Chapter 126: The Hyuga Clan Seeks Change
Although the Hyuga Clan had grown wealthier, this wealth was vastly different from that of the other Ninja Clans.
Their improved circumstances were only relative to the past.
Because Konoha's fiscal revenue had increased dramatically, the benefits provided to the village's Ninjas had also risen substantially. That naturally raised the income of the Hyuga Clan's Ninjas as well, making their lives better than before.
But this increase was only a passive result of the overall cake becoming larger. While they were indeed better off than in the past, they were nowhere near the level of the other Ninja Clans.
And human beings were precisely the sort of creatures who loved to compare.
"Worry not about scarcity, but about inequality." That principle was the same everywhere.
Watching the members of other Ninja Clans make their fortunes under Hokage sama's leadership, seeing their personal wealth rise one after another while they themselves remained stagnant, naturally bred dissatisfaction.
And that dissatisfaction would, of course, be directed toward the Hyuga Main House.
Because it was not Konoha suppressing them and preventing them from moving forward. It was the Hyuga Main House, which had consistently made conservative decisions.
"If this continues, I fear many clansmen will slip beyond our control."
The Hyuga Clan Head spoke helplessly.
"And we are all well aware of the consequences of losing control."
The Hyuga Main House was able to enjoy its current lifestyle entirely because of the vast number of Branch Family members.
But strictly speaking, the Main House's control over the Branch Family was actually quite weak.
Yes, with the Caged Bird Seal in place, it was indeed very easy for the Main House to control the Branch Family.
But forceful control alone was never destined to last.
Thus, beyond the existence of the Caged Bird Seal, the real reason the Branch Family followed the Main House was because doing so was more beneficial for them.
People like Neji in the future, who viewed the Caged Bird Seal as a shackle that imprisoned their talent, were, after all, only a minority.
For the overwhelming majority of ordinary Hyuga clansmen, the existence of the Caged Bird Seal was actually the foundation that allowed them to walk freely in the outside world.
Otherwise, without the protection of the Caged Bird Seal, given the capabilities of the Byakugan, the moment the Hyuga Clan appeared in the outside world, they would immediately become targets for every major Ninja Village.
Moreover, as a clan, the combined strength of the Hyuga was also beneficial to the Branch Family itself.
With those foundations and that consensus in place, the Main House could rule the Branch Family for a long time.
But once the day came when those foundations and that consensus no longer existed, and the Main House began to stand in direct opposition to the Branch Family, then the Main House's rule could be dismantled with alarming ease.
A system like the Hyuga Clan's was simply too easy to collapse.
Because with Konoha existing outside the clan, the Main House did not possess absolute control over the Branch Family.
The Main House had no authority to control every aspect of the Branch Family's lives, much less the power to decide whether they lived or died.
So long as a Hyuga Branch Family Ninja was willing, they could completely choose to leave the Hyuga Clan and integrate themselves into the outside world.
And the Main House would not even have the right to execute them for it.
Because, nominally, those Branch Family Ninjas were also members of Konoha.
If the Hyuga Main House dared to take private action against a Konoha Ninja, or even secretly execute one, then what exactly were they trying to do?
Such things could still be concealed if they were done only once or twice in private. But once the frequency increased, or once Konoha's high command decided to intervene, trouble would inevitably follow.
And once those Hyuga clansmen left the clan and reproduced in the outside world, the Hyuga Main House would not even be able to brand them with the Caged Bird Seal anymore.
After all, those people had already chosen to leave the Hyuga Clan. On what grounds could the Main House interfere?
This was precisely the difficult situation the Hyuga Clan was currently facing.
Because of the Main House's long term suppression, the Hyuga Clan's Ninjas had not been allowed to join Konoha's reform process, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among many Branch Family Ninjas.
For the time being, that dissatisfaction might only amount to complaints and grievances.
But if it were allowed to continue fermenting, the eventual outcome would be difficult to predict.
And if the complaints of the clansmen could still be temporarily ignored, then another emerging issue made them even more alarmed.
"The Hyuga Clan is about to be squeezed out of Konoha's power structure."
One of the elders spoke in a deep voice, his expression extremely grave.
"This is a very dangerous situation."
After Kei took office, he opened many of Konoha's fields all at once, allowing the vast majority of Ninjas to participate.
That widened what had once been a power game played by only a few people.
This was both a difference in philosophy and a necessity of reality.
After all, as Konoha reformed, the scope of the affairs it needed to manage expanded rapidly, spreading from the original purely military domain into nearly every aspect of governance.
If the old Konoha had resembled a mercenary group that only handled military matters, then the current Konoha was more like a national government. Its functions and responsibilities had multiplied enormously.
Because Konoha's sphere of power had expanded, and because Kei was willing to share authority, many more people were able to take part.
Nowadays, the various Ninja Clans in Konoha either had members serving in the relevant departments of Konoha, or they had influence within the educational system.
Clans like the Senju and the Uchiha had even broader influence across all areas, essentially developing to their peak.
Even weaker Ninja Clans could at least secure the status of advisor.
Although an advisor did not possess real power, they could participate in councils, regularly question Konoha's upper ranks, and enjoy the right to know even if they lacked the right to decide.
In some public matters, they also held voting rights, which was already a decent status.
Yet even that position of advisor had not been obtained by the Hyuga Clan.
In short, throughout Konoha's reforms, the Hyuga Clan could almost be said to have gained nothing. Not only had they failed to obtain substantial benefits, they had also failed to gain either influence or authority.
For the Hyuga Clan, this was an extremely dangerous omen.
Within the large collective that was Konoha, whether one possessed power or not made an enormous difference.
Those with power could manipulate those without it at will. That rule had already been proven countless times over the years.
It was because the Hyuga Clan had sensed this crisis that they convened this meeting.
"Regardless of anything else, the Hyuga Clan must change."
The Hyuga Clan Head spoke.
"The suppression of the clansmen must be loosened. At the very least, things cannot continue as they are now, or resentment will only continue to build."
"The Hyuga can no longer remain closed off. Otherwise, as more major clans like the Uzumaki continue to appear, the Hyuga will become less and less important to the village."
In the past, the only clans within Konoha that could firmly suppress the Hyuga were the Uchiha and the Senju.
But now, there was an additional Uzumaki Clan.
If things continued like this, then sooner or later the Hyuga Clan would become a completely marginal presence within Konoha.
And by then, the Hyuga would truly be in danger.
"We must also establish a good relationship with Hokage sama."
One of the elders spoke up.
"At the very least, we must secure an advisor's position for the Hyuga Clan."
....
https://discord.gg/KvMN2CFsMR
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03].