Chapter 9: The Value of the Mask: Hizashi's New Reality
Konoha. Anbu Headquarters.
Sakumo Hatake led Hizashi Hyūga through the dimly lit corridors of the base.
"Here. Pick a mask you like," Sakumo said, gesturing to a wall of porcelain visors. "And think of a codename. Since Lord Hiruzen personally assigned you to my unit, you'll be under my command for now."
"I'll brief you on the basic principles and regulations today. Formal training starts tomorrow."
Sakumo sat on a stool, humming a low, haunting folk song from the Warring States period. He worked with practiced ease, applying oil to his signature chakra saber. The blade, known as 'White Light,' was the source of his legendary title: The White Fang of the Leaf.
"I... I understand," Hizashi stammered, standing before the row of masks.
The day felt like a fever dream. One moment, the village was erupting in combat; the next, he was being thrust forward by his clan elders to take the blame for their lateness. He had expected public humiliation. Instead, he had been handed an Anbu cloak.
An Anbu operative...
The Hyūga clan had never allowed a member to join the Hokage's personal black-ops. It was an unspoken rule of their isolationist policy.
"Lord Sakumo, there's something I need to report..." Hizashi said, his voice hesitant. "You know the situation with my clan, right?"
"I couldn't refuse Lord Hiruzen, and truth be told, I want to be here. But the Main House... I have no idea how they'll react. If I do this without their blessing, will it jeopardize the relationship between the village and the Hyūga?"
Hizashi's face flushed. He felt like a coward. He had already accepted the position in front of the whole village; why was he getting cold feet now? But the weight of being a Branch House member—the generational inertia of servitude—wasn't something he could just shake off.
"I'm not following you," Sakumo said, looking up with a confused expression. "Why are you overthinking this? Lord Hiruzen invited you personally. In this village, his word is the law."
Hizashi fell silent. What if the Hokage doesn't realize how petty the Main House can be?
"I've heard the rumors about your clan's internal drama. The 'Village within a Village.' The 'Absolute Neutrality,'" Sakumo said, returning to his blade. "You think your clan's secrets are actually secrets? Every Chunin in the village knows the Hyūga are a bunch of elitist isolationists."
Hizashi's eyes widened. He thought the clan's internal politics were a mystery to outsiders.
"One of the Anbu's primary jobs is intelligence and domestic surveillance," Sakumo said flatly. "You haven't officially joined yet. If you want to back out, do it now. As a Commander, I have the authority to fail your vetting process, even if the Hokage recommended you."
The White Light saber glinted under the overhead lamps, reflecting a cold, sharp light into Hizashi's eyes.
"I hope you'll be honest with me. If there's an issue we can solve, we'll solve it. If not, walk away. Because if you leak Anbu secrets to your clan elders, the consequences will be... unpleasant."
"I..." Hizashi took a breath and reached for his forehead protector, sliding it up to reveal the green, cross-shaped brand seared into his skin.
"This is the Caged Bird Seal. With a single thought, a member of the Main House can turn my brain into mush. For a thousand years, no one has been able to defy it."
"Death would be a mercy. They use this mark to inflict pain that makes death look like a vacation." Hizashi's voice trembled. "I want to be Anbu. I want to stand with you and protect this village. I want to use these eyes to find our enemies, not just watch over the clan's gardens."
"But I'm afraid of what happens when the Main House calls me to heel. I think I'm a man, but in front of that seal... I don't know if I have the strength to be a shinobi."
Hizashi rubbed the mark on his forehead, his breathing heavy. "Now that I've said it, I feel better. Please... judge me by your harshest standards."
Sakumo studied Hizashi for a long moment. Then, a small, genuine smile touched his lips.
"Welcome to the Anbu, Hizashi. You passed."
"Wait... what about the seal?"
"The problem isn't the seal," Sakumo said slowly. "The problem is that you've lived in that compound so long you've forgotten how the rest of the world works."
"As an Anbu operative, you are a direct extension of the Hokage's will. You are the shadow of the Kage himself. Tell me, Hizashi—who in this village would dare to 'interrogate' a member of the Hokage's personal guard? Your elders might be arrogant, but they aren't suicidal."
Sakumo let out a dry chuckle. "Even the Uchiha, as prideful as they are, wouldn't dream of touching an Anbu. They might curse us under their breath, but they stay in line."
"Are you saying... the Main House would be committing treason?" Hizashi whispered, stunned.
Hizashi's Byakugan flared instinctively, the veins around his temples bulging as his mind raced.
