Peace? War!

On the other side.

While Hyuga Shin was attending the banquet.

At the Hyuga Family estate, the Hyuga Clan Head summoned the clan elders to discuss their response.

"Hyuga Shin has risen without a doubt... He's now Konoha's hero. What does everyone think? Should we make good use of his influence, or..." The Hyuga Clan Patriarch took a drag from his pipe and spoke.

One elder said worriedly, "But Hyuga Shin is ultimately a Branch Family Member. If his strength continues to grow, could he threaten the Main Family's position?"

The Hyuga Clan Patriarch was silent for a moment before saying, "For now, he's still loyal to the clan. Let's observe him for a while. Give him sufficient resources and let him continue serving the clan. After all, with the Caged Bird... no matter how talented a Branch Family Member is, he can only be used by us."

The other Hyuga elders said, "Our Hyuga Clan has survived to this day by following the Doctrine of the Mean..."

"Because we believe that time is the best weapon."

"Pursuing overwhelming power will make others feel intimidated and afraid..."

"Perhaps it will earn admiration, and perhaps one will enjoy glory, but our Hyuga Clan believes that what it brings is mostly fear."

"Greed."

"All of these will invite disaster..."

"The Senju Clan produced Hashirama, and afterward, members of the Senju Clan were hunted everywhere—only to uncover the secret of Wood Style."

"And what about the Uchiha Clan after all these years? They've probably lost countless Sharingan by now!"

"But only our Byakugan! Only our Hyuga Clan, relying on the Caged Bird, has made the Byakugan the most difficult Kekkei Genkai to obtain in the entire Shinobi World."

Another Hyuga clan elder spoke:

"When a clan has existed for a long time and its population flourishes, the clan's growth is only natural."

"Wealth, population... We accumulated them silently. With the strength of our Hyuga Clan, we're second only to the three great Ino-Shika-Cho clans in influence."

"That is a tremendous victory."

The three great Ino-Shika-Cho clans were respectively responsible for monitoring Konoha's barrier and serving as its wartime communications center, medicine and medicinal herbs, and food and military supplies.

The Hyuga Clan, however, had a little of all three.

With the Byakugan, they provided sentries for Konoha's inspections and served as powerful reconnaissance units during wartime.

They focused on developing Nintaijutsu. Once someone was injured, they would certainly need a supply of medicine, and the Hyuga Clan, as a great clan, naturally had its own channels.

The Hyuga Clan had a great many people. With so many mouths to feed, no one would believe they had no food supplies at all.

As for other ninja tools and ninjutsu channels... after such a long accumulation, the Hyuga Clan probably also "knew a little about them."

It could only be said that, when it came to survival, the Hyuga Clan had truly figured things out and developed its own methods.

They had thrown away the assassin traits for which the Byakugan was best suited, focused on hard clashes through Nintaijutsu, and somehow obtained such a perfect position of safety.

They had also distanced themselves from the Uchiha Clan and grown closer to the Hokage faction.

This made the Uchiha Clan even more ostracized by Konoha, while the Hyuga Clan's position in the village became increasingly comfortable.

It could be said that...

The Hyuga Clan's image was one of moderation: safe little lambs focused primarily on functional reconnaissance.

And that was precisely where the Hyuga Clan's wisdom lay.

The Hyuga Main Family and the elders all approved of this.

"Recently... Hyuga Shin has been getting awfully close to that lunatic from the Uchiha Clan," the Hyuga Clan Patriarch said solemnly.

"Hmm. Should we take action?" an elder asked.

"Test Hyuga Shin first... Let's see what he chooses between the clan and the Uchiha."

Recently, Konoha's atmosphere had been excellent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the festive atmosphere throughout Konoha in his crystal ball. The civilians were celebrating the impending end of the war, while the shinobi proudly spoke of Konoha's strength.

At that moment, a kindly smile also appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face...

This was the scene he pursued.

He also hoped that such scenes would continue appearing in Konoha for a long time.

After enjoying the sight.

Hiruzen Sarutobi began writing a letter. In it, he sincerely requested that Kumogakure send an envoy to Konoha so they could discuss a ceasefire.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's view.

It was enough.

His good children...

In this operation, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were both his proud disciples, while Namikaze Minato was his disciple's disciple.

Although Hyuga Shin killing Raikage A had been completely beyond expectations, it was also a good thing.

Being able to end the war without sacrificing Hyuga Shin was naturally the best outcome.

Hiruzen Sarutobi would only choose to sacrifice Hyuga Shin when he had no other choice.

This was not personal targeting of any kind. If the time came when Hiruzen Sarutobi himself needed to be sacrificed, he would also face death calmly.

He genuinely believed that he had done an excellent job as the "Hokage."

And he used his own ideas to define the "Will of Fire."

After finishing the peace proposal, which made no mention of any war reparations Kumogakure would need to pay, he intended to use it as a gesture of goodwill toward Kumogakure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out at the night sky, his mood better than ever.

Kumogakure would cease hostilities, and Konoha's might would shake the four corners of the world...

"Second Hokage, First Hokage... can you see this?"

"This is the Konoha in my hands. How powerful it is!"

That night.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slept peacefully and comfortably.

That night.

Ōnoki smoked, one drag after another.

He leaned on his cane. His face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes were incomparably sharp and carried immense authority.

"Father."

Beside him, his son Kitsuchi draped a coat over his shoulders.

"It's late... and cold. Go back to sleep."

Ōnoki shook his head. "I can't sleep..."

He rarely smoked, in truth.

Ōnoki did not want to become an old chain-smoker. That would corrode his Stone Will.

"Where's Kurotsuchi...?"

"She's already asleep."

"I see..."

Ōnoki blew out another smoke ring.

"Kitsuchi, I'll speak, and you write..." Ōnoki said.

"Yes." Kitsuchi nodded respectfully.

"To all shinobi of Kumogakure: I, on behalf of Iwagakure, express my deepest regret at the passing of the Third Raikage."

"But..."

"I do not wish for our alliance and friendship to waver because of this."

Kitsuchi froze slightly. "Father..."

Even Kitsuchi believed that, after suffering such a crushing defeat, Kumogakure might no longer be a good ally.

Besides, that bunch of idiots from Kumogakure had invaded the Land of Earth before.

But Ōnoki shook his head and gestured for Kitsuchi to be quiet. His decision was final.

After finishing the letter.

Ōnoki also finished his smoke.

He tossed his pipe onto the ground.

"I have things I must do..."

"Perhaps in my lifetime, I'll never see Iwagakure ascend to the position of First Ninja Village."

"But I've prepared tens of thousands of shinobi... Along with everything we've prepared to deal with Konoha until now, I'm going to stake it all!"

"I'm sixty-four years old this year!"

"I don't know how many years I have left..."

"I'm going all out."