When Chiyu arrived at the Hyūga compound late at night, it was already too late.
The leader of the Kumogakure delegation was dead.
The one who killed him, of course, was the Hyūga Patriarch—
Hyūga Hiashi!
In his arms he held his young daughter, Hyūga Hinata, who was curled up in terror. She was only three years old at the time.
"Patriarch, what do we do?"
"Though that bastard ninja head deserved death, he was still the leader of Kumo's envoy. With him dead here in the Hyūga clan, the Hokage will probably…"
Hiashi understood perfectly. But…
This scum had kidnapped his daughter, just three years old. Their objective, beyond doubt, was her Byakugan. If she'd been taken to Kumo, having her eyes gouged out would be just the beginning—who knew what torture she would endure afterward?
What father could tolerate such a thing?!
Killing him… he'd have liked to tear him to pieces if he could.
Hiashi patted Hinata's back to calm her, Byakugan eyes resolute.
"It's fine. I'll give the Hokage a truthful report about all of this.
"Surely, once he understands, there's no way he'll blame us."
A nearby Hyūga clan member frowned heavily but hesitated to speak.
" Kagate, what is it?"
Hyūga Kagate sighed:
"Patriarch, do you truly believe the Hokage will stand up for what's right?
"From what you've said, and seeing how he acts toward Kumo, I suspect he'll do anything to preserve the ceasefire agreement, even giving away so many rights and benefits. Why would he risk offending the envoy for the Hyūga clan?"
Hiashi was well aware of that. Yet, deep inside, he still clung to a sliver of faith in Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"The Hyūga have stood by since the founding of Konoha, generation after generation giving our all to defend the village. Would the Hokage truly sacrifice the entire Hyūga clan for that scum who dared kidnap my daughter?
"I don't believe it."
Kagate wanted to say more, but in the end just gave a heavy sigh.
Hiashi carried Hinata back home. Then, resolutely, he said, "Assign people to safeguard Hinata.
"I'm heading to the Hokage's office right now to report."
"Yes, Patriarch!"
…
Witnessing this from a quiet vantage point, Chiyu remained silent and unobserved.
Clearly, at this point, the Hyūga still somewhat believed in Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He had just received word that Hatake Kakashi had truthfully reported the facts at the Hokage's meeting, so Chiyu was now "officially free." So, openly, he left the Anbu prison and came here to the Hyūga clan grounds.
Of course, he didn't believe that Sarutobi Hiruzen would act impartially. Most of Hiruzen's attention had been consumed by the Kumo business. Then Kakashi's move caught him off guard, and Hiruzen's soft foreign policy drew backlash from the great clans and even from Shimura Danzō. The Hokage was left isolated.
And in the end, the crucial problem remained:
They couldn't truly keep Chiyu imprisoned anyway.
Though Hiruzen wouldn't understand why someone like Chiyu, who could walk out at any time, had chosen to remain inside.
But faced with the situation, Hiruzen was content to stage a show of "righteousness," letting Chiyu out. Now, Hiruzen's greatest available combat power was Uchiha Shisui. If Shisui refused to help him, nobody else could reliably handle Chiyu. Hiruzen, too, was forced into a compromise.
…
Hokage's Office
Having been summoned urgently, the major figures of Konoha stared at the corpse of that ninja head on the floor, each deeply shocked.
But once Hyūga Hiashi explained the entire course of events, indignation burned within them all.
Nara Shikaku frowned. "I never imagined Kumo would dare such a thing."
"A front of peace talks, but secretly they plan to seize Konoha's precious kekkei genkai. They even went after a three-year-old—unthinkable," said Akimichi Chōza, outraged. "Hiashi, you did what had to be done. If it were me, he'd have died worse!"
The other Patriarchs concurred in turn.
However…
Uchiha Shisui kept his gaze on Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Hokage looked stricken with despair—
After so many compromises and sacrifices just to secure a truce with Kumo, in a blink, all was ruined.
Kumogakure's envoy leader died in Konoha. Kumo would never let that pass. And it had instantly shattered Hiruzen's plan to fully concentrate on quelling the "internal threat." He was inwardly furious but couldn't show it openly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe. Slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke, he heaved a deep sigh.
"Hiashi, I do understand your feelings. If anyone's child was kidnapped, they couldn't stand by.
"But you could have just subdued him—why kill him outright?"
Hyūga Hiashi and everyone else gaped in shock at the Hokage's question.
"Hokage-sama, I—"
Hiruzen cut him off. "I already said I understand how you feel. But right now, during this fragile ceasefire with Kumo, as a Patriarch of a senior founding family, couldn't you have been calmer, more patient—placing the greater good first?"
Hiashi started to sweat coldly. Indeed, Hyūga Kagate's worry had come true. The others, Patriarchs and elite ninjas, exchanged uneasy looks.
Yet Hiruzen had no choice left. With pained regret, he went on:
"Thanks to this trivial matter, Kumo's envoy leader is dead in our village. Surely, they'll raise hell. War might break out again. And who'll be hurt then but our own people, our own families?
"Peace, stability—that's what's most precious…"
Hiashi felt as if the sky had collapsed, his vision darkening. So the Hokage wanted him to die for this?
He was serious?
His beloved three-year-old daughter had nearly been stolen; he'd merely acted in self-defense, yet now, for the so-called greater good, he must die?
This… was truly the Hokage's final word?
In that instant, everyone present felt humiliation, rage—like a swelling tide in their hearts.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 100 Chapters Ahead of Others!