Hand Over the Corpse of the Murderer, "Hyuga Hiashi"

Crack... crack...

Outside the townhouse of the Hyuga Clan head's residence, a dark figure silently landed on the roof.

Listening to the restless sounds from inside, the dark figure raised a hand and formed seals, casting a genjutsu. Illusory white feathers drifted into the room.

The previously heavy breathing gradually steadied. Like a civet cat, the dark figure soundlessly slipped into the room and saw a girl sleeping peacefully beneath her covers.

Without wasting any time, he tucked her under his arm and vaulted out of the residence.

But before he could get far, a figure stepped out from the courtyard by the gate ahead.

"..."

Hyuga Hiashi stared at the thief whose face was concealed, then noticed Hinata Hyuga tucked beneath his arm. His stern face darkened, and rage surged up the instant his bottom line was crossed.

You're courting death!

Without hesitation, Hyuga Hiashi activated his Byakugan. Veins bulged around his eyes as he raised a hand and charged at the dark figure.

The man before him dodged the first palm strike, but in Hiashi's eyes, the movement could not have been more clumsy.

Bang!

His second palm, thrown with all his Chakra, struck the man in the abdomen without surprise. He could feel the strike shatter the Meridians without any resistance.

The man spat out blood and dropped to his knees. Hyuga Hiashi smoothly took Hinata from him and let the thief collapse forward onto the ground.

"So weak."

Much of the anger in his heart dissipated. Once he had calmed down, Hyuga Hiashi unconsciously frowned, suddenly realizing that this thief was unexpectedly weak—so weak that it was as though he had come here to die.

Did some overconfident Bounty Ninja see profit and decide to infiltrate the Hyuga Clan to kidnap the Main Branch's direct heiress with such strength?

Yet in the very next moment that doubt arose, he suddenly felt a chill and stabbing pain across his forehead. Warm liquid ran past his brow bone.

Hyuga Hiashi instinctively raised a hand to touch his forehead. He actually felt a "line" running across it, caught a familiar yet unfamiliar sweet scent, and felt something warm and sticky on his fingers...

"This is... blood?"

Hyuga Hiashi looked at the corpse on the ground in shock. Having spent years in Konoha with almost no real combat experience, he finally noticed the Kunai in the corpse's hand.

How was that possible?

When had he been injured?

That overconfident idiot had not even lasted two strikes from him.

As that thought crossed his mind, an inexplicably profound unease welled up in his heart, and Hyuga Hiashi's brow gradually furrowed.

He casually tore off a strip of cloth and roughly bandaged the wound on his forehead before bending down to remove the corpse's mask.

The corpse's eyes remained open in death, yet the expression on its face was strangely calm. So calm that the body seemed eerie, its eyes appearing to stare directly at Hyuga Hiashi.

"..."

When Hyuga Hiashi noticed the Kumogakure Forehead Protector on the corpse's brow, he froze involuntarily.

Then, as though he had realized something, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

It felt as though ice water had been poured over his entire body, coldness seeping from his scalp all the way to the soles of his feet. The chill crawled up his spine and into his brain.

Damn it! Why was he a Kumogakure ninja?!

Drip... drip...

Autumn weather was fickle.

Yesterday, Konoha had been beneath clear skies. Today, it was shrouded in dark clouds, with cold rain falling in a steady drizzle.

Yesterday, Konoha had been filled with celebration, because they had finally welcomed peace.

In a sense, they had even welcomed Kumogakure's "submission." It could be called unprecedented.

But today, Konoha was as gloomy as the suddenly changed weather. The once-bright sunlight could not pierce the heavy clouds.

Undercurrents swept through all of Konoha. All kinds of rumors spread among the villagers, leaving everyone uneasy and even frightened.

Because in just one day, news had spread that the delegation sent by Kumogakure had died in Konoha.

Two Kumogakure ninja had been directly blown to death in their guest rooms. The only surviving Kumogakure ninja had escaped after shouting that Konoha had betrayed the alliance, only to end up dying at the hands of the Hyuga Clan head.

Anyone could see what was going on now.

No matter who heard this "rumor," the same four words would arise in their minds.

"Silencing the witness."

In the Hyuga Clan's reception hall, a trembling elderly voice softly spoke those four words.

Only two pillar candles burned quietly in the dim reception hall. Their flickering light cast shadows over Hyuga Hiashi's lowered face, while blood could still be seen seeping through the white bandage around his forehead.

His was not the only shadow reflected in the room. Eight silhouettes swayed in rows along the walls on either side. Seven Main Branch decision-makers, including Hiashi, sat kneeling face-to-face.

As for the last person...

"Huff."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, seated in the central seat of honor, took a puff from his pipe. The smoke he exhaled gradually sank, and the candlelight cast a dim, ethereal shadow of it across the floor.

"We have already received a formal inquiry from the Land of Lightning," he said calmly. "The Land of Lightning believes that Konoha had no sincerity whatsoever in forming an alliance. Not only did we unilaterally tear up the agreement, but we even attacked Kumogakure's envoys. It was truly despicable and intolerable."

"They have now issued an ultimatum, demanding that Konoha provide an explanation. Otherwise, they will formally declare war on the Land of Fire."

At those words, Hyuga Hiashi's gaze darkened slightly. "Third Hokage, what explanation do they want?"

"Hand over the corpse of the murderer, 'Hyuga Hiashi.'"

Sarutobi Hiruzen relayed the words exactly, then added, "Kumogakure has already gathered ninja at the border of the Land of Hot Water. It appears they are ready to launch an attack on the Land of Fire at any time."

When they heard that the Land of Lightning had explicitly named "Hyuga Hiashi" as the murderer, the aged faces of the six Hyuga Clan elders shifted between light and shadow beneath the flickering candlelight, looking dark and somewhat frightening.

This was no longer merely a matter between Kumogakure and Konohagakure. It was a diplomatic incident between the two great nations, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire. Yet from beginning to end, the entire affair carried an eerie feeling.

Where had those Exploding Tags in the guest rooms where Kumogakure's delegation stayed come from?

Why had the surviving Kumogakure ninja run to the Hyuga Clan and even attempted to kidnap and take away Hinata Hyuga, the Main Branch's direct heiress?

Why had a Jonin been unable to put up any resistance and inexplicably died at the hands of Hyuga Hiashi, the clan head?

And why was the Land of Lightning so specifically demanding Hyuga Hiashi's corpse by name?

"This is Kumogakure's scheme. Their goal is the Byakugan."

Hyuga Riwo spoke. As a Main Branch Elder, his status within the clan was second only to Hyuga Hiashi's.

His voice was hoarse and deep, but his aged face remained calm.

"I also believe it is a scheme, but that is no longer important."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, then slowly shook his head. "If no one wishes to know the truth, then even if the truth were scattered across the streets, it would never sprout."