The Hyuga Shall Stand Above, In The Heavens!

In the large meeting room, with Hyuga Hitoshi setting the main topic of discussion, his subordinates began to brainstorm.

The moon's resources were limited, and much of the daily supplies had to be transported from Earth.

The Otsutsuki clan was used to living on the moon for centuries, but once the initial novelty wore off, the Hyuga clan members would surely feel that the ninja world was better.

According to Hyuga Hitoshi's final plan, once they had a solid foothold in the ninja world, the moon would serve more as a sacred place, offering the safest environment for training and evolution, essentially becoming their final fallback.

"Hitoshi-kun, in my humble opinion, for the initial stages, the Land of Rice Fields would be a very suitable place to settle."

The first to speak was Orochimaru, now Hyuga Orochimaru. There was no issue with her attending such a meeting.

And after she had used the reincarnation technique to become Miss Orochimaru, it was said that she perfectly matched the aesthetic of the Upper Jonin, Ushiuma. Before the meeting began, Ushiuma had even tried to test the waters with Miss Orochimaru, but she had sharply rejected him.

Miss Orochimaru stated that she would devote her life to fighting for the future of the Hyuga clan.

"I once established a laboratory in the Land of Rice Fields. The Daimyo there is easy to control. If done properly, creating a ninja village wouldn't be too difficult." 

This was Orochimaru's experience. In fact, if it weren't for Hyuga Hitoshi recruiting him to the Hyuga clan as the head of research, he would have already started planning the creation of a ninja village by now. 

"Orochimaru, you misunderstood. The clan leader means establishing a nation, not a ninja village. These are different concepts." 

The speaker was a familiar face, an elder who had once been persuaded by Hyuga Hitoshi long ago, named Hyuga Seito. 

Even to this day, he still felt like he was in a dream. This bold and audacious clan leader really made a decision that went against their ancestors, and yet he succeeded! 

The events that happened in Konohagakure had already reached the ears of the Hyuga clan. The pressure from the Third Hokage that sacrificed the Hyuga bloodline had deeply affected this elder, who always preached about etiquette and law. 

Now, he admired Hyuga Hitoshi's far-reaching vision and had completely become a devoted follower of the clan leader. 

"Given the clan leader's strength, and considering the situation, I believe we should start by using the passage to the moon as the center, then expand outward with conquest." 

He pointed at the map, showing the cave area in the Land of Fire that connected to the moon. This area was near the edge of the Land of Fire, bordering the Land of Rice Fields. 

"Just kill the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields, rename it the Sun God Kingdom, and then declare war on the Land of Fire. Isn't it easy to take over this place?" 

Since starting his training in the lower body, Hyuga Hizashi had become very aggressive and proposed a different view. Now that the Hyuga clan had left Konohagakure and no longer belonged to the Land of Fire, they were enemies from now on. 

Declaring war on the Land of Fire didn't seem out of place. 

"Hizashi, your idea is too extreme." 

Hyuga Hiashi, the more conservative one, quickly stopped his younger brother and pointed carefully at an inconspicuous area near the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of River.

It was a small, unremarkable country at the border between the two lands. 

"Whether it's declaring war or conquering territory, relying on the clan leader alone will make us look incompetent. Orochimaru's plan for the clan's rise mentioned the idea of sleeping. In the beginning, we'll be short on manpower. Establishing a nation requires more than just territory. Once the territory is secured, population, economy, and infrastructure are all crucial. The most stable approach is to develop cautiously and quietly at first, then make bold moves once we're established." 

"This place is called the Land of Demons. According to my research, the people here naturally believe in the country's actual rulers, the priestesses. Coincidentally, the clan leader wants to establish a theocracy, where faith is the foundation." 

"By dealing with the priestess, shifting the faith, and establishing the theocratic nation in this hidden location, we can slowly attract outsiders and build the system needed for the nation's development. This place is very suitable." 

Hyuga Hiashi glanced carefully at Hyuga Hitoshi's women, who were listening from a distance, then coughed. 

"I also heard that the current priestess of the Land of Demons, Miroku, is selecting suitable people to bear the next generation of priestesses." 

He almost openly suggested that Hyuga Hitoshi should legally take the priestess as a wife. 

