Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 51: The Battle for Fame

When it came to the First Hokage, Hyuga Fuji had no intention of offering criticism. If he had to express his thoughts, it would be a mix of admiration and regret.

Senju Hashirama, limited by his knowledge and perspective, had never given much thought to systems of governance. Instead, he pursued the simplest, most idealistic dream: providing a home for shinobi and children alike, a place where they could live in peace.

Was he wrong?

Did the one-country-one-village system lead to even more devastating wars?

Senju Hashirama had already acted, achieving what few others could. Compared to most in the thousand-year history of the shinobi world, he had at least made an effort to bring about change.

Times change, and it is up to those living in the present to determine whether such systems still fit the world's needs.

Ending the Warring States period was no easy feat, and there was no need to harshly criticize him for what he couldn't foresee.

At the very least, the one-country-one-village system brought the shinobi clans together and clarified the chaos of that era.

But in the future, this same system would become a shackle, limiting the strength of the ninja world.

The Otsutsuki clan was a tribe, a lineage. Hyuga Fuji was not arrogant enough to believe he alone could take on all of them.

Even Naruto and Sasuke, with all their strength, had eventually lost their power in successive battles.

Hyuga Fuji needed to be prepared.

If the great villages were unwilling to change, then the legacies accumulated by the shinobi world over nearly a thousand years would become his to use.

Looking at the smiling Minato standing before him, waiting, Hyuga Fuji felt no emotions stir within him.

Can you accept such changes, Minato?

Because of the angle of the sunlight, Minato could only see Hyuga Fuji standing within the shadows of the command room. The sight left him with an odd feeling, but the moment Fuji stepped out of the shadows, that feeling vanished.

"Fuji, Orochimaru has already passed the intel to me. We'll depart in two hours."

"No problem," Hyuga Fuji nodded.

Minato smiled and turned his gaze toward Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru as they exited the command room. "Lord Third, Orochimaru-senpai, I'll be counting on you both for what's to come."

"Mm." Hiruzen, having set aside all negative emotions, said solemnly, "Let the shinobi world witness Konoha's strength once again."

Orochimaru and Hyuga Fuji exchanged glances before turning away. Orochimaru's lips curled slightly into a faint smile. "The reunion of the Sannin... I must admit, I'm looking forward to it."

Ending the final battle of the war this way wasn't a bad outcome, was it?

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku approached from the distance. He glanced briefly at Hyuga Fuji before recalling his conversation with Uchiha Yakumaru the previous night. Taking a deep breath, he addressed Minato:

"Fourth Hokage, please allow me to join the mission. I can be of use."

Fugaku's gaze was resolute. His son Itachi had unparalleled talent—the strongest he had seen among Uchiha descendants. The clan's future might rest on him, and Fugaku couldn't afford to hold back any longer.

He could still fight, and with a Hokage like Minato, who shared a good relationship with him, the Uchiha clan's situation had never been better.

Let me show Itachi the path forward for our clan. The legacy of the Uchiha is not just one of blood and killing.

Fugaku's Sharingan began to spin, and to the astonishment of Hiruzen and Orochimaru, a shuriken-like pattern emerged in his eyes.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan?" Minato, as Hokage, had access to classified information and was familiar with these eyes. Surprised, he asked, "Fugaku, when did you..."

"On this battlefield," Fugaku replied calmly, touching his left eye with his left hand while fixing his right eye on Minato. "The day I saw my comrades die."

"I can control Tailed Beasts with these eyes."

Fugaku ignored the complicated expression on Hiruzen's face. As the Uchiha clan head, he had already been informed by his clan members about recent events in Konoha.

Though he didn't know the full details, seeing Hyuga Fuji standing beside Minato told him one thing: the Fourth Hokage would soon hold true power in the village.

There was no longer a need to hide the Mangekyo Sharingan. He would use it to secure greater support for the Uchiha clan's future.

"I understand." Minato nodded seriously, his warm smile unwavering.

