"Lord Kazekage, the rumors about this suicide note have already exploded inside Konoha. People are talking about it everywhere."
"It feels like someone is deliberately pushing the story forward."
Rasa smiled. Of course someone was pushing it. Otherwise this letter wouldn't have found its way back to him.
But now that it was here, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity.
"Someone went through a lot of trouble to deliver this to me. The least I can do is make good use of their 'kindness.'"
"Publish a redacted version in the Ninja World Big Events Weekly. Once it hits the stands, the backlash will be enormous. And I have a feeling plenty of people inside Konoha will be happy to help spread it even further."
The forged suicide note had been his creation.
Everything that happened after? Pure bonus.
Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mood was black as tar.
ANBU operatives had been sent out to investigate, but they found almost nothing — only that someone was quietly fanning the flames.
"Hyuga Hizashi really had the worst luck."
"Born into the branch family was already miserable enough. Being Hiashi's twin brother and born just a few minutes later meant he was branded a servant for life."
"Main family sits on top like kings while the branch family lives like slaves."
"He finally got one chance to change his fate… and the Hokage lied to him and used him, then killed him to cover it up."
"Tragic doesn't even begin to cover it."
"If that happened to me, I'd probably come back as a vengeful ghost."
"The branch family really draws the short straw. All the benefits go to the main family, all the sacrifices go to them. No wonder the Hyuga are so spineless — the people making decisions never have to bleed for them."
The conversation quickly turned to Hiruzen.
"Do you think the Hokage actually did all that?"
"Is he really that kind of person?"
"If he is, then what the hell have we been supporting and respecting all these years?"
"What about the Will of Fire?"
"People are terrifying. You think you know someone… and then this happens."
Hiruzen's face twisted.
"The handwriting matches Hizashi's perfectly? But that's impossible. I never gave that order. I never told anyone to sell Jiraiya's information. Hizashi was already dead before Jiraiya even fought Rasa."
"So this can't be Hizashi's revenge either — he wouldn't have known about that battle."
"Who forged this?"
"Disgusting. This is pure slander!"
"Is the Hyuga clan retaliating because I made them sacrifice for the village?"
"If they hated it that much, they should've refused from the start! Let Cloud take their anger out on the Hyuga directly!"
Hiruzen was seething. He had once respected the Hyuga for knowing their place and sacrificing for Konoha. Now he hated them.
The Hyuga clan, however, was completely blindsided.
They had never even seen Hizashi's suicide note. They had no idea who was spreading it. When the news reached them, their first reaction wasn't sympathy for Hizashi — it was pure panic.
Panic that the village would turn on the entire clan.
Panic that their own comfortable positions were about to be ripped away.
"Hizashi has gone too far!"
"That bastard!"
"If he was unhappy he could've taken it out on the main family, but dragging the whole clan down with him? Selfish to the end!"
"He's dead. His problems are over. What about the rest of us who are still alive?"
Hiashi Hyuga stood frozen, staring at nothing.
"Hizashi… so those were your real feelings?"
"Father… was your choice right or wrong?"
"Is our situation in the Leaf really better than the Uchiha's?"
"If the Hyuga had left with them back then… would we still be in this mess?"
Hiashi didn't hate his brother for the note. He was just… lost.
"What path is actually best for the Hyuga?"
"What should I do?"
His eyes were filled with confusion.
Thud!
A stone hit Neji square in the back.
A group of Hyuga children glared at him with pure hatred.
"Traitor!"
"Your father's a traitor!"
"Get out of the Hyuga clan!"
"Die!"
They swarmed him. Neji tried to fight back, but it was eight against one. He went down hard.
By the time they dragged the unconscious, bloodied boy to Hiashi, Neji was barely breathing.
Hiashi looked down at his nephew — Hizashi's son — and felt a sharp pain in his chest.
"Hizashi… I'm sorry."
"As your older brother, I couldn't protect you. I made you die for me instead. I was useless then… and I'm still useless now."
"I can't even protect your son."
He knew exactly what would happen if Neji stayed. The rest of the clan already blamed him for the note. Hiruzen would probably target him too.
"Even if he survives here, he'll live a miserable life."
"I can't just stand by and watch anymore."
"Hizashi, I couldn't save you. But I can at least save your son."
"I'll send him out of the Leaf. Somewhere he can actually live."
Names flashed through Hiashi's mind.
Kumogakure. Iwagakure. Kirigakure. The Navigation Group… Sunagakure.
A short while later, he made his decision.
"Neji… this is the only thing I can do for you now."
"I hope you can forgive your uncle someday."