The Hyuga Clan issued an official statement to the outside world.
Hiashi Hyuga was “furious.”
Kumogakure shinobi had infiltrated Konoha and attacked the Hyuga compound—and worse, their target had been none other than Tenriki Hyuga, the future head of the Hyuga Clan.
In front of Hiruzen, Danzo, and the rest of Konoha’s leadership, Hiashi gave the performance of his life.
His fury was so convincing that it seemed only one step short of demanding Konoha mobilize its forces and march straight on Kumogakure.
“This was a direct provocation against the Hyuga Clan!”
Hiashi slammed his palm against the table.
“Kumogakure is openly showing contempt for Konoha!”
“Konoha is supposed to be the strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, yet foreign shinobi infiltrated our village, attacked one of our founding clans, and attempted to abduct its future clan head!”
“If we don’t demand justice after something like this, how are the other villages supposed to view us?”
“They’ll think Konoha is weak! They’ll think we’re easy to bully! And once they start thinking that, what’s to stop them from joining forces and—”
Hiashi went on and on.
Hiruzen, Danzo, and the elders sitting across from him endured the verbal barrage in silence.
And, occasionally, the physical one.
By the time Hiashi finally stopped, Hiruzen discreetly wiped a speck of saliva from his cheek.
No one dared interrupt the Hyuga clan head while he was in the middle of his supposed rampage.
After a long while, Hiruzen finally spoke.
“I will send an official notice to Kumogakure demanding an explanation. You have my word.”
“An explanation?”
Hiashi’s expression darkened.
“What is there to explain? The evidence is undeniable! Kumogakure must apologize and compensate the Hyuga Clan!”
“Yes, yes. An apology and compensation.”
Hiruzen wiped a trace of sweat from his forehead.
It took quite some time before he finally managed to “calm” the enraged Hiashi.
Danzo and the others, meanwhile, seemed perfectly happy to sit back and enjoy the sight of the Third Hokage struggling.
Once the atmosphere had settled somewhat, Hiruzen hesitated before adding, “There is one more thing.”
Hiashi looked at him.
“Keep this matter confidential for now. Don’t allow word to spread among the villagers.”
Hiashi’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Hiruzen continued.
“The village is already unstable because of the renegotiation of the ceasefire agreement. I understand that asking this of the Hyuga is unfair, but I hope your clan can consider the larger interests of Konoha.”
His reasoning was simple.
First, Hiruzen wanted to prevent the incident from escalating further.
Second…
He wanted to test how much the Hyuga Clan was willing to tolerate.
Hiashi’s expression remained conflicted, but inwardly he sneered.
As expected.
The Third wants to suppress the incident and sacrifice the Hyuga’s interests for the sake of stability.
Fortunately, this possibility had already come up when he discussed the plan with his terrifying three-year-old mastermind of a son.
Tenriki had anticipated it.
And they had prepared accordingly.
Hiashi remained silent for several seconds before finally giving a reluctant nod.
“Fine.”
His voice was clearly unwilling.
“Given Konoha’s current instability, I’ll do my best to keep the matter contained within the clan.”
Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
After another round of discussion, the meeting finally came to an end.
From Hiruzen’s perspective, the result was satisfactory.
The Hyuga still understand the importance of supporting the village.
Or, more specifically—
They still support me.
But Hiruzen had survived far too many political struggles to simply leave things there.
Shortly after the meeting, he issued a secret order.
ANBU were to monitor the Hyuga Clan.
And while they were at it, they were also to keep an eye on Danzo and the Uchiha Clan.
The following day, Konoha’s official notice arrived in Kumogakure.
Bang!
A heavy desk shattered beneath the Fourth Raikage’s fist. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“The operation failed?”
A’s expression turned thunderous.
“And even the team leader was killed?”
Kumogakure had coveted the Byakugan for years.
This latest attempt had not been some hastily assembled kidnapping mission.
The Raikage and his people had spent nearly half a year preparing for it.
Even Kumogakure’s delegation traveling to Konoha to renegotiate the ceasefire agreement had been incorporated into the plan.
They had estimated the operation’s probability of success at nearly eighty percent.
Instead—
The entire team had been wiped out.
Even the Raikage hadn’t expected such a complete failure.
Standing nearby, his secretary Mabui asked calmly, “Konoha is demanding an explanation. How should we respond?”