Fugaku had revealed his strength because he trusted him, and Minato would not betray that trust.

"In the name of the Fourth Hokage, Konoha will secure victory in this war!"

...

"Lord Madara, Konoha has begun to move."

"What about Obito?" An aged voice echoed from the darkness.

"He's already impatient to return home."

"Then let it begin."

"Yes, Lord Madara."

...

"A thousand shinobi... You alone are tasked with eliminating them, Fuji. Can you do it?"

"Yes." Hyuga Fuji nodded calmly.

"Then it's in your hands. This... will be your battle for fame."

Minato suppressed the concern in his heart and chose to believe in Fuji's strength. He turned his gaze toward the forest ahead.

Ten kilometers away lay the Mist Village's camp, where two Jinchuriki and a thousand Mist shinobi had gathered.

Hyuga Fuji already possessed strength comparable to Minato's when he first made his name, lacking only the achievements to stand on the ninja world's stage. Just as Minato had once fought a thousand Iwa shinobi alone, he believed Fuji could do the same.

The only complication was the Tailed Beasts.

To Minato's knowledge, Fuji was not proficient in sealing techniques and lacked abilities like the Mangekyo Sharingan to suppress Tailed Beasts. Therefore...

"If the two Jinchuriki appear, I'll handle them and send them to Kushina's team. The rest is up to you. Yakumaru and Kakashi will support you if needed."

Minato handed Fuji two kunai before disappearing in a flash.

He would activate Sage Mode and focus all his senses on detecting the Tailed Beasts, ready to strike at the perfect moment.

Whether you gain the reputation needed for the role of Hokage advisor depends on this, Fuji.

Hyuga Fuji didn't conceal himself—there was no need. He walked steadily forward, his white eyes calmly surveying the area ahead.

A thousand shinobi, numerous sensory ninjas, and two Tailed Beasts awaited him. To defeat this Mist force, a direct confrontation was inevitable.

The only question was how much of Konoha's strength they would need to invest.

Minato, the Hokage Guard Platoon, and even Uchiha Fugaku's participation signified a cautious approach.

After all, Orochimaru had confirmed that both Jinchuriki could perfectly control their Tailed Beasts.

When Fuji was five kilometers away from the Mist force, a rain of shuriken came hurtling toward him.

Countless black shadows flickered through the forest, but none of the Mist shinobi dared approach him. They seemed puzzled as to why he was alone.

They didn't have long to wonder.

In an instant, Fuji disappeared from their sight. The shuriken struck the spot where he had been standing, blanketing the area with a dense thud.

By the time the Mist shinobi regained their composure, they saw two Jonin collapsing from the treetops, lifeless.

"Avoid him! He's a Taijutsu specialist!"

"Use Hidden Mist—no, wait, he's from the Hyuga clan! Attack him with long-range jutsu!"

"It's no use! He's too fast!"

...

"He's this strong already?"

Uchiha Yakumaru, who had been trailing Fuji from a safe distance alongside Kakashi, watched the scene unfold in astonishment.

Fuji was engaging in close combat against hundreds of Mist shinobi, his movements too fast to follow with the naked eye.

Yakumaru had been worried. One man against a thousand shinobi was no small feat, and Fuji wasn't a chakra monster like the Raikage. Exhaustion seemed inevitable.

But now, it seemed his concerns were unnecessary.

Fuji wasn't even using the Flying Thunder God technique—he was relying almost entirely on Taijutsu, minimizing his chakra consumption.

With every passing second, another Mist shinobi fell.

"Even in pure Taijutsu, he's already among the elite of the ninja world," Kakashi remarked, watching the battle with awe.

"How old is Fuji-senpai? Fifteen?"

"No, sixteen. Today is his birthday," Yakumaru replied, his tone complicated.

Sixteen years old... and already making a name for himself in the ninja world.

Damn it! Don't get too full of yourself, Fuji. I'll catch up to you someday!

(Chapter ends)