Everything Shin had set in motion was progressing in an orderly fashion.
Except for the Hyuga.
This Konoha clan of ocular ninjutsu still kept its gates tightly shut, oblivious to all external changes.
Shin's patience finally ran out.
Daimyo manor, study.
He held a secret report about the Hyuga clan's assets between his fingertips, his gaze icy.
It seems the Hyuga are prepared to resist to the end.
"Takeshi."
"I'm here, my lord."
The butler standing by immediately responded.
Shin casually tossed the secret report onto the table, leaning back into the wide chair.
"Send someone to Konoha."
"Go tell Minato Namikaze."
"Just say I'm giving the Hyuga family one last chance."
"The genius training program, the Twelve Guardian Shinobi selection."
"Let them choose one of the two."
"Within three days, I want to see the Hyuga family's name appear on one of those application lists."
He paused, his tone becoming very light as he issued the ultimatum.
"Otherwise, have people from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Internal Affairs pay them a visit."
Takeshi bowed deeply. "Yes, I'll attend to it immediately."
Konoha village.
Hokage's office.
Minato Namikaze was buried in mountains of scrolls.
Ever since choosing to submit, he had positioned himself as a pure executor, efficiently carrying out the daimyo's will.
This saved him a lot of trouble, but he often felt powerless.
Especially concerning the Hyuga clan.
The entire Konoha, from the advisor elders to the civilian shinobi, almost everyone believed that the root cause of the Hyuga angering the daimyo was their refusal to offer a main family daughter with the Byakugan.
In their view, all of the daimyo's actions were aimed at forcing the Hyuga family to yield and hand over that unique bloodline limit.
Even Minato himself had once firmly believed this.
He thought the daimyo was pressuring the Hyuga clan in such a way to gain control over that ocular ninjutsu power.
The genius training program and the Twelve Guardian Shinobi seemed more like tactics to intimidate.
Just as he was pondering how to persuade Hyuga Hiashi again, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
Entering was a young man in the uniform of a daimyo manor civil official, with an ordinary face.
Minato recognized him. This person was a resident staff member sent by the daimyo manor to Konoha, specifically to convey the daimyo's orders.
"Fourth Hokage."
The newcomer bowed slightly, his posture respectful but without any trace of flattery.
"No need for formalities."
Minato put down his pen, his expression becoming serious. "Does the daimyo have new instructions?"
"Yes."
The newcomer wasted no words and directly conveyed Shin's command.
"The daimyo ordered me to inform you that the Hyuga clan must choose one between the genius training program and the Twelve Guardian Shinobi selection."
"The deadline is three days."
"If there's no result after three days, then we'll have to trouble you to take action."
Minato was completely stunned. His first reaction was not the harshness of the order, but confusion.
He subconsciously asked, "Only these two choices?"
"What about... the matter of selecting a concubine? Did the daimyo not mention it?"
This question, in his opinion, was obvious.
This was the core of the conflict, wasn't it?
As long as the Hyuga family was willing to send a girl to the palace, the daimyo would surely be satisfied, and all problems would be resolved.
He had originally thought this ultimatum would be about that.
But now, this most crucial option had been directly removed!
Upon hearing his question, a strange expression appeared on the messenger's face.
It was a look mixed with amusement and confusion.
"Fourth Hokage."
"I think you've misunderstood the daimyo!"
"The daimyo has never, from beginning to end, linked the concubine selection with the genius training and Guardian Shinobi."
"'Absolutely no coercion' should have been written in the daimyo's decree."
"It seems..."
He paused and then added, "This isn't something so difficult to understand, is it?"
Boom!
This sentence was light.
Yet it was like a heavy hammer, fiercely shattering the deeply ingrained shinobi logic in Minato's mind!
A hint of disbelief flickered in his blue eyes.
He felt his mind in chaos, forced to re-evaluate the events of this period.
He remembered that the genius training program and the selection of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi were personally explained to him by the daimyo.
As for the concubine selection, it was announced nationwide by the daimyo manor.
It was not directed at any specific shinobi clan in Konoha at all.
So that's it... So that's it!
In an instant, all previous confusion, guesses, and arrogance collapsed.
He finally understood!
It turned out they had been wrong.
From the Third Hokage, to the advisor elders, to all the families of Konoha, and then to himself... all of them had been ridiculously wrong!
They had treated the least important matter as the most important.
But they had treated the genius training program and the Guardian Shinobi program as mere side issues!
Coupled with the Uchiha clan's active attitude, it led them to misjudge... He thought of those in Konoha who sent their daughters for concubine selection, and he couldn't help but mock himself.
It turned out whether they participated or not, the daimyo didn't care at all!
How laughable!
How absurd!
Minato's cheeks burned.
They stood within the fixed mindset of shinobi, using the logic of competing for bloodlines and coveting beauty to guess at a sovereign's grand scheme.
They thought the daimyo was a lecher, unaware that they hadn't even figured out what the daimyo truly wanted!
Did the daimyo care about the Hyuga family's women? Did he care about those Byakugan eyes?
Perhaps.
But that wasn't important at all!
That concubine selection decree was an opportunity for everyone.
But for the daimyo, it was optional!
If this concubine selection was seen as a loyalty test!
Then the Hyuga clan, with their pathetic arrogance, submitted a zero-score answer sheet.
They fiercely, stubbornly, and with self-righteous integrity, rejected what they saw as humiliation.
And then what?
They logically extended this resistance to the later genius training program and Twelve Guardian Shinobi selection.
They thought they had preserved the Hyuga's dignity and the secret of the Byakugan.
Unaware that in the daimyo's eyes, a family unwilling to even show the most basic posture of obedience was utterly worthless.
Why should a disloyal family have its bloodline merged with the royal family?
The daimyo didn't even bother to force them to offer a woman!
Understanding all this, Minato's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
Just barely!
Just barely, Konoha almost lost a shinobi clan.
He finally understood the true meaning of this ultimatum.
The genius training program was about surrendering the Hyuga's future.
The Twelve Guardian Shinobi was about surrendering the Hyuga's present.
No matter which they chose, the Hyuga had to make a statement: maintain their arrogance, or pledge allegiance to the daimyo!
This was a hundred times more brilliant than forcing them to send a woman to the palace!
Because what the daimyo wanted was never a woman or a pair of eyes.
It was simply loyalty!
It was the unconditional submission of this ninjutsu clan!
After realizing these things, Minato felt from the bottom of his heart that he was not suited to be Hokage.
Compared to the daimyo, he was truly too naive.
"I understand."
Minato nodded solemnly. "I'll convey the daimyo's will, word for word, to Hyuga Hiashi."
The messenger nodded, bowed again, and then withdrew.
Inside the office, only Minato remained.
He gazed out the window at the Hokage Rock, a symbol of Konoha's spirit, for a long time without speaking.
After a long while, he finally let out a complicated sigh.
"Our perspective..."
"It's too far off."