"Shhh..."
Upon hearing the disturbance, members of the Hyuga clan quickly appeared behind Hiashi.
But just like Hiashi, once they saw the face of the deceased, they froze on the spot.
"Clan Head, we must dispose of the body immediately!"
Hiashi shook his head slightly and looked toward the far end of the street, where two Cloud ninja lurked, ready to make a scene at any moment.
If they acted... news would spread instantly that the Hyuga clan had killed a representative of the Cloud Village, and there would be no way to justify it.
But if they didn't act...
Hiashi furrowed his brows. He knew full well what would happen if they did nothing.
A Cloud envoy's body was killed by Gentle Fist, paired with the safe and unharmed Hyuga heiress, these two facts alone would be enough to incriminate the Hyuga clan.
Those two observers were clearly present just to ensure Hiashi took the fall.
"Huff..."
Exhaling slowly, Hiashi spoke in a low voice, "Bring the body into the clan compound. Notify the elders to convene. I'm going to see the Hokage immediately and explain everything."
At this moment, Hiashi placed all his hope in the Fourth Hokage.
Outside the Hyuga compound, Kakashi finally understood Yun's intention.
Had Kakashi intervened earlier, he too would've killed the infiltrator instantly, because the enemy was already in a "certain death" state, and any fatal wound would appear to be caused by Gentle Fist.
This way, the Hyuga clan might distance itself from the blame. Let the Hokage handle it.
Even if war broke out, the responsibility wouldn't fall on the Hyuga; it would be on the Fourth Hokage.
"Whew..."
Kakashi sighed with relief. "Yun, it's a good thing you were cautious."
Yun waved it off. "That guy's chakra network was a mess. You just didn't notice."
Kakashi nodded slightly. "But now the Hyuga clan is in trouble. Their enemy came with the resolve to die for their goal. The Cloud won't stop here."
Yun glanced toward the brightly lit Hokage office in the distance. "If the Cloud's true aim is the Byakugan, they'll demand Hiashi's life in exchange."
"If Konoha agrees, it'll show fear of war. That's intelligence the Cloud will use against us. And furthermore..."
Kakashi looked out across the vast village. "If Konoha gives in, every clan in the village will feel uneasy. They'll wonder, if the tables were turned, would they be sacrificed for peace too?"
Yun smiled. "But what if it's all resolved in secret? Once the dust settles, the clans' concerns won't matter."
Kakashi clenched his fist. "Sensei would never allow that!"
....
Hokage Tower – Advisors' Room
"This is the intel just received from the Hyuga compound. I've already sent for Hiruzen," said Koharu Utatane, handing the report to Homura Mitokado.
After a while, Homura set the document down and said in a low voice, "A Cloud envoy died in Konoha. That will be the Cloud's main talking point. If Hiashi is telling the truth, this was a mission targeting the Byakugan."
Koharu nodded. "Indeed. But the key issue now is, what if the Cloud refuses to admit their envoy tried to kidnap the Hyuga heiress, and instead threatens war to demand Hiashi's surrender?"
Just then, Hiruzen Sarutobi entered, dressed in plain clothes.
"I've told you countless times, if anything happens, you can speak with Minato. Even my ANBU command authority now belongs to him."
"You're the Hokage's advisors, not the Third Hokage's. Stop interrupting my time with my grandchild!"
He walked to the table, but the report quickly caught his attention.
After reading it thoroughly, Hiruzen exhaled. "This is an unavoidable conspiracy."
Homura looked puzzled. "Unavoidable? But if Hiashi hadn't acted, "
"No!"
Hiruzen shook his head. "Whether he acted or not, the result would be the same. That person was meant to die at Hiashi's hands. And the two survivors are the perfect witnesses."
Koharu nodded. "We can't kill the two surviving Cloud ninja. The Cloud leadership wouldn't allow them to be publicly questioned either. So…"
"Hiruzen!!"
Homura stood, staring at the former Hokage. "If war breaks out, it would be a disaster for both the Land of Fire and Konoha!"
Hiruzen raised his head slightly. "Those of us who survived the Second Great Ninja War know how brutal war can be. But Minato is the Hokage now, not me."
"BANG!!"
Homura slammed the table. "The younger generation hasn't experienced real war! They're hotheaded. If it comes to war..."
Koharu added, "One fled, one pursued, and one is crippled; only Jiraiya remains among the Sannin. As for the Uchiha that the Fourth depends on... frankly, I still don't trust that clan."
Hiruzen clenched his fists and closed his eyes.
Homura continued, "If Konoha loses, Suna from the Wind Country, Iwa from the Earth Country, and Kiri from the Water Country, they'll join the Kumo in tearing Konoha apart."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
In Hiruzen's mind, flames consumed Konoha, screams echoed, and villagers cried for help beneath the rubble.
Then, he saw academy students, not yet graduated, being forced onto the battlefield.
Children who had never seen blood smiled as they rushed off to earn glory, only to fall in a pool of blood, their corpses sent home.
At the memorial stone, cries filled the air. Some fainted, others screamed for revenge.
Hiruzen stood up. "Notify my personal ANBU. From now on, secretly monitor all Hyuga clan members. Make sure no word of this spreads."
With the order given, Homura left to make arrangements.
Hiruzen then looked toward the Hokage's office. "When I arrived, the light in Minato's office was still on. Hiashi must already be there."
Koharu nodded. "After Danzo's death, he took Minato's side. Now, only the Fourth can protect him."
"Hiruzen, no matter what, Konoha can't go to war. Even with the Uchiha supporting the Fourth, that clan is still a hidden danger!"
"Don't forget, inside the Fourth's wife is the Nine-Tails. And that beast can be controlled by those eyes! If it comes to that…"
...
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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