Konoha, inside the Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the Byakugan boy in front of him, then couldn't help but glance at the 'Anbu Application Materials' on the desk.
For a moment, his head was full of question marks.
As the Hokage, he felt he had seen everything in his life.
He had even seen his old friend assassinate him...
But he truly had never seen the scene before him. He couldn't help but wonder if the Hyuga Clan was trying to annoy him.
"Makoto, it is a good thing that you want to apply to join the Anbu, it is just..."
Although full of doubts, facing a child, he still showed a kind smile.
"Does your family know about this?"
"Lord Hokage..."
Hyuga Makoto slightly lowered his head, and his tone became somewhat sorrowful.
"I have no family."
"..."
Hearing this answer, Sarutobi Hiruzen's smile instantly froze.
Hyuga Makoto's parents died in battle during the Third Great Ninja War; they were Konoha war heroes.
He knew this, but the problem was, was he asking about that 'family'?
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I meant, have you asked for advice from others in your clan?"
"I haven't."
Hyuga Makoto was just like his name, very honest.
"Those who are on good terms with me are either about my age or younger than me, it's just..."
"In other words, you came here on your own?"
Before he could finish speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen interrupted him with a headache.
At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart was even more filled with doubts. He truly couldn't understand what the Hyuga Clan was up to again!
He actually liked this child, Hyuga Makoto.
As a member of the Hyuga Clan, he didn't have the arrogance of a major clan.
And as a member of the Branch House, he didn't have that deep-seated bitterness.
Optimistic, cheerful, making friends widely, and he even helped that kid Naruto quite a few times on ordinary days.
Not to mention he was the son of heroes, it's just...
"Wanting to join the Anbu, the bad thing is that he is a Hyuga, and a member of the Branch House at that!"
The Hyuga Clan in Konoha was considered a 'village within a village'.
The Branch House even had the Caged Bird, making them a solid, unified block whether they wanted to be or not.
For example, during the Main House's legitimate daughter's birthday back then, the entire clan didn't come to attend the signing of the peace treaty between Konoha and Kumogakure.
A clan like this was even harder to deal with than those lunatics from the Uchiha Clan...
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not like this kind of clan that placed its own interests above the village.
It wasn't that he hadn't made some attempts, but unfortunately, the results were not great.
"Moreover, the Hyuga Clan is unusually ruthless..."
It was also during the signing of the peace treaty with Kumogakure back then; those bastards from Kumogakure turned around and caused a huge incident.
He and Shimura Danzo had already discussed it and were ready to go to war with Kumogakure!
However, the Hyuga Clan themselves forced Hyuga Hizashi to his death, and then swiftly handed him over...
But the Hyuga Clan was, after all, a major clan in Konoha, and they had always supported the Hokage.
Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't like it, if he wanted things to go smoothly, he could only let things be.
Now, a kid from the Hyuga Branch House ran up to him and submitted an Anbu application. How could he not overthink this?
"Yes, Lord Hokage, it's just..."
While Sarutobi Hiruzen was thinking, Hyuga Makoto blinked.
"You are the Hokage. As long as you decide, isn't that enough?"
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that these words sounded somewhat familiar.
But before he could think more about it, Hyuga Makoto sighed and spoke in a somewhat depressed tone.
"I understand. It's probably because I still don't meet Lord Hokage's requirements."
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his blood pressure rise a bit. Why did it feel like he was bullying a child?
But Hyuga Makoto kept his head down and continued to speak in disappointment.
"Come to think of it, I just graduated. It's normal that Lord Hokage doesn't think highly of me."
"..."
"After all, I am not Uchiha Itachi..."
"..."
"Lord Hokage really prefers people from the Uchiha Clan..."
"Stop right there!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his blood pressure shooting up to his forehead. He wasn't surprised that Hyuga Makoto knew about Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Itachi had been in the Anbu for a year, and the Hyuga had the Byakugan.
He might have accidentally seen it with a casual sweep.
But are these words something you can just say carelessly?!
"Did you see Itachi and that's why you thought of joining the Anbu too?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his temples and spoke with some pain.
"That's not it."
Hyuga Makoto shook his head, his expression becoming somewhat serious.
"I want to join the Anbu because of Uncle Hizashi."
"Huh?"
This sentence immediately made Sarutobi Hiruzen freeze for a moment.
"To join the Anbu for Hizashi?"
"Yes. After my parents passed away, I lived at Uncle Hizashi's house for a few years."
Hyuga Makoto nodded, still very honest.
"Once after training, he told me that he really hoped to join the Anbu. Only by doing so could he change many things."
"He wanted to join the Anbu? Change many things?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze became somewhat strange. He knew exactly what it would mean for Hyuga Hizashi to join the Anbu!
The Anbu is the Hokage's direct unit, the continuation of the Hokage's will.
With this identity, Hyuga Hizashi would be equal to someone in the Hyuga Clan who could directly confront the Main House!
Do you dare to question the Anbu about Konoha's internal affairs?
Do you dare to force the Anbu to do things they don't want to do?
Do you dare to use the Caged Bird to punish the Hokage's Anbu?
I think you're trying to rebel, aren't you?!
Moreover, if Hyuga Hizashi succeeded, there would inevitably be more and more people following him, and the Anbu would have more Hyuga talents.
Even if Hyuga Hizashi was using Konoha to help himself and the Branch House, wasn't this also helping Konoha?
"Could it be that the Main House forced him to die because of this?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but think in this direction, but soon he looked at Hyuga Makoto again, his face showing a hint of doubt.
"Do you know what Hizashi wanted to change?"
"I know a little, but not much."
Hyuga Makoto shook his head and then nodded, before speaking in a deep voice.
"Uncle Hizashi once told me that a great ninja said a sentence:
Wherever leaves fly, fire burns. The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout.
He was far inferior to this great ninja, but he also hoped to illuminate the clan in his own way, and then together become the new sprouts of the great tree!
It's a pity that I am a bit dull and don't quite understand his meaning.
But I am willing to follow in his footsteps, to understand, to comprehend all of this!"
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent. Especially when looking at the high-spirited Hyuga Makoto, a deep sense of guilt suddenly rose in his heart!
This child didn't seem to be sent by the Hyuga Clan to annoy him.
Moreover, he truly hadn't expected Hizashi to be someone so full of the Will of Fire!
Unfortunately, Hizashi was already dead, and it was long past saving.
As for Hyuga Makoto...
He suddenly felt a bit worried about what would happen to this child in the future.
This was someone who wanted to inherit Hizashi's will, someone possessing the Will of Fire!
"Perhaps, letting him give it a try wouldn't be impossible?"
Suddenly, a thought popped into Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind.
He couldn't let others say that he favored the Uchiha Clan, right?
He couldn't let Hizashi's will go uncontinued, right?
Most importantly, he couldn't let this child follow in Hizashi's footsteps, right?
Besides, this matter wasn't a bad thing for Konoha!
And he didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to resist slapping himself...
"Makoto."
Having thought this through, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke.
"Go back and wait for a notification."
"Eh?"
Hyuga Makoto immediately looked up in pleasant surprise, while Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe and smiled.
"However, this matter hasn't been finalized yet, so don't tell anyone, including your family."
"Y... Yes!"
Although Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't give a final conclusion, Hyuga Makoto knew that this matter was a success!
Because in his mind, a crisp voice had already quietly sounded.
[Completed the Core Exclusive Task: Break away from the Main House's control]
[Reward Obtained: Moon Otsutsuki Template]