Using Hizashi Hyuga, Hyuga Hiashi's younger brother, to win the Raikage's satisfaction was the choice he, Hiruzen, and the others all agreed upon.
As a member of the Branch Family, Hizashi Hyuga bore the Caged Bird Seal. Once he died, it would activate and destroy his Byakugan.
There was no need to worry about the Byakugan being leaked.
Moreover, since Hizashi looked identical to Hiashi, he could pass for him and be sent to the Raikage as Hiashi's corpse.
That should have been enough to satisfy the Raikage.
It was the perfect choice.
But something none of them had expected happened: Hyuga Hiashi had revealed the result of their private discussion so easily.
And he had done so at this meeting, which had been specifically arranged to pressure Namikaze Mirai.
How could such a matter be brought into the open?! A flicker of anger rose in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.
What was wrong with Hiashi?
Hadn't he already reminded him not to mention this matter during the meeting? As Sarutobi Hiruzen glared furiously at Hiashi, shocked discussion erupted throughout the conference room.
"Use Hiashi's younger brother to win the Raikage's satisfaction? Since when had Konoha become so weak?"
"The Hyuga are Konoha's largest ninja clan. If something like this happened to our clan..."
"Was a father wrong for protecting his daughter?"
Amid the noisy, shocked voices, Hyuga Hiashi neither avoided nor yielded. He met Sarutobi Hiruzen's angry gaze directly.
His eyes were calm.
Lord Hokage, forgive me. This time, I must defy you.
His memories returned to the day before this meeting had been held.
"No!"
"How could Hizashi die in my place? Neji is only four years old!"
"This was the result jointly decided by several of us elders. The Hokage has already agreed. As a member of the Branch Family, isn't this exactly when he should serve his purpose?"
"How could I possibly agree to something like this? Letting my own younger brother die in my place..."
Hyuga Hiashi slumped weakly on his cushion, never having imagined that things would develop to this point.
"Brother, I have already agreed."
Hizashi Hyuga, who looked nearly identical to him and had Bandages wrapped around his forehead, knelt on the cushion before him, his eyes gentle.
"As a member of the Branch Family, wasn't I born to protect the Main Family?"
"To die protecting my brother is already the best possible outcome for me as your younger brother."
Hyuga Hiashi clenched his fists unwillingly.
"Damn it! How did it come to this?"
How could they possibly accept something like this? "Then, do you want to change all of this?"
The tightly shut sliding door slowly opened, and a calm yet somewhat heavy voice sounded from outside the room.
Hyuga Hiashi raised his head and looked at the suddenly appearing Blonde Figure.
His eyes filled with shock.
"Mirai, why are you here?"
This was the Hyuga council hall. How had Namikaze Mirai come here?
Then he had heard everything they had just said?
"Can you really accept having your own younger brother die in your place?"
Namikaze Mirai looked down at Hyuga Hiashi.
His Biological Magnetic Field perception covered the entire Hyuga compound. Nothing happening here could escape his notice.
Tears welled in Hyuga Hiashi's eyes as he clenched his hands unwillingly.
"If there were any other way, I would never make such a choice. It's just that the Hokage's side..."
"Leave the Hokage to me. From now on, do exactly as I say."
After hearing Namikaze Mirai's words, Hyuga Hiashi's eyes shifted from confusion, to surprise, to utter shock.
"Why are you helping me?"
"I am not helping you. I am helping your younger brother."
"Me?"
Hizashi, who had already prepared himself to die, had never expected such a turn of events. He stared at Namikaze Mirai in complete astonishment.
He wanted to find the answer on his face.
A trace of concealed sorrow appeared in Namikaze Mirai's azure eyes.
It was an emotion completely unlike his hardened exterior.
"Perhaps because, as a younger brother myself, I understand the desire to protect one's older brother?"
As Hizashi Hyuga watched Namikaze Mirai fall into melancholy, his body suddenly trembled.
He suddenly remembered.
When that night happened, Namikaze Mirai had not been in the village and could only watch helplessly as Minato died.
Unable to do anything.
Hiashi! Why? Why would you do this?! Flames seemed to burn in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes as he stared at Hyuga Hiashi. His heavy, furious gaze seemed to question him again and again.
Hadn't Hizashi's matter already been decided?
How could something like this be brought into the open! Placed before the eyes of all of Konoha's higher-ups!
Did he want them to see that their Hokage was using his younger brother's death to exchange for the Raikage's appeasement?
"Lord Hokage, may I ask whether what Hyuga Hiashi said is true?"
The one asking was the Inuzuka Clan head.
If even the Hyuga could be treated this way, what would happen if it were one of their smaller clans?
Everyone's gaze gathered on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his sweaty palm, his expression shifting from struggle, to hesitation, and finally to exhaustion...
"Yes."
An uproar broke out!
A complete uproar! Konoha was actually going to sacrifice the life of the Hyuga clan head's younger brother to placate the Raikage? What a ridiculous farce!
Konoha was the strongest ninja village! Yet it had to endure such humiliation, practically disgracefully sacrificing the interests of one of its ninja clans! Besides, Kumogakure had clearly been at fault from the start, hadn't it? Hiashi had only been protecting his daughter!
Namikaze Mirai still leaned casually against the back of his chair. His posture had not changed at all since he entered.
As though he had anticipated this outcome long ago.
"My Lord Hokage, when did Konoha become this weak? We have to trade the life of a clan head's younger brother for the forgiveness of a mere Kumogakure?"
Though Namikaze Mirai's words sounded casual, to Sarutobi Hiruzen, they were like an invisible flame scorching both his mind and body.
The heads of the surrounding ninja clans were also filled with unwillingness.
Humiliating!
Fucking humiliating!
"This is for Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen showed an expression of reluctance and let out a sigh.
"Hizashi is a ninja who truly carries out the Will of Fire. He chose this path for the beliefs in his heart."
The moment his voice fell, a sudden chuckle rang out. It began as a sneer, then became laughter, and finally uncontrollable roaring laughter! "Hahahahahaha!!! What a fucking Will of Fire!"
Namikaze Mirai threw back his head and laughed wildly, his shoulders shaking violently beyond his control.
When Uchiha Setsuna and the others beside him saw that wild laughter, their eyes immediately lit up!
Namikaze Mirai's wild laughter was even more authentic than theirs!
"To dress cowardice up in such refined language, Sarutobi Hiruzen, your skin is even thicker than I imagined!"
"Kumogakure signing the Peace Treaty was a sham from the very beginning. Their goal was to covet Konoha's bloodline limits! As Hokage, you clearly knew this, yet you still wanted to sacrifice the life of an unrelated Hizashi just to beg for the Raikage's forgiveness!"
"Third Hokage, you are far too weak! Where is even a trace of the bearing of a Ninja Hero?"
"If I were this Hokage, I would never be this weak!"
The moment he said that, Danzo beside him could no longer hold himself back and glared at him furiously.
"Mirai, do you know what you are saying?"
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