"I can accept reality. That doesn't mean the elders and the other main-branch members will," Hyuga Miwa reminded.
"Whether they agree or not, this still has to be pushed through."
"Hizashi is willingly sacrificing himself, and Konoha's higher-ups will witness it in person. They'll have to owe him this favor."
"If the elders might smooth things over with benefits on the Hokage's side, it won't be so easy to fob off Kageyama Kogetsu as a teacher."
"Don't be fooled by how approachable and sunny he seems. Anger him, and his methods are audacious and brutally ruthless."
"You know how the three elders died."
"If he's truly enraged, just watch whether he dares strike hard again..."
Hiashi felt a headache even as he spoke.
Did you think he wanted to give in before?
He simply had no way to counter, and there was no handle to accuse him with. Complaining without proof would only disgrace us and invite humiliation.
The Hokage's trust in him far exceeds that in the Hyuga.
"He's a man far darker than the Fourth Hokage—hard to provoke."
"Still, with his name and the Hokage's, we should be able to force the elders to bow."
"They won't swallow it, though. Most likely they'll scheme in the shadows," Miwa said after a pause.
Hiashi frowned, stood, and said, "Then we'll counter move for move. Let's get through this first."
"It's about time. I'm going."
After seeing Hiashi out, Miwa stood dazed, staring at the tiny figure in the courtyard...
"Hinata, you must make me proud."
"Otherwise, under your cousin's pressure, your father might cast you aside and have me bear another."
"Then you'll be relegated to the branch family."
"In peacetime that's one thing. In war, how would you survive..."
...
In the front parlor, the Konoha F4, Hyuga Hiashi, and Hyuga Hizashi arrived one after another.
Neji was made to wait several rooms away.
They'd been delayed by agreeing to summon Danzō; otherwise Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two would already be here.
Yes—Hizashi had informed all four, not just the Hokage.
Once everyone was present, Hizashi stepped forward, saluted, declared he would sacrifice himself to resolve the crisis, then stated the terms he'd reached and Neji's apprenticeship.
After hearing it all, the three besides Danzō looked moved; only Danzō was expressionless, as if he'd heard nothing.
In truth, Danzō did feel something for Hizashi's self-sacrifice.
He demanded self-sacrifice of Root and of himself.
Only, Root shinobi died briskly, while when it came to him he always hesitated and stalled.
Not the Nine-Tails incident, not the Konoha Crush, not Pain's invasion had made Danzō give his life.
His sacrifice had to surpass Hiruzen's—a martyrdom "for the future of the shinobi world" befitting him.
"I understand. We have witnessed it."
"Konoha's current state can't afford to sink back into war. This wrongs you."
"We will see that Neji is given appropriate care," Hiruzen said.
The other three didn't speak, but they nodded.
"Appropriate care" because, to Konoha's higher-ups, the Hyuga caused the crisis and should resolve it.
Main and branch are both Hyuga; any consideration is for Hizashi's willingness to stand up and sacrifice.
Though the Cloud delegation acted with ill intent, killing at the outset wasn't necessary.
If he had lived, we wouldn't be so passive and could hold the initiative.
None of the four put themselves in Hiashi's place; as a father seeing his daughter abducted, he killed in a flash of fury.
In fact, even if he'd held back, it wouldn't have helped. Omoi had already prepared means to die, determined to frame the Hyuga and Konoha.
From the moment Konoha failed to assign ANBU surveillance and the Hyuga relaxed their guard, the collision was set.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage, and elders," Hizashi said, bowing deeply.
"Bring Neji here."
"Yes."
Hizashi went to fetch Neji; the maids carried in what was needed for the adoption and apprenticeship rites.
The adoption was complex; the apprenticeship simple. Together they took about ten minutes.
With the witnessing done, the Konoha F4 greeted everyone and prepared to leave...
"Kogetsu, not coming?" Danzō asked from the rear, turning his head.
"You should at least get familiar with your little pupil."
"Please go ahead, Elder Danzō," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a smile as he rose.
A pity—he'd wanted a word. No matter; he could wait until preparations were complete.
Danzō nodded and strode out.
"You brothers must have things to say. I'll take Neji out for a turn."
Hizashi nodded with a broad smile.
With death so near, he did have words buried for years that he wanted to say.
He would have to choose them carefully so as not to harm his son's future life.
Hiashi smiled and nodded. He, too, had things to say; if not now, then never.
"Let's go, Neji," Kogetsu said, smiling down.
"Yes, Sensei."
Knowing he wouldn't see his father for a long time, Neji kept looking back and walked very slowly.
Kogetsu didn't rush him, patiently following his pace.
But every road ends; before long, Hizashi was out of Neji's sight.
The two walked out of the residence to a lotus pond.
"Sit, Neji."
"Thank you, Sensei."
They sat on a painted iron bench by the water. Neji set his hands on his thighs, posture strict like a little adult.
"No need to be so stiff before your teacher. Relax a bit—lean on the backrest like me."
"Yes, Sensei."
"And cross your leg like this."
Awkward but obedient, Neji crossed one leg. Once used to it, he felt comfortable and relaxed.
Kogetsu nodded, satisfied. A child needn't be so solemn; being natural is more fun.
"Since you've taken me as your teacher, I'll give you a first-meeting gift."
At the word gift, Neji brightened. "What is it, Sensei?"
"A life-saving trump card from the sect's patriarch to his disciple."
Smiling, Kogetsu's right eye turned pitch-black. Six black triangles spun within, the gaps pure gold.
Transcription Seal: Modified.
Through eye contact, Kogetsu sealed a life-preserving technique into Neji's right eye, set to trigger automatically in mortal danger.
"Sensei, your eye?"
"It feels like something was added to mine," Neji said in surprise, lightly covering his right eye.
As his strength grew, Kogetsu had grown increasingly lax about concealing the anomaly in his right eye.
"It's a secret ocular art I practice. I can deliver an auto-trigger technique as a seal to protect you."
"This stays between heaven and earth—you and me. Tell no one else, not even your godfather," Kogetsu said with a smile.
Recalling his father's words, Neji nodded firmly. "I understand, Sensei."
"Come, show me around the Hyuga compound."
"Yes, Sensei. This way."
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