On the underground black market, the bounty for a single Byakugan had reached thirty five million ryo. What Kumogakure lacked most now was not Ninjutsu, but powerful Kekkei Genkai like Byakugan and Sharingan.
Sharingan was impossible to seize, since the mad dogs of Uchiha were not worth provoking, even for Kumogakure. But if it was Hyuga, the situation was different.
The plan had only three possible outcomes. The best result was success, a clean escape, and Kumogakure gaining the bloodline of the Hyuga Clan.
Taking hostages from within Hyuga Clan Compound was almost impossible. But that did not matter, because if the plan failed, they would deliberately die at the hands of the Hyuga Main Family and use that as an excuse to demand the culprits be handed over, or else declare war.
If Konoha surrendered the so called murderer from the Hyuga Clan, it would spark conflict between conservative and aggressive factions and strain relations between the Hyuga Clan and the Hokage camp. It would also drain Konoha's fighting strength.
Even if the Third Hokage agreed to war, according to Root's intelligence, Konoha's Fourth Hokage and the Nine Tails jinchuriki had died in the Nine Tails disaster. One of the Three Sannin, Orochimaru, had defected, and Jiraiya and Tsunade were both missing.
With Konoha weakened to this extent, Kumogakure had no reason to fear it. Success meant gaining the bloodline of the Hyuga Clan, and failure meant a justified war.
Either outcome benefited Kumogakure. The price they paid would be small, at most their three lives.
While the three observed Konoha, the people of Konoha were also watching them. Someone spoke quietly from the welcoming ranks.
"Three Jonin?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his narrowed eyes, recognizing the standard envoy formation. The last trace of caution faded as he nodded slightly. "Go ahead, Rena."
"Yes, Third Hokage."
The young girl Rena held a fresh bouquet still dotted with dew and jogged toward the Kumogakure delegation. Her long golden ponytail swayed under the sunlight with each step.
"Welcome to Konoha."
She handed the flowers to the leading Kumogakure Ninja, and after a brief ceremonial handshake, she smiled. "You may call me Rena. I will accompany you throughout your stay to arrange your schedule."
She bore no visible clan crest and looked like an ordinary young female ninja. From appearances alone, she barely seemed like a shinobi at all.
"Thank you." The leader, a Kumogakure Jonin named Yurui, returned her smile with a gentle tone. "Please take care of us, Miss Rena."
She wore high heeled shoes yet ran steadily, which suggested strong balance. The calluses on her hands had clearly been trimmed, marking her as skilled with blades.
And there was more. Yurui thought to himself, "ANBU? It seems shaking surveillance will not be easy."
As they spoke, they reached the front where Hiruzen Sarutobi stood. Hiruzen Sarutobi took the initiative to extend his hand, and Yurui grasped it firmly.
The first thing Yurui felt was strength. It did not match the image of a frail old man ruling by age alone.
It was as if a fire still burned inside that aging body, able to unleash power that demanded respect. So this was Konoha's Third Hokage.
Yurui felt his mood grow heavier, yet he had no hesitation about what came next. He kept his expression calm.
"May this alliance ease the souls lost in war."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took out the agreement that had already been negotiated and smiled gently. He spread the one meter long scroll across the table.
"Raikage also looks forward to lasting peace between our two nations."
Yurui removed the seal of the Fourth Raikage from his robe and stamped it onto both scrolls at the same time. The seals landed with a firm sound.
Seeing the imprint set clearly, Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly let out a breath. The crowd erupted into louder cheers as more petals were thrown from both sides of the street.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Yurui met each other's gaze and shook hands again, both wearing the same practiced smile. Their grip was steady and formal.
"Please follow me." Hiruzen Sarutobi rolled up the scrolls and gestured ahead with a smile. "I hope you enjoy your time in Konoha."
What followed would be private discussions. As the teams from Konoha and Kumogakure departed, Yunchuan Hyuga's eyes flickered within the crowd.
He glanced toward Might Guy, who had already been swept away by the people and was enthusiastically chatting with others. Yunchuan Hyuga quietly vanished into the crowd.
After watching this farce of a weasel paying respects to a chicken, it was time to prepare for tonight's actions. At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked toward Hokage Building surrounded by several clan heads, introducing them to the three Kumogakure Ninja along the way.
However, Yurui noticed that no surname from Hyuga Clan was mentioned. A trace of confusion appeared on his face as he asked, "I have long heard of the fame of Hyuga Clan. Why is their clan head not present?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had not expected such a direct question and paused briefly before smiling. "My apologies. The head of the Hyuga wished to attend, but today is his daughter Hinata Hyuga's third birthday. As the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Main Family, it is very important to the Hyuga Clan."
"I understand." Yurui smiled as if unconcerned. "It seems today truly is a good day."
Behind him, however, the other two Kumogakure Ninja lacked his composure. They exchanged looks without thinking, their eyes burning with excitement.
So it really was today.
The sky over Konoha had turned the color of ink, and the reception did not end until evening. The formal tone finally faded, leaving the quiet of night to settle over the guest area. Lamps along the corridors were lit one by one, casting steady light on the doors.
"Thank you for your hard work today. Please rest well."
Outside the guest rooms reserved for foreign visitors, Rena smiled and gave a slight bow to the three members of the Kumogakure ninja. She spoke gently, saying that she would guide them through the next activities tomorrow and that they would have plenty of time to relax, with no one coming to disturb them. After the reminder, she closed the door softly.
kacha.
Inside the room, two of the Kumogakure ninja raised their hands to rub their cheeks, stiff from smiling all day. One of them glanced at Yurui, who was scanning the furnishings with a sharp, quiet gaze.
"Boss," he whispered, curling his lips toward the door. "That last line was a threat, right?"
Yurui withdrew his gaze without answering and walked into the spacious living area. He dropped onto the sofa with a heavy motion, his expression unchanged.
The two Kumogakure ninja exchanged a look and let the topic go. They instead looked around the decor and sighed, saying that this really was Konoha, rich enough to host foreign guests at such a level.
As they spoke, both slipped their hands into their pockets. A small barrier meant to block sensing was triggered, and faint ripples passed through the air as a voice sounded directly in the minds of Yurui and the other.
'Boss, any surveillance or listening?'
"An honor indeed," Yurui replied aloud, his tone calm and even. "It seems Konoha truly treats us as honored guests."
The two immediately understood and began to joke along, talking nonsense about where to stroll over the next few days. When they mentioned FUNFUN Street near Konoha, they even let out lewd laughs.