Peace? War!

Elsewhere.

While Hyuga Shin was attending the banquet.

At the Hyuga Family main estate, the Hyuga Clan Head summoned the clan elders to discuss a strategy.

"Hyuga Shin has undoubtedly risen... he is now a hero of Konoha. Everyone, speak your minds. Should we make good use of his influence? Or..." The Hyuga Clan Patriarch took a puff of his pipe and spoke.

One elder said with concern, "But Hyuga Shin is, after all, a Branch Family Member. If his strength continues to grow, will it threaten the status of the Main Family?"

The Hyuga Clan Patriarch remained silent for a moment before saying, "For now, he is still loyal to the clan. Let us observe him for a period of time. Give him sufficient resources and let him continue to serve the clan. After all, there is the Caged Bird... no matter how much of a genius a Branch Family Member is, they can only be used by us."

The other Hyuga elders chimed in: "Our Hyuga Clan has reached this point by relying on the Doctrine of the Mean..."

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

"Pursuing great power will make others feel dread, feel fear..."

"One might gain adulation, one might enjoy glory, but we of the Hyuga Clan believe that what follows is mostly dread."

"It is greed."

"All of these things will invite disaster..."

"The Senju Clan produced a Hashirama, and thereafter the Senju Clan was hunted everywhere. All just to crack the secret of that Wood Release."

"For so many years, what has become of the Uchiha Clan? Who knows how many Sharingan they have lost!"

"But only our Byakugan! Only our Hyuga Clan, by relying on the Caged Bird, has made the Byakugan the most difficult Kekkei Genkai to obtain in this ninja world."

Another Hyuga Clan elder spoke up:

"When a clan exists for a long time and its people flourish, the growth of the clan is only natural."

"Financial resources, population... silently accumulating. With the strength of our Hyuga Clan, we are second only to the Ino-Shika-Cho trio in terms of influence."

"This is a tremendous victory."

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio respectively correspond to the supervision of Konoha's barriers and wartime communication centers, medical herbs, and food and military supplies.

Yet the Hyuga Clan knows a little bit about each of these three things.

Possessing the Byakugan, they are the sentinels responsible for Konoha's detection, and they are also a powerful reconnaissance unit during wartime.

Focusing on the development of Nintaijutsu, if one is injured, they will certainly need a supply of medicinal herbs, and as a large clan, the Hyuga naturally have their own channels.

The Hyuga Clan has many people; to say they have no food supply for so many would be unbelievable.

Furthermore, their channels for ninja tools and ninjutsu... through long-term accumulation, the Hyuga Clan is likely "slightly knowledgeable" in those areas as well.

It can only be said that when it comes to survival, the Hyuga Clan has indeed found enlightenment and has its own set of methods.

The Byakugan has abandoned the assassin attributes most suited for sneak attacks, focusing instead on the hard-hitting Nintaijutsu, forcibly obtaining such a perfect and secure status.

They have also distanced themselves from the Uchiha Clan, subsequently drawing closer to the Hokage faction.

This has made the Uchiha Clan even more ostracized by Konoha, while the ecological status of the Hyuga Clan has become increasingly comfortable.

It can be said.

The image of the Hyuga Clan is one of moderation, of a safe little lamb, and of functional reconnaissance as its primary role.

And this is where the wisdom of the Hyuga Clan lies.

The Hyuga Main Family and the elders all acknowledge this.

"Recently... Hyuga Shin has been getting very close to those lunatics of the Uchiha Clan," the Hyuga Clan Patriarch said in a low voice.

"Hmm, should we take action?" an elder asked.

"Let us test Hyuga Shin first... and see what he chooses between the clan and the Uchiha."

Recently, the atmosphere in Konoha has been excellent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the festive atmosphere in various parts of Konoha village through his crystal ball, with the commoners celebrating the fact that the future war was coming to an end, and the ninjas proudly talking about the strength of Konoha.

At this moment, a kind smile appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face...

What he pursued was exactly this kind of scene.

He also hoped that such a situation could exist in Konoha for a long time.

After finishing his observation.

Hiruzen Sarutobi began to write a letter. He wrote a letter with a sincere tone, hoping that Kumogakure would send envoys to Konoha to discuss the matter of a ceasefire.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's view.

It was enough.

Good children...

In this operation, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were both his proud disciples, and Namikaze Minato was even the disciple of his disciple.

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

If the war could be ended without sacrificing Hyuga Shin, that would naturally be for the best.

Hiruzen Sarutobi would only choose to sacrifice Hyuga Shin when there were no other options left.

This was not a personal vendetta; if the time came when Hiruzen Sarutobi himself needed to be sacrificed, he would face death with equanimity.

He truly believed that he had done a fine job as Hokage.

He also used his own ideas to define the Will of Fire.

He finished writing the peace proposal, which made no mention of any war reparations required from Kumogakure, using this as a gesture of goodwill toward the village.

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

With Kumogakure ceasing hostilities, Konoha's prestige would shake the four corners of the world...

"Second Hokage-sensei... First Hokage-sama, do you see this?"

"This is the Konoha I hold in my hands; how powerful it is!"

That night.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slept very peacefully and comfortably.

That night.

Ōnoki smoked his pipe, puffing one mouthful after another.

He leaned on his cane, his face covered in deep wrinkles, yet his eyes remained incredibly sharp and full of majesty.

"Father."

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

"It's late... it's cold, go back and sleep."

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

He actually rarely smoked.

Ōnoki did not want to become a chain-smoker; it would corrode his Stone Will.

"Where is Kurotsuchi...?"

"She has already gone to sleep."

"Is that so..."

Ōnoki exhaled another ring of smoke.

"Kitsuchi, I speak, you write..." Ōnoki said.

"Yes." Kitsuchi nodded respectfully.

"To all ninja of Kumogakure: On behalf of Iwagakure, I express my deepest condolences regarding the passing of the Third Raikage."

"However..."

"I do not wish for our alliance and friendship to be shaken by this."

Kitsuchi was slightly stunned: "Father..."

Even Kitsuchi believed that since Kumogakure had suffered such a crushing defeat, they might no longer be a good candidate for an alliance.

Moreover, those idiots from Kumogakure had previously invaded the Land of Earth.

Ōnoki, however, shook his head, signaling for Kitsuchi to be silent; his mind was made up.

After finishing the letter, Ōnoki also finished his smoke.

He tossed the pipe onto the ground.

"I have things I must do..."

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

"But the tens of thousands of ninja I have prepared... and everything I have readied to deal with Konoha until now, I will stake it all!"

"I am sixty-four years old this year!"

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

"I must give it my all."