Only the Chief Culprit

Orochimaru, standing on the shore, was simply enjoying the spectacle. The three Main House members of the Hyuga Clan in the tent, however, had really fallen into the water, and that huge wave had left them choking, unable to catch their breath.

"Taiga, Taiga! My son—my son, Hyuga Taiga—is he all right?"

As soon as Hyuga Daichi came to, he immediately sought out Minato and anxiously asked about his son, Hyuga Taiga.

But—

"My condolences."

Minato could only offer a helpless, sympathetic sigh.

"..."

Hyuga Daichi froze.

His body swayed as though he were about to pass out again.

But this time, he didn't faint. Flames seemed to blaze in his pure-white eyes, and he spoke in a voice as cold and cutting as ice water. "Clan Head, please return to the village at once and execute the traitor!"

"Elder Daichi, please hold your temper for now. We need to understand what happened first!"

"What else is there to understand?"

Hyuga Daichi was at the end of his tether. He clenched his fists, veins throbbing at his temples. "Wasn't what Namikaze Minato just said clear enough?" His fury had burned away his reason, and he had even addressed Minato by name.

Fortunately, Minato was broad-minded and considerate. He didn't take the unintentional slight to heart.

"Elder Daichi, don't let your anger cloud your judgment. Do you know how Elder Masamune and the others were killed? Even if they were ambushed, with their abilities, they shouldn't have been unable to activate the Caged Bird Seal, should they?"

Hyuga Hiashi met Hyuga Daichi's gaze without backing down.

Five or six seconds later,

Hyuga Daichi pressed his lips together and turned his head away.

Hyuga Hiashi let out a quiet breath, composed himself, and turned to Namikaze Minato with a serious expression. "Jonin Minato, please forgive him. Elder Daichi is heartbroken over his son, and he spoke without thinking..."

"It's all right. Ask whatever you like, Hiashi. Lord Hokage instructed me before I left that I should answer any questions you have as fully as I can."

Minato replied warmly. Before Hiashi could speak, he continued, "You want to know how Hyuga Ritsu killed Hyuga Masamune and the others, right? I didn't witness the details myself, but I can confirm one thing: the Caged Bird Seal on Hyuga Ritsu was removed."

"What?"

Hyuga Hiashi was stunned.

Beside him, the two Main House elders, Hyuga Daichi and Hyuga Hisho, were equally pale.

"The Caged Bird Seal was removed? No wonder, no wonder! Without the seal's restraint, it's no surprise that Elder Masamune and the others were defeated and killed by someone as capable as Hyuga Ritsu!" Hyuga Hiashi's thoughts were in turmoil. He had no idea what to do.

Should he return to the village, execute Hyuga Ritsu, restore order, and uphold the system separating the Main House and Branch House?

In theory, that was the choice most consistent with his position, beliefs, and interests.

But—

Could he, Elder Daichi, and Elder Hishou defeat Hyuga Ritsu if they joined forces?

He didn't count the Jonin loyal to the Main House whom they had brought with them. It wasn't that he distrusted them. Rather, he had considered that Hyuga Ritsu could probably use the Caged Bird Seal to control the Branch House as well. No matter how many Branch House Jonin they brought, they would be useless against him.

And the truth was, the three of them alone didn't have much chance of defeating Hyuga Ritsu, the Branch House's greatest prodigy. Hiashi mainly lacked confidence in Elders Daichi and Hishou. He knew exactly what level the Main House's Jonin were at.

Even he himself might have been no better than those two if he hadn't pushed himself hard and fought the Kumo Ninja for six months on the northeastern battlefield. He would have been just another second-rate Jonin.

Indeed,

The silence from Elders Daichi and Hishou proved it. They knew their own limitations, too.

But they still had to respond somehow.

"Jonin Minato, what is Lord Hokage's position on this matter?"

After thinking for a moment, Hyuga Hiashi fixed his gaze on Namikaze Minato.

Since Lord Hokage had specifically sent Minato to the eastern battlefield to tell them about this, he must have had a plan. Perhaps before making a decision, Hiashi could first find out where the Hokage—or the village leadership—stood.

"That's right! Lord Hokage would never allow the Hyuga Clan to fall into chaos. Why not ask him to help us execute Hyuga Ritsu, that scoundrel?"

"Jonin Minato, Jonin Minato, please help our clan put down the traitor. Once the Third steps down, our clan will surely help you become the Fourth—"

Hyuga Hisho hadn't finished speaking when Hyuga Daichi reached out and covered his mouth.

Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Daichi were mortified. If Minato had been alone, saying that might have been all right. But Orochimaru was here, too, and he was just as strong a candidate for Fourth Hokage as Minato. Saying that in front of him was bound to offend him.

Orochimaru's smile didn't waver.

Minato frowned. His opinion of the Hyuga Clan's Main House had fallen even further. No wonder the Hyuga Clan gave people the impression that they were easy to bully, despite having more members and more Jonin than any other clan in the village. When the Main House's Byakugan was stolen, they didn't think to retrieve it right away. Instead, they hurried to shift the blame onto a Branch House member.

Unfortunately,

Hyuga Ritsu had gone too far by slaughtering the Main House members.

"Lord Hokage believes that most members of the Hyuga Clan are innocent, and that the clan's stability is an indispensable foundation for the village's prosperity. Therefore..."

Minato paused, then declared firmly, "Lord Hokage's position is to execute only the chief culprit!"

"Good! We'll execute only the chief culprit!"

Hyuga Hiashi agreed without hesitation.

Beside him,

Hyuga Daichi let go of Hyuga Hisho and stepped forward, agitated. "I want to kill that scoundrel Hyuga Ritsu with my own hands!"

"Elder Daichi, compose yourself. Don't bring shame on the Main House."

Hyuga Hiashi barked at him.

Then,

He asked again, "Jonin Minato, when will we return to the village?"

"If you're ready, Hiashi, we can go now," Minato replied.

"Then let's go now."

Hyuga Hiashi looked back at the two Main House elders. "Elder Daichi, Elder Hishou, is that all right?"

"Yes!" Hyuga Daichi answered at once.

He could hardly wait to return and avenge his son.

Hyuga Hisho hesitated a little. "Clan Head, my son Daisho's injuries..."

"The village has far better medical care than this place."

As he spoke, Hyuga Hiashi turned to Minato and asked, "I assume you're planning to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to take us back to the village? Is there a limit on how many people you can bring?"

"Ten or fewer."

"Elder Hishou, go bring Daisho here now!"

Hyuga Hiashi's tone was firm.

He had never liked Hyuga Daisho, that useless fool. Now he disliked him even more for causing all this trouble. He wouldn't allow Daisho to remain on the front lines and embarrass them any longer. If Daisho weren't Main House, Hiashi would have wanted to kill him outright.