The Hokage Tower was packed with Konoha's most influential figures—Jonin Commander Shikaku Nara, Police Force Captain Fugaku Uchiha, Konoha's senior council, and representatives of both the Hyuga Clan and Kushina Uzumaki.
The peace agreement with Kumo was a critical matter for Konoha. However, within just one day of the Kumo envoys' arrival, several of them had been killed. If not handled properly, this situation could easily spiral into a full-scale crisis.
After entrusting Naruto to Kimura, Kushina had been summoned to the Hokage Tower.
But she wasn't just here to answer questions—she had plenty of her own.
How had a Kumo shinobi managed to sneak into her home without ANBU noticing?
If she hadn't been awake, Naruto would have been kidnapped.
This entire situation brought back painful memories.
She had once been in Naruto's position—a Jinchuriki, targeted by Kumo—and now, history was repeating itself.
The thought filled her with fury.
If she hadn't extended her lifespan through Sage Mode training, then who would protect Naruto in the future?
Outside, the remaining Kumo shinobi were causing an uproar, but ANBU had restricted their movements.
However, by dawn, they had already spread word of the attack.
Now, the entire village was buzzing with speculation.
Hiruzen had immediately issued an order forbidding discussion of the incident, but something this significant couldn't be silenced so easily.
Whispers still spread through the streets.
"Hey, did you hear? The Kumo envoys were killed!"
"What? Seriously? If that's true, then… what happens to the peace agreement?"
A passerby scoffed.
"Idiot! If their envoys are dead, why would they still sign a peace treaty?"
"Wait… does that mean another war is coming?"
The moment war was mentioned, countless faces darkened.
Konoha had already suffered years of conflict, and many Chunin and Genin had lost their lives.
Every few weeks, new graves were dug, and more families gathered to mourn their dead.
To ordinary civilians and lower-ranking shinobi, war meant death and destruction.
No one wanted to go through that nightmare again.
The Hokage's Office
Inside, the atmosphere was tense.
Hiruzen exhaled a long stream of pipe smoke, remaining silent as he carefully weighed the situation.
The Kumo delegation had arrived with seven members.
By the second day, half of them were dead.
Even if Konoha knew they had bad intentions, how could they prove it?
The Yamanaka Clan could investigate their memories, but all of them had sealing jutsu placed on their minds, partially erasing key information.
Even if they managed to recover some details, how could they prove that this was a deliberate Kumo plot?
The dead bodies were found inside Konoha—so no matter how the argument played out, Kumo would twist the narrative to blame them.
They had already begun doing so.
If ANBU hadn't restricted their movements, the surviving Kumo shinobi would have already started riots in the village.
Shikaku spoke up, his tone calm but serious.
"Kumo likely never intended to sign the peace treaty. The fact that their team attempted to kidnap both the Fourth Hokage's son and members of the Hyuga Clan speaks for itself. And now, they're using their dead envoys as an excuse to extort us."
Though Konoha had stopped the kidnappings, Kumo had reacted instantly—spreading word of the incident before Konoha could contain it.
It wouldn't take long before news reached the Raikage.
If negotiations failed, war was inevitable.
Koharu Utatane sighed.
"Before coming here, I met with Kumo's deputy envoy. They outright denied any involvement in a kidnapping attempt and even threatened war if we don't 'give them an explanation.'"
Shikaku frowned.
"What about the border situation?"
"No reports yet, but I've already ordered heightened security," Hiruzen replied.
Kushina couldn't hold back any longer.
"Those damn thieves have the audacity to demand an explanation?!"
She clenched her fists, her voice seething with rage.
"If I hadn't been awake last night, Naruto would be gone right now. And where the hell were ANBU?! Do they only show up after the damage is done?!"
Her red hair flared with chakra, and for a moment, the entire room felt suffocating under the weight of her killing intent.
Hiruzen's expression stiffened.
She was right.
The two ANBU assigned to monitor Naruto had been too lax.
On top of that, Kushina's past kidnapping attempt by Kumo made this situation even more personal for her.
"All remaining Kumo shinobi should be arrested immediately," she declared.
"We need to interrogate them and find out who else in Konoha is working with them! Otherwise, they'll just try again!"
Her words echoed through the office.
Hiruzen and the elders visibly tensed.
Finally, Danzo took a step forward.
Tapping his cane twice against the floor, he spoke in a cold, detached voice.
"That's enough."
"This is not the time for your complaints, Kushina. We need to focus on handling Kumo—not listening to you rant."
His single visible eye narrowed.
"If you're so concerned about the Fourth Hokage's son, I have a solution—hand him over to Root. We will ensure his absolute safety and train him to become a powerful shinobi."
"…What did you just say?"
Danzo didn't even blink.
"You heard me."
