Hyuga Hiashi finally spoke, his voice calm but heavy with restrained anger. His face was grim, and the look he cast toward Sarutobi Hiruzen was as cold as winter steel. There was no warmth in his gaze—only disbelief and bitterness.
Hiashi had once chosen patience. He had swallowed his pride, his fury, and accepted the silent insult after Cloud Shinobi's intrusion. He had believed in diplomacy and hoped the incident could be resolved with dignity. The Hyuga family had already tolerated more than enough.
But now—Cloud Shinobi had gone too far. They didn't just want to shift blame or save face. They wanted blood. They wanted sacrifice. And not just any Hyuga—but the clan head himself. To hand over the body of Hiashi as compensation? To allow the secrets of the Byakugan to fall into foreign hands?
The Zong family's bloodline was no mystery. Cloud Shinobi's motives were as clear as daylight.
Hiashi didn't want to believe Sarutobi Hiruzen would stand on the side of deception. But now, faced with the truth, with the Hokage pushing for compromise at the Hyuga clan's expense, Hiashi couldn't hold back his contempt.
"Lord Hokage," he said slowly, voice sharpened like a kunai, "are you the Hokage of Konoha Village, or are you the Hokage of Cloud Shinobi Village?"
His words sliced through the tense atmosphere like a blade, and even the watching Hyuga elders flinched at his tone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face twisted—first in anger, then quickly recomposing itself into that familiar mask of calm diplomacy. But the damage was done. The room had heard it. The weight of the accusation hung heavily in the air.
"Patriarch Hyuga, please choose your words carefully," said a voice laced with threat.
Shimura Danzō stepped forward, the ever-shadowy figure cloaked in schemes and menace. His single eye gleamed with cold calculation.
"House Hyuga," he continued, "you claim that Cloud Shinobi broke into your estate, kidnapped your heiress, and were killed by a mysterious stranger. I ask you, where is this mysterious savior?"
He paused deliberately.
"If such a person exists, hand him over. That would satisfy Cloud Shinobi and put an end to the conflict. But if this so-called stranger is a fabrication—if it was truly your clan that killed their envoy—then House Hyuga must take responsibility. You will answer not just to Cloud Shinobi, but to Konoha."
Danzō's words landed with brutal weight.
Hiashi clenched his fists.
The mysterious man did exist—he had seen him himself. But who was he? A ghost in the night? A guardian angel? The Hyuga had no name, no identity to offer—only gratitude. They couldn't hand over what they didn't know.
"I don't believe the Anbu couldn't uncover the truth," Hiashi said, barely containing his outrage. "Hokage-sama, just be direct. Do you mean to say that as the victims, the Hyuga are the ones who must bleed for Cloud Shinobi's arrogance? You would sacrifice us?"
He met Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes without fear, his voice rising with every syllable.
Members of the Hyuga clan surrounded them, their eyes burning with disbelief, anger, and betrayal. Even the elders looked shaken.
"To protect the village, to maintain the peace and stability of Konoha," Hiruzen replied, tone slow and full of practiced gravitas, "has always been my responsibility as Hokage."
He straightened his back, as if invoking the will of fire itself.
"The long-standing peace that we enjoy should be the treasure your clan also strives to preserve. In times of crisis, a leader must put aside personal grievances. For the greater good of the village—"
He looked at Hiashi.
"—even I, the Hokage, would sacrifice myself if needed."
There was silence.
Dead, suffocating silence.
"And so, you ask me to do the same?" Hiashi asked, eyes wide in disbelief. "To die, to protect your peace?"
"For the peace of Konoha," Hiruzen said, his voice clear and final. "For the safety of the Fire Country. For the lives of countless shinobi who would otherwise perish in war—I ask you to sacrifice your pride… and your life."
The room erupted into chaos.
Gasps. Shouts. Heated protests. The Hyuga clan could not believe their ears. Many reached for their weapons on instinct, only to be stopped by the calm but firm hand of their patriarch.
Hyuga Hiashi stood still. He didn't scream. He didn't draw a kunai.
But something in his spirit cracked.
He was not just a man being asked to die—he was a symbol. A pillar of his clan. And that pillar was being asked to crumble for a lie. For politics. For the village's reputation.
Hiashi closed his eyes.
"…Lord Hokage, this…"
"Hizashi," Hiashi said softly, cutting off his brother.
There was a storm behind Hizashi's eyes, fury barely contained. But he obeyed.
Hiashi turned to Hiruzen with a cold, distant look.
"This is not a decision I can make alone. I will bring it to my clan. Please return, Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at him for a long moment, then gave a silent nod and turned to leave.
As he walked out, Shimura Danzō followed closely behind.
"Hiruzen," Danzō said in a low voice, "are you sure Hiashi won't go back on his word?"
"Hyuga Hiashi is a man of his word," Hiruzen replied. "Once he has decided, he will not change course."
"And the Byakugan?"
"The Hyuga will handle it. They are not fools—they've likely developed secret techniques to prevent leakage."
Danzō sneered slightly. "As long as they do what's necessary."
Outside the Hyuga estate, the Hokage's entourage came to an abrupt stop.
A figure stood at the entrance.
Clad in black armor, head to toe like a specter of steel, the man radiated presence and fury. His posture was relaxed, but his aura—hostile. Heavy. Menacing.
"Nice Hokage," the figure growled, voice filtered through armor that warped and distorted it into a mechanical snarl.
Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
His guards moved to attack, but Hiruzen raised a hand to stop them.
The armored figure took a step forward.
"Do you know what I want to say to you, Third Hokage?" he asked, slow and deliberate.
"What words I would choose to describe you?"
Hiruzen didn't reply.
The figure pointed a finger at him. "You call yourself Hokage. Protector of the village. Guardian of the Will of Fire."
He let out a cruel laugh that echoed through the street.
"You deserve Hokage? You suck at it."
A murmur spread through the onlookers.
Sarutobi Hiruzen remained still, but his eyes darkened. "What are you talking about?"
The armored man stepped closer, his voice trembling—not from fear, but from a storm of emotion barely contained.
"For years, I looked up to you," the figure said. "For years, I believed you were the one light in my lonely life. You gave me pocket money. You gave me comfort. You gave me a sliver of warmth when the village gave me nothing but cold stares."
He paused.
"And now, I see the truth."
The words hit Hiruzen harder than any blade could.
Because he recognized the voice now.
Underneath the mechanical filter, past the hoarseness and distortion… it was unmistakable.
"Naruto…?"
The figure didn't respond. He simply lowered his head, voice now low and broken.
"You were my hero. My only family. And now, I see you're just like the rest. You're not protecting Konoha. You're protecting yourself."
Hiruzen took a step forward. "Naruto, listen—"
"No!" the armored man roared. "You don't get to say my name! Not when you would sacrifice someone else just to keep your precious peace!"
A pause.
"Your peace is bought with blood. With lies. With betrayal."
"You're no Hokage. You're a coward."
With that, the figure turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving silence in his wake.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood there, unmoving.
Shimura Danzō's lip curled. "Shall I send someone after him?"
"No," Hiruzen said slowly.
"…It's too late for that."
[End of Chapter 10]
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