"Reporting to you, Lord Hokage."
"The main reason is last time's mess. There's a rumor spreading that you ordered Hyuga Hizashi to sell out Lord Jiraiya's intel to Sunagakure. In exchange, you promised to free him from the branch family's seal."
"Afterward you didn't just break that promise—you set him up to die."
"Now the story's evolved into you deliberately targeting the Hyuga clan and crushing us."
"Those Cloud ninjas? You invited them here yourself."
"As payment for playing along, they walked away with a pair of Byakugan."
"Sending them to sneak into our compound and piss off Hyuga Hiashi? That was your order too."
"You didn't just want Hizashi dead—you wanted to split the main family and branch family apart."
"Just like you did with the Uchiha. Weaken us so we couldn't threaten the Sarutobi family."
Hiruzen's face went black instantly, ugly with rage.
"That fucking Hyuga clan. I let the fake suicide note slide, and now they're straight-up slandering me? They really think I won't handle them?"
"Cloud ninjas were my idea?"
"I wanted to turn the branch family against the main family?"
"I'm suppressing the Hyuga?"
"With how weak those bastards are, do they even need suppressing?"
"Bring me Hyuga Hiashi!"
The Anbu nodded.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Hiashi arrived at the Hokage Tower soon after.
"Lord Hokage!"
Hiruzen glared at him, cold and hard.
"Hyuga Hiashi, what the hell is wrong with your clan?"
"You've learned how to slander your own Hokage now?"
"I haven't even settled the score with you over that forged suicide note yet."
Hiashi lowered his head.
"Lord Hokage, I'm investigating the suicide note. I'll give you a full explanation."
But that was only half the truth.
As clan head, Hiashi didn't agree with the elders like Hyuga Sōchō.
Keep bending forever for "stability"? With nowhere else to go but Konoha?
Hiashi didn't buy that the suicide note was fake.
He couldn't see the original in Sunagakure, but the photos in the Ninja World Big Events Weekly were clear—Hizashi's handwriting, no question.
Hiashi was pretty sure it was real.
And Hizashi had every reason to write it.
He didn't care much about his own branch-family status, but he cared deeply about Neji's future.
For Neji's sake, doing something extreme made perfect sense.
As for whether Hiruzen really sold Jiraiya out…
Hiashi's Byakugan told him instantly the "Jiraiya" walking around now was fake.
So where was the real one?
Dead? Who killed him? Why?
Hiashi suspected those rumors were probably the truth.
If so, then Hiruzen targeting the Hyuga and pitting main family against branch family? It all fit.
But Hiashi still couldn't understand why.
The Sarutobi clan was already strong as hell.
Hiruzen had sat in the Hokage seat for decades.
The Hyuga were weak and obedient.
Why keep coming after them?
Was he that scared of what they might do?
And now he had the nerve to question Hiashi like this? He thought the Hyuga were that easy to bully?
This wasn't an inquiry—it was straight humiliation.
After everything he'd done, he still had the balls to ask why the note existed? Too fucking much.
Hiashi thought to himself:
"Because the Hyuga have always rolled over, Hiruzen thinks he can treat us like dirt?"
"What should I do?"
"Is living like this even worth it? Or do we rise up like the Uchiha did?"
"But we're not the Uchiha. And the Byakugan is way more tempting to other villages than the Sharingan ever was."
Hiruzen saw Hiashi's respectful attitude and relaxed a little.
"Forging that suicide note and slandering me as Hokage isn't just disrespecting me—it's disrespecting Jiraiya too. Whoever did this deserves to be crushed."
"I'll have people investigate outside the clan as well."
"But chances are it's someone from your branch family."
"Also, I heard Hyuga Hizashi's son, Hyuga Neji, went missing?"
Hiashi nodded.
"Yes."
Hiruzen continued: "The person who forged the note and the one who sent Neji away are probably the same guy."
"On top of that, there's a new rumor going around your clan—that I'm deliberately suppressing you and working with Cloud Village?"
Hiashi explained.
"Lord Hokage, that rumor came from outside. I've been doing my best to keep the clan quiet, telling them not to believe it and to stop gossiping."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Hiashi, I trust you—just like I trusted Sōchō."
"You have the village in your heart. You're not like the Uchiha."
"But the branch family doesn't see things the same way as the main family. I can tell they're unhappy with you. You need to keep them under control."
"We can't have another Uchiha-style disaster."
"Rumors aren't enough to just suppress—you have to clear them up too."
"Hiashi, do you understand?"
Hiashi knew exactly what Hiruzen meant.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. I understand."
"Good. Go. The village is at war right now. Don't let this crap affect our operations."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
An Anbu followed Hiashi out.
Hiashi's heart sank. He knew Hiruzen didn't trust him—that's why he sent a shadow to watch and make sure Hiashi actually cleared the rumors.
It only made Hiashi doubt Hiruzen even more.
"Father, I really don't think your choice was right."
"The Hyuga shouldn't have to live like this."
Back at the Hyuga compound.
Hiashi glanced at the Anbu in the corner. Even though he hated it, with things as they were, he had no choice but to play along for now.
"Everyone, Hizashi's suicide note was forged. I've already identified the person responsible. He's also behind Neji's disappearance."
"His goal was to drive a wedge between our clan and Lord Hokage."
"He hates the Hyuga clan and wants to see us destroyed."
"We absolutely cannot fall for it."