When in doubt, ask Tanaka, huh? It seems you have a clear understanding of your position, Hizashi.
Orochimaru's lips curled slightly, and his snake-like eyes carried a meaningful look as he gazed at Tanaka.
He recalled the positioning of Tanaka and Hizashi as they entered the room.
When they walked into the conference room, they appeared to be walking side by side. However, as the clan leader and teacher, Hizashi had, in an almost imperceptible manner, fallen half a step behind Tanaka.
Orochimaru naturally understood what this implied.
And he wasn't the only one who noticed this detail—two others did as well.
It seems that in the annihilation of the main house, Tanaka played a role far beyond merely breaking the Caged Bird.
The real decision-maker might him.
But is that possible? To orchestrate the extermination of the main house and even command the branch house to execute it—could a child really be capable of such a thing?
At this moment, Tsunade also thought back to the positioning of Tanaka and Hizashi before they entered the room.
The truth behind the main house's fall is deeper than I had imagined...
Shikaku glanced at Tanaka without revealing any emotion, but a sharp glint flickered in his eyes.
He carries far more weight in the Hyūga clan than I had initially thought. Seeing this scene, Hiruzen's expression remained unchanged, but his gaze grew deeper.
A genius wasn't terrifying. What was terrifying was when a genius had an entire bloodline clan standing behind them.
And even more terrifying—when that clan follows the genius' every command without question.
This meant that before he even had a chance to fall, his growth was all but guaranteed.
Since the founding of Konoha, such a thing had never happened.
Otherwise, even the First Hokage's grandson would not have perished on the battlefield.
"Uchiha."
Under the scrutiny of countless probing, skeptical, and astonished gazes, Tanaka acted as if he hadn't noticed any of them. Avoiding everyone's ears and eyes without a trace, he softly uttered one word.
Within the isolated space of ROOM, no one could hear his voice except Hizashi.
"Uchiha?" Hearing this, Hizashi immediately understood.
He was well aware that after breaking free from the Caged Bird, the only way for the Hyūga clan to rise again was to place all their hopes on Tanaka.
And after witnessing the destruction of the main house, Hizashi had come to realize that his student—aside from talent, strength, and intelligence—also possessed extraordinary foresight and a chilling tactical mind.
Disguising both himself and Hiashi, deceiving everyone.
Using the title of clan leader to lure out and eliminate the main house elders and jonin—trapping them within their own downfall.
Each of these actions made Hizashi understand that as clan leader, he was inferior to Tanaka in every way.
And when it came to decisions that would determine the future of the clan, seeking guidance from someone far ahead of himself—was neither shameful nor disgraceful.
"Hokage-sama, whether Konoha rises or falls, the Hyūga clan bear our share of responsibility. Our clan, like all ninja clans, doesn't seek supreme authority over the village—instead, we represent the highest commitment to duty."
"Therefore, even without the Caged Bird, the Hyūga will always be the Hyūga of Konoha. That will never change."
Hizashi was no fool.
On the contrary, aside from combat prowess—which was inferior to Fugaku with his Mangekyō Sharingan—in every other aspect, he far surpassed the Uchiha clan head.
And so, when he saw in Tanaka the hope for the clan's resurgence and its future greatness, he did not hesitate to stake everything—placing all his bets on Tanaka.
What dignity as a clan leader?
What dignity as a teacher?
All of that was cast aside.
Such decisiveness and resolve were not something Fugaku could ever possess. He had stood by idly while his own son slaughtered his entire clan.
"Regardless of war or peace, the Hyūga clan will dispatch 100 clan members to carry out the village's missions."
Knowing that Tanaka stood behind him, Hizashi felt as if the pressure from Hiruzen had completely dissipated in this moment.
"100 people?"
Hiruzen's expression remained unchanged. Not a trace of joy could be seen.
Clearly, he was not satisfied with Hizashi's answer.
This was comparable to the Uchiha clan's contribution. Despite having 500 members, the Uchiha had dispatched the same number of shinobi.
Even though 100 members already accounted for nearly one-third of the entire Hyūga clan, Hiruzen was still dissatisfied.
The reason was simple.
Having enjoyed the main house era, where the entire branch house was at Konoha's complete disposal, how could he possibly be content with just 100 people now? To him, Hizashi appeared stingy, prioritizing his clan over the village.
"Yes, 100 people."
"This already accounts for nearly one-third of the Hyūga clan, and if you only consider officially ranked ninja with forehead protectors, that number is nearly half."
Hizashi could tell that Hiruzen was displeased, but he didn't care.
In the past, the branch house was shackled by the Caged Bird, and the entire branch was squeezed dry by the main house.
Now that the Caged Bird had been broken, if they were still to be squeezed dry by Konoha, then what was the point of breaking it in the first place?
"To be frank, as I have only recently assumed the position of clan leader, I am unfamiliar with many matters."
"Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you and the other clan heads a question."
"During the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, how many people did each of your clans send to the battlefield?"
Hizashi was no longer the timid, submissive man he once was before the main house.
Now, he was asserting himself fully—even in front of Hiruzen and the high-ranking officials present, he did not back down in the slightest.
The reason was simple—Tanaka had just transmitted a single message to him within the isolation of ROOM: Git gud.
Well, this wasn't his exact wording, but the underlying message was similar.
As one of Konoha's most powerful ninja clans, they needed to demonstrate their strength, not merely possess it. And of course, they should improve.
As for offending the Third Hokage or other clans with such bold words? Look at the Uchiha clan—they had already been isolated and antagonized to the extreme, yet they still stood unscathed.
There was no Itachi.
No Shisui.
If the council wanted to move against the Uchiha clan, they would have to think twice.
"..."
Seeing Hizashi boldly confront everyone in the room, even Hiruzen was slightly stunned.
For a moment, he found himself at a loss.
Because even if the Hyūga clan had changed tactics and now only dispatched 100 members, this proportion, while not the highest among all ninja clans, was still among the top.
Now that Hizashi had openly put his words on the table, even if Hiruzen was dissatisfied, he had no choice but to endure it.
After all, the Hyūga clan was no longer what it used to be. And Hizashi's words had been so well-crafted that Hiruzen simply had no excuse to target the clan.
Moreover, having just "forced" the White Fang to his death, with tensions growing between himself and his student Orochimaru, and the great ninja villages eyeing Konoha hungrily—at such a time, he dared not put too much pressure on the Hyūga clan.
Lest he provoke collective dissatisfaction among the other clans.
Especially the Uchiha clan.