Chapter 280: Acceptance
Hinata, as his wife, was the one who understood him best.
From childhood to adulthood, Ryosuke had shared nearly every decision with her. He would often explain the reasoning behind each step, each plan, until she fully understood the cause and effect.
That was why she could often guess what he was thinking—before he even said it.
"Counterattack?"
In the hall, some looked up in confusion. Others froze, their expressions shifting as they seemed to grasp the implication. Slowly, all eyes turned toward Ryosuke.
"If they possess a space-time gate that allows them to travel freely between worlds… then your plan is to intercept it when they try to return, isn't it?"
Hinata met Ryosuke's eyes. Though phrased as a question, her tone left little room for doubt.
"Yes," Ryosuke replied with a nod, unsurprised she had seen through him. "That is my plan."
He then addressed the rest of the hall.
"We've already learned the basic principles of traversing space-time thanks to Mr. Shanks. And if the enemy controls the gate, then they must use it to return. Even if there are conditions involved, that fact remains constant."
"So, every outsider who enters our world becomes a potential key to open the path to theirs."
His voice brimmed with quiet confidence.
He had to project strength—not just for show, but because the Hyuga clan, despite all its merits, was still too cautious.
Ryosuke himself was cautious, yes—but he never lacked the courage to act.
The clan, however… while diligent and loyal, often hesitated.
But if he, the Hyuga's guiding light, were to fall into danger, they would cast aside that caution without hesitation and fight to the death to save him.
That loyalty and caution had once allowed the Hyuga to survive between titans like the Uchiha and the Senju.
But the times had changed.
Hinata didn't need just caution—she needed bravery. And bravery, like any other skill, could be cultivated.
"…So, what about your foresight?" Hinata asked. "In your prediction, did your future self carry out this plan?"
Her gaze never wavered.
The room grew quiet as others turned to look at Ryosuke expectantly.
Ryosuke shook his head.
"When it comes to the other world, things become too unstable. I can't see their futures."
"It's as if different worlds carry different destinies. I can only perceive the fates of those bound to our own world. Once someone becomes entangled with another world, their thread becomes… difficult to trace."
"I can't predict where these outsiders are, nor what awaits beyond the gate."
"My foresight is limited to the people of this world."
A ripple of disappointment passed through the room.
If they had been able to foresee the outcomes of every gate opening, it would've given them a crucial advantage. But reality was far less generous.
Still, Ryosuke's voice suddenly rose, strong and clear.
"So what if we can't predict it?"
He looked at them all. "My foresight may guide me, but it has never been the foundation of my path. What I've truly relied on is the belief that I must keep growing stronger."
"If an overwhelmingly powerful enemy were to arrive tomorrow, and Hyuga stood on the brink of destruction… if fate itself declared that we would lose…"
He paused. His tone dropped, becoming calm. Measured.
"Even then—I would fight."
"Even if the outcome seemed hopeless, I would never despair."
"There is a difference between waiting to die… and dying on your feet."
The room fell completely silent.
There was no need for fiery speeches—his resolve was absolute. The unwavering calm in his voice hit harder than any passionate outburst.
Everyone could feel it. His conviction. His intent.
"Only by becoming strong—truly strong—can we take hold of our destiny," Ryosuke said.
Behind him, the great Tenseigan hovered, glowing faintly. As his resolve deepened, the light intensified, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat.
Something stirred within him.
A heat—deep within body and soul. Something buried. Forgotten.
When he had first learned to manipulate foresight on the moon—when he returned and saw the threads of fate tangled across the world—he had felt it. A whisper beneath the surface.
There were too many unanswered questions.
About his existence. His memories. How he arrived in this world.
What this so-called "game" truly was.
He had believed mastering foresight would grant him the answers. But the truth remained elusive.
Even so, Ryosuke didn't mind waiting.
He had waited this long. He could wait longer.
Taking a deep breath, he calmed the burning sensation inside him.
