"I wasn't killed to protect the Main Family. I died to protect my brother and my village!"
"My son Neji betrayed his clan, his village, and his country. His crimes are unforgivable. He must be eliminated as soon as possible."
Yozuki A pondered for a moment, then handed the letter in his hand to Dodai, his expression grim.
"Dodai, what do you think?"
Dodai took the letter and glanced it over, his brows knitting together.
"Hyuga Hizashi was pushed forward as a scapegoat, but it seems he didn't resent the Main Family?"
"Instead, he hated Neji for defecting from Konoha. Such a shallow father-son bond. The Hyuga clan really is a strange one."
Yozuki A shook his head. "Dodai, what you see with your eyes isn't always the truth."
Dodai raised an eyebrow and asked, "Lord Raikage, are you saying there's something wrong with these two last words from Hyuga Hizashi?"
Yozuki A nodded. "We don't know whether Hyuga Hizashi willingly sacrificed himself, nor whether those two statements actually came from him. But judging by the result, 'Hyuga Hizashi' leaving behind such words greatly benefits both the Hyuga clan and Konoha. So there's a good chance they were fabricated."
"That makes sense!"
Dodai paused, a gleam flashing through his eye.
Hyuga Hizashi was the head of the Branch Family and held considerable influence within it.
Anyone with even a shred of spirit would have been outraged to see someone like him handed over as a scapegoat for no reason.
To preserve the Hyuga clan's reputation, the Main Family had fabricated his last words, tying his death to Hyuga Hiashi's life and the interests of the village.
As for the second statement, it likely involved the Hokage's faction.
Neji had only two possible fates.
First, Konoha could rescue him—or simply eliminate him.
Second, he could remain in Kumogakure, either as a breeding stud or as a Cloud ninja.
Although Konoha was a sickly old tiger, it still gathered more elite shinobi than any other village in the Shinobi World. Rescuing Neji would be difficult, but not impossible.
However, given the Hyuga clan's twisted morals, even if Neji were rescued, simply keeping him alive would be a luxury—let alone giving him a future.
Sending elite Anbu to eliminate Neji would be even simpler and more convenient.
If Dodai were in Konoha's position, he would definitely kill Neji.
To Konoha, betraying an ally to secure peace was a tremendous disgrace. Killing Neji and covering up that dark chapter with blood would undoubtedly be the safest option.
The public had a short memory. Who would remember this father and son ten years from now?
With Hyuga Hizashi's second statement, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have ample reason to eliminate Hyuga Neji.
Supposing both statements had been fabricated, the motive had already been found.
But was it possible the statements were genuine?
Dodai couldn't say.
But one thing was certain: if the words had truly come from Hyuga Hizashi, then he was beyond saving and didn't deserve any sympathy.
Returning to the matter at hand, Dodai looked at Yozuki A. "Lord Raikage, how do you intend to deal with Neji?"
Yozuki A didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Dodai, what do you think I should do?"
A gleam flashed in Dodai's eye as he replied solemnly, "We captured the Hyuga child for his Byakugan bloodline. So I suggest we raise Neji and use him as a breeding stud. In twenty years, Kumogakure will have a large Byakugan clan."
Yozuki A nodded. "That's the lowest-risk, highest-reward option. It's a good suggestion."
Dodai said, "Then, Lord Raikage, do you agree?"
Yozuki A shook his head. "No. I refuse."
Dodai looked puzzled.
Yozuki A had always been an excellent leader who welcomed advice, and he rarely rejected his subordinates' suggestions.
Curious, Dodai pressed him. "Why?"
Yozuki A replied, "Samui mentioned that the boy gave up his chance to return to Konoha and came to Kumogakure of his own accord. If I treat him as a breeding stud, won't outsiders say that our village can't accept people?"
"Is that the only reason?"
Dodai's expression stiffened slightly, but a smile soon tugged at his lips.
He had followed Yozuki A devotedly and served at his command because he had been won over by Yozuki A's open-mindedness.
"No, that's only one of the reasons."
"Oh?" Dodai raised an eyebrow.
"Before we make a decision, we should meet the boy first."
Yozuki A didn't elaborate. Instead, he summoned an Anbu shinobi.
"Samui, Lord Raikage wants to see Neji!"
A shadow appeared outside the window and quietly spoke to the curvaceous woman.
"Understood."
Samui narrowed her eyes.
After a moment's thought, she put the food in her hand into the refrigerator, then took Neji's little hand and led him out of the house toward the Raikage Building.
They walked in silence.
"Neji, Kumogakure's scenery is pretty special, isn't it?"
After walking for a while, Samui rubbed her aching shoulder and started a conversation.
"Yeah, it really is."
Neji glanced at the sheer peaks rising into the clouds on either side of the steps and answered softly.
Then they fell silent again.
The remarkable peaks were a novelty to Neji, who had lived on flat land in both his lives.
But to be honest, he wasn't in much of a mood to admire the scenery.
He was wondering how the Fourth Raikage would deal with him and what he could do to improve his lot.
Samui glanced down at Neji, who was weighed down by his thoughts, and raised her delicate brows.
After spending several days with him, she felt she had a pretty good grasp of his temperament.
Though Neji was only four, he was mature beyond his years. Being around him felt like dealing with someone her own age.
Samui looked at the troubled Neji and, after a long silence, said, "Neji, from what I know of Lord Raikage, he'll make proper arrangements for you... If things really do turn out that way, I'll look after you, too."
"Thanks, Sis."
Neji lowered his eyes.
The Yozuki clan had lived in the highlands of the Land of Lightning for hundreds of years, and was renowned throughout the Shinobi World for its strength and unity.
Yozuki A was the very embodiment of the Yozuki clan.
He treated his own people well.
Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was timid with outsiders but ruthless toward his own.
The problem was that living in Kumogakure didn't automatically make Neji one of their own.
Kumogakure had gone to such lengths to obtain the Byakugan because it wanted to spread its bloodline across this land.
The worst-case scenario was that he'd be used as a breeding stud.
Neji didn't want that unless he absolutely had to—unless, perhaps, he changed his mind someday.
If he could make Yozuki A realize that he was worth more than a breeding stud, he might be able to secure better treatment.
So Neji planned to offer Yozuki A a grand vision.
Samui said, "The Raikage Building is just ahead. Don't overthink it. Get ready to meet Lord Raikage."
There were some things Samui hadn't said aloud.
No matter what happened, Neji couldn't change it.
Since he couldn't change anything, he might as well lie back and enjoy himself.
The women of Kumogakure weren't bad, either.
Besides, if he didn't like them, he could always go steal women from another village.
Before you continue