radicalducati Page 160
Page 160
However, if they do not hand over the person, the envoy from Kumogakure will be killed within Konoha's territory, which will also trigger a huge diplomatic conflict and may even lead to war!
“But… if we don’t do this, Kumogakure will never let this go!” Another elder of the Hyuga clan sighed softly, his voice filled with deep weariness. “The Third Shinobi World War only ended a few years ago, and we Hyuga really don’t want to see our clan members sacrificed on the battlefield again…”
The atmosphere inside the room became even more oppressive.
Whether to fight or not, this choice will come at a heavy price, no matter which side you choose.
Minato Namikaze frowned.
He opened his mouth, and finally spoke in a deep voice: "Chief Rizu, please calm down. I believe that—it is not necessarily necessary to sacrifice a life to resolve this matter."
"No sacrifice?" The Hyuga elder sneered upon hearing this, shaking his head and saying, "Fourth Hokage, forgive my bluntness, but the envoy from Kumogakure died in Konoha. They will not rest until an explanation is given! The situation is critical now. Do you think the Hokage can persuade the other major clans in the village to join us in fighting Kumogakure at this critical juncture?"
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent. Minato's expression froze, and he was speechless for a moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood aside, quietly watching the heated debate unfold before him, his thoughts drifting back to that day in reality...
The timing of Kumogakure's attack was far too insidious and ruthless.
At that time, Konoha had just experienced the Third Shinobi World War, and the Nine-Tails' attack had not been over for long. The village was severely weakened, and all the major clans suffered heavy losses.
The wounds of the great war had not yet healed, and most people instinctively resisted and feared being drawn into war again.
Given the internal and external troubles, even as the Hokage, it would be incredibly difficult to incite the other major clans to join Konoha in declaring war on Kumogakure simply because of the Hyuga clan's situation.
Perhaps it was for the sake of the bigger picture that he chose to let things slide and quell the incident back then... Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his gaze and sighed inwardly.
A hint of sadness flashed in his cloudy eyes as he silently tightened his grip on his pipe.
……
in the audience.
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief: "Isn't Father the Hokage? Why does that elder of the Hyuga clan dare to disobey the Hokage?"
In his mind, the Hokage's orders were supreme, so Elder Hyuga's tough attitude was really unexpected.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Jiraiya sat with his arms crossed in a row of chairs and said calmly, "The Hyuga clan is, after all, a major clan in Konoha and has a significant influence in the village. Even the Hokage cannot interfere excessively with their clan's decisions."
He shook his head slightly, a hint of helplessness appearing on his face.
There was something Jiraiya never said aloud—at that time, Minato Namikaze had only recently become Hokage, his foundation was still shallow, and he was of commoner origin, so it was indeed difficult for him to get a word in edgewise at such a large clan meeting.
It's likely that Minato invited the old man here to leverage the Third Hokage's prestige and increase his influence.
"Hmph!" Shimura Danzo snorted disdainfully upon hearing this, and interjected sarcastically, "That Hiruzen guy, back then, just like that, he kept quiet, causing the Hyuga clan to lose an elite member and become estranged from the village."
Although the Hyuga clan doesn't harbor rebellious intentions like the Uchiha, they have become much more detached from village affairs in recent years...
It's impossible for them not to mind what happened back then!
Kakashi sighed softly upon hearing this: "Alas... After all, the Hyuga clan was the victim in this matter. Instead of receiving compensation, they were sacrificed, with the clan head's younger brother being handed over as a sacrifice..."
……
The argument continues in the Hinata residence's meeting room, as shown in the video.
After a round of back-and-forth debate, the two sides are now deadlocked.
Hiashi Hyuga insisted on dying as the head of the clan to quell the trouble, while the elders of the Hyuga clan firmly opposed the head of the clan committing suicide, preferring to have a member of the branch family take the blame.
For a moment, the hall fell into a suffocating silence.
Hiashi's face was ashen, and the Hyuga elders exchanged bewildered glances; the atmosphere was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring.
suddenly.
"Bang!" Hyuga Hizashi suddenly stepped forward and slammed his fist into his older brother's abdomen with lightning speed!
"Ugh—!" Hiashi only had time to let out a muffled groan before his eyes suddenly widened and his body fell backward like a kite with a broken string.
This punch was swift and precise, containing the skillful power of the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist. Although not fatal, it was enough to instantly render the person powerless to resist.
Hiashi's pupils were dilated, and he knelt on one knee on the tatami mat, then fell backward and lost consciousness!
"Brother, I'm sorry." Hizashi supported his brother's fallen body with one hand and gently placed him on the cushion behind him, a trace of reluctance flashing in his eyes.
But soon, only a resolute look remained in his eyes.
This series of changes happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that no one could react!
Everyone inside was utterly shocked. Several elders abruptly stood up: "Rizashi, what are you doing?!"
Hyuga Hizashi straightened up and slowly took two steps toward the center of the hall.
His expression was calm and resolute. He bowed deeply and declared loudly, "Elder, please allow me to go this time! I am willing to give my life for the peace of the village!"
The short sentence, though brief, resonated powerfully and lingered in the silent hall for a long time.
In an instant, you could hear a pin drop in the hall.
