Hiashi, You Can't!

Shimura Danzō stormed out of the hospital in a rage. He had not gotten the answer he wanted—not even an answer at all.

He believed Kakashi and the Third Hokage had joined forces to deceive him. Uchiha Itachi had never left Konoha; instead, he had joined with Hyuga Hiashi to hide away his eldest daughter.

Having destroyed the Uchiha Clan and won over the Hyuga Clan, with the Anbu and Jonin who had always supported him, Hiruzen Sarutobi's authority was more secure than ever.

But what about himself? Root had contributed greatly to the battle to wipe out the Uchiha Clan and had gained countless riches, secret techniques, and Sharingan.

But what use was any of that?

Could it help build his reputation? Could it suppress the Third Hokage's prestige? He was still nowhere near the Hokage's seat. Did he really have to wait until the Third Hokage retired?

Then gamble on whether his old classmate would pass the position to him before retiring, rather than to Tsunade or Jiraiya?

Back then, he should have sent Root ninja after the person who abducted Hyuga Hinata, seized the Hyuga Clan's Young Miss, and firmly taken the Hyuga Clan into his own hands.

He shot the hateful Hyuga Hiashi a glare and strode away.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage slowly puffed on his pipe as he approached the anxiously waiting Hyuga Hiashi.

He actually wanted to leave as quickly as Danzo did. He no longer cared much about Hyuga Hinata's situation. After all, Hyuga Hiashi still had another daughter, and there were many people in the Branch Family.

Even if a Byakugan had fallen into outside hands, issuing a long-term mission would be enough.

Most importantly, the intelligence Kakashi had brought back indicated that the person who had abducted Hinata, someone with a Sharingan, was inextricably connected to the mysterious man who had unleashed the Nine-Tails during the Nine-Tails Rebellion and caused the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his family.

Kakashi said the man wore a human-skin mask of Uchiha Obito, was highly proficient in Ninjutsu, and possessed extremely formidable Genjutsu. That inevitably made him think of someone.

Uchiha Jie.

But then he thought of the ashes Uchiha Itachi had handed him, as well as the Special Jonin certification Uchiha Jie had given Sarutobi Kou.

And there was the Ninjutsu that had seemed to be the Rasengan. Everything was like a thick fog, impossible to see through or sort out.

"Hokage-sama," Hyuga Hiashi asked anxiously, "my daughter..."

Looking at Hyuga Hiashi, the Third Hokage became even more confused. The Hyuga Clan was involved in all of this as well, and judging from Hiashi's current appearance, he truly looked like a father who had lost his most beloved daughter.

He opened his mouth, yet no words came out.

"Go ask Kakashi." A puff of secondhand smoke drifted out as he spoke.

Thus, poor Kakashi could not even rest in peace while recovering from his injuries. He had barely sent off the Third Hokage when Hyuga Hiashi arrived. No sooner had Hiashi left than the other Jonin rushed in, all wanting to know who had beaten him into such a state.

But the Hokage had given orders. Regarding this matter, only Hyuga Hiashi could be allowed to learn a limited portion of the truth. No information whatsoever could be revealed to the other Jonin.

Fortunately, after Shimura Danzō left, the doctors and nurses finally managed to reclaim their territory. Working together, they drove the Jonin from the ward and restored peace to the hospital.

Hyuga Yue was changing the dressing on the wound beside her lower abdomen. She had just wrapped the bandages again when Hyuga Hanabi, barefoot in the courtyard, practiced the Gentle Fist with meticulous seriousness.

"Father!" The little girl's sweet voice rang out alongside Hyuga Hiashi's heavy footsteps.

Hyuga Yue pushed open the door and walked outside.

"Clan Head?" Looking at Hyuga Hiashi's stern face, she asked, "How did it go?"

Hyuga Hiashi said nothing. He beckoned to Hanabi, then entered the house. Opening a cabinet, he took out a teapot, teacups, and a small packet of tea wrapped in yellow paper.

"Hanabi, come here." His voice was very soft as he gestured for his younger daughter to come over.

He then handed the tea leaves to Hanabi, having her start the fire and boil the water until the spout of the teapot released a refreshing fragrance.

He had Hanabi pour the tea and pick up a teacup.

"Go. Kneel before your Sister Yue," he ordered.

Tiny Hanabi knelt before Hyuga Yue's bare feet, holding the scalding teacup in both hands.

Hyuga Yue neither sat down nor looked at her. She merely frowned at Hyuga Hiashi, who sat kneeling beside them.

"Clan Head, what are you doing?" She stepped aside and stood beside Hanabi.

"I will leave the village—"

Before he could finish, a different voice came from the entrance. An elderly man with a slightly stooped back walked into the house, his voice full of vigor.

"No, Hiashi, you cannot leave the village!" The elder's Byakugan fixed tightly on Hyuga Hiashi. "Have you forgotten what happened last year? You still have another daughter, but you will never have another younger brother."

"But who will bring Hinata back?" Hyuga Hiashi clenched his fists and rose to his feet. At his side, Hyuga Yue reached out and pulled up the still-kneeling Hanabi, took the teacup, and set it on the tea table.

"Anyone can go, but not you! You are the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan!" The elder's voice was exceptionally firm.

"I already know that Hatake Kakashi returned severely injured. Ask yourself—could you gain any advantage against him? If you were subdued too, we would lose two pairs of Byakugan!"

"Two pairs of Byakugan without the Caged Bird seal!"

"Do you know what I saw today? Beneath the bandages wrapped around Danzo's body were all Three-Tomoe Sharingan! Do you want the Hyuga Clan to become like that too?"

"But the one who abducted Hinata was already injured by Kakashi," Hyuga Hiashi said urgently.

"Injured? Yes, injured!" The elder sneered.

"Then did you see Konoha send out any other Jonin? They merely issued a new S-rank mission, yet not a single Jonin was willing to accept it. They all understand perfectly well that if the enemy were seriously wounded, this mission would never have been posted in the first place!"

"If you go now, you are throwing your life away!" he said heavily.

Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head, his fists tightening even further.

"So many times, I have dreamed of Hizashi's Byakugan." His voice suddenly sank.

"I dreamed of the letter he wrote to me, the letter he wrote to Neji, the way he looked at Hinata, and the way Neji looked at Hinata."

"Hizashi said he did not regret it at all. He was glad that I killed the enemy and saved Hinata that time, and he was also glad that he could die in my place."

"Then you should all the more make sure you live!" the elder shouted, startling Hanabi into shrinking back.

"No. Last night, I had another dream..." Hyuga Hiashi's voice became very soft. "Hizashi was furiously questioning me, asking why I had lost Hinata again."