"Foreknowledge—seeing fate—isn't always a gift."
"You begin to second-guess yourself. You start chasing outcomes, trying to pick the 'best' path. But in the process, you lose sight of the truth and live in delusion."
"Destiny… is never predetermined."
---
The three pieces of crucial intelligence Ryosuke extracted from dozens of predicted futures were formally handed to Hinata during this meeting.
And within a week, Hyuga's vast state apparatus began to move.
Thousands spread across the ninja world.
Most weren't Hyuga clan members—but Rain Country shinobi under their command. The Hyuga themselves acted as commanders and managers.
For example, the infiltration team targeting the Land of Lightning was assigned under the Iroha Corps.
And now, the legions that once numbered in mere dozens had grown into structured battalions—hundreds and even thousands strong.
High-ranking Hyuga commanded lower-ranking ones, who in turn led Rain Country ninjas. The old classifications of genin, chunin, and jonin no longer fully applied.
The Hyuga legacy spanned thousands of years, and its traditions contained more than just combat techniques.
From military tactics to metallurgy, from ancient poetry to governance, every member of the Hyuga clan received rigorous training in both war and wisdom.
While not all were born warriors, none lacked planning or leadership.
In recent years, clan elders had placed great emphasis on developing leadership. In their spare time, members ran mock war simulations using the clan's recorded battles—commanding virtual armies on sand tables to sharpen their strategy.
Over time, the clan had produced individuals who, while not yet true masters of warfare, had already far surpassed theory.
Although it was mostly talk for now, it was far better than a group of reckless men running around without direction.
The forces dispersing into the ninja world were actually Hyuga's covert operatives—long-established agents placed in every country to monitor external movements and identify potential aliens hiding in plain sight.
They had only been recalled due to Ryosuke's long absence, in order to consolidate and protect their strength.
But now, Ryosuke had returned—with information far more vital than expected.
These dormant operatives would once again be deployed across the world, this time with reinforcements. Their objective now wasn't only surveillance—it was investigation and identification of otherworlders potentially hiding in the ninja world.
At the same time, Hyuga began establishing contact with Mei Terumi and the remnants of the Hidden Mist Village.
After the war, the remnants of the defeated Shinobi Alliance scattered. The few Kirigakure survivors, led by Mei Terumi, wandered through the smaller neighboring nations. Though displaced and directionless, they hadn't pledged themselves to any new faction.
Born from a major shinobi village, they still carried themselves with the pride of high-ranking warriors, biding their time and weighing their options.
If Ryosuke's predictions held true, they would eventually join the alliance formed by the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone villages—coalescing into a new power bloc within the ninja world.
Previously, Hinata would never have considered recruiting such unstable elements.
But now, things were different.
The plans ahead demanded manpower. And these mist-nin, while displaced, were formidable warriors. They were not ideal in terms of loyalty—but Hinata already had full intelligence on their personalities, backgrounds, and combat capabilities.
If she was willing to accept beings from other worlds as potential allies, then why not these broken swords, too?
When Hyuga's people finally located them, Mei Terumi and her followers were shocked.
They found it hard to believe that the Hyuga clan—long known for their reverence of bloodlines—would willingly reach out to outsiders.
But the truth was undeniable.
Hyuga Hizashi, who led the diplomatic mission, greeted them warmly and openly explained the core structures of Hyuga's current political and social system under the Rain Country.
And just like that, without resistance or delay, Mei Terumi agreed to board Hyuga's ship.
She had seen it herself—on the battlefield in the Land of Water—what Hyuga was now capable of.
A family many still saw as reclusive remnants from Konoha… had hidden strength surpassing the imagination of the old shinobi world.
The Byakugan, especially under the modernized Hyuga line, was the finest sensory ability in existence.
Back then, Mei Terumi had once considered subduing Hyuga through alliances—or, if that failed, through marriage. But now?
