If Our Heads Are Already in the Tiger's Mouth, Reason Cannot Get Us Out of Danger

Danger

The Hyuga Clan head, Hyuga Hiashi...

No, now he should be called Hizashi Hyuga.

Hizashi Hyuga was now playing the role of Hyuga Hiashi, and he felt deeply uneasy about his current situation.

During this time, he had kept himself shut in his room, imitating Hyuga Hiashi's habits and traits alone.

Fortunately, Hyuga Hiashi had always been stern and old-fashioned, and he was never particularly warm toward either his family or clansmen. As a result, his behavior had not aroused any suspicion. Everyone merely assumed he did not want others to see the grief he was showing.

That was precisely why Hizashi Hyuga had been given time to thoroughly familiarize himself with his new identity.

By now, Hizashi Hyuga could imitate him with eighty percent accuracy. Even if any flaw appeared, he could find a suitable excuse.

Don't ask. If anyone did, it was because he was grieving and guilty over his "younger brother's" death, and his mindset and temperament had changed. No one would blame or suspect an older brother whose "younger brother" had died.

Even so, Hizashi Hyuga remained somewhat anxious—not for any other reason, but because of Hyuga Yunchuan and that person.

The escort team had left Konoha three days ago, yet there had still been no news at all. The atmosphere within both the village and the Hyuga Clan had changed.

He hoped that person's operation would go smoothly, but he also hoped Hyuga Yunchuan would return safely.

So, upon receiving word that a Jonin meeting was being convened, he immediately set out for it.

But when he pushed open the door, he found that he was not among the earliest to arrive. Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the heads of major and minor ninja clans such as the Uchiha, Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, and Akimichi Clan were already there. Clearly, they could not wait to learn the outcome of the Kumogakure envoy incident.

Whenever he had attended Jonin meetings in the past, Hizashi Hyuga had stood respectfully behind Hyuga Hiashi. This was his first time attending such a high-level meeting as clan head. Hizashi Hyuga felt nervous, but also somewhat excited.

Then the meeting room doors opened, and Sarutobi Hiruzen appeared. Hizashi Hyuga rose to his feet along with everyone else.

The moment he saw the figure following behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hizashi Hyuga stood frozen with his mouth hanging open.

"Yunchuan? How is he...?"

Hizashi Hyuga was not the only one. Many of those present revealed looks of confusion and surprise upon seeing Hyuga Yunchuan.

Shimura Danzō had long heard from Aburame about Hyuga Yunchuan's performance and strength. He had also learned from Utatane Koharu about the words Hyuga Yunchuan had spoken in the hospital room.

"They want war, then we'll give them war!"

That was so satisfying. So cool. If possible, he wished those words had been spoken by himself to Sarutobi, instead of something like, "Sarutobi, you'll regret this!"

Thinking of that, Shimura Danzō could not help narrowing his eyes at Hyuga Yunchuan. When he noticed that Hyuga Yunchuan was looking back at him, an awkward smile actually appeared on his hard, cold face.

"???"

Mitokado Homura, standing nearby, noticed this scene. Terror appeared on his aged face, and he felt as if he had seen a ghost.

Danzo actually smiled??

And smiled so kindly?!

What in the world was happening?

Facing Shimura Danzō's friendly smile, Hyuga Yunchuan merely returned it with a polite smile before sweeping his gaze across the people in the room.

Konoha's core figures had basically all gathered in this meeting room. If a spy could infiltrate this place and carry out a suicide bombing, Konoha would be buried in its grave along with the collapsing building.

After confirming that the ratio of ninjas without clan emblems to those with clan emblems in the meeting room was close to one to two—

Hyuga Yunchuan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure enough. Just as expected.

That meant there would be no problem.

This time, he would not only push Konoha completely into war, but also obtain a higher political position for himself.

At the thought of what he was about to do, Hyuga Yunchuan's body trembled faintly.

So interesting. So thrilling. So delightful.

This feeling of fooling everyone...

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked past the crowd, drawing everyone's gaze to himself.

And to the young man who had remained behind him the entire time.

Creak.

When he saw Hyuga Yunchuan pull out a chair for Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Sarutobi Hiruzen sit down without the slightest surprise, Nara Shikaku's gaze immediately became meaningful. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the stunned "Hyuga Hiashi" nearby.

Noticing the shock on his face, Nara Shikaku instantly understood that the head of the Hyuga Clan knew nothing about it. He could not help feeling a headache coming on.

Troublesome. It seemed this meeting would not go smoothly.

"Sit. It's late, and everyone has worked hard. Thank you for coming all this way."

Sarutobi Hiruzen placed his conical hat on the table before him, then gave the people present a slight nod and said gently, "Aside from those currently out on missions, everyone should be here, correct?"

