Creak…
creak…
Outside the Machiya (townhouse) courtyard of the Hyuga clan head, a black shadow landed silently on the roof.
Hearing the sounds of someone tossing and turning inside the house, the black shadow raised his hands, formed a sign, and cast a genjutsu.
Illusory white feathers fell into the room.
The originally somewhat heavy breathing gradually became peaceful.
The black shadow slipped silently into the room like a raccoon dog, and saw a girl sleeping peacefully under the blanket.
Without wasting any time, he directly tucked her under his arm, flipped over, and leaped out of the courtyard.
However, he hadn’t run far when a figure walked out of the courtyard at the front gate.
“…”
Hiashi Hyuga looked at the thief whose face was covered, then noticed Hinata Hyuga tucked under the other party’s arm.
His originally cold and hard face couldn’t help but darken at this moment, and the anger of having his bottom line touched instantly surged.
Courting death!
Without hesitation, Hiashi Hyuga activated the Byakugan, veins popping out on both sides of his eye sockets, and raised his hand to charge at the black shadow.
The first palm, the person in front of him dodged it, but in Hiashi’s eyes, the movement was incredibly clumsy.
Bang!
The second palm, swung with full force wrapped in chakra, unsurprisingly hit the person in front of him in the abdomen.
He felt the palm shatter the meridians without any resistance.
He only saw the person spit out a mouthful of blood, their entire body falling forward to their knees.
Hiashi Hyuga took the opportunity to catch Hinata, letting the thief fall forward to the ground.
“So weak.”
The anger in his heart dissipated considerably.
The calmed-down Hiashi Hyuga subconsciously frowned, suddenly realizing that this thief was unexpectedly weak, almost as if he came here to seek death.
With this level of strength, he dared to infiltrate the Hyuga clan to kidnap the main branch’s eldest daughter?
Could it be some overconfident bounty ninja whose greed was aroused?
However, right in the next moment when doubts arose in his heart, he suddenly felt a chill and a stinging pain on his forehead, and a warm liquid slid past the edge of his brow bone.
Hiashi Hyuga subconsciously raised his hand to touch his forehead, actually feeling a “line” running across his forehead.
He also smelled a familiar yet unfamiliar sweet scent, and felt that warm, sticky sensation on his fingers…
“Is this, blood?”
Hiashi Hyuga looked at the corpse on the ground with an astonished expression.
He, who was constantly in Konoha and whose practical combat experience was close to zero, finally noticed the kunai in the corpse’s hand at this moment.
How is this possible?
When exactly did he hurt me?
Clearly this overconfident fool couldn’t even withstand two of my palms.
Thinking of this, an inexplicably deep unease welled up in his heart, and Hiashi Hyuga’s brows gradually furrowed.
Casually tearing off a piece of cloth to simply bandage the wound on his forehead, he then leaned down to take off this corpse’s mask.
The corpse died with its eyes unclosed, but the expression on its face appeared unusually calm.
So calm that the corpse gave off an eerie feeling, the eyes seemingly staring at Hiashi Hyuga.
“…”
Noticing the Hidden Cloud forehead protector worn on the corpse’s forehead, Hiashi Hyuga first froze involuntarily.
Then, as if realizing something, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
He felt as if ice water had been poured over his entire body, cold from his scalp straight down to the soles of his feet, the chill crawling along his spine into his brain marrow.
Damn it!
How could it be a Hidden Cloud ninja?!
Patter…
Patter…
The weather in autumn is fickle.
Konoha, which was a clear sky yesterday, was covered by dark, gloomy clouds today, and chilling, pattering rain fell.
Yesterday, Konoha was full of joy because they had finally welcomed peace.
Even to a certain extent, they had welcomed the Hidden Cloud Village’s “submission,” which could be said to be unprecedented.
But today’s Konoha was as gloomy as the sudden change in weather, the originally bright sunlight unable to penetrate the thick clouds to shine down.
The entirety of Konoha had undercurrents surging, various rumors were circulating among the villagers, and everyone felt insecure and even panicked.
Because in just a single day, the news of the envoy delegation sent by the Hidden Cloud Village dying in Konoha had spread.
Two of the Hidden Cloud ninjas were directly blown up in their guest room, the sole Hidden Cloud ninja who survived by a fluke shouted that Konoha betrayed the alliance treaty before fleeing, and ultimately ended up dead at the hands of the Hyuga clan head.
Anyone could see what the situation actually was right now.
No matter who heard this “rumor,” four words would invariably pop into their minds.
“Killing to silence them.”
In the reception room of the Hyuga clan, a trembling, aged voice softly uttered these words.
Only two standing candles burned quietly in the dim reception room, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on Hiashi Hyuga’s lowered face.
The white bandage wrapped around his forehead still showed seeping blood.
His wasn’t the only shadow cast in the room.
The outlines of eight figures flickered in a row on the walls on both sides.
Including Hiashi, seven main branch decision-makers knelt facing each other.
As for the final person…
“Phew.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi, kneeling in the prime center seat, took a puff of his pipe.
The exhaled smoke gradually sank, casting a misty, dim shadow on the ground under the candlelight.
“The cross-examination from the Land of Lightning has already been received,” he said calmly.
“The Land of Lightning’s side believes that Konoha has absolutely no sincerity for an alliance.
Not only unilaterally tearing up the agreement, but even attacking the Hidden Cloud Village’s envoys, which is truly despicable and intolerable.”
“Now, they have issued an ultimatum, demanding that Konoha give an explanation, otherwise they will formally declare war on the Land of Fire.”
Hearing this, Hiashi Hyuga’s eyes darkened slightly, and he asked: “Lord Third, may I ask what kind of explanation they want?”
“Hand over the corpse of the murderer ‘Hiashi Hyuga’.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi relayed it word for word without the slightest deviation, adding: “The Hidden Cloud Village has already assembled ninjas at the border of the Land of Hot Water, seemingly ready to launch an attack on the Land of Fire at any time.”
Hearing that the Land of Lightning specifically named “Hiashi Hyuga” as the murderer, the aged faces of the six Hyuga clan elders were sharply divided in light and dark under the flickering candlelight, looking somewhat terrifyingly gloomy.
This matter was no longer just between the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Leaf Village; it was a diplomatic incident between the two great nations of Lightning and Fire.
But the entire matter felt eerie from beginning to end.
Where exactly did those explosive tags in the guest room where the Hidden Cloud envoy delegation stayed come from?
Why did the surviving Hidden Cloud ninja run to the Hyuga clan, and even try to kidnap and take away the main branch’s eldest daughter, Hinata Hyuga?
Why was the other party, a Jonin, completely defenseless, inexplicably dying at the hands of the clan head, Hiashi Hyuga?
And why was the Land of Lightning’s targeting so strong, specifically demanding Hiashi Hyuga’s corpse by name?
“This is a conspiracy of the Hidden Cloud Village, their goal is the Byakugan.”
Higo Hyuga, a main branch elder whose status in the clan was second only to Hiashi Hyuga, spoke up.
His voice was hoarse and low, but his aged face was very calm.
“I also believe it’s a conspiracy, but it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, then slowly shook his head, saying frankly: “If no one has the desire to know the truth, then even if you scatter the truth on the streets, it won’t sprout.”
(END CHAPTER)
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