Namikaze Mirai! You've Fallen Into My Palm!

"Preposterous!"

"Absolutely preposterous!"

"This is sheer audacity! If Namikaze Mirai dares to kill Kumogakure's envoy today, he'll dare to kill us tomorrow!"

"Hiruzen, you cannot let him run rampant any longer!"

In the Hokage Office, Utatane Koharu trembled with rage, her rough palm slapping the Hokage's desk again and again.

Spittle nearly flew into Sarutobi Hiruzen's face.

The impact of this incident was too severe. Did Namikaze Mirai have any regard for them? For Konoha?

"Koharu, ease up a bit. Can't you see Hiruzen is already overwhelmed by this mess?"

Mitokado Homura shot her a helpless glance from the side.

That was Koharu for you—once her temper flared, her voice drowned out everything in the Hokage Office.

"Homura! You still don't grasp the gravity of this? This is a major diplomatic incident! If the Raikage learns of this, he might fly into a rage and reignite war."

"The Raikage already knows."

Danzo's voice was grim.

???

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both turned to him, utterly bewildered.

What the hell?

They hadn't even sent word yet—how did the Raikage find out? "I had Danzo dispatch someone to inform the Raikage."

Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke, breaking his silence.

His first words stunned Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

"Hiruzen, are you sure about this? When something this big happens, shouldn't we first contain the news, hash out a strategy, and then act?"

"Letting the Raikage get intelligence this fast puts us on the back foot!"

The two were deeply puzzled.

Even Koharu, who had been raging moments ago, was now baffled and lost.

Wasn't Sarutobi Hiruzen moving a bit too quickly?

They hadn't even had time to react.

"It can't be hidden."

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head.

"Rather than waiting for the Raikage to find out on his own, it's better for us to tell him first—maybe it'll temper his anger."

If an envoy delegation from Kumogakure died in Konoha, and he were the Raikage, he'd probably leap off his desk in fury.

An incident like this was a direct slap in the Raikage's face.

Of course, there was another crucial reason he didn't mention.

By sending word himself, he could control the specifics of the message.

With some careful edits and a bit of misdirection, the Raikage likely wouldn't catch on easily.

For instance, in the letter he sent to the Raikage, He pinned nearly all the blame on Namikaze Mirai.

The matter of Kumogakure abducting Hinata was glossed over vaguely, with the cause shifted to a clash between Namikaze Mirai and the envoy delegation that escalated into bloodshed.

Would the Raikage notice? He'd probably be glad Hiruzen put it that way.

How could it be such a coincidence that Kumogakure's envoy delegation just happened to sneak off and abduct Hinata on the night of the ceremony?

A little thought revealed something fishy.

Maybe those envoys came to Konoha with a special mission.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's wording also helped the Raikage wash away an unsavory stain.

It focused the conflict entirely on Namikaze Mirai alone.

That was the goal he and Danzo shared.

"What surprises me is that in the Raikage's reply, he's adamant that the Hyuga Clan must take responsibility for this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression soured.

If it were just Namikaze Mirai, it would be simple.

He was alone, backed by no faction.

Whether suppressing or targeting him, handled properly, it could yield decent results.

But dragging the Hyuga Clan into this...

That complicated things far more.

"Hiruzen, as I see it, Kumogakure won't stop hounding the Hyuga until they get their hands on the Byakugan bloodline."

Danzo's lone eye, sharp as a hawk's, glinted with a cold light.

With his experience, he could easily guess the Raikage's intentions.

Since the Envoy Delegation was already dead, he might as well cut his losses and directly pressure Konoha, threatening war to seize the Byakugan.

Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his temples in immense frustration.

This was exactly what he feared.

He even suspected that Namikaze Mirai had foreseen this all along, using this method to bind the Hyuga to himself.

If anyone wanted to move against Namikaze Mirai, they'd have to go through the Hyuga Clan first.

"Hiruzen, don't worry. Things might not be as troublesome as you think."

A cold smile twisted Danzo's scar-ravaged face.

His entire left side was a gift from Namikaze Mirai! That scar was one of the most humiliating marks of his life!

His hatred for Namikaze Mirai had reached its peak! "Namikaze Mirai saved Hinata, but when it comes down to it, a single daughter versus the entire Hyuga Clan—Hiashi knows which is more important."

"And more importantly, to give the Raikage a satisfactory answer, the Byakugan doesn't necessarily have to leave the village. As far as I know, the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird Seal can directly destroy the Byakugan."

"From that perspective, the Raikage's demand isn't too unreasonable for the Hyuga."

"We can still keep the conflict centered on Namikaze Mirai."

Listening to Danzo's account, Hiruzen's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and his worried expression eased.

He felt a hint of relief.

It seemed that the string of recent failures had helped Danzo grow.

At least losing that eye wasn't for nothing.

"So, in your view, how should we handle this?"

Hiruzen wanted to hear Danzo's opinion.

"Simple. Call a high-level meeting and invite Namikaze Mirai along."

Danzo's lone eye flashed with a hawk-like, cruel smile.

"Since he caused this mess, he should clean it up himself. Killing envoys from another village and reigniting the flames of war on Konoha—that's a crime even the Fourth Hokage's brother can't bear!"

The more Hiruzen listened, the lighter he felt.

The more he heard, the more confident he became.

Yes, as Danzo said, killing envoys from another village and reigniting war on Konoha—Namikaze Mirai couldn't shoulder that burden.

Once that charge was confirmed.

It wouldn't matter that he was Minato's brother or Naruto's uncle—the villagers wouldn't forgive him.

The best course was to be open and direct, using pressure from the major ninja clans and the higher-ups to force Namikaze Mirai into submission.

After all, no one wanted another war! "Do it as you say!"

"And not just that—we need to steer public opinion in the village. Why should such a criminal who endangers the village escape the villagers' scorn?"

Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling a hazy cloud of smoke. Under the tobacco's effect, his ever-tight nerves finally fully relaxed.

Last time, because of Naruto's identity, his reputation in the village had plummeted.

With such a golden opportunity now, why not let Namikaze Mirai enjoy the same treatment?