Chapter 29: A Stark Imbalance
"I see."
Minato nodded solemnly, then broke into a slight smile.
"I'm truly grateful that my Shadow Guard consists of you and Yakumaru. Up until now, neither of you has reported anything to your clans, have you?"
"This is the duty of the Shadow Guard," Hyuga Fuji replied calmly, setting down the documents.
Minato shook his head. "If you hadn't reminded me, I might never have grasped the nuances of clan politics. Without guidance, some doors remain forever closed."
The ninja clans… Strictly speaking, Konoha was in their hands!
Both advisors—even the Third Hokage—hailed from ninja clans.
Setting aside matters he currently couldn't handle, Minato smiled and asked casually:
"Fuji, you're practically the Hyuga Clan's third leader now, aren't you? Is that why you understand clan affairs so well?"
As part of the Shadow Guard, Fuji had considerable access to Konoha's core operations. This position naturally gave him and Uchiha Yakumaru significant influence within their respective clans.
Given the Hyuga Clan's unique dynamics, it was likely that those yearning for more freedom had begun seeking out Hyuga Fuji.
"Some members of the clan have approached me, but I've ignored them. It was Clan Leader Hizashi who discussed these matters with me."
Of course, Hizashi's primary concern had been ensuring Fuji didn't share the main house's secret techniques.
"Support from your clan can still be valuable; it makes your path smoother," Minato remarked with a soft laugh, glancing out the window.
The streets of Konoha were unusually quiet, the usual bustle of peacetime dulled by the looming shadow of war.
The room fell silent. After a long pause, Minato spoke in a low voice:
"I plan to head to the battlefield in two days and end this war!"
The hidden threats within the village were far greater than Minato had anticipated. Remaining in Konoha to stabilize the situation as Hokage would be futile. If that was the case, it was better to eliminate external threats first.
The warfront was not going as smoothly as the villagers believed, even with two of the Sannin stationed there.
Noticing Fuji's questioning gaze, Minato pulled out another report and handed it to him.
"Take a look."
Scanning the document, Fuji's eyes narrowed at a few familiar names.
"Kirigakure is making a final gamble."
"Exactly, which is why I have to go," Minato confirmed.
"Do you plan to leave the village in the hands of the advisors?" Fuji asked.
"Yes. I also want to request the Third Hokage to oversee things, but he seems to have other plans. So… would you be willing to stay in the village?"
Minato's warm tone and expectant gaze made Fuji pause.
Leaving part of the Shadow Guard behind to assist with Konoha's affairs?
This wasn't the kind of role given to a mere bodyguard or promising young talent.
With that realization, Fuji's tone turned firm: "The branch family cannot hold high-ranking positions. As a member of the Shadow Guard, I should naturally accompany you to the battlefield. Please understand."
"I see… what a pity."
Minato sighed, but he didn't press the issue further.
Some things were better left to time.
"Lord Hokage, Hyuga Tokuma has come to report that he killed Raiga Kurosuki of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!"
At that moment, an Anbu operative appeared, delivering the news.
Minato glanced at Fuji, then, after a few moments of thought, instructed the Anbu:
"Record the credit as per protocol, and have the corpse and the ninja sword sent to the advisors."
Pursuing this matter now wouldn't accomplish anything; he still couldn't challenge the entrenched rules of the ninja clans.
"Yes!"
After the Anbu left, Minato turned to Fuji, seemingly reminded of something.
"Some of those swords are your spoils of war. Is there one you'd like to keep?"
"I'm a taijutsu specialist; they wouldn't significantly enhance my strength. Besides, I imagine you have other plans for them once the war ends, don't you?"
Fuji's tone was calm but certain.
Hearing this, Minato smiled without replying, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.
It's a shame, Fuji. You're far too valuable to be just a powerful ninja.
…
"Is that so? Minato didn't take any action? That's probably for the best. For someone like him, refraining from confronting the clans is the wisest choice right now."
In the Sarutobi Clan compound, Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the report before sighing deeply. Turning to the two people in front of him, he said:
"Minato is an excellent Hokage, but he's not the right fit—or perhaps, he was born in the wrong era."
"He would've been perfect for the time when the Second Hokage had suppressed the clans to the point of desperation. A gentle Hokage extending goodwill in such a period would have been ideal—much like the role I played."
"When I first became Hokage, I wasn't as mild as I am now. To consolidate my authority, I promoted many trusted individuals, including members of the Sarutobi Clan.
"At the same time, I continued the Second Hokage's policies—promoting civilian ninjas, expanding the Academy, and suppressing the clans."
"But soon, I realized… I was terribly wrong."
Hiruzen's dim eyes rested on the two individuals before him.
"I poured resources into the Academy, even serving as its headmaster, to cultivate civilian ninjas and balance the power of the clan-born shinobi.
"But it didn't take long for the clans, realizing that even the death of the Second Hokage wouldn't change their position, to develop a new strategy. They infiltrated every department—the jonin leaders, the Academy's students and teachers, the interrogation unit…"
"They gained influence in subtler, less conspicuous ways. And because of the Second Great Ninja War, I failed to notice in time."
