The Third Hokage and the Cloud Village Delegation followed several members of the Hyuga Main Family toward Hizashi's residence.
When they reached the entrance, they found it was already packed with people.
Most were from the Branch Family, with a small number from the Main Family.
The Branch Family members looked at Kumogakure with eyes that wished to devour them; naturally, the gaze directed at the Third Hokage was equally filled with killing intent.
The Third Hokage did not know what Hizashi had done, but it was clear that immense hatred had permeated the Hyuga Clan.
His heart sank, sensing that events were spinning toward an uncontrollable direction.
However, at a time like this, he was not afraid and simply followed the Main Family inside.
Kumogakure was not afraid of being surrounded by so many people; in fact, they seemed somewhat smug.
They had just realized that a rift had formed between the Hyuga Clan and the Third Hokage, meaning their scheme had been a great success.
Still, they were curious about what exactly had happened here.
The group quickly entered the main hall of Hizashi's residence.
Although the Main Family members had heard the reports, they couldn't stop their brows from twitching wildly upon arriving at the scene.
The air seemed to solidify, carrying the thick, inescapable smell of rust and the sickly sweet stench unique to internal organs.
Hyuga Hizashi was already dead, but his body had not fallen.
He still maintained a perfect seiza posture, his back straight and rigid, like a silent bedrock, forming a chilling contrast to the horrific mess below his waist.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on the massive and gruesome wound on his abdomen.
His dark ninja uniform was completely sliced open from the abdomen, soaked in large amounts of dark red, almost black blood, clinging wetly to his body and his kneeling legs.
The wound was extremely horrific, certainly not a simple single slash of seppuku. It was a massive, irregular cross-shaped gash, with flesh terribly peeling outwards.
Revealing the empty abdominal cavity beneath and the internal organs spilled all over the floor.
Most of the organs, such as the stomach and intestines, that should have been inside the abdominal cavity, had been violently ripped out in a manner so desperate it was terrifying, scattering across the floor in front of him.
The organs displayed a moist, eerily lifelike sheen, a mixture of dark red, pinkish-white, and deep purple colors, tangled and coiled, emitting faint heat as they touched the cold floor.
The vast quantity of blood was not splattered but continuously oozed like thick paint from his empty abdomen and the organs on the floor, collecting beneath him into a huge, viscous, slowly expanding pool of dark red gore.
The blood even flowed past his kneeling knees, soaking his trouser legs.
The entire scene was terrifyingly silent, broken only by the occasional "pat-pat" sound of dripping blood, while the inescapable, intensely sickening smell of blood and internal organs aggressively filled everyone's nostrils, assaulting their sanity.
Aoran and Neji stood nearby, their eyes completely hollow.
Some of those close to Hizashi had already cried themselves unconscious.
Hyuga Hayato knelt beside the body. A small knife lay next to him, and both he and the knife were covered in fresh blood.
Anyone with eyes could tell what he had done.
Seeing Kumogakure, the Main Family, and the Third Hokage enter, he slowly rose. Blood dripped onto the living room floor, making a steady 'drip-drip' sound.
Hayato was radiating killing intent, looking like a vengeful spirit crawled out of hell.
His gaze swept past the Third Hokage and Kumogakure before settling on Chief Elder Sōshu and Hiashi's faces.
"Chief Elder, Lord Hizashi 'voluntarily' died in place of the Clan Head."
"Clan Head, I ask you, are you satisfied?"
His icy voice was like the Nine Hells of Winter; every word was sharp with frost.
Hiashi clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, his face alternating between green and white.
The Chief Elder's brow twitched wildly: "Good... good indeed...!"
He took two quick breaths, but found he could not calm his state of mind.
At this point, even an idiot would know how problematic the supposed "voluntary" act was.
But he couldn't speak out; too many people present were consumed by Hizashi's death.
If he dared to say a single harsh word, he would immediately be torn apart alive by the Hyuga Branch Family members present.
Sōshu immediately turned his head and hissed toward the Third Hokage:
"The sacrifice you demanded, we of the Hyuga Clan have given it to you!"
The Third Hokage finally realized that the situation had completely exceeded his expectations.
He immediately stepped aside, revealing Kumogakure: "Kumogakure Representatives, your condition was for Hiashi to pay with his life."
"Their Hizashi voluntarily sacrificed himself for Hiashi. How about we stop this matter here?"
Kumogakure hadn't expected Hyuga Hizashi to pay for the crime in such an extreme manner.
Even though they were often on the battlefield, this kind of seppuku and evisceration was too gruesome.
The subordinates of Kumogakure had shifty eyes.
[What deep hatred must exist, to die for someone doesn't require this!]
Tokijin of Kumogakure said in a deep voice: "We demanded Hiashi's life, this has nothing to do with Hizashi. This situation is completely—"
He was interrupted by Hayato before he could finish.
Hayato laughed miserably in a hoarse voice: "Hehehe... Hahahahaha..."
"Isn't it just the Hyuga Clan's Bloodline Limit that you want?"
He reached out, grabbed the two sealed Byakugan eyes from Hizashi's internal organs, and hurled them toward Kumogakure.
"Take them!"
"Is this enough!?"
Saying this, he went mad, grabbing Hizashi's organs and violently throwing them over!
"Is it enough!!"
The Kumogakure members hurriedly turned sideways to avoid the organs, but since there were many of them, some still got splattered.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing among the crowd, also dodged awkwardly.
Chief Elder reached out and pressed down on Hayato: "Hayato!"
"This matter ends here!"
Taking advantage of this gap, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately spoke up, then quickly retreated toward the door.
When Hayato went mad just now, the eyes of many Branch Family members present turned red.
He had reason to believe that if Kumogakure provoked them further, the Branch Family would surround and literally devour the Kumogakure personnel.
"Stop! Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
A sharp voice echoed throughout the hall, instantly silencing the entire venue.
Everyone followed the sound and saw 13-year-old Aoran staring at the Third Hokage with extreme hatred, pointing and cursing at him:
"The Hokage of Konoha is a coward! A good-for-nothing!"
The moment these words left his mouth, it was utterly shocking!
Kumogakure was stunned, the Third Hokage was stunned, and the Hyuga members were stunned.
But after recovering, a wave of ecstasy surged within the Kumogakure party.
[Excellent! This is perfect! The greater the conflict between Konoha and Hyuga, the more successful this incident will be!]
They immediately blocked the Hokage's exit route, and even intentionally or unintentionally obstructed his path forward.
[Good cursing, curse more.]
The Hyuga side also reacted. Hyuga Sōshu, as the Chief Elder, had already intended to divert the Branch Family's hatred toward Konoha.
Under these circumstances, he intentionally or unintentionally protected Aoran, hoping Aoran would speak his mind further.
Whether Aoran was instigated or spoke on his own accord, he didn't care, as long as it benefited them.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had absolutely no space to move even an inch.
Aoran continued to shout:
"What kind of Hokage are you, you good-for-nothing? When the people of Konoha Village are bullied, you not only refuse to help but even assist outsiders in forcing your own people to die!"
"You cowardly turtle who only hides in the back, you'll spend your whole life licking Kumogakure's ass!"
Even if the Third Hokage was usually adept at keeping up appearances, he was furious now.
His expression changed, and he was about to erupt.
But Chief Elder Sōshu immediately blocked him and loudly declared:
"Hokage-sama, children's words carry no weight! Hizashi is dead, and his relatives are understandably emotional. You cannot take offense at a child!"
The Third Hokage was put on the spot, his face looking as if he had eaten excrement.
What nonsense about children's words carrying no weight? Aoran is over ten years old; is he still a child?
But he was completely unable to bypass the Hyuga Main Family to deal with Aoran, leaving him helpless at this moment.
He had already recognized this person's identity.
The half-breed of the Hyuga and Uchihas, Aoran.
He could not retaliate...