Everyone was stunned by what they saw, and no one spoke for a moment.
This sudden action left everyone with mixed feelings.
The elder remained silent, and the other Hyuga clan members lowered their heads, their eyes red.
Seeing this, Minato Namikaze became even more anxious.
His gaze involuntarily fell upon the Third Hokage beside him, as if hoping that the battle-hardened Hiruzen Sarutobi would step forward and say a few words to stabilize the situation.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi simply stood with his eyes lowered, seemingly oblivious to the pleading look in Minato's eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
To this day, he still firmly believes that he did not do anything wrong.
That's what he did back then—
In exchange for the retreat of the Hidden Cloud Village.
After all, sacrificing just one member of the Hyuga clan's branch family would not only thwart the Hidden Cloud Village's plot to steal the Byakugan, but also prevent a major war.
If Konoha and Kumogakure were to truly clash, the number of deaths would only increase.
After weighing all the factors, Hiruzen Sarutobi has a clear conscience.
"Sacrificing one person for the sake of the entire Hidden Leaf Village... is worth it," Hiruzen Sarutobi told himself, finding solace in his own heart.
However, looking at the unconscious Hiashi and the brave Hizashi, a heavy shadow still passed through his heart.
……
In the audience, Naruto could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Is Neji's father really going to die like this?!"
Kakashi nodded slowly, his voice low: "In reality... Neji's father, Hyuga Hizashi, died in the same way."
"What—!" Naruto's mind went blank, and he almost jumped up. "How could this be! The bastards from Kumogakure did something bad, and now Uncle Hyuga has to pay with his life? This is just too unfair!"
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
"Hmph, of course it's because the Hokage back then was cowardly and weak!" Danzo crossed his arms and sneered coldly without any politeness. "If I, Shimura Danzo, were the Hokage, I wouldn't have allowed Kumogakure to be so rampant!"
He recalled that this matter had caused a huge disagreement among the advisory group, and his proposal to fight was rejected by Hiruzen Sarutobi. He couldn't help but feel indignant, "The Hidden Cloud Village is a wolf in sheep's clothing. They even killed the Second Hokage back then! For a village like that, we should just have a good, decisive war and make them behave when they feel the pain!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Jiraiya glanced at Danzo sideways, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "If you had been the Hokage back then... what did you plan to do? Lead your Shimura and Hyuga clans into a full-scale war against the Hidden Cloud Village, led by the Raikage?"
"This—" Danzo choked, his face turning pale and then red. His lips moved, but he was speechless for a moment.
After a long pause, he stubbornly insisted, "That's still better than Hiruzen Sarutobi watching his comrades die!"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Shimura Danzo have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
……
In the scene, Hyuga Hizashi has already made up his mind.
He took a deep breath, his expression unusually calm and serene, as if facing death was a trivial matter to him.
Everyone present watched him with bated breath, some filled with sorrow, some with admiration, and some with guilt...
A mix of complex emotions welled up inside, yet no one dared to speak up and stop them.
The tacit approval in the eyes of the elders of the main family and the silent acceptance of Hiruzen Sarutobi all told Hizashi that his death was inevitable.
The next instant, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with determination.
Hyuga Hizashi suddenly raised his right hand, fingers together, and slapped it hard against his forehead!
A flash of golden light!
In the blink of an eye, a golden figure seemed to traverse space and appeared beside Hizashi in an instant!
At the critical moment, the man stretched out his palm and gripped the right wrist of the slashing man like an iron clamp, freezing his movement in mid-air!
Caught off guard, Hiizashi stared wide-eyed in astonishment: "Hokage-sama?!"
That's right, the one holding his wrist was none other than the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze!
Minato's short blond hair shone like flames under the lights, and his handsome face was solemn and dignified.
A pair of deep blue eyes were fixed on Hizashi, their gaze firm and sharp.
He spoke in a deep, resolute voice: "Excuse me—I cannot agree to this decision!"
As soon as these words came out, the whole place was shocked!
Hizashi was stunned, and several Hyuga elders also gaped in astonishment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils constricted slightly as he looked at Minato Namikaze with disbelief: He actually intervened directly?!
He never expected that Minato Namikaze, who considered it the best solution, would still be dissatisfied and try to obstruct it.
Could it be that Minato is really planning to go to war with Kumogakure?
Minato Namikaze probably doesn't have the power to persuade the other major families to send troops right now...
Seeing the Hyuga members still looking worried, Hyuga Hizashi stubbornly shook his head and said, "We appreciate the Hokage's kindness. But sacrificing my life to atone for my sins to Kumogakure is the best choice for the village!"
After he finished speaking, he lowered his eyelids, his expression stern.
Upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze released his grip on Hizashi's wrist, his expression resolute and unwavering: "I will not allow you to die for something like this! This is the Hokage's order!"
As he said this, his eyes suddenly sharpened: "As for the Hidden Cloud Village... Hmph!"
Minato Namikaze suddenly flicked his sleeves, turned around, and his white Hokage robes drew an arc. "The people of Kumogakure dared to kidnap a child from Konoha first and then make such an unreasonable demand. Do they really think we'll just let them slaughter us?! I'd also like to see if the Kumogakure AB brothers have improved in the past few years!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was dumbfounded.