Mitokado Homura stood and reported the attendance. Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, then directly stated the main topic of the meeting.

"I believe everyone already knows that, in order to give Kumogakure an explanation, Hizashi Hyuga, head of the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family, voluntarily sacrificed himself in place of the Main Branch head. His body was delivered to Kumogakure by the escort squad not long ago. However..."

He paused, and his voice suddenly turned cold. "According to intelligence, Kumogakure dispatched the Magnet Release ninja Toroi and dozens of Anbu ninjas to meet with the escort squad. After receiving Hizashi, the Kumogakure ninjas suddenly attacked the escort squad."

"Not only that, after Akamichi Chodo and the others held out until border reinforcements arrived, nearly a hundred Kumogakure ninjas who had been lying in ambush nearby suddenly appeared. This directly caused the deaths of one Jonin, ten Special Jonin, and countless Chunin!"

"It was precisely because of their sacrifice that Akamichi Chodo and the others from the escort squad were able to return safely. Otherwise, everyone in the escort squad might have died at Kumogakure's hands, and no one would ever have learned the truth!"

By this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone was filled with extreme anger—half genuine, half an act.

"What?!"

The expressions of everyone present changed at once. They could hardly believe what they had heard.

Had those brainless brutes from Kumogakure gone mad?

Or had they discovered that the corpse was Hizashi Hyuga rather than Hyuga Hiashi?

But even so, they should not have openly torn off all pretenses! Wouldn't that make them lose public support?

"They have neither justification nor legitimacy. How dare they openly tear off all pretenses?"

"Without the support of the Land of Lightning's Daimyo and citizens, has the Fourth Raikage gone mad?"

"Kumogakure has gone too far! They're pushing their luck!"

The meeting room, which had been solemn moments ago, now became as noisy as a marketplace.

Hyuga Yunchuan stood behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, coldly observing the noisy, chaotic scene.

This was Sarutobi Hiruzen's lie—a lie he had no choice but to tell.

Humans were complicated, yet simple creatures. When people approved of one thing, they would unconsciously criticize its opposite. Likewise, when they condemned one thing, they would unconsciously approve of its opposite.

Different stances brought all kinds of people together. Yet no one believed themselves to be on the evil side. As many stances as there were in the Ninja World, so too were there forms of justice.

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not reveal the truth—that both Kumogakure and Konoha ninjas had died at the hands of a "monster." Nor would anyone believe it. Only by placing all the blame on Kumogakure could Konoha seize the moral high ground.

That was the only thing he could say. Only by saying it this way would Kumogakure be evil, and Konoha be righteous.

"Ahem."

Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed lightly, and the room gradually fell quiet. Everyone looked at him with different expressions.

"I intend to gather our forces and declare war on Kumogakure." He paused, sweeping his gaze over everyone's faces before saying in a deep voice, "What do you all think?"

The instant those words were spoken, the entire meeting room fell into an eerie silence. The chandelier reflected a soft white light, while the marble floor shone like a mirror.

It was as though the earlier clamor had never existed. The people who had just been shouting and making noise all fell silent. The only sounds were hurried breathing and pounding heartbeats.

The clan heads present in particular understood perfectly well that this Hokage was asking them for people again.

No one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out. Clearly, they intended to resist Sarutobi Hiruzen with silence.

Until a voice broke the stillness.

"Third Hokage, please allow me to join the force!"

Hyuga Yunchuan stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "If our heads are already in the tiger's mouth, reason cannot get us out of danger!"

As soon as those words fell, many faces in the room darkened.

Among them was Hyuga Riwo, who stood behind Hizashi Hyuga.

"Hyuga Yunchuan!" He stared at Hyuga Yunchuan with dark, sinister eyes and said coldly, "Know your place! This is a Jonin meeting. You have no right to speak here!"

"Ahem."

Before Hyuga Yunchuan could respond, Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed lightly, interrupting Hyuga Riwo.

"I forgot to tell you all." He narrowed his eyes and smiled. "I have promoted Hyuga Yunchuan to Jonin. The appointment notice will be issued tomorrow. He is now qualified to attend this meeting and speak."

As soon as those words were spoken, the flickering gazes of the crowd froze. They all turned to look at Hyuga Yunchuan as though they were meeting this "waste" of the Hyuga Clan for the first time.

Title: Rebirth: The Little Sister I Raised Can't Speak

In my previous life, I was deceived by a bad woman, which led to my dad marrying her. That bad woman then exposed all of my dad's gold coins.

In this life, I will strike hard. I must find myself a good stepmother, and I think this Auntie Bai is pretty good.

Thus, a kindergarten classmate who could not speak became my little sister.