"It's painfully obvious now. The Interrogation Unit is dominated by the Yamanaka Clan. The Sensory Division is filled with members of the Hyuga and Aburame Clans. While some of this is due to their unique abilities, it's unacceptable for Konoha's key departments to be controlled by the clans!"
Apart from the Police Force, which was a poisoned chalice, the clans had infiltrated numerous other departments. If the Hokage didn't want direct confrontation, he had no choice but to compromise.
"In this situation, what happens if they refuse to cooperate or sabotage efforts from within? What should the Hokage do? Hiashi, if it were you, what would you do?"
Hiruzen directed the question to one of the two individuals before him.
"Lord Third… I wouldn't be able to do anything," Hiashi Hyuga admitted, his breath catching as he bowed his head.
What could he possibly say?
The Hyuga Clan was part of this system. Even if this infiltration had been the work of his father's generation, it still implicated him as the current clan leader.
"Exactly. Nothing can be done."
Hiruzen closed his eyes wearily.
"Because my authority also stems from the clans—especially the Sarutobi Clan, Konoha's largest."
"After years as Hokage, I've promoted countless trusted subordinates, leading to unprecedented growth for the Sarutobi Clan. Now, to exercise my power, I need their support. But if I moved against the clans, would they still back me?"
"Danzo fixates on the Uchiha, but has he ever considered how large the Sarutobi Clan has become?"
"Even after accounting for war casualties, we still have 2,500 members."
Both individuals before him widened their eyes in disbelief.
How many members did the Hyuga Clan have?
Even counting both the main and branch families, they didn't exceed 800.
The Sarutobi Clan was over three times their size!
This… By sheer numbers, the Sarutobi Clan was undoubtedly Konoha's strongest ninja clan.
"That's when I understood why the Second Hokage encouraged the Senju Clan to intermarry with civilians, ultimately reducing them to little more than a name."
"He was eliminating Konoha's greatest ninja clan."
"The political legacy left by the Second Hokage, combined with the reputation the Senju Clan earned during the first two ninja wars, could've allowed them to dominate Konoha indefinitely."
"To prevent this, the Second Hokage used relatively gentle methods to quietly dismantle Konoha's most prominent clan."
Hiruzen's revelation shattered Hiashi's worldview.
Was it really Tobirama who orchestrated the Senju Clan's decline into history?
Hiashi cast a sidelong glance at Hiruzen, but the latter's somber expression gave no indication of deceit.
And yet… Hiruzen's prior dealings with the Hyuga Clan left Hiashi hesitant to trust him.
Hiruzen allowed them a moment to process before continuing:
"The Second Hokage's approach also greatly enhanced the potential of civilian ninjas, laying the groundwork for future policies aimed at suppressing the clans."
"But I failed to understand this, allowing the Sarutobi Clan to become the new Senju."
Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe, his expression a complex mixture of regret and frustration.
"If I had started off more moderately—offering the clans some concessions while civilian ninjas slowly rose to prominence—the current state of Konoha wouldn't have come to this."
"Konoha's ninja forces are now split. Civilian-born ninjas make up 50% of the total, largely because of their sheer numbers. But most of them are genin or chunin."
"When it comes to jonin and special jonin, the ratio between civilian ninjas and clan-born ninjas is… two to eight. And the clans also dominate many critical but foundational roles."
This imbalance carried a devastating implication.
What did it mean?
It meant that if the Hokage enacted policies unfavorable to the clans, the clans could effectively veto the Hokage's decisions. They could even take things further and deem the Hokage unfit, potentially branding them as a rogue ninja.
Ridiculous, wasn't it?
The leader of an entire village, a rogue ninja?
It sounded absurd, but it was entirely plausible given the current situation.
Hiruzen let out a bitter chuckle. "Laughable, isn't it? But this is the reality of Konoha today."
Hiashi and the other figure in the room exchanged uneasy glances. The weight of the Third Hokage's words sank in, each revelation striking like a hammer.
Hiashi, in particular, felt conflicted. As the head of the Hyuga Clan, he was complicit in this system, yet the realization of how precarious the balance truly was left him troubled.
"But this is the system we have now," Hiruzen continued. "For a Hokage to govern effectively, they must navigate a delicate dance between placating the clans and empowering civilians. If Minato tries to overturn this balance too hastily, he risks turning all the clans against him."
"That's why, for someone like him—someone with such a clean heart—it's best if he doesn't act against the clans for now. The burden would crush him."
Hiruzen's voice was tinged with sadness as he extinguished his pipe. "Minato could have been a great Hokage in another era. But now… he's bound by the limitations of this system, one I played no small part in creating."
Hiashi remained silent, his head slightly bowed, his mind racing with conflicted thoughts.
The meeting fell into a tense, contemplative silence, the weight of Hiruzen's revelations hanging heavily in the air.
(End of Chapter)