The Raikage gave a dismissive snort.
“Explain?”
His expression hardened.
“If Konoha had the confidence to fight us, they wouldn’t be asking for an explanation.”
Mabui immediately understood.
“You believe this proves they’re weak?”
“The Nine-Tails attack caused far more damage to Konoha than they want the other villages to know.”
The Raikage folded his arms.
“So instead of explaining ourselves…”
Mabui’s eyes sharpened.
“We pressure them?”
“Exactly.”
The Fourth Raikage had every reason to be confident.
Kumogakure possessed two jinchuriki.
The Two-Tails’ jinchuriki, Yugito Nii.
And the Eight-Tails’ jinchuriki, Killer B.
Neither had been forced into major action for quite some time.
Although Kumogakure lacked Konoha’s reputation from repeatedly emerging victorious in previous wars, the Nine-Tails’ attack had changed the balance of power.
The Fourth Hokage was dead.
Konoha had suffered enormous casualties.
From A’s perspective, Kumogakure’s military strength had already surpassed Konoha’s.
And unlike Hiruzen, the Raikage had little fear of war.
The Land of Lightning itself was a major military power, while relations with the Land of Fire had always been tense.
After considering everything, the Raikage struck the remains of the desk again.
“Send this reply.”
Mabui immediately began recording his words.
“Ask Konoha why Kumogakure shinobi were killed inside their village.”
Her pen paused for the briefest moment.
The Raikage continued without hesitation.
“Demand an explanation.”
“And if they refuse to provide one…”
His eyes turned cold.
“Kumogakure will take action.”
“If necessary, we will not hesitate to go to war.”
Mabui’s lips curved upward as she continued writing.
The audacity of it was almost impressive.
Their operation had failed.
Their shinobi had been killed while infiltrating another clan’s compound.
And now Kumogakure was turning around and demanding that Konoha explain itself.
As expected of the Raikage.
He wasn’t going to admit to anything.
He was going to threaten them instead.
On the third day, Kumogakure’s formal response arrived in Konoha.
Then again.
His face darkened with every line.
Kumogakure offered no explanation for the attack on the Hyuga Clan.
No apology.
No compensation.
Instead, they demanded to know why a team of Cloud shinobi had died inside Konoha.
Konoha was to provide an explanation.
Otherwise, Kumogakure would “take appropriate action.”
And if necessary—
They would not rule out war.
Bang!
The Hokage’s desk gave a miserable crack and collapsed beneath Hiruzen’s palm.
“Outrageous!”
His entire body trembled with anger.
“They infiltrated Konoha first, attacked the Hyuga Clan, and now they dare turn around and question us?”
For a moment, Hiruzen’s fury burned hot enough that even the ANBU stationed nearby remained perfectly still.
But anger couldn’t change reality.
After the Nine-Tails’ attack, Konoha’s military strength had fallen considerably.
More importantly, Minato Namikaze was dead.
The village had lost a shinobi capable of single-handedly changing the course of a battlefield.
Hiruzen himself had returned to the Hokage’s seat, but age had already begun catching up with him.
He was no longer the shinobi he had been in his prime.
Another major war now could cripple Konoha.
And if war wasn’t an option…
Then compromise was.
Hiruzen slowly exhaled.
His anger faded, replaced by exhaustion.
The more immediate problem was how he was supposed to explain this to the Hyuga Clan.
Before long, he summoned Konoha’s elders.
The atmosphere inside the meeting room was grim.
Hiruzen spoke first.
“Konoha isn’t prepared for another war.”
No one interrupted him.
“So I intend to prevent this matter from escalating any further.”
Homura Mitokado frowned.
“You mean Konoha should seek peace?”
“Not seek peace.”
Hiruzen shook his head.
“We would simply be making a temporary concession.”
Koharu Utatane studied him carefully.
“And that concession would come at the Hyuga Clan’s expense?”
Silence.
Hiruzen hesitated.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
“I don’t want it to come to that either.”
Nearby, Danzo had remained silent throughout the entire discussion.
But at those words, something changed in his expression.
His single visible eye narrowed.
Like a fox catching the scent of prey.
While Hiruzen saw a crisis…
Danzo saw something else entirely.
An opportunity.
And not merely some minor political advantage.
For the first time in years, Danzo sensed an opening that might change the course of his entire life.