Once she was taken to Kumogakure, having her eyes gouged out would only be the beginning. Little Hinata had no idea what kind of torment awaited her...
What father could possibly endure all that?!
Kill him...
He wanted to tear him to pieces!
Hyuga Hiashi patted Hinata's back and comforted her. A resolute look shone in his Byakugan.
"It's all right. I'll report the truth of this matter to Lord Hokage exactly as it happened."
"Even he can't possibly blame us once he understands what happened."
The Hyuga clansmen behind him frowned deeply, seeming to want to speak but holding back.
"Huomen, what do you want to say?"
Hiashi Hyuga's subordinate sighed. "Clan Head, do you really believe Lord Hokage will uphold justice?"
"Based on his attitude toward Kumogakure as you described it, I'm afraid he'll spare no cost to preserve the armistice agreement. He has even ceded so much authority and so many benefits..."
"How could he possibly offend Kumogakure's envoy group for the sake of the Hyuga clan?"
Hyuga Hiashi had considered that possibility as well.
Yet he still held onto a sliver of hope for Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"The Hyuga clan has been one of Konoha's founding clans since the village was established. Generation after generation, we have devoted ourselves to protecting the village until death. Would Lord Hokage sacrifice the entire Hyuga clan for the sake of a bastard who abducted my daughter?"
"I don't believe it."
Hiashi Hyuga's subordinate wanted to say something, but ultimately gave up and could only let out a long sigh.
Hyuga Hiashi carried Hinata home, then said decisively, "Send people to guard Hinata and ensure her safety."
"I'll immediately head to the Hokage's Office and report this matter."
"Yes, Clan Head!"
Watching this scene, Qianyu remained silent and gave nothing away.
Clearly, the Hyuga clan still had some faith in Hiruzen Sarutobi at this point.
He had just received intelligence that Kakashi Hatake had truthfully reported the matter during the Hokage meeting, and that he himself had "regained his freedom."
So he openly pushed open the door to the Anbu prison and headed straight for the Hyuga clan compound.
Naturally, he did not believe Hiruzen Sarutobi would act impartially.
First, Hiruzen's mind was wholly occupied by the Kumogakure incident. Second, Kakashi Hatake had put him in a difficult position. Third, his weak policies had drawn backlash from the major clans, even including a betrayal from Shimura Danzō, leaving him isolated and helpless.
Of course, the final and most crucial reason was...
He already knew he could not keep Qianyu imprisoned at all.
Though he could not understand why Qianyu would remain in prison when he could leave at any time.
But now that things had come to this, he did not mind putting on another show of sacrificing family for justice and acting selflessly, doing Qianyu a favor by "releasing" him.
At present, Uchiha Shisui truly was Hiruzen Sarutobi's strongest fighting force.
If Uchiha Shisui did not act, no one else had any confidence in dealing with Qianyu.
This was merely his helpless compromise.
Hokage's Office.
The major figures who had been urgently summoned were all shocked as they looked at the Ninja Head's corpse on the floor.
However, after hearing Hyuga Hiashi recount the events, everyone was filled with righteous indignation.
Shikaku Nara frowned as well. "I never expected Kumogakure to do something like this."
"On the surface, they came for the armistice agreement, but in secret, they plotted to seize Konoha's precious Kekkei Genkai. They even laid hands on a three-year-old child!"
Choza Akimichi said angrily, "This is utterly outrageous! Clan Head Hiashi, you did well! If it had been me, he would have died even more horribly!"
The other major clans all voiced their agreement.
However...
Uchiha Shisui's gaze fell upon Hiruzen Sarutobi.
At this moment, he looked utterly lost...
He had abandoned all dignity and sacrificed so many benefits to obtain that armistice agreement...
Yet because of this sudden incident, it had instantly become meaningless!
The leader of Kumogakure's envoy group had died in Konoha!
How could Kumogakure possibly let this go?!
Damn Hyuga clan!
Couldn't you have endured a little longer?!
Just for a pair of Byakugan, you wanted Konoha and Kumogakure to resume the war?!
Not to mention that this had completely disrupted his grand plan to deal with the Uchiha clan!
He was furious and alarmed, but he could not possibly reveal it.
So Konoha's Lord Hokage took a puff from his pipe, slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, and let out a long sigh.
"Ah, Hiashi..."
"Of course I fully understand how you feel. Whoever it was, if their biological daughter had been abducted, they would not have been able to endure it either."
"However..."
"You could have subdued the Ninja Head. Why did you have to kill him outright?"
Hyuga Hiashi and everyone else were utterly shocked!
Lord Hokage's attitude... was he going to...
"Lord Hokage, I..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted him. "You needn't say any more. I said I understand how you feel, but this is a critical time for the Kumogakure-Konoha armistice. As one of the village's upper ranks and the head of a clan, with the Hyuga clan being one of Konoha's elder founding clans, why couldn't you think more carefully, remain calmer, and endure a little more..."
"Why couldn't you act for the greater good and put the overall situation first?"
Cold sweat streamed down Hyuga Hiashi's face. Hiashi Hyuga's subordinate's fears had indeed come true...
The heads of the other major clans and the elite ninja also exchanged looks, all at a loss...
But Hiruzen Sarutobi had already been backed into a corner.
He said with heartfelt anguish, "Now, because of this trivial matter, a Kumogakure Ninja Head has been killed. Kumogakure will never let this go. When war erupts again, won't the village be the one harmed?"
"Won't the clans and ninja of the village be the ones forced to make sacrifices?"
"Peace and stability are what matter most..."
Hyuga Hiashi clenched his fists tightly.
He wanted to ask...
What did he mean by a trivial matter?!
If that was the case, then when Uchiha Qianyu killed your son, Shinnosuke Sarutobi, was that also a trivial matter?!
If he could, Hyuga Hiashi truly wanted to blast Hiruzen Sarutobi with a full set of Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
Unfortunately, he knew he could not do it...
Behind him stood the entire Hyuga clan.
The others at the meeting also suppressed their humiliation and rage, silently waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi's judgment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "How about this? I'll inform Kumogakure's envoy group of this matter and see what demands they make. When the time comes, no matter how unreasonable their demands may be, we would rather sacrifice our own interests, even our lives, than spare any cost in settling this matter, ending the conflict, and obtaining the most precious peace..."
"Do you understand?"
Hyuga Hiashi instantly felt as though the sky had collapsed and the earth had split apart. His vision went dark, and it was as if his soul had left his body...
Hiruzen Sarutobi meant...
He wanted him to die?!
Was he... serious?!
The other side had insanely abducted his biological daughter. He had merely acted in self-defense, yet now, for the sake of the so-called greater good and the so-called peace, he was being asked to sacrifice himself for nothing, to throw away his life for nothing?!
This... was this really something Konoha's Lord Hokage...
Would say?!
For a moment, everyone in the room was stunned. Their hearts were filled with humiliation, grievance, and rage that surged like an undercurrent...
You Are Innocent; You Shouldn't Die!
"Konoha must give Kumogakure an explanation!"
"You have until noon today to hand over the murderer!"
"Otherwise, prepare to bear Kumogakure's wrath!"
"Lord Hokage, do you want war to break out again?!"
Facing the aggressive Kumogakure envoy group, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled obsequiously, nodding and bowing in humble submission.
Only after great difficulty did he temporarily send those harbingers of death away before gathering everyone again to discuss the matter.
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately turned his spearhead toward Hyuga Hiashi.
"Hiashi, you should understand by now..."
"For the village, for peace, for the greater good!"
"I can only ask you to make this sacrifice..."
Before you continue