"Whoa, easy there. You Hyūga get as twitchy as the Uchiha when you're emotional," Sakumo joked.
"Sorry, Lord Sakumo. I'm just... processing."
Hizashi finally understood the masterstroke. It didn't matter if the Main House liked it. He wasn't their servant anymore; he was the Hokage's man. The seal was still there, but the political cost of using it had just become astronomical. If the Main House killed or tortured a high-ranking Anbu officer, it would be an act of war against the Hokage's office.
I don't have to bow to them anymore, Hizashi thought, his legs feeling weak from the sudden rush of relief. I don't have to do their laundry or stand guard at their private parties. I serve the Leaf.
It was like a butterfly that had been trapped in a glass jar for years. Even if the lid was taken off, it usually took a long time for the insect to realize it could fly. But the lid was off.
"No wonder Lord Hiruzen told me to bring you here for an immediate induction instead of the usual training cycle," Sakumo mused.
In Konoha, the "Anbu Training Department" was better known as Root. And Danzo Shimura, the head of Root, was famous for his brutal brainwashing techniques.
"If I had sent you to Danzo for 'orientation,' I'm not sure what would be left of you. But today, the Hokage officially merged Root back into the standard Anbu command. It seems he was planning this reform for a long time."
Sakumo's gaze softened. He had been complaining to Hiruzen about the Root's lack of transparency for years, only to be ignored. Now, he realized that Hiruzen wasn't ignoring him—the Old Man was just waiting for the perfect moment to dismantle Danzo's private army in one move.
The Hokage is playing a much longer game than I realized, Sakumo thought.
"Now, pay attention," Sakumo said, regaining his professional tone. "Anbu stands for Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai—Special Assassination and Tactical Squad. Our missions are top secret. There are only two rules that matter."
"One: Absolute loyalty to the Hokage. Two: Disclosure of secrets is punishable by death."
"Understood, Lord Sakumo!" Hizashi stood at attention, his back straighter than it had ever been. He had a reason to fight now. He had a freedom to protect.
"As for your squad placement, we'll decide that after your evaluations. But be ready." Sakumo stood up. "Lord Danzo is the Vice-Commander now, and he's a hard man to please."
Hizashi's expression soured at the mention of the "Darkness of the Shinobi," but he nodded firmly. "I'll pass with flying colors."
He reached out and picked up a 'Bull' mask.
In the Hyūga clan, the Branch House was often compared to an ox—a beast of burden that worked itself to death for the sake of the master. But as Hizashi gripped the mask, he saw it differently.
If I must be a beast of burden, I will be the Hokage's bull. I will carry the weight of the village, not the whims of a few elders.
"Put it on," Sakumo commanded. "We have our first mission."
"Already?"
"It's a direct order from the Hokage. Target: The Hyūga Estate."
Sakumo patted Hizashi on the shoulder. "Mission Objective: Inform the Main House of your new status. Convey the Hokage's 'deepest regards' and inform them that if they have any concerns regarding village policy, they can now communicate them through you—their official liaison to the Hokage's office."
Hizashi froze, then a wide, fierce grin spread across his face behind the mask.
Lord Hiruzen... you really thought of everything.
Usually, Anbu identities were kept secret. But Hiruzen was making an exception. He was sending Hizashi home in full gear, with the White Fang as his witness, to show the Hyūga exactly whose side he was on now.
It was the ultimate "Power Move."
"Remember, Hizashi," Sakumo said, adjusting his own mask. "You are Anbu now. Don't let your voice shake. Don't look at the floor. Act like you own the place."
The Hyūga Estate Gates.
A member of the Main House named Takashi Hyūga was standing at the entrance, berating a Branch House guard. Takashi was a man of zero talent who only held his position because of his birth—the kind of man who thought being born into the Sōke made him a god.
"Where the hell is Hizashi?" Takashi barked. "The Elders have been waiting an hour for his report! Does he think he can ignore his betters just because he's Hiashi's brother?"
"As a Branch member, he should know his place! He's lucky we don't activate the seal right now just to teach him some discipline!"
The two Branch guards kept their heads down, silent.
Suddenly, the air pressure around the gate dropped. Two figures appeared out of thin air, moving with a speed that the human eye could barely track.
Takashi jumped back, his heart hammering. "Anbu? What are you doing here?"
He looked at the two masked figures. One wore a tan duster over a white tactical vest—the mark of a Commander. The other wore the standard grey plating and a Bull mask.
"Take us to your Clan Head," the Bull-masked ninja said. His voice was cold, echoing with a metallic edge through the mask. "We are here on a direct mandate from the Hokage."