Menma: Don't Make a Sound

Hyuga Clan Grounds, the Grand Elder's residence.

Hizashi Hyuga walked steadily into the courtyard and came face-to-face with a frowning Hiashi Hyuga.

Hiashi was briefly stunned before asking coldly, "What are you doing here?"

His tone was nothing like how one would speak to a twin brother.

Back then, they had been like any other pair of close brothers, respectful and affectionate toward each other.

But ever since Hizashi had been branded with the [Caged Bird] Cursed Seal, ever since he had been punished by the Main House Elder with [Caged Bird] for a moment of carelessness and had writhed on the ground in agony, screaming without end.

"Other than the bond of blood, Hizashi probably only feels hatred toward me now."

Thinking of the killing intent his younger brother had shown toward his niece Hinata a few days ago, Hiashi felt even more troubled.

He was the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan, but the Hyuga Clan was far from being ruled by him alone.

On the contrary, he had to set an example, cast aside all useless emotions, and place the clan's interests above everything else.

This had led the two brothers farther and farther apart down different paths.

"I have something to discuss with several elders of the Main House."

Yet in the face of his brother's coldness, Hizashi wore a smile.

Looking closely, there was even a trace of relief and resolve in his expression.

Seeing that strange look on his face, Hiashi's brow furrowed even deeper. He snorted and said, "Do as you please, but remember the duty of the Branch Family."

His tone was awful, sounding like both a threat and an order.

Of course, Hizashi understood what his brother meant.

He was warning him not to vent his resentment toward the Main House on the innocent Hinata, and not to reveal his dissatisfaction and hatred before the Main House Elder.

But the smile on Hizashi's face remained unchanged. He nodded and replied, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Openly showing killing intent toward the heir of the Main House... If I weren't his brother, if it had been another elder, I might already have been killed by the Cursed Seal.

In the past, hatred had blinded me. But now that I've calmed down...

"You're as gentle as ever, Brother!"

Unfortunately, standing still, being conservative, and shutting oneself away could not change the Hyuga Clan. On the contrary, it would only lead the Hyuga Clan toward destruction.

As if recalling something, Hizashi froze for a moment, then suddenly began humming a song.

"Birdcage, birdcage eyes~ Little bird in the cage~ When will you come out?"

"On the night before dawn~ The crane and turtle slipped~ Who is the one behind them?"

That Masked Man was right. This was the time of my death.

And my death will ignite the flame of freedom burning in the hearts of the Branch Family.

"...What?"

Ignoring Hiashi's shocked expression, Hizashi hummed the song as he walked straight past him.

Hiashi came back to his senses and turned to look at the figure gradually being swallowed by the shadows. A sense of foreboding suddenly rose within him.

"Hizashi, what exactly are you planning to do..."

The Five Great Nations of the Shinobi World were the Land of Fire, Wind Country, Water Country, Lightning Country, and Earth Country.

The borders of these five enormous powers did not directly touch one another. Numerous small countries lay between them.

In every Shinobi World War, the ones who suffered the greatest losses were not the Five Great Nations that started the wars, but the small countries caught in the middle.

No great nation cared about their feelings. The reason they had not been annexed was that they served as buffer zones between the great nations, and when necessary, they could also become battlegrounds for the great nations' struggle for power.

Between the Land of Fire and Lightning Country lay several smaller nations, including the Land of Hot Water, Moon Country, and Rice Field Country. There was only one land corridor connecting the two countries.

From the First Hokage to the Second Hokage, during the previous Shinobi World Wars, both countries had chosen a diplomatic strategy of befriending distant powers and attacking nearby ones. The Land of Fire and Lightning Country had been fairly good allies.

However, after the Gold and Silver Horn Brothers killed the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage, hatred arose between the two countries. As Lightning Country's military strength continued to expand, its wolfish ambitions also gradually swelled.

This Hyuga incident was a test by Kumogakure against Leaf Village.

At the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire stood a blade-shaped canyon stretching across both countries.

This was Moon Valley. Nearly a thousand Konoha Ninja were stationed here, having established their own defensive line and stronghold.

At the same time, several patrol squads were dispatched every day to survey the border and prevent ninjas from other countries from infiltrating the Land of Fire.

Cloud Village had also established its own defensive line and stronghold. The two armies faced each other directly, and the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

Patrol squads from both sides often clashed, resulting in casualties.

Judging by their expressions, they could hardly wait to charge into the other side's position and teach them a painful lesson.

But the actual situation...

"So restrained?"

A figure suddenly appeared in Moon Valley.

Looking at the tense yet highly restrained forces on both sides, he said in a teasing tone, "Just talking without fighting won't do. Why don't I give you a push?"

The newcomer was Uzumaki Menma, wearing the Three-Eyed Fox Mask.

He had long anticipated the reactions of both Cloud Village and Leaf Village, and he knew that this seemingly imminent war was actually nothing more than a bubble.

A single light poke would make it burst completely.

Unless they were left with no choice, Leaf Village would never agree to start another war.

Cloud Village also needed a legitimate reason to launch a war. They did not want to bear the disgraceful title of war maniacs.

Although that was the truth, it would reduce the number of commissions their village received.

—No one was willing to hire a force that was overbearing and tyrannical, much less a bandit force that caused trouble without reason.

Once the Konoha High-Ranking Officials discovered the loopholes in Kumogakure's demands, this war would simply fizzle out.

"However, what I need isn't a happy ending bought with someone's death."

Ten kilometers from Moon Valley.

A five-man patrol squad wearing Konoha Headbands was racing through the forest.

The man in the lead suddenly stopped and hurled a shuriken deep into the woods.

"Who's there?! Get out here!"

The other Konoha Ninja also halted, their expressions wary as they gripped their weapons tightly.

Rustle, rustle, rustle~

The depths of the forest were an unfathomable darkness, with no sign of anything unusual.

An eerie silence filled the area. A gust of wind swept past, and only the leaves made soft rustling sounds.

Seeing this, one of the Konoha Ninja hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Captain..."

But the instant he made a sound.

Screeech!

Accompanied by a piercing cry, an almost invisible figure flashed past.

The captain who had been standing before them remained upright in his original posture, but the head above his neck had vanished without a trace.

Splat!

Before the others could react, blood erupted like a fountain from the headless corpse, splattering directly across the remaining four Konoha Ninja.

"Enemy—"

One of the ninjas came to his senses and was about to send a signal.

A black shadow flashed by like a ghost. A hand instantly pressed against his jaw, its thumb and forefinger gripping his cheeks.

Crack!

"Don't make a sound."

A gentle voice, carrying a hint of laughter, rang beside his ear.

The ninja whose jaw had been broken turned his trembling body to look.

His three teammates had already collapsed on the ground, their fates unknown, while the black shadow held a head in his other hand.

A head wearing a stern expression, one that was terribly familiar.