"Naruto belongs in Root—"
"You senile old bastard!"
Kushina's chakra erupted, rattling the windows.
Root.
That damn place Minato had warned her about so many times.
A place that turned people into emotionless weapons.
The very idea of sending Naruto there made her blood boil.
Her golden chains began forming behind her, writhing like living vipers.
She glared daggers at Danzo.
"If you even think about laying a finger on Naruto, I swear—I'll tear you apart myself."
Danzo simply scoffed.
He didn't fear her.
To him, Kushina was nothing more than a dying woman clinging to the last of her strength.
And she thought she could still control the Jinchuriki?
What a joke.
Root had two subordinates proficient in Wood Release, making Danzo believe he was the best candidate to take control of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. In his mind, raising Naruto in an environment of familial affection would only turn him into a weakling.
If Naruto was handed over to Root, Danzo was confident that in just a few years, he could mold him into the perfect weapon of war.
"You senile old—!"
Kushina's furious outburst was cut short when Hiruzen slammed his pipe against the table twice, signaling silence.
"Enough. This is not the time for pointless arguments," Hiruzen said sternly. After ensuring both parties backed down, he turned to Koharu and asked, "What exactly is Kumo demanding?"
Koharu hesitated for a moment, scanning the room before finally speaking.
"They're demanding we hand over the culprits responsible for the deaths of their envoys—that means Naruto Uzumaki and the head of the Hyuga Clan."
The room remained eerily silent.
Some had already heard the demand earlier, and Hiruzen had certainly been briefed beforehand. Even Hiashi Hyuga, leader of the Hyuga Clan, had been aware of Kumo's outrageous request before today's meeting—which explained why he appeared so calm.
"This is completely impossible to agree to," Shikaku stated flatly. "Kumo is clearly trying to provoke war."
One was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
The other was the leader of the Hyuga Clan, whose family numbered in the hundreds.
Even if they had killed forty Kumo envoys instead of four, handing either of them over was simply out of the question.
Kushina had initially seethed with rage upon hearing the demand, but she quickly calmed down—because she knew there was no way in hell they'd actually consider it.
Koharu sighed.
"If Kumo is negotiating, it means they don't actually want war. If they did, the Raikage would have already mobilized the border forces. They're leaving room for negotiation."
Hiruzen nodded.
"That's my stance as well. If Kumo is willing to compromise, then we should do everything possible to secure the peace treaty, even if it means some losses on our part. Konoha has already endured years of war, and after the Nine-Tails attack, we simply cannot afford another conflict."
He sighed heavily before adding,
"If bearing the burden alone will bring peace to Konoha, then I will accept that responsibility."
He then turned to Koharu.
"For the sake of securing this treaty, we can be somewhat flexible on reparations—so long as they're not unreasonable."
Koharu's expression darkened.
"Kumo is refusing to back down on their core demand. They insist that someone must die in retribution for their envoys. If we refuse, they're prepared for war."
Hiruzen fell silent, taking a long, slow drag from his pipe.
"...So peace is really this difficult to achieve."
The Hyuga Clan's Proposal
"If Kumo only wants a corpse, then I may have a solution."
The Second Elder of the Hyuga Clan stepped forward, his expression calm.
"Hiashi and Hizashi are identical twins. If we provide them with a body, we could offer Hizashi's as compensation."
"The Caged Bird Seal will ensure that even in death, Kumo will gain nothing from his body. His Byakugan will be destroyed upon his passing, preventing them from stealing our secrets."
"And even if they realize the deception later, they will have no grounds to retaliate."
He then added, "Hizashi has already agreed to this."
The room fell into deep silence.
Hiruzen slowly nodded in agreement.
"...That could work."
Hiashi frowned.
"Second Elder… Why am I only hearing about this now?"
The elder's gaze remained steady.
"Hiashi, protecting the Byakugan has always been the sacred duty of the Hyuga Main Family. Kumo's intentions are clear, and the only way to safeguard our clan is to hand over Hizashi. There is no other way."
His voice grew firmer.
"As a senior member of the Main Family, it is my responsibility to guide you toward the correct decision."
"And let me be clear—Hizashi chose this himself. We are not forcing him."
Hiashi hesitated.
If Hizashi had volunteered…
If this was his brother's decision…
Just as Hiashi was about to speak, a sharp voice cut through the tension.
"So just because Hizashi agreed, that means we should let him die?"
Heads turned.
The speaker was Kiyo Hyuga, who had arrived unnoticed.
Since she had played a role in repelling the Kumo intruders the night before, her influence within the Hyuga Clan had grown significantly—which was likely why she was allowed to attend.
She stepped forward, her white Byakugan eyes flashing with anger.
"This is pathetic. What did Hizashi do wrong that he should be sacrificed for this?!"
(End of Chapter)