"Know your enemy, and know yourself—only then can you emerge victorious from a hundred battles."
"Cloud Ninja Village abducted Hinata for one reason: they want the Byakugan, to study and dissect its power."
"I even suspect that this entire celebration was part of their plan from the beginning."
"The leader of the ninja they sent was a speed-type shinobi—everything about their setup points to a precise, tactical operation."
"If you consider their motives from this perspective, it's easy to see through their ploy."
"They planned to use this event to pressure the Hyūga clan into handing over the Byakugan. But the Hyūga have always guarded its secrets fiercely—so much so that they created the main and branch family system to protect it."
"Especially when Hiashi Hyūga met with Neji for what he thought might be the last time… In that moment, even though he was a shinobi, he was more of a father."
"Lord Hokage, separation is always painful—whether by death or distance. And in that moment, the look in Hiashi's eyes gave him away."
Senju Haruto spoke these words with steady conviction, delivering the speech he'd carefully constructed.
Of course, the real events had come straight out of the anime—but he presented them as his own deduction.
And that kind of lie—one wrapped in undeniable truths—is often the most impossible to refute.
Because Haruto hadn't actually lied.
He simply told the truth in a way no one could question.
To Hiruzen Sarutobi, Haruto's explanation came across as extraordinary insight and deduction.
After all, what had happened that day—and the political pressure from the Hidden Cloud—were top secret. Very few people in the village even knew the full story. And none of them would have leaked the details to Haruto.
In fact, Hiruzen didn't believe Hiashi was the type to talk at all.
The reason he'd asked was precisely because he wanted to hear Haruto say these words out loud.
Haruto hadn't described the actual events—he'd spoken in vague terms, like someone who intuitively understood what had happened.
He possessed the power of Hashirama Senju—and now, the intellect of Tobirama Senju.
It was only a matter of time before Haruto grew into someone truly formidable.
Hiruzen's role now was to guide him down the right path—to inherit the Will of Fire.
Not to let him become someone like Orochimaru.
Or… like Danzō.
"Lord Hokage," Haruto said, noticing Hiruzen lost in thought.
"Hm?"
"Do you really…" Haruto paused, casting a sidelong glance at Koharu and Homura, subtly implying something.
Hiruzen caught the hint. With a discreet hand gesture, he signaled for them to leave.
Though visibly displeased, the two elders obeyed, stepping away to give the Hokage and Haruto some privacy.
Of course, that didn't mean they wouldn't find out what was said later.
"Speak," Hiruzen said.
Haruto didn't hesitate. "Do you really support sacrificing the Hyūga clan?"
The words were blunt—cutting to the heart of the matter.
Haruto knew full well: without Hiruzen's implicit approval, the main family of the Hyūga clan would never have dared to sacrifice Hiashi.
He hadn't called the Hokage out earlier only to save him face.
But now, face-to-face, that courtesy was over.
Looking into Haruto's eyes, Hiruzen realized the young man had understood everything.
"After all I've just said…?" Haruto pressed when Hiruzen didn't respond.
He wasn't intimidated by Hiruzen—not anymore. Nor did he fear the higher-ups of Konoha.
In fact, that was the very reason Haruto had used Deep Forest Emergence earlier instead of unleashing a full chakra outburst.
He was conserving strength.
Because there was no need to go all out—not yet.
With chakra on the level of Hashirama Senju, and Wood Release to match, Haruto knew:
In this era of the ninja world…
The Akatsuki were still short on manpower.
Orochimaru hadn't perfected his Reanimation Jutsu.
Kabuto didn't yet know Edo Tensei.
Obito didn't have any Tailed Beasts under his control.
Put simply: right now, Haruto could boldly declare—
"Before us, no foe can stand!"
That was the message behind his use of Wood Release.
To tell Konoha's leadership:"I wield the power of Wood Release. The Hidden Cloud is no threat. It's time we struck back."
Because only by showing strength could he keep them from returning to the same cowardly tactics.
The Will of Fire must burn bright and unwavering!
And besides… the elders thought they had seen the full extent of Haruto's power?
That this was his peak?
If so, he had news for them—they were wrong.
His greatest strength—his true trump card—was still hidden.
It lay in the next system reward from his sign-in ability.
Even if sign-in missions only occurred once a year, there were still six or seven left before the actual Naruto storyline began.
He had nothing to fear.
And if talk failed, then he'd let his fists do the convincing.
He'd break their resistance if necessary.
That said, Haruto wasn't someone who glorified violence.
If Hiruzen was willing to sit down, listen, and genuinely implement change…
He'd be happy to save himself the effort.
Hiruzen stared at Haruto and noticed that his eyes were firm—unyielding.
It had been a long time since he'd seen a gaze like that.
Though his face remained calm, inside, Hiruzen was deeply shaken by Haruto's thinking.
Up until now, he'd believed Uchiha Itachi was the only true genius with a Hokage's mindset.
But now, it was clear that Haruto was every bit his equal.
If Itachi mirrored the First Hokage, then Haruto resembled the Second.
"Haruto…" Hiruzen finally spoke after a long silence. "You must know—it's not that simple. Your Wood Release may be powerful, but the conflict between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud could escalate into full-scale war."
"This isn't something one person can—"
Haruto cut him off.
"I understand, Lord Hokage. But do you know how I've spent the last five years?"
Hiruzen remained silent.
"I've been studying the history of the ninja world. I've read every text I could find. And in one of them, I discovered a strategy…"
"Northern Expeditions."
Hiruzen blinked. "What?"
"To redirect internal conflict toward an external enemy."
Haruto didn't pause.
"The Uchiha clan has been growing more arrogant by the day. If we allow this to continue, they could become a serious threat to the village."
"So I propose we use this opportunity to send them against the Hidden Cloud."
"If they refuse, we can remove them from power under legitimate grounds."
"But if they agree, we strike the Cloud hard—returning pain with double the force—and at the same time, weaken the Uchiha's military strength."
"This would help restore balance within the village."
"More importantly, if they fight for the sake of Konoha, it will change the villagers' view of them. It might even help them find their place."
Haruto finished his speech in one breath.
And he clearly saw it—Hiruzen's expression shifting.
From surprise…
To shock…
Then finally, a stunned silence.
Preserving the Hyūga clan.Attacking the Hidden Cloud.Undermining the Uchiha's power.
All in one, fluid move—a three-pronged masterstroke.
Was this really… the same Haruto he'd always known?
No.
This young man had become something else entirely.