Now she knew better.
Why would the Hyuga need to marry into power… when they already were power?
"Was it really… just this aging face?"
Mei Terumi brushed her fingertips lightly across her cheek, a hint of sadness creeping into her expression.
Everything around her had been collapsing lately.
Her home—destroyed. Her people—scattered.
Her master—killed. Ao—slain in battle.
Aside from the impetuous Chojuro and the unpredictable Zabuza, there was no one left she could confide in.
And the stress showed. Her skin had dulled, her spirit worn. If this went on much longer… perhaps marriage truly would become nothing more than a distant fantasy.
Following Hinata's invitation, Mei Terumi and her remaining followers were brought to Hyuga's central city.
Waiting for them at the city's guest manor was the patriarch himself.
Standing at his side were the two remaining Mist Swordsmen—Zabuza and Chojuro.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A polite knock sounded at the door.
Then, it opened.
Mei Terumi looked up and saw a middle-aged man with white hair and stern features walking inside with an air of practiced dignity. Following him was a striking young woman—cool, elegant, and sharper in presence than even the man before her.
The resemblance between the two was undeniable. Father and daughter.
She recognized it instantly—not just in their features, but in their shared aura. Cold. Controlled. Commanding.
"You must be Mr. Hiashi, head of the Hyuga family," Mei Terumi said respectfully, "and Miss Hinata?"
Both Zabuza and Chojuro stood behind her, quietly alert.
Hiashi gave a small nod. "I've already stepped down as clan head. The one in power now is my daughter."
He emphasized that word: power.
"She was the one who advocated for your inclusion, and the one who accepted the Mist's proposal."
Hinata stepped forward, standing in front of her father.
"Hyuga Hinata," she said plainly, introducing herself with quiet authority. "Head of the Hyuga clan."
She stood nearly a head shorter than Mei Terumi, but her gaze didn't falter for a moment.
Her aura was just as fierce.
"…Lady Hinata," Mei Terumi said, her expression flickering. She hadn't realized the Hyuga clan had already passed leadership to the next generation.
And perhaps… none of the other major powers in the ninja world knew it either.
But then, another thought crept in.
Why wasn't Ryosuke sitting in that seat?
With all his strength, prestige, and legend… why not him?
Could it be that, even now, the Hyuga placed more importance on bloodline hierarchy—enough to keep Ryosuke from the seat of power?
Suppressing the question, Mei Terumi sat down when gestured to.
"First," Hinata began without delay, "if you want to join Hyuga, you will be tested in multiple areas. There is no fixed time frame."
Her tone was direct—unyielding.
"During the assessment, you will follow all Hyuga directives. The content and results of these tests will not be disclosed. Everything will be conducted in secret."
"If someone fails, they will not be accepted. Only those who pass can act under our name."
"I assume my father explained the rest when he first approached you. I won't repeat our conditions for loyalty."
Though harsh—and almost one-sided—Mei Terumi showed no reaction.
She had expected as much.
The Hyuga clan was now the most powerful force in the ninja world. That was no longer up for debate.
And though it was unclear why they hadn't expanded or claimed total dominance, choosing instead to remain quietly in the Rain Country—Hyuga, to those like Mei Terumi, represented the last and best option.
Power always came with a price.
They were no novices.
They knew the cost.
[TL: I have a small announcement for everyone.
I just released a new fanfic titled "I Just Want to Die and Sit on the Throne of Heroes."
From the title alone some of you probably already know the fandom, but for those who do not, this story is based on the Fate Series. The main character is thrown into the era of Gilgamesh, so expect heroes, gods, and all kinds of divine trouble.
As for the Tensura based fanfic I mentioned before, I decided to stop that project. After reading further into the original series, I found too many plot holes and inconsistencies for the kind of story I want, so I chose not to continue it rather than force a messy fanfic.
If you are interested in the new Fate fanfic, feel free to check my profile and you will find it there.]