuga Main Family held absolute authority over their Branch Family members. As a result, the Hokage's influence among the Branch Family was far weaker than the Main Family's word.
In truth, even when Hyuga ninja served within Konoha's structures—in the ANBU, reconnaissance, or other units—their loyalty remained, above all else, to the Hyuga Main Family. The clan was, in many ways, a "nation within a nation."
And with the Byakugan's power ensuring a constant stream of gifted shinobi, the Hyuga clan's strength easily surpassed that of most other lineages.
Even a Hokage, whether Hiruzen or Minato, had to negotiate carefully with the clan whenever requesting their cooperation.
Thus, Satoru's respectful yet warm demeanor quickly won favor from both men, subtly narrowing the invisible distance between the two sides.
"Clan Head Hiashi, Elder Shin," Hiruzen began after a few pleasantries, giving Minato a small nod. "We actually came today to discuss something of great importance."
Minato caught the signal and continued, his expression becoming solemn.
"Please, Lord Fourth, there's no need for such formality," Hiashi said, his tone respectful but not servile. "If the village has any request, the Hyuga will give their full support."
Hiashi spoke without arrogance. To him, Hiruzen and Minato held very different meanings.
When the Third Hokage had ruled at his prime, Hiashi was still a young man—the stories of the "Professor" and "Strongest Hokage" were more legend than lived experience.
Minato, however, was a peer—both had fought through the Third Great Ninja War. Hiashi respected Minato's strength and integrity deeply. When Minato was chosen as Hokage, the Hyuga had quietly lent support behind the scenes.
From the clan's perspective, Minato—with his unassuming background and gentle personality—was the perfect Hokage: powerful, just, and unlikely to threaten the clan's autonomy.
So, when Minato spoke, the Hyuga were naturally inclined to listen.
"Thank you, Clan Head Hiashi." Minato nodded gratefully. "This time, we truly must ask for your clan's assistance."
He took a breath before continuing.
"To be frank… my wife, Kushina, is expecting a child."
Hiashi's expression shifted slightly, but he remained silent as Minato continued.
"You know, of course, that she is the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. During childbirth, the seal weakens—and her control over the Nine-Tails weakens with it.
"For both Kushina and Konoha, a weakened seal represents an enormous risk. Should our enemies learn of this and choose to attack during that critical moment, the consequences would be disastrous."
"To prevent such a possibility, Lord Third and I have secretly selected a remote location for the delivery—away from the village center. Even if something goes wrong, it will minimize collateral damage to Konoha."
"At the same time, we plan to form a special task force to guard Kushina during her delivery. Of course, my own ANBU will be present—but I also hope to include members of the Hyuga clan. With your Byakugan, we can ensure absolute security."
The matter of Kushina's pregnancy was an A-rank top secret within the village—known only to the highest authorities.
Yet revealing it to the Hyuga elders wasn't unusual. The clan's cooperation would be critical. Even with Satoru present, Minato didn't bother to conceal it; after all, the boy was a Main Family heir—destined one day to lead the clan.
Hiashi and Shin listened in silence, exchanging a glance of quiet relief when they realized what was being asked.
A simple guard mission—nothing more. Easy to accommodate, and not an unreasonable request.
Who would have thought that two Hokage would personally visit for something like this?
But what the Hyuga considered a "small matter" was, to Hiruzen and Minato, a potential catastrophe. When it came to the jinchuriki, there was no such thing as too cautious.
The two sides, after all, lived in different worlds of thought.
Meanwhile, Satoru's eyes gleamed with realization.
Kushina's childbirth guard mission… and the Hyuga are involved?!
That meant the information he already knew—about that night—now had a logical reason to exist. Even if he acted, even if he revealed something, it wouldn't seem suspicious.
A faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
Heh… Uchiha Obito, you think that mask of yours can withstand the Byakugan?
Let's see you survive when I expose you right on the spot.
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