The next day.
Another meeting was convened at Hokage Tower.
Gone was yesterday's joy.
The air was heavy with tension.
Hiruzen had assumed that, caught red-handed, the Hidden Cloud would soften their stance.
Instead—
They struck first.
They accused Konoha of deliberate murder and provocation.
They demanded that the Hyūga hand over the "culprit."
In an instant—
The situation exploded.
The shadow of war once again crept over Konoha's sky.
The Hidden Cloud's stance was uncompromising:
Hand over the killer—
Or face war.
Everyone present had already been informed about what happened the previous night.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
Nearly every representative in the room wore anger openly on their face.
Arrogant. Overbearing. Lawless.
That was the shared impression of the Hidden Cloud delegation.
They had the audacity to twist black into white—who wouldn't be furious?
They openly coveted the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan.
Did they think Konoha was blind?
Though the direct victim was the Hyūga, every clan present felt the humiliation.
Today it was the Hyūga.
Tomorrow—who would it be?
Once desire swelled unchecked, it never stopped at one target.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat with his head lowered, silent.
The Hidden Cloud's sudden reversal had caught him off guard.
When one scheme failed, they had launched another.
The abduction of Hinata had failed—
So now they shifted the target to Hiashi Hyūga himself.
Hiashi's face was ashen.
The fury within him churned like molten lava ready to erupt.
They tried to abduct his daughter.
They offered no apology.
And now they demanded his life?
What kind of absurd logic was that?
Did they think the Hyūga were made of clay?!
His entire body trembled with rage—
Yet he forced himself to remain composed.
He looked at Hiruzen, voice tight but controlled.
"Hokage-sama… what is your decision?"
Hiruzen stared out the window before speaking softly.
"Konoha… cannot endure another war."
He never answered directly.
But that single sentence made the leadership's stance painfully clear.
Many in the room felt injustice for the Hyūga.
Yet none dared challenge the Hokage openly.
They did not represent themselves.
They represented their clans.
"This will not do. Absolutely not."
"Hiashi is the Hyūga Clan Head!"
Before Hiashi could respond, one of the Hyūga main branch elders spoke up.
If the Clan Head were handed over—
Where would the Hyūga's dignity remain?
Hiruzen immediately raised his hand to calm them.
"Of course. We would never sacrifice Hiashi."
Pipe clenched between his teeth, he spoke firmly.
He already had his calculation in mind.
This was merely preliminary pressure.
The Hyūga main branch was protected by the Caged Bird Seal placed upon the branch family.
If the main branch could not be sacrificed—
Was it not reasonable for the branch family to make a contribution for peace?
Hiruzen's tone shifted again.
"However… it remains true that Konoha cannot afford war."
"We must cherish the hard-won peace."
"As Hokage, I would wager my life to ensure the next generation of seedlings grows safely."
A master of rhetoric as always—
The Will of Fire flowed effortlessly from his lips.
At those words, the Hyūga had little room to argue further.
The room fell silent once more.
Hiashi's expression dimmed.
The two main branch elders exchanged thoughtful glances.
If Hiashi could not be handed over—
Then someone must take his place.
His twin brother.
Hizashi.
The perfect substitute.
"Enough!"
Hiashi suddenly stood, eyes blazing.
"I, Hiashi Hyūga, will give my life for the village!"
If someone were to be exchanged—
Who else could it be?
It was unacceptable.
"Impossible! The Clan Head cannot be sacrificed in vain!"
Hiruzen rejected the declaration instantly, righteous as ever.
He would not hand Hiashi over.
Not only because of the Byakugan—
But because of what Hiashi represented.
A branch family member and a Clan Head were not equivalent bargaining chips.
If Hiashi were sacrificed, how could Hiruzen expect the Hyūga to remain loyal?
At that moment, Homura Mitokado spoke quietly.
"If I recall correctly… Hizashi of the branch family bears an identical appearance to Hiashi."
"Perhaps…"
Hiashi's eyes reddened immediately.
"This matter has nothing to do with my brother!"
"I will not drag him into this!"
"If a life must be paid, it will be mine!"
Hizashi had borne the Caged Bird Seal since childhood.
He had no freedom.
That guilt had always weighed on Hiashi.
To now let his brother die in his place—
How could he face his deceased parents?
How could he face his four-year-old nephew, Neji?
Homura said nothing further.
He did not expect Hiashi to calm down immediately.
It was enough that the Hyūga understood the leadership's direction.
The elders would provide an answer acceptable to Konoha.
Around the room, heads lowered.
Expressions darkened.
Everyone understood the implication.
Hiashi would not be surrendered—
But someone must be.
Hizashi.
The injustice burned.
The Hidden Cloud committed the crime—
Yet Konoha would bow its head.
What humiliation was this?
Even so, no one dared propose war.
War meant devastation.
And the one who initiated it would be remembered as the sinner of Konoha.
The two Hyūga elders exchanged a glance.
Their decision crystallized.
"Does the branch family not exist to protect the main branch?"
"If war breaks out, how many more Hyūga will die?"
"To sacrifice oneself for the clan and the village—"
"That is Hizashi's duty."
"And his honor."
Hiashi glared at them like an enraged lion.
"You…!"
He refused without hesitation.
"No. Absolutely not."
"I will not sacrifice my brother."
"Hiashi, calm yourself—"
Hiruzen began to speak again.
But Hiashi cut him off.
"Hokage-sama, there is no need."
"I understand the village's difficulty."
"And I am willing to die for it."
Suddenly—
Hiashi raised his hand toward his own eyes.
If his Byakugan were the reason—
Then he would destroy them himself.
Hiruzen reacted instantly, flashing forward to stop him.
"Hiashi! What are you doing?!"
"You are the Hyūga Clan Head! You cannot throw your life away!"
The elders rushed forward as well, invoking ancestral law and duty.
Hiashi froze in torment.
Tears streamed down his face.
Was he truly to sacrifice his brother?
Was there no other path?
Watching the entire spectacle unfold,
Yusuke Uchiha's lips curled faintly.
The so-called strongest hidden village.
The proud "Number One."
Reduced to this?
He let out a quiet, mocking breath.
"Is this all Konoha amounts to?"
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