"Endless compromise never leads to peace. Weakness, appeasement—these things only embolden the enemy. They'll take a mile for every inch we give. And in the end, we're the ones left helpless."
Senju Haruto stepped forward, voice growing louder with every word, his presence pressing down on the room like a storm.
He wasn't originally from this world. Before he found himself here, he had grown up shaped by his homeland's history—its triumphs, its tragedies, and its humiliations. That history carved his beliefs deep into his soul.
Even in the world of Naruto, those same truths held firm.
This wasn't the first time Kumogakure had done something like this.
Back when Naruto's mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was still a young girl, the Cloud Village had already tried to abduct her. And even until her death, Kushina believed they had only wanted to steal the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques.
But the truth? The Fourth Raikage himself eventually admitted they had been after the Nine-Tails all along.
First they tried to kidnap Kushina.
Then they came for Hinata.
Kumogakure had always acted without shame—opportunistic, relentless, without the slightest remorse. Their actions made one thing crystal clear: these weren't noble warriors. They were predators.
But what Haruto could never wrap his head around was this:
Why did they stop?
After receiving Hiashi Hyūga's body, why did Kumogakure simply... drop the matter?
By all appearances, Konoha had just admitted guilt. Had shown weakness.
Afterward, the Uchiha clan was wiped out. The gap in power between the two villages became even more glaring.
Think about it—when Konoha was at its strongest, they let the Cloud abduct Kushina. They forced Hiashi to commit suicide.
But when Konoha hit rock bottom?
Cloud went silent.
No schemes. No provocations. No attempts to press their advantage.
It wasn't until Killer Bee was captured by Sasuke that the Hidden Cloud reappeared on the world stage.
Maybe from the manga's point of view, it was just lazy writing. Early on, the Land of Lightning was basically background filler, only used when convenient.
But this world?
This world was real.
Here, the timeline had changed. In the original series, Hinata had been kidnapped when she was only three years old—and the Senju clan never appeared at all.
Now, Haruto was a member of the Senju.
Now, Hinata's kidnapping happened at a different point entirely.
It felt like he'd caused a butterfly effect just by existing.
"So tell me—who's to say Kumogakure won't make more demands once they realize Hiashi's corpse doesn't give them the Byakugan's secrets?"
"What happens when they come knocking again, and we've already cut off our own arm to appease them? Will we have the strength to fight back?"
"Even within the main branch of the Hyūga clan, those stronger than Hiashi can be counted on one hand."
Haruto's words cut deeper and deeper as he pushed the Hyūga elders into a corner, challenging the very idea of sacrificing Hiashi to avoid conflict.
"And what exactly do you propose we do instead?"
The quiet voice broke through the tension like a blade.
It was Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—finally speaking after remaining silent this entire time.
"Whew…"
The Hyūga elder let out a long breath of relief.
If Haruto had kept pressing, he might've been forced to give in. And while Hiashi might be from the branch family—a "tool," as they often put it—he was still a tool of the main house. One with genuine power. If they could preserve his life and avoid war, that would be ideal.
The Hyūga clan stood to lose nothing.
The only concern was how the Konoha leadership would react if they suddenly changed course. But now, with the Hokage stepping in, the pressure was off their shoulders.
Whatever happened next—let it be between Haruto and the Third Hokage.
As the Hyūga elders exhaled in unison, Haruto turned calmly toward the Hokage.
"It's simple."
"If we want peace with the Cloud Village, with the entire Land of Lightning, we can't achieve it by backing down. That only teaches them they can keep pushing, keep taking."
"But if we hit them first—then offer peace…"
Haruto paused, letting the silence draw attention to his words.
"That's how you get respect."
"I know I'm young, Hokage-sama, and maybe I haven't earned the right to speak this boldly. But if you give the order, I'll be the first to charge into battle."
It sounded noble. Stirring. Full of resolve.
But everyone present knew the truth: If Konoha refused to hand over Hiashi, war with Kumogakure was almost certain.
Outwardly, it seemed like a clear choice:
Protect Hiashi and claim the reward.
Or sacrifice him and avoid a potential war.
But in Haruto's mind, there was no dilemma.
Of course he was choosing the first option.
With the chakra of Hashirama Senju running through his body—and mastery over Wood Release—he was the reincarnation of a legend. The God of Shinobi.
Who would dare deny him his rightful reward?
Let them try.
He'd beat them down himself if he had to.
Besides... none of the others in the room knew what the future held. Only Haruto had watched Naruto. Only he understood what truly lay ahead.
They hoped sacrificing Hiashi would resolve the crisis.
But they couldn't know.
That uncertainty, combined with Haruto's thunderous rhetoric, had lit a fire in every Hyūga heart—main branch and branch family alike.
Especially among the branch members.
And none more than Hiashi himself.
His eyes overflowed with tears.
Not in his wildest dreams did he expect this.
When Kumogakure came knocking, the Hyūga main branch chose to offer him up.
Konoha's leadership, supposedly protectors of all its people, had silently agreed.
Only Senju Haruto stood against them all.
Only he dared to call the world unjust—and to act upon it.
He had threatened the main family.
He had challenged the Hokage himself.
He had willingly painted a target on his back, all to save one man.
What kind of spirit was that?
It was heroism. True, selfless courage.
In that moment, Hiashi didn't just respect Haruto—he admired him. He wanted to follow him. And if war did break out, he would gladly give his life to protect this man.
To repay a drop of kindness with a flood of loyalty...
And this wasn't just kindness.
This was salvation.
Haruto hadn't just saved him—he'd saved Neji's future, too.
And maybe... just maybe... he would one day change the fate of the entire Hyūga clan.
That was the kind of light Haruto radiated.
That was his charisma. His power.
His soul.
But what Hiashi didn't know—what he could never imagine—was what was really going through Haruto's mind.
"Perfect. Looks like I've got the Hyūga eating out of my hand. No one's going to try killing Hiashi now."
"The Hokage, with all his righteousness and political pride, definitely won't oppose me in public."
"Unless something crazy happens, I think Hiashi's life is secured."
"Now… what's the reward? A Byakugan, maybe?"
"Oh, right—once Naruto gets out of school, I'll take him for ramen. Yeah, that's the plan."
His thoughts spiraled casually in every direction—everything except the noble act of saving Hiashi.
"Wait, why's Hiashi looking at me like that…?"