Chapter 30: No One Starts Out Standing in the Heavens
Strictly speaking, Ritsu wasn't really qualified as a clan head. He wasn't particularly adept at handling clan affairs, nor did he have any interest in learning and studying such matters. After briefly attempting it, he transferred everything to the elders.
Though the elders were also thrown into the deep end, the fact that they'd been jointly nominated by the other jonin and special jonin as elders already indicated they held a certain prestige and network among the clan members. Relying on this prestige and network, most clan affairs could actually be resolved smoothly. After some initial frantic scrambling, they gradually got the hang of things.
As for Ritsu himself, these past few days he'd lived a regimented life between the shrine and his home.
During the day, he'd camp out in the shrine's Treasure Hall, perusing Main Family secret techniques he'd never had access to before, hungrily absorbing knowledge and attempting to transform that knowledge into power.
When clan members came to learn the Sixty-Four Palms, he would personally instruct them, earning unanimous praise.
At night, he'd return home with a foggy brain to sleep. Though elders or clan jonin would visit each evening to talk, his bedtime was actually quite irregular.
This lifestyle continued for five days.
Then, on the sixth day, the sky was overcast. After several clear days, rain seemed imminent again. Moisture permeated the air as fierce winds arose. Large trees by the roadside swayed as if dancing, rustling continuously. Pedestrians on the road walked with heads down, collars pulled tight, footsteps hurried.
At eight-ten in the morning, after breakfast, Ritsu brought twenty clan members to the Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen received Ritsu in the Hokage's office, while the twenty clan members led by Elder Shinichiro waited downstairs.
"Hokage-sama, I'm ready to continue serving the village at the eastern front."
Ritsu's attitude was polite and proper.
"Clan Head Hyuga Ritsu... that address feels rather distant. May I call you by your name directly?" Hiruzen sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, smiling as he looked at Ritsu.
"You may."
"Then, Ritsu-kun, have you settled all clan affairs?"
"Everything has been arranged."
"As I thought—I wasn't mistaken. Ritsu-kun, like Minato, you are the village's hope for the future. Under your leadership, the Hyuga clan will surely flourish before long."
"You're too kind."
Ritsu didn't say much.
Though Hiruzen seemed very interested in conversation, Ritsu had no interest in idle chat. He understood clearly that Hiruzen would never genuinely appreciate someone who'd rebelled against his superiors. Or rather, the more Hiruzen appreciated him, the more he probably wanted him eliminated.
No matter how hard he tried to ingratiate himself, it would be meaningless.
So why waste his already insufficient reserves of "false smiles" on Hiruzen?
"Modesty is certainly a virtue, but excessive modesty sometimes looks more like bragging. You might encounter hot-tempered people who'd actually attack you over it. Honestly, at your age, I was just a brainless kid who only knew how to follow orders during missions, with no opinions of my own!"
"..."
Ritsu's eyes narrowed slightly.
There was subtext in those words!
He remained impassive, quietly watching Hiruzen's performance.
"Ritsu-kun, you're now the Hyuga clan head, a precious position. But on the battlefield..."
Hiruzen showed a hesitant, troubled expression. Finally, as if making a difficult decision, he spoke gravely: "This may sound harsh and hurtful, but Ritsu-kun, you've crawled through piles of corpses yourself. You should know that once on the battlefield, there's no 'clan head of this family' or 'department head of that division'—none of these messy identities matter. When orders come down, they must be carried out to the end!"
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He stared intently at Ritsu, awaiting this response from a kid who should lack political experience.
"Please rest assured, Hokage-sama. I understand the principle of absolute obedience to orders."
Ritsu answered frankly, meeting Hiruzen's gaze. "Though I'm the Hyuga clan head, once at the front, I'm just a jonin. If there's truly a mission requiring my execution, naturally I'll give my utmost to complete it. I absolutely won't shirk or hesitate."
"Good!"
Hiruzen's face showed approval. "I believe you, Ritsu-kun, will definitely teach those Mist ninja a harsh lesson and bring back the lost Byakugan!"
Ritsu smiled faintly.
The claim that there were no special privileges based on status at the front was pure nonsense. Once clan heads stepped onto the front lines, even if they didn't command, they'd typically be assigned positions like advisor. This way, they'd spend most of their time directing from headquarters and generally wouldn't personally charge into the front lines.
Yet Hiruzen's attitude clearly indicated he didn't plan to give Ritsu any official position.
Going to the front like this, he'd probably be ordered around just like before, charging into the very front lines, dancing with the Mist ninja on death's blade, waiting to see who death would ultimately choose.
However, Ritsu didn't plan to argue.
After all, clan heads being assigned advisory positions at the front was merely an unwritten rule—or more bluntly, an unspoken understanding. Most of the time things were done this way, true, but if not done this way, there was nothing to criticize.
So arguing would be useless.
He'd come prepared to face difficulties anyway.
This situation was acceptable!
His purpose in going to the front wasn't to sit in headquarters slacking off anyway. He genuinely planned to reclaim the Main Family's stolen Byakugan and completely establish his authority within the clan.
After that, he could continue researching the chimera Technique, opening paths for upward ascent, and further peek at the scenery from even higher positions.
A certain arrogant figure once said, "No one starts out standing in the heavens—not you, not me, not even gods." So why couldn't the person sitting on the vacant throne of heaven be him?
Ritsu's ambition grew like wild grass in his heart!
"Hokage-sama, this is the list of clan members accompanying me to the front."
Ritsu handed over a list.
After receiving it, Hiruzen glanced over it and sighed admiringly: "Worthy of the Hyuga—seven jonin and thirteen special jonin. Truly a grand gesture!"
As he spoke, he picked up a pen and signed a pre-prepared dispatch order for reinforcements to support the front lines. After signing, he stamped it with his seal, then rang a bell to summon an assistant, ordering them to transcribe all twenty-one names, including Ritsu's, onto the already signed and sealed document.
Just like that, a complete, legal, and proper dispatch order was freshly issued.
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