In an instant, several resentful glances locked onto Hiashi, sending chills down his spine and making him break into a cold sweat. 

But truthfully, Hyuga Hiashi was considering the clan's development. He really believed that the Land of Demons was the right location. The local religious atmosphere was strong, and as long as the priestess cooperated, acting out a few rescue-the-nation dramas with Hyuga Hitoshi, it wouldn't be hard for him to become the ruler of a nation after gaining support. 

Then, they could use the Land of Demons as the base and slowly expand outward. This general direction was undoubtedly correct.

The discussion below continued. 

Hyuga Hitoshi listened quietly, a faint smile on his face. 

The influence of subtle changes was real. 

With his hot-tempered leadership, the thoughts of the clan members were also starting to change. 

Neither the radicals, who supported Hyuga Hizashi's approach of simply taking what they wanted from other lands, nor the conservatives, who wanted to move forward step by step like Hyuga Hiashi, saw anything wrong with Hyuga clan moving into the ninja world, overthrowing a nation's government, and killing a Daimyo. 

After the clan leader Hitoshi killed the Land of Fire's Daimyo, their mindset had evolved. 

However, Orochimaru, who was focused on research, hadn't quite figured it out yet. He still saw the nation and ninja village as separate entities, thinking that a ninja village still needed the Daimyo's support. 

What a joke, just like Hitoshi had said before the meeting. 

When have the strong ever needed the weak's approval to take what they want? 

The weak should please the strong and rely on them for protection—that's the right way to think! 

With his eyes closed, Hyuga Hitoshi's fingers lightly tapped on the table. 

As he did so, his subordinates stopped talking, waiting for his final decision. 

They didn't know how bold Hyuga Hitoshi was. 

Since everyone's suggestions had merit, there was no need to struggle with the decision. He could just accept all of them. 

Whether it was the Land of Rice Fields, the Land of Demons, or even the secret path that connected to the moon beneath the Land of Fire, Hyuga Hitoshi included all of these places as his territory. He just needed to sort out the priority, and he'd have enough people ready by the time the first group of clan members woke up from the ascension process. 

In addition, Hyuga Hitoshi had his sights on another location. 

He slowly raised his head and looked at the map projected by the [Dark Eye]. His gaze shifted slightly to the right, and he stroked his chin. 

What right did Uchiha Obito have? 

What made him worthy of controlling the five great countries and Kirigakure Village for so many years? 

This time, Hitoshi planned to replace the ruler of Kirigakure Village and its Daimyo with someone more obedient. 

Hyuga Hiashi was right about one thing: a country's development depends on many factors—population, economy, military power, and faith—all of these are necessary. It also needs a healthy and sustainable system, at least one that ensures the basic needs of the common people are met. 

Hm. 

The Land of Water's Daimyo would likely be happy to develop the surrounding seas together with the Sun God Kingdom. 

However, Hyuga Hiashi's character was still too conservative. Building a country does require a lot of preparation, but timing is crucial. 

This is the ninja world, a place of constant warfare. If you can guarantee that the people can live peacefully, they won't just call you "God," they'll even call you "Father" if you want. 

Meeting the basic needs of the people is not hard. Hyuga Hitoshi occasionally studied the world's food issues and provided Orochimaru with some direction. He might even become the father of hybrid rice in the ninja world. If they could add some affordable pickled vegetables, it would be even better. 

Based on the events of the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original story, dealing with radical elements after the founding of a nation could be as simple as giving them an enemy. All potential risks would be resolved. 

Now, the next steps were clear. 

His fingers stopped tapping the table, and Hyuga Hitoshi nodded at his subordinates. He already had a plan for the territory issue. The rest would be handled by his men. 

Whether it was Orochimaru's ascension plan or the reform of the Caged Bird Seal in the Sun God Kingdom, these ideas were still vague in the minds of the clan members. But after today, they would have a much clearer understanding of their future.

Finally, the meeting came to an end. 

The future direction for the Hyuga clan had mostly been decided. 

It was clear that after today, Clan Leader Hitoshi would become very busy. 

Meanwhile, in the Land of Fire, 

Konohagakure. 

This was the second day since the Hyuga clan had unilaterally announced their departure from Konohagakure. 

The failed peace talks between the three nations, the death of the Land of Fire Daimyo, and the new attack on Konohagakure hadn't yet spread widely through the ninja world. However, these events had already begun to spread rapidly in smaller circles, and it was only a matter of time before the entire ninja world was shocked by these developments. 

Like the Hyuga clan, they were also holding a meeting. 

At this moment, Konohagakure was having an intense discussion about the post-disaster reconstruction. 

However, unlike the hopeful atmosphere surrounding the Hyuga clan's rebirth, this meeting was filled with a sense of suppression. 

There was a reason for this. 

Although the village had been destroyed, after the Nine-Tails attack and the subsequent reconstruction, Konohagakure had gotten used to such tasks. 

But now, a very real problem lay before them. 

During the Nine-Tails incident, whether it was the Third Hokage's return to power or the village's reconstruction, the Land of Fire Daimyo, who was killed by Hyuga Hitoshi, had played a huge role. 

Now, with the Daimyo's death, the Daimyo's office felt utterly humiliated. The new Daimyo thought Konohagakure had gone too far, and how could the dog he raised dare to bite its master? 

If this gets out, wouldn't the other Daimyos laugh at him? 

So, the Daimyo, feeling embarrassed, blamed the Hyuga clan and then shifted his anger onto Konohagakure. 

This was clearly seen in the temporary meeting room, where the surviving representatives from various clans glanced pityingly at the bruised and battered Shimura Danzo. 

Yes, Danzo had gone to the Daimyo's office early in the morning, reported the death of the Land of Fire Daimyo, and placed all the blame on the Hyuga clan. He then asked the Daimyo's son for humanitarian aid. 

And then, he was thrown out. 

Danzo, who didn't dare to fight back, returned to the village looking ashamed, bringing back this bad news. 

Now, the problem Konohagakure faced was this: 

The disaster was over, but life had to go on. 

But they didn't have enough funds to support the reconstruction. 

Then, 

When Fugaku stood up, the clan leaders and the old village head, along with Jiraiya, all looked at him. 

"A country can't go a day without a Daimyo, just as a village can't go a day without a kage." 

Enjoying the attention, Fugaku spoke proudly. 

"The Third Hokage has already proven with his limited abilities that he is unfit to hold the position of Hokage. During his time, the Senju clan integrated too successfully into the village and almost disappeared. The White Fang of Konohagakure committed suicide in shame. The Third Great Ninja War was a series of defeats. Orochimaru-sama left in anger. The Nine-Tails rampaged out of control, and Kumogakure Village, seeing him as weak, started a war. They forced the former Hyuga Clan to leave, causing the village to face another disaster." 

"You could say that Konohagakure's current state is largely due to the Third Hokage's achievements!" 

After saying all of this about the Third Hokage's "great accomplishments," Fugaku was about to continue. 

But the Third Hokage clearly wasn't an easy target. 

"I did it all for the village!" 

He shouted, desperately defending himself. 

But the response he received was Fugaku's casual slap. 

*Snap!* 

The Body Flicker technique, copied from Uchiha Shisui, worked really well.

Watching the third Hokage's incredulous expression as he clutched his face, about to lose his temper, Fugaku couldn't help but sneer. 

"Uchiha Fugaku! I'm the Hokage! Even if I step down, I still need the Daimyo's approval." 

How dare he? 

Jiraiya is still here! 

There are others in the meeting room. What is Uchiha planning? A rebellion? 

"Forget the Daimyo." 

Fugaku shook his head dismissively. 

"You're the only one still thinking highly of the Daimyo. They just see you as a obedient dog." 

Ignoring Sarutobi, Fugaku glanced at Jiraiya, who was frowning, then looked at the remaining high-ranking members of Konohagakure before taking a deep breath. 

"The Daimyo has already given up on Konohagakure, but we cannot give up on ourselves." 

"Now, as the savior of Konohagakure, I ask everyone here: Who supports Sarutobi Hiruzen stepping down as Hokage? Who opposes it?" 

The room was silent. 

Even Jiraiya, the third Hokage's disciple, did not raise any objections at this moment. 

They fundamentally didn't see any problem with Sarutobi stepping down. 

In fact, even without the issue with the Hyuga clan, if Konohagakure wasn't destroyed, Sarutobi's resignation was inevitable; it was just delayed because of the recent war. 

From any angle, Sarutobi had already lost the qualifications to continue as Hokage. 

The day had finally come. 

Sarutobi, who had spent the whole night desperately trying to make his presence known, now looked pale, as if he had lost his most important possession, and collapsed weakly onto the ground. 

But not far from him, Danzo's eyes were gleaming. 

Of course, Danzo knew that Sarutobi was finished, which meant there was no hope for him either. 

But no matter what, he didn't want to see someone from the Uchiha clan become Hokage! 

Glancing at the collapsed Sarutobi, Danzo snorted coldly with disdain. 

Such a mindset should never be called Hokage! Sarutobi had been Hokage for so many years, it was an insult to the position! 

You've been ousted, but it's not the end! 

"I'm willing to offer all of Shimura clan's assets to rebuild Konohagakure, and I support Jiraiya becoming Hokage." 

Having Jiraiya as Hokage was better than Fugaku! 

That was Danzo's current thought. 

But he was smarter than Sarutobi. He chose to offer money first, then speak, otherwise Fugaku would probably slap him down in an instant. 

Upon hearing this, Sarutobi paused, a flash of realization in his eyes, and quickly followed his old comrade's lead. 

"I also support it." 

*Slap!* 

But Fugaku's slap came a little late, interrupting Sarutobi's words again. 

"Did I ask you to speak? What right do you have to speak here?" 

Suddenly interrupted by Danzo, Fugaku glared at Sarutobi. From this moment, you could clearly see the Uchiha clan's true nature. 

They were the saviors of Konohagakure, and this was just the beginning of their expansion. 

Without the Hyuga clan as a limit, the Uchiha clan was undoubtedly the strongest in Konohagakure. 

Fame, power, he had it all. 

Why couldn't he become Hokage? 

However, there were still some people in the village who remained clear-headed. 

They knew that if someone from the Uchiha clan became Hokage, the village would likely be torn apart. What's worse, the Uchiha clan currently controlled the village's public opinion, with a strong base of support. If they opposed Fugaku, who had already become Hokage, it would likely cause widespread dissatisfaction among the villagers.

If this goes on, the village will really be ruined!

And this.

This is also why Jiraiya, even though he was insulted by the villagers, still attended the meeting and decided to run for Hokage.

Jiraiya knew very well how terrifying Uchiha Fugaku was, especially after gaining the power of moral authority. If Fugaku became Hokage, it would be a disaster of epic proportions for the village.

He had to stop him!

To do so, Jiraiya even offered up all the money he'd saved over years of writing his "adult novels" to rebuild the village.

But even so, it was just a drop in the bucket.

After all, the damage caused by the statue of the ancestor Hamura was undeniable. The scale of destruction was so great that even with a reduced population, rebuilding Konohagakure was far beyond what Jiraiya's savings could cover.

The village needed funds and a new Hokage.

In the temporary meeting room, opinions were divided. Both Fugaku and Jiraiya had supporters, but repeated votes failed to produce a satisfactory result. Some even suggested that the villagers should have a say, as they didn't accept the current process.

Finally, Nara Shikaku stepped up with a suggestion.

"The village needs funds for reconstruction. Why not set a timeframe for the two Hokage candidates to compete in raising funds? Whoever collects more can become Hokage. This would be a great contribution to the village, and I believe everyone would approve."

As expected of Konohagakure's brilliant strategist.

On the surface, it seemed like a fair competition. But in reality, it was highly unfavorable to Fugaku.

Nicely put, it was about raising funds. Harshly put, it was about seeking sponsorship.

Even though the Uchiha clan had performed well in the recent battle, the number of allied clans on their side was still small. Especially after witnessing the Uchihas show off earlier, many were hesitant. In this situation, the funds Fugaku could gather were very limited.

Not to mention Jiraiya was already wealthy and had the support of his mentor.

The situation looked grim!

But what they didn't know was that after the meeting ended, the gloomy expression on Fugaku's face disappeared, replaced by a strange calmness.

That's right.

Fugaku had already evolved!

"I knew becoming Hokage wouldn't be easy. Those fickle people have treated the Uchiha this way since the founding of Konohagakure, no, since the Warring States period."

But this time, he had a plan, and he wasn't worried. Funds? He'd already thought of a solution.

"Clan leader, you're going to be Hokage. If this gets out, won't it hurt your reputation?" 

Next to him, Fugaku's loyal bodyguard, Uchiha Satoshi, spoke with concern.

"After all, I've never heard of a village leader issuing an order to sell off their own country's land. This is practically the same as ceding territory for peace. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire would never agree!"

How could they? What right did Konohagakure have to even consider selling the Land of Fire's territory?

Exactly.

Knowing there would be obstacles to becoming Hokage, Fugaku had already predicted Nara Shikaku's strategy. His unpredictable intelligence, which shone at times, had now outmaneuvered the Konohagakure strategist for once!

Fugaku had thought deeply about how to gain the most capital with the smallest cost. What could be sold to raise funds to rebuild Konohagakure?

Then, he looked at the map of the Land of Fire.

"I don't need the Daimyo's approval! I've always thought Hitoshi's words made sense, but it didn't click until now. Thinking back, he was absolutely right."

Fugaku spoke calmly.

"A Daimyo backed by a ninja village is a true Daimyo. Without Konohagakure as his shield, the Daimyo is just an ordinary person. An ordinary person can't possibly defend such a vast territory."

So.

"I'm just preemptively selling the land he's bound to lose anyway. Is there a problem with that?"

"He should be thanking us!"

Gasp! 

Uchiha Satoshi looked at his clan leader in shock, finding the man before him to be completely unfamiliar in that moment. 

Is this really something a Hokage candidate would say?

The logic might seem fine at first glance, but when you think about it, it's full of problems! Even if the Daimyo sold off land, that money shouldn't go to you! 

"Get in touch later and see if any small countries near the Land of Fire want to buy some land. They're our neighbors, and as the Uchiha clan, we have to lend a hand! The Land of Fire is so big, and the neighboring countries are so small. Does that even make sense? It doesn't reflect the grandeur of the Land of Fire as a major power!"

Fine, whatever you say.

Uchiha Satoshi gave up trying to argue. He felt that with ideas like this, the clan leader was basically guaranteed to become the next Hokage. No matter how much the other ninja clans supported Jiraiya, there was no way he could raise as much money as someone selling off land. 

"By the way," 

Fugaku paused, glanced at the ruined Hokage Rock in the distance, and casually pointed at it. 

"Get the blueprints for the Hokage Rock ready in advance. Once the money comes in, it's a top priority to repair it. Oh, and here's a concept design I made. Make sure the craftsmen are prepared." 

Fugaku pulled out a blank sheet of paper and pointed at the largest face on the drawing. 

"Tell the craftsmen that my Hokage Rock doesn't need much—just make it big! The coverage has to be wide, and it should emphasize that I'm a savior. Highlight the strength of the Uchiha clan in three dimensions. The Sharingan is a must. Also, the Third Hokage's statue doesn't need to be fully carved. If you must include it, just make it as small as one of my statue's nostrils." 

Uchiha Satoshi took the blueprint with sweat running down his face and swallowed hard, deeply impressed by Fugaku's boldness. 

Behind them, Uchiha Itachi, who had been silently following for a while, finally couldn't hold back. 

"Father—" 

*Smack!* 

A heavy slap sent Itachi sprawling to the ground. Fugaku frowned. 

"What is my title?" 

Itachi struggled to get up, his face turning red with frustration. 

"Respected founder of Konohagakure, great Uchiha clan leader, double Mangekyo Sharingan of Konohagakure, the Third Power wielder, great contributor to the village, and my honored father—" 

*Smack!* 

Another slap landed. Fugaku stood tall, proud as ever. 

"Add 'the great Fifth Hokage' to that. Also, change 'double Mangekyo Sharingan of Konohagakure' to 'the strongest Uchiha of Konohagakure!'" 

Itachi twitched on the ground for a moment before slowly lifting his head. The force of the last slap had left his mind a bit blank. 

What was I trying to say? 

Oh, right. 

The village! 

He looked up at his showy father, then at Uchiha Cong, who seemed to agree with everything, and finally rubbed his now-swollen face in despair. 

It's over. 

It's all over. 

From this moment on... 

The Uchiha dictatorship begins! 

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