Everyone present had already been informed about last night's incident.
The atmosphere in the hall was unbearably heavy. Nearly every face in Konoha's leadership burned with anger.
Kumogakure was arrogant. Brazen. Utterly contemptuous.
That was the shared sentiment of most representatives.
To twist black into white so shamelessly—who wouldn't be enraged?
They had openly coveted the Hyūga's Byakugan bloodline limit. Did they think nothing of Konoha?
Though the Hyūga were the direct victims, the other clan heads felt no less humiliated.
Today it was the Hyūga.
Tomorrow—who would it be?
Once greed swelled, it was never easily satisfied.
Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head in silence.
Kumo's sudden counterstrike had caught him off guard.
One plan failed, so they immediately moved to another.
Fail to abduct Hinata—then shift the target to Hyūga Hiashi.
As the man at the center of the storm, Hiashi's face was ashen. The fury within him churned like molten lava, threatening to erupt at any moment.
They attempted to kidnap my daughter.
They offer no apology.
And now they demand my life?
What kind of twisted logic is that?
Do they take the Hyūga for clay dolls?!
Though trembling with rage, Hiashi forced himself to remain composed.
He looked toward Hiruzen with restrained expectation.
"Lord Hokage… what is your decision?"
Hiruzen remained quiet for a long moment. Gazing out the window, he murmured:
"Konoha cannot endure another war."
He did not answer directly.
But that single sentence revealed everything.
Many in the room sympathized with the Hyūga.
Not one stepped forward to challenge the Hokage.
They no longer spoke as individuals—they represented entire clans.
"This is unacceptable!"
"Hiashi is the Hyūga clan head!"
Before Hiashi himself could respond, an elder of the Hyūga main branch stepped forward in protest.
Handing over their clan head?
What face would the Hyūga have left?
Hiruzen immediately soothed him.
"Of course not. We would never sacrifice Hiashi."
He spoke with firm assurance.
In truth, he had already calculated his path.
He was merely testing the Hyūga's bottom line.
The main house was guarded by countless branch members bearing the Caged Bird Seal.
If the main house could not be sacrificed…
Was it not reasonable for the branch house to make a sacrifice for peace?
Hiruzen's tone shifted.
"However… it is also true that Konoha cannot afford war. We must cherish the hard-won peace."
"As Hokage, even if I stake my life, I will protect the village's young sprouts."
His words flowed smoothly—another dose of the Will of Fire.
With matters framed this way, the Hyūga had little room to argue.
The hall fell silent again.
Hiashi's expression dimmed. The two main-house elders exchanged thoughtful glances.
If Hiashi could not be handed over, someone must take his place.
And who resembled him most closely?
His twin brother—Hyūga Hizashi.
"Enough. I, Hyūga Hiashi, am willing to sacrifice myself for the village!"
Hiashi suddenly rose, glaring at Hiruzen as he roared.
Replace him with another?
Who would that be?
Unacceptable.
"Impossible!" Hiruzen immediately rejected the idea, righteous and resolute.
Surrendering the Hyūga clan head was never an option.
Even if the Hyūga agreed, he would not.
The Byakugan was part of it.
But the greater issue was political.
A branch member and a clan head were not equivalent sacrifices.
If Hiashi died, could Hiruzen still expect the Hyūga to stand loyally behind him?
At that moment, Advisor Mitokado Homura spoke calmly.
"If I recall correctly, Hizashi of the branch house looks nearly identical to Hiashi."
"Perhaps…"
Hiashi's eyes instantly reddened.
"This has nothing to do with my brother!"
"One man's actions—one man's responsibility! I will answer with my life!"
Hizashi had already borne the Caged Bird Seal since childhood.
Already deprived of freedom.
Now they would ask him to die in his brother's place?
How could Hiashi accept that?
How could he face their deceased father?
How could he face four-year-old Neji?
Homura said nothing further.
He did not expect to calm Hiashi.
He only needed the Hyūga to understand the leadership's intent.
The elders understood well enough.
The Hyūga would provide a "satisfactory" answer.
Around the room, heads lowered.
The Hokage's meaning was clear.
Do not hand over Hiashi.
But give Kumo an explanation.
The only solution—
Sacrifice Hizashi.
It was humiliation.
Kumo was clearly at fault.
Yet Konoha would swallow its pride.
No one dared mention war.
War would bring immense casualties.
Whoever advocated it would bear the blame for those deaths.
None wished to shoulder that burden.
The two Hyūga elders exchanged another glance.
"The branch house exists to protect the main house."
"If war breaks out, how many more Hyūga will die?"
"To give one life to protect the clan—and the village—is both duty and honor."
"I believe Hizashi would accept this willingly."
Hiashi glared like a wounded lion.
"You…!"
"I will not sacrifice my brother. Never."
"Hiashi, calm yourself—" Hiruzen began.
But Hiashi cut him off.
"Lord Hokage, say no more."
"I understand your difficulty. I am willing to die for the village."
Suddenly, he raised his hand—attempting to gouge out his own eyes before the assembly.
If they would not hand him over because of his Byakugan—
Then he would destroy it himself.
Hiruzen was startled and instantly intervened.
"Hiashi! What are you doing?!"
"You are the Hyūga clan head! You cannot throw your life away!"
The elders rushed forward, invoking clan doctrine, pleading with him.
Hiashi stood trembling, tears falling freely.
What was he to do?
Was he truly to sacrifice his own brother?
At the edge of the hall, Uchiha Akihito watched in silence.
A faint, mocking smile curled at his lips.
Konoha claimed to be the greatest hidden village in the world.
The strongest.
The model of unity and righteousness.
And yet—
Faced with naked coercion—
This was all they could manage?
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