"Who exactly is Danzo? Was the Cloud's peace talk nothing but a pretense?"
"Danzo's an elder advisor of Konoha. Could what he said be true? Is the Cloud Village planning war?"
"Something feels off… Why didn't our shinobi stop the culprits right away? Why just stand and watch?"
The projection sent shockwaves through the village. For the first time, ordinary Konoha citizens glimpsed the darker side of their leadership. The taste left in their mouths was bitter and strange.
"Lord Hokage, the whole village saw it. There's no way to contain this," a ninja reported.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face tightened with worry.
When the man in black reappeared on screen, clutching a young girl at his side, the crowd roared in outrage. But then Naruto appeared, cutting the abductor down with a single punch. Cheers erupted, applause echoing through the streets.
Hyuga Hizashi's shout revealed the truth—the man Naruto killed was none other than the leader of the Cloud's so-called peace delegation.
The crowd froze.
The leader of a peace mission, sneaking into the Hyuga estate in the dead of night to kidnap their heiress? It was absurd. Outrageous.
Then, recalling Danzo's earlier words—that the Cloud's "peace" was a sham—the people understood. The Cloud's wolfish ambitions had simply been laid bare.
The Hyuga clan carried the corpse to the Hokage building, demanding justice. The Cloud ninjas, furious, struck back with arrogance on full display.
"If blood is not repaid, there can be no peace!"
"Our Cloud is ready for war. If Konoha refuses to yield, our armies will march into the Land of Fire. We will burn your villages to ash!"
The villagers clenched their fists, veins bulging as they watched Cloud ninjas pointing at the Third Hokage's face and hurling insults.
"Unbelievable! They're the ones at fault—why should we compensate them?!"
"If they want war, let them come! Who's afraid of who?!"
"Lord Hokage will surely defend Konoha's honor and give the Hyuga justice!"
Their faith in Hiruzen was unshaken—for now. Many believed the kindly old man they admired would prove his strength as Hokage.
But then, the scene shifted.
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen sat with Danzo and the advisors. Their discussion stunned the audience.
"The peace talks must continue. Konoha's survival depends on it," Hiruzen declared.
"So, you would sacrifice the Hyuga clan?" one elder pressed.
"The Byakugan is one of our greatest strategic resources. If it falls into Cloud hands, they could unlock dangerous secrets."
"There must be another way—"
"No. Tomorrow, I will personally persuade the Hyuga to comply. The peace treaty must be signed."
The villagers and shinobi watching were speechless.
The Hokage they trusted—amiable, fatherly—now wore a face shadowed and cold. Danzo's presence beside him was like a ghostly specter, radiating malice.
Some tried to excuse Hiruzen.
"For peace, it's not wrong. Compromise is painful, but necessary…"
"Yes, Lord Third suffers for the sake of the village. He endures for us all."
But more people fell into silence. This was not the Hokage they believed in.
Danzo's eyes gleamed with killing intent. "Hiruzen, this cannot continue. You'll ruin everything."
Yet Hiruzen only shook his head, staring grimly at the Cloud ninja beneath Naruto's heel.
Another delegate had died. If more were killed, the hot-tempered Fourth Raikage would undoubtedly unleash war. That was a gamble Hiruzen would not take.
Deep down, he believed he was right.
For peace, sacrifices must be made.
"In other words, Hokage-sama… you've chosen to sacrifice the Hyuga clan?"
"For the sake of Konoha, the Fire Country, and countless villagers… For the lives of thousands of shinobi… I must ask the Hyuga to give up one life for the many."
When those words left his lips inside the Hyuga household, the village fell utterly silent.
Something inside countless hearts cracked.
"Hahaha! Well said, Hokage!" the Cloud ninja jeered through bloodied lips. "Hand over Hiashi—or it's war!"
They laughed even as they lay broken, delighted to have forced the Hokage into bowing his head before them.
Anger boiled in Konoha's shinobi ranks. One nearly charged forward, only to be held back by his comrades.
Naruto stood apart, eyes cold.
At last, he spoke:
"A master at turning on his own people… but helpless in the face of outsiders. Tell me, Hokage—
is this what you call leadership?"
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