Hand over the corpse of the murderer 'Hyuga Hiashi'.
Click... click... Outside the main house of the Hyuga clan head, a black shadow landed silently on the roof.
Hearing the sound of someone tossing and turning inside, the figure formed a hand sign and cast a genjutsu. Illusory white feathers fell into the room.
The slightly heavy breathing gradually became peaceful. The shadow slipped into the room as silently as a civet cat and saw a young girl sleeping peacefully in her bed.
Without wasting any time, the figure tucked her under one arm and leaped out of the residence.
But before they could get far, a figure emerged from the courtyard at the front gate.
"..."
Hyuga Hiashi looked at the masked intruder before him, then noticed Hyuga Hinata under the person's arm. His already stern face sank, and anger at having his bottom line crossed instantly flared up.
You're courting death!
Without hesitation, Hyuga Hiashi activated his Byakugan. Veins bulged on both sides of his eyes as he raised a hand and charged towards the black shadow.
The first palm strike missed. But in Hiashi's eyes, the movement was incredibly clumsy.
Bang!
The second palm strike, swung with full force and wrapped in chakra, unsurprisingly struck the person's abdomen. He felt his palm shatter their chakra pathways without any resistance.
The figure spat out a mouthful of blood and knelt forward. Hiashi smoothly took Hinata, letting the intruder fall to the ground.
"So weak."
Much of his anger dissipated. Now calmer, Hyuga Hiashi subconsciously frowned, suddenly realizing that this intruder was unexpectedly weak, almost as if they had come to die.
To dare infiltrate the Hyuga clan and kidnap the Main Family's heiress with this level of skill, is this some overconfident bounty ninja motivated by greed?
But the next moment, as doubt rose in his mind, he suddenly felt a cold, stinging sensation on his forehead. A warm liquid trickled down past his brow.
Hyuga Hiashi subconsciously raised a hand to his forehead and felt a "line" running across it. He smelled a familiar yet unfamiliar sweet scent, and the warm, viscous sensation on his fingers...
"Is this... blood?"
Hyuga Hiashi looked at the corpse on the ground with a stunned expression. Having been in Konoha for years with almost no real combat experience, he finally noticed the kunai in the corpse's hand.
How is this possible?
When did he get injured?
This overconfident fool couldn't even withstand two of my palm strikes.
As he thought this, a deep, inexplicable unease welled up in his heart, and Hyuga Hiashi's brow gradually furrowed.
He casually tore off a piece of cloth to simply bandage the wound on his forehead before bending down to remove the corpse's mask.
The corpse's eyes were wide open in death, but the expression on its face was unusually calm—so calm it gave the corpse an eerie quality. Its eyes seemed to be staring at Hyuga Hiashi.
"..."
Noticing the Kumogakure forehead protector on the corpse, Hyuga Hiashi was first involuntarily stunned.
Then, as if realizing something, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
He felt as if ice water had been poured over him, a chill running from his scalp to the soles of his feet, climbing up his spine and into his brain.
Damn it! How could it be a Kumogakure ninja?!
————————
Plink... plink...
The autumn weather was fickle.
Konoha, which had been clear-skied yesterday, was now covered by dark, gloomy clouds, and a cold, drizzling rain began to fall.
Yesterday, Konoha was filled with joy because they had finally welcomed peace. In a sense, they had even welcomed Kumogakure's "submission," which was unprecedented.
But today, Konoha was as gloomy as the sudden change in weather. The once-bright sunlight could not penetrate the thick clouds.
The entire village was in turmoil. Various rumors were circulating among the villagers, and everyone felt insecure, even panicked.
Because in just one day, the news that the delegation sent by Kumogakure had died in Konoha had spread.
Two of the Kumogakure ninja were directly blown up in their guest room. The only one who was lucky enough to survive escaped after shouting that Konoha had broken the treaty, only to die at the hands of the Hyuga clan head.
Anyone could see what the situation was now.
Anyone who heard this "rumor" would have four words pop into their head.
"Silencing a witness."
In the Hyuga clan's reception hall, a trembling, aged voice softly uttered these four words.
In the dim reception hall, only two standing candles burned quietly, their flickering light casting shadows on Hyuga Hiashi's lowered face. The white bandage on his forehead was still stained with seeping blood.
His was not the only shadow reflected in the room. On the walls to either side, the silhouettes of eight figures flickered in a row. The seven Main Family leaders, including Hiashi, knelt facing each other.
As for the last person...
"Huuu."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, kneeling in the seat of honor in the middle, took a drag from his pipe. The exhaled smoke slowly sank, casting a faint, ethereal shadow on the floor from the candlelight.
"We have already received the inquiry from the Land of Lightning," he said in a calm tone. "The Land of Lightning believes that Konoha has no sincerity in forming an alliance, not only unilaterally tearing up the agreement but even attacking the Kumogakure envoys. It is utterly despicable and unbearable."
"Now, they have issued an ultimatum, demanding that Konoha give an explanation, or they will officially declare war on the Land of Fire."
Hearing this, Hyuga Hiashi's eyes darkened slightly. He asked, "Lord Third, may I ask what explanation they want?"
"Hand over the corpse of the murderer 'Hyuga Hiashi'."
Hiruzen Sarutobi repeated the words verbatim, adding, "Kumogakure is already gathering ninja on the border of the Land of Hot Water, looking as if they are ready to attack the Land of Fire at any time."
Hearing the Land of Lightning specifically name "Hyuga Hiashi" as the murderer, the aged faces of the six Hyuga clan elders were starkly lit by the flickering candlelight, looking somewhat terrifyingly gloomy.
This matter was no longer just between Kumogakure and Konohagakure, but a diplomatic incident between the two great nations of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire. But the whole affair, from beginning to end, felt strange.
Where did the explosive tags in the guest room where the Kumogakure delegation was staying come from?
Why did the surviving Kumogakure ninja run to the Hyuga clan and even try to kidnap the Main Family's heiress, Hyuga Hinata?
Why was the other party, a Jonin, so powerless, dying so inexplicably at the hands of the clan head, Hyuga Hiashi?
And why was the Land of Lightning so targeted, demanding Hyuga Hiashi's corpse by name?
"This is Kumogakure's conspiracy. Their goal is the Byakugan."
Hyuga Hiago, a Main Family elder whose status in the clan was second only to Hyuga Hiashi, spoke up.
His voice was hoarse and low, but his aged face was calm.
"I also believe it's a conspiracy, but it no longer matters."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, then slowly shook his head, stating bluntly, "If no one is willing to know the truth, then even if you sow the truth on the streets, it will not sprout."