Inside Hizashi's room in the Hyuga Clan Compound.
Seeing Hizashi's impassioned speech, but still not falling into their trap.
Third Elder Fujio could only frown and slowly guide Hizashi:
"Hizashi, as you know, this matter has reached a very serious point."
"A slight misstep could lead to war, and our Hyuga Clan simply cannot bear the blame from the Third Hokage."
Hizashi, however, didn't respond, just a dry 'hmm'.
He wanted to see how shameless Fujio could be.
Seeing Hizashi didn't reply, Fujio frowned:
"The Bloodline Limit is the foundation of our Hyuga Clan's standing, and the Clan Head is the face of our Hyuga."
"Therefore, Hiashi-sama must absolutely not be harmed, understand?"
"Oh."
Hizashi again responded indifferently, leaving Fujio utterly bewildered.
What did that mean? Even without political insight, couldn't he understand the subtext?
You, Hizashi, must be doing this on purpose!
Third Elder Jubee, who was standing nearby, had no patience for Fujio's beating around the bush.
His gaze, like a knife, swept towards Hizashi, and he said directly:
"Hizashi! You know about the clan's crisis!"
"The Kumogakure bastards are forcing us to hand someone over, and those scoundrels in Konoha are also pressuring us! The trouble was caused by your brother, but he is from the Main House, the pillar of the Hyuga, and absolutely nothing must happen to him!"
"As a member of the Branch House, it's time for you to show loyalty to the Main House!"
Hizashi's face turned pale, seemingly shocked with a hint of fear: "Third Elder... you... what do you mean?"
Jubee snorted coldly: "We cannot hand over Hiashi, but we can let you die in his place."
Hizashi's expression changed, pretending to be very shocked: "Is this your intention or my brother's intention!?"
"This is the Clan Head's intention."
Seeing the fear on Hizashi's face, Jubee finally felt relieved.
His favorite thing was to punish the Branch House with the Caged Bird Seal.
Every time these lowly Branch House members trembled in fear, Jubee's heart would be filled with immense pleasure.
The supreme power of the Main House over the Branch House was fully demonstrated here.
Hizashi gritted his teeth and stood up, swaying as he spoke:
"No! I don't believe my brother would do this to me! I'm going to ask him personally!"
Jubee snorted coldly, his tone fierce and openly threatening:
"Hizashi, don't force us to use the Caged Bird Seal; it would be unpleasant for everyone."
Third Elder Fujio had been beating around the bush for a long time without Hizashi taking the bait, but now that they were speaking openly, he changed his demeanor and sinisterly told Hizashi:
"Hizashi, we know this is a great sacrifice for you. But for the survival of the Hyuga Clan, someone must make a sacrifice."
"If Hiashi dies, the clan will surely fall into chaos. But you are different..."
His words were venomous, beginning emotional blackmail and psychological manipulation:
"Your sacrifice will be great and meaningful. We will remember your contribution, and your son Neji will be proud of you. The Main House will surely treat him well in the future."
"This is not just to preserve your brother, but also to protect all your Branch House relatives from the suffering of war."
"This is the most glorious choice you, as a leader of the Branch House, can make; this is your honor."
Hiashi's face was pale, his shoulders trembling slightly, his hands tightly clasped on his knees, knuckles white from the effort.
The emotions within were half-true, half-false; even though Hizashi had known the truth earlier, he was still filled with grief and indignation at this moment.
[What honor, my ass!]
However, at this moment, he still remembered Aoran's plan. He spoke with a strained voice, asking:
"I... I want to see my brother one more time."
"Hmph! Stubborn!" Jubee roared, forming a hand seal and placing it on his chest.
That was the Caged Bird Curse Seal!
Fujio immediately stepped forward, gently pulling back the seemingly impulsive Second Elder: "Jubee, calm down."
He turned to Hizashi: "Hiashi is the Clan Head; his image cannot have any blemish."
"This substitution must also be 'voluntary', understood?"
Hizashi maintained his previous posture, his eyes lifeless as he looked at the Caged Bird Seal in Jubee's hand.
He spoke in an extremely suppressed, hoarse voice, as if all his strength had been drained:
"...I understand."
"For the Hyuga... I... will 'voluntarily' bear everything."
"So when should I step forward?"
The Second Elder and Third Elder exchanged glances, satisfaction flashing in their eyes at their successful scheme.
"When the Clan Head prepares to hand himself over, you will step forward voluntarily and take his place, understood?"
Hizashi responded with a lowered voice: "I understand, I will do all of this."
The Second Elder was very satisfied, and the Third Elder offered a few feigned words of comfort before getting up and leaving, leaving Hizashi alone to digest his ultimate fate.
Hizashi looked up, activated his Byakugan, and only after seeing Jubee and Fujio walk far away did he stand up.
He took down the Digital Camera from the shelf behind him, turned it on, saw that it was still recording, and then set it up again.
This item had always been on the shelf behind him.
But the Second Elder and Third Elder simply didn't understand that such high technology could record videos.
They didn't even know that the Digital Camera was on.
This time, Hiashi turned to face the Digital Camera.
"To all members of the Branch House, I am Hyuga Hizashi, and I will explain what happened..."
Hizashi then began by explaining how the Kumogakure envoy was actually a kidnapper, and Hiashi's killing was self-defense.
Then, he detailed how the Konoha Leadership was weak and compromised, forcing the Hyuga to hand someone over to take the blame.
Next, he described how the Main House elders conspired, deciding to sacrifice him, a Branch House member, to protect the Main House and themselves, even planning to use his death to further control the Branch House.
"...Just now, everyone saw my good brother, Hiashi, along with these two elders, using the Caged Bird Curse Seal to force me to 'voluntarily' die in Hiashi's place."
"Brothers, the existence of the 'Caged Bird Seal' has never been to protect the Branch House, but to ensure that the Main House can sacrifice any Branch House member at any time to protect themselves!"
"Our lives and dignity have never belonged to us!"
"My death is a foregone conclusion, but..."
Hizashi, with agitated emotions, finished recording everything. He then took the camera, carefully operated it to ensure the recording was fine, and then solemnly put it away.
This was only half of the plan; the other half still needed Aoran to implement it.
However, Hizashi was also unsure in his heart. Even if Aoran was cooperating with Orochimaru, the plan's risk was still very high, and his recorded last words were also half-true, half-false.
Even if the plan failed, Neji wouldn't be completely unable to cope.
At this moment, Neji was at home. He had planned to come over in the morning when he learned Hizashi was awake, but Jubee and Fujio arrived and blocked him.
[I'll go see Neji. This farewell will be for a long time.]
...