Being stared at by Yugito Nii like that, Kurenai Yuhi seemed rather pleased.
"Hmph!"
Snorting coldly, Yugito Nii turned away, clearly unwilling to waste her breath on that smug little girl.
Instead, her attention shifted toward Aoyama Ryuyun.
"What exactly do you want to do? Give me a straight answer! Don't keep this old woman locked up all day!"
Her tone was sharp, her patience long gone. Yugito Nii had no idea what Aoyama Ryuyun planned to do with her — was he going to kill her, or not? She just wanted a clear answer. Being trapped in confinement day after day was starting to get under her skin.
"Don't worry," Ryuyun replied evenly, "I won't let you die just like that."
Yugito Nii's eyes narrowed. She was the Two-Tails Jinchūriki — surely he didn't intend to kill her so casually.
"You—"
She started to speak again, but Aoyama Ryuyun waved a dismissive hand at the guards.
Understanding his intent immediately, the Konoha ninja stepped forward and dragged Yugito Nii away.
"Hey! I'm not done talking! You hear me? Just you wait—if I ever get the chance, this old woman will kick you!"
Her voice grew fainter as she was taken farther down the corridor, eventually fading completely.
Only when silence returned did Aoyama Ryuyun glance back at Kurenai Yuhi.
"Let's go. We're heading back."
"Mm-hmm," Kurenai nodded softly.
---
The Next Day
The report that Aoyama Ryuyun had Nara Shikaku write reached the Hokage's desk.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in silence, the letter open before him.
Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu stood nearby, their expressions stiff and uneasy.
"So, this matter… is true?" Koharu finally asked, her voice low.
They were talking about Sarutobi Shinnosuke's defection from the village.
If it wasn't true, they would have immediately ordered Ryuyun's arrest for slander. But if it was true — that changed everything.
Hiruzen said nothing. His face was unreadable, but his silence spoke volumes.
After a long, painful pause, the Third Hokage finally nodded.
It was true.
He had ordered Anbu to investigate thoroughly — to confirm it beyond all doubt. Yet every report came back the same: Shinnosuke had indeed defected.
Even worse, Asuma had apparently tried to protect his brother during the incident.
According to the scroll, both had resisted capture and attempted to flee — forcing Aoyama Ryuyun to kill them.
Hiruzen clenched his fists. He didn't believe that. Not for a second.
It was clearly an excuse — a justification Ryuyun had crafted after deciding to act.
But what good was denial now? Both of his sons were dead.
"Bang!"
His fist slammed down on the desk, the sound echoing through the office.
Koharu and Homura flinched at the sudden outburst.
"Hiruzen," Homura ventured cautiously, "can you explain why Shinnosuke defected?"
To them, the situation made no sense.
Aoyama Ryuyun killing two Sarutobis was shocking enough — but Shinnosuke defecting? Unthinkable.
Had the man lost his mind?
In truth, Hiruzen knew the reason all too well.
Shinnosuke had never let go of his hatred for Aoyama Ryuyun. The wound had festered ever since that fateful mission years ago.
But Hiruzen had never imagined his son would go this far — that he would throw everything away in pursuit of revenge.
If he had known, he would have stopped Shinnosuke with his own hands.
Now… it was too late.
Both his sons were gone.
The scroll Ryuyun sent had ended with the words "No need for thanks."
Thank you? Hiruzen trembled, rage building in his chest. I'll thank your whole family!
He could tell that the message had been penned by Shikaku — but the words themselves were Ryuyun's.
If he could, Hiruzen would have gone to the frontlines that very instant and strangled that arrogant boy himself.
"Cough, cough!" Koharu cleared her throat, trying to defuse the tension. "Hiruzen, what do you plan to do next?"
Homura nodded beside her.
They both knew — as much as they hated to admit it — that Ryuyun was crucial to Konoha's war effort.
Punishing him now would destabilize everything.
"Even if we wanted to act, it would have to wait until the war ends," Koharu said firmly. "We can't afford to lose him now."
Hiruzen's gaze lifted slowly to meet theirs.
His eyes were cold.
So, since it wasn't your sons who died, you can say that so easily, huh?
He didn't speak, but his look alone made both elders uncomfortable.
"Uh… Hiruzen," Homura stammered, "don't look at us like that. This is all… for Konoha!"
"For Konoha?" Hiruzen muttered.
A bitter laugh escaped him.
How many had he sacrificed over the years using that same phrase?
Now, for the first time, he understood the weight of those words — the agony they carried.
"This grudge…" he said quietly, his voice trembling, "this old man will not let it go."
His eldest son was gone. His youngest son was gone.
If he could still endure this… then being Hokage meant nothing.
Koharu and Homura exchanged worried looks.
Was he serious? Would he truly turn against Aoyama Ryuyun?
Before they could speak again, an Anbu operative appeared in a flash of motion, kneeling before the desk.
"Hokage-sama! It's bad news! The Hidden Mist Village has declared war on Konoha!"
"What!?"
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