Hyuga Hiashi's eyes flickered.
Of course he understood what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted.
The Hokage wanted him to be the dog—bite Uchiha, tear at them wildly, open the battlefield for Sarutobi's faction.
Once, Hiashi might have considered it.
But now?
Never.
Because even without Uchiha Kai personally lifting a finger, the man had terrified him.
A single sealing mark on Hyuga Aya's eyes. A mere three seconds of Mangekyō's unleashed power.
And it had nearly annihilated him—Hiashi, a seasoned Jounin whose Byakugan placed him half a step into Kage-class.
The aftershock alone had killed multiple Hyuga elites, and left dozens bleeding on the floor.
That was just a side effect.
So what if Uchiha Kai himself had struck?
Hiashi didn't dare to imagine.
And that was just Kai's personal strength. Not even counting the army he commanded—an Uchiha clan already mightier than the Hyuga, plus the Inuzuka, Aburame, half the Ino–Shika–Chō, and countless independent shinobi.
He could even stand against the Hokage.
So tell him—if the Uchiha could clash with the Hokage's faction, how hard would it be for them to crush the Hyuga?
The answer was clear.
Suicide.
And Hiruzen? Hiruzen only saw the Hyuga as pawns. If the clan was destroyed tomorrow, would the Hokage raise a finger to save them?
Not a chance.
Hiashi was the head of the Hyuga. His duty was the clan's survival.
How could he indulge his anger, his pride, at the risk of his people's annihilation?
If his foolishness dragged the Hyuga into the grave, how would he ever face the ancestors in the Pure Land?
No.
He had to endure.
Swallow humiliation. Bite down his rage until his teeth cracked.
Losing face was nothing. Survival was everything.
He sighed deeply.
"Hokage-sama, I thank you for your concern."
"This was an internal dispute among the Hyuga. Nothing but a misunderstanding."
"We will resolve it ourselves. There is no need to trouble you."
His voice was calm, heavy, resigned.
He knew well—if he said so much as said one word, the Hokage would leap to strike Uchiha on his behalf.
And yes, perhaps Kai would suffer some losses.
But then what?
Nothing.
The Uchiha would remain unshaken.
And when the dust settled, it would be the Hyuga left to endure their wrath.
The Hyuga were already rotten, Aya herself had said as much. The Uchiha were blazing like the noonday sun.
They had lost even the right to stand as equals.
So the Hyuga must bow. Must turtle, must hide.
It was their only path.
"..."
Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
His expression twisted with a storm of frustration.
Damn it all.
He had practically spoon-fed the man the line. Practically shouted into his ear: Say the word, and I'll strike Uchiha for you.
And still Hiashi folded.
Still he chose to crawl into his shell like a cowardly turtle.
Spineless fool!
But there was nothing Hiruzen could do.
If the Hyuga didn't ask, then by the laws of the village, even the Hokage could not interfere in a clan's internal affairs.
So he could only swallow his disgust.
With a bitter sigh, he cast Hiashi one last contemptuous glance, then turned sharply on his heel.
Koharu exchanged a look with Homura, their thoughts aligned with Hiruzen's.
They, too, sneered at Hiashi, shaking their heads in disdain before following the Hokage out.
There was nothing more they could do.
Without the clan's consent, they had no right to meddle.
Namikaze Minato hesitated.
He wanted to speak.
He had ties with both sides—with Hiashi, and with Kai.
But then his heart sank.
This wasn't just about Hyuga Aya. This stank of politics.
And in the village's darkness, politics was filthier than any battlefield.
So he sighed as well, saying nothing, and quietly turned away.
Unlike Hiruzen, his silence wasn't disdain. He truly wished for peace.
In his heart, everyone in the village were comrades. Allies. Why couldn't they just live well together? Build a greater Konoha side by side?
But that was naïve. Laughably naïve.
Once you saw the hunger for power, for blood, you realized peace was an illusion.
Even here—this was never about "Aya." This was about the Uchiha. About the Byakugan. About chains of control and shadows of war.
Could he stop Aya from leaving the Hyuga? Condemn her to remain a slave under the cursed Caged Bird Curse Seal?
Never. His heart wouldn't allow it.
Yet from the Hyuga's perspective, protecting their bloodline was justified as well.
Everyone had their logic. Everyone had their truth.
What could he do?
Nothing.
So he chose silence.
Go home. Rest. Train his students. Build bonds, strengthen his network.
That was the real path forward.
After all, as Kai himself had said—Minato was destined to be the Fourth Hokage.
And if he was to change the system, he would need allies.
This mess? Let it rot.
The great hall fell silent.
With the Hokage's faction gone, the space suddenly felt vast, empty.
The Hyuga shrank like a quail beneath Uchiha's gaze.
They were terrified.
Especially the main family, so fierce to their own branch, so meek to the outside.
Pathetic.
As for the branch family? They said nothing.
Why would they?
They had despised the main house for years. Watching them bleed, even at their own clan's expense, was sweet.
In truth, many of them sympathized with Aya. She was one of them, after all.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
He swept the Hyuga with a look of cold disdain.
Not worth another word.
They disgusted him.
Wasting time on worms was beneath him.
After a pause, he turned and said flatly:
"